Beautiful Pt. 01

Hello again everyone! My next project is finally ready, and I'm so excited to bring it to you. I will be publishing it in six parts, all of them are written and should be ready so I can submit each as soon as the previous part goes live. That usually results in a 3-5 day break between parts. All characters involved in explicit scenes are over eighteen. Enjoy! And please rate and leave comments or send feedback. They mean so much to me.

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Beautiful

It didn't fit.

"C'mon, Mom, we're gonna be late!"

"Just a second, sweetheart!" I took a deep breath, trying to suck in and fasten my jeans again, but it just wasn't going to happen. I fought back tears as I sat back down on my bed and peeled the offending garment off of my legs. I looked at the tag, hoping I'd just grabbed the wrong pair, but no. These were my size sixteens.

"Mom, it's after six-thirty!"

"Paige, I know. I'll be there in just a second." I dashed into my closet, pulling a green, flower printed maxi off its hanger. I also stripped off my panties, replacing them with the tummy control ones that I usually wore with any of my dresses. I pulled the dress on, tying off the wrap around tie to accentuate the fact I did still have something resembling a waist. Was I imagining it, or did I have less material to do so than I had in the past? I zipped up the back, and it went up easily, thank god.

I grabbed a pair of sandals and fastened them on before heading out of my bedroom and downstairs into the kitchen, where my daughter was sitting at the breakfast table tapping out a message on her phone.

"You ready, honey?"

She huffed in typical teenager fashion. "I've been ready, Mom. I don't want the new coach to think I can't show up on time." Paige was wearing her letterman's jacket, the left sleeve sporting the three chevrons she'd already earned playing on the field hockey team in high school, and on the front the blue, interlocked LV she'd earned as a freshman.

She stood and headed toward the door to the garage, demonstrating the ridiculous ability of the modern American teenager to text while not walking into things. I grabbed my purse and followed her, climbing into my 2010 minivan. My daughter fastened her seat belt while I backed down the drive.

The parking lot at Lost Valley High School wasn't full by any stretch, but most of the spaces near the main entrance to the field house were taken. I recognized a number of the cars, including Principal Harrison's black Lincoln Town Car, Renee Perry's silver Lexus LX, and my ex-husband's cherry-red mid-life crisis.

The latter's owner was standing on the curb, and Paige hopped out of my van and ran up to her father, giving him a quick hug.

"Hi, Daddy."

"Hey, Honey. Ready to meet the new coach?"

"Yeah. She was an Olympian, you know."

"I've heard that."

"Okay, I'm gonna go inside and find Sherri and Kaylin. Don't be late!" With that Paige disappeared through the glass doors and I was left alone with my ex.

"Bill."

"Melanie." His eyes traveled over my body with a well-hidden smirk that told me he knew he wasn't missing anything. Still, he put on a reasonably friendly smile as we walked towards the building. "So, our little girl's a senior. How'd that happen?"

"She grew up on us, Bill. You bring Will or Charlie?"

He shook his head. "Will's on a date with Anna, and Charlie is spending quality time with his computer being an interstellar outlaw or some such thing." He pulled the door open for me, and I thanked him under my breath as I went through. "Don't worry, Ashley is home with him and Georgia."

"I wasn't worried, Charlie's a big boy. He can handle a night by himself. You could've brought her."

He gave me a little half smile and nodded, following me inside. I know, by natural law, I am required to hate the younger, skinnier woman my husband traded me in for after Charlie was born. I'll admit a part of me does, or resents her figure at the very least. But she'd always been good to my kids, never coming between them and their father, even when she and Bill had had one of their own three years ago. And if I ever needed another set of wheels to pick someone up from practice or wherever, she was always willing. As a single mom, it was hard to hate that.

We entered the fieldhouse, where there were fifteen or so round tables with tablecloths scattered about. People milled around, enmeshed in conversation. I recognized most of them, mostly parents of the other girls on the team. Paige was over to the side talking excitedly to several of her teammates, each wearing letterman jackets like hers. There were long tables along the side where men and women in white catering uniforms were getting things ready. The logos on their equipment belonged to one of the nicest, and probably the most expensive, Italian restaurants in town. Perpendicular to that was another rectangular table, set up sort of like the head table at a wedding.

