Sable Island

Chapter One

At twenty nine years old Joe and Marcie Streeter were the average couple with aspirations and dreams that so many couples their age had. He was a research executive and Marcie was a staff person in marketing at Fielding and Croft. Joe had sandy hair that he wore a little on the long side and he had a winning smile that he didn't use enough. Marcie was on the tall side, close to five feet eight inches tall in fact and she was painfully aware of her height. She had a bad habit of slouching that detracted from her natural long legged beauty but if Joe reminded her of her poor posture too often she would get testy with him and remind him he wasn't exactly perfect either. It wasn't that they didn't get along because they did. It was just that her posture was one of the hot button issues for her and it was unfortunate because when she stood straight and tall and smiled she was a very striking woman. Of course Joe had a tendency to be a slob with his appearance sometimes and that would be his hot button issue if she mentioned that too often.

The house they lived in was small and very modest because they were trying to be conservative and save their money. Not for a larger or nicer house necessarily

but because that was what they thought they should do. Neither of them gambled or bought fancy clothes or drove flashy cars and what few vacations they took were modest events that more often than not included visiting relatives along the way.

Marcie was home first that Friday afternoon and when Joe came in from the garage he called out, "Hi honey."

"Hi I'm in the bedroom."

"Did you bring the mail in?"

"Yes, why are you expecting something?"

"Yes, that rebate check that's overdue."

She came out to the kitchen and lowering her voice said, "Well you can relax it finally came."

"I was beginning to think we were going to get screwed. Did Charlie or Gail call or leave a message or whatever?"

"No but I'm sure they aren't even home yet. Any other questions or can I go back and finish getting dressed."

He looked at his wife and said, "Honey you can stay just like that and I'd like it just fine."

"I could tell you were impressed, you didn't even comment until I brought it up."

He put his arms around her and said, "I'm sorry. You really are sexy like that."

She smiled at him and said, "That's better and thank you but I don't think I want to have company while I'm in my bra and panties."

"No you're right, maybe you should take them off."

"I know about your fantasies but that's one that I don't think you'll ever see come true.

"Jeanette Carson did that for her husband Chase.

"I'm happy for them both then. Wait how do you know she did that?"

"I was talking to Chase today and he told me about it."

"He actually told you that? Isn't that kind of personal?"

"Honey she was naked in front of another couple so I doubt he worried too much about that little detail. I'm sure they don't go around broadcasting what they do though."

"Unbelievable, who was the other couple?"

"He didn't say but I'm willing to bet it was their best friends Frank and Corenne Clancy."

"How could she do that?"

"She did it for him is what he told me. He didn't give me the whole story but he told me that much."

"So then what happened?"

He held her closer to him and said, "Honey he didn't tell me about their whole evening just that she had done that for him."

"How do you men manage to get into those conversations anyway?"

"I don't know we just talk and things are said I guess."

"Remind me to never trust you with any very personal or intimate news."

"I know how to keep my mouth shut. I think he was bragging actually. He was pretty proud of what his wife did."

"I'll bet Frank Clancy was pretty proud too when he got to see her oversized chest."

"She does have a set of boobs but she's also a little over weight."

"Listen to you looking for perfection."

"I'm married to near perfection so I can afford to have exacting standards about the women I gawk at."

"Thank you, so where do I stand in your rating system?"

"I'd be proud to have you naked in front of my friends."

"Which takes us back to your fantasy."

"Well one of them anyway."

"Just how many do you have?"

"A few, how many do you have?"

"Just a couple and we've talked about them."

"Maybe it's a man woman thing, but I can't imagine having only a couple of fantasies."

"What are some of your others?"

"I'll save them for bedroom talk some day."

She kissed him and as she moved away she said, "I may be sorry I asked that question" and she went to get dressed.

It was then that Gail called and told Joe, "Yes we're coming but we were running late."

"And hello to you too, what time should we order the pizza?"

"Wait about half and hour, then by the time it gets there we should be there too."

"The usual?"

"As long as the usual doesn't include pineapple."

"There will be no pineapple. Tell Charlie not to forget the discs."

"You mean of the naked women?"

