Choices Ch. 02

My thanks to my editor adetaildiva. Without her this would be a poorer story. After her any errors are mine.

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Dan and I were out on the golf course in Tennessee one gorgeous September Saturday. "Jack, how much do you exercise? You're always so trim. Even when I was your age, I don't think I was that trim."

"Well, I run for an hour six days a week and I lift weights twice or three times a week, depending. Why do you ask?"

"I just had my annual physical and the doctor is on me to get more exercise and lose some of this." Dan grabbed a roll of fat on his side. Kathy had always described him as heavyset, but I was sure he could lose 25 or 30 pounds and not miss an ounce.

"You need to talk to Linda about not being such a great cook, but I can help you get started on an easy exercise plan. We can start with walking and go from there."

"Would you, Jack? I'd really appreciate it."

Unfortunately, I should have started with Dan a year ago. I came home one afternoon in October to a very grave Faith. "Jack, Dan had a heart attack and died. Maybe you should call your sister-in-law."

I was stricken again. Over the last eighteen months Dan had become a very good friend. But I really felt sorry for Linda: first to lose her older daughter and now her husband of thirty years, all within five months.

Dan's funeral was hard. The grass on Kathy's grave had not grown in completely and now there was another bare patch beside it. Bobby and I stayed for three more days. This time it was me packing Dan's clothes, making lists and delivering boxes.

"Jack, I'd like to come down and visit." Thanksgiving weekend Linda was calling. I had called weekly after Dan's funeral, but had not asked her to come back down yet.

"Sure, Linda, Bobby and I would love to see you again." She came down for two nights that week and again just before Christmas to bring Bobby his presents. Two more visits were scheduled in January.

At the beginning of February, I learned that I was being reassigned to the Pentagon. I told Faith and Linda that Bobby and I would be moving in June.

"Jack, I've got a suggestion." Faith and I were having dinner after a visit from Linda in March.

"Okay?"

"Linda is lonely and doesn't know what to do. She's afraid that you'll go to Washington and she'll never see Bobby again."

"That's crazy! Bobby loves her. I love her almost like my own mother."

"Ask her to move to Washington with you and be your live-in nanny and housekeeper."

I had been worried about finding a nanny like Faith in Washington. This would be a great solution. "Do you think she would do it? It would make Bobby feel better to have somebody he knows living with us and taking care of him."

I called Kathy's sister, Marguerite, and talked with her. She lived in Chattanooga with her husband of two years. She thought it would great for Linda to have something to do. We agreed to help her store her furniture and rent out the house if she wanted to.

"Linda, this is Jack." My mother had drilled me on phone manners. Even though I knew Linda would recognize my voice, I always introduced myself on our weekly phone calls. We talked about the ordinary events of the week: Bobby's pre-school work, Linda's book club.

"Linda, I'm really going to miss Faith. I don't know that I'll find anyone in Washington who can help me like she has."

"I'll miss seeing her, too. Of course, I'll miss seeing you and Bobby more."

"Linda, I'll just ask you straight out. Would you consider coming to Washington with us? I'd pay you just like I do Faith and Bobby would love to have you around."

"Jack, I'd love to! But what would I do with the house?"

"Marguerite and I discussed that. She thinks you could put your stuff in storage and rent it out for a few years. Of course, you would want to take some of your things to Washington."

"Oh, Jack, this will be so great! But I couldn't take any money from you. I'd just like to be there with Bobby, and you and I get along so well."

"Linda, I know that Dan left your finances in good shape. Paying you would just be recognition of what you do for us. I know it'd be like pin money to you but I'd feel wrong if you didn't take something. I'd also set you up with a joint account with me so you could have money for grocery shopping and everything."

"I was so afraid that you'd go off and I'd only see Bobby a time or two a year."

"Linda, no matter what, we won't keep you out of our lives." I could tell she was crying a little bit. "Why don't we schedule a house hunting trip sometime soon?"

By the first of May, Linda was living with me in Columbus. She had stored away most of her household goods, except for her bedroom furniture and several boxes of knickknacks, photo albums and some kitchen utensils. Those items were waiting in a container in Chattanooga for our trip to DC. She had already gotten a renter who would move into her house in June.

My house in Columbus did not have a renter yet. I felt sure that as soon as a new crop of lieutenants started arriving at Fort Benning around the first of July that I would have a renter. It was the perfect size for a young couple like Kathy and I had been.

