The Chinatown Affair Ch. 02

"Well, uh—,"

"Now don't worry," the other man interrupted. "I love volunteering with you guys. And I'm sorry that I couldn't make it last Tuesday. I was feeling a little under the weather." Mark furrowed his eyebrows. He was still confused and the other man's quick pace made it hard to follow along. "But I'm totally gonna be there next week! Okay?" Jonathon smiled. "Wait, how did you get here? Do you need a ride back to the center?"

"I, I have a ride," Mark managed to stammer out, unsure of what that had to do with anything.

"Oh, that's right; the shuttle must have brought you. Well, I'm kinda busy right now. See you Tuesday!" the younger man beamed before closing the front door.

Mark stood there a moment. The conversation really hadn't made much sense or gone the way he'd planned, but that was alright. He began to smile and even laugh as he descended the apartment stairs. There was no way in hell that a young, good looking guy like him could ever be seriously attracted to his aging wife. He'd obviously been worried over nothing and couldn't help but laugh at the fact. His original assumptions about her chances with another man seemed more valid than ever, Mei couldn't do any better than him.

Satisfied with his findings, Mark got back in the car and tossed the white box into the passenger's seat. His first thought was to just throw away whatever the poor bastard had given him, but curiosity made him open up the flimsy lid. A stack of freshly printed, neon pink flyers was tucked inside. His blue eyes flew open and his skin began to burn with embarrassment as he read their content.

"Come one, come all to the Golden Gate Senior Center's 4th annual singles ball...Live performance by the Andrews Sisters impersonators...Lots of food and raffles....Be there or be square!...60+ only."

Mark stared into the rearview mirror examining the lines in his face, the thinning, graying hair on his head. How old did he look exactly?! He wasn't even 45 yet and already people were mistaking him for a senior citizen? And were those freckles on the backs on his hands or age spots? He couldn't tell anymore. But whatever. Mark didn't have time for this. The man quickly sped off, chucking the box of flyers out of his window and into the gutter.

When Mei's husband returned to his seat in the movie, he'd already been gone roughly half an hour by her calculations.

"Where were you?" she whispered.

"Bathroom," Mark said simply. "Felt sick."

Mei wasn't buying it. His clothes smelled different, like he'd been outside. She let the issue go and didn't think about it again until the next night when they went out for dinner. She had chosen a classy restaurant in the Chinese district, but away from the popular tourist traps that put soy sauce on top of garbage and called it "authentic" cuisine. She wore her reunion dress and a jacket that didn't hide her figure. Mark was dressed in jeans and a button up shirt. She wished he had worn something a little more special, but just having him there was special enough. It was clear to her that Mark's appetite had returned and he seemed to be having a good time in general.

"So are you excited about going to the jazz club after this? Gosh, we haven't been to one of those places in so long," Mei beamed at her husband after the waitress placed their bill on the table.

"No," Mark answered with a faint smirk and opened up his wallet. "I don't wanna go."

"Oh honey, you can't stay cooped up in that awful motel room. I thought that's why we planned all this stuff, so we wouldn't have to spend as much time there."

"Who says I'm going back to the motel? I called Bruce Mackey earlier and he's got tickets to see the Giants play."

"Mark! Is that why you wore those jeans instead of slacks? You should have told me and I wouldn't have gotten so dressed up. I'll look strange going to a baseball game like this," the dark haired woman complained.

"Oh, don't worry about that," Mark assured his wife as he folded money into the leather folder of their bill and stood up. "You aren't invited."

Mei stared up at Mark from her seat, absolutely stunned. There were almost no words for the betrayal she suddenly felt. Their trip was turning out to be so nice, this evening in particular and now the rug had just been pulled out from under her. It was the reunion all over again only this time it was worse because she felt like he'd purposely built her up only to throw her back down again and she didn't understand why. What was going on?

It wasn't until Mark had almost completely exited the restaurant that his wife snapped back into the moment and followed him outside, her legs feeling weak and untrustworthy at first.

Mark hummed to himself contentedly while he started up the car. Mei climbed in slowly as raw anxiety began to inhibit her motor skills. She sat their bewildered and wondering if it was something she said before dinner that made him upset. But tonight had been a good night hadn't it? Was she going crazy?

