FORTY DOLLARS
Jack's company sends me a nice little check every month just for checking his work. I have yet to uncover a serious goof although I do occasionally come up with a suggestion for simplifying a procedure or presentation. About ninety percent of the task is performed via the net but my contract reads that at least twice a month I must spend a full day with Jack so every other Monday I leave my quiet cabin and drive sixty mile to the nearest municipal airport to catch a plane to Seattle. One of those Monday mornings I had stopped midway, as had become my custom, for breakfast at Art's Diner where the eggs aren't overdone and the coffee is really good.
I was admiring the soft round curve of Sally's behind as she leaned over the table to replenish my cup when suddenly, to let me know that she was fully aware of my lecherous thoughts, she straightened up and gave me a wink. "Anything else you'd like today Mr. Davidson?"
I just grinned.
She smiled as she pulled a pencil from her hair and began to make out my bill. "Six fifty eight." She announced as she tore off the tab, turned it over and wrote something on the back. She then laid the slip on the table in front of me so I could plainly read the large figures she had written; - $40.
I contemplated it for a good ten seconds before leaning back and looking up at her. "That looks like the bargain of the day."
Her eyes twinkled. "Breakfast rush is over and I can take off any time now. My place, like the rest of this town, is not more than two blocks away."
I made a rueful smile. "I have a thirty mile drive and a plane to catch in a little over an hour."
"The story of my life." She sighed.
I took out my wallet and laid a five and three ones on top of the check. On rash impulse I added two twenties to the pile. "I'll be coming back through tomorrow night."
Leisurely she picked up the two twenties and rolled them into a cigarette size package which she slipped down the cleavage of her enticing bosom. "I get off at seven thirty."
"If the plane's on time and the creek don't rise I'll be at the curb." I can play the rube.
*
My mind wasn't completely on work through the rest of the day and Jack noticed it by mid afternoon. "I get this feeling that you're not quite with me today." He commented as we wrapped up a report on some relatively trivial testing. "Either you're coming down with the 'flu or you've rediscovered women." I was surprised; in the two years since Helen's death, Jack has never commented on my personal life.
I nodded. "I didn't think it would show."
Jack just quietly said "Welcome back." and made no further comment until after dinner that evening.
At six o'clock, as had become our custom, Jeannie joined us at a small fish house near the wharves where the service is minimal but the fare delicious. She gave me a smile and presented her cheek for a brief kiss. For the first time in two years I noticed the faint jasmine scent of her perfume and was transported back to the last occasion I had really kissed her - to the days when the four of us could share a king size bed for the weekend. I knew that Jeannie would still welcome me into her loving arms and that Jack would be happy for me to seek such solace but my life seems to have lost the concept of joy - until that moment. I pressed my cheek against the proffered one and kissed her ear.
She pulled back in surprise and then laughed prettily. "Well, the boy is showing signs of life."
"I think Sam has found a lady friend." Jack commented.
"Wonderful." Jeannie enthused. "What's her name? Where is she? Why isn't she here?"
I felt acutely embarrassed to discover that I didn't even know Sally's surname. "I don't really have a lady friend." I admitted. "All I have is a first date for tomorrow night."
"Well that's a start." Jeannie grinned. "Maybe I should come along and coach you. I'll bet you've forgotten what goes in where. Come home with us tonight and I'll give you a short refresher course."
"You'd leave him with nothing to offer his lady tomorrow." Jack snorted.
"Well alright."Jeannie said petulantly. "But next time you come to town I expect you to bring this charmer with you. I'd like to see the doll you'd pass me up for."
I experienced a rush of nostalgia. This was the kind of banter that had gone on when Helen was with us.
"I'll think about it - but you tell Jack to keep his hands off."
"The hell I will." She said indignantly. "It's been too long already since I've had you in my bed."
