This is something of a sequel to my earlier story, "Social Sex Ed," but written so that you can hopefully understand it even if you haven't read the earlier story.
*
The elevator doors opened and we stared at each other in shock. We stood there for so long, both stunned, that the doors started to close and I quickly put a hand in to stop them. She stepped off the elevator and the doors closed behind her.
"Deborah?" I asked, still not entirely sure it was really her. "Do you live here?"
It had been about a year since I had seen her, but she looked pretty much the same. Her thick, black, curly hair was longer but her basic build β extremely short (at 5'3", I had at least four inches on her), with massive boobs, a thin waist, and wide hips β was unmistakable. Suddenly, memories of the last time I had seen her came flooding back, and despite myself I felt a damp heat in my groin.
"I... Rachel, hi..." she sputtered. "Iβ my brother lives here, with his wife, they live here, on the third floor, and I was justβ I was just visiting them." She sounded decidedly nervous; was she also remembering that night? "I live on the Upper East Side," she added.
"I was so surprised β I mean, surprised in a good way β to see you. Here. I live here. I... well, it's been a... long time," I said, and blushed. I guess I was also nervous.
Deborah was fidgeting with her hands, and I pointed to the diamond ring on her left hand. I remembered that Deborah was a very Orthodox Jew, and had said she'd likely be married soon after finishing college. "You were right about getting hitched so soon after graduation," I said. "What's his name? When are you making it official?"
"His name is Benny, and the wedding's in three months," she replied with a broad smile. "What about you and Aaron?"
I held up my own left hand. "We're getting married next summer," I said. Aaron and I had dated all through college, and he and Deborah had become friendly when he lived one floor above her our senior year. "Aaron got a Rhodes Scholarship, so he's in England for the year."
"I heard that, it's amazing."
We stood for a bit in awkward silence, and then I asked, "Are you headed somewhere? Or do you want to grab a bite to eat and catch up?" Deborah and I hadn't exactly been friends in college, but we had a few classes together and knew some of the same people, and I had always liked her. And there was that one night toward the end of my senior year, her junior year...
After a moment she said, "Sure, I'd love to."
We headed a few blocks down Amsterdam to one of the kosher restaurants. Over lunch, I asked, "How did you and Benny meet?"
"We were set up," Deborah said somewhat sheepishly. "Benny's sister is married to one of my brother's friends."
"That's great," I said, in part to reassure her that she shouldn't be embarrassed. "It's like someone you trust is vouching for him, right?"
She smiled. "Exactly."
"What is he like?"
"He's older, 25, and a lawyer. From Brooklyn originally. Very funny β that was important to me β but also really kind, and smart. And..." Deborah paused.
I looked over at her with a questioning look.
Deborah lowered her voice, as if afraid someone might overhear. "We were always told not to think this way, but I feel like I need to admit it to someone."
"What?" I whispered.
"He's..." She took a deep breath, and whispered back, "Hot!"
I laughed, hard.
"What?" She asked, somewhat indignant.
"It's cute that you're so embarrassed to say so. Good for you. What's hot about him?"
"Well, it's just that a lot of the guys β most guys I would get introduced to spent the better part of the last decade indoors, sitting and studying, and their... physique, if you will, shows it. Benny is different β he rowed crew in college, and he goes hiking twice a month with some of his guy friends. He's fit, which I like, and looks muscular. Manly."
"He does sound hot," I said, smiling. "Good kisser?"
"How would I know?" Deborah said, rolling her eyes. "I've never even held his hand!"
"What?"
"Not until after the wedding."
"Not even holding his hand?"
"Not
even
," Deborah said, with mock exaggeration. "What kind of girl do you think I am?" And then we both burst out laughing.
"Shhhh," she hushed me, looking around suspiciously, and we both laughed harder.
Deborah turned serious. "In all honesty, I am a little weirded out about the wedding night β we've never touched each other, and in theory we've never touched anyone else in that way either."
Right, in theory
, I thought. "But I do think I'm less anxious than I would have been... otherwise, and I suppose I have you and Aaron to thank for that."
"It was my pleasure," I said, and only then noticed the double entendre. We both fell into a fit of laughter again.
Walking out onto Amsterdam, I said to Deborah, "This was great β I'm so glad I ran into you."
"Me too," she said, smiling. "We should do this again sometime."
"Agreed." Deborah started to walk toward the 86th street cross-town bus, but I stopped her. "Do you want to give me your number, or should I just sit in the lobby and wait for you to visit your brother again?"
Deborah laughed. "Stupid me, right?" We swapped cell numbers and I waved as she walked toward her bus.
*******
I called Deborah a few times that Fall to hang out, but it never quite worked and eventually I figured maybe she wasn't all that interested in getting together. So I was surprised when, a week or so after Thanksgiving, I saw Deborah's number come up on my caller ID.
"Hi," I answered, but all I heard on the other end was sobbing. "Deborah?" More crying. "Deborah, sweetheart, take a deep breath and compose yourself and tell me what's going on. Please."
"Iβ" she broke off sobbing again. "Iβ"
"Forget it, just tell me where you are, and I'll come over."
"Marriottβ Midtownβ"
"What room?"
"21β" She took a deep breath. "2114."
Five or six minutes by cab. "I'll be there in less than ten minutes," I said, and hung up the phone. I checked my wallet for cash, threw it in a bag with my cell phone, and grabbed a jacket. At the last minute I went into the kitchen and grabbed a corkscrew and two bottles of Shiraz β I am not as religious as Deborah, but I keep a kosher kitchen and knew the wine would be OK β and headed out the door.
*****
The cab pulled up just before 8pm. I handed three five-dollar bills to the driver and, without waiting for change, dashed through the rain and into the Marriott. Once inside I walked briskly through the lobby and toward the elevators marked "15-24." I pushed the button for the twenty-first floor.
When the doors opened, I headed directly to the number Deborah had given me and knocked gently. I could see the peephole darken briefly, and then the door opened. Deborah must have been standing behind the door because I didn't see anyone in the room. I walked in and Deborah closed the door behind me.
I turned around and caught a glimpse of Deborah's petite, curvy body in nothing but a short white satin negligee and matching lacy panties before she threw herself into my arms. I set my bag down on the floor and held her. She smelled like shampoo and tears.
Looking around, I saw that she had a suite and we were in the living room. I led her over to the couch and we sat down. My eyes were immediately drawn to the swell of her cleavage under the thin satin fabric β I'll admit to checking out the other girls from time to time, in the locker room at the gym or wherever, and Deborah's breasts, which were big to begin with, looked massive on such a small body β but I forced my gaze higher. Her face was red and puffy and her cheeks were streaked with dried tears.
"What's going on?" I asked.
Deborah finally seemed calm, or at least calm enough to talk. "My wedding," she said, and started to sob again. She took a deep breath and then continued. "It's tomorrow afternoon, and I'm nervous... and I'm... especially nervous about... tomorrow night. After. The wedding. When we're... together, and there was really no one else I could call who I could trust. I'm so glad you're here."