Margie and the R Man

"With pleasure," he said.

He got out and she went around to where he was and launched herself into his arms. His immediate impression was of how physically solid Margie was, and how much he enjoyed the feel of her pressed up against him. Then he pushed those thoughts away, for later, if at all. But as she held onto him, she trembled a bit and then sobbed.

"I'm sorry, I'm getting you all wet, and you my knight in shining armor!" she said.

He leaned back and smiled at her: "It was totally worth it just to hear you call me that!"

He kissed her cheek and said: "Good night, Mom!"

She smiled back at him and went into the house. He just sighed at how lovely he thought she was, as she went up her walk.

It was a long and partially sleepless night for Margie Wendt. She sat and for a long time, as she sipped a glass of Rhine Wine simply tried to take in the fact that the huge problem, pressing in on her was simply gone, evaporated.

She lasted in this state for a time period and then the mad thought assaulted her that this was a joke somehow and she had to figure it out.

She did have Foster's number from her records at work and, just as she was ready for bed, called him:

"Foster Wayne," he said, answering the phone.

"Foster?" she said softly.

"Oh, Margie," he said, "How nice of you to call."

"Foster, I just wanted to make sure that his wasn't a figment of my imagination; I'm about to go to bed, dressed in my nightgown and all . . ." she broke off at that point and said:

"I don't know why I told you that! I'm sorry." Her shame made her face red.

"Got my attention though," he said, and she giggled.

"I'm sorry, Foster, after a while it just seemed like a dream, is all, I'm sorry I called," she said.

"Don't you dare," he said lightly, "Be sorry for calling me on the phone. I have asked Dean Cherry to send you a letter indicating that Dale's expenses for Med School are taken care of. I thought that you'd want to have that."

"Well, I'm astonished again," she said. "But I'll confess that I'm glad I called; I'm just fairly confused at this point."

"I know, Margie," he said, "Sleep on it; I always find that I see things in a better and clearer light, after I do that."


"Sorry that I can't get another hug," she said, again letting her mouth simply say what was in her mind.

"Well, I could come over for one but that might not be the best idea at this point," he said lightly.

"No, perhaps not," she said.

"You might hurt my knee somehow and then what would the Dragon Lady say to me at PT?" he went on, chuckling at the end of the sentence.

"Dragon Lady?" she said suspiciously.

"Good night, Margie," he said softly, listening to her giggle again. "Consider yourself hugged."

"Good night, Foster," she said then, "And thank you; I mean for everything but especially for that hug."

She slept well after that. In the morning early, she called Dale and told it all to him. He too was surprised but over the moon at the sudden good fortune.

"Oh, we have to thank him, Mom," he said.

"He's coming to dinner on Saturday, please come with Susie and Sylvia," she answered.

"Great idea!" he said, ringing off.

Margie realized the next day that it would be a kind of a test, and she, having thought about it a great deal during the night, was determined to let things be normal between her and Foster. She didn't want to be in a position of being false at all to what he had said.

She entered the waiting area of the PT unit and saw him sitting there. There was no one else around.

"Well," she said, smiling, "Here's the Dragon Lady!"

He grinned at her, and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"I'm still gonna hurt you today!" she said smiling at him with careful cruelty.

"I'm depending on it!" was his answer.

About mid way through the session, he asked:

"You slept well last night?"

"Yes," she said, "I guess my call was dumb."

"Don't say it," he said, "Not dumb at all; you were trying to digest a major, major change in your life. I don't blame you at all."

Margie sighed, "Oh, Foster," she said, "You just make me feel so good all the time."

He smiled at her: "My only aim, Margie, lovely Margie."

Then he apologized for what he'd called her.

"Now it's my turn to say 'Don't you dare!'" she said back to him. "I'll take that compliment and put it away where I can visit it now and then."

She was smiling all out at him, when she finished.

Just before he left the unit, he asked:

"Dress code for Saturday?"

"Oh, casual!" she said. "But I promise that I won't be sloppy."

"Hey, I like sloppy!" he said. "Especially if it's . . ."

She cut him off and said: "I'll hurt you again buster if you tease me!"

