What Were The Chances

It may have been December but it was still a warm day in the Valley of the Sun in Arizona. Natalie was on the way home from Christmas Shopping. It would be her first Christmas since her divorce. At fifty-two she was still attractive with dark hair and dark eyes. Even though it was a loveless marriage she still missed the fact that she was alone. She was a woman of passion and desire, but her husband was more concerned about work and Cardinal football.

As she drove along she decided that she was not yet ready to go to her empty house so she pulled in to a nice upscale lounge. She walked into the cool, low lighted lounge, and looked around. A couple of businessmen were at the bar and in a back booth a rather attractive blonde woman who was much younger. Natalie sat down, ordered a drink from the bar maid, and waited for her drink. As she looked around the room she made eye contact with the woman who was sitting alone. They smiled at each other but Natalie looked away as she felt a bit awkward. The drink came and Natalie pulled out a ten. The bar maid smile and told Natalie the drink had already been paid for. Assuming it was from one of the men Natalie asked which man to which the bar maid replied, "From the lady."

With that the bar maid left and Natalie looked at the younger blonde woman in the back booth. As she looked the blonde lifted her glass in a toast and both women smiled. Natalie was a bit shocked but relaxed as she sipped her drink and enjoyed the cool. Soon she noticed the young blonde get up and walk toward her. In a few steps the blonde was at her booth, offering her hand, smiling, and saying, "Hi' I'm Lisa Andrews. Mind if I join you?" The women shook and without waiting for a reply, Lisa sat down.

"I'm Natalie Dillard," the mature woman replied, to which Lisa said, "Nice to meet you." The two women visited for a while talking about their lives. Lisa had just gotten out of a marriage as well and relocated to the Valley of the Sun where she ran her internet consulting business.

"Why did your marriage end," asked Lisa to which Natalie replied, the love and the passion had vanished from the marriage. Once the children were out of the house t hey were like two strangers who no longer had anything in common. The passion and the desire that they once felt for each other was long gone and they mutually decided to go their separate ways. As Natalie talked she became much more at ease talking to Lisa and it was like they had been friends for a long time.

"I miss having someone around. Even if we didn't speak I still miss the companionship of someone being there. I had desires but he no longer cared about romance or passion. It was like a fire slowly dying." Natalie looked down into her glass and her eyes were swimming. The loneliness ached and left her feeling unloved and undesired. As she sat there Lisa held her hand and in a strange way Natalie felt comforted by the compassionate act. Finally Natalie composed herself and said, "So, what's your story?"

Lisa smiled, took a sip from her drink, and spoke. "Since middle school I was a bit unsure of what I wanted out of life. Not sure which direction I wanted to go. I got married as was expected of me, but as the years went on I felt that this is not what I wanted. That I was denying myself and who I was. We had a talk and I told him that I needed to make a lifestyle change. He agreed and we went our separate ways."

Natalie smiled and said, "You wanted to live down here and be a career woman so, you changed your life. " Lisa looked at her and smiled. "You are a sweet dear. Not exactly. Since middle school I was not sure of my sexuality and after years I decided I was not hetrosexual."

Both women were still for a moment and finally Natalie looked up with wide eyes, "Oh you mean you are one of those." Lisa laughed, "Sounds so ominous the way you say it. One of those." Natalie patted the younger woman's hands and said, "I didn't mean it that way. Just took me by surprise. I never dreamed that you would be one....." her voice trailed off.

Lisa laughed, "One of those? Why?" "Well," began Natalie, "you are so attractive that I figured that you would never be one...I'm sorry." Lisa patted her hand, "Don't worry, it's fine." There wa a long pause when Natalie asked, "Well, how was it?"

Looking Natalie right in the eyes she replied, "It was simply amazing. I never knew lovemaking could be so intense and so passionate. Amazing is call I can say."

Natalie got a far away look in her eyes, "It's been a long time since any thing amazed me. In fact, I'm not sure if...." Lisa smiled and held her hand. Sometimes it takes a while but the important thing is that eventually you find amazing. Natalie smiled, "You think?"

Lisa said, "I know. You just have to be open to the opportunities that present themselves." To which Natalie replied, "I don't even know where I'd look for amazing," as she pointed to the bar and the two men seated there. Lisa just smiled and said, "there are opportunities." Natalie slowly looked at the young woman and took here time. Lisa was blonde with blue eyes. About five foot four and around one hundred twenty-five pounds, with smallish breast, a 32b she judged.

"Aaaaaaah," began Natalie, "are you suggesting that you and I would get together and....." Lisa smiled, "I was not suggesting anything. Just telling you to be open, that's all." "But I never could, would...," said Natalie. "Never is a long time," replied Lisa. "To never feel love, passion, or desire again. To never be touched again in a way that only a person who understands you can. Never is a long time dear."

There was quiet for a while as the conversation and the issues raised by Lisa ran through Natalie's head. "But" Natalie finally continued, "I've never felt even the slightest interest, uuhhh I mean its not normal." Lisa smiled and patted her hand. "I never knew I liked shrimp till I tried it and what's normal. If two people care about each other and they express it physically, where's the abnormality?" Again there was silence.

Lisa finished her drink and said, "I better get going." As Natalie heard those words she felt relief and sorrow. Relief that this conversation would end and sorrow that this conversation would end. Lisa pulled out a small business card and wrote on it. "This is my office number and here is my cell. If you ever want to talk or explore, just call." With that Lisa gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and walked out of the lounge.

Natalie sat there for a moment and then got up to leave. She left the card on the table. She would never do such a thing. She was almost to the door when she thought, "What the devil did she mean, 'explore'?" She stopped and then turned and went back to the table putting the card in her purse. She walked out feeling naughty, but happy.