Janet and Phyllis had been friends for over forty years now. Through junior and senior high schools, college. "Going away to college" meant family support to live in "dorm independence" on the local campus: four years of rooming together, sharing joys and triumphs and problems.
Post college, their lives ran on similar, largely parallel tracks. Marriage: Janet's first had lasted twenty years and yielded one kid. Her next two marriages were ill-advised and mercifully short. She was currently single. Phyllis was still married to her first: they'd produced three kids, all grown. Similar interests and studies had led the women to similar masters' degrees and careers: five years ago they'd found themselves working for the same big aerospace company, but in different cities and divisions.
The jobs had brought them together in this pricy hotel: a four-day technical conference to which each had been sent independently. Janet had access to the overall list of company attendees, spotted Phyllis's name, called her: they pooled resources and got a deluxe suite together for less than two singles.
They arrived yesterday: today had been the first conference day. Last night was spent catching up -- they'd not spent any significant time actually together, face-to-face, in well over thirty years, and their considerable correspondence hadn't really filled the bill on keeping up to date.
They were still utterly compatible, exchanged intimate confidences easily, eagerly. Kids, husbands, work -- commiseration, admiration, secret self-evaluations. Jobs? Both were senior technical staff, rising steadily, and happy.
Personal life -- meaning of course sex-life? Janet admitted to her mistakes -- all three hubbies as errors of judgment: when pressed, she admitted that yes, there had been lovers, quite a few both during and outside the marriages.
Phyllis had to ask, was she still in touch with Jerry, Janet's first extramarital? Phyllis knew he'd appeared on the scene less than a year into that marriage, that he and Janet had cycled in and out of one another's lives multiple times, that Janet was hopelessly and permanently in lust for him, and apparently he for her as well, a nice match. In fact, some years back she'd even seen photos of him and Janet (some of them quite explicit), and could understand the physical attraction completely.
No, Janet told her a little dreamy-eyed, she hadn't seen Jerry for over five years, but would gladly do so on any excuse whatever. If only! Maybe she should re-initiate things? Phyllis's husband had been a dud sexually: no sex-life at all for the past several years, no lovers -- she was too chicken, she said, although thought it a good idea in the abstract. She made do with a vibrator and daydreams, and lots of 'good works' activities. Sublimation didn't have to be unconscious, did it?
The hotel had a fine restaurant: they had just ordered and settled into more conversation and a bottle of merlot when Phyllis goggled at something behind Janet's shoulder, sputtered, and finally managed "Janet! Don't turn around, but a man just walked in and sat down about three tables away and I swear, absolutely SWEAR, he's your Jerry... but without the full beard. My god, Jerry has a twin! And he's looking at us pretty hard. Now he's studying the menu. Go easy, turn and take a look."
The man lifted his head at exactly that moment, as if on cue, stared straight at Janet, did a perfect double-take, grinned broadly and stood up. Janet squealed -- it was indeed her Jerry! He joined them at once and seemed extraordinarily pleased to meet Phyllis. He was, in fact, quite taken with her: although he was careful to lavish most of his attention on Janet, the more than adequate portion allotted to Phyllis made her quite happy. Plus there was this subtle male aura around him. Pheromones, perhaps? Anyhow, he was most attractive.
Dinner lasted until nine: it didn't take long for Phyllis to understand why the Jerry-Janet thing had gone on practically forever, and it certainly boded to re-erupt right here and now -- the obvious looks the two exchanged were completely transparent! The conversation ranged all over the place, always fast, intellectual and fun. The later it got, the more familiar she became with this man, the better she understood Janet's attraction to him -- and envied her. At nine, they all admitted that perhaps they'd worn out the restaurant's welcome. Jerry stood, said they would have to meet for dinner again, maybe breakfast also, he'd give them a call early AM.
Phyllis's belly did little flip-flops as Jerry and Janet clinched. From within the clinch he whispered something longish into her ear, she looked at him coyly and nodded agreement. Then he was gone.
Back in the room, Phyllis looked at Janet and let her envy show. "So THAT'S your long-term lust-bunny! I approve! He's luscious. But what was it you two were planning there at the end? Right after that incredible PDA? I was expecting you to just drop to the floor right there, maybe do a rabbit-fuck or something!"
Janet blushed, giggled, and then looked somewhat apologetic. "He's going to come here to the room and get me at eleven sharp. That is, eleven tonight. Sorry."
Phyllis grinned and threw a pillow at Janet's head, muttering "The only thing you're sorry about is that it's been so many years and now you have to wait two more hours! Can't fool THIS girl! I'm so jealous I could just curl up and die. What are we going to do while YOU wait for YOUR tryst to arrive? I guess I'll just stay here in my lonely room, like in the old song!"