Linda, Bobby and I moved the week after Memorial Day. We moved to a new house in a young subdivision in Northern Virginia. I would have about a half-hour's drive to the Pentagon. Bobby would only be a mile from his school in September. Linda began meeting the neighbors and fitted in immediately.

The third week in August I took Bobby to his first day of school. He was excited to be in a "real" school instead of the day care center where he had had kindergarten. I managed to deliver him to his room and say hello to his teacher. I barely made it out to my car before I broke down crying. I was crying because Kathy wasn't there to do this. Bobby would never see his mother's eyes glisten as she buttoned up his coat or packed his lunch.

The week after Labor Day Bobby brought home a note about Parent-Teacher Night at his school. I dutifully showed up the next week. I vaguely remembered meeting Nan Baker the first day of school. She was looking for me when I came in.

"Hello. I'm Bobby Williams's father, Jack Williams."

"Yes. I remember meeting you when you brought Bobby in. Are you new in the area?"

"We just moved up from Columbus, Georgia. I'm stationed at the Pentagon."

"Wow! I'm impressed."

"Don't be. They use majors at the Pentagon for coffee boys. I get to make coffee for Training and Readiness."

"You'll have to tell me more about that some time." She put her hand on my forearm below the short sleeve of my uniform blouse. Her violet eyes were looking directly into my eyes without blinking.

"Maybe we can catch a cup of coffee together later. I won't even make you fix it." Her eyes were laughing at me now.

"I dunno. I've gotten pretty good with the grinder. You don't know what you're missing." I felt relaxed in a woman's presence for the first time since Kathy died.

"I've got a good idea of what I'm missing." Her eyes scanned my body from top to bottom. I had a sudden impression of a stalking lioness as her golden mane flipped around her head.

"Good evening, everyone. I'm Nan Baker. I apologize for the seating arrangements." She looked directly at me and winked while I squirmed in my 6-year-old's desk. "I'll make this quick and then I can talk with you individually afterwards. I'm in my third year here at Taylor. I did my internship here from Georgetown and liked it so much I bought the school."

Everybody chuckled. "They liked me so I applied and was accepted. Last year I taught third grade but the year before I taught first."

Her words faded into the background as I appraised her body. A line from the musical, South Pacific, popped into my head:

Where she's narrow she's narrow as an arrow,

And she's broad where a broad should be broad.

"… so I think that we'll have a good year." As I returned from Pluto, she was smiling at me again.

I had been out of the game for awhile, but Nan had been flirting. I was comfortable with Nan, but I still felt guilty when I thought of leaving Kathy behind.

"Jack, I'd like you to meet someone." Linda was speaking to me the following weekend after church. "Jean, this is my son-in-law, Jack Williams. As I told you he's a major serving at the Pentagon. Jack, this is Jean Marlowe. Jean works for Health and Human Services as a policy analyst."

"Jean, I'm glad to meet you." Linda was slowly introducing me to all the single women at the Episcopal church where she had insisted we go. This was the fourth or fifth one. Jean was slim and tall with a terrific smile. I still didn't feel ready to start dating again. Nevertheless, as a dutiful son (in-law) I made small talk.

I learned that Jean had a six-year-old daughter. I looked around and Jean pointed out Rebecca as the brown-haired girl that Bobby happened to be chasing around the parish hall.

"Like father, like son," was the lame jest I came up with.

We continued to talk politely, but I was leery of Federal employees. I felt they were usually liberals, especially those whom I had met so far in the DC area. Suddenly Jean cut through the polite banter.

"You know, my dad served in Vietnam."

"Really?" This had come out of nowhere so I wasn't sure where the conversation was going.

"In the Marines. He always thought the Pentagon, Johnson and Nixon screwed things up. But he really hated the protestors. He's glad we haven't seen many of them this time around."

"Well, there's a few, but dozens not thousands."

"At least we didn't elect the Protestor-In-Chief."

This woman had intelligence, but I still wasn't ready for the singles scene again.

Monday through Friday I get up at 5:30 and go for an hour-long run. On Saturdays I allow myself the luxury of sleeping until 8 before running. The next Saturday I woke at 7. I tried to get back to sleep but I couldn't. Finally, about 7:30 I trotted out of the house.