Behind it stood Principal Patrick Harrison along with Vice Principal April Lewis and the athletic director, Tom Martin. I received several nods of recognition from the other parents, but no one really said 'Hi.' I was used to that. Most of the women were scared to catch whatever disease I'd contracted that had caused me to get fat and lose my husband.

Not everyone, though. "Melanie! I love your dress!"

No she didn't. I turned to Renee Perry, self-appointed captain of the Lost Valley High field hockey parents, and forced myself to smile. "Thank you."

"It's so colorful." She dropped her voice to feign intimacy. "I love having something in the closet to wear when I need to cover a few extra pounds." She gave me a knowing smile. Damn she was a good actress. I almost could have believed she was sincere. Of course, looking at her in her designer jeans and the white wrap around top covering her full breasts made that hard. She'd had three kids, just like me, but if non-pregnant her had ever worn anything bigger than a size four I'd eat my support hose.

Luckily I was rescued from responding, as Principal Harrison cleared his throat and called out over the murmur of the crowd.

"Excuse me, ladies and gentlemen! If I could have everyone's attention? I know we can all smell the amazing meal that Senator and Mrs. Perry have generously provided for tonight, and we all want to get to it, so I think you'd all be okay with me moving things along."

A good-hearted rumble of approval went up from the assembly, and everyone moved to find their seats. Paige found her way to her father and me, sitting in between us at one of the tables nearer to the front.

Tom Martin stood up once everyone was seated. "Thank you all for coming as we're getting ready for another season of Lady Panther Field Hockey!" A general whoop went up from the assembly followed by applause, which I joined in on.

"As you all know, Coach Collins has stepped down, and we are heading into a new era. I can tell you that we looked at a lot of candidates, but honestly there was one that stood head and shoulders above everyone else."

I tried not to smirk, since Coach Collins had been forced out by a cadre of parents unhappy with the mediocre finishes the team had put up the last few seasons. An embarrassing first round exit from the playoffs last year had been the final straw. Bill had been one of the ones pushing for the change, something Paige did not know.

"So I am very excited to introduce our new coach. She's been working as an assistant at Marion Heights, and she won two state titles as a player at St. Michael's Academy in Charlotte before heading to Old Dominion and winning a national title there. She's played professionally around the world, and was a member of the U.S. Women's National Team for almost a decade, including representing Team USA in Beijing in 2008. Since then she's earned her Medical Doctorate from Wake Forest and is currently working as a General Practitioner here in Raleigh. Speaking to her, it took me about five minutes to realize she's forgotten more about Field Hockey than I will ever know, and she has high expectations for our girls, and I think she can get us there.

"So, without further ado I am extremely excited to introduce our new coach, Sandra Dalton!"

Tom stepped aside as applause rose from everyone, and I could see Paige straining to get a look. A woman stepped from the small hallway behind the folded up bleachers to the left, and my mouth went dry. She was one of the most striking women I'd ever seen. Not beautiful, exactly, but mesmerizing. She was tall, how tall exactly I wasn't sure as I couldn't see her footwear, but definitely taller than most. Her long, curly, chestnut brown hair was pulled back into a no-nonsense ponytail behind a handsome, chiseled face.

I took a deep breath and sat back in my chair as Coach Dalton smiled and waved to the crowd, who were applauding enthusiastically. Her eyes traveled over the assembly, and I thought for a moment they rested briefly on me, but I was probably imagining it.

I took a moment and squared my shoulders, sitting up a little taller and erasing any emotion from my face. I'd had a lot of practice pretending I didn't find women attractive. I'd been doing it since I was fourteen years old, after all. Luckily, if the new coach had been looking at me, she'd have been the only one in the room doing so.

She shook Mr. Martin's hand warmly, and then did the same with Principal Harrison and Vice Principal Lewis before turning to the rest of us and holding up her palm.

"Thank you all so much. Thank you." The applause quieted. "So, that was quite an introduction, thank you, Director Martin, Principal Harrison, and thank you all, parents, for coming out tonight. Knowing that this program has such robust support from all y'all makes me very optimistic about the future." This time her eyes definitely rested on me for a second, and I pushed down that little flutter in my heart as I listened to her speak.

