CHAPTER 10:
Introduction: The supposed sexual adventures of a prep school teacher in the 1950s and 1960s. Chapter 9 is an account of his crossing the channel and entering another channel. Chapter 10 finds him still in France and offered the chance to consummate with Denise the sexual activities with her which constituted part of his initiation, as reported in Chapter 1.
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I presumed that Denise was coming to her country retreat to put it to bed for the winter, or, possibly, to quiz me about the month with Jeanne. Maybe even to report on her friend's state of mind and body after that time with me.
Her letter arrived on a Tuesday, so I had four days to fill, in effect, before she arrived on Friday evening. That not only settled my staying on for those days at least but gave me things to do during them. I busied myself changing the beds, cleaning the place throughout and going to the village market and shop to replenish supplies. Between whiles I cycled many miles around Normandy and swam a good deal on the local and other beaches. The idea was to tire myself to enable me to sleep and avoid brooding on missing Jeanne, her magnificent clitoris and the great, deep, compelling eyes which had drawn me in.
I made sure to be outside in the twilight to meet Denise, and she rather surprised me by getting out of the car, embracing me hard and kissing me, lips to lips. I could tell she was tense, agitated, and wondered if Jeanne had returned to Paris distressed. But would Denise greet me so warmly if that were the case? Perhaps she was rewarding me if Jeanne had seemed in a better state of being?
I had a meal waiting and we settled to eat, but she picked at the food and kept looking into my face questioningly.
Eventually I asked, 'Do you want me to talk about how Jeanne and I got on?'`
'I know all about it,' she said, smiling, 'She told me everything, every last detail. In both languages and several times.'
'Was she happier?'
'She's still grieving at the loss of her breasts, of course, and will go on doing so, but you showed her she can still be desired, still have sex. She loved it, every detail. Telling me helped her to enjoy the memory. She got excited again at the thought of what you did together.'
'What about her husband?' I asked.
'We discussed a long time whether or not to tell him about her infidelity. Would the knowledge that another man wanted her help him think of her sexually? Or would it just finish off the marriage?'
'What was the decision?'
'Say nothing for now and hope.'
I said, 'Has she used her mouth? What about her offering him sex from the rear, so he doesn't need to see her chest? She's got a lovely bottom after all, and if he doesn't appreciate that he must be a fool.'
'I think she's tried, but he rejects her.'
She sounded distant, as if Jeanne's situation was no longer the point, so I asked, 'There's something wrong, isn't there? Something personal to you.'
I was not surprised when she began to cry. I reached across the table to take her hands.
'It's Marcel,' she said, 'He's got a girl.'
'How do you know?' I asked. 'Did he tell you?'
'No,' she sobbed, 'I caught them when I got back from here a month ago. He thought I wasn't coming home till the next day, which was the original plan. I went a day early to leave you and Jeanne alone sooner.'
'Is it serious?' I asked. 'Does he want to leave you?'
'He doesn't know. He says he's in love with her. She's a girl from his company, half my age.'
I wondered what to say next. 'Is it a middle-aged man grabbing at his youth thing?'
She struggled to stop weeping. 'The question is; do I want to leave him?'
Obviously only she could determine that, so I said nothing. She went on, 'All those years we were apart and I didn't let any man into me, because I thought that was what mattered. You know about that. We never had full sex. You were sweet about that. I know he was unfaithful during that time, but I could manage that so long as he was faithful after we were together again.'
She got up and moved round the table and sat on my knee, and began to cry again on my shoulder. I held her tight and waited for the storm to pass. She said bitterly, 'I wish now I'd had done it properly with you. But we can remedy that, if you still want to. If you aren't empty after Jeanne. Of course I know I'm older and fatter.'
'You are as beautiful as ever,' I said, 'And of course I want to. But I don't just want to be your revenge, because you'd regret that afterwards.'
'I want you because I want you. I need to do everything you did with Jeanne, everything. Remember, I know what you and she did.'
'That would be wonderful,' I said. Did I really have scruples? Surely I was agog to get into the woman I had fallen in love some years ago?
'But we've only got till Monday morning, not a month,' she said.
'We'd better get started, then,' I replied, already hardening. 'Off we go to the sea.'
'Oh yes. I have to get grass up my arse.'
'You wouldn't have used such a word last time,' I pointed out.