My thanks to my editor
adetaildiva
. Without her this would be a poorer story. After her any errors are mine.
***
I went out with Jean on Saturday night. She seemed a little preoccupied. When I tried to question her, I was rebuffed.
She fixed coffee at her house after dinner and a movie. When she brought the cups out, she crammed herself into the far corner of the couch. "Jack, I've noticed something."
"Oh, what is it?"
"Last weekend we went out on Friday, the weekend before on Saturday, the weekend before that on Friday. This weekend we're out only on Saturday even though you knew Rebecca was with her dad all this weekend. Are you seeing somebody else?"
Where had I heard this before? Did my girlfriends run into each other at the mall and start comparing notes? This was getting irritating. "Yes. We hadn't talked about being exclusive."
"How could you do this to me? You knew my history with Josh. He cheated on me and I kicked him out. Now you're cheating on me."
"Hey, wait a second! I am NOT cheating on you. I am seeing other people. You knew that I had just started dating again after Kathy's death. Did you ask me to not see anyone else? Did you expect after one date, you had a franchise on the territory?"
"Not after a DATE, but you've – I'm pretty sure – enjoyed more than a date, or do you EXPECT that as a reward for your company?"
"That's not fair! I didn't pressure you for sex and if you think I expect that just because I take you to dinner, you haven't been listening when we've been talking. And it's not only me enjoying more than a date, or maybe those sounds from you were pre-recorded." I wanted to lighten up this conversation, but that comment fell flat on the floor.
"I thought sharing ourselves in bed meant something special. If you're screwing some slut I have to worry about STD's and other stuff. Plus, how can I let you get close to Rebecca if you don't think this relationship is going anywhere."
"I didn't say this relationship wasn't going anywhere. I do think that this can be something special, but look at it from my side. You've had four years to adjust to leaving Josh. I'm sure you've had other dates and time to think about the qualities you wanted in your next companion. Also, the way you and Josh parted made it easier for you to think about the next person either for good or bad. I lost Kathy eighteen months ago. I still have to adjust to not having her here. I've got to get on with my life, but that means making decisions that I thought I would never have to make again. You know as well as I do that those decisions look different at thirty than they did at twenty-two."
"As for Rebecca, you're right. She's a great kid and I like her a lot. If I have to give her up, I'll lose something, too. I hope you feel the same about Bobby." I could see tears trickling down her cheeks. I started to slide down the couch to take her in my arms. Jean jumped up and went behind the couch, keeping the furniture between us.
"G-g-get out. This isn't going to work. You need to leave." She began to sob. I stood up and walked around the couch. "NO! Leave now. I don't want you to touch me."
"Jean, don't make any rash decisions. If you want to go back to just dating, that's fine with me."
Liar, liar pants on fire,
the little head shouted. "Look, I'll call you next week and we'll talk some more."
"J-j-just g-g-go!"
I let myself out. As I closed the door, she flung herself back down on the couch. I heard great gasps and saw sobs wrack her body.
Driving home many thoughts whirled through my brain. Nan hadn't made any demands the night before. Jean was going to demand an exclusive arrangement.
Sex with either of them was good, but after last night with Nan and Cass, well how could any sane male turn that down. Nan was always active. New things, new places, new activities were always at the top of her list. Jean was quieter. She was interested in new things and new ideas, but the mother role subdued and limited what she attempted.
Nan's body was lush, padding in all the right places. As that other blond, Goldilocks, would say: not too much, not too little, just right. That wasn't quite right: her boobs were spectacular.
Jean was slender, with well-defined muscles from working out regularly. She had all the right parts and they functioned well, but if she wanted to go in drag she could easily pass for a teenaged boy. Well, so much for considering the deep, long-lasting qualities.
Either woman was a match for me intellectually. They both liked a variety of music, Jean tending to more classical stuff but lots of pop and rock. Jean also fed my craving for novels. Nan was more artsy-craftsy. She had taken me to the National Gallery and had shown me things about painting that I never understood before.
Despite Jean's workout schedule, Nan was actually more athletic in the broad sense. We had hiked; she had a mountain bike and had promised to show me some trails; she ran 10k races regularly. She was very flexible, a quality that had proved that the pictures in the Kama Sutra were not just imagination.
Nan would probably want children. Jean might want children. That didn't bother me. I was still young and had always wanted at least two kids. I certainly enjoyed Bobby.
I always knew there would be a decision. I just hadn't expected it so soon. I hadn't expected it or had I hoped I could continue to enjoy the fruits of my labors longer? By the time I walked into my house I was depressed.