Catherine

I live for the moment when I hear the catch in her throat with our first kiss. Her breathing getting heavier with each caress, touch, or stroke, of her sensitive places, I wait for those words she will say..., but not yet.

Catherine Chapter 30

Living Two Weekends In One

"Hey Swag, you're leaving early?" It's John coming up behind me as I'm getting my jacket from a hanger.

"I thought you weren't leaving until around two, two-thirty?"

John remembering I told him about getting a jump on my drive to Virginia this weekend.

"You're right John," replying. "But that was only if I was taking a lunch; as you know I didn't. My ah..., sometimes lunch date was getting a even earlier jump on her weekend with some friends she hasn't seen for some time."

"Ah, Catherine..., I assume," John coming back to me.

"Yes John, Catherine!" Replying without a follow up, leaves both of us standing here, John waiting for more and me, not wanting go there.

"Okay..., " John says at last. "Drive safe and this too," he says. "I know your daughter doesn't know me, so I'll pass this on with you, I wish her the best of luck on her performance tomorrow and I'm sure she'll make her dad proud!" He's telling me at the same time holding out his hand to me with a hand shake to pass it on.

"Thanks Jon and I will pass it on to her. Also, good luck on the turn up tomorrow night, we've all put a lot of time and schooling into it..., just keep your..., hands off it." Busting on him; maybe for the last time I can do it.

"Fuck You!" I get back from him. "I'll see you at the cut over party; right? He ask.

"Sure, where ever it's decided to be held. And, you can tell Banes, if an when you hear from him, I'll vote against anything he suggest."

Has John laughing with his, "You really know how to lose friends and piss off people," don't you Swaggart!" As he pokes me in the shoulder.

"Take care Swaggart, " he's telling me now. "We'll meet again.., unfortunately for me!" He says. Which gets both of us laughing.

"Oh this too John..., tell that lady friend of yours, I said hi and pass on my sympathies with it too -- how long has been been now, seeing each other and she's still hanging around with you?" My last shot across his bow.

"At least she's not married Swaggart!" His broad side of return fire.

"Married or not, John, she is still one hell of a exciting woman along with one of the best fucks I've ever known!"

"Take care Swaggart!" I get from John, then it's giving him a wave as I make my way to the stair well and my jog to the ground floor.

When I called Catherine about ten this morning; mostly to see if she got into the office okay; she did leave my house pretty late! Plus the way she took off down the road, continuously accelerating till the throaty sound of her Porche at last faded in the distance.

And like most times calling she answered with her, 'Hello you!" Her usual greeting. "How did you know it's me?" I asked.

"I keep my cell phone where I can see it," she tells me. "Plus you have a special ring and your name shows up; 'Mister Pig,' she's telling me, her sweet laughter coming with it.

"What?"

"No, I'm only kidding you, Bobby," she's telling me, still laughing. "So. how's your morning going?" She ask at last.

"Slow..., real..., slow!" Stretching it out. "And my usual train ride into the city was; the usual," telling her. "Any chance of doing lunch," asking right after.

Where it was a hesitant silence before she came back with, 'Bobby, I'm leaving early too.' She said. 'In fact as soon as Sarah gets out of a meeting.' she followed up. 'I want to get a early start on the weekend too; you know the bridge traffic and all heading in that direction on weekends." She tells me. 'But know this too, 'I'll miss you and I'll be thinking about you on your drive to Virginia.' She told me too.

But my thoughts and imagination had already drifted to her getting a full weekend of debauchery I bet; maybe as soon as she gets in the door. And me, hoping for a 'Nancy,' but not saying it, or believing in it either.

Of course disappointed not seeing her for lunch, but still I want her to enjoy her weekend with her, 'Friends Across The River,' and what ever debauchery goes on. I wouldn't say that to her -- but I'm damn sure thinking about them well into it all weekend!

Sally, when I called her adter I got off the train, letting her know I was on the way, where she sounded very excited telling me Erin; who Sally was picking up at school -- a early dismissal for parent, teacher, conferences. Sally had been there for Erin's and would fill me in later when I got to Alice's she told me. Where she immediately followed up with telling me, " Bob, wait till I tell you what Erin's teacher was telling me about our daughter.' She said.

Uh, oh, what's this, I instantly thought.