She went through her credentials, the semi-professional leagues overseas where she played, and talked about her experiences in Beijing. "The bottom line is that I love the sport, and I've been playing since I was seven. I've had some incredible coaches, from juniors right through the Olympics, and the best coaches set an expectation of excellence, not just on the field, but in life. So I'm going to tell all y'all this right now."

She took a moment to look over the assembly with those piercing eyes of hers. I couldn't tell if they were blue or green from this distance, but god, I knew she could look right through a person. I glanced at Paige, who was leaning forward in her chair, transfixed.

The coach continued. "My door is always open to my players. I am also available to their parents if they have concerns about their daughters. If there's something going on I need to know about, that I can help with, please reach out. But if you have suggestions about how to run the team, what style of offense or defense to play, or think I should play certain athletes more or less or at different positions, keep it to yourself.

"I don't play favorites. I will play the young women who give us the best chance to win, and they'll be the ones who have worked the hardest and followed the rules. I do not discriminate. It makes no difference to me if they are a Senior or a Freshman. It doesn't matter to me if they are white or black, if their parents live in the biggest house in Raleigh or need public assistance to make rent." A wry smile played across her lips. "And if anyone has an issue with that I don't care. I want two things: to help your daughters become confident, successful, powerful women, and to win, in that order. That's the plan. I hope you can get behind it. Now, let's eat, so we can get this season started."

"Here, here!" Someone shouted over the wave of applause, and Coach Dalton sat down at the head table with the LVHS brass. The catering staff spread out to the tables. I knew, since the Perry's were footing the catering bill, that there wouldn't be anything so gauche as a buffet, and sure enough, when I opened the place card at my seat there were several choices for dinner. I chose the fettuccine shrimp Alfredo and handed my card to a smiling young man

Bill and Paige made their selections, and as soon our waiter headed away another dropped off a basket of bread with herb infused oils for dipping. It smelled amazing, and Paige reached out and grabbed a piece of the soft, white bread. She swirled it through the oil and bit down.

"Wow, that's amazing!" She finished her piece and grabbed another.

"Not too much bread, Paige." I cringed inside as soon as I said it. I could hear my mother's voice in my words. Damn it, what the hell was I doing? My daughter was a healthy, beautiful young woman, and telling her that she wasn't, even by implication, was horrible.

"Okay, mom."

I took a breath. "I'm sorry sweetheart. You have whatever you want."

Paige smiled and nodded. "Thanks." She didn't take another piece.

I have to admit, dinner was amazing. I expected as much, given who was catering and, of course, who was paying. Throughout the meal I glanced up at the new coach several times. It's not like anyone was talking to me, after all. And more than once I caught her gaze from across the room. The second time I swear she gave me a little smile. But several times I got to really look at her as she shared a laugh with Principal Harrison or his wife. She was so striking that I couldn't help myself.

The noise level was starting to rise, and Tom Martin stood with Coach Dalton and began taking her around to the various tables. I couldn't stop my heart from beating a little faster when she got to us. My ex-husband stood up and extended his hand.

"Hello, Bill Pierson." The coach shook it with a smile, but her gaze moved quickly to me. Her eyes were green, a stunning, almost lime green. "It's a pleasure to meet you. This must be your wife?"

"My ex-wife, Melanie." I managed to stand and took her hand, which was strong and warm. Her eyes widened slightly at the word 'ex-wife'.

I forced myself to speak. "This is our daughter, Paige. She's a senior this year."

"Nice to meet you, Paige."

"Nice to meet you, Coach."

Bill put his arm around Paige's shoulder. "She's your second leading returning scorer, you know."

"Dad!" Paige's voice was rife with embarrassed teen horror.

Coach Dalton looked her in the eye. "I meant what I said up there, young lady. No free rides, everyone earns their spot."

Paige's face got serious. "I won't let you down, Coach. I've been working out all summer. I'm ready."

Coach Dalton cracked a little smile. "You'll be alright. See you at practice, Paige." She looked at Bill and me in turn. "Mr. Pierson. Melanie." One more little smile and she moved on to the next table.

My ex looked down at our daughter. "She looks like she's a tough one, Paige. You got what it takes?"

