Stepsister Has Hidden Desires
This is not a funeral story.
Part One - A Chance Meeting
Funerals play a disparate number of roles in our lives. They're known for refreshing old relationships, acknowledging friends and acquaintances whose paths we haven't crossed for some time, and for having an enormous impact on family and family relations. Often good, sometimes bad. Depends on the many variables at play. Of course, their primary role is bestowing honor.
To maintain regular close contact with family can be challenging due to distance, family responsibilities, job requirements, or the many extra activities that demand our attention daily. Often a funeral can fill the gap of social separateness.
The funeral I attended recently of a locally well known friend of the family brought an unintended, totally unexpected, but absolutely welcome benefit.
The service lasted longer than normal because of the large number of well wishers desiring to send our friend off with the many deserved accolades accumulated through the years. It was special, but it was long, and I was emotionally exhausted.
Just as I stepped outside through side door into the bright sunshine, my Stepsister Vanessa was exiting from the front. "Hey brother, long time, no see," she greeted me. Always calling me 'brother.' We embraced, causing a weird, small electric charge noticeable to us both.
"I see you're done for the day like me, I said to her. This was a long one."
I hadn't seen her since last years Christmas party where we toasted each other's future and hoped to see one another soon, no plans made. I'd had a secret craving for her for a long time but, I knew that crossing that line could bring some potentially negative blowback affecting others in the family. So, I always checked my longings and my normally aggressive, go get the pussy tendencies.
Seeing her brought back good memories. We only manage to see one another at family events or social situations such as this. Of course, etiquette is the order of the day. A few years ago when I left home Vanessa seemed to be happily married, working, and loving her newborn son.
But life dealt her a cruel blow when her husband suffered a heart attack and died unexpectedly. Leaving her and son to fend for themselves, which she apparently had done a well regarded job of accomplishing.
We talked for a few minutes catching up on family drama before verifying that we had each other's cell phone number. We agreed to do better at staying in touch. "Be sure to call me," she said as we parted.
Busy for the next two weeks, I'd forgotten about our chance funeral meeting. A phone call from my cousin Sean one day mentioning he had run into Vanessa grocery shopping jolted my memory. I promptly called Vanessa the next day but got her voice mail.
The following day, she returned my call. We talked and laughed on the phone for thirty minutes. Her primary goal was getting her son through college, then she would be free to do more traveling. She said she was financially secure and ready to explore more of the exciting, fun stuff life had to offer.
Widowed at the young age of 41, she lived alone and with her son away in school, she did as she pleased, "when she wanted to," as she put it. She said she hadn't been with anyone since her husband, and was afraid to get close to anyone. She revealed that she had big trust issues.
We made a tentative appointment for a lunch get together the following week. I offered to invite Sean, who I hung out with occasionally, and she had always been fond of him. She saw that as an added bonus.
Cousin Sean and I arrived at the designated restaurant a few minutes before Vanessa and were seated. Sean was excited about seeing her again. He always knew from our younger days that I wanted to smash my stepsister. He correctly guessed that today's lunch was part of that mission. "You horny son of a bitch!" He said laughingly.
When she arrived, the hostess led Vanessa to our table. She was clad in business casual attire, having just left one of her volunteer functions. She greeted us with hugs. I squeezed her a little tighter than necessary, sending a subtle message.
We had a lunch to remember. Sean's comical genius kept us howling between bites. Dredging up hilarious tidbits about friends and parents from our youth, we frequently apologized for our noisiness to the understanding table seated close to us.
After an hour of fun, conversation, and good eating, we promised to stay in touch and to get together more often. I told Vanessa I would call her soon.
Surprisingly, she called first, on the following Wednesday to invite me to a small get together with friends she was having Friday evening at her home. "Don't bring anything, just yourself and Sean. He's fun to be around, and I have a girlfriend I want to introduce him to."
