Best Friends Forever

"I guess I do. But, I'm not looking a gift horse in the mouth," she said.

"You see meeting me as a gift then?" I said.

"I do, Jim, I do," she said.

"Ann, I'm gonna go out on a limb here. If I'm out of line, just slap the hell outta me. Okay?" I said.

"Okay," she said, suspicion written all over her face.

"Ann, I've fallen for you," I said. I was shaking in my boots, well, figuratively speaking.

She stared at me. "Jim . . ." she started and stopped. I had a bad feeling.

"Never mind. I can see . . ." I started.

"No! I have the same kinds of feelings for you. But . . ." she said.

"Okay, but 'but'?" I said.

"Are you sure, Jim? I know or think I know that you still have feelings for you ex. I am not gonna be good as a fill in woman for you. The man that gets me, even if any man ever even could want me the way that I am, well, he has to be all in on me. I'm not going to go through again what I went through with the last so called love of my life," she said.

I sighed, and it was a sigh of relief. "Thank God," I said, finally. "Ann, the truth is that since you came into my life whether a set up by my old ex-best friend or not, I have completely lost any interest in my ex-wife. I have rarely even thought of her these last couple of months.

"Oh, I'm still mightily pissed at the bullshit the two of them pulled on me. I'm still real unhappy with all of the put downs and attempts to buy me off with money. And they tried, offered me a lot of money or the means to earn it; but all of that notwithstanding, I'm over them. Ann, I want you and I want you real bad! If you can get by 'my' disability, I swear to you, I'm your guy and I mean forever!"

She came to me and planted her lips on my lips and she tasted oh so sweet. "Okay then," she said. "So what's our next move? Oh, and one of these days, I am gonna slap the hell outta you just to make sure you know your place." She started to laugh no doubt at the mental of me taking my punishment at her hands.

"I'm so glad you asked that, dear heart, I mean about what comes next. Our next move is to move, to move in together," I said. "It would make it so much easier and cheaper than to keep doing as we have been. And, then we start planning the wedding. Oh wait I almost blew it, almost earned my punishment. Ann, will you marry me. Oh, and consider me on my knees begging you to." She snickered.

"Yes, darling man, yes indeed," I said. "Oh, and now you can get up off your knees." We both laughed, uproariously laughed.

The night of sex and cuddling and being together was the best of my life I was certain of it.

******

We did move in together, to her place. She'd gotten her own place of course, that where we'd already spent some time together. That had happened soon after our initial meet up. Her parents had funded her down payment and costs. And it was a house: it was smallish but warm and well adapted for folks like us; she'd seen to that. We did okay financially too as a result of the move. My twenty and her thirty from the military disability thing combined were enough. And, if she got the job she was hoping for, and if somewhere down the line I found me a job to complement hers; well, we'd be doing right fine for sure. No competition for my ex-best friend of course, but pretty damn good all things considered.

There was one thing that kept bugging me. I really wanted a van like the one he'd had custom built: the one with the elevators. Man that would be the cat's meow. But, $200K was way out of my price range and likely always would be.

But, all of that stuff aside, I had some thinking to do. The notion that he had set me up on the one hand really burned my butt. But, on the other hand, his ploy had worked. I had what looked like a way to be happy once again. Did that mean that I was now in debt to him! Not on your life. But, it did lessen my visceral, if more or less dormant, hatred of them and how they'd done me.

Ann had been at pains to convince me that it was time to move on. Had he done something good or useful for me, for us, as she maintained? The short answer was yes. Did it make up for all of the bad stuff? The short answer was no. Did it buy him, and for that matter Claire, some level of tolerance or bode well for some kind of relationship with the two of them? The short answer was yes, but I'd have to be gritting my teeth when granting such a hitherto unlikely scenario.

And then there was Rebecca. She'd grown up to be a truly startlingly beautiful woman, and yes I was proud of her, and of my fatherhood. Did she give a rat's ass about my being proud of her? Doubtful. But, as my Ann was telling me, I would be letting things play out without making too many waves just for the sake of making them. I would be going with the flow and not sweating anything all that much; well, I was under orders.

All of the foregoing said and set in stone I did have one card to play and I intended to play it before even telling Ann that I was going to: I would be going to talk to Claire. I really needed to know whether or not I'd been set up, or Ann had, and then I would actually make up my mind just how much I'd be willing to interact with the pair of them.

