For me, birthdays came and birthdays went with very little fuss, but my father had always asserted that â0â related birthdays were significant milestones in our lives, so we should celebrate them accordingly. I accepted that advice, so my 20th, 30th, 40th and 50th birthdays had all been celebrated with due reverence, a lot of food and drink, and a damn good party!
My children thought that when my 60th came along I would treat it a little differently, having lost my wife of 35 years to cancer just 18 months before. But I thought it was important to keep the tradition going, so I expressed my desire to have a large gathering on my birthday. Fortunately I had been blessed for the last 20 years with a Secretary without equal .. Iâm sure at times she even thought the way I did â only sooner! I was the owner and managing director of a small but prosperous company which employed about 50 people and had led the field in some computer developments over the years ...making me quite a wealthy man in the process ...so on this special occasion I decided to go all out and have my workers and their families at the party as well as my family.
Mary Stein was 5 years older than me and on the verge of retirement, but she set about organizing my little bash like it was a military exercise ...the music, the catering, the decorating of my large house in the suburbs, everything. I think she saw it as her farewell gesture to me after so many years working together, and I appreciated it greatly. Sheâd decided it was time to take things easy and go and live with her children a few thousand miles away, and I knew I was going to miss her and be a little lost without her, she had almost become a family institution, and all three of my kids had grown up calling her aunty.
But the night had finally arrived, and when I came down the stairs into the main hall area I could hear the noise of music and people talking, coming from the large entertainment area.
I glanced in the mirror to see if I was ready to meet the throng, and saw reflected back at me a slim, silver haired man, with a slight tan still evident from last summer. A little over 6ft, my shoulders just beginning to stoop a little, a lined face, though not ancient looking, rescued from age, I think, by the twinkling eyes and the smile that I had been told was warm enough to melt an Eskimo! I was dressed relatively casually in a light floral shirt and thin slacks, because the weather had turned unexpectedly warm for so early in the year. Satisfied that I was presentable, I opened the door, to be assailed by the loud rumble of many voices all talking at once, and the music struggling to be heard over the top ... I smiled ... just the kind of party I liked, lively and animated.
My children quickly came over and hugged me and wished me a happy birthday .. theyâd given me their presents earlier.. and my eldest son handed me a glass of my favorite Vodka and orange. Then they were gone, into the swirling mass of humanity, leaving me to wander around slowly, greeting people, chatting, smiling, even occasionally dancing a little. Most of the workers had been with me as long as Iâd had my company so were more like friends than employees.
I knew some of their families too, but, of course, I only got to see them on rare occasions, and time can create significant changes, especially amongst the young, so when my chief accountant Joseph berg introduced me to his 20 year old daughter Magdalena, I was astonished at what I saw. The girl that Iâd remembered as an awkward buck toothed kid of 11 or 12 had blossomed into an absolutely beautiful woman. She was tall and slim and had black hair cascading down past her shoulders, hair that she had a habit of partially hiding behind as she gazed up at a person, giving her an air of innocence and even tentativeness. I found myself drawn to her immediately, and stood for quite some time talking to her.
Joseph and his wife were both small and rather plain looking, so I wondered how they had managed to create such an exquisitely beautiful daughter. We danced together, and I enjoyed the feel of her slim, tight body wrapped in my arms, she seemed to mold into me as we danced, making me seem a much better dancer than I really was, and her initial nervousness gave way to a delightful warmth. I was even sorry when the music ended and I had to hand her back to her parents and continue on my rounds of the party. A little something of her remained with me, and my thoughts went back to her time and time again, but when I finally caught up with Joseph and his wife again they said she had excused herself and gone home. I was surprised at the little twinge of disappointment that went through me.
By this time the gathering had thinned considerably, and was obviously winding down. Mary came and said goodnight and told me sheâd organized a clean up squad for 10 the next morning , so not to worry, and I gave her the usual kiss on the cheeks and a quick hug, and she was gone. Followed soon after by my three children and their families, the musicians, the caterers, and the last slightly intoxicated company workers, all proclaiming loudly that it was the best bash theyâd ever attended and they couldnât wait for my 70th. I smiled as I let the last one out and walked over to refresh my drink, Mmm, only the second for the evening, Iâd done well. I stood, gazing around at the empty room, the echoes of the party still humming in the air, and I sighed, alone at last ... not that I really liked being alone, but Iâd grown accustomed to it since my wife died and at times found myself eagerly seeking it out, perhaps a sign of my age, I donât know.
