Poolside Ch. 05 Pt. 1

Don and Katrina's Reunion

Author's comments: I was very intrigued reading the Poolside series of stories by LeoDavis on Literotica, but I was very disappointed that the romance between Katrina and Don was left incomplete and with an uncertain future. As another of the primary characters, Ruth, clearly felt, these lovers needed to be reunited and their love allowed to consume them as it developed to its fullest!

I was so unhappy with the way their love had been left dangling that (even though I'm not a writer) I wrote several drafts of a new chapter and sent them to Leo. In fact, I offered them to him to publish them as a continuation of his series. He told me he liked what I'd done and he encouraged me to continue writing, but he was unwilling to publish them under his name because it wasn't his work. So we've agreed that I will publish this new chapter, and he will refer readers to my work in order to continue the saga of Katrina and Don.

Because this chapter is a continuation of LeoDavis' story, many of the details won't make sense if the reader hasn't read his Poolside series, beginning with "Poolside: Sex With a New Mother" (which has been renamed "Poolside Ch 1"). I strongly recommend reading LeoDavis' earlier Poolside chapters to fully enjoy the story and completely understand everything that happens in this tale. I also would like to thank LeoDavis for his story and for his suggestions to me about how to publish this tale.

Don and Katrina's Reunion

~~~~~~~~

It was a Saturday morning in late June. I was 25 years old and had just received my PhD degree in Sports Psychology. My dissertation for my PhD was on the psychology of athletes as it pertained to their attitudes about weight training and other physical training, for each of the different collegiate sports.

I had worked many summers as a lifeguard at my hometown country club. But this summer would be different.

I'd applied for, and was very surprised to be accepted for, the position of Assistant Athletic Director and Men's Swimming Team coach at a major Midwestern university that had a reputation for having good mens and women's swimming and diving teams. The job had the chance for advancement, a very good starting salary, great health benefits, and a very nice vacation schedule for the Athletic Department - most of the summer off.

I planned to spend the beginning of the summer getting my possessions together. And renting an U-Haul trailer, use my pickup truck that I replaced my VW with, and its camper on the back, to haul my stuff to the new home I'd purchased on a 30-year loan. I'd bought the home at the time I first visited the city that housed my new university and met some of the staff members, one of whom told me about a good home bargain from a departing faculty member she knew. The price was fair, and I just went ahead and bought it, even though it was larger than I needed, since I didn't have and wasn't planning for a family any time soon. But I felt good knowing I was beginning on a new phase of my life that I'd looked forward to for the last couple years of graduate school.

I'd finally heard from Angie, with whom I had my first real love affair. It was nearly a year after she had returned from Europe and I was beginning work on my doctoral degree at the time that she called me on the phone late one night.

She told me her mother had lied to her about sending the letters she'd written to me when she was on vacation in Europe. She said when she found out about it, she and her mother had a loud argument. Angie said she told her mother all of the things she knew and some of the things she suspected her mother of doing to her and others over the years. She told me she was astonished that her mother admitted to nearly everything she'd accused her of. And her mother seemed to be completely unashamed of any of it.

She said that her mother had decided against trying to implement any sort of 'training' regimen for her since Angie pretty well knew what the training would have been anyway, from things she now knew her mother had done. She told her mother, in no uncertain terms, that she would live her life the way she wanted. Her mother would have to learn to live with it if she wanted to see her daughter anymore. She was of age now and could make her own life decisions, without her mother's or father's help if it had to be that way. And her mother knew she meant it.

Angie was going to college at one of the best East coast women's universities. And she was trying to divorce herself from her mother's influence.

She said she had loved me more than she could stand at the time we were together. But that during her first semester at college, she'd met someone she thought she could love as much as she'd loved me.

She said she understood that marriage between us wasn't attainable, considering our family backgrounds and histories. It would probably never have worked out, no matter what we did.

I told her that I cherished the memory of our short time together. And I wished her a wonderful life, free of the constraints her mother's life style would have imposed on her. I told her I still remembered her as one of the most free, most uninhibited lovers I'd ever had. And I would always remember her that way. I told her I was going to finish up my graduate work and would, eventually, be looking for a job and be moving on from our hometown.

