Shit happens and fate tempts a young couple.
This one is not for the BTB or RAAC crowds, just cheaters cheating.
Some people believe that everything that happens, happens for a reason. I guess those folks believe it's fate, God's Will, karma, kismet, or some other thing that predetermines events. I tend to believe it's just happenstance - both good and bad. Of course, we can influence things through our actions or inactions, but mostly I think "shit happens" whether we want it to, or not.
My wife, Amy, and I recently planned a beach resort trip to Sea Island, GA. We bought tickets and made reservations. We invited her older sister, Sherry, to come along with her two kids. Sherry is divorced and her kids are the same age as our two, 7 and 9. We often do things together because the kids all get along so well.
I told Sherry I would treat her to this vacation with the expectation she would take charge of the kids for a few evenings to allow my wife and me an adult outing. She enthusiastically accepted and kidded with Amy about her little sister needing to "get her feet in the air."
We planned to travel together in our oversized SUV. It was about six hours to the beach and I thought the seven of us would be okay in the car for six hours. We had booked two adjoining rooms with two queen beds in each room. Our stay was to be ten nights.
Two weeks before we were to depart, Amy was called into the big boss's office and told she had to go to Jacksonville to handle a client meeting that he would be unable to attend. She was expected to attend some social functions on Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon, then host an extended contract meeting/negotiation on Monday. If all went well, she could drive up to Sea Island and join us on Tuesday, or Wednesday at the very latest.
Needless to say, I was unhappy about traveling with Sherry and the four kids, but I could not think of any other way to handle the circumstances. It meant Amy would not be with us Friday night, Saturday, Sunday, Monday, and maybe Tuesday.
Her company was paying to fly her into Jacksonville Friday afternoon and provide her with a rental car she could leave in Sea Island when she joined us. Not a great start to a long-awaited family vacation ... Shit Happens.
"Mark, honey, I'm so sorry this happened. I was looking forward to spending some adult time with my husband," an exhausted Amy said as she snuggled up against me.
It was Thursday night and it had been a hectic week trying to get all of the kid's stuff ready for the trip. Amy had worked late every night, preparing for her big assignment. Now the two of us lay in bed, too exhausted to even consider romance.
"It's okay, we'll still have a week together at Sea Island. I'm horny, but I'm too tired to do anything about it."
"Me too! I was thinking about you earlier today and got all creamy, but now I can hardly keep my eyes open," Amy said with a big yawn.
AMY
The flight was just what I wanted - quick and uneventful. I got my rental and got to my hotel before 6:00. After freshening up a bit in my room, I called Mark. The call didn't last long as there was utter chaos in the house while the kids packed up for their trip. I apologized to Mark for dumping everything on him and promised to call the next evening.
I decided to get some dinner, even though I wasn't hungry. The dining room was busy and I almost turned away, but the hostess said I could eat at the bar if I wished. So I took a seat near the end of the long bar and ordered a grilled chicken salad and a white wine.
As I ate, the bar began to fill up with new arrivals. About midway through my salad, a face leaned over the bar beside me and said, "Amy?"
It took half a second to realize the person was addressing me. I turned to the face and almost choked on my last sip of wine. "John? Oh my god!" I spun my stool toward him and he leaned down and hugged me.
"I wasn't sure if it was really you, but I had to make sure. My god, Amy, it's been what, 12 years?"
"Fourteen, I guess we're getting old, John."
"You're not! You are still as beautiful as you were when you left school! How is that possible?"
I slapped his arm, "And you're still as full of BS as you always were! What are you doing here in Jacksonville?"
"One of our subsidiaries is closing a deal with Elton Manufacturing and I have to sign off on it. They are sending some big wig down to twist my are and make sure I sign."
My mouth fell open as I stared at my old college sweetheart. "Well, the big wig's wife had to have surgery, so he sent me. I guess I'm the one that's going to be twisting your arm. ... Have a seat and I'll get started."
John laughed and signaled the bartender for a drink as he sat next to me. "So, now I know you work for Elton, what else is going on in your life?"
Amy looked at her former lover and said, "Well, after we graduated and split up, I was a bit of a wreck. I went back home and moped around until my Dad threatened to kick me out. I answered an Email from a recruiter working for Elton and they hired me. How about you?"
