My husband and I had planned a week's vacation at our lake cabin and I had gone up early to open it and buy food for the week. I was sitting on the glassed in porch late Friday afternoon, watching the sun on the water and gulls swooping about when my cell phone rang. I got up to answer it and it was my husband. He has a good job as a tech consultant. Unfortunately because he is very good he has to be on call.
"Honey, I'm sorry, but one of our top clients server system crashed last night. I have to go out of town to get it back up and running, then do the clean up and try to figure out what went wrong."
"Damn! When do you leave?"
"They have plane tickets for me. I leave in two hours."
"Oh, shit. When will you be back?"
"I expect I am going to be gone all week."
"Jesus, don't they know you have a life?"
"Honey, it's my job. It pays the bills and then some. Just stay up there and enjoy the lake. Get some sun and swim. I'll call as often as I can. Maybe I can get the job done quickly and I can come up. Don't let me not getting there spoil the good time you can have."
"All right. But we have to talk to your boss. This crap is getting old."
I know my husband was remembering the two years that he missed the lady's golf championship. He was so apologetic for that when it happened. I remembered it too and blushed, glad that he wasn't there to see my scarlet face. I hadn't been the good little wife on either of those weekends, even though I had never had sex with a man.
"Look, I'm sorry. I'll try to make it up to you after I get back."
"I'm sorry too. Please don't think I am angry with you. I am just disappointed. I wanted to be with you this week. I love you. Have a good time and don't work too hard."
"I love you too and I am going to miss you."
"Me too. Now you should get going so you can catch your plane. Call me."
"I will."
As I disconnected I sighed. Then I went to the fridge and took out a bottle of wine. I uncorked it and poured myself a glass and went back on the porch. Just absolutely fucking fantastic, I thought. All alone with no one to keep me company. I gazed out at the water again, sipping my wine and feeling sorry for myself.
I soon found my glass empty and filled it again. After I had finished the second glass of wine, I got up and walked down to the beach. Our dock and boathouse beckoned to me. I got up and walked into the boathouse. Shit! I had no clue how to run our boat; my husband always did that. I walked out and slipped off my sandals, digging my toes into the sand. The sun felt warn and soothing on me. With a deep sigh, I walked back to the cabin and got another glass of wine. Then I walked back out and sat on the end of the dock, dangling my legs and feet in the water.
As I sat there I heard the sound of a boat motor and shortly after a good sized runabout came into sight. There were four guys on it and they looked at me. I waved to them, still feeling sorry for myself. The boat turned and slowly motored towards our dock.
"Hey, Mrs. Johnson."
"Oh my god. Is it Billy? And Jack?"
"Yeah, it is, but I prefer Bill now."
I looked at the two young men who I used to baby-sit for our neighbors at the lake over ten years ago. God how time flies! Now they were young men. And as I looked at them and smiled, I realized that they really were young men. And I also realized that I was alone again. My mind flashed back to the caddies and the golf tournaments and I felt my face heat.
"These are our friends from college, Rob and Mike."
"Pleased to meet you boys. Did Bill and Jack tell you that I used to baby-sit them?"
"No, but I am sure it was their pleasure. Nice to meet you Mrs. Johnson"
I smiled at all of them feeling the heat leave my face. "Are your parents up too?"
"No, they gave us the cabin for the week to get away after school let out and to rest and relax before we have to find jobs for the summer."
"Oh that's too bad, I would have loved to see them again. It's been a while."
As we talked I could feel eyes on me, interested eyes. I felt a little nervous.
"Is your husband up?"
"No, he had to go out of town for work. He was supposed to be up tonight, but he is flying out about right now."
The looks I was getting seemed to get more intense, more appraising, as they looked at me.
"Well, Mrs. Johnson, maybe we can come around and take you for a ride or some skiing."
"That would be nice although I don't ski."
"Well we have a inner tube too, we could pull you on that. It's a lot of fun."
"We'll see boys, good to see you again."
I got up and began to walk down the dock towards our cabin after waving goodbye. Obviously some one didn't know how well sound carries over water.
"Did you see the body on her? Christ!"
"Jesus, Rob, she has to be close to forty if not over it."
"I don't care, she looked hot."
I was shocked, but inside I was pleased. For the last five years I had worked out, trying to get my youthful body back for my husband. I had lost weight and toned up quite a bit. Because I had gained weight, I had put away my bikinis and purchased a couple of one-piece bathing suits. Now I wondered how I would look in a bikini again. The young man who had seen me as woman, not some old middle aged bat kind of excited but embarrassed me. God, I was almost twice as old as the boys were!