Barry learns that RoseAnn can be strict
A minor guilt nagged at me the rest of the afternoon. I should have told Gloria the truth about my 'aunt'. I could have said, 'I live with my woman friend' and that would have been sufficient. As things stood now, even if the two women met incidentally, a two-minute conversation between them would be enough to embarrass and humiliate all three of us. Right now, I had a lover and a new friend, but should the worst happen, I'd have neither.
I made up my mind to set the record straight with Gloria as soon as an opportunity presented itself. Who knows what the future might hold for any of us? No need to start things off with a lie. Gloria and I had only eaten sandwiches together. You couldn't even call it flirting. But no doubt about it--there was an instant attraction there, on both sides, and who knew how it might develop?
There was a gigantic reception and dance for the incoming freshmen that evening, but I'd already had enough of crowds for one day. I walked back to the apartment while the sun was still well above the horizon, passing joggers and citizens out walking their dogs, pooper-scoopers in hand. The sheaf of papers I carried in my hand must have made me look less suspicious, or perhaps it was common knowledge that this was the day the freshmen started at Stanford, and all sorts of strange folk would be about the neighborhood.
RoseAnn's BMW was parked in front of the garage. I hoped she'd made something hearty for supper tonight, and that it would be nice and hot, ready for the table. Through the window, I saw that the kitchen light was on, and looked forward to the cheery comfort of an evening with my lover.
"I'm back," I announced as I stepped in the door. RoseAnn was curled up at the end of the sofa with a glass of wine, listening to soft music. There was no smell of food in the air. I supposed she had made sandwiches, or planned to go out to eat.
"I'm glad," she said. "I'm starving."
"You could have started supper without me."
She chuckled in the back of her throat. "You don't understand. I expect
you
to make supper."
"Hey! It's been an exhausting day!" I snapped.
Her eyes opened wide in shock, but she recovered instantly and leaned forward. "How dare you! You should live my life for a few days.
Every
day is an exhausting day for me. I'm a woman engineer in a field where men want to run everything. Do you know what that's like? I have to work twice as hard as a man to get half the recognition. And if I'm not watching every minute, some man will grab the credit for work I've done."
"That's shitty," I said, frowning.
"It's my life," she said simply.
"I'm sorry. I'm tired and I wasn't thinking."
"That's not good enough." She pointed to the floor in front of her. "I expect a proper apology, on your knees, in front of me."
"I beg your pardon?"
"Right here! Right now!"
Anger welled up, but my cock began to rise, too. I suppressed the urge to lash out, and went to my knees at her feet, and looked abjectly down at the floor. "I'm really sorry, RoseAnn."