******

I pushed the button on the ground floor intercom. I was hoping she was home and willing to see me. Oh, I knew she'd see me if she were home, but 'willingly see me' might be a participial phrase that didn't actually quite fit the moment. Well, we'd see.

"Yes," came the tinny response from the intercom.

"Yes, Claire, it's me. Any chance you'd have time for a little talk?" I said.

"Jimmy? What? I mean of course," she said. I could almost see her frown ten floors up.

"Good, I'll be right up," I said.

"Okay," I'll buzz you in," she said.

I skittered over to the elevator she'd hit the buzzer and it opened just as I got to it. Open, I skittered inside.

The ride up seemed kinda slow, but I did get there. The doors opened and she was there waiting for me.

"Jimmy, good to see you she said. Rod's at work of course, but I'm sure you knew that. And it really is good to see you though a bit of a surprise. But come in, come in," she said, as she led the way across the short hall to the open door of the penthouse.

"Yes, well thank you for seeing me," I said.

"Darn it, Jim, you know damn well that this door is always open to you, always. Okay?" she said.

"Yeah okay, I guess," I said. Then I saw her, Jenna Courtland. I hadn't seen her in forever, but I did know her. She was Claire's best friend from her school days: kind of the counterpoint to my relationship, my past relationship, with Rodney Pollard. I remembered Jenna being a nice person.

I know my face must've shown my embarrassment. "Oh, Claire, I'm sorry. I didn't know, didn't think. I should've called," I said. I really was sorry. And, I hadn't thought or considered or anything. I'd just come by.

"Jenna, nice to see you. You look good," I said. I was on my skitterboard and it was clear to me that Jenna was feeling a little uncomfortable. Well, I had that effect on people.

"Uh, yes, and it's nice to see you again, James; it's been kind of forever," she said.

"Yes, well that's so I guess," I said.

"Claire, I'll be going. I'm sure James must have important things to discuss," she said.

"No, no," I said. "It's my bad. I can come back later. Really it's no bother."

"Jim, of course it would be a bother for you. And is Jenna right? Do you have things we need to discuss," said Claire.

"Nothing that can't wait till later," I said. I turned to go, but the woman blocked me. "Stay right here, Jimmy. I'll be back in a second. She didn't wait for a response from me. She just walked her friend out and to the elevator across the hall. They were talking but I didn't hear any of it."

******

"Well, I can see you were surprised," said Jenna, as they stood talking in front of the elevator. "Does he just show up like that often?"

"No, it's the first time actually. I think you were right. He must have something fairly important to say for him to just drop in like that," said Claire, "and yes, I need to hear him out. Anyway, we'll talk."

"Sure bet," said Jenna. "Anyway, you better get back in there, or he'll be thinking we're conspiring or something given everything you've told me," she said. Claire keyed the elevator's code and Jenna Courtland was gone. She rejoined her ex-husband.

She was back in less than a two minutes. I felt embarrassed and a little bit set back in my goal of getting some answers. But, I did want those answers and I wanted them now. Ann and I needed to know what was what. Well, I considered that we did.

"So," she said. "Can I get you something to drink, anything?" said Claire.

"Uh, maybe a cup of coffee if you have any made. I don't want to be a bother. And, I really am sorry about interrupting you and Jenna like that. I should've called first. If I ever need to come by again I do promise to call first. I know you all have lives and well, I don't want to be a bother."

"Jimmy, Jimmy, Jimmy you need to get it in your head that you coming by is never going to be a bother. I am very happy to see you today, surprised, yes, and I would appreciate a call beforehand of course, anybody would, but it is a very small thing any way you cut it. I mean you coming by on the spur of the moment," she said. "So, anyway . . .?"

"The coffee?" I said.

"Oh yes. Sorry. I wasn't thinking. Let's restart this little meet up," she said. She turned and headed into the kitchen. She was gone no more than a minute.

"Okay," she said, returning and setting the two cups of black coffee on the coffee table in front of the couch. I was still on my skitterboard.

"Yes, well, I did have a reason for coming by," I said. "I'm sure you know that Ann and I are getting on fairly well, good actually. But, I have some questions relating to that happy circumstance if you don't mind."

