After the children left home and went to university, my life disintegrated, well at least my marriage did. Without them the sheer loneliness and boredom of a financially secure relationship began to haunt me. It didn't seem worthwhile being with a man who travelled endlessly on business and worked the most horrendous hours in his pursuit of a partnership with one of the world's leading law firms. I became disillusioned and bitter that Richard wanted to work or travel rather than be with me and that doing a deal seemed far more important to him than fucking his wife. Our sex life all but disappeared. That was part because he was 'never' at home, but also because when he was we almost constantly argued.
So we tried a trial separation.
*
We'd known Mike and Carey for several years. They aren't amongst our closest friends as a couple for I had met her years ago and she and I always got on well so when she paired up with Mike, we saw them from time to time as a foursome They were both in advertising and we saw them fairly regular, well seeing them fairly regular meant going out to dinner on average every other month, but Carey and I talked on the phone frequently and had girly lunches at least monthly It was Carey who'd persuaded me to take the freelance job and probably they had been the most supportive couple since the break up. She was slim, blonde and beautiful and he was dark, tallish and handsome in a slightly Balkans way, black hair and lots of it, swarthy features and piercing dark eyes. We were all in our early forties but, like me, they could pass for several years younger.
"Why not escape one week-end with us Cat," Carey had said over a glass of wine one lunchtime, "and come up to the cottage in Norfolk."
The idea appealed. It sounded great to go onto the countryside for a few days and leave all my worries behind. So there I was a couple of weeks later bombing up the M11 in my brand new BMW 323 convertible. The weather was unusually warm, so I had the hood down and with both children at uni my troubles and worries seemed to decrease as I rapidly ate up the miles between me and their holiday home.
The satnav on the BMW worked perfectly getting me through the winding lanes around the Broads in Norfolk to deposit me outside the most charming thatched cottage imaginable.
"You have arrived," the slightly annoying voice advised from me from the speakers as I pulled into the gravel driveway.
We had a lovely Saturday. After a light lunch we had a lazy afternoon around the small pool soaking up the sun, chatting and gossiping about mutual friends. We then had a delightful dinner at a local pub that was within walking distance so there was no worries about drinking and driving. We took advantage of that by having three bottles of wine between us.
Walking home all of us dressed in shorts and tees, Mike was in the middle and he put his arms around both of us as we laughed and joked the few hundred yards through the failing light back to the cottage. Brandies in our hands we sat in the cosy lounge listening to music in candlelight and, inevitably I guess, the conversation turned to Richard and me. I found myself opening up to them and telling them more about the background and how I felt. This, for some reason, included my feelings about dating and even touched on the loneliness and how much I missed being with a man. I guess the wine and the talk made me a little morbid and I started to cry. Whilst I'd done plenty of that in the first couple of months it had now been some time since I'd broken down and I said I was sorry but both of them were so kind and understanding that my heart went out to such good friends.
Carey came and sat right next to me on the sofa and put her arms around me as Mike said consoling words and told me what a silly and selfish bastard Richard was. They made me feel better and being so close to Carey, for she kept her arms round me, was strangely comforting and the tearfulness passed as I sipped my brandy.
"Well I reckon it's time I showed you where things are upstairs Mandy," she said, adding, "then we'll get you tucked up in bed shall we, this Norfolk air is very tiring?"
Smiling I replied, "Yes mum," and we all laughed.
She showed me where the bathroom was and how to open the windows with the burglar proof locks and then into the bedroom that was quite small but beautifully furnished with a double bed. I undressed, slipped on a long tee shirt that I sometimes wear in bed, and went to the bathroom and cleaned my teeth. Back in my room I'd just slipped under the single sheet, for it was still very warm, when there was a knock on the door and Carey called out as she opened the door,
"Everything OK luv?" .
"Yes great, I'm fine now," I smiled at my friend as she came into the room wearing a lacy nightdress that was very low at the front.
"Good, I'm pleased," she replied coming over and sitting on the side of the bed.
We talked for a while about the 'trial separation' Richard and I were having and how things had changed for me. I said how lucky she and Mike were to be in such a loving relationships. She was sitting very close to me so that my leg under the sheet was pressed against her hips and as she moved or leaned forward the loose top of her nightdress would gape and I couldn't avoid seeing down it. Several times I saw most of her small breasts and twice I saw her nipples as well. I didn't think anything of it for we were close friends and several times I'd showered with her after playing tennis and even this afternoon she'd sunbathed topless.
"Can anyone join in?" I heard Mike saying from outside the door which he'd tapped upon discretely before putting his head round it..
"Sure, the more the merrier," I responded pulling the sheet up a little. I was aware that the thin tee shirt was stretched fairly tightly across my breasts and that most likely the outline of my large nipples would be showing through it. He walked in carrying the bottle of cognac and three balloon glasses.
"Perhaps a nightcap ladies?" he asked plopping himself down on the other side of the bed to Carey.
"Please," we both said as he poured them out.
"You know Cat," Mike said seriously, "Richard must have been absolutely barmy to let you go by being so fucking stupid, mustn't he Carey?
"Yes" my friend replied lifting her hand and running the back of fingers across my cheek. "Bloody stupid to lose such a gorgeous and lovely woman."
They were making feel a little weepy again with their so encouraging and loving support.
"Come on Cat, don't let it get to you again," Carey said, her fingers gently clasping my chin. "He's just not worth it, if work means so much to him that he completely neglects you."
"I know, I know," I said fighting back the tears, "it's just that I so miss him."
"Him?" Mike said.
"Well no not him but a man, being held and being cuddled, having company, oh you know what I mean."
"Yes darling, yes we do," Carey murmured taking me into her arms and holding me. It felt nice and I found myself cuddling up to her, but more like a baby to a mother or like sisters than anything else.
Mike leaned forward and put his arms around both of us. He kissed me on the head and muttered softly.
"You know that we both love you don't you Cat and that we'd do anything for you?"
I smiled at him and replied, "Yes Mike, you are both so kind to me and I'm very grateful."
I was still in Carey's arms my larger breasts pressed against her pert boobs her fingers gently stroking my hair. Mike still had his arms round the pair of us, one knee on the bed pushing into my hip. Carey moved her face so she was looking directly into my eyes and smiled as she whispered, quite hoarsely I noticed,
"Men can be such bastards Cat, who needs them really?"
I looked directly into her eyes as she said that and saw such love, affection and understanding in them.
"I don't know Care, but they have their uses, sometimes." I whispered feeling suddenly very excited but not being really aware why and what at.
"I know darling you told me earlier, remember?" she said referring back to a chat we'd had during the afternoon when Mike had popped to the shops and I'd told her how terribly frustrated I became. "And, darling, I have the answer to that," she whispered staring deeply into my eyes one of her hands stroking my chestnut hair that I had left long so it was tumbling over my bare shoulders. I didn't speak for I had no idea what she meant so I raised my eyebrows at her.
"Yes we have the answer Cat, Mike and I have it don't we darling?" she said as she looked at Mike.
"Well we think we do," he added.
"Yes darling," Carey cooed,. "You know that Mike and I are deeply in love don't you? You know that we both love each other and that we both love you as well don't you?"
"Yes Carey," I croaked as she put her fingers just where my neck joins my shoulders one of them gently rubbing my bare skin where the tee shirt ended. And then she hit me with the bombshell that was, in some ways, the most generous and loving thing that had ever been said to me.
"Cat darling I want you and Mike to make love," she blurted out.