We talked for about an hour more, telling each other of our hopes and dreams. When she hung up, I felt better about our relationship than I ever had before. I felt quite down when we were separated by her mother. It had taken my affair with Katrina to revive me.

I knew I'd always remember Angie fondly. I'd always remember the hailstorm that saved her virginity, for a short time at least. Perhaps, mother nature had been trying to tell us something. But we were too in love to listen.

I went down to the rental agency and picked up a five-by-eight U-Haul trailer. It was easily large enough to carry all of my possessions. I had to have my rear lights modified to be legal for the street.

Once that was accomplished, I headed back to my apartment that I still shared with three other guys. They would be glad to have me out of there for the rest of the summer, since they all had one more year to go to graduate and wanted the extra room to set up a computer lab for themselves. They were into computers much more than I was. And they could afford the extra rent as they all had graduate assistantships.

While I was packing my stuff in the trailer, I remembered back to my last call with Katrina. She still called me on an irregular basis to keep me informed of her progress in attempting to make the Olympic swimming team.

She told me the news of what had happened recently in our hometown while we were both away at college. Richard and Doris Hamilton and Doris's sister Karen and her husband, Jack, had all been arrested and charged with extortion by the federal government. Katrina said that the FBI had been monitoring activity at one of the downtown hotels that they had reports was being used for extortion. Jack, being one of the owners, was the first to be quietly investigated. That led to the Hamiltons' becoming exposed as well.

I told Katrina I didn't really care about any of them anymore. But I wasn't at all unhappy that their hotel bugging activities had been exposed. What I didn't tell her, though I think she suspected anyway, was that I was glad they weren't monitoring the hotel the night Angie and I had our evening together.

Katrina told me that her trials had already started, but that she wasn't very confident she could make the team. She said she was in the best shape of her life. And if she couldn't do it now then she probably never would. But she didn't sound down about it, just a little concerned.

I told her I had confidence in her abilities - and she quipped back "Which ones?" We both laughed at that. I told her I still loved her and believed she had the best swimming abilities that I'd ever witnessed.

She turned serious and said that there was really only one position on the team that her times would qualify her for. And she was worried about one other girl who was competing. She'd competed against her for years in college. And Katrina said she thought the girl could beat her. She said the girl was built just like her. But she was 'more slender up top,' she'd laughed. Less resistance to the water was a big advantage, she told me, especially since Katrina was only trying to qualify for the medium-length events. She said the bigger girls did the best at sprints. And the slender eel-like girls won the long events. Girls like her had to take what they could get, she'd said giggling.

Just before she hung up, she told me she still loved me and hoped to be able to see me again soon. We didn't make any plans since I still hadn't finished my degree at that time and I didn't have a job yet, though I had begun applying for one.

I told her that I hadn't formed any relationships since I'd seen her last at our New Year's party. I said I hoped I wasn't getting old. She laughed at that and said she'd call me again after this year's trials were over.

I graduated before hearing from her again. I applied for, and then I was offered and I accepted, the job I got before I'd graduated, so my time at the end of spring was fully utilized. I'd been too busy finishing all the paperwork required to graduate to be able to keep track of the Olympic trials and Katrina's progress. I'd have to give her a call when I got to my new hometown and give her my new numbers.

I'd resisted getting a cell phone until I knew the monthly rates wouldn't bankrupt me. The last two years I'd decided not to apply for a full-time graduate assistantship since I wanted to work full time on finishing my degree and getting a job. As a student living on just his previous summer's wages, I had to be careful about finances. Now that I had a full time job, I could get a cell phone and talking to Katrina would be easier.

By late evening, I finished packing up all my belongings. I threw out a goodly amount of leftover stuff that the other guys didn't want. I ate my last meal at home with my friends.

We talked for a while and I told them that I'd gotten a good night's sleep the night before, and that I planned to drive all night tonight. This would give me the whole next day to get my new home organized - and give me time to shop for the things that I'd need to start living there.

I said goodbye to my roommates, got in my truck and just sat in the seat for a minute, thinking back. Shaking my head to clear it, I started up the truck and headed out. 'Life goes on . . . ' I thought.

