THE PARTY
William Foster and his wife Sarah were on their way to a party at her sister's house in Pennsylvania. It was her sister Edna's thirtieth birthday. Sarah and Will had been together for four years, married three. She was a pretty girl, dark hair and grey eyes, with a slim build and a nice smile. She was twenty-six and worked as a private school teacher near their home in Virginia. Will was thirty, a lawyer and an average looking fellow, with brown hair and eyes and a wiry build. He had done well for himself at law so far.
The two had met when he was in law school, and moved in together when he finished. She also graduated that year. They had a spark between them. From the start the sex had been good. It still was. Will was happy with the marriage, and so was Sarah. She had been sexually active before meeting Will -- more so than he. But she truly found that he was top of the class. Only one guy had impressed her in bed as much as Will.
That was her high school beau, Jed Blake. Jed had been her first, at eighteen. They separated when each went off to college, but would hook up in their summers home. When Sarah met Will, she stayed the summer at school, to be near him. After that, she hadn't seen Jed, who had moved to Philadelphia, across the state.
The party was set for seven on Saturday, and Will and Sarah arrived in the early afternoon. They were staying the night in a guest room. Sarah and Edna's parents arrived soon after, with deli sandwiches for lunch. They were Neville and Elizabeth Strohman. He was a hot shot investment and financial guy, and she volunteered. They were each fifty-eight, and lively. They challenged Will and Sarah to a tennis match, on the court in the rear of the house. It was a large house, with a big garden, and the tennis court.
As they were walking out to play the match, Sarah warned Will that her dad hated to lose. He figured that. He was the same way. He hadn't seen much of her folks. Busy schedules and distance were to blame. They'd spent some holidays with them. One summer vacation at a Delaware beach.
"You want me to throw the match?"
"Well......"
"Nah. Please just play."
Sarah was okay at tennis, and her mother Liz was pretty good. Neville was long and looked strong. Will was just his ordinary, wiry self. Five ten, lean. He had not played any tennis in his neighborhood growing up. No courts. Only basketball courts. Baseball fields. There had been a ping pong table at the rec center. So, he had been familiar with racquet sports! He had played some tennis in college and in law school.
The match proceeded at a normal pace. The grands (because of Edna's two kids) won the first set 6-3. But Will saw that Neville was slow and had no backhand. Will wasn't slow at all. And he was a lot stronger than he looked. He began exploiting his strength, and Neville's weaknesses. He and Sarah won the second set 6-2. And the third, 6-1. The one was a gift. Will and Sarah shook hands with her folks. Neville was barely civil. Liz smiled at Will. She was a good-looking woman, gray hair, but slim and, in some odd way, seductive. Will had noticed before, but could never quite figure it out.
Edna's husband Joseph had watched the last set. He walked back with Will and Sarah. He said, "Dad will get over it, right?"
Sarah said, "I guess. In time." She looked at Will. "You could have let up a little."
"He would have lost respect for me."
Joe laughed. Sarah didn't.
Joe said, "Sarah, guess who's invited tonight."
"Who?"
"Your old flame, Jed."
Will looked at Sarah. She slowed her pace. "Oh, Joe, who did that? He's in Philly."
"No, he moved back six months ago. He works for your dad."
She said, "Well, I wish someone had told me."
"I just did. After all this time, I'm sure you have some catching up to do."
Joe was a troublemaker.
Sarah said, "No."
Will had watched this exchange with interest, while trying not to seem to be doing that. He knew Jed's role in Sarah's life. He wondered, without too much worry, whether he had some need to worry.
He decided to keep an eye out.
Will and Sarah showered up. She came out last. She was toweling off when he pushed her onto the bed. She giggled. She tried to push him away. It was a half-hearted attempt, and didn't work. He licked and sucked her breasts, and her neck, where he knew she was sensitive. She spread herself for him and he entered her, to moans. It was a quicky, but satisfying for both of them. They both went back into the shower.
