A Tale of Two Sisters Ch. 04

She took a doily off of one of the arms of her sofa and used it to continue her wiping.

Her use of the doily both pleased and hurt me. The doily was, to me anyway so Italian, so like Virna, so discreetly a woman's thing, but I believed something that could never impugn the masculinity of any man in her life. I could see and be comfortable with doilies on all the furniture in my imaginary house. Yet it seemed hurtful; I felt like my semen had soiled that image. I was unworthy.

When we were nearly finished she got up. She looked and acted nervous, like she wasn't very sure about what she wanted to do, "I'm going upstairs a minute. Will you stay till I get back?"

I answered, "I'll stay. Do you want me to put my clothes back on?"

She looked at me and my body thoughtfully. I tucked in my abs; by the look on her face I knew she liked what she saw. I could tell she was as uncertain as I was; it was reassuring. She murmured more to herself than to me, "No stay undressed. Go in the kitchen and clean off though."

I did as I was told. I went back to her kitchen and used some damp paper towels to clean off. I hurried back in the living room sat down and waited. Virna came back down a couple minutes later. Her hair was down; it was long, black, shimmery, it coiled and curled around her shoulders and down her back. She was wearing a white camisole with matching panties. She was pretty. Fuck that; she was adorable! I'd never seen her like this before. She looked like a Madonna. Men went to war over women like this. She looked scared too.

She sat down beside me, "Do you know what this is?" She touched her nightie. She used her fingertips and daintily lifted the hem of the nightie out and let it drop.

Stumped; I was stumped by that one, I stammered out, "N...N...No, I guess it's one of your nightgowns."

"It's the outfit I bought for Tommy right after I told him I was pregnant. I thought I'd wear it for him on our wedding night."

God she looked so beautiful, so unsullied, so pure and innocent. Innocent! God damn right! She was innocent, perfection! I reached across, took her hands, and pulled her to me. I mean it wasn't sexual; well it was maybe a little, but not really, more worshipful than anything. I pressed her to my chest. I kissed the top of her head. I put her face between my two hands and kissed her eyes, her cheeks, and then her lips.

My heart went onto overdrive. I was Jimmy Stewart. She was Donna Reed. We were in that old movie 'It's a Wonderful Life'. Hell not so long ago I'd been day dreaming about that Shenandoah song and the moon and all that. That old song 'Buffalo Gal' started swirling around in my head. I even felt a little dizzy.

She tried to push me away, "Gary no."

I didn't let go, "No Virna it's not that kind of hug. I just want to hold you."

She relaxed in my arms, "Gary would you have said the things Morgan said?"

I kept holding her. I kissed her head again, "No,"

She sort of murmured no it sounded more like a purr, "What would you have said?'

I answered the best I could, "I think I would have said that I love you, that I want to make you happy, that I want to care for you and protect you. I want to help you raise Tammy, be beside you when she goes to her first prom, when she graduates, and that I want to be with you forever and just well say that I love you."

She continued to rest her head on my chest. Her whole body had gone all soft. I felt soft too; well, everywhere but one place. She took her right hand and started to touch my abdomen. Her fingertips drifted down to my lower abdomen just above my penis; they lingered there moving only so slightly.

She touched the tip of my penis again; then she abruptly leaned back, "Gary I want you to go home now."

Jesus I was ready to ejaculate again! I had to ask. I hated to do it. I hated to press, "Why? Why do I have to leave? Before I go can you tell me something? I mean something about us? I mean is there an us?"

She looked so sad, confused, but I thought hopeful too, "Gary I don't know. I'm so confused. There's so much..."

I had to say something more, I was grasping at straws, "I know there's a lot there; my divorce, your concern for your sister, public opinion, and Morgan's a rich man. I understand and I'll wait, but Virna remember this; I'd never let you down. I'd be a good father for Tammy. About Marty; remember she broke faith with me. I know what that feels like; I could never do that to anyone, certainly never to you. Virna I'm Gary, not Tommy. I would never run out. And I'm not Morgan. I would never try to own you or boss you around," she sort of flinched, maybe tensed at the last remark. I'd hit that one right on the money, but it didn't work like I might have hoped.

She leaned back, "You better go home now Gary," she got up, she didn't look back; she went straight toward the stairs.

