It took two weeks before things went back to how they had been before. Jodi stayed at Amberley on the Saturday night after helping her clean up, was business as usual with the kids during the week but went to her room early each night.
'Would it be okay if Amberley came over for dinner on Friday night?' Jodi asked on the Wednesday before the kids were due to go to my in-laws for the weekend.
'Sure, as long as she isn't putting an open invitation out for everyone else?' I grinned and felt relieved when Jodi matched my smile. It was the first relaxed personal communication we'd had that didn't involve the kids since the Sandy debacle.
'She says she wants to meet the fool who lets me sponge off him.' We both laughed at that.
'She hasn't had much experience with kids has she?' I asked.
'Only child, so not even a younger brother or sister,' Jodi laughed.
'Am I cooking...?'
'On me, it's your birthday after all.' I must've looked surprised because she added, 'you hadn't forgotten had you?'
'Ah, yeah I had,' I grinned a little self-consciously. 'Thirty seven, who wants to celebrate that?' I moaned in mock pain.
'I'll getcha a walking stick,' she laughed.
I arrived home just after six on Friday to the sound of Astra's retro-70's The Weirding blasting through the house. That is if psychedelic progressive rock ever blasts, even if it was released in 2009. I walked up the stairs, loosening my tie to be met by Amberley. At least I assumed it was Amberley. She was about the same height as Jodi, slim with long, very shapely legs revealed under a black mini skirt, and long dark hair that was braided into a pony tail that fell almost to her waist. Most striking about her was her face, she was simply beautiful. Almond shaped green eyes that perpetually promised something wicked, full lips that covered large perfect teeth and edged with a wide pouty mouth topped off with perfectly shaped cheek bones, an exquisitely proportioned nose and a slender neck.
'Shit Jodes!' She yelled out, as she walked towards me. 'You said he was okay looking but he's actually pretty cute.' I glanced at Jodi who was chopping up salad items in the kitchen. She smiled at me and raised her eyebrows as if to say, 'that's who she is.'
'Happy birthday,' Amberley added, throwing her arms around my neck and planting a soft wet kiss on my lips. She smelt feminine and of alcohol and her body was warm and soft against me.
'Hi Amberley,' I laughed as she stepped back. 'Nice to meet you.'
'Of course it is,' she quipped. 'Now go get changed.'
As I walked towards the bedroom she added, 'I reckon you're right Jodes. Hard to tell under those suit pants but I reckon he's got a great butt just like you said.' I looked back at Jodi over my shoulder but she had busied herself with the salad and didn't respond. Amberley just laughed and winked at me.
Amberley was a girl who loved to be the centre of attention, but was also inclusive of those around her. As such it was a funny, pleasant and relaxing dinner, with the three of us laughing often and drinking our way rapidly through three bottles of red wine, before moving to the balcony and onto the vodka. Amberley offered me a cigarette before lighting one herself.
'Only smoke when I drink,' she said.
'Which means she starts smoking around midday and finishes after midnight,' Jodi added quickly. 'Every day!'
'Up yours,' Amberley scowled at her friend. I was reminded of Kelly then, she too would smoke once she had reached her third drink or so.
'What'cha thinking 'bout?' Jodi had obviously seen my expression change. For a moment I was tempted to say nothing.
'Kelly actually,' I replied and smiled at her. 'She used to smoke after a few drinks.' I looked past Jodi to where Amber sat and watched the glow of the cigarette brighten, highlighting her beautiful face. 'For a minute I started to get angry at her,' he turned his gaze back to Jodi, 'but then I realised that I have just enjoyed a great dinner, that my life is on track, that I'm having a great time in the company of two gorgeous young ladies. So if Kelly didn't want to be here, then its better that she's gone so I can continue to enjoy my birthday.'
'Here, here,' Amberley toasted after a moment's thoughtful reflection. We all raised our glasses, then Jodi headed inside to put some more upbeat music on. The party mood returned and Amberley started dancing, dragging me up for a couple of songs then Jodi when I begged off.