"Motel or the jazz club?" Mark asked. She didn't answer him, still too much in shock. Her hands were trembling as she held them together, hoping to make them stop. Her mind was spinning, toes becoming numb, and pulse racing. The games he played were killing her. She was having a nervous breakdown. "Motel or jazz club, Mei? I'm not gonna ask again. Either tell me or I'll just drop you off at the mo—Hey!" the man yelled as his wife's hand clutched the door handle and started to open it just when the car began moving forward. Mark slammed on his brakes.

Beep! Beep Honnnkk!!!! Other drivers responded to the stalled car in front of them and the woman escaping from it.

"Hey, get back here!" Mark yelled as he trailed behind her in the car once she reached the sidewalk. Mei turned to look at him once, a glazed over expression on her face before she ducked into a back alley and he lost all sight of her. "Fine, you crazy bitch! Run away, that's what you do best!" Mark growled out of the drivers' window. "Dammit!" he cursed himself after rolling it back up. He'd really pushed her too far this time and he knew it.

***

Mei wandered down the alley she'd practically thrown herself into, trying her best not to step in the run-off that was quickly spilling down a nearby sewer drain. The space was secluded and it probably dangerous to be back there, but her sense of awareness was still in a haze and her judgment was poor. She couldn't think straight right now. All she could do was feel. All she could do was hurt...

"Hey, legs. Wanna share a cigarette?" It wasn't until someone approached Mei out of the darkness that adrenaline woke the woman from her dazed state. He reeked of alcohol and tobacco. Mei turned away, but it became obvious that he was following her. "C'mon, love me long time, Lucy Liu! Rub Mai Ting!" the man laughed as his drunken steps caught up with her.

Mei scurried off toward the light at the end of the alleyway, frantically trying to put distance between herself and the stalker. Finally, she reached safety at the open sidewalk, but by that time something inside of her had snapped. She turned around to face the alley and yelled.

"Fuck you, asshole! You wanna follow me?!" she asked, taking off one of her heels to use as a weapon. "Just try me!" The man's pace stopped once he realized how serious she was and he slithered back in the direction that he'd come from. "Man..." the woman breathed, leaning against one of the buildings as she put her shoe back on and tried to catch her breath. Suddenly, someone began speaking to her again.

"God, being gorgeous must be painful."

"Wha..? Mei questioned with a slight jump as she looked all around her. She was weary of men's voices by now. But it turned out to be Jonathon. His trademark long hair was gently being blown by the wind as he started walking toward her. She sighed with exhaustion.

"Well, every time I see you looking the best, you seem to be feeling the worst, little girl. What's wrong?" the young man asked softly as he read the frustration in her face.

"Just life, that's all," Mei said straightening up and trying to recompose herself. "What're you doing out this late?" the woman added, trying to change the direction of their conversation. He was right. It seemed as if every time they met, she was in some kind of mess and she didn't want that to be his overall impression of her.

"Just on my way to work. I'm a bartender, remember?"

"Oh, yeah," Mei nodded, still a bit breathless. "Mind if I tag along? I could really use a drink right about now."

"Sure, the pleasure's all mine, but it might be a bit of trek in those heels," Jonathon warned. "The bar is about a block and a half away."

"That's okay," Mei shrugged.

The pair walked slowly while Mei unloaded the trouble she had encountered over the past week to a willing ear. She'd been trying to tip toe around the subject, but Jonathon insisted that she vent a little. He could tell that she needed it. The woman soon realized that her escort kept looking down at her and smiling from time to time. "What is it?" she finally asked once they were almost to the bar.

"Want a piggy-back ride?"

"What? No!"

"Oh, c'mon. I know your feet must hurt and it's just a short distance." The woman looked as if she was really considering the offer. "Just say, yes."

"But my dress will ride up."

"So?"

"So, I'm not wearing any underwear," Mei finally blurted out. The look on Jonathon's face was priceless. "Gosh this is so embarrassing. I can't believe I actually admitted that to you. I mean this isn't something I do all time, but Mark and I were supposed to have this romantic evening together and...well, you know the rest," the woman's voice died down and she put her hands over her face for a moment.

"The streets are pretty empty tonight. Get on my back," the younger man said simply.

"Listen, I consider myself to be a very open-minded person, but this is just crazy. I'm not gonna give the world a chance to see my naked bum. Nuh-uh, nope!"