I was scared. I was afraid to leave. I felt like if I left I'd never be back. I reached out, I grabbed her arm, and I pulled her back. I could tell she didn't like it, but I had to say one more thing, "Virna you're beautiful. Your white camisole...you're angelic. I think it would be a wonderful thing to wear on your wedding night."

She looked like she was about to cry. Her eyes, her mouth, her face were so full of emotion, they were filled with unspent tears and unmentioned words.

I gulped and added, "On that night...I mean the night you wear it...I'd like to be the one there beside you."

She took a step toward the stairs, then another, she made several desultory moves up the stairs, she turned around, "Gary?"

I realized what I'd just said, and for a split second it scared me, but...

She just stood there about three steps up the stairs.

I stood motionless about four feet from the bottom step, I told her, "I know what I just said. I mean it. I'm not taking it back."

God I thought, 'was this the venomous bitch who'd been making me miserable for so long?' She looked so vulnerable, so beautiful; the white camisole and panties made her look virginal, clean, pure.

I watched her as she self-consciously took her hands and smoothed her outfit. She looked at her chest and placed her hands on her breasts. She looked up at me and put her fingers to her lips like she was trying to hide what she wanted to say. At last she said, "You better go home now," then she turned and I'd have to say fled up the stairs.

I got dressed, slipped on my coat and went home.

++++++++++

I was exhausted all the next day. I don't think it was just lack of sleep; it was nervous tension. Somehow I felt like whatever could happen with Virna wasn't going to happen; it was just that sense of impending doom. I checked in the nurse's station as usual and found I had left my cell phone on. Some nurses, and all the doctors didn't care, but as a rule I left mine off. Who knew, the electronic equipment, a call or text at an inconvenient time, I just wasn't into it. In fact I wasn't into anything all day.

I checked my cell anyway. Mrs. Milano had left a message; she wanted to talk to me. I was working extra hours, but I guessed I could stop by her house around 8:00.

++++++++++

I left work at 8:00 sharp and was at the Milano's front door by 8:30. I rang the bell, Mrs. Milano was right there, "Come in Gary. Let's talk." I saw Marty was there too. We all went back to their kitchen.

I loved their house. I loved the smells, the furniture; I loved the way she kept it. I loved the whole thing. We went in and sat down.

"Gary," Mrs. Milano started, "What did you say to my daughter last night?"

I looked at Marty then Mrs. Milano, "You mean Virna."

"Gary she called me late last night. She was crying. I couldn't get her to stop. She wouldn't tell me anything except that you and she had a long talk. So what happened?"

Marty started to get up. I said, "No sit down Marty. You need to be here."

Mrs. Milano looked at Marty but didn't say anything. She looked at me and sat there...waiting.

"Virna went out with her doctor friend again. After he dropped her off we talked. She said he talked a lot about their relationship, and what he wanted to do. When she asked me what I would have said I told her."

"What did he say? What did you say?"

I was careful, "He said he wanted to take their relationship to the next level. He wanted to have sex with her. He said he cared about her."

"What about you? What did you say?"

"I said I that I loved her. I said if it were me I'd do whatever I could to make her happy. I told her I'd never run out on her like that Tommy did," I glanced at Marty, "I told her I'd never cheat on her. I said I'd try to be a good father for Tammy...and I told her she should dump the doctor."

Mrs. Milano seemed impatient, "No, no skip all that. Do you remember; what the last thing was you said to her?"

I grew concerned. I'd promised not to tell anybody anything, especially her mother, about her confused behavior. I said, "Well...she mentioned this white camisole, a camisole she said she'd bought for her wedding night and that she'd hoped to share with that guy Tommy..."

Mrs. Milano didn't give away the farm. She lifted her hand and looked at her fingernails, and then at me, "I think you better go see her again."

I got stupid, "It's Saturday night; won't she be out with the doctor?"

Marty looked miffed. So far she hadn't said anything; she did then, "Gary that's stupid. It's 9:00 p.m. on a Saturday night. Mom and I are here with you. Now how could she be out with the doctor and all of us be here?"

She was right, "Marty you know how I feel about..."

She interrupted me, "I know how you feel; I know how you feel about me, about my family, about Virna. Gary I love you. I love Virna too. Make me happy. Go see her. Go see her now, tonight."

I got up and kissed my ex-wife, "I love you Marty. I really do, but like you say, I've got to go."

Marty and her mom walked me to the door. As I stepped out Mrs. Milano said, "Be gentle son."