In my quiet hotel bed that night my thoughts went back to the last time I held Jeannie's lovely bare body in my arms and heard her passionate whispers in my ear. I know that any time in the past two years I would have been welcomed back into her loving body but we both knew that without joyful sounds from Helen and Jack celebrating similar intimate pleasures in a nearby bed - or in the other half of a king- size - it wouldn't work. I could almost hear the rising humming sound - like a cat's purr - which was Helen's signal of impending climax and feel again Jeannie's mischievous pussy purses challenging me to come to her before Helen and Jack beat us to that grand moment.
*****
I pulled to the curb before Art's Diner at seven twenty eight the next evening and two minutes later Sally emerged and trotted across the sidewalk. "Two blocks ahead and turn right." She directed as she got in.
"Care for something to eat first?" I suggested.
"I sneaked out an hour ago and put a tamale pie in the oven." She replied. "It should be nicely done by now."
A half hour later I licked traces of tex-mex sauce from my lips and finished off my margarita. "I had tamales almost that good once in El Paso." I said appreciatively, wondering if the next move was up to me.
Sally came around the table and deposited herself in my lap. "You should try my enchiladas." She said coquettishly and unbuttoned her blouse.
Them enchiladas was breathtaking. I buried my face between the two enticing mounds and felt a rush of blood to a part of my anatomy which had been moribund for the past twenty five months. My hand sought the warm flesh of her inner thigh. Sally kissed my eyes and pulled me closer to her bosom for half a minute then silently stood up and led me to her bed.
*
I was awakened at first light by the sound of Sally's shower and she reappeared a minute later dressed in only a towel around her waist. Her breasts stood out firm and proud. "Good morning lover." She seated herself on the side of the bed and tousled my hair. "You done good. Three times."
"You'll have to accept a check for the extra two." I said apologetically. "I'm almost out of cash."
"Not at all." She grinned. "In my cafeteria the customer can return for more until he's had enough. - "And you've had enough." She announced as she removed my hand from the inside of her thigh. "I have to go open up for the breakfast crowd." In minutes she was dressed and out the door. I caught another needed two hours sleep before hitting the road.
*
I got a lot of good work done in the next couple of days considering the time I wasted just thinking of the soft curves of Sally's body. By Thursday I decided I needed more of that so looked up the phone number of Art's diner and got Sally on the line. "I was wondering if you would be free tomorrow night - " I began.
"Never." She interrupted. "But you must admit I'm reasonable."
I laughed obligingly. "Well, I was wondering if you'd like to go over to Bricktown and take in a movie?"
"For that I'm free." She laughed. "We can haggle later."
"Maybe go fishing on Saturday?" I hazarded.
"I'd love that." She agreed. "There's a pool just full of browns about three miles up the river that nobody but me knows about."
*
I really enjoyed the movie although I couldn't say what it was about. Just sitting in the dark, feeling the warmth of Sally's hand and relishing the faint scent of her femininity awakened memories of better times.
Next morning I was still in bed when Sally returned from breakfast shift at the diner so she just stripped and got back in beside me. We didn't catch any fish that afternoon - hadn't really expected to that late in the day but Sally packed a basket of sandwiches and wine and we lazed in the riverside grass and necked like teenagers. Sally had me return her to the diner for the five o'clock shift. She hadn't mentioned the forty dollars so I palmed the two twenties I had put in my shirt pocket and tucked them into her brassiere when I kissed her goodbye.
Twice the next week I made the trek into town to spend the night with Sally and by the second time I had decided that I would ask her to meet Jack and Jeannie. She said that she'd love to go if she could make arrangements for someone to take over at the diner. Sunday she phoned to say it was a go and she'd be packed and waiting first thing Monday morning. It wasn't until then that I began to have misgivings. Would Jack ever forgive me if he caught on? Would he accuse me of ringing in a hooker just to get next to Jeannie? Jeannie I didn't worry about; she'd think it hilarious and take it as a compliment.
Sally voiced the same concerns when we got settled on the plane. "And how are you going to introduce your small town hooker/twice-a-week girlfriend to your big-city friends?" She teased me.
"I'm going to introduce you as a very special woman in my life." I said quietly. "And that's the truth." She snuggled up against me and smiled.