The party was casual dress. Will wore khaki's and a short sleeve work shirt. Sarah had brought a red and white striped dress, and sandals. But, when she came down, after Will, she had on a much dressier blue one. Will hadn't seen it before. He asked, "Why the change? And where did that come from?"
Sarah blushed a bit. "I borrowed it from Edna. I didn't like the red one too much."
"Hmm. It wouldn't have to do with this guy Jed?"
"No!"
"Methinks the lady doeth protest too much." Will gave it a light delivery, but they both knew he was serious.
"Okay. I mean...."
"You mean you want to impress him."
"Yes."
"Sarah, I don't want any problem here. Please believe me when I say that I will not stand for any embarrassment from you and Jed. It would be a real large problem."
"I hear you. I will have to be friendly to him. But that's all."
Will nodded. He had absolutely no belief in what she'd just said. His face was stony, and she picked up on it.
"I promise. I promise."
He turned and went to the keg, got a beer. Half a glass. His only alcohol of the night. His motto was 'Always be prepared.' But he was no Boy Scout.
Sarah was excited that Jed was to come to the party. She saw that Will was worried. She probably shouldn't have dressed up in such an obvious way. But she wanted to make an impression. Her actual intentions were mostly innocent. Some vague plans floated in her head. Anyway, maybe Jed would be fat, now.
He wasn't fat. He arrived, alone, at about seven-fifteen. Neville met him at the door and they shook. Will was watching from the far corner of the large room, sipping his half glass of beer. Jed was well over six feet, wide shoulders, slim hips, longish blond hair and brown eyes. Will was pissed off at him from the moment he spied him.
Sarah waltzed up to Jed as he walked by her father. They hugged. Nothing alarming, just a greeting. Will heard Jed say, "Wow, Sarah, I'm underdressed."
Jed was wearing dockers and a collared short-sleeve shirt.
Sarah, said, "No. I only wanted...."
Her dad piped up, "To look nice for you."
Sarah took Jed's arm and said, "Let me introduce you to Will."
Will shoved off the wall he'd been leaning on, and waited as Sarah and Jed came across the room.
Sarah said, "Jed, this is my husband, Will. Will, this is my old friend, Jed."
Jed held out his hand and Will took it. And, without seeming to do it, Jed started squeezing, hard. Will smiled at him, squeezed back and said, "Uncalled for."
To everyone but he and Jed that seemed a non-sequitur. Jed let up, and the handshake ended. The two stared at each other for an uncomfortably long time. Will was still smiling, but Jed wasn't.
Sarah was non-plussed by the whole scene. She had thought that both of them would keep a civil demeanor. No such luck.
She said, "C'mon, Will, let's get some food." She led him off past Jed, and her mother, who had appeared during the staring match.
As they walked toward the dining room, where there was a spread laid out, Sarah asked, "Can't you be polite?"
"I could have been. Except he tried to crush my delicate hand. That's why I said what I said. Please stay away from him, Sarah. That handshake was an announcement of some kind."
"I'm sorry. I didn't realize. Did he hurt you?"
Will looked at her. He shook his head. He said, "Be warned, Sarah. That guy is trouble. Maybe in a package appealing to you, but trouble. And.....I will not play with him."
Sarah knew what that meant. Will was not upper-middle class, or even middle class, in his upbringing. He meant that he'd go after Jed if there was any reason. Any reason at all. That kind of excited Sarah.
Sarah said, "Dad says Jed has been taking self-defense lessons, and that he's won a tournament."
"So does that meant he's gonna beat me up and fuck you?"
"Will!"
"Then why say that?"
"I wanted to warn you not to provoke h...trouble."
They made plates. The food was good, but Will ate light, and drank water. He and Sarah went outside with their food. Sarah started talking to some of her high school friends, who had been close to both sisters. She introduced Will to them, and they spoke for a few minutes. No one mentioned Jed. That was clearly because Will was there. He wandered off, around a corner. And stopped within earshot.
After about a minute, one of the women said, "Sarah, your dreamboat ex-boyfriend is here. And he's still a hunk."
Sarah said, "So I noticed. But I need to stay away from him. You girls keep him occupied, huh?"