"I'll give you the glowing report later.' Sally had followed with that too.

I was very happy to hear that last part -- me, the lazy student, her mother, the Honor Roll student, our daughter must be taking after.

Making it from the train station to the turnpike, to the interstate south, traffic was more heavy then I expected, not a problem until forty minutes down the interstate is where the traffic was slowing to a crawl; what now?

So switching from the CD player to scanning the radio stations until hitting on a radio station reporting, 'Major traffic back up due to tractor-trailer roll-over's south of interstate mile marker one-hundred.'

SHIT! If I'd had the radio on I would have been able to get off the interstate two exits ago -- but I guess this shit just happened; like shit happens! But now after twenty minutes of not moving at all and truck's engine turned off it's with cell phone in hand calling Sally to let her know what's up. After that it's relaxing back into the seat, listening to this radio station for the last fifty-five minutes of, "Oldies," when my cell phone resting in the dash mounted cell phone cradle is buzzing along with my, what is this? It's Catherine's cell phone number.

Swiping right, touching on speaker with my, "Hi me, what's up?" where I hear back, "Hi..., it's me!" Her voice sounding clear and cheerful.

"Yes, I know..., I recognized your phone number -- what's up me?" My asking again..

"I was calling to tell you, I miss you and apologize again for not going to lunch with you." She's telling me.

"Hey, no apology, I understand you wanting to get away to see your friends -- I wasn't going back to the site anyway; my supervisor knew I would be leaving early. And..., I like hearing you miss me! So I guess you're there by now?" Already assuming she is,

"Yes," she replies. "The drive..., easy, smooth and quick, like me," I hear, along with her giggling.

But what's that in the background I hear..., the same; giggling? Where it's a definite, 'shush' from Catherine; like to somebody near by?

"So then, I guess they were happy to see you?" Not really asking, but I'm sure they were!

"Oooh..., yes!" Her very enthusiastic reply. "And it started right, as, I, got, in, the door!" Those positive inflection in her voice I can hear as she was saying it all. But then a voice, or voices I hear? But not able to hear anything clear of what was being said. But right behind that now is a mans voice but again, nothing of what he's saying.

"Bobby...," Catherine back. "Where are you now," She ask.

"Right this minute Catherine stopped, or maybe better saying parked, in a back up of traffic south bound on the interstate -- the radio station I've tuned to has been reporting a tractor-trailer roll over." Telling her.

"What, where, for how long?" She's rapidly asking.

"Where..., Catherine..., about fifty miles south of where I get onto the interstate and fifteen-miles south of a exit I could have gotten off the interstate if I had been listening to the radio instead of a CD that I was listening to. And how long, not to sure..., maybe a bit more than a hour now of just sitting still," telling her. "So how long have you been there," asking her.

Where she suddenly breaks up into a long stream of enthusiastic laughter until she calms down and back to me, out of breath.

"I'm sorry she says, it's..., 'not now.' But she's not saying that to me; but someone close by I assume?

And now Catherine's back with, "What if I told you I was sitting on a bar stool at their kitchen island, sipping some wine,"she tells me.

But what she doesn't telling me is that she's wearing nothing but the open shirt of the one she wore to work that very morning!

"Sipping wine while sitting on a bar stoop at a kitchen island; sounds like something you do at my house," Telling her.

Saying that gets her laughing again and my wondering what was funny about that? To suddenly the sound of laughter that seems muffled as if Catherine has covered her phone. But still it's the combined voices of a man and a woman laughing from somewhere and not to far from where Catherine must be. Also finding out why at a later time and place.

"Bobby...," I hear her clearly now" What you said about where and what and the wine..., " she says. "If I told you..., well, I can't tell you..., maybe later though." She tells me.

"Catherine...," pushing the question. "Is that your friends laughing in the background!?"

Where suddenly I can hear Catherine, "Shushing," someone or someone's to be quiet." Where I can hear more muffled conversation, none of what's being said that I can make out.

"Okay." It's Catherine's clearly now, but it wasn't meant for me.

"Yes they were," she's telling me. "But they've gone into the living room so I can talk to you," she's telling me. "Oh their living room," she says as if a after thought. "Is laid out a lot like yours too," she tells me. "Where they have some nice comfortable leather sofas and leather chairs almost like your's too," her follow up.

