The Matrons of Regal Bay
Chapter 20
Cynthia's Tales -- Part 1
Cynthia Price had parked her Buick sedan the public parking lot that fronted the beach. It was a reasonably nice mid-May day out, although the heavy clouds that floated high in the sky cast cool shadows on her as she walked. Her afternoon was free and she wanted to spend it walking along the beach and boardwalk. But first, she had an appointment to keep.
Cynthia, as she preferred over the informal "Cindy", was a very attractive woman, now forty-four years old, with long, curly dish-water blonde hair, bright blue eyes, and a slender body. She was by no means tall, though she rarely wore anything other than heeled shoes or boots, giving her that little bit extra when it came to height. She seldom exercised, other than her frequent walks along the many trails that Regal Bay boasted, both along the shore and up into the foot-hills of the near-by Majestic Mountains. Then again, her slim and trim body might also be the result of the many hours she'd spent in the arms of several of Regal Bay's young men over the recent years.
A block back from the shore front, a few blocks north of downtown Regal Bay, was Paisley Park Beauty Salon, her destination. With long, steady strides, Cynthia made her way along the busy afternoon sidewalk and turned into the vestibule of the salon. She pushed her way inside and called out, "I'm here, Lisa!"
Lisa Hayworth looked up from the job at hand, where she was putting the final touches to Mrs. Reed's freshly cut grey hair. "Hi, Cynthia. I'll be with you in just a moment." She turned her attention to her current client, and with just a few more light brush strokes, she turned the rather portly older woman towards the mirror over the sink.
"Very nicely done, Lisa," Mrs. Reed nodded. "You really gave it some body, this time. And the color is better, I think as well."
"Thank you, Mrs. Reed. I've enjoyed having you." Lisa began to put her trade tools away, running warm water over some, as the large woman struggled to climb from the chair. "Here, let me help you," Lisa offered, but was waved away.
"I can manage, dear," Mrs. Reed demanded. "I'm in no need of help, not yet anyway." She managed to rise, but Lisa still took her elbow to steady the woman. "Thank you," Mrs. Reed said. She took a moment to catch her breath before stepping off, headed for the front desk. Mrs. Reed was nearly seventy, Lisa Knew, and her diabetes had begun to take its toll on her. Mr. Reed had passed on a few years back, and the retired school teacher only had a spinster daughter in town to take care of her. Orchid pulled up in her SUV in that moment, and after taking care of her bill, Lisa held the door for her client. Orchid, a woman some five years Lisa's senior, stayed behind the wheel of her car as her mother struggled to climb in beside her. Lisa had to feel pity for the old woman as they drove off.
"Where is everyone?" Cynthia asked as Lisa turned he attention to her. She had already settled into the vacated chair, awaiting her turn.
"Sandy's off today, and Felicity wasn't feeling great when she came in." Lisa stepped up to her station and pulled out a fresh cover cloth to drape across Cynthia's shoulders and chest. "She left after lunch and I had to cancel all of her appointments. And then I've had two cancellations as well. You'll be my last of the day, unless I get a walk up or two."
"So, take your time then," Cynthia said. "I've got nowhere to be after." She settled back and closed her eyes as Lisa began her work. Her long hair was pulled up and back, and after laying the chair back, Lisa began to wash it in the sink with warm, soothing water. Cynthia always enjoyed this part, and enjoyed Lisa as well. In the short time Lisa had been in Regal Bay, the two had become friends. They'd even went out for drinks on occasion.
Cynthia was a life-long resident of Regal Bay, having been born and raised there by her fisherman father and accountant mother. Cynthia left long enough to attend college at Alabama, where she met, and then married, Doug Price. Doug had been a football player, but barely made it onto the field under the great "Bear" Bryant in his three years on the team. Out of college, Cynthia wanted to return to Regal Bay, and she convinced Doug to take a job with her father. Their son, David, had been born during Cynthia's senior year at Alabama, and with Doug's limited potential in the workforce, they settled in Regal Bay. Two years later, Cynthia managed to land a position in her degree field at the university, while Doug had decided that fishing the deep blue seas wasn't for him.
Over the next half dozen years, Doug tried to find a steady job, but his only interest was in watching football, drinking, and gambling. It didn't help when the new casino opened south of the bay. Soon, Doug was unemployed and going through Cynthia's paycheck faster than she could pay the bills. She divorced him the year their son started school. Doug moved out, and the last she or her son saw of him, he was working at the truck stop by the interstate. It was nearly a month before she found out that he'd hopped a ride out of town. She hadn't heard from him since.
Cynthia discovered quickly that she enjoyed being single. She became a regular on the beach during the warm summer days, and when she could talk her mother into watching David, she'd enjoy an evening out with friends. Cynthia discovered that she enjoyed getting picked up, and screwed, in the backseat of cars, the beds of pick-ups, or a sleazy motel room. It was all the same to her. She wanted to have as much sex as she could get, and it didn't matter much with whom, either. She learned to enjoy making love to women as well, when a married guy with whom she'd fucked on several occasions offered up a three-way with his wife. After the third time she had joined Perry and Natalie Freeman for fun and games, Cynthia learned that Natalie had never wanted to join in in the first place, and filed for divorce from Perry. Cynthia felt bad, and became good friends with Natalie thereafter. Natalie swore off men completely, and to this day Cynthia enjoys spending quality, loving time with her first lesbian lover.
"Can I ask you a question, Cynthia," Lisa asked, breaking Cynthia's chain of thought.
"Go ahead," she said. "Ask away."
Lisa paused, as if to formulate her question better in her head, before asking, "Have you ever done something that you started to regret, only after doing it a few more times?'
"What did you do?" Cynthia grinned up at her stylist friend.
"I don't know," Lisa replied with a shake of her head. "Maybe I shouldn't talk about it."
"Please, tell me. I can keep a secret like anyone." This didn't calm Lisa much.
"I saw my son and daughter having sex, and didn't do anything to stop them." Lisa turned away, as if to wash her hands, but more out of shame.
Cynthia turned and looked at Lisa through the reflection of the mirror. "My god, Lisa! How old are they?"
"Randy's nineteen, almost twenty now. Alyssa's eighteen."
"How long have they been at it?" Cynthia asked.
"I don't know. I only found out a couple of weeks ago." Lisa started pulling water from Cynthia's hair then. As she took a handful of conditioner, she added, "I'm not so much mad as I am jealous."
"Ha! Jealous of your daughter getting some, when mom isn't, is that it?" Cynthia laughed as she settled back in the chair for Lisa to work.
After a moment's pause, Lisa admitted, "It's not that."