Jeannie met us at Sea-Tac and drove me to Jack's plant. "I'm going to show Sally the city." she announced before driving off. "Meet us at the wharf - five thirty."
Sally was flushed with excitement and she and Jeannie were chattering away like old friends when Jack and I joined them at the fish house. "I've had such a wonderful day." She gushed as I gave her a quick kiss to the cheek. "Jeannie's going to take me shopping tomorrow."
After dinner we went to Jack's boating club for a few drinks and some dancing. Monday is a slow night with no live band but the self-serve hi-fi had a generous selection of tapes and discs. Some friends of Jeannie and Jack came in, some of whom I had met in times gone by, and Sally was treated to some serious attention from the men folk. Once, when she was dancing closely with a particularly handsome specimen, I was surprised at finding myself suffering a twinge of jealousy.
Jeannie noticed my preoccupation and took my hand. "Sally is exactly what I have been wishing for you, my dear. She's a keeper; don't let her get away."
I felt It was time to say something. "Jeannie, There's something I have to tell you."
"About the forty dollars?" she laughed.
I was aghast. "Oh jeez, Jeannie, I didn't expect her to tell you before I had a chance to explain. Sally is really a special person. I like her a lot. I never intended to pull a fast one on you."
She looked at me with an expression of disbelief. "I can't believe it, you haven't seen through that act."
I was thoroughly confused. "What do you mean, 'act'?"
"Listen carefully, junior." Jeannie admonished me in a tone of patient exasperation. "Ask yourself how does a good looking healthy widow woman get the attention of a man she takes a fancy to without risking the embarrassment of rejection? What would your reaction have been if she'd just told you she had been a widow for three years now and was tired of sleeping alone?"
"I probably would have grabbed my hat and run like hell." I admitted.
"Precisely." Jeannie patted my hand. "I think her 'act' was inspired and I admire her spirit in using it. I'll remember it in case I'm ever in her situation."
That took a minute to sink in. "I am a dull unthinking clod am I not?" I said contritely.
"Yes you are." Jeannie acknowledged. "But there's still hope for you. Now let's get you back to your hotel before that Malcolm makes off with your lady."
At the hotel I tentatively invited my friends up for a nightcap but Jeannie declined politely. Alone in the elevator, Sally put her arms around me and kissed me lightly. "You have lovely friends." Later, relaxing in the afterglow of our lovemaking, she enthused over the exciting afternoon she had spent with Jeannie. I didn't mention the revelation that Jeannie had made to me earlier.
Jeannie had promised to be by later in the morning so I tried not to waken Sally when I got up to finish my business with Jack but I didn't succeed so we had breakfast in bed. I spent a productive morning with Jack and the girls joined us for lunch before Jeannie drove Sally and me to the airport.
In the airplane, Sally raised the armrest between us and cuddled up closely. "I gather that Jack is more than just a business associate."
"Yes, he is a very dear friend." I answered.
"And Jeannie?"
"You might say intimate friend. Helen and I considered them special friends."
"That's nice. It's nice to have special friends." She said quietly and remained silent until the plane had taken off. "Art and I had special friends too." She resumed. "They have a ranch about fifty miles north of us - beautiful country. I haven't seen much of them since Art died - sort of awkward you know. I'd like you to meet them. They're good people." We silently admired the mountains for the next twenty minutes.
"I've been thinking." I ventured. "Before snow flies I might move down into town. I like the quiet where I am but I'm getting a bit tired of bucking the snowdrifts to get groceries. Would you keep an eye open for a decent rental?"
Sally answered almost too quickly. "The Baird place, that big house just outside town will be available after Labor Day. It's too much house for a single occupant but I'd go halfer's on it." She grinned impudently. "Forty bucks twice a week would just cover it."
"Leaving five nights a week for your other customers." I noted.
She punched me hard on the biceps. "You know better than that."
"Yes I do." I admitted. "How about having Jack and Jeannie up for a housewarming at Thanksgiving?"
"By then you'll have met Ken and Esther, my friends. We'll invite them too."
"Deal."
*********