Oh boy! My thoughts..., warn flesh on cool leather cushions taking me back to that night when she and I were fucking on one of my leather sofas. Also the same night she unexpectedly blurted out that, "No body fucks me the way you do me!" She said. Only to suddenly realize she had let some cats out of the bag, leading to her admissions to more than these friends she's with right now.

"Bobby, I miss you!" I hear, bringing me back from that night.

"I miss you too Catherine..., and now I really wish I were that fly on their living room wall right now too," telling her.

"You are..., such a pig, Swaggart!" She calls me that often. "But, you're a very sweet, lovable pig," she's telling me in that soft, sexy voice that always puts a lump in my throat!

"Oink..., oink..., Parker," I give right back

"So Catherine..., I think you should rejoin your friends and play out what ever naughtiness you, they wind up getting into; where you can tell me all about it in; of course, 'Very Explicit Detail,' when we talk or see each other again or..., a real time, 'Nancy' would be very nice!" Telling her.

"What did I just call you?" She's not really asking.

"I really miss you, Bob Swaggart and it would be so much fun having you here too," she's telling.

To my, "WHAT!" Surprising me!

"Good night Bobby," she says, the call suddenly ending.

"The woman kills me!" Saying it out loud to no one except my phone as I'm placing it back in the dashboard cradle -- the time displayed in the dashboard digital clock forcing my thoughts back to the reality of what's happening around me right now. But I won't be able to stop the thoughts of what she, with them, could be up too right now!

But in time, I know she'll tell me.

But right now, if this tie up doesn't get moving I'm going to have to make a call to the hotel and explain that I might be checking in later then the deadline that holds the room -- it's happen before, checking in late. But a phone call giving them a heads-up has never been a problem. I've been staying there ever since Sally and I thought it would be better for us after Erin's remarks about Sally and I making faces -- or something along that, towards each other. Of course, I wouldn't call them, 'kissy' faces, but they sure must have expressed something in Erin's eyes, of what Sally and I had been up to when we got back to Alice's house. Like her mother, Erin is smart! And like her father; observant!

But right now, not being as observant as I should be; my mind on Catherine and what she and 'THEY,' might be up to; maybe even right now? Because it's the traffic has started to move, first in fits and starts, but at least moving. And when at last reaching the crash location, which had two of the three lanes still shut down to just squeezing by traffic cones; what a fucking mess! Pieces and parts of..., two trucks and something else that doesn't seem to belong to either truck; but apparently involved in the truck accident along with the trucks contents spilled and scattered for over a good hundred yards, has me thinking, this will be well into early morning before the crews have that mess cleared up!

"I need to see you!" Sally was telling me when I called to tell her I had finally made it to the hotel. "What's wrong?" I asked, Erin, you, Alice; what?" I pressed, concerned something about one or the other, or all three of them. "Sally, I pressed her again, what's up. Whats wrong?" Pushing it.

"Bobby, Bobby" she says, " Everybody is fine..., I, just, need, to, see..., YOU!" Was her firm reply.

"Okay Sally..., so then, would you like something to drink, something stronger then a diet something or other?" I was asking her.

"Yes!" She says. "What it is you drink would be good." I get back.

Sally, doesn't drink what I drink! With her it's always been wine! An now I'm concerned!

"Alright, Sally," telling her. "But first I'm going to take a quick shower, then I'll meet you down in the lounge; okay!"

"Oh, and Sally, where is Erin?" Asking, still concerned there's more to what Sally wants to tell me.

"Bobby," she's on the sofa with Alice and both fast asleep." Sally's telling me. "And I'm not going to wake them. But I'll leave a note for Alice under her cell phone in case she wakes up; alright?" She asking this time. "Sure Sally, I'll see you in a little while; bye." Ends the call.

Ordering my drink at the bar, then taking it to a table where I can sit and watch the door; a unconscious habit I've taken on because of places I've been where somebody, or something, coming through the door may not be in your best interest. Ticks in your personality, some call it; I have several, survival instincts is what I call them.

Sitting here nursing my vodka and bitter lemon with a twist of lime knowing it will take Sally almost forty minutes to get here; Alice's, all the way on the far side of town from here. That side of town still retaining some of the look and feel of what this town must have been like a hundred or more years ago; not yet taken over by the development sprawl on this side of town and the opposite side of the interstate too.

