Joe and Melissa met in college and fell in love. They married shortly after graduation and fulfilled a dream by opening a steak house on a busy street near the center of town. They worked hard, sweating every little detail of their establishment on a daily basis, understanding every step of the way that there were no guarantees, that their hard work and financial investment may never be rewarded. The steak house grew in popularity over the next few years, however, winning several local awards and generating faithful crowds. Years later, they constructed an equally successful restaurant several miles away. They built wealth and success, purchased a nice home in a quiet, clean suburb and became financially secure. They handed the day-to-day operations of their establishment to managers and they were free to relax and have fun.
In their forties, Joe and Melissa found their marriage in tatters, the unfortunate consequence of a lifetime spent hard at work. They operated more like business partners than lovers, a fact that became painfully obvious whenever free time became available. Their dinners were spent in awkward silence and their days were spent pursuing separate interests. Even their impossibly green and flowery suburb held little comfort. The spark had disappeared long ago; both Joe and Melissa knew they were likely headed for divorce. They were withdrawn and depressed.
That is, until they met Mandy.
Mandy moved into the same cul-de-sac where Joe and Melissa lived, merely two doors around. When she pulled up with her rental truck filled with furniture, Joe and Melissa introduced themselves and offered to help her. Immediately, the married couple noticed something about Mandy – there was a vibrancy to her that was hard to find in their stale, strictly controlled surroundings. Dressed in a plaid button up shirt, tight jean shorts and brown hiking boots, she was eager to begin work.
"Oh thank you," Mandy said to the couple after the move was complete. "I was planning to spend all evening moving in."
"Hey, no problem," Joe responded. "We're glad to have you in the neighborhood."
Joe returned to his house and left his wife to continue her conversation with Mandy. The two women talked at some length before Melissa returned home.
"I invited her for dinner tomorrow night," Melissa announced. "I hope you don't mind."
"Not at all."
- - - - -
"I'm a real estate agent," Mandy explained at dinner. "I love it. Helping people buy and sell their homes is like helping people fulfill their dreams."
"Well, that's great to have a job you enjoy so much," Joe answered.
"What do you do?" Mandy queried.
"We own two restaurants in the area. We keep busy running back and forth between them."
"Really? Which ones?"
"The Broadway Steak House. We have two locations now."
Mandy nearly leapt in excitement. "Oh my god, I love that place! You own that? That's great!"
Joe and Melissa smiled slightly, but otherwise looked downward. After fifteen years of owning both restaurants, they were exhausted. Yes, the restaurants served high quality food and were popular, but the process of keeping them afloat had been repetitious and difficult.
"Its been a lot of work," Melissa offered apologetically.
"Oh," Mandy responded. "Well, if you don't enjoy it, you could sell it and retire."
Joe and Melissa were quiet. They had discussed various options related to the two businesses, but hadn't come to a decision. The inflow of cash was nice and prevented them from worrying about financial difficulties.
"I'm sorry if I said something wrong," Mandy said, sensing discomfort in the room.
"No," Melissa said, shaking her head slowly. "I think sometimes we get bored with things. Yeah, our success has been nice and provided well for us, but there has to be more."
"Maybe you don't have enough fun," Mandy opined. "Everybody needs something to look forward to."
"Yeah," Melissa said. "I guess we are both looking for that something."
Mandy took a bite from her plate, which included a type of jerked chicken. A vegetable mix and stuffed baked potato were served on the side.
"This food is amazing. Do you serve this at your restaurant?"
"Some of it, yes, but we threw in a few different spices..."
"Mmmmmm...it sure is delicious."
Mandy was such a delightful guest that both Joe and Melissa felt better simply for being around her. They walked her to the door, then Melissa left to walk her home across the cul-de-sac.
"Thank you, it was a wonderful evening," Mandy beamed.
"You're very welcome. Joe and I tend to be a bit reclusive, so it was really our pleasure."
"Aww, you two shouldn't be reclusive. You've so much to offer the world."
"Well, thanks. Maybe you're right."
- - - - -
Early one morning, Joe and Melissa heard a knocking at the door. Mandy was there, asking if anyone wanted to go out and walk her dog with her. Melissa's first instinct was to decline. She always chose isolation over interaction – dealing with customers and employees made her weary of interaction with the outside world beyond what was necessary, but a voice inside made her go this time. Mandy and Melissa had something of a friendship forming, still in its early stages but exciting nonetheless. Joe would stay behind and mow the lawn.