At 8:30 I walked in the back door and up the stairs to shower and dress. Linda was in the guest bathroom with the door open. She didn't see me, but I saw her. Standing in front of the sink in bikini panties and nothing else, she didn't look like she was in her fifties. I couldn't see any lines on her face or any bags under her eyes. The reason was that all my eyes would focus on were her breasts.

They were beautiful. Their skin was softly white with just a hint of blush that was Linda's normal coloration. The pair swung slightly back and forth as she leaned toward the mirror. I saw her left breast in full silhouette. Suspended over the sink, it seemed a perfect teardrop shape waiting to fall into someone's lucky mouth. A dusky pink nipple was soft in repose surrounded by a slightly darker pink areola. My fingertips tingled as I imagined the smooth skin sliding under my touch and then the nipple erecting as my thumb teased the textured protrusion.

I froze with one foot on the top stair and one foot on the next riser down. I felt impelled to reach out and caress those luscious orbs. Before my arm started to move, I came to my senses and backed quietly down the stairs.

Linda was not expecting me back for another half hour. I went outside and waited several minutes while the erection that had sprung up subsided. I came back in closing the door a little loudly and singing a marching song. About five seconds after I came into the kitchen, I heard the bathroom door close upstairs.

I started a pot of coffee. Linda appeared in a few minutes wearing her bathrobe.

"You're back early."

"Something woke me and I couldn't get back to sleep so I left to run a little bit before normal."

"Well, thanks for making the coffee. Next week I'll start it as soon as I get up."

That night I lay in my bed and remembered those beautiful mounds. I was embarrassed at my reaction, but I couldn't forget that vision. My erection sprang up again in a few seconds. In this situation I could take care of it properly. Since I hadn't had any sexual partner in almost two years except Ms. Rosie Palm, all it took was about ten strokes to fill the Kleenex.

As I dropped off to sleep, I decided that maybe it was time to get back into the world.

Monday on the way home I reviewed my options. The only person who stood out was Bobby's teacher. After supper I approached Linda. "Would it be okay for me to go out Saturday night?"

"Sure, Jack. Who're you going with?"

"I don't know yet. I wanted to check with you before making any commitment. Probably just a friend."

"A lady friend?"

"Uhh, yeah. I thought maybe a little dinner and conversation."

"Is that what they call it these days? Go ahead. I'll be happy to stay with Bobby."

I blushed a little seeing the twinkle in her eyes and took the phone into the study.

"Hello?" A woman's voice that I didn't recognize answered the phone. Would I recognize Nan's voice after one meeting almost two weeks ago? Should I assume it was Nan? Remember my telephone manners.

"This is Jack Williams. Is Nan Baker there?

"Just a minute." [background] "Nan, there's this dreamy voice on the phone for you. (giggle)"

"Hello. This is Nan."

"Nan, this is Jack Williams. I met you at Bobby's Parent-Teacher Night."

"Yes, I remember you. What can I do for you Mr., sorry it's Major isn't it, Major Williams." She was talking to me as if I were her father. Maybe this was a mistake. She had just been friendly, not flirting at all. Oh well, why waste a phone call without trying.

"If we could get from Major Williams to just Jack, I'd like to take you to dinner Saturday night."

"Well, Just Jack, that would be very nice. I'd like to go to dinner with you."

"Why don't I pick you up about seven? Maybe afterwards we'll drive to the Reflecting Pool and cheer the submarine races."

"If you're in the Army, wouldn't that be cheering for the wrong team?"

"Nah. My grandfather was in the Coast Artillery during World War II. I'll just shoot at any submarine I see. I will need directions to your place though."

Saturday evening it was drizzling off and on. I had suggested going to the Reflecting Pool to indicate that if dinner finished early then we might do something else together. Now with the bad weather I didn't have another idea to suggest. I carried an umbrella up to her apartment door.

Nan was wearing a light blue camisole with a navy blue skirt and a medium blue sweater around her shoulders. The camisole material was heavy, but the jiggling beneath the material was very interesting.

"Jack, come in a sec and meet my roommate. Cass, this is Jack Williams. He's the father of one of my students."

"Glad to meet you, Cass. Do you teach with Nan?"

"No, we're good friends from college. I'm an analyst with the DHS office in Falls Church."

