Lauren Four

Lauren

Four

Lauren stood at the gate, coffee cups in hand. The gangway was fairly steep due to a low tide, so I was looking up at a vision.

My heart went 'thunk'. Again.

Long legs leading to short, tight, form fitting white shorts. A blue blouse capped with her honey - blonde hair. No matter what she had to say I was probably a goner.

"Hi John, I brought a peace offering."

"I didn't know we were at war. Come, we'll talk on the boat."

"Be careful, the ramp is steep. I'll take a cup so you'll have a hand free."

The way she walked along the floats it was obvious she'd never been on one before - often first timers tend to stay in the center, walking carefully.

"Is this your boat? Blue Moon? That's a beautiful name."

I helped her aboard, pointing to seating in the cockpit. "Blue Moon was one of my mother's favorite songs. Dad named her for mom."

We sat sipping coffee. I was determined to let her go first since she wanted this. I didn't mind the view, She was just as beautiful as ever.

"This is a beautiful boat. You said your father named it?"

"Yes, I was twelve, dad had been looking for something like this for about a year. He wanted a decent sailer, but at the same time enough engine power to get home properly. So he bought a motor-sailer. Mom loved it because when the sun was too much she could retreat to the wheel house for the shade, but still have a good view, rather than being down below with just a couple ports to look out."

Again we sat in silence.

Finally she sighed. "you're probably wondering why I called after all this time ..."

I waited. I wasn't trying to make anything hard on her, but I wasn't going to fluff off what she had said either.

"John, I owe you at the very least an explanation, and probably - no, certainly - an apology."

Looking at something on the water, or another boat, anything but me, she began; "One of my co-workers, Margaret, she's older than me, married with kids. She asked me if something was wrong. I tried telling her it was nothing, but last week she took me to lunch, with drinks, and told me to 'spill it'. I denied there was anything but she called me out. Said I'd been moping around the office, just radiating sadness. She had known about my ex, the way he'd controlled me, verbally abused me. She was concerned I'd gotten into a similar situation again."

She took off her glasses and looked over at me.

"I told her about our date, the way you took charge and ordered everything and how that made me feel. She asked if you had done anything inappropriate. I had to say that honestly you hadn't. 'Girl, I wish my husband would do that every once in a while'. That's what she said."

She watched a gull paddling by.

"She made me think. You didn't do anything but be a perfect gentleman with a lady on a first date."

Her eyes shifted to the gull again.

Then came back to me; "John, I am oh so sorry I reacted the way I did. See, I feel something for you and it scares me because i don't want to be in another relationship like before."

Her tears were heart breaking.

I pulled her into my arms and just held her. I don't know how long we sat like that, but she finally sat back and asked for a tissue. I had a box in the wheel house. She wiped her eyes and blew her nose. Her mascara had run and some of the color she'd daubed on her cheek had rubbed off on my shirt.

She was beautiful.

Yeah, yeah, I know I'm a sucker. Hell, I was suckered when she first joined me at the coffee shop table.

But, I have my limits. I am quite willing to compromise, even apologize when I'm wrong, but I won't kow tow. I was about to find where she was going with her apology and crying.

"John, can we start over?"

At least she was smart enough not to pull the 'I must look a mess' routine. I might have escorted her off the boat.

"If you mean having coffee, sure. If you mean a date, maybe. I don't know about beyond that. I'm not playing any games here. I've been burned too, so I'm just a bit leery of where you're coming from."

It was my turn to stare off and away. "My ex wife was a manipulative bitch. That's not a term I use easily. It took me almost five years to learn the truth."

"My mom took a dislike immediately, maybe she sensed something, but because she was with me mom put on a good face. When I announced our marriage to them, my folks insisted on a prenup. I didn't think it was necessary, but they insisted. They said it would just have a five year time limit."

"Long story kinda short, I came home early one day, thinking I'd surprise her. The surprise was on me. It was the old cliche. I heard her on the phone in another room, I'd come in through the kitchen. The words are burned into my memory; "...yes honey, I know, I miss you too. No, don't worry about him, he doesn't have a clue. he's so stupid I could give you a blow job in the living room and he wouldn't notice. I only have to hang on a few more months and the prenup expires. Sure, I'l meet you tomorrow. Same place? Okay, they have comfortable beds. Love ya. Bye"

"I left the house, went down the street and parked out of sight. I didn't cry. Not because of any sense of manliness - I was just too damn numb."

I told Lauren about coming home later and acting normal, about refusing sex because I was 'too tired'.

"One thing about being my own boss, I can take a day off and not explain to anyone. I left the house at the usual time, she was still in bed. I knew she never stirred until at least nine, so I had time to go to a deli and pick up some food and water, including a spare bottle to pee into."

"Gross."

"Yes, I know, but I couldn't take the chance of having to find a rest room."

"Anyway, I parked down the street and waited. One good thing about my business car is that it's plain. There must be hundreds - thousands just like. It makes the clients feel they are getting a no-nonsense guy."

"So she rolled out about twelve, cruised over to the mall. I parked a row away from her and waited, An hour later she came out with several bags, the outside one being Victoria's Secret. I hadn't seen her in any of those outfits in three years."

I stared out at nothing.

"She drove straight to the Starlight Motel, parked in front of room eleven. I parked across the street with my digital camera ready.

When she got out she had the Victoria's bag and went straight to the door. It opened almost instantly. I couldn't see who it was but her arms went up like someone hugging a lover.

I waited an hour and a half, when she came out. He was with her, a hand on her ass. He held the door as she slid in and leaned down to kiss her. Yes, I got pictures."

Just the memory had me clenching up again.

Lauren watched me, but didn't move.

"While Alicia was in that room I took the time to search for Private Investigators.

I found one nearby, called and did a quick interview, and satisfied myself he wasn't skeezy. Then told him what was going on and what I needed. He told me to get both plate numbers and as many pictures as possible."

"After they left I went over to the PI's office where he downloaded the pictures. Then I went home at my usual time. Alicia wanted to cuddle - I definitely didn't, so I claimed more work to do."

"John, you don't have to tell me this ..."

"Lauren, you are the first person I have told. My parents are dead, I have no close relatives, and my few friends never did warm to her. So you are it."

"When the PI gave me the name and address of Alicia's friend I drove to his house on the next day I knew they were together. I knocked on the door and a pleasant looking woman, maybe forty, opened it. I introduced myself and asked for her husband by name, she said he wasn't home."

"Well," I said; "If you want him he's in room eleven at the Starlight Motel with my wife.

When she gets home divorce papers will be waiting."

"At first she was in shock, then just mumbled; 'That sonofabitch promised. Thank you Mr. Teasdale.'"

"I told her I was sorry to be the one telling her this. But, if she wanted copies of my report for a divorce, to let me know."

"What happened?"

"We divorced. Once the papers were filed the prenup became effective. When she learned I had a PI report and a stack of pictures, she conceded and settled. She got what she came into the marriage with, plus her clothes and her car - it was in her name. Nothing else."

"And the other woman?"

"She called about six months later to thank me. Apparently that wasn't the first time, but she decided it was the last. Cleaned him out - got the house, car, maintenance, child support, and half of their savings."

"You keep mentioning your parents in the past tense. Why?"

"They were flying down to Florida for a long deserved vacation. This was three years ago. They were in one of those private business jets. It belonged to a friend of a friend. Over Oklahoma it had a mechanical problem. The pilot tried to make Tulsa. He failed."

"I'm so sorry."

"I only hope it was quick for everyone on board."

~~~~~