Katherine Wray was elated as she walked into Nationals Park in Washington, D.C. for the decisive game 5 of the National League Division Series between her beloved Washington Nationals and the Chicago Cubs. She simply loved sports. The 40 year-old mother of two had been an elite college runner who even today continued regularly to win her age group in regional races. Katherine was likewise a phenomenal basketball player who, during her time at Stanford University, would have played on the women's varsity squad were it not for her serious dedication to studies.
In the years since college, including three spent at Harvard Law School, the willowy Nashville native kept herself in stunning shape through a continued dedication to running and participation in local basketball leagues. She supplemented that with a rigorous toning and weight lifting regime the result of which served to keep her 5' 8" body in spectacular form. With long toned legs and a fabulous ass, there was not a man who didn't take notice of the lovely Mrs. Wray. Her firm abs and wonderfully muscled arms - sculpted but not at all masculine - made it quite difficult not to stare.
When one matched that vision with Katherine's beautiful, fresh face, incredibly friendly demeanor, and genteel southern accent it was almost impossible for anyone - man or woman - not to like her. In fact, the only time that Katherine Wray ever rubbed anyone the wrong way was in the heat of competition or - on rare occasion - when a few extra cocktails would make her all too aware of just how fetching she was. One could only wonder what effect the combination of flowing competitive juices and flowing alcohol might have on the ordinarily adorable Mrs. Wray. Tonight, one would find out.
"Katherine . . . those shoes . . . "you're just too much," joked Emily Duncan as she, Mrs. Wray, Rachel Miras and Rebecca Ross made their way along the stadium's bustling concourse on the way to their seats.
The shoes in question were a pair of 4.5" fire engine red Manolo Blahnik heels that Katherine had worn that day to work but had most certainly
not
intended to wear to the game especially in light of her wearing a very cute, very short, pleated, wrap-around "Nats blue" skirt that appeared even shorter given the length of her spectacular legs.
"I know," Katherine giggled back at her friend blushing, "I had meant to slip into my red, low top, canvas Chuck Taylors and some white running socks for the game but when I went to change at the office, I realized I must have left them home. Does this look too ridiculous?"
"Are you kidding," Rachel Miras chimed in, "if I had a body like yours' I'd wear high heels and short skirts to the grocery store."
That the four friends could laugh about the issue was even greater testament to Katherine's good nature and general sweetness. She was just plain likeable and, even looking like a model in her high red heels, short blue skirt, red Nats t-shirt -- with the word "#natitude" on the back - and the club's red "curly W" hat, Katherine was neither arrogant, threatening nor dismissive of anyone. At least, that is, not yet.
"Hey, let's grab a drink before we hit the seats," said Rebecca Ross with a smile on her face.
"Sounds great," Emily answered, "and there's that new tequila bar - "The Tequilaria" - right by the "Nat Dogs" stand near our section. Shall we give it a whirl?"
As the other girls nodded their assent and all headed for some Jose Cuervo, men and women alike were taking notice of Mrs. Wray's incredibly - if unintentionally - sexy outfit.
"Keep your tongue in your mouth JD," Cherie Owen snapped at her husband.
Cubs' fans both, Cherie and JD Owen, along with Cheryl's nearly 95 year-old mom Gladys, had flown into DC with two other couples specifically for the game. For Gladys, a life-long Cubs fan who was born three years after the team's last World Series title in 1908, this 2016 season was shaping up to be the culmination of long held dream.
"And you two do the same," Cherie only half-jokingly chided the other men in her gaggle of pals as they too eyed Katherine Wray's departing derriere.
"Can you believe that woman," Cherie's friend Sara Pikofsky intoned, "what a show off."
"Forget about her ladies," exclaimed Tracie Stit, "the third of the three Chicago friends, none of whom was blessed with Katherine's physical gifts, "it's game five of the playoffs - all or nothing -now let's go get some hotdogs and find our seats."
"That's the spirit," Gladys chimed in as JD pushed the nonagenarian in her Cubs' colored wheelchair that she had specially designed for the trip. "I've got my lucky pennant with me tonight and I just know it's going to help us expose the weakness of this Nats club."
As Cheryl's spunky mom thrust the pennant she had owned since she was eight - a small triangle of red, white and blue fabric bedecked with the Cubs famous "C" logo at the end of two foot long wooden dowel - no one could have imagined the exposure it would soon bring.
In the meantime, Katherine, Emily, Rachel and Rebecca had each already thrown back two shots of tequila and, in a great mood, went searching for their own seats. Not surprisingly, there was not a man or boy who saw Katherine who didn't hope she'd be sitting close by.
"They're right down there," said Rebecca excitedly as she looked at her ticket, "only one row back from the field."
"Wow," Rachel Miras smiled widely, "these seats are great!"
"Too bad we've got a row of Cubs fans in front of us," Katherine added as she spied Cherie, JD, Gladys, and their friends taking their seats. "I sure hope they're ready to get
spanked
."
As Katherine laughed a bit too loudly at the unintended double entendre of her own joke - fueled by her strongly partisan feelings for the Nationals and two shots of tequila - Cherie and JD Owen turned around to see who was causing the ruckus. The former cursed her luck that in a stadium of nearly 50,000 people Miss Short-Skirt-and-Heels ended up right behind her while the latter tried to contain his ear-to-ear smile as well as the growing bulge in his jeans.
After the introduction of the teams and a performance of the national anthem by Adele that prompted a slightly tipsy Katherine Wray snarkily to remark, much to the consternation of Cherie, Sara and Tracie and the surprise of Emily, Rachel and Rebecca, "well
she
sure hasn't missed too many meals," the baseball game began. From inning to inning, the closely fought contest provided each team's fans reason to cheer. Katherine - now fueled by a few ballpark beers in addition to her earlier shots - was as relentless in her criticism of the Cubs' players as she was vociferous in her support of the Nationals. As much as her cat calls and other insults thrown at the Cubs rubbed Cherie and her friends the wrong way, Katherine's jumping up and down as she hurled them, in her high heels and short skirt, kept their husbands more than a bit interested.
For their part, the Cubs fans in front of her, evidencing their strong midwestern ethos, were less critics of Washington than supporters of Chicago. It was in a show of such support that the first hint of outward tension developed between Mrs. Wray and Mrs. Owen. Excited by one of the Cubs stars making a terrific defensive play, an elated Gladys threw her arms in the air, Cubs pennant in hand, and nearly poked Katherine Wray in the eye.
"Hey, watch it grandma," Katherine snapped irritated both by the Cubs player's success and her nearly getting hit, "you almost took my eye out."
Holding her tongue as best she could, Cherie Owen turned around and, facing the very long legs of the willowy sex kitten before her, offered a very tight lipped apology, "we'll try not to let that happen again Miss but . . . please remember . . . she's an old woman in a wheelchair."
Unimpressed by Mrs. Owen's gesture, Katherine merely rolled her eyes.
Not three plays later, Nationals' star Bryce Harper stepped to the plate and, with a hearty swing at the first pitch, sent what would be a home run screaming into the seats in Katherine's section. As fortune would have it, JD Owen, trusty mitt in hand, was the lucky fan that caught the ball.
"JD honey," Cherie Owen beamed with pride, "what a
great
catch. Mom - did you see JD's great catch? Now give my mom the ball sweetie."