'Time for a swim!?' Amberley shouted, looking down over the balcony at the pool. I had to admit that the evening was very warm and the thought of getting into the pool was a welcome one.
'I've got some swimmers you can borrow Amber,' Jodi offered. The thought of seeing Amber in a swimsuit was probably more appealing than the refreshment offered by the water. We dispersed to change and I was the first into the water. I love that first contact, when your hot skin knifes through the cool water and you can feel every rivulet as it runs through your hair onto your scalp, and down along your body.
Jodi emerged next, slender and somehow demure even though her swimsuit was a revealing blue bikini.
Amberley was the last one to emerge from the house and jump into the pool. She had returned upstairs to grab a bottle of vodka. The pale green swimsuit she had borrowed from Jodi was a size too small, and as a result her nipples protruded, her breasts were pressed flat and made to look large, and her buttocks were barely contained.
'Christ, I look like a fatty in this don't I?' she squealed.
'Yeah, a right heifer,' I responded with heavy sarcasm. She looked delicious. And I knew that she knew she looked delicious. I glanced at Jodi and saw that she was watching my reaction to Amber's grand entrance and I smiled at her and shook my head. She smiled back before diving under the surface. Amber leapt from the side and landed with a huge splash on her back, re-emerging with her long pony tail now a streaming black tide of water that cascaded down her back. Running her hands down it, she blew water from her lips and turned to look at us.
'Who wants a shot?' she asked, pulling the vodka bottle up from under the surface.
'Me!' said Jodi and swum over to her friend. Amber unscrewed the lid, but motioned for her to tip her head back. Jodi did and I watched as the clear liquid spilled into her open mouth, the lights from across the water illuminating the flow in yellows and whites. Her throat moved up and down and for a moment I saw a beautiful woman, not the young girl who I had hired as a live in au pair.
'Dave?' I swam over, and turned my back to Amber, lowering my shoulders into the water as I craned my head as far back as I could. As soon as I opened my mouth the chilled vodka was poured, and I quickly lost my breath as the fiery liquid poured into my gullet. With a shake of my head I stood up, my eyes watering as it slid down my throat.
'Crap!' I said, but grinned at the two girls.
'Your turn,' Jodi said to Amber, reaching for the bottle. Amber stooped in the water as I had, and opened her mouth while barely putting her head back. Jodi tilted the bottle and as the vodka flowed, Amber moved forward and took the neck into her mouth. Her lips widened as she slid the neck into her throat and I had to stifle a gasp of pure lust.
It seemed like an eternity, but was probably only a few seconds, before she pulled free of the bottle.
'Slapper,' Jodi said with a laugh.
'You too can be one with more practice Jodi my dear,' she shot back. 'Truth or dare Dave?'
'Quickly into something new aren't we?' I shot back.
'I'm asking the question,' Amber replied in a mock stern voice.
'Well, in the early stages, people always say truth don't they?' My head was buzzing with the shot of vodka on top of the drinks I had consumed earlier.
'So that's your answer then?'
'Nah,' I shook my head, 'let's go all out. Dare.'
'I dare you to chuck your swimmers out of the pool and swim naked.'
'Amber!' Jodi exclaimed.
'What Jodes, are you worried your boss might disapprove of your friends and fire you?'
'No danger of that,' I said as I resurfaced with my swimmers in my hand. I threw them over the pool fence where they landed with a loud slap on the flagstones of the small courtyard. 'I'm only going to fire her if she fails to tell the truth or refuses a dare.'
'Woohoo,' Amber shouted, her voice echoing off the stone wall around the pool. 'Your turn Dave.'
'Okay,' I replied after a moment's thought. 'Jodi, truth or dare?'
'Truth,' she said with a small smile. 'You know me, Miss Conservative.'
'Boring!' Amber bellowed, taking a healthy slug of vodka before offering me the bottle. I accepted, swilled and passed it to Jodi.
