Jean and the Great Beach Charade Ch. 05

Cathy laughed, "I wasn't worried. I have a purple belt in jiujitsu."

"Seriously?"

"Yes, seriously. I don't care if you are bigger, stronger, and heavier. Unless you have martial arts training, I can take you to the ground and force you to submit with a joint lock or a choke. I go to class every Tuesday and Thursday after work. You should come. I think it would help you manage your anger."

I couldn't believe my luck. I already had Cathy's home phone number. Now I knew Cathy wouldn't be home on Tuesday and I could call Jean.

"Maybe Thursday night. I'm busy this next Tuesday."

We had dinner that night at the Coast Café in Bolinas. The oysters were local and excellent. Of course, they reminded me of Fort Walton Beach. I took a ragged breath and forced myself to concentrate on Cathy.

Cathy smiled and said, "As a food science major, I have to tell you that all the stories about oysters are myths. Plying me with oysters isn't going to get you lucky, so any boost to your stamina is going to waste."

"Is it OK if I eat them because I love the taste?"

"If you don't get any naughty ideas, we're cool. I think for now; I would like to stay friends."

I had a great time that weekend with Cathy. It was the first time I managed to enjoy myself in the three months since Jean left me. She wasn't the sexy airhead Jean had played in our Great Beach Charade. Oh, she was plenty sexy but had a keen mind and a sharp wit. She was also hurting, and I hoped I wouldn't add to her pain. So, Cathy and I became friends.

#

I called Cathy's home phone on Tuesday shortly after 7 in the evening. I was pleased that Jean answered the phone and didn't hang up.

"Jean, we need to talk. I know we can work something out."

"Good, you got the divorce papers. Is there something you don't understand? I told my lawyer I didn't want the house, but I demand sole custody of the baby."

I strangled the phone in a death grip as I slid down the wall onto my butt. "Divorce papers, baby? What are you talking about?"

"Shit, I'm sorry. You didn't receive the package from my lawyer did you."

"No, no I didn't. I thought you said, baby."

"I'm pregnant. I just started my second trimester, so I'm sure it's going to happen. I doubt it is yours, so I asked for full custody. You're welcome to request a paternity test, but my lawyer said California law still won't give you custody."

"Jean, I wanted to talk about us. I don't want a divorce. If you're pregnant, the child needs two parents."

"There is no us anymore. When I was in Florida, I put all the blame on me. I felt so guilty I never wanted to see you again. I did a lot of stupid and very nasty things to drive you away. When we returned home, I realized you were the one who was at fault. That is why I am determined to end our shattered marriage."

"Jean, I know it was all my fault. I feel terrible. We need to forgive ourselves and each other. Can you forgive me?"

"It's too late. It was too late the moment you let Brent stick his huge cock into your wife's unprotected womb. I've had a lot of time to think about it. Asshole, you got me drunk and fucking threw me at Brent. You watched from the shadows while he fucked your wife without any protection. You knew I was at the height of my fertility, and you let some stranger fill me with his cum. You're contemptible. I never want to see you again. If you want to protest, talk to my lawyer."

#

I was shaking with anger after Jean hung up on me. She wouldn't even listen to my apology. Instead, she placed all the blame on me. I found an unopened bottle of whiskey and proceeded to drink myself into a stupor. I made it into work the next day late. I was totally useless. I left my team on their own. It was for their own good since I felt like ripping heads off anybody I encountered.

Thursday, I showed up at Cathy's jiujitsu studio as I had promised. There were a dozen people practicing. I had even remembered to wear some compression athletic shorts. Cathy tossed me a well-worn gi and helped me tie the belt. She led me to an empty mat in the corner away from the other students. She grabbed my collar with both hands and leaned close.

"Steve, you really are an asshole. You should have known Jean would tell me you called. You led me to believe we were friends so you could get our phone number. You used me to betray my best friend. I told you she didn't want to talk to you. I hope you are satisfied now you've personally heard her tell you to go to hell. Now I need to work on my own anger management. Asshole, I hope you are ready to defend yourself."

As soon as I nodded, Cathy took me down with a leg sweep. I hit the floor hard. She had me in an arm bar before I had time to complain that she had hurt me. With her arm across my throat, I felt I was breathing through a straw. She let me go when I started to pass out.

