Introduction
Harpoon Estates is one of the most exclusive neighborhoods on the California coast, embracing all the stereotypes of rich excess: Large mansions, lush lawns and deep pools amid an arid landscape, BMWs and Teslas with obnoxious personalized license plates, yachts in the local marina, and of course, a bevy of second and third wives living lives of idleness.
These women have their own little society, which mostly takes place amid social gatherings and status competitions. Unlike the enclaves of Beverly Hills and Orange County to the south, the citizens of Harpoon Estates have managed to avoid being home to a Real Housewives franchise, as traditional mores and local homeowners association codes have managed to keep the reality show set at bay. The people proudly keep up the image of an aloof and insular community of affluence disinterested in the affairs of the common folks. Their merely-rich inferiors and the reality TV and influencer set have the strong belief that they are a culty and incestuous enclave dabbling in all manner of private decadence (as opposed to their public decadence). Nothing could be further from the truth. Well, the incestuous part anyway.
The topic came up in the course of the normal gossip when three of the second wives met for lunch at one of the grand homes. The hostess Candace, age 44, was the elder stateswoman of the group, though plastic surgery assured she didn't look it. She had the bottle blonde bimbo look favored by her 70 year-old husband.
Her guests that day included Mary, the second-youngest at 27, married to a man in his late 50s. She too was a blonde, though natural, and bore a striking resemblance to a younger version of her husband's first wife. Their relatively modest age gap, and the resemblance to the first wife, was considered romantic young love by the standards of Harpoon Estates,
Her other guest Jasmine was the baby of not just the group, but the Estates as a whole. At age 25, with her hopes of marrying a particular movie star behind her, she had settled down as the new wife of a serial entrepreneur with a penchant for fighting the SEC and investor lawsuits over his many schemes.
The gossip that day came from Ivy Vine Manors, the main rival to Harpoon Estates as the leading social elites. Ivy Vine included the most audacious social climbers, and rightfully earned the nickname "Poison Ivy" for the internal feuds and toxicity of personalities. The latest gossip to come out was an affair between the wife of a prominent and vain local ambulance chaser lawyer and her stepson.
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"Can you believe the nerve of her?" Candace asked when discussing the shamed woman, "She always just so happened to schedule her parties the day I did, and always tried to steal away my caterers and entertainers for her events."
"Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery," Mary said.
"I guess that is why she banged the son that was the spitting image of her husband," Jasmine said.
"We know she doesn't spit," Mary said.
They all had a laugh at their fallen rival.
"Still, though, it doesn't help us all. It only reinforces as false notion that affluence comes with sexual depravity," Mary said, "Sure, there is infidelity, and people flip spouses like homes, but we have certain lines we don't cross here."
"I could never sleep with my stepson," Candace said, "There is just so much wrong with it. I helped raise him, even if his mother wouldn't ever credit me."
"Have you ever..." Jasmine began, but let it die.
"Ever what?" Candace asked.
"Sorry, it's a silly question," Jasmine said.
"Have we ever cheated on our husbands," Mary asked.
"Ignore that, I shouldn't have asked," Jasmine said.
"Are things not so good in your marriage?"
"No, they are fine!" Jasmine said, "It's just, you can't look around this neighborhood or listen to the gossip and not wonder."
"Well, we're not having sex with our stepsons, but we're not all Puritan moralists either," Mary said, "It's not like our husbands aren't taking what they can on their business trips."
"How often does a man need to go to Las Vegas and come back smelling of the same perfume?" Candace said.
"Honestly, I feel better when my husband comes back smelling of a different perfume. It means he's not falling in love," Mary said.
"Oh, I hadn't thought of it that way," Jasmine said.
"Maybe your man is being faithful, or at least only with women who share the same scent," Candace said.
"They are still in the honeymoon phase," Mary said, "Let her have her romance."
Mary placed a supportive hand on Jasmine's shoulder.
"We'll be there for you when the shine wears off," Mary said.
"I hate to think it will," Jasmine said, "How did you both come to the decision to do it?"
Mary and Candace looked at each other.
"As host I suppose I should go first," Candace said.
Chapter 1: Candace's Story
When I said I could never sleep with my stepson Derrick, I meant it. The feelings against it are too much, no matter how handsome or how much he resembles his father.
That said, as a popular and social kid, he has a lot of friends, equally as popular and handsome as he is.
This includes his friend Charlie. Charlie is good looking, but he's also from new money. I've met his father, and his father is still married to his first wife. Now, new money is nothing strange out here in California, but you have to understand, his father had to really fight to make it up from poverty. His father is very Midwestern, and his values and chip on his shoulder have passed down to his son. So there is this feeling that the world won't automatically see him as good enough, and that means girls also.
Charlie's Dad is okay looking, certainly not the worst. But he married very well, looks wise, much better than he could have pulled in Iowa. Charlie has the look, but in a world of type A alphas, he's a beta. Despite everything going for him, he's a little shy around women. Not awkwardly shy, but just short of the confidence to get the women he wants. He is probably the only student at his college who is still a virgin.
Now, we all know we love our older, more established men, but never forget there are some young men who love an older woman as well. In fact, I'd argue most of them would be better off having a woman with experience to help them out.
Certainly Charlie wanted that, even if he couldn't articulate it. I could see it when he interacted with the other Moms. There was just a closeness. I don't doubt many of them thought the same thing, but they weren't willing to act on it. Why risk a stable husband for the young man? At least the pool boys don't speak English, so who cares if they blab?
I dismissed my own thoughts, until I saw him interacting with Derrick's Mom. Now, Derrick's Mom and I don't see eye to eye, but I respect Derrick needs a good relationship with her. Well, Charlie was clearly flirting at her, and I could see Derrick's Mom was interested.
There are few true taboos where we're at, but you don't sleep with your best friend's Mom or son's best friend. But Derrick's Mom had been single for a while, and it's tough when the men her age want someone younger. I could see the temptation.
So when they finally separated when Derrick came in, I decided to make my move.
"Charlie," I told him.
"Oh, hi," Charlie said as innocently as a horned up 18 year-old with a boner could be.
"I saw you and Derrick's Mom flirting. That's dangerous stuff," I said.
"We weren't!" he said, with his voice cracking.
"Honey, I know what I see. And I get your feelings, but you need to consider Derrick's," I told him.
At this point he knew he was caught.
"Well, look, there's nothing wrong with being into an older woman," Charlie said, "And it's not like the girls my age are trying to do anything."
"I've seen them look at you. And you've taken some out on dates. What's the issue?" I asked.
"I...just can't close. I know that sounds transactional, but it's real. I get stuck on second base, and I just can't get them to go any further. They slap my hands like a nun in Catholic school," he said.
I could tell from the desperate tone what his issue was.