I walked slowly towards the steps to the basement, weâd had a small In ground pool placed there many years ago, and it had become something of a tradition after any celebration to end the night by taking a dip in the pool. But as I reached for the door handle, I heard something, a small sound from another room. I stopped, listening, but it didnât come again, but I was sure it had come from the library. I frowned, I was sure none of the guests would have had reason to go in there, but I walked slowly over and opened the door. The room was virtually in darkness, but there was enough pale moonlight coming in from the window to see a figure sitting behind my desk.
âWho is it? whoâs there?â I called out.
There was a slight gasp, and then silence, Iâm not sure why I didnât simply put the light on, but something held me back. I walked slowly forward towards the desk, and my eyes widened as the moonlight finally fell onto the personâs face, âMagdalena! What are you doing here? Your parents said youâd left earlierâ I said.
She stood up, âI wanted to speak to you and I didnât want them to know about it because they would have stopped meâ she said, quietly, a slight tremor in her voice.
âStopped you?, why?, they seemed quite happy for us to talk earlier, even to danceâ I said,
âYes, but they didnât know I was going to ask you for a jobâ she said.
I smiled, âOh, and you think the appropriate way to ask for a job is to hide in a darkened library and frighten the life out of meâ I said.
I saw her raise her hand to choke back a laugh, âIâm sure I didnât really frighten youâ she said, âAnd if Iâd come to the office daddy would have known, and I wanted it to be a surpriseâ she added.
âWell it certainly is a surpriseâ I said, wondering why I wasnât angry about this intrusion, âAnd what job is it that you wantâ I asked.
âI want to be your Secretaryâ she said, with a slight swallow and squeak in her voice that told me how nervous she really was.
I laughed gently, âBut I already have a Secretary, a very good oneâ I said.
âBut sheâs retiring soon, and youâll need a new one, and I want to be itâ she said, surprisingly forcefully. Then she hesitated, and her voice dropped, âI really need it, Iâll do anything to get itâ she whispered.
I felt a shiver run up and down my spine. âWe canât talk here in the darkâ I said, âI was about to go down to the basement pool and take a swim, why donât you come along, and you can tell me why you think youâre qualified to take over as my Secretaryâ I said, and not even waiting for an answer, turned and walked out. I was surprised to find that I was a little aroused.
I opened the door to the basement and walked down, flicking on the lights within the pool rather than the overhead lights. So the room took on a beautiful blue green glow. I glanced up and she was standing at the top of the stairs, her eyes wide and her mouth a little open, âWow, thatâs beautiful, I didnât know you had a poolâ she said.
I smiled, âWe had it put in quite a long time ago, itâs kept heated so we can use it all the year round, and itâs lit so we can pretend weâre out in the moonlightâ I said.
She moved slowly down the steps towards me and I was struck again by her innocent beauty, âI guess you mean you and your wifeâ she said, âIâm sorry about thatâ
I shrugged, âI think Iâve dealt with that now, although itâs at times like this when I feel her absence most, we always made it a ritual to come down here after a big party, just the two of us, and weâd take off our clothes and swim, and ... Well .. I blushed .. I guess you know what I meanâ
I saw her tongue come out and brush quickly over her lips, âYesâ she whispered, âAnd now you come down and take your clothes off and swim aloneâ
I nodded.
Her head lifted and she looked at me, âDo you want me to leave?â she asked quietly.
Once again I felt that strange shiver run through me and my eyes flitted over her from head to toe, noticing...not for the first time, Iâm sure, but quite consciously now .. the delicate thrust of her breasts beneath her thin dress, and I had the feeling that the nipples were much harder and firmer than before. Without even thinking, I reached out and trailed the fingers of my right hand down over her breast, feeling her nipple leap and jump, hearing her sharp intake of breath. Then I pulled my hand back, flushing, ashamed of what Iâd just done, damn she was just 20 years old, âIâm sorryâ I whispered, âI guess I got carried away with your beauty ... and my loneliness. Perhaps you better had go and wait for me in the library, I donât want to shock you again, but I donât wear anything when I swimâ