++++++++++

This was it. I ran to my car, got in started it up and was on my way. It took me just under thirty minutes to get to Virna's. I saw the lights were still on. I found a space to park, jumped out, and ran up the steps to her front door. I knocked. She opened the door.

I gasped. She was wearing that white camisole again. Damn it; she knew I was coming! She stepped back to let me in. I walked in. She fell into my arms. My coat hit the floor. Our arms entwined. Her hands, her soft delicate hands were around my neck, her hair, all undone, was hanging halfway down the back of her thighs. Her golden eyes glistened with adoration. We kissed.

I couldn't say exactly how long we stood there in the front of her living room. I couldn't say how long that kiss lasted, but her lips were soft, her breasts pressed against my chest and they were warm and firm. Her whole body felt hot and dry, I'd say feverish.

At last when we separated she let her head lean down slightly until it rested on my chest, she placed her hands sweetly on my shoulders and with her soft beautiful upturned eyes she whispered, "The answer's yes."

I reached around, I picked her up and carried her to the sofa, we kissed again; then she gently pushed me away, "Gary before this goes any further I have some things I need to say."

I sat back slightly. I let my left arm casually hang on the back of the sofa. I wanted to wrap it around her shoulders, but thought better of it. I didn't want to act over-possessive. I did place my right hand lightly on her left thigh, she felt downright hot to the touch. I could smell her woman's aroma. Her supple breasts curled upward almost like they were reaching for me. Her furry Mons peeked out at me through her translucent panties. I didn't say anything, I just waited.

"Gary I'm sorry..."

I guess I flinched; afraid maybe about where that 'sorry' might lead.

She looked at me and touched my mouth with her fingers, "No not about the 'yes', but about other things. I guess first I'm sorry for being such a bitch with you. You're a good man; you've been good to Marty. You've been careful of my parent's pride. You've shown almost God-like forbearance toward me, and you're the darling of my little girl's heart. I'm sorry about another thing. I've been confused I guess."

She leaned forward and kissed me, "the doctor...well he was a mistake, but he was a mistake that I sort of planned," she kissed me again, "I never took him as seriously you might have thought. I mean I guess I acted serious, but from the start, from the day at my parent's party I knew you and Marty were on the way out. I had called the doctor and invited him to come that day. He jumped at the chance. He's really something Morgan is. He'd been hitting on me long before you ever showed up."

"Jesus,' I thought, 'was I that stupid? No, she was...'

"Gary you're not listening."

"Yes I am. You used Morgan to make me jealous."

"Sort of I guess," she evinced just a hint of a smile and murmured, "It worked didn't it."

'Damn,' I thought, 'I am a fool,' I got a little mad, "Yes I guess it did."

She put her right hand on my cheek, "I wasn't sure. I mean there was Marty. I love her. She was torn up about you, but I love you too. I've felt something for you I guess since that night at the Dungeon, but Marty blindsided me."

Virna leaned her head on my chest, "I knew Allen had always had more than just a passing interest in her. I guess you might say I encouraged what happened. I mean I encouraged Allen, a little anyway," she peered up at me with her big golden eyes, she blinked at me. God her lashes were so long.

I was shocked, I was torn by the warmth of her presence and the anger I felt at being so easily misled; was I that much of a stupid asshole? I said, "You mean you engineered Marty's affair with..."

Damn I got interrupted again. She said, "That was easy. Like I said Allen liked Marty before you came, and I didn't feel guilty at all about Yvonne because Travis isn't even Allen's anyway."

"What," I said, "You mean Yvonne used her pregnancy to get Allen."

She kissed my chin, "That was Yvonne's doing. Before she married Allen Yvonne was I suppose you'd say a busy girl," she leaned back some and smiled reassuringly, "she's been good ever since," she pressed herself back into my chest; she traced her index finger over my chin.

"So," I said, "you manipulated the whole thing."

She smiled faintly; she looked so innocent, so free of guile, "Not exactly, but I guess I did in a way," she sat up; she took her right hand and stroked my face, "Gary you were supposed to be mine. I..."

"What the f..."

Again I got interrupted, she whispered, she sort of bounced up and down, her breasts with their dark aureole and extruding nipples joined in with a soft easy rhythm, "It's all right. I've confessed to almost everybody. I told Marty, I even told my mom. I haven't told Dominick yet. We can never tell my..."

"You tricked me! You've been scheming and..."