~~~~~~~~

I pulled into the driveway of my new home as the sun was coming up. Feeling that this was a good omen, I started unpacking. I also opened up the stale smelling house since it was a warm June morning.

I wanted to head down to the university later on to let everyone know I was in town. I knew, from my previous visit, that my summers were pretty much my own to do with as I liked. I wanted to get to my new office, however, and see what I had to do to make it comfortable.

I kept unpacking until I had everything out of the trailer and into either the house or garage. I worked nonstop since I really needed the workout anyway. I'd fallen off my usual workout regimen as time just got too short before I graduated.

Going inside, I began moving boxes to where I thought they would end up in the split level home. I planned for the basement to be a work, exercise and play area.

My bedroom, kitchen, dining area, living room, and two of the bathrooms were upstairs. There were even two extra bedrooms upstairs that I could set up as I liked.

Like I said, lots more room than I needed. But I liked it after living with three other guys for several years in a not-too-big apartment. I thought I could probably learn to live with the extra space, though it really seemed empty right now.

Forgetting my reveries, I got busy. By late morning I had unpacked enough to feel I was in a home and not an empty house.

I made a quick lunch from the few groceries that I'd picked up on my way through town. There was a market conveniently located in a shopping center only about three blocks from my home. After eating, I headed down to the university campus to see my new office. I also needed to talk to the Athletic Director. I might also get a chance to meet some of the other staff members that I know he wanted me to meet right away.

I went through the main gates, stopping at the University Police and Parking building. And I got a permit for my truck to park in the faculty areas on campus.

Driving on into the main campus area, I found that, fortunately, there were numerous parking spaces available right in front of the building I would be working in. Later on I found that during all except the summer semesters, this was not the case. And you had to arrive early to be sure of parking nearby.

I walked into the Athletic Department building and went to the Athletic Director's office. He was in.

"I'm happy to see you again, Don." He said with a big smile. "It's good to have you show up this week. You know hiring you was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. And I've had to do some hard ones." He'd stopped smiling and he looked depressed.

That wiped the smile off my face. I said hesitantly, "I don't quite know . . . "

Then he smiled and said, "Oh, heck. I'm sorry, Don! I didn't mean to imply anything bad about you at all. It's just that I've had to hire seven new people in the last few months that I didn't plan on hiring at all. We never discussed, the last time you were here, why you were being hired. There was just too much going on back then to make detailed explanations. And I had way too many things to do. I still do. I don't even know if you knew about all the other new staff I hired this summer. You probably didn't hear about the bus crash that killed the men's wrestling and soccer coaches and that killed the women's volleyball, basketball, swimming, and diving coaches. The driver of the bus and two graduate assistants were killed as well."

His voice saddened as he told me of each person who died and what they had done for the school. He told me about the new people he'd hired to replace them. He said that I was the only new hire that he'd gone into this amount of detail with. But my job was to be his assistant, and he wanted me to know as much as he did about personnel.

He seemed less depressed now and he went on, "I've had to hire new people to replace friends I've known for years. It's harder to do than you might think, Don."

He paused, then went on in a much brighter tone, "Anyway, welcome to campus, Don! One of the reasons you're here is that you fit right in with my plans for the future of our Athletic Department. We've never had an Assistant Director before and one combined with coaching duties is a new idea, too. But I have to spend so much time with the football program and its problems, that an assistant for me is very much welcome.

"The Chancellor agreed with me that this position should go to someone from outside our current staff and to someone with a PhD in Sports Psychology, just like you. So, I think you'll fit in just fine."

