Hattie had to admit to herself that she was going to be a spinster. At 42, she still had some of her looks and she still had all of her curves in the right places. But the years she devoted to taking care of her sick mother had taken their toll. She had those tell-tale creases on her face, her skin was starting to sag, and she knew it was probably too late to find a man to spend the rest of her years with.
Well, that was all right, she told herself. She had never known a man, and was afraid of them anyway. Her mother, who was more mentally ill than she ever was physically sick, until her final days, had literally enslaved Hattie. She also instilled a general fear of the evil penis. That fear was so deeply implanted in her that Hattie actually refused the few advances that came her way. She lived in mortal fear that if she accepted a date with a man, he would end up raping her. Sex was the last thing she wanted. And that was final.
Hattie's best friend, Lucy Springer, a widow, did not share her feelings about men. In fact, Hattie never knew that Lucy had a private life when she picked up strange men in the bars of a nearby city and enjoyed a lot of sex. It was something she never told Hattie because she understood Hattie's fears. But Lucy recognized those fears for what they were, and had decided to do something about them. She was preparing an elaborate surprise for her friend on the woman's approaching birthday.
When the big day arrived, Lucy drove to Hattie's home and together the two women set off on what was supposed to have been a quiet dinner in a plush restaurant in the city. But Lucy turned down a lonely dirt road before reaching the city, and pulled into a driveway at a large old farmhouse.
"Why are we stopping here," Hattie asked.
"There are some people here I want you to meet," Lucy answered. "They have a surprise prepared for you."
"Oh?" Hattie smiled. She liked surprises, and trusting Lucy, she got out of the car and followed her to the door.
They were met at the door by a kind appearing middle-aged lady, who invited them in. The women entered a small room that served as a foyer, where they were told to wait. Lucy excused herself and followed the woman into the house, so Hattie sat down on one of the easy chairs to wait.