"Oh so you look at them too."

"You're so not funny, okay I'll tell him, bye."

Marcie came out and asked, "Was that Joe?"

"No that was my mistress but I told her to stay away tonight."

"Okay so it was Joe."

"No it was Gail and they'll be here in about an hour."

"Don't forget to get the wine out to breathe."

*

Chapter Two

The front doorbell rang right at six thirty and by the time Marcie got there Gail was opening the door and coming in with Charlie right behind her. She handed an envelope to Marcy and said, "We found this on the sidewalk."

"The mail carrier must have dropped it earlier, thanks." Joe appeared and Marcie handed the envelope to him saying, "They found this on the sidewalk."

"I hope it isn't important and been laying out there for a week." As they made their way into the living room Joe looked at the envelope and said, "It looks official but I'll bet it's some kind of come on."

Charlie shook his head and said, "I hate that crap. All it does is fill up our wastebasket."

Joe tore it open and after a pause said, "It says here we've won a weeks all inclusive vacation on Sable Island. Where the hell is Sable Island?"

"Probably part of the cold Aleutian Islands off of Alaska and that's why it's free."

"It's probably so much crap just like you said," and he dropped it onto the end table and said, "Let's have pizza and wine, at least that is real."

Marcie looked at Gail and said, "Don't you just love it when those two get grouchy over something when they don't even know what it is."

"I think it's a testosterone thing."

"Yes like maybe a shortage of it." Gail laughed and changed the subject by asking her, "How was your week?"

"My weeks don't change a lot. They're all boring," and both of them laughed again.

Charlie handed the computer discs of naked women to Joe and said, "Here's something to keep you going on a rainy day and to feed your fantasies."

Marcy quickly added, "He has me to keep him going on a rainy day and trust me he doesn't need any help with fantasies."

"And he's a lucky man for having you my love but I'm sure your motor doesn't run twenty four seven."

"Neither does Joe's," and that was followed by a few more chuckles from the women.

Gail said, "I know what you mean about men and their fantasies."

They were just sitting down to eat and Joe asked Gail, "Okay let me ask you a question, do you have fantasies?"

"Yes but I'm not going to tell you what they are."

"I just wanted to ask you how many you have."

"What kind of question is that? I don't know I never counted them."

"Marcie don't say anything. I mean like two or ten or what?"

"I don't know, maybe...I'll guess at four but it depends. Things change and times change and my desires change I guess. God I can't believe we're having this conversation."

"I only ask because Marcie makes fun of my fantasies when she only admits to a couple. How the hell can anybody have just a couple of fantasies?"

"I'm not getting in the middle of that one."

Marcie said, "I do not make fun of your fantasies. He has a fantasy of exposing me to some other guy and I just don't understand that."

Charlie quickly said, "Oh yeah Joe way to go." He raised his glass of wine and said, "Here's to you fulfilling your fantasies and I'm around when it happens."

Marcie put her hand on Charlie's arm and said, "Relax honey it isn't going to happen."

"But maybe Joe could make one of your fantasies come true, you know sort of an even trade."

"Sorry but no. My whole point was I don't understand what pleasure a man can get out of letting somebody else see his wife naked."

"Fantasies don't have to be understood, they just are. Some people have fantasies of...hell I don't know bondage or whatever. Most guys would love to see two women together. I don't know why but it turns us on even though common sense says our masculinity should feel threatened. It isn't at all rare for a guy to want to flash his wife or have his wife flash others. We're complex creatures just like you women."

"You are not, your whole existence revolves around sex or anything relating to sex."

"As long as man has been on earth it has been our duty to mate and for millions of years to mate often and with different partners. For a man to show his wife is like him saying, look I have the best looking woman and all you can do is look at her."

"You're saying he's proud of her and wants the world to know his woman is hot."

"Something like that."

"Bull he's treating her like a trophy is all."

"Women all but flash themselves when they are looking for a man and in a lot of cases they do expose themselves. But once they have their man they tuck themselves into garments and the party is over. It's a complete and utter waste."

"So you think Gail should flash herself too then."