Mandy was a bouncy extrovert, certainly a refreshing change of pace for Melissa. They talked openly about many things, some of them very personal.
"I love Joe a lot, with all my heart, but it seems like we are trapped. Our business is set, our money is set, we're not moving and nothing ever seems to change. It's hard to get excited about anything."
"Something needs to change, otherwise you'll just get depressed and go crazy."
"I feel like I'm already there."
"Oh no, that's awful."
"Listen to this – this guy who has managed one of our restaurants for almost six years now has been flirting with me. I think he wants more, and the bad part is how tempting it is."
"Are you going to go through with it?" Mandy was suddenly on edge with curiosity.
"Oh, no. I love Joe. But still, I'm dying to feel something again...passion or lust or something...anything, you know?"
"Are you and Joe intimate?"
"No, not very often. When we first met, it was exciting but it hasn't felt that way for years. Decades," she sighed. Melissa's body sagged then and sadness overwhelmed her. Mandy reached her arm around and held her close until the tears stopped flowing.
Then, Mandy lifted Melissa's face and gently kissed her. Melissa paused for several seconds as their lips met. The kiss was warm and tender, just the type of touch she had been longing for. Melissa returned the kisses finally, and they spent several moments embraced, kissing and cuddling.
"Oh wow," Melissa sighed as she pulled away. "Oh wow."
"You're a beautiful woman, Melissa," Mandy whispered. "You deserve to feel like one."
"I can't...that was...wrong...wasn't it?"
Mandy turned Melissa's face back up toward hers. She leaned close, touching her forehead with her own, clearing Melissa's long hair from her eyes. "I won't do that again if you don't want me to. I'm sorry."
- - - - -
Mandy and Melissa grew much closer over the ensuing several weeks, a fact that was not lost on Joe. Every day, they found something to do together. They went shopping, or ate lunch somewhere or went walking in the nearby park. One day, they drove to a retirement home across town to visit Melissa's mother, who was elderly and suffering with Alzheimer's Disease. Mandy was a supportive and enthusiastic friend, which had rubbed off on Melissa in many ways. Melissa was softer now. More gentle. Joe remembered how Melissa was when they met, before owning two restaurants that required nearly constant attention. Melissa had been a brilliant, innocent shining light. She had a hunger for life that seemed, somehow, to be returning. Joe was intrigued by her transformation.
"I need to ask you something," Joe began cautiously.
"Yes?" Melissa responded, noting his apprehensive tone.
"Are you and Mandy...just good friends...or is there something more?"
Melissa's jaw nearly dropped. She stared at Joe, then began giggling. She never thought she had heard anything so funny. Joe took a deep breath and rolled his eyes, uncomfortable that his dramatic question had been found amusing.
"We're friends, Joe," Melissa finally said as she wiped tears from her eyes.
"That's good, I guess. You two get along so well, and you seem so much happier with her around."
"Huh. I guess there is truth to that."
"If you two really were more than just friends, I don't think I would be upset."
Melissa's jaw nearly dropped again. What was her husband saying?
"You've known me for two decades, Joe. Have you ever known me to be a lesbian?"
"No, I'm just saying...you two have something and it shows."
"I can't believe I'm hearing this."
"God, Melissa. We've been doing the same thing for so long, it's gotten dull and you know it. But now, you're so different. Lively. Beautiful. Like you have something to look forward to again. That's a good thing."
Her husband had discovered a truth that she thought she had suppressed. She was drawn to Mandy for many reasons – her youthful exuberance, her optimistic impulsiveness, but also there was that tender kiss, the affection Mandy showed for her when she was down. She enjoyed spending time with her, and had even allowed a sexual fantasy or two to creep into her mind. Now her husband had given this fantasy a voice, allowing it a foothold into the real world.
"Mandy and I kissed several weeks ago, but we haven't done it again."
Joe was not shocked by this admission. If anything, he was shocked that the kiss had not been repeated.
"Tell me about it."
"We were walking her dog. We were talking, and I began getting emotional telling her how drained we both feel and she was just trying to be supportive and I cried and it just happened. I'm so sorry."
"Don't be. Come here, on the couch. Be with me."
Melissa snuggled up to Joe on their large sofa. Joe wrapped his strong arms around her.
"Baby, maybe this is the kind of thing we need. We've been in this awful rut for so long, I think we both want to run away. You're so soft now, so sensual, I think Mandy has been a very good thing for you, maybe even for us."
Melissa was embarrassed. She had no idea how to respond.