She climbed on my lap; her legs straddled mine. My dick was hard as a rock. Her thighs pressed in on my legs forcing my Johnson up against her Mons. She put her hands on my face, she kissed me, "Gary...think of Tammy, think of us, think of our children..."

"And Morgan," I said, "what about..."

"Shush" she whispered as she wiped her hands around my face.

God damn it. She did it that time! She shushed me!

She kissed me on my lips again and again; then she very quietly went on, "I called him this morning. He told me he figured something a while ago. He just wants his coat back. Gary he's being a gentleman about the whole thing."

"Let me get this straight. You plotted and schemed this thing out the whole time. You..."

The pressure of her hard Mound of Venus on my manhood was driving me crazy, "Gary you've loved me all along anyway. Marty was a mistake. She tricked you. I just tricked her back. So now you're mine. You're not mad at me are you?"

"You, what do you mean? How...Of course I'm mad!"

She jumped up, "Wait here! I'll be just one second," she ran back to her kitchen.

I watched that fabulous ass as she disappeared into the kitchen. I sat there like the true asshole I was. Elvis Presley had a song about this, 'Hard Headed Woman.' How did that go, "Hard headed woman, soft hearted man; that's the way it's been ever since the world began..." Damn, was I that stupid?

Virna was back. She jumped back in my lap; her thighs were in full squeeze mode again. How was I supposed to fight all this? She had something in her hand. She held it up; it was a fucking apple! "Here," was all she said.

I took the apple. I looked at her, "So..."

"Gary it is what it is; you're supposed to be mine."

"You tricked..." She put her fingers to my mouth. I thought again! Will I ever get a word in?

Virna swept me away with another one of her adorable smiles. Her eyes were big and bright. I forgot how long her eyelashes were. That nose...that nose needed to be kissed. What great cheekbones! Her hair was spilling down around her ears, her tiny ears. Her breasts were pushing through the thin fabric of her camisole. I could barely breathe. Was I confused? I couldn't think. All this time...

She softly said, "I thought a June wedding. The malls are open tomorrow. You and I and Tammy can go pick out our rings. Don't worry I talked to Miriam. She told me about the money you're dad sent you..."

She talked to Miriam? Who else was in on this? I interrupted her, "Is there anything you haven't already figured out?"

She made a little noise, it sounded like a giggle, she kissed me, "Don't worry your dad knows. I haven't decided where we'll live yet. I like Western Maryland, but I know how you feel about the Eastern Shore. I thought maybe a small farm, ten or fifteen acres. Daddy, that's your daddy, he's already...well he said we'll like it. You could get a job in Salisbury. And me..."

I got her that time, "Yeah what about you?"

"Me Gary; why Gary I'll be making our babies..." She cuddled up under my chin on that one. I was buried in thick black hair. I had to blow it out of my face.

I couldn't let it go by. I grabbed her, pulled her close and started to kiss her.

She pushed me back and held up her left hand and pointed to her ring finger, "Oh no Mr.; not till I see some gold on this finger."

I whispered, "Not even?"

She reached down and ever so lightly touched my Johnson. I think it's size scared her. She pulled her hand away and said, "Remember I'm a good girl, a Catholic girl, but maybe once in a while you'll get a little treat just to remind you what you've got to look forward to."

She sat there on my lap waiting for me to say something. And me; now that I had a chance to talk without being interrupted I couldn't think of a single thing to say. All I could think of was that dumb fucking song. I started singing real low, "Buffalo girl won't you come out tonight, come out to..."

Virna crushed me in her arms, "Gary Matthews I'm going to love you till the day I die." She leaned up and kissed me again, and she didn't even call me stupid. Damn, we'd been on the same page the whole time; who'd a thunk it?

++++++++++

And that was that! Virna was right all along. She might not have said it later, but she knew. I was stupid, a stupid asshole. First her sister and then she had played me like a fine violin. But I knew something too. Yeah I might be stupid, and I might be an asshole, but I loved Virna and she loved me. Both of us knew what betrayal felt like, and both of us knew we were staring at the real thing. Together somehow we'd won; yeah, we'd run the deck.

The end.

Here it is the epilogue:

We did get married. I figured anybody that had worked as hard as Virna did to get what she wanted deserved it; it was pretty flattering really. The wedding was huge; as big as my first one with Marty. Marty was Virna's maid of honor. Clell agreed to come up for what he called 'the second show.'