She stood up and said, "When you are pinned and want to give up, you need to tap out. You can slap the floor hard or tap on my body. Understand?"

I croaked out a yes.

"OK, then get up. I'll let you attack first."

I got up, and she had me grab onto her collar. I tried to use my weight to bring her down. I ended up hitting the mat hard with my shoulder. Cathy's strong legs were wrapped around my neck, and again I couldn't breathe. I slapped the mat.

"We need to train you on how to fall before you get hurt. We'll start the next ones on the ground."

Cathy laid down on her back. She directed me to straddle her and hold her down. I outweighed her by at least seventy pounds. I'm athletic even if I am in my mid-thirties. I hit the weight room at least twice a week after work. I take hour long bicycle rides at lunch three or four times a week. I eat healthily. I couldn't believe that Cathy had thrown me twice and wasn't even breaking a sweat.

"Is this the position you dreamed of having me in when we were at Point Reyes? You know when you said I was in danger of being raped for wearing a skimpy bikini."

I nodded. She didn't wait a second before effortlessly twisting her body and slamming me to the mat. Again, she was choking me out.

Cathy's demonstration went on for an hour. She never repeated a move the whole time. Every time we fought, she punished me. I was dripping sweat and panting for breath. At the end of the hour, she said we were done. I know I was done.

"I'm going to leave after I change. Do you think you can make it home without help?"

I was leaning against the wall for support. I nodded and croaked, "Thanks for the lesson."

Cathy left. One of the men in the class walked over to where I was standing. He held out a hand for me to shake. I expected a firm handshake, but he was gentle. Even so, I winced.

"Hi, I'm George. Damn man, she was brutal. What did you do to piss her off?"

I tried to laugh, but my throat hurt. I said, "Oh, she's pissed off? I hadn't noticed."

"Seriously man. Every guy here has a thing for Cathy. I'd love for her to care enough about me to be that pissed off. I just hope you can survive."

The next morning when I got up, every muscle and joint in my body screamed in pain. Dirty Lil caught me limping to my office.

"You look like your dog died and then you got run over by a car. Are you OK?"

"No, it seems I pissed off the wrong woman."

"Come on Steve, I don't believe that. Jean doesn't have a mean bone in her body."

"Believe me, Jean is pissed off enough to beat the snot out of me, but this was another woman."

Lil said, "Your sad story sounds exciting, but it will have to wait for lunch. I'll let you know where you are taking me."

At lunch, we had a couple of stiff drinks. After Lil, had softened me up, she apologized. "I've been a negligent friend. I'm sorry, but my husband, and I were going through a rough patch thanks to my damn mother-in-law. She's gone back East, thank God. I've noticed you were still wandering around in a daze since our last talk, but I didn't have the energy to help. I'm sorry. Now you've turned up all black and blue. What's going on."

Lil held my hand and listened as I spilled my guts. I told her everything in detail. It took nearly an hour.

Lil shook her head, "I never told you I divorced my first husband. I'd like to say it was all his fault but we got married too young. The divorce was horrible. I joined a support group and learned about the five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. Lil said it sounded like Jean was stuck in anger. She thought my attempt to talk it out with Jean was a classic case of bargaining. I was trying against all the odds to avoid the end of a relationship by promising to act differently or asking for changes that could make the marriage work. She told me it would never work unless Jean moved beyond anger. Lil said she had been in a similar situation with her first husband, and she didn't hold much hope for our marriage.

"You've offered Jean an olive branch, and she rejected it. All you can do is hope she changes her mind. If you wait for her, you will remain stuck and never heal. You need to get on with your life."

#

The divorce papers came the next day. I tossed the thick legal size envelope onto the dining room table and ignored it. I spent the weekend making friends with a bottle of whiskey. I was happy Mr. Whiskey was willing to introduce me to some of his buddies. I was a wreck on Monday. I held the shortest project meeting in my team's history.

Cathy called me on Tuesday morning, "Steve, I hope you are coming to jiujitsu tonight."

"I thought you hated me."

"I'm still angry at you, but I don't have a lot of friends. It's OK to be angry with a friend. There's a big difference between anger and hatred. If you come, I'll teach you how to fall without getting hurt. Please come."

