The Care Giver

Laura greeted me with a smile. The smells wafting from the kitchen told me that she had prepared something special for dinner.

"You had better go look in on your wife before she begins to wonder where you are. I'll bring your coffee to you in a few minutes."

The bedroom door was open and I stood looking at her for a moment. Claire had not noticed me. She was propped up watching a romantic comedy on television. Her left hand curled under, typical of the disease that afflicted her. A silent pump was feeding her through a tube directly into her stomach. She laughed at a scene on tv and finally saw me leaning against the door frame, and smiled.

"How long have you been standing there?"

I walked toward her bent down and planted a kiss on her lips. Her one good hand came up splayed against my chest. Taking her hand in mine I sat in the chair next to her bed. Laura had her dressed in a sexy silk nightgown even though her sex drive had dried up years ago. My hand twirled the thin strap of her gown pulling it down exposing one of her breasts. I cupped it in my hand fondling it and twisting the nipple between my fingers before letting go. There was no response at all. The nipple was a little red but it still lay lifeless on her disease riddled body. Claire puffed out her chest and pulled the gown down exposing both breasts. It did nothing for her physically but I believe it boosted her ego when I played with them like this. I loved my wife of twenty years but the last five have been difficult with a libido like mine.

When Claire was first stricken her mother, Madeline, came to live with us to help take care of her. But as the disease ran it's course she was not strong enough to take care of her daughter. That's when I hired Laura. Laura looked somewhat like Claire, same hair coloring, and same general body shape. They could have been sisters. She was single and had just went through a bloody divorce. There were no children to think of so she could move in right away. In fact when I hired her she had a week to vacate her home. It was sold in the divorce agreement. That was a little over a year ago.

In the beginning I tried to be good cleaning up after my jerk off sessions, but with time I had become careless, and could tell that Laura had found the evidence. Then she began wearing dresses and skirts instead of slacks. At the time I wondered if she expected me to make a move on her. In fact it was difficult to keep from hitting on her, I loved my wife and would not feel right cheating on her, but it had been so long.

Last night Laura had made the first move. I had just stepped out of the shower when the door opened. Laura placed a finger to my lips to silence me, then she dropped to her knees and took hold of my cock. She licked and stroked it taking the head of it into her mouth only to have it explode on her tonsils. She milked me dry swallowing all my man cream, got off of her knees, kissed my lips and said, "Wasn't that better than Jerking off."

She turned and walked out the door. I sat down hard on the toilet seat stunned. When I had gathered my wits I slipped into my robe tightened the belt and walked out the door and set out to find Laura. She was seated on the sofa in the den.

"I think we need to talk about what just happened," I said.

"Can't you just accept it as a gift."

"No, I need to know what it will cost me. My marriage and my wife are too important to me."

"You think that I don't know that. I admire your strength Jack, and the love you have for your wife. I would never try to take that away from you, but you have needs and so do I."

"What are you saying?"

"We can help each other Jack with no strings attached."

At that point I stopped thinking and dropped to my knees between her legs. Laura spread them a little wider, raised her hips and lifted her hips pulling her dress up to her waist. I stared at her neatly trimmed pussy, pulled her forward to the edge, and buried my face in the soft flesh. Her scent was intoxicating. I never thought that I would ever know another woman this way. I had not realized how much I missed the scent of a woman as her flower opened for me. I began nipping at the folds of her sex then alternating licking and biting. I must have been doing something right because she began rolling her hips against my mouth. Then I focused on her clit, sucking it between my lips flicking my tongue back and forth over it. Laura's thighs clamped down on my head, then she went totally limp. I looked up to see her face buried in a pillow.

"Are you all right?" I asked.

"Oh God Jack, that was incredible. I hope Claire didn't hear my screams."

"I didn't hear anything," I said. "But you had your thighs over my ears."

"You had better get back to her."

I stood up took one last look at her mound, looked into her eyes, grinned at her and said, "Thank you."

"Oh no Jack, thank you."

That was last night, and now, today, the world was no longer a lonely place. I straightened my wife's nightgown and pulled the covers up wondering when I would have Laura again. I tried to pull my mind away from Laura. Claire has an uncanny way of knowing what I feel and think.