"Wouldn't dream of it," he said holding up his hands. "Until tomorrow!"

"Until tomorrow!" she said. "Thank you, Foster."

He smiled at her. "It's totally my pleasure."

Janie was the only one left, when Foster had gone.

"Hey what's up with that?" she asked nudging Margie.

"Oh, Janie," Margie said, sitting down and taking the cup of tea that Janie offered her. "Let me tell you."

She explained the whole thing to Janie, who was both big eyed and enthusiastic.

"Hey, he likes you," Janie said, "I can tell."

"Well maybe," Margie said.

"No, no 'maybe', I'm telling you," Janie said.

"We'll see," was Margie's answer, giving her friend a hug. "But I intend to be careful."

"You call me if you need, sweetie!" Janie said, as they left for the night.

Margie spent the rest of her day thinking about all of it again. She knew that Dale and Susie were busy and put off her urge to call Foster. She took her self out to dinner for Italian at a favorite place and spent the evening in her night gown watching tv, and hardly paying any attention to it.

"Girl," she said to herself severely, "Stop this mooning about! What's happening to you?"

She was afraid that she knew the answer to that quickly enough but just pushed that part of her growing reality away and went to bed.

She had just settled down into bed, when the phone rang.

"Hello," she said softly.

"Margie?" he said.

"Yes," she said, "Hi, Foster. It's probably a good sign that you didn't call me 'Dragon Lady'." She laughed and so did he.

"Don't know why I'm calling," he said earnestly.

"Of course you do," she said settling the issue, "It's your turn."

"Oh, yes, my turn!" he answered. Then: "Margie, I'm not normally so adolescent in my relationships. This is beginning to overwhelm me."

"Yes, I know," she said. "We need to just let be what will be; that's the only thing that I can say."

"How nice of you to say that," he said, sounding relieved. "I guess I should say 'good night'. You must be ready for bed."

"Already under the covers, pink nightie and all!" she said giggling, and not apologizing for saying it or feeling bad about it.

"Hmm, nice mental picture," he said, I can sleep on that.

"Sending a hug, Foster!" she said.

"Thank you, Margie," was his reply. "Until tonight!"

"Until tonight!" as her reply, and she realized that she bit off, just barely the phrase: 'I love you, Foster'. That scared her as much as anything in recent memory, including the possibility of having to maybe give up her house, had.

She lay and thought about it for a long time, but drifted off to sleep pleased with herself.

Saturday was a bustling day. She'd decided on a pork crown roast with small potatoes and carrots. She didn't know about wine but did have a box of burgundy and thought that she'd serve that.

She hadn't known exactly what to wear and settled for a pair of linen pants that didn't really hide the outline of her panties and a beige over blouse that served to cover her butt mostly. She was nervous but thought that she looked okay.

In the later afternoon, Dale and Susie came over, with little Sylvia and helped her with the final preparations.

He was right exactly on time. He pulled into her driveway in his pale blue Mercedes convertible, and she greeted him at the door.

His first words were: "Margie, you look ravishing!"

She reddened and thanked him and said:

"I see you came in your run about!" she said.

"Yes," he said, smiling, "I gave Stan the Man and his lovely lady the night off."

"Stan the Man!" she said, "I must meet him sometime."

"Oh, I assure you that you will," was his response.

Then he handed her a bouquet of roses and a bottle of wine.

"Oh thank you," she said. "I only have a box of burgundy, and was half ashamed to serve it."

"I promise not to be a wine snob!" he said smiling, and by then Dale and Susie had come into the hall from the living room.

Margie did the honors: "Foster, this is my son Dale and his wife Susie, and their Sylvia. Dale, Susie, this is my friend Foster Wayne."

"Pleased to meet you, Mr Wayne," Dale said, and Susie echoed that. Then Dale went on:

"Mr Wayne, I am in your debt! And I sincerely appreciate your help."

"Not at all," Foster said, "I did it as a friend of your Mom's, as she will tell you, and you owe me nothing. It was a pleasure to me to be able to help your Mom and you this way."

Margie and Dale had talked about this very subject and they'd decided that they'd let it lie and