"I've fallen a lot recently. It could be useful to learn how to do it without getting hurt."

So, we were back to being friends. Cathy taught me how to fall, and then once she thought it was safe, she taught me simple jiujitsu moves.

When I got frustrated, she laughed, "I've been taking Brazilian jiujitsu lessons since I was eight."

"Hope you have the patience to teach me for the next dozen years."

Cathy threw me to the mat and gave me a hug. At least, I thought it was a friendly hug until I realized I was passing out. I tapped out again and again.

Weeks passed. I was more productive at work. I managed to learn a few simple jiujitsu moves after endless repetition. Cathy and I hung out several days a week. Friday nights we normally had dinner and saw a movie. Saturday or Sunday we visited one of the Bay Area tourist attractions. I even enjoyed Fisherman's Wharf with the mobs of tourists. Cathy always reserved one of the weekend days to spend with my wife who was also her roommate. Tuesdays and Thursdays, we always went to the dojo and practiced jiujitsu. I loved watching Cathy grapple with guys twice her size.

#

I got a divorce lawyer. I told her I didn't want to get a divorce and her job was to stall. She said she charged by the hour and would be happy to do whatever I asked. The papers went back and forth between our lawyers every couple of weeks. I started by declining Jean's offer to let me have the house. I insisted on selling and giving her half of the proceeds. She rejected my counter offer. I objected to her having sole custody of the child. I wasn't sure what would happen once Jean gave birth to our child, but I was certain I wasn't going to sign anything until afterward. I was pleased with my lawyer's performance. She managed to object to one item after another in the divorce papers.

Six months after returning from Florida, I realized I had fallen into a new routine. Hours and sometimes days would pass without thinking about my wife. The worst times were on the one weekend day when I was on my own. I easily got depressed. I had talked to Cathy about my drinking problem, and I followed her advice. I would go for a run, ride my bicycle or visit the dojo. I had made friends with the other jiujitsu students, and they were always happy to practice with me.

I loved spending time with Cathy. She was exciting and a wonderful conversationalist. It was fun to pick a topic and take opposing sides. The next day we would switch sides and argue some more.

Cathy called me one Friday morning and announced she had been given a promotion. A couple of weeks earlier, she had told me that the competition was fierce and she didn't think she had a chance. Cathy was ecstatic. She informed me that I was taking her to dinner and dancing at a fancy restaurant. She had made reservations. All I needed to do was wear a nice suit and meet her at the restaurant at 8. I still didn't know where the apartment she shared with my wife was located.

I arrived early. I visited the men's room and combed my unruly hair. The dark suit looked good on my toned body. Thanks to regular exercise with Cathy, I was in the best shape in years. My friend was ten minutes late, and she was stunning. She had on a classic little black dress that showed off her well-endowed body to perfection. Her curly blond hair fell to her bare shoulders. The clingy silk dress was held up by a couple of narrow straps tied behind her neck. The top of the dress was all cleavage. A marvel of strapless engineering was proudly presenting her marvelous breasts for display. The slinky dress was tight enough to emphasize her shapely hips and athletic ass. The bottom of the dress ended mid-thigh. There was a slit in the dress up the outside of her right leg that ended high on her lithe thigh. A pair of strappy black high heels shows completed the package.

We had been hanging out as friends for months, but her spectacular body still excited me. I held her chair for her and got an eyeful of her jiggling breasts as she sat down. I also saw a flash of her bright red bra. When I first met Cathy, I thought her breasts were too large for her trim frame. They were more than a handful and certainly larger than my wife's generous breasts. After six months, I had come to appreciate Cathy's for the wonders of nature that they were. As I held her chair and inhaled her intoxicating scent, I realized my dick was hard. I laughed to myself as I awkwardly moved to my chair and hastily sat down. Cathy grinned at the all too visible effect she had on me. I didn't know where this evening was going, but I was savoring every moment.

I smiled when the waiter brought a bottle of Domaine Chandon champagne and poured for us without asking. Cathy must have placed the order in advance. Earlier in the summer, I had taken Cathy to the Domaine Chandon winery and restaurant in Napa Valley as part of my campaign to show her the Bay area sights. It had been a memorable day for me, and I was pleased to see she had ordered our favorite champagne from the visit.

