Chief Morris waited until the barbecue grill was good and hot and his libido was good and cold before wandering back into the kitchen. He slipped up behind his wife, Annie, and kissed her neck. "I love you."
Annie spun around within his embrace, and hissed, "She knows!"
"Who? What?"
After a glance at the door, she whispered, "Penny knows about us... and Hannah. Hannah told Penny her secrets and how she would turn her life around if people gave her a chance."
Willie chuckled and pulled her close. "She doesn't KNOW anything. Even if Hannah told her about us, it's all hearsay." Inside, his stomach tightened. The last person he wanted to have a poor opinion of him was Penny. He stroked Annie's hair in an attempt to calm her. "Why's it bothering you now? What happened to the wild woman?"
"Who's a wild woman?" Penny strolled in. "You two look cozy. Am I interrupting?"
"No, I just came in for some meat." Willie kissed his wife lip-smacking hard, and then abandoned her for the refrigerator. "Hamburgers okay?"
"Fine." Annie turned away and began to mix the salad.
Penny stopped beside Annie and put a hand on the center of her back. "Can I help?"
"Uh, sure. You can slice up some tomatoes. They're in the fridge."
Penny smiled at Willie, as her hand slid up and began to massage the back of Annie's neck. "Would get them for me?"
"You betcha." Quickly, he pulled them out and closed the door.
Penny eased over behind Annie and began to knead her shoulders. "My, Honey, you are tense."
The metal salad bowl in front of his wife rattled and almost tumbled off the counter. "Not really."
The Chief's heart rate climbed, seeing his two great loves together. "I'd better get these burgers on the grill," he said, and forced himself out of the room.
While the meat sizzled so did Chief Willie's imagination. The whole kitchen scene was totally innocent, but his dirty mind made it titillating. The past couple of days had really screwed him up.
Penny suddenly appeared beside him, sipping from a green bottle. "I hope you don't mind, I took one of your Heinies. A little beer helps me lactate. Gotta keep my udders full for junior."
They exchanged a long smile.
He said, "My Heinie is your Heinie."
She laughed at their old joke and passed him the bottle. "Can you believe it's been twenty years? Where did the time go?"
"I don't know. Seeing you again is so..." He flipped the patties instead of completing the thought. Volcanic emotions bubbled under the surface.
"Yeah, I know what you mean." She bumped him with her hip. "I think Annie's uptight with me around. What do you think?"
Swiftly, he piled the burgers onto a plate. "I think these are done and it's time to eat."
"Evasive maneuver?"
"Absolutely."
Throughout dinner, Chief Willie overcompensated for his wayward thoughts. "Annie, would you like more water?" "I'll open that." "Don't get up." "I'll get dessert." He held Annie's hand. He cleared the table. He did everything he could think of to fawn over his wife. To some degree it worked. She seemed to relax, and enjoyed Penny's childrearing stories.
"The first kid is the hardest. I was afraid of making any mistakes. I wanted to be the perfect mother. When I potty trained James, I thought he was doing so well. I felt so proud of myself, until I caught him peeing in the bathroom wastebasket." After the laughter, Penny added, "Children humble you."
A silence filled the room as they ate slices of cherry cheesecake.
Penny finished first and reached across the round table to touch both their hands. "Thank you guys so much. You've made this trip a tolerable experience."
Annie answered for both of them. "It's our pleasure. I hope everything works out well for you."
"I need to see Dad again tonight." Penny stood, and paused a second. "I hate to impose any more, but would you mind watching Freddie? I hate taking him to the hospital. I'm afraid he might catch something, or if he gets fussy he might disturb the other patients."
Chief Willie and Annie exchanged looks of confirmation.
"We'd love to. Just tell me what to do," said Annie, collecting the plates.
"Let me get ready, and then I'll fill you in."
The husband and wife team tidied up the kitchen with efficient familiarity. When they were done Annie placed her hands on her lower back and stretched. "I need some fresh air. Lets sit out on the deck."
The sun had set below the roof, so the shade of the house kept them comfortable. The calm pool surface reflected the surrounding trees. They sat down on the porch swing. Willie placed his arm around his wife and gently rocked them.
Annie laid her head on his shoulder. "I like Penny."
The Chief kissed her hair. "I'm glad."
"She told me her husband cheated on her after Freddie was born."
The news saddened him. Penny seemed to have a difficult life -- a rape victim, her brother dead, her father almost dead, and now this revelation. For all that, she seemed genuinely happy.
Minutes passed quietly, until Penny came to the screen door, and asked, "Annie, would you come in here for a second?"
"Sure." She kissed her husbands cheek. "Save my seat."
He patted her bottom on the way by.
A few more minutes idled away, until Annie came back to the door. "Sweetie, would you come in here, please."
His wife's use of the diminutive 'Sweetie' was usually followed by fun and games. Immediately, his senses were on high alert.
"Wash your hands and then come into the living room."
"Why?"
"We are having a training seminar. You'll see."
She left him alone at the kitchen sink to speculate. When he entered the living room the sight that greeted him exceeded his wildest imagination. Penny sat topless on the couch and his wife was massaging her right breast.