"How was your day?" I asked.

"Okay."

"Just okay."

Laura walked in with my coffee and handed it to me.

"Claire and I had a busy day. This morning I took her to get her hair done. Did Jack notice how nice your hair looks Claire?"

"No he never notices things like that," Claire said.

"That's not true I was just about to comment on it when you walked in."

The ladies looked at each other grinning and soon I was too. I think that Laura genuinely liked Claire. They had gotten along well this past year. Laura was more like a friend than a keeper. That's not to say that Claire could get away with anything. Basically Claire was lazy when it came to her physical therapy, but Laura knew how to challenge her to keep going a littler longer and a little farther than before.

Laura stood and said, "I'll have your dinner on the table in a half hour Jack."

I nodded at Laura, and tried to keep my facial expressions in check. After she had gone, Claire spoke of her.

"She's such a nice girl, more like the sister I never had, you know. And so pretty too, don't you think so."

"Yes pretty, but I've got the prettiest girl right here."

It was the same conversation practically every day but she had memory problems to, and couldn't remember from one day to the next. After talking with Claire for twenty minutes or so I stood, bent to give her a kiss, and left the bedroom.

I found Laura in the dinning room. She was sitting at the table waiting for me. The table was set but she had not brought out the food."

"I think we need to talk about last night Jack."

I leaned on the chair opposite her. "Are you having second thoughts?"

"No," she answered. "I don't know, I've just felt guilty all day. I love Claire and don't want to see her hurt."

At the news that she loved Claire I raised an eye brow.

"I feel strongly about this Jack, Claire is my friend."

"I know, she has that way with people. What do you suggest we do about it? Do you want to stop and forget the whole thing?"

"I've tasted you Jack and I can't go back, I want more, but . . ."

My eyes locked on hers. "I want you."

Her eyes grew wide. "We can't, not now."

I moved behind her and lifted her from the chair to lean against the table. Her resistance fled as I took her mouth with mine. Her hands groped with my belt and unfastened it letting my slacks fall to the floor. She broke the kiss, lifted her skirt and lay back on the table shoving dishes out of the way. The look on her face was one of pure lust. She wanted me as much As I wanted her. Her panties were soaked with the fluids of her arousal and I pulled them off. My dick sprung up harder than it had been in years. I knew I would not last long so I teased Laura's clit with the head of my dick for a minute before shoving it inside of her.

I drove my dick like a pile driver. Laura's moans were becoming more audible and apparently she was aware of it because she wadded up the table cloth and shoved it into her mouth to keep from screaming. All to soon I was flooding her with my sperm.

I helped her sit up. I didn't mean to get her started again I was only going to lick her pussy to clean her, but she shuddered when my tongue touched her clit. When it was over I let her up and she ran into the kitchen.

After getting dressed I joined her there. She had a smile on her face as she tried to salvage our dinner.

"Well the pasta is ruined, so how about a meatball sandwich?"

"Perfect." I kissed the back of her neck, but she ducked out from under me.

"Behave yourself now or you will not get any dinner at all."

Somehow Laura prepared sandwiches and a tossed salad in spite of my onslaught. I had gotten a taste of what I once had and became ravenously hungry for sex. I had to make a conscious effort to maintain control of my libido while we ate. I wanted to play some more but Laura sent me back to my wife. So for the rest of the evening I was attentive to Claire's needs.

By mutual agreement Laura and I decided to slow down and take stock in what we were doing. I lasted three days before I started wandering late on a Friday night. I carried a monitor so I could hear Claire if she made any sound. I walked into the den without turning on any lights went to the liquor cabinet and poured a good measure of Glenlivet single malt in a tall glass. I had not seen her when I walked into the room so her voice was a surprise.

"Pour one for me while your at it."

I poured another drink and sat beside her on the sofa and handed it to her. Now that my eyes had adjusted to the dark I could see she was dressed only in a gossamer robe and short filmy gown. I could also see that she had been crying.

"What's wrong Laura?"

"Nothing," she said, tilting the glass to her lips.