"Uh-mind? Of course not. I mean if I can help in some way. Anyway at all, just ask away," she said.

"Okay, good," I said. "Claire I need to know. I mean I really need to know the truth. Was my meeting Ann a set up by you or by Rodney? And if it was Rodney, which I see as more likely since her sister works for him, did you know about it, the set up ahead of time. I mean you must've if it was a set up." She sagged back in the seat she'd assumed on the couch. I was sitting on my skitterboard a few feet from her. I would have joined her on the couch, but I hadn't been invited to do so.

She stared at me almost accusing me, or so I thought. "Jim, the short answer is no. I was not privy to any matchmaking effort by my husband, nor had I entertained any such in the case of Ann Rogers. But . . ." she said.

"Claire?" I said.

"But, I did find out later that my husband had indeed come to the conclusion, without any input from me, that bringing the two of you together might be a useful thing for all concerned. I became suspicious of things a few days ago, as a matter of fact, and asked him outright if he had done so. He told me that he had, sort of," said Claire.

"Sort of?" I said.

"Yes well, Denise had mentioned to him that her sister was in a blue funk not being able to find a job, and I guess Rod decided to help her out by interviewing her, Ann. Then, her sister, Denise, informed him about Ann's injuries and I guess at that point Rod decided to try and go for two birds with one stone.

"Jim, don't be looking a gift horse in the mouth. If the meet up is working out for you then good, if not; well, then at the least Rod's heart was in the right place. Can you accept that?" she said. I was nodding.

"That I don't like being set up is a given, but this once I am inclined to not take this latest example of interference into my private life to heart. But, he and I will be talking. I do not want you two to by any means to begin to think that what you're doing is okay by me because it isn't. I need to do for myself.

"But, as I said earlier, Ann and I are getting along so no harm done I guess. Just no more, Claire, no more. Okay?' I said. She nodded.

"Okay, Jim, okay. I promise and I will pass along what you've said today to my husband," she said. "But, Jimmy, I do want to say that things would be a whole lot easier on everybody if you would think about softening your thinking about things and relationships and all of it. Rod and I adore you and owe you big time. We'd like to do right by you and make amends to a least some small degree if you would only allow."

"Yeah, well please just let me be my own man and we'll get along. Please," I said.

******

"So they did set us up to meet," said Ann.

"No, not they, just Rod. According to Claire he did it without her knowledge and input," I said.

"And you believe her?' said Ann.

"Yes, she wasn't lying. Not this time. Claire is more than capable of bad behavior but lying is not in that mix. She's always been honest no matter how hurtful it is to anyone concerned including herself," I said. The woman across from me nodded.

"Okay, so that's it then," she said.

"Yeah, I guess it is," he said. "Well, almost at any rate. I told her that I was going to let this last invasion of privacy slide, but that I didn't want there to be any more of it. She said she understood and would honor my wishes from now on. I know she'll relay the message to the rich guy. That said, at some point, and soon, I will be talking to him too in order to reinforce what I told her. But, not tonight."

"Okay, and tonight?" I said.

"Well tonight I, we, have other fish to fry. I mean if you'd be into it," I said. Her smile was a mile wide.

"I think I could be tempted," she said.

"How about right here?" I said. We were in the front room. The carpet was thick and the throw pillows on the couch would do for the necessary props for our games.

"Why I think right here would be fine," she said. She went to the wall near the front door jamb and dimmed the lights. I sure did like that dimmer switch. Yes, it was a very useful little device.

Coming back to me, she lowered herself to the carpet and lay down on her back. She rolled onto her side and looked over at me. "Well?" she said.

I rolled off my skitterboard and lay next to her. I reached for her and pulled her close. I needed to kiss her, to kiss her a lot. I liked kissing especially kissing her. We kissed and felt each other up for some minutes, long minutes. Man, she tasted good. And her breasts! What a woman!

I lifted her dress and made to pull her panties down and off of her. She raised a little making it easy for me.

She shuddered as I moved down her body and lapped at her pussy. The smell of her was absolutely intoxicating; the taste of her was oh so female. At that moment, strangely, I couldn't help comparing her to my ex-wife. Ann did not suffer by comparison.

Maybe it was wrong thinking on my part, but I was wishing—vainly I knew—that I would never have to hear or see either of the cheaters again, I didn't need them, not anymore, really not ever, not since the divorce at any rate.

