There are quite a few stories that I have written, both stand-alone and series, that I had intended to let end as they stand. However, due to a semi-steady stream of requests to continue the stories, coupled with the fact that I am currently having a case of writer's block on the series that I am working on now, I have decided to go back and continue some of my previous works.
Since I have been getting most of the comments and requests about the "A Neighborly Bet" series, I have decided to start here, following a storyline that many had suggested, but I had never intended to go down. Hopefully, I did well by those requests.
As always, I hope you enjoy, and constructive feedback is always welcome.
*****
In the following months after our hotel visit, Christi and Joe's marriage slowly deteriorated until Christi finally reached the breaking point over the summer, just after the neighborhood 4 of July party.
When their son turned 18, Joe started taking him with on his "fishing" trips. As soon as I heard that, and knowing the cast of characters, I knew that things were going to blow up in Joe's, and his son's, face. Sure enough, by mid-summer Christi knew all about what really went on during Joe's trips.
Not only did Joe start including his son in the sexual escapades that went on, but Joe's girlfriend wound up getting pregnant and had no idea which of the four men was the father. Christi was so pissed off that she threw both of them out of the house that day.
The next day, when Christi called me and told me what had happened, I immediately gave her the name and number of my lawyer. I also told her that it would probably be wise if we started being more discreet, just in case Joe hired a P.I. and he started following us. I even went and "borrowed" an extra company phone for her to use so we could call and text each other until it was over. All of that put a huge crimp in our relationship, but we did what we could, just not nearly as often.
After the preliminary hearing in front of a judge, we knew that we didn't have to worry about Joe doing anything to hurt Christi. She revealed to the judge, a woman, that after they separated Joe had been calling her at all hours threatening and harassing her. (When I asked her about it later, she told me that she didn't tell me about it because she was afraid of what I would do to Joe. That was probably a wise decision.)
Hearing this, Christi said that the judge went on a five-minute rant at Joe, wrapping it up by forbidding Joe, or any "agent" of Joe's, from any sort of contact with Christi, including, to both of our surprises, "any sort of recording of." No pictures or phone recordings.
To celebrate her new found freedom, Christi told me that she wanted to go out. I asked her if she wanted me to make dinner reservations, and she told me that she wanted to go out partying for a night. When I asked her what she had in mind, she said that Britt had been talking about a Halloween party in a couple of weeks at a new club that had just opened up.
"She said that this club is a lot of fun, and that we would have a really good time at their party," Christi told me. "We should go with her."
Britt and I had been getting along a lot better lately, even to the point that she would flirt with me in front of her mother, as "a joke." From the look in her eyes, I knew that she wasn't always joking.
"What kind of costumes do you have in mind?" I asked her, skeptical about going to a costume party.
"I don't know," she replied. "We can talk about it later, when all three of us are together."
The next night, as Christi, Britt, and I were relaxing in her yard with a bottle of wine, Christi brought up the Halloween party.
"Britt said that she already decided that she was going as a naughty schoolgirl," Christi said. "So I want to come up with something to go with hers."
"Do you want to go as a schoolgirl too?" I asked her.
"No," she replied. "That would be weird, dressing the same as Britt. I was thinking maybe going as a cheerleader."
I sat there and smiled for a second before Christi asked me why I was smiling. "I'm just thinking," I told her as I sipped on my wine. "You, dressed as a cheerleader, and Britt, dressed as a naughty schoolgirl ... I could be in for an interesting night."
They both laughed, and a couple of minutes later Britt went inside to use the washroom. As soon as she was inside, Christi leaned towards me and spoke softly.
"One reason that I want to go to this party is because I want to keep an eye on Britt," she said. "She was supposed to go to this party with some guy that she has the hots for, and he just backed out. She was going to go as a slutty schoolgirl, but had to change her costume"
"I know her. She's feeling down, so she's probably going to get drunk and try to get laid," she added.
"What's the difference between a slutty school girl and a naughty schoolgirl?" I asked.
"Bra and panties," she answered giggling.
"Oooook ..." I replied, not knowing what else to say.
"So, what's your plan?" I asked her. "You want to chaperone her?"
"No," she replied. "Just keep an eye on her. I just want to make sure that she doesn't get herself into any trouble."
Thinking to myself that was exactly the description of a chaperone, I told Christi that if she wanted to go to the Halloween party, I could throw together a coach's costume and we could go with Britt.
"That would be perfect!" she exclaimed. "A coach, a cheerleader, and a naughty schoolgirl! Perfect!"
"Hmmmm," she said a couple of seconds later. "I'll be a naughty cheerleader!"
"Naughty, not slutty?" I asked her, teasing.
"Maybe! You never know!" she replied with a smile.
Christi and I didn't see much of each other over the next couple of weeks due to our conflicting schedules, but she told me that she and Britt were all set with their costumes, and they couldn't wait to show me. "Britt wants your opinion on her costume, as a man, before we leave," she said.
"Ummm, ok," I replied, wondering why my opinion was so important to her. Her mother could tell her more than I could.
The party was Saturday night, so after I grilled up a nice meal for us to soak up the alcohol, the girls went back into their house to get changed while I did the same. Christi told me that when I was ready, I should just come over and let myself in.
My coach's costume consisted of a pair of shorts, tube socks and running shoes, a t-shirt, whistle, sunglasses and baseball hat. It took me all of twenty minutes to shower and get dressed. After locking up my house, I went over to Christi's and walked in her back door. I quickly locked up the back of her house and as I walked towards the front of the house I started hearing voices upstairs.
I started walking up the stairs towards the bedrooms and it was easier to hear what they were saying. It sounded like Christi was in her room while Britt was in the bathroom at the top of the stairs. The first thing that I heard froze me in my steps.
"I understand that you're upset and you're horny, Britt," I heard Christ say. "I've been there. But that doesn't mean that you should just go out and let the first cute guy you see climb on top of you!"
"God, mom!" Britt replied. "I'm not THAT stupid!"
"Honey, when you start drinking, you never know what could happen," Christi told her. "Especially when you're this upset AND horny."
