Bill & Claudia

"One thing Charmaine asked for was her sexual freedom, which didn't mean she was asking for permission to be a whore but sometimes friendships developed when two people want to be sexual. I knew it would be a different kind of marriage than most but I could hardly blame her since my desires were, well, you know different. Rejecting her request seemed selfish and egotistical so I decided to give it a try. Though I considered myself bi-sexual at first, I slowly realized I really was homosexual since I liked this special thing," he explained taking hold of her tumescent penis. She smiled feeling him touching her and hearing him refer to her sex as her "special thing". She asked,

"You mean you wouldn't find me attractive if I didn't have it?"

"Nope; hate to admit it in spite of all your feminine beauty. What really makes you exciting and very special to me is this," he said again squeezing it. She smiled, kissing him on the forehead saying,

"Good, I'm glad you like me this way though the thought of having it removed occurred to me many times."

Bill continued telling her about Charmaine and their relationship,

"She's actually a very attractive, sensuous woman reaching her peak in sexuality; with her dancing, she meets men. I was concerned about her discretion and how she'd handle herself. When I saw she could do it; I grew to accept it. I actually never told her my lack of interest in the bedroom was due to my changing sexual desires. Instead I blamed it on other things and was in denial about it as well. Before our new agreement there was a lot of resentment on her part towards me but once she started having her affairs and secret lovers, the resentment abated and we became friends; good friends in fact.

"And then along came Claudia who has caused me to ponder whether I'm bi-sexual, gay or just fucked up. Strange how complicated life can become and how things change so quickly isn't it?"

He pushed her nose as though it was a horn on an automobile before returning the kiss she had given him earlier on the forehead.

Time to face the music downstairs...

When they went downstairs they found Lois and Carl sitting at a table without Charmaine. Bill sat down and asked Lois if she mentioned Claudia's secret to Charmaine, which she hadn't. He also thanked her for having introduced them apologizing if he seemed ungrateful at first. He asked them where Charmaine was and a young woman sitting at the table offered,

"Hi, I'm Diane. My husband Steve asked her if she'd like to dance while we were sitting here. Hope you don't mind," she said smiling at him.

Bill looked for Claudia motioning for her to come over. When she did, she seemed uncertain what to do as she stood next to him. He sensed her awkwardness putting his arm around her waist pulling her towards him indicating he wanted her to sit on his lap which she did giggling at him before kissing him on the cheek. When the number was over Charmaine returned to the table with Steve. Her eyes threw darts at Bill while she glared at Claudia seeing her sitting on Bill's lap. He could see she'd been drinking. Alcohol never brought the best out in her. She said,

"So this is 'what' you went upstairs with? Or should I've said 'who' you went upstairs with. Sorry, I guess I've had too much to drink."

Bill felt Claudia's strength for the first time as she attempted to get up. Fortunately he was able to restrain her but not without everyone seeing the expression on Claudia's face. No one dared say a word, more out of fear than anything else when Diane broke the ice innocently asking,

"How was your dance with Charmaine, Steve?"

He answered saying it was, "very nice". Charmaine said he had a lot of potential adding,

"Just imagine Bill, a handsome young man like Steve asking an old woman like me to dance with him."

She looked at Steve. He'd uncertainly and affectionately put his arm around her waist apparently not knowing what to say, or in knowing if he was doing something wrong with his display of affection.

Diane picked up on the pause and said on his behalf, "You look too young to refer to yourself as an 'old woman' Charmaine. Don't you agree Steve?"

"Absolutely!" he said when his appreciation for Charmaine was obvious to everyone.

No one knew where this flirtation was headed when Carl said,

"Perhaps he has more on his mind than just dancing since you certainly are beautiful Charmaine."

"Oh, I doubt he'd want to do it with me when there are younger and prettier women here."

Nothing could be further from the truth as Steve looked nervous and uncertain of himself when he said,

"Well, actually I was going to ask if you'd consider going upstairs with me but I wasn't sure how things worked. This is our first time..."

Again there was a pause, Charmaine blushed and smiled before putting her arm around him feeling complimented as she skillfully temporized with,

"I think I've had enough excitement for one night. I'd hate to overdo it and hope you understand."

There was little point in his protesting as he bowed to Charmaine with awkward aplomb before sitting with his wife.

After everyone had said their goodnights Bill put his arm around Claudia's waist asking if he could walk her to her car. She bowed and smiled her assent adding to Charmaine's vexation. They noted the rain had stopped. As they stood by her car, she sprung to her tiptoes in order to kiss him one last time. She seemed to love kissing him and that in and of itself distinguished their relationship since it was the missing ingredient he thought was absent in homosexual relationships. An ingredient he was unable to let go of since it held great significance for him. He knew he'd been changed, perhaps irrevocably having met her and through their intimate interaction. He told her he'd be in contact with her not thinking for a moment he'd fail.

He took one step backwards still holding her hand before letting go. Their fingertips were still outstretched as though they were ballet dancers completing their pas de deuce before the curtain came down on them.

No, she didn't believe he'd be in contact with her and thought their time together was like the rain as it comes and goes with no rhyme or reason. Though she was smiling, he saw a tear form in her eye...

He'd never forget that moment; not ever.