That stopped Charlie for a minute but then he rallied and said, "As a matter of fact yes I do. I'd love to see her do that."

"I'll be your audience Charlie."

Gail ignored Joe and looked at her husband and said, "You've never told me that before."

"I guess maybe we should talk about it."

"This whole thing is getting out of hand. How did we get from how many fantasies I have to your fantasies of having Gail and I expose ourselves to you guys?"

Marcie served the last of the pizza and topped off the wine glasses and said, "Enough about fantasies okay? We all have them, some more than others obviously, and that's the end of it. Joe you didn't expect Gail or me to talk about our fantasies did you?"

"Damn now wouldn't that be fun. Just picture it, the four of us lying on the beach somewhere looking up at the stars and sharing our fantasies."

Marcie said, "And then getting horny and having sex on the beach and there we are back to sex. Just like I said it's always either sex or somehow relating to sex for you men."

Gail said, "Joe I'll give you this much you painted a pretty sexy picture just now talking about the beach and the stars. I could enjoy that, or at least most of it."

"Thank you Gail."

"Maybe you can do that when you go on that free island vacation to wherever."

"Yeah right. I'll tell you what, if we end up on that island on a free vacation I'll do whatever you want me to do for a day when we get home."

"I wish I could hold you to that Joe."

"And if I can help you fulfill a fantasy then that would be even better."

I'll say this for you Joe, you're persistent."

Charlie smiled at Joe and asked, "Marcie do you really only have two fantasies?"

Marcie rolled her eyes and said, "I can't believe you two."

Then Joe said, "Gail you never did say no to the flashing idea so..."

"I don't think so lover but thanks for showing interest anyway."

"I'm your best friend remember, you know just in case you change your mind."

She got up and kissed his cheek and then started to put the dishes in the sink.

*

Chapter Three

Marcie retrieved the envelope from the end table and started to glance through the contents and said, "It says the vacation includes drinks, gratuities, airfare, lodging, golf, food and much, much more. All we have to do is call to reserve a date, pack and pick up our plane tickets at the airport."

"Look for the fine print and read where they want a credit card number or something. We didn't enter any contests and they don't go around passing out vacation packages worth thousands of dollars to people that don't even enter their contest."

Marcie looked at the enclosed brochure and said, "My God Gail look at this place, it's huge and so posh. It's a good part of the island in fact."

Marcie handed the brochure to Gail and she studied it before saying, "What a gorgeous tropical setting and look at all of the little private cottages tucked into the palm trees. This is the kind of place that the rich and famous might stay in. It says that if you can dream it they can provide it. What more could you ask for."

"Truth in advertising would be a nice start," Joe said. I don't deny the place could exist. I just say it can't be free. It can't even be something we could ever afford."

Gail said, "Marcie I know, call Barbara, she'll know how to check this out."

"That's a great idea she's a paralegal so she'll know who to call or whatever."

Charlie said, "Gail you're just getting their hopes up."

"No I'm not, that way they'll know for sure. Then they can either celebrate or throw it out and get on with life."

Marcie took the envelope and said, "I'm going to look this place up and see where it is." Gail followed her into the computer room and in minutes they had found what they needed to know. Joe and Charlie wandered in and Marcie said, "Sable Island is a small private island in the Caribbean. It's one of dozens in the U.S. Virgin Islands which are less than a hundred miles east of Puerto Rico."

Gail was still looking at the monitor as she said, "That island doesn't look small to me either. At least we know it is a real place now." There was nothing more they could do or even say about the island so they put that topic aside and contented themselves with their usual Saturday night card game.

Marcie waited until Sunday afternoon and then called Barbara and then as soon as she hung up she found Joe and told him Barbara promised to get back to her on Monday sometime.

Come Monday Marcie got home from work about fifteen minutes after Joe and told him, "Barbara called me about an hour ago. Joe she said she can find no problem with it. She checked with a travel agent friend and got nothing but glowing reports from her and in fact learned that resort is pretty exclusive and doesn't even accept bookings from travel agents anywhere. Just to be sure she contacted the resort on the island and requested a certified mailing confirming the free vacation."

"This can't be true. If it's that exclusive can you imagine what a week there would cost, especially if you factor in all of the extra goodies?"

