Ruby Fisher turned forty and celebrated alone. Her son was away at college, her daughter the same. Her asshole husband was dead. That was one plus on her side of the board, she thought as she sat cross legged on the couch eating a bowl of ice cream. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail, she had on no makeup, and her face looked swollen from crying.
With a deep sigh, Ruby sat the bowl down on the coffee table and tugged her old flannel robe tighter around her body. "Why can't I get warm today?" She asked the empty room. She glanced at the bowl of ice cream and for the first time today smiled. Then she chuckled and then she laughed almost uncontrollable.
She cut the laugh off sharply and sighed again. "You are one silly bitch," she told herself. She had been feeling badly depressed about being alone on her birthday for one thing and turning forty for another. She glanced at the clock. It was just past seven in the evening.
With a glance at her favorite movie on the TV, she reached for the bowl of ice cream. She stared at the bowel for a moment and then whispered, "I don't really need you." She looked at the TV and said the same thing to the movie.
Standing up, she said aloud, "What I need to do is get off my ass and go do something." Her mind added, "Or somebody."
With a grin on her face, Ruby carried the bowl into the kitchen and put it in the freezer, spoon and all. Then she hurried upstairs to her bedroom, peeling off the old robe as she went up the stairs. Naked, she opened her closet and studied the contents.
She had not been out clubbing but three times since her husband had died. All three times, one of the kids or both had been with her. The thought of going out alone made her shiver with a mixture of fear, anxiety, and a little bit of lust. With the kids along, she had to be mom and set a good example. Alone, well, that could be another story altogether.
Her hand was trembling slightly as she reached for the one and only little black dress but her hand stopped inches from it. Her hand seemed to have a mind of its own as it moved up and down the rack several times before landing on the red dress at the far end. She grinned as she pulled the dress out and held it up.
Without giving herself time to think about it, she took the dress off the hanger, and slipped it on. She zipped it up and then wiggled her hips. It was tighter than she remembered. "Ice cream will do that," she said to the mirror on the closet door.
Ruby eyed the dress. Narrow straps on her shoulders, a square cut neckline that accentuated her cleavage and breasts, a tight bodice, a slight flaring at the top of her hips, and it ended a little below mid thigh. She cocked her head to the side and sighed softly. "Not bad for a forty year old."
She turned and hurried over to her dresser and opened the lingerie drawer. She dug around for a moment and came up with a black thong and a pair of shear thigh high stockings. Sitting on the side of the bed, she put the stockings on. They felt cool and silky on her legs. The elastic at the top hugged her upper thigh. She loved the feel of stockings and wondered why she did not wear them more often.
Standing up, she answered her own question. "You have to have some reason or someone to wear them for."
She picked up the thong and straightened it. She bent at the waist, put one foot in it, and then took the foot out. Feeling wicked and dangerous, she tossed the thong back on the bed and headed back to the closet for a pair of heels.
Her next stop was the bathroom for makeup and hair.
Back in the bedroom, she hunted up her small red purse and transferred her essentials to it. With one last look in the mirror, she turned to go. As she turned, the thong caught her eye. With a soft groan, she picked it up and put it on. "So much for living dangerously," she whispered as she turned off the bedroom light and went to get her long coat out of the front closet.
*****
Ruby parked in the side lot of a club across town from where she lived. There were clubs near her house but there were also many people there that knew her from back when. There was less of a chance of meeting someone she knew over here. Anyway, this place had a younger crowd from what she had read in the newspaper.
She smiled as she got out of the car. It felt good to be out of the house for a change. As she walked toward the front of the club, her steps slowed. When she reached the corner of the building she stopped as she wondered for the third time in the last minute, if this was a good idea.
"You are not going to chicken out," she told herself sharply. Then she headed for the front door of the club and did not stop until she was inside.
The music was fast and loud, the lights were dim, and the place was alive with people. There were several dozen people on the dance floor in the middle of the room. All of the tables had people at them or drinks on them. The main bar was full but she saw several empty stools at the small bar in the back corner. She headed that way.
As she crossed the room, she looked the people over. They were well dressed for the most part and young. Most looked to be early twenties to late twenties. No one looked over thirty. Again, she wondered if this was a good idea.