I waited, she would talk in her own good time. She handed me the glass and asked for another. While I poured a her drink, a little less this time, she began talking.

"It's so unfair Jack, why couldn't I have found someone like you ten years ago."

Taking my seat beside her I handed her drink to her. "I think that ten years ago you would not have been ready for someone like me."

"What?"

"Are you the same person you were ten years ago. No, I don't think so. You've matured and now you would appreciate someone like me."

"That's true I suppose. What were you like when you were twenty?" She asked.

"You wouldn't have liked me very much, I was a real bastard. I was very much a player screwing any thing in a skirt. Woman were like toys to me fun to play with but boring after a while so I kept changing women like some men change clothes."

"How did you change?"

"After college I began my career, but still played it fast and loose on the weekends. Then I noticed some of the associates hired about the time I did were advancing ahead of me. Then Claire happened to me. She worked in purchasing and we made contact from time to time. I happened to remark my observations to her one day and she told me that she knew how to solve my problem. She made me break my cardinal rule, never date a coworker. To make a long story short over dinner she informed me that my playboy ways were hurting my career. What I didn't know at the time was that she wanted me."

I laughed. "All the time she was coaching me she was actually keeping me for herself. We continued dating and talking and pretty soon I couldn't imagine life with out her. Of course in the mean time I got a couple of small promotions and when we announced our engagement I advanced rather quickly."

Laura was silent for a long time. "I can't stay here Jack. I'll stay till you find someone else but I can't continue this way, wanting you. I never want to hurt what you and Claire have."

"Please don't leave, Claire needs you, I need someone that cares for her taking care of her."

Then I could hear Claire through the monitor in distress. I ran to the bedroom with Laura on my heels. Claire was shaking gasping for a breath, vomiting, and she was an extreme shade of red. I grabbed her upper body and turned her over so that the vomit could fall into a pan. Laura opened the feeding tube and the pent up stomach gasses escaped with a whoosh of spattering fluids. Then Laura turned on the suction pump and began suctioning fluids from Claire's mouth clearing the area between teeth and cheek. Then she vacuumed the fluids from her bedclothes. I lay Claire on her back and she opened her eyes and looked at me then Laura.

"You saved my life," she said.

When Claire seemed stable we worked together giving her a bath and changing her gown, sheets, and comforter. Laura sprayed Claire with rose scented cologne, Claire's favorite, so she would not have to smell the disinfectant. By the time we were finished Claire was exhausted and soon fell asleep. Laura and I sat on the edge of my bed watching her sleep. I could still feel the adrenalin rush and from the look in Laura's face so did she. I wrapped an arm around her cupping her breast in my hand. She shuddered and said, "you better stop Jack."

"I know."

"I should go back to my room."

"I don't know what I would have done without you tonight Laura. Please stay, at least for a little while."

I sat on the bed and pulled Laura down beside me. I remembered that Laura had said she was leaving as soon as I could hire someone else. I couldn't let that happen.

"If I have to give you up to get you to stay, I will."

"You won't have to Jack, I'll stay."

Laura wrapped her arms around me and kissed me. "I'm going to bed now before we get in trouble."

I let her go and crawled into bed, exhausted. All the adrenalin was gone from my system and sleep came quickly.

***************

I awoke feeling bloated and nauseous, I was going to wake Jack but he was not in his bed. I was strangling, vomit was rising and I tried to cough it up and away. 'Oh God please don't let me die.' when the second wave of vomit hit my throat Jack was there doing what I could not do for myself turning me. Forcing my head over the edge and then the preasure on my stomach was gone. Laura was there cleaning my mouth and face. 'Why did that suction pump have to be so loud,' I thought. My head was pounding. Jack laid me back and I stared at him and Laura.

"You saved my life."

Both of them were attentive stripping my clothing from me. Laura washed my face neck and upper body and then I was rolled this way and that so they could change the sheets. I really hated to be rolled around the bed like that they just didn't understand how cold I get. Laura smiled as she covered me with a fresh quilt. I wondered why she had so few clothes on but I was too tired to ask.