The waiter was placing the bottle into a bucket of ice when Cathy leaned forward and clinked her glass against mine. I grinned when I saw the waiter's eyes staring down the front of Cathy's dress. It is exciting when every man in the room desires the woman you are with. I was fortunate to have known two such women in my life. My problem was that my wife didn't want anything to do with me. Unfortunately, I was still so hung up on Jean that I was afraid to commit to the gorgeous woman in front of me.

Cathy said, "Here's to our six-month anniversary."

"You must be counting from the time we had dinner and saw Miyazaki's movie. However, it's been nearly a year since we first met at your company picnic That was when we teamed up for the three-legged race, and Jean took a picture of me checking out your gorgeous body. If it hadn't been for that event, we wouldn't be here tonight."

Both of us were all too aware that that photograph had motivated Jean and me to engage in our Great Beach Charade. If we hadn't participated in a fantasy where Jean was pretending to be my sexy blond mistress, we would never have smashed our marriage to pieces. The irony was that Cathy was a serious and intelligent woman with nothing in common with the Cathy my wife portrayed in Florida.

By the end of dinner, we were into our second bottle of champagne. I was relaxed and enjoying a lively back and forth conversation about all the places we had toured around the Bay Area and where we should go next. A live band started playing, and I remembered that Cathy had emphasized dinner and dancing. I hoped the dance lessons Jean had given me over the years would be good enough to satisfy Cathy.

"Steve, I need to powder my nose. When I get back, I expect you to be ready to dance the rest of the night away."

I asked the waiter for coffee. I needed it to counteract all the wine. The tension I always felt about dancing replaced my relaxed mood. I didn't want to disappoint Cathy. I smiled when I saw her walking back to the table. She had something hidden in her hand. She walked up to me and inserted s carefully folded piece of red cloth into my breast pocket.

Cathy winked at me and said, "If you're going to dance with me, everyone will be watching, and I want you to look striking. Your suit is nice, but it needs an extra touch of color."

I had to admit the extra color from the bright red accessory made my suit pop. I grinned for a moment until I caught a whiff of pure Cathy. I examined the piece of cloth in my pocket, and my mouth fell open. The little minx had stuffed her folded panties into my suit pocket.

I stood up and offered her my hand. As I lead my sexy girlfriend out onto the dance floor, I said, "I'm a very lucky man to have you in my life."

Cathy melted into my arms, and I guided her into a slow waltz.

Cathy whispered into my ear, "We've both been wounded in love, but we've been together long enough that I feel I can trust you with my heart. If you want me as much as I want you, you can get even luckier tonight."

I would have taken her back to my place right then, but Cathy insisted on dancing. We finished the set, and we finished the second bottle of champagne during the break. We even danced another set before Cathy agreed to leave. She grabbed an overnight bag from her car, and I drove us to my place.

While she was powdering her nose in the master bathroom, I brushed my teeth in the second bathroom. I hung up my suit coat while I waited for her. I couldn't resist taking a deep whiff of the red bikini panties she had stuffed in my suit pocket. I sat on the edge of the bed and waited for her to appear. I was as nervous as a schoolboy on his first date. I hadn't had sex except for my right hand in six months. Cathy still had on her little black dress when she walked barefoot into the bedroom.

She smiled and said, "I expected to find you in bed, but this is even better. I want you to strip for me."

"While I'm stripping, what are you going to be doing? Is that sexy dress coming off anytime soon?"

"I'm going to sit back on your king size bed and ogle your body like you did mine when we were teammates in the three-legged race. If you do good a job of stripping and if I get excited enough, my dress will come off. If you are boring, the dress will stay on, and we'll do it in the dark. If you're dreadful, I'll call a cab and go home. Now, stop talking and perform."

I won't bore you with the details of my attempt to imitate one of the Chippendales. Cathy kept urging me on until I was totally naked. She commanded me to move my hands when I attempted to cover my raging erection. Cathy licked her lips and stared at me with obvious excitement.

"Well, you needed a lot of encouragement, but you did manage to get me excited. You've earned your reward. You can lie down on the bed and watch me take off my dress."