A Jeff and Emma Story
Brenda left the store, her instructions clear in her mind. Jeff, Emma and Monica chatted comfortably. "Monica, a David stopped by to tell you that he couldn't meet you after work. This was while you and Emma were... what were you doing?"
Monica blushed, yet again. "Changing, Jeff, just changing."
"Uhunh. Not. Emma let the cat out of the bag earlier with her 'screaming Monica' comment. Somebody was muff diving unless I miss my guess."
Emma spoke up. "There has to be a first time for everything, and I imagine Monica's had several firsts today, eh poppet?" Emma gave Monica a huge hug, one filled with new-found friendship and affection. "Monica is the best gift ever!"
"Gift?" asked Monica.
"Jeff brought home the lingerie you sized for him and gave it to me, telling me he'd found a gift for me. I thought it was sweet of him, but when I opened the package, I immediately saw that the bra was the wrong size, and Jeff said 'Oh, these little items aren't for you. No, this is just the beginning of this little gift.' And what a wonderful gift it has been!"
"I am a gift?" Monica, still stuck on the idea of herself as a gift.
"No, poppet, the opportunity to meet you, to play with you, to include you in our fun, and..." Emma looked to Jeff with an unspoken question. Jeff nodded yes and Emma continued, "and in our lives, if you want. That was the gift."
"How did Jeff know what would happen today?" Monica had heard Emma, but... still stuck on gift.
"Jeff couldn't have, not really. But when he talked with you yesterday, played with you, he saw something in you that he believed fit us, fit me. If you were as ready as he thought you were, he believed we could have a lot of fun together. And more, be good friends to one and other."
"How could he know that?"
"Mistakes, poppet, mistakes. Jeff has made them all, most of them more than once, and eventually he's learned from them. One of the many advantages of older men."
"But how could he know that about me?"
"By how you reacted to him. Be honest, when he left, what were you thinking?"
Monica looked down at her feet. "I was hoping he'd come back, that maybe the sizes were wrong or something."
Jeff waited to hear how Emma answered.
"See? Somehow, he knew that about you, and he... schemed isn't the right word. Gambled! Gambled that what he saw in you was real. We came here today gambling that you were the woman he'd seen yesterday, and not an act. I didn't know about all this until we got here, but I wouldn't have changed a single thing, not for the world." Suddenly concerned, she peered into Monica's eyes, "Would you change anything, Monica?"
"Not a single thing. Not one, solitary little thing!" Monica spoke vehemently.
Emma glowed. "I thought so. I hoped so, anyway. I am very, very glad you feel that way." The two women hugged each other tightly, cheek to cheek, bosom to bosom, hip to hip.
Jeff spoke again. "About David?"
Monica broke away from Emma and turned to Jeff. "David is a... friend. We've been kind of seeing each other."
"Kind of seeing each other? Does that mean you share sandwiches or something more intimate?" Jeff asked.
"Ummmmm, the sandwiches one. Not that I'd mind more intimate, but he's kind of sweet and kind of a mama's boy. He's only twenty-two and young for his age. I like him. He's an artist. Sort of."
"What does "sort of" mean?"
"It means he has a Bachelors of Fine Arts, but no real fire and no plans. He works in fibers and natural materials, that kind of thing."
"Are you sure he isn't gay?" asked Emma. "I mean, twenty-two, not intimate with you, young for his age, an artist - how much would it take to add an 'e' and get 'artiste'?"
"It's not like that! His mom is very controlling. She's divorced, long ago, and still single. She just can't seem to let him go."
"My gaydar didn't go off, for what it's worth," said Jeff. "He's definitely pervy, but who are we to cast stones? You know he hung around after he left," said Jeff.
That surprised Monica. "He should have gone back to the food court where he works. I don't want him to lose his job."
"I think he's more worried about losing you."
"Really? We haven't even had a real date. Just talked and ate together at the food court. Tonight was supposed to be our first sorta kinda date. I guess that isn't going to happen." Monica's face fell at the thought.