They must have thought I was asleep because Jack had curled his arm around Laura, cupping one of her breasts. He did not hold it for long but I could tell it was no accident. I couldn't here everything they said, but I knew they were lovers from the way they looked at each other. In spite of my fears I fell asleep.

Jack began stirring when the alarm went off, and I opened my eyes and watched him sit up on the edge of the bed.

"Hi," I said.

"Hey beautiful, bumpy night huh."

"Scary."

"You sure scared me to death. Oh God baby I don't know what I would do if anything happened to you. It was a good thing Laura was here to help me or I would have had to call 911."

He sat on the edge of the bed and held me tight. That's when I knew that he was still mine. He could not fake the emotional tremors.

"I would like to stay home but I just can't today, the Johnson deal is at a critical stage."

"It's all right my love, I understand."

Later when Laura was working my arms and legs I studied Laura's face. She had been my friend, I wondered if she were still my friend. I waited till we were finished and Laura had her tea before I confronted her.

"Laura, how long have you been screwing my husband?"

She gasped spilling her tea, and hung her head in shame. "I'm sorry Claire. I'm so sorry."

"How long has this been going on?"

Laura looked stricken and I didn't think she would answer me, but she told me how she had started it by confronting Jack in the bath room a few days ago, and how it had escalated from there. She was forthcoming with details of there short affair. I was somewhat relieved to know that Jack had not hit on her first. Then she shocked me.

"I'll not hurt you any more Claire, I love you too much for that. I'll leave as soon as a replacement can be found."

"No Laura, I don't want you to leave."

"I have to leave, don't you see, I love your husband." Then she started crying. "I didn't want to tell you that, I'm sorry."

"Laura, stop that bawling this instant."

She choked back a sob and looked at me. "How long do you think I can hang on to my husband like this. Look at me, I die a little more each day, this thing is eating me up slowly but surely."

I had thought about it since the day Jack bought my first wheel chair. I knew it was only a matter of time before he sought comfort in the arms of another. Now that time was upon us only it was not a stranger, but a friend and confidant. Someone I was quite fond of, maybe even loved, I knew I didn't want to lose Laura.

This was going to be hard, the hardest thing I had ever done. "Laura I don't want you to leave, Jack and I both need you. I want you to continue taking care of Jack".

"How can you say that Claire?"

"I would rather see someone who loves him take care of him."

Laura threw herself across my breast crying again.

"Easy now." She kissed my cheek. "I'm sorry, I just can't imagine how much this hurts. Where do you get your strength?"

A tremor passed my lips and I started crying. I cried for not being able to please my husband. Laura held me until I calmed. She looked so young and frightened.

"I have to ask one question Laura. You could have any man, why Jack?"

Laura stood pacing the floor. "Are you sure you want to know? I don't want to hurt you."

"Yes, I must know."

Laura bit her lip then sat on the edge of the bed. "Day after day I saw the love Jack gave you, and I was jealous. I wondered why I couldn't find a man like that."

"Dear you can never find a man like my Jack. You just have to find a man with the potential, then it's up to you."

"He told me how you helped launch his career."

"Oh."

"Last night before your attack Jack was telling me that you helped him achieve success."

I smiled at her, "It wasn't like that at all. I wanted him in the worst way but he was ignoring me. I only put his ambition together with the unwritten company policy and my desire together to form a relationship. Then Jack took it from there."

"You make it sound so easy."

"No, it was never easy, but Jack was worth all the pain and anguish I suffered till I knew he was mine."

"Thank you Claire, for telling me."

"He loves you Claire, after all this time he will never stop loving you."

"I'm kind of tired Laura. Can we continue this talk later."

"All right, I'll have the monitor just call out and I'll be here."

Then she kissed my lips and left the room. What I could not tell her, what I can never tell Jack was the fact that I felt my time was growing short. Last nights event took a lot out of me and I had not fully recovered.

I slipped into the memories of the last time I made love to Jack. I had been so sick for some time when the doctors tried a massive dose of steroids. To a large extent the steroid therapy worked, I felt a hundred percent stronger, but the effects were short lived. The drug was too dangerous to use as a long term therapy. I knew the effects would not last so I was determined to make the most of it.