"Nan, I told you my Arab friends were on the up-and-up. I don't want to be investigated." I smiled.

"I won't let Cass investigate you. On the other hand, I might like to conduct that investigation, especially if it involves a strip search."

I blushed. I must be really getting old. I thought that remark was really bold, and I was surprised at such banter this early in the game. Perhaps my stereotype of elementary school teachers needed updating.

Nan pressed close to me under the umbrella. She wrapped one arm around mine and I could feel her boob rubbing my triceps. "Brrr, I'm glad I wore this sweater. The rain has made it chilly out," Nan continued our conversation as I held the car door for her. The navy skirt rose to give me a glimpse of a toned and tanned thigh that needed to be next to my ear. A glance at the camisole confirmed that it was chilly out.

The dinner conversation continued delightfully with many double-entendres from both of us as I got into the swing of things. Nan was familiar with the restaurant that I had picked and after we finished our entrees she suggested sharing a hot fudge sundae for dessert.

"Want it?" Nan had picked up the cherry from the mound of whipped cream.

"Are you willing to give it to me?" I had gotten good at this game.

"Stick out your tongue and let's see if it's long enough."

"I'm longer than anybody when I'm horizontal." I extended my tongue straight out. She put the cherry as far back on my tongue as she could, but held on to the stem. I closed my mouth. As she pulled the stem out, she brushed her fingertips across my lips.

"Want some whipped cream?" I extended my spoon towards her.

"I love whipped cream but it has to be fresh. Right from the dispenser and down my throat." She made an exaggerated swallowing motion as she took the cream from the spoon.

"Missed a drop." A little dab rested on the corner of her mouth. I scooped it onto my finger and held it towards her. She grabbed my wrist and pulled the finger into her mouth. She swirled her tongue around my finger as she sucked the cream off.

"Wow! You're good."

"I never waste a drop."

"Still raining!" After paying the check, we were gazing into the parking lot preparing to walk to the car. "I was hoping we could take a nice walk on the Mall and continue this conversation. I noticed a bar near your place, O'Malley's? Want to go there and get another glass of wine?"

"Cass was going out with some friends. We could go back to my place and talk there. I've got wine or you could make us some coffee." She laughed lightly.

As soon as we entered her apartment, Nan discarded the sweater. Her arms still had the light bronze glow of a summer tan. As I watched her fiddle with the coffee makings, the bobbling and swaying of her breasts made it obvious that she was braless. She handed me my cup and directed me from the kitchenette to the couch in the main room.

"Go ahead and sit, Jack. I'll be there as soon as I get out some biscotti."

She came out a minute later carrying her coffee and a small tray of cookies. Putting her coffee down on the end table opposite from me, she moved to the other side of the coffee table. She bent from the waist and placed the cookie tray down.

The camisole gaped away from her body. Her nipples snuggled into the material, but a beautiful expanse of skin was on display. The same golden tan as her arms pointed to the conclusion that she tanned topless. After what seemed like minutes but was only a few seconds, she stood back up and moved around to the couch.

She sat down and then twisted sideways lifting one knee onto the cushion. Then she lifted her other knee up also being remarkably careless about how her skirt draped during this maneuver. I was now sure that her panties matched the camisole.

As I jerked my eyes upward, I was sure she would have seen where I was looking. Instead she was studiously stirring the cream into her coffee.

"Tell me about your grandfather in the Second World War." Where had that come from? Oh, yeah, back when I asked her for a date.

"Well, he was an interesting old guy. He was in the Reserves and got shipped off to Panama in early '42. Didn't come back until almost '45. He told me when he first got down there he was put on an island with 400 other guys. They were on the Pacific side looking for Japanese submarines. Never saw one of course, but for 30 days they enjoyed desalinated water and C-rations. Then they got rotated back to the mainland. As he put it, 400 guys who hadn't seen a beer or a broad for 30 days. Not much of a prize for guessing what happened next." We talked casually through the first cup of coffee.

"How about another cup," she asked.

"Sure." We both wandered into the kitchen. She took my cup and turned to pour more coffee. Now or never, I moved behind her. Putting my hands at her waist, I lightly kissed her neck Oh lord, the scent of her perfume and shampoo. I moved my feet back a half-step so she wouldn't notice my immediate reaction, but I couldn't resist starting to nibble around to her ear.