CHAPTER 1
Mace Munro was declared redundant from the bank he'd work for ten years, That was a civilized way of being fired after being found in the vice-president's office engaged with the VP's wife amid much groaning, and moaning and foul language that reached into adjoining offices. Being declared redundant meant entitlement to a golden handshake. Presenting the check for big bucks, the VP slapped Mace on the shoulder and said no hard feelings.
"Just look after Judy," Mace whispered. "Your wife is now a great fuck and won't wander if she receives more attention at home."
The VP positively beamed and hid his guilt. Mace knew vice-president Bill Moss was having affairs with two PAs – his and Mace's and that's why Mace had had a crack at Judy.
Mac was in no hurry to find another job. He' d made a mint with unauthorized use of the bank's money to invest in the rapidly rising commodities market over the past two years and was leaving with the bank's money long re-lodged where it should be sitting. His golden handshake totaled a cool $100,000. Bill Moss was in line to become president next year so had no wish to have a scandal over his wife's infidelity reach the board, so Mace's lips had to be sealed. The alternative of having those lips sealed permanently was too unpalatable for Bill as he had the soft heart of a banker.
Heading west, Mac drove to his Aunt May's home because his parents had only recently left for eight weeks in Europe, visiting museums and art galleries. Yuk, thought Mace with no desire to join his folk. He'd worked with stuffed dummies long enough and the nudes he wanted to gloat over had to be in the flesh.
Ford Crossing, a town of 17,800 people, had seen better days. Mace was visiting because he genuinely liked Aunt May and Uncle Richard was okay as well and the asshole three sons had left home. His other reason for visiting was to look up a female, if he could find her. On New Year's Eve sixteen years ago when that girl and he had not long turned eighteen, they'd had thrown themselves together and had sex. Most unusual sex because both were embarrassed fumblers.
She was blonde, lived locally and claimed her name was Peaches. Mace had finally gotten the angles right and kept her still enough to finally split her peach. It was all over within ten minutes, both of them highly excited, believing they'd just become adults. Well, she'd be thirty-four now, possibly married with kids. People can change a lot in sixteen years, especially women if they pile on the weight. However trying to find her – Peaches was an alias – gave him something to do. A quest. If she'd left town he'd be left empty-handed but pleased he'd made the effort.
If Peaches wasn't married he could marry her if she checked out okay. If she was married but was agreeable to a fuck for old times sake that was fine but alas if they stood as cold strangers he'd like it if she'd have coffee with him and chew fat over that night sixteen years ago. Yes, he'd be happy just to talk about it. Of course he might be the last person she ever wished to see again. Yeah, some quest; it would be difficult to execute even unsuccessfully and if it did produce Peaches he could face big disappointment.
What intrigued Mace about this hair-brained project was finding he actually had deep thoughts about a female and that provided motivation. He'd gone into banking as a career because he was unmotivated to find something more challenging, and banks preferred to recruit people who were unmotivated and cynical because they fitted banking's concept of a model customer service person.
Not seeing Peaches before or since was not odd because at that time Mace lived on his parent's small ranch twelve miles out of town. On New Year's Eve sixteen years ago he'd been staying with Aunt May. There had been no chance to arrange to meet again Peaches after they exchanged juices because Mace had been running in a circle, chased by Peaches, he carrying her panties aloft. Peaches mother arrived on the scene and screamed, 'You disgusting girl' so Mace had thrown the panties to Peaches, yelled 'See you' and had taken off.
All in all, finding Peaches again seemed a daunting task, but possibly no more difficult than trying to make good investment profits for bank clients who were adverse to taking even a few moderate risks despite having or requiring a broad investment portfolio.
Aunt May greeted him joyfully but sat him down and trimmed his hair.
"You need fattening up, but your clothing is good. Now listen to this, you are a waste to womanhood because you haven't married."
"I'd marry if I could find Peaches and she's on the shelf."
May frowned and said so that's why he was visiting.
"What do you mean?"
"Years ago you asked me did I know a young woman, blonde and pretty, called Peaches."
"Wow, what a memory. I don't remember that."
"I asked what college did she go to but you didn't know. That would have made locating her easy. All you knew was she was thinking of a career either in nursing, travel, finance or business."
"I vaguely remember her telling me that. Finance you say?"
"That's what I said. So you could start but visiting all banks, accountancy firms, hospitals, travel agencies and I wouldn't even start looking at businesses."
"It's hopeless."
"My friend Joyce has a daughter almost your age who is a nurse, divorced. You may not be interested because Joyce said Kathy was rather promiscuous."
"Is she pretty?"
"Yes."
"Anything else?"
"Big breasts and big thighs."
"Aw, so she's fat."
"Not at all. Then you are interested?"
"This promiscuous thing has me worried."
May laughed, cuffed his ear and said, "Don't lie to me Mason Edward Munro."
"Don't call me those horrible names."
"Well your mother and I liked them and your father was too drunk to really care, proud to have fathered a son after three daughters. I'll call Joyce and arrange something. Please don't disgrace me by revealing to Kathy her mother told me Kathy was rather promiscuous."