"Yeah, Dad, it's gonna be great. I can't wait."

I forced my mouth to close while father and daughter kept talking about the upcoming season, for which I was very grateful. It let me concentrate on clearing the fog in my brain. I absentmindedly picked up a piece of bread and swirled it around in the remainder of the sauce on my plate before taking a bite. Someone sat down next to me.

"God, I wish I could not care about carbs like you do, Melanie."

"Hi, Renee."

"So what do you think of her?"

I shrugged. "She seems confident, intense. We'll see, I guess."

"Intense, that's a word for it. Probably why she doesn't have a family."

"I don't think that's any of our business. You honestly asked her?"

"No, just did some digging."

I looked at her ridiculously well put together face. "Did that digging go beyond looking at her Wikipedia page?"

"Funny. I looked at her ring finger, too. And her bio at her practice. Well, as long as she doesn't step out of line too far, we'll give her a shot." I shook my head and ignored the implied threat to the new coach. It wasn't empty though. I knew Renee Perry was more than petty enough to have a coach removed if she didn't like them for whatever small-minded reason. Sadly, she was also capable of getting it done.

When the dinner broke up, I walked my daughter back out to the van so she could get her bag. Bill pulled up alongside in his little convertible sports car. "You ready to go, baby girl?"

"Yeah, Daddy just a second." My daughter gave me a one-armed hug. "Bye, Mom, love you."

"Bye sweetie, I love you, too." I forced my voice to stay cheerful. "Have a good weekend."

Paige tossed her bag in Bill's tiny trunk and hopped into the front seat without opening the door. "Daddy, can I tuck Georgia in when we get home?"

"She'll probably be in bed, sweetheart. But if she's not, sure."

Bill started to pull away and I yelled out "Seatbelt!" as he did. Paige did reach for hers as her father gunned the engine, and my daughter let out an excited squeal. Moments later they were gone into the night.

***

I tapped the smart lock on the back door, waiting a moment before the rotating blue lights turned green, followed by the whir of the deadbolt retracting. Sampson was there, as always, the orange tabby giving me a thorough looking over. Apparently he was satisfied I was not a stranger, meowing once before turning tail and walking slowly into the kitchen.

I set my purse down on the table and followed him. Another meow and Delilah, my long-haired calico, jumped onto the counter, purring and butting her head against my hand.

"Okay, okay, I see you. I'm glad I'm home, too."

Sampson twined in between my legs with a plaintive whine. "Okay fine, come on." I slid past him to the cupboard where I kept their treats, pulling out the blue bag and laying a few out for each. I slipped off my sandals as I stepped into the living room and sat down on the couch.

I hated this place during Bill's weekends with the kids. It was so big and empty. The cats helped, but it wasn't the same as having real people around. I missed my children, and the light they brought to my life. They were probably the only people in town that actually liked me. At least, in their teenage ways.

I put my feet up on the cushions, hugging a pillow to my chest and trying to push back the tears of loneliness that started to sting my eyes. I closed them, and an image of Coach Dalton and her penetrating gaze floated to the forefront of my mind. Not that it mattered. Even if I were out, without the baggage of three teenaged kids, and even if she were gay, or just bi like me, she'd never be interested in this fat old bag.

But that doesn't mean I couldn't think about it. I so rarely let myself fantasize about women, anyway. Life was so much easier when I pretended that that part of me didn't exist, but it had hit me with both barrels at that dinner. Maybe I could just let myself feel good for one night.

I stood up and walked toward the kitchen, slipping off my dress as I went. I grabbed a bottle of wine and a glass and headed upstairs toward my bedroom's ensuite. As I filled the tub I lit a few candles and added some bubbles before pouring myself a glass of wine.

I slipped off my underwear, but just before I stepped in I decided that if I were going to have a proper fantasy I might as well do it right, so I grabbed my little waterproof massager and slipped it over my finger.

The warmth of the water surrounded me as I lowered myself down, and I hit the button to start the jets. My vibe hummed to life as I closed my eyes, imagining Sandra Dalton slowly lowering her mouth to mine. We kissed in my mind, and I let my humming finger slip into my sex, trying to push back the thought that when I finished, and my orgasms subsided, I would still be alone.