The small bar had two stools on each end and five across the front. She choose the one on the corner, with an empty stool between her and the wall. She could sit comfortably and watch the people without having to turn around.
The young male bartender asked, "What will it be?"
"White wine," Ruby answered, as she got comfortable, sitting her purse on the bar.
The bartender returned with her wine. "If you are going to be here a while, I'll start you a night tab and put your purse behind the bar."
Ruby nodded, "Thank you. I don't know how long I will stay but...."
He smiled and said, "This is a friendly crowd and it's a slow night so you'll have more company than you can count in no time."
Ruby looked around and then shook her head. "If this is a slow night, I'd hate to be here when the crowd arrives."
The bartender chuckled and said, "Most nights it is standing room only."
Ruby nodded and stuck out her hand. "I'm Ruby."
"I'm Mark," he said as he shook her hand.
Three guys came up to the bar and Mark went to serve them.
Ruby turned slightly on her stool and leaned back to watch the people dance as she sipped her wine. She had her legs crossed at the knee. The toes of her right foot moved up and down, sometimes to the beat of the music and sometimes nervously.
The song stopped and the people scattered to their seats as the band took a break. Ruby let her eyes wander over the crowd at the tables. A table between her and the dance floor had three young men sitting at it. They were in deep discussion it looked like as they were all leaning forward with their heads close together.
One of the guys kept looking her way and then rejoining the discussion. He looked vaguely familiar but she could not place him, if she did know him.
"How are you doing?" Mark asked from behind the bar.
She smiled and nodded. "Not bad at all. Another couple of glasses of wine and I might relax."
"What has you tensed up?" he asked.
Ruby sighed and said, "Today is my birthday, my fortieth birthday to be exact."
"You sure don't look forty. I would have guessed early thirties at the most."
Ruby smiled at him again. "That is very kind of you."
"Kindness has nothing to do with it. It's the truth. My only question is why are you celebrating alone."
"The kids are in college and the husband died so...." Ruby left the sentence hanging.
"Congrats on the kids and sorry about the husband," Mark said softly.
Ruby chuckled. "Thanks for the kids and it isn't much of a loss as far as the husband is concerned."
Customers walked up to the middle of the bar and Mark hurried away to wait on them.
Ruby went back to watching the crowd. The discussion with the three guys seemed to be over as they were sitting back in their chairs. The guy who had looked her way earlier was now staring at her or at least in her direction. Her eyes locked with his for a second and then he looked away. He had definitely been looking at her.
She smiled as she uncrossed her legs and turned to face the bar. He was young enough to be her son, she thought as she sipped her wine. That thought made her frown and then she remembered who the guy was. His name was Rob or Robert and he had been friends with her son in high school. He had been to the house many times.
He had been a skinny kid in baggy shorts and t-shirts. Even his bathing suit had been baggy when he and her son went swimming in the pool. She grinned as she remember a time he had dove off the board and ended up with the baggy suit down around his ankles as he tried to tread water after the dive.
"Mrs. Fisher? You're Tommy Fisher's mother, right?" Someone said from her right.
Ruby looked that way to see Rob standing next to her.
"I used to be but he goes by Tom now and is in college so I'm not sure any more," she said with a grin and then asked, "Is it Rob or Robert?"
"It's Robert but I go by Rob. I'm surprised you remember me, Mrs. Fisher."
"Ruby, please. Mrs. Fisher makes me sound and feel old, and that is the last thing I want tonight," Ruby told him. Rob gave her a questioning look and she explained that it was her birthday.
"Well, happy birthday, how does it feel to be thirty five?"
Ruby laughed and shook her head. "Make that forty. It's just depressing."
"No way you're forty. I've seen you in a bikini, remember. It was four years ago but...." He paused to look her up and down. "I don't think you've changed much. I'd still vote you the hottest mom I know."
Ruby laughed and shook her head again.
"Hey, why don't you cone join us. We can help celebrate your birthday."
"I don't know. I might frighten all the young ladies away and you wouldn't want anyone to think you are sitting with your mother, would you?"
"If my mom looked like you, I wouldn't mind being seen with her anywhere," Rob said and then leaned closer and whispered, "My mother is almost as wide as she is tall. I love her to death but...."
Ruby looked past Rob at the other two guys and shrugged. "Why not. It might be fun and I could use some company."