"Yeah, breaking up with you was a killer. It took me years to forgive my Dad for sending me to Europe to work in his Paris office. I was there for 4 years. When I got back I asked around about you and someone told me you'd gotten married. On the one hand, I was happy for you, on the other, it kinda broke my heart."
I stared at his handsome face for a moment and placed a hand on his cheek. John, I never stopped caring for you. You were my first true love and I guess you'll always have a special place in my heart."
He leaned in and kissed me lightly on the lips and then sighed deeply. "I dreamed of finding you and restarting our life, but shit happens and now you're married to some lucky guy. ... Any kids?"
"Yes, two, a boy nine, and a girl seven. Mark and I have been married for 11 years. I don't see a wedding band, are you married?"
"I was, It was a mistake. When I came back and learned you'd gotten married, I kinda went off the deep end. I dated a bunch of gals all at the same time. I ended up marrying one of them because she said she was two months pregnant. A month after the wedding, she admitted she was never pregnant and we split up. Eventually, I got an annulment and never remarried."
I stood and put my arms around him. "John, I'm so sorry. That's just awful, I'm sorry you had to go through that." I hugged him and kissed him on the cheek and sat back down.
He was quiet for a moment then asked, "So, are you here alone?"
"Yes, through Monday then Tuesday I'm driving up to Sea Island to meet up with Mark and the kids. How about you?"
"My PA came with me, but she has an Aunt here in town, so she's staying with her. I"m booked in here until Tuesday morning."
"Well, we have that thing tomorrow night. I guess it's just a meet-and-greet kind of thing with cocktails and hors d'oeuvres. Then we have the brunch before the big WTA tennis match at the country club on Sunday."
"Yeah, that seemed like a bit of overkill to me, but Mary is a big Emma Raducanu fan and is excited to see the match. I wanted to let her take her aunt, but Mary was afraid that would offend our host."
"Your event host works for me, so I could smooth that over for you," I said with a laugh.
John downed the last of his drink. "Hey, they have dancing in the ballroom on Friday nights. I know you used to love to dance, would you like to give it a try?"
I paused for just a second, it would just be dancing with an old friend, that's okay. No harm in just dancing with John. "Yes! That sounds great. Shaw we go?"
The ballroom was not large and the crowd was sparse so we had plenty of room to move about. I didn't remember John being such an accomplished dancer and told him so.
"Oh, in Paris, I worked with an older lady whose husband had a stroke and could no longer dance. She asked me to fill in. I was not a great replacement, so she taught me how to dance."
"Well, she was an excellent teacher, you're quite good now."
As he twirled me around the room, I found myself growing more and more comfortable in his arms. When the music slowed, he pulled me in close and I laid my head on his chest. In my mind, the years fell away and I was back in school, dancing with the man I had planned to marry.
As we moved together, I felt his hardness as he pressed against me. Lost in the music, I didn't react for several seconds, then the fog of remembrance fell away and I pulled back from him a bit.
"I'm sorry, Amy. Holding you like this brought back a lot of fond memories. It feels so good to have you in my arms, I just can't fight the attraction I feel for you."
"Oh, John, I know. I was caught up in the moment and it does feel nice to have you hold me, but I'm married, I love my husband and my family."
John eased a bit farther away from me. "Of course, I understand. Mark is a lucky man. I had my chance and it slipped away. I'm sorry, maybe we better call it an evening."
We gathered our things and walked to the elevators. When we got on, John asked for my floor.
"Eight, please"
"Quite the night for coincidences, I'm on eight, as well."
We stopped in front of my room and John chuckled and then showed me his room card. "I'm next door!" We both laughed and shook our heads. John placed a finger under my chin and lifted my face. I knew what he was going to do, but I let him lean down and kiss me. It was not a long kiss, but it was a loving kiss.
I broke away, turned, slid my card into the door, and pushed it open. "Good night John," I said as the door closed.
The next morning when I got out of the shower I padded back into my room. It was then I noticed it - the door in the wall. ... The wall between my room and John's. Oh my god, we have adjoining rooms. What are the odds of that?