"We're all on a first name basis around here and very informal. Except for formal functions, where we have to call ourselves doctors such and such to impress the students." He grinned and I chuckled with him.

"Well, thanks John, for the pleasant welcome. I do remember hearing on the news a while back, something about that bus wreck. But I never related it to the job here. I'm sorry for you. And I think I understand what it must have felt like to lose so many good friends all at once like that. I just hope that I can help out and fit in with your plans. You just need to tell me what to do and where to go to do it. And I'll do my best to show you that you didn't make any mistake in hiring me. And I thank you for giving me this chance right out of college, because you didn't know very much about me, without my having had much instructional background." I said.

John said, "I felt that your only having taught some undergraduate courses was outweighed by what I could see was a sharp, inquisitive mind. You showed a unique, though interesting, view on athletic development detailed in your dissertation. I didn't have time to read it thoroughly. But what I saw I liked. I don't think I'll be disappointed. I'm not wrong about people very often. Otherwise, I wouldn't have had this job so long." He smiled again briefly.

We talked about job responsibilities and teaching loads. Then about whom I should see right away to get settled in. We shook hands, and then he showed me to my new office and left me to my own devices.

I looked around the office for a while. Then, I left to meet the other faculty members he'd advised me to see. I talked to all of them for a few minutes. All of the new people were in, settling in, except for the new woman's swimming coach. She had decided not to take the job here, and had gone to a West coast university instead. I remembered when talking to John that he said he'd just hired a replacement. But she'd not shown up yet. I recalled that he had a funny look on his face when he told me about the new women's swimming coach.

I was thinking about that funny look on his face as I left campus that day. I thought it was probably because he'd been able to replace thoughts of his friends with thoughts of what the new people might contribute to the athletic program.

I didn't know, then, how wrong I was. But I'd find out very soon. The next few days would change me forever. I just didn't know it. I'd find that out soon, too.

~~~~~~~~

The first thing I did when I got home that evening was to call Katrina. I got her roommate instead.

She said, "Hello, Don, this is Judy, Katrina's roommate. Nice to hear from you. Are you settled in your new place yet?"

"Hi, Judy. How come you know so much?" I asked her with a grin in my voice.

I didn't remember talking to anyone about my moving or my new job. I didn't know about it the last time I talked to Katrina.

She said gaily, "Oh, Katrina and I talk all the time. And she knows more about you than you might expect. So, I know about your new job. Congratulations!"

"Thanks, a lot." I told her, "Is Katrina around? I'd like to talk to her if I could."

Judy told me, "She's not here right now. But she left a message for you that she'd call you, day after tomorrow at 6:00 p.m.. And for you to give me your phone numbers, at home and school, so she'd be sure to get you."

"How did she do at the trials?" I asked her.

"She told me you'd ask about that." She said giggling.

Then she said in a mocking voice, "But I'm sworn to remain like a clam, in my shell and shut up, until she calls you."

"Please, do as she wants, okay?" She asked more seriously.

I laughed and said, "Sure, I'm easy to get along with today."

"Day after tomorrow, at 6:00 p.m., I will be awaiting my fair Katrina's call." I said poetically.

"Oh, boy!" She said sarcastically.

Then she laughingly said, "You sound like somebody fun to talk to. You got back at me for the clam comment. Most guys don't manage to do that with me. Bye, Don! . . . Be as good as you can!" She giggled again and hung up.

I sat thinking about her last comment. But I couldn't decide what it meant. So, I gave up and cooked myself a good dinner. Later, I continued organizing the house until I started feeling at home and then went to bed.

The next two days dragged by as I awaited my call from Katrina about her Olympic trial results and her future plans. At school, I learned more about my duties around the pool and about my future class load. I found that I wouldn't be teaching any courses the fall semester. So, my workload was to be very light until the spring semester began, and I had classes in the Psychology Department to teach as well as classes in the Athletic Department.