Checking my watch and just as I'm looking up from it I see Sally standing in the lounge doorway; both of us seeing each other at the same time, but I wave anyway as she's making her way over to where I'm waiting. Damn..., the woman..., looks amazing! Dressed the way she is, a very confident, business professional. Like her hair; back in that French twist style she favors, it really shows off her beautiful face. But it's still that gorgeous figure of a woman that business attire can't cover up. She still moves with that style and grace the draws men's eyes to her as she passes by.

An me, with a quick glance around the room, it's the three men who had been relaxing at the bar who have certainly perked up where they noticed Sally too, watching intently as she's making her way over to where I'm waiting.

Holding a chair waiting for her, watching her coming closer, showing that gorgeous smile as she gets to me where it's a kiss to the my lips surprises me with that warm of a greeting.

"Hellooow!" She stretches out. "I'm sorry it took so long to get here, but Alice woke up just as I was about to leave. So I had to take a moment to tell her where I was going and why," she's explaining as she's sitting down. "Have you been waiting long?" She's asking me now getting seated.

"No, not really," telling her. "I did take a shower, changed clothes, then came down here, got my drink at the bar," Shaking the glass; now mostly ice in it. "And, just, people watching; you know, no surprises." Telling her.

"You and your people watching," she says, her head turning slightly from side to side.

"Survival instincts Sally..., comes from the places I've been," telling her.

"Yeah." she says, sighing resignedly.

"Would you still like a drink?" Instantly asking her at the way that, 'yeah' sounded.

"Please!" she says, perking up. "And you," she ask. "I've had one," rattling the ice in the glass again.

"Have another with me," she replies. Which sounds like more than just a simple request.

"Sure," replying, I'm not the designated driver the rest of the night. To her, girlish sounding giggle mixed with her, "You never know!" Her reply, trailing off..., a little coy, maybe?

"Are you flirting with me, Sally Collins?" More stating than asking. "Well it's not with those three guys at the bar!" she comes right back to me.

Women like Sally and of course, Catherine too, know they attract attention when they come into a room. And it makes me so darn proud that I know both of them. As well as those other women in my life that keep this life I have exciting and very pleasurable!

"Two drinks it is," telling her as I'm getting up, out of my chair.

But standing at the end of the bar where the server would have been if she had been the one ordering drinks, but she's not on the floor right now. It's also catching the eyes of those three men looking at me, nodding my head slightly acknowledging them. Then it's looking back to where Sally is to see she has her cell out doing something with it, then right back to tell the bartender, "The name's Swaggart, room 316." telling him.

"Of course, Mister Swaggart," he replies.

For a moment I thought about telling the bartender to give a drink to each of the three men who had ogled my ex-wife as she made her way across the room, then giving me the, 'eye,' as they say, as I was waiting for my two drinks but instead, screw it -- the way they were mentally undressing my ex-wife as she was making her way over to me.

Returning to the table, placing Sally's glass down in front of her and then back to sitting in my chair, where it's moving the chair enough that I can see the bar area better; another habit when I don't feel comfortable about people watching me.

"Bobby..., "Sally, starts now. "I got the most glowing report about our daughter this afternoon," Sally's telling me. "Her teacher was almost gushing about how well Erin is doing. Praising her on everything from her grades, to her willingness to help others, to..., you name it! She's well liked by her classmates, she's..., just everything except..., her teacher doesn't feel Erin is being challenged enough because she's well above the intellectual level of whats being taught at the current grade level." Sally tells me. "In other words Bob, she needs to be in a school for children geared to the intellectual needs that Erin needs to be immersed in. Your daughter Bob, is brilliant,' Mrs. Evens was telling me." Where Sally is picking up her drink glass, taking more than a sip.

Watching Sally until she sets he glass back down.

"She takes after her mother, that's for damn sure!" Telling Sally. "You were just like that in school too; popular, honor roll, leader in just about every activity, student council, cheering squad -- you had it and still have it all! And getting your college degree, that had a big impression on Erin I bet. Plus her mother's gorgeous looks and musical talent. You've done your daughter good Sally!" Telling her that too.