I crawled up her body and lay on top of her controlling the roll of my body mainly with my arms and especially my elbows. I entered her easily. I began screwing her slowly, very deliberately. I wanted it to last. We'd had sex a number of times since we'd begun dating, but somehow this was a different night and different feeling. I couldn't explain it but it was a watershed for me. Yes it was.

Soon I was humping her like the horny sonovabitch that I was. Oh yeah! God I needed this woman; I needed her bad. The good news? She needed me too. Wasn't that the way it was supposed to be between a man and a woman? Yes it was. It certainly was.

I stiffened and unloaded a sea of cum inside of her. She looked shocked. "Oh my!" she screamed. "I'm cumming! I'm cumming! Oh my Godddddd!"

I rolled off to her right. I was gasping. And so was she.

"I came," she said. "It has been so long" I frowned at her words.

We'd made it no less than a dozen times since we'd been doing it. And apparently this was the first time I'd gotten her off.

"Ann?" I said. She looked over at me. She knew what I was thinking, she instinctively knew.

"Don't worry about it, stud. It's hard for a man to get a woman off with his dick and you just got done doing it. You'll get better at it. I'm gonna make sure of that,' she said.

"Okay," I said. "I'm yours to command."

"I know," she said.

******

Ann did not have a car, but she was saving up to get one. That was going to be a boon for the both of us. I think more me than her even, but that particular point might have been arguable. At any rate we didn't have the vehicle yet, so once again the cab-van delivered me to his workplace the Ralston Building, downtown. I was on a mission.

"Yes, I'm here to see Mister Pollard," I said. Having gotten by the security guy at the building's entrance, I rode the elevator to the ninth floor. The receptionist smiled and told me to go right in. I looked her askance. He didn't know I was coming, and she made no move to announce my presence.

"Really?" I said.

"Mister Pollard said you were to be considered family and to be waved in anytime you came by without exception, unless he was actually in an important meeting," said Florence McVey, well, she was wearing her name badge this time.

"Oh, okay," I said, and I wheeled myself toward his door and let myself in.

"Jim," he said. I'd surprised him.

"Yes, your receptionist . . ." I started.

"Yes, I told her you were cool to come in any time, I mean any time," he said, "no waiting for you."

"Well, thanks for that," I said.

"So to what do I owe this little surprise?" he said. He'd come around his desk and had taken a seat opposite me. He was clearly making an effort to not seem quite so imperial in spite of his bucks.

"I know, you must know, that I talked to Claire last week, and I mentioned to her then that I would be talking to you," I said. He looked a little, something.

"Yes, she did say you might be coming by, which by the way is something you need to do more often," he said. "And for the record Rebecca asks about you a lot. She'd like to see you, be around you a lot more, if you'd only cut her a little slack. She's just a kid, Jim, and she needs her dads."

I didn't show my feelings and surprise when he'd said "dads" plural. Well, I don't think I did.

"Yeah, well we'll see," I said. "But, Rodney, Claire outted you about setting me and Ann up to meet. And, your little conspiracy seems to have had a positive result, and I need to thank you for that. That said, Rod, I need to do for myself. Please don't do anything like that again. Please."

"Jim, Claire and I need to do for you. I've said it a dozen times if I've said it once, Jim, we owe you more than we can ever pay. I know you are too damn proud a man to accept anything from anybody that you didn't earn yourself. But Jim, the fact is you did, you have earned it. Whatever we do for you, give to you, any of it, Jim, you've earned it. My God you have. You need to let us pay our dues now. Really man, it's time," he said.

"Rodney . . ." I started.

"Jim, neither Claire nor I know Ann very well, hell, hardly at all. But, she is your woman now and Claire is mine. It's time to let things normalize. I mean don't you think? You need to build a life with your new woman, and we would like the opportunity to welcome her into our family. And you know exactly what I mean by our family, Jim. I mean all of us: Claire, me, you, Rebecca, and yes even your friends Sammy and Henry. And lest I forget your friends from the street too: Mack and the other guy. Whaddya say man?"

"Roy," I said, "Roy Inness."

"Huh?" he said.

"Roy Inness, he's the other guy from the truck park, the street," I said.

"Yeah, yeah, I met them but not really," he said. "But yeah both of them too. Whaddya say," said Rodney.