****

Mei held on tight as Jonathon carried her quickly. She could feel cool air on her increasingly exposed skin and it made her laugh. She hadn't had a piggy-back ride since grade school.

"Alright," Jonathon breathed once they were just a few steps from his workplace. Mei slid down from his back easily and he turned around to face her, but his eyes immediately made contact with her private area as she worked to pull her dress back down.

"Hey, you weren't supposed to look," she pouted with a small grin.

"Show me yours again and I'll show you mine."

Mei rolled her eyes.

Once inside the bar, the dark haired woman began to feel a lot better. Not just because she was getting free booze, but because the environment was alive and happy. It was a typical Chinatown hangout with a jukebox in the corner and murals of the Buddha or other Chinese themed artwork.

"Hey, I never thanked you for helping take care of repairs at the house for my mom. Hope you didn't mind taking orders from her. I should've been here sooner to handle it myself, but I'm surprised Dad wasn't the one giving orders," Mei explained to Jonathon as he poured her another drink.

"What? No, your mother didn't tell me to do any of that. I knew a couple of really good contractors and when I called her about it, she said that she trusted my judgment."

"Oh, really? I should've known something was up when I heard the workers speaking Mandarin. They're a minority in Chinatown," Mei reasoned. "Wait...are you Cantonese?"

"No, I'm from Taiwan," Jonathon admitted. "I know your dad doesn't like Taiwanese very much. He barely tolerates me, so I knew he wouldn't like hiring a bunch of them to fix his building. That's why I ended up approaching your mother for permission."

"Makes sense," Mei nodded.

"And to be honest, yes, I took the initiative to handle all of the repairs to help your family out, but really I had an ulterior motive." The long haired man started to blush as he wiped down the bar and found the right words to say next. "A few days after the fire, you're mom called to tell me that you'd be coming back to California soon in order to hire a contractor. That's when I got the idea to just have it all taken care of ahead of time. I thought if you didn't have too much stuff to do, maybe you and I could spend some time together." Jonathon's face was getting redder by the moment.

"Really? But you never called or anything."

"Well, it was supposed to be a surprise. Then I found out from the repair team that a lady came by with her husband yesterday. Your mom didn't mention thathe'dbe coming too."

"He wasn't supposed to," Mei sighed with irritation. She now regretted allowing her husband to invite himself along.

"Anyway, I hope that doesn't sound too forward of me. I know you're married, but I was also excited to see you again."

Mei hadn't expected Jonathon to open up so much with her, but she liked it. His sincerity was refreshing.

"Thank you. Xie xie ni," the older woman replied softly with a tender smile. "Or no, wait...fei chang gan xie ni!" she thanked him with even more gratitude.

"Oh damn, getting fancy on me!" the younger man beamed with amusement.

It was fun watching Jonathon at work. He really was a people person, very likable, jovial and it didn't hurt that he was easy on the eyes. But as much as she liked talking him up and many of the other people who took a seat next to her, it was only a matter of time before the alcohol sent Mei looking to the ladies room. If there was one thing she hated about bars in Chinatown, it was that the restrooms were usually in the basement. And that meant climbing down stairs that were likely built one hundred years earlier, give or take a decade. They were narrow, lopsided and it took a lot of effort not to fall down them while wearing heels and intoxicated.

Jonathon watched as the woman struggled to carefully make her way down the first flight of steps. While someone else covered the bar, he quickly made his way to her aid.

"You okay?" he called down to her from the upstairs landing.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Mei assured him, right before she lost her footing. "Ah!" she yelped and Jonathon came rushing down. Luckily, she was alright. But he passed her anyway, and waited at the bottom of the staircase as she rounded the corner, carefully descending the second flight. The woman grabbed his shoulders for balance as she made it toward the landing and fell into him after misjudging the last step. Jonathon held Mei up by wrapping his arms around her, but when it was time to let go, he didn't. Unexpectedly, Mei pushed herself upward to kiss him. He kissed back at first, but stopped.

"Wait. You're vulnerable right now. I shouldn't be taking advantage of you like this."

"Then I'll take advantage ofyou," the older woman breathed. Their lips met again before their tongues were introduced for the first time, gliding over one another in a sensual dance. She started kissing his neck and letting her hands roam underneath his shirt, where she could feel tight muscles under smooth skin. "Yeah..." she moaned while he kneaded the curves of her bottom. His hands felt strong, skilled, and creative. Suddenly, he pulled her dress up above her hips and crouched down to put his face between her legs.