"Hell, I wouldn't do that."
"Good boy."
At the movies Mace found Kathy was promiscuous. Looking constantly at the big screen she unzipped Mace and dug her hand in deep and sighed saying, "Good boy."
"She's a nurse, " Mace whispered to the two horrified older women sitting next to him, aware he was being massaged. The women shifted to seats farther down the cinema.
In the car and before Mace has asked Kathy where was a good place to eat, with great strength she'd pulled him over on to her, unzipped him again and without any guidance he was in, instantly. She chewed both his ears and licked his face wet and it was all over, to be repeated after dinner when they parked outside her parent's house. The 38-year-old said thanks it was a good movie and great food but she didn't fancy seeing him again because his penis was too small.
Mace slunk home and when tip-toeing along the passage to his room, Aunt May turned on her bedside light and called him in.
"Did she ring your bell?" Aunt May asked.
"After eating dinner she ate me, whole," was all Mace offered.
"Oh God, sorry. I'll have to find you someone else."
"Find me Peaches," Mace snapped, feeling lousy. He kissed her and left.
In bed thinking about Peaches he sighed, quoted a line from Hemmingway or perhaps Plato (he was befuddled), "Oh woe is me" and fell asleep, dreaming of peeling potatoes with some broad in funny clothes named Juliet.
Aunt May, bless her, placed an advertisements in the 'Daily Clarion', now publishing only on Tuesdays and Thursdays. It read, 'Peaches, remember me of sixteen years ago, New Year's Eve? Call me.' She'd added Mace's cell phone number. He received two calls from women on the Tuesday, neither of whom was in town on New Year's Eve sixteen years ago. Anyway one was in her fifties and the other seventy-eight. Thursday's crop was females aged sixteen to twenty-five and two guys. As with the initial callers, all quickly lost interest when they found no money was being offered. A woman of thirty-four who called him Friday laughed herself silly when he asked he may have taken her virginity sixteen years ago. She said he would have been lucky because she was still a virgin. Mace couldn't end that call soon enough.
A woman from the newspaper identifying herself as Nan arranged to met Mace at a bar at 3:00 that Friday. She had a photographer with her and paid for all the drinks as she interviewed him.
"God, when we publish this every woman in town will be temporarily changing her name to Peaches," said the reporter in her mid-fifties, as she stroked Mace's cheek. The photographer, not yet twenty, had her foot caught between his legs. Mace excused himself and fled.
On Saturday morning Aunt May introduced Mace to a ravishing redhead called Penny and that evening after dinner Penny lost her haughtiness after a few drinks. She ravished Mace on the porch of the house where she lived with her husband and two children. They fucked like animals and Mace reeled off homewards with a huge smile on his face. Ten minutes later he staggered back scowling after remembered he'd been driving his car.
Aunt May turned on her bedside light. She took one look at Mace, sniffed and practically giggled: "You rotten hound, she'd the wife of our pastor. I thought she wore the look of a woman lacking something."
Mace kissed her, on the cheek as directed. "Go have a shower," she laughed. "A thorough one."
Aunt May was correct. On Tuesday and Wednesday, with his handsome face plastered on to Page 3 of the 'Clarion' and the heart-tugging story of a man seeking to reunite with his first love called Peaches, Mace took close to forty calls from women and three men claiming to be Peaches. Tragically for Mace none were genuine but he knew he'd get over it and that evening got over Maggie introduced to him by Aunt May. Maggie was almost as good as they get; but she wasn't Peaches.
Then bingo! It all changed. Mace received a letter that Aunt May said mysteriously 'was in a woman's handwriting' How she could tell that Mace had no idea, but it was from a woman – Peaches, and she wanted to see him. It was genuine because of the unforgettable line, "I've never forgotten you and me yelling with happiness, me chasing you to reclaim my panties and then the sky fell in with mom screeching at me, causing me to wet myself."
It was a pragmatic letter with no indication of tenderness, but then Mace sniffed and said what else could he expect. He handed the letter to Aunt May who read the address and burst into tears, hugging him dearly and murmuring, "You poor boy; you poor boy."
CHAPTER 2
On Friday Mace sat in front of the glass booth in Meridian County Jail and watched Peaches being brought in. She looked pale, a little gaunt and was covered by a shapeless blue dress without buttons or belt. Her beautiful blonde hair had been cropped but she was definitely Peaches – the almost almond shape of her eyes, snub nose and extra wide mouth although the lips seemed rather thin.
Mace croaked: "I want to kiss you."
She said softly, "Security measures prevent that and besides I don't want to be kissed."
"Hello Peaches."
"Hi Mace. Great photo. I tried not to read the story but my curiosity got the better of me. Why are you here?"
"To talk to you, to have coffee with you and if you wish and are not married, I'd like to date."
"Are you mad? I'm in here for committing a crime."
Mace swallowed and asked was it murder or a lesser charge?
"Murder? Who told you that? I'm here for misuse of bank's money as an employee."
Mace laughed with relief and said was that all, causing Peaches (real name, he'd learned, was Anna Kimble) to look horrified.