"I know and I'm trying not to get my hopes up but it isn't working."

"I wish I knew how we ended up winning when I can't even remember us entering a contest."

"Maybe it's something from the home show a few months ago. Remember how we filled out a couple of tickets to win vacations?"

"I forgot all about that. Maybe that is it, but somebody at work was saying all of those so called free vacations are scams to get you to go look at vacation homes they are selling. Okay I'll try not to be too negative but I won't start packing until I see the confirmation of us winning," and Sable Island didn't come up again until they were in bed.

Marcie turned on her side and said, "Joe do you realize that if that vacation works out it will be our first vacation in almost five years? We've only been married seven so it's no wonder I'm getting so excited."

I know but we both agreed that we need to save money so we won't get into trouble in our old age."

"I know and that is important...but maybe we're over doing it. We make good money and let's face it we aren't even sure we'll live to old age."

"We have to assume that we will though. Okay honey since you brought it up let's talk about the vacation. What would you like to do more than anything once you were there?"

She thought for a minute and then said, "Get some sun on the beach I think."

"That sounds good but...don't get defensive but I hope you wouldn't wear that one piece thing."

"Why, what's wrong with that?"

"You are only twenty nine years old and you have a great body but that thing makes you look old and it isn't flattering." Then he finished by saying, "It's so damn conservative." He paused and she was quiet so he pushed it more saying, "Honey I love you but why have you become so conservative the last few years?"

"I don't know. I know I'm not the impulsive woman I used to be but don't you think it's time to settle down a little?"

"Maybe a little but I'm not ready to act middle aged yet either."

"I can't be somebody else but I promise I'll buy a new bathing suit if we do get to go but you have to promise we'll take a regular vacation one day. Maybe to someplace warm next winter."

"We'll have to see how our budget is but maybe we can do that."

When Marcie got home from work Tuesday evening there was a note in the mail that there was a parcel at the post office that they had to sign for. She didn't even wait for Joe and raced to get to the post office before they closed. As soon as she was back in her car she ripped the large envelope open and read the cover letter. Her hands started to shake slightly and she started to cry. They really were going to Sable Island Resort. She put the envelope on the seat, dried her eyes and collected herself before driving home.

As soon as she went inside and saw Joe she smiled and at the same time started to cry again as she held out the envelope and gave him the good news. "Marcie are you serious, the whole thing is legitimate?"

She sniffed and bobbing her head up and down she said, "Yes it is and we were right it came from the home show. Honey I cried so much I couldn't even look at the what else they sent us but the envelope was stuffed full." For the next ten minutes they took turns excitedly pointing at things in the brochures. Honey we can reserve our week right on line and even reserve things like your golf game and the spa or whatever. My God this place has anything we could conceive of and we can do it all free."

"Plus walk miles of tropical sandy beach."

"One week isn't going to be enough."

"I know I'm not going to waste time sleeping in, I can sleep when we get home."

"I want to go to the spa as soon as I can."

"Be sure to find out tomorrow when you can get a week off."

"I'll call you at your office as soon as I know. Honey I'm so excited I'm shaking inside."

"Honey you're shaking on the outside too. Go call Gail and give her the good news."

*

Chapter Four

Joe could hear Marcie talking fast as she told Gail the good news then Saturday morning she and Gail went shopping and he knew Marcie would talk even more about Sable Island. While they were gone Joe called Charlie and they talked about the trip and Charlie said, "I expect the following things when you get home from your trip. I expect to see Marcie in a little bikini, I expect to see a number of other young things in bikinis or less and I expect to hear some amazing stories."

"I'll do what I can but I had to talk to Marcie to even get her to agree to a two piece bathing suit."

"Your kidding, why?"

"Damned if I know but you can bet your ass I'll be checking out the local scenery. Charlie you can't believe this place. The more I read all of the stuff they sent us the more I discover they can provide. We won't want for anything that's for damn sure. They provide so damn much that the list of items they suggest you bring isn't very long." Joe was going to say more but he realized he was starting to sound like Marcie and told Charlie he had to go and get his chores done.