Within moments, Jonathon had completely taken Mei out of her comfort zone, but somehow she was okay with that. He had that effect on her. It was always easy to feel comfortable around him. And easy to..."OH!" Mei cupped a hand over her mouth as the younger man's tongue began to manipulate her clit.

Jonathon closed his eyes, enjoying the soft, supple touch of Mei's labia against his lips as he kissed them. He stopped only for a moment, inhaling her faint feminine scent and swallowing it. Then he opened his eyes again as he crouched lower beneath her and widened Mei's legs. Starting at her asshole, he licked upward to her pubic mound, adorned with pin-straight black hair. Repeating the motion over and over again, the older woman squirmed under his touch. Finally, his tongue parted the envelope of her pink inner labia and worked it into her vaginal canal. Mei crossed her eyes absentmindedly as he kept it up while brushing the tip of his nose against her clit. She could see his face getting wet with his spit and her natural essence.

Mei could hardly believe her own actions, slutting it up in the dimly lit basement of an active bar. And pleasurable or not, until now she'd been doing her best to stay reserved while Jonathon went down on her, but eventually that became too hard to keep up with, especially when he started sucking her clit again, evoking it from the hood.

"Uhhh..." the woman groaned, driving a hand through his long, raven hair. He really seemed to like that and began to lick her more greedily; eating her to his heart's content while palming her ass at the same time. Jonathon was so sexy; his tan skin, those deep brown eyes with almond shape. Oh, and that long hair...it meant that he was wild. "God, yes!" Mei nearly screamed while rocking her hips back and forth, riding his mouth to a powerful orgasm. "Ahhh!!!" She'd honestly never come that hard or that quickly before and her knees started to buckle. Jonathon held her up before she slid to the floor.

Standing face to face, the pair looked into each others eyes. Mei could feel a warm bulge pressed against the front of Jonathon's pants. He reached a hand down to the older woman's still sensitive pussy, toying with the wetness there before bringing his fingertips into view. He sucked at them, rolling his tongue between each of the digits, savoring her taste.

"Mmm..." Jonathon hummed. Mei's eyes lit up with excitement, eager to have another orgasm, but this time she wanted it to happen while sucking his penis. She was so aroused, just seeing it might make her come again and she could already imagine what it might feel like pulsating against her tongue. Eagerly, her hands met the front of his belt buckle and he leaned into her with anticipation, just as footsteps were heard coming toward the top of the stairs. They both turned sharply, hoping that no one would round the corner as Mei pulled her dress back down and Jonathon wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

"Hey, Jon, we're gettin' pretty busy up here," a coworker yelled.

"Alright. Gimme a minute," Jonathon yelled back. He looked at Mei again, a thoughtful smile on his face. "I gotta go," he told her with gentle kiss.

"But what about..." the woman pointed to his erection.

"I'll put some ice on it," the younger man sighed. He walked over to the basement freezer and unlocked the hatch, pulling out a disposable ice-pack. "But you owe me one," he said with a wink. "Little girl's room is that way," he nodded toward the left.

"Thanks."

Mei closed the wobbly bathroom door and immediately went to the mirror. Her face was flushed, but glowing. It was as if Jonathon had put some kind of spell on her. Then she remembered something; Mark! God, how it had felt good to forget about him for a little while. Then guilt started to set in. She'd never done anything like this before and didn't know how to feel yet. She wanted to tell someone, she wanted to call Linda, but Texas was two hours behind. The redhead was likely asleep by now. Checking her phone to see if her husband had called, she saw that the ID bar was blank. Maybe she wasn't supposed to feel anything at all, apparently Mark didn't. She finished using the restroom and went back up to the bar.

****

Mark studied the hands on his watch. It was 2:00 am. He'd been partying it up all night with Bruce and some other friends, but at some point they all agreed that it was time to get home to their wives or girlfriends. It was only then that he realized Mei had their motel room key and the concierge was gone for the night. He knocked on the motel room door a few times, but no one answered and he knew it meant she wasn't there, not that she was ignoring him. It was a dump after all and she'd ran away from the car while they were still in the Chinese district, so it made more sense that she'd spend the night at her old apartment again. But there he was sitting on the front steps and no one was home.