Jeff thought for a second. "Let us make it up to you for David's mother's bad timing. Dinner after you get off?"
Suddenly shy, Monica said, "I don't know. This is all so sudden. I don't want to intrude." Both Jeff and Emma waited patiently, without saying a word. After a few tens of seconds, Monica couldn't stand it anymore. "Okay, okay, I get off at four when my aunt comes in. Where should I meet you?"
Jeff glanced at his watch. "Hmmm, that's only thirty minutes away. We'll wait for you at the benches right outside the store. Does that work for you?"
"Don't I need to change"
Emma smirked. "Haven't you changed enough today, poppet?"
Monica couldn't help blushing again. And then she blushed because she blushed. "I guess I have! Is this outfit okay then?"
"Both what we see and what we don't see are perfect, poppet. Now we'll see you in a half hour," and with that Emma bussed Monica on the cheek and led Jeff out of the store.
Monica busied herself with store things for the next half hour. Her aunt showed up promptly at four pm. "How'd it go today?" she asked as she rounded the counter and started to run a report from the register.
"It went well, Jill. I don't think I've had a better day." On at least two fronts.
Reading the report, Jill exclaimed, "Oh, it is good, isn't it? You did really well today, Monica. What was different?"
"I don't know, people just seemed more ready to buy things. Whatever it was, I hope it sticks around!"
"So do I, so do I!"
"Bye, I'll see you tomorrow."
"Have a good evening, Monica."
"Oh, I think I will, Jill, I think I will." Monica practically waltzed out the door, while Jill watched her with speculation in her eyes. This was not the Monica to whom she'd become accustomed.
Monica found Jeff and Emma exactly where they said they'd be. Emma gave her a hug. Jeff, however, simply smiled at her. His reserve bothered her, bothered her enough that Monica felt weird. She glanced to Emma for some insight, and Emma obliged.
"Jeff is... careful, poppet. In his words, you must be gentled first. That doesn't mean trained, it means you have to learn to trust him first. I trust him with everything that I am, but I don't think you've had a chance to come to that place, not yet. Until you do, Jeff won't push, won't impose his will, won't assume something not in evidence."
"But... but... you said he knew me! Yesterday!"
"And so he does, in most ways. Even so, you are a competent, adult human being. Which means you must come to trust him on your own, through the evidence of your senses and the results of his actions. And that takes time. But enough with the lessons! Let's go to get a drink!"
"A drink? I thought we were going to dinner?"
Jeff finally spoke. "That, too. But dinner at four? I mean, really, Monica, that is much too early! No, a drink first, then dinner later. And after that, well, we'll see."
The mall had a very adequate fake Irish Pub, the "Stiff Old Gentleman", only a year old and locally known as the Stiffee, and to that newly venerable establishment the threesome retired for chips and drinks.
The sat at one of those high tables where you sit at stools. Booths were open, but Jeff chose the table. They ordered drinks, and chatted companionably.
Monica, no longer stuck on gift, couldn't quite let the trust thing go. Sipping on her chardonnay while Emma sipped a martini and Jeff nursed a Chimay, returned to the newest sticking point. "Emma, what makes you think I don't trust Jeff?"
"Poppet, think of Brenda. Who did she want to kiss? You, because, she said, you were less intimidating. But it was also because she felt stronger with you than with me. The same is true for you - you feel stronger with me, and much less so with Jeff." Monica nodded yes. "The thing is, you would do anything Jeff said, wouldn't you? And you know that. You don't trust him, not yet, you fear him. You fear his power over you."
"Jeff has no power over me, not really."
"You think so? A test then." Emma waved at Jeff.
"Monica, take your panties off," Jeff said.
Monica spit out wine in surprise. "What, now?"
"Yes, now. Right now, right here. Put your glass down and remove your panties without standing."
"Jeff, I can't do that. What if someone sees me?"
"Monica, you say 'Yes, Sir' and you simply do it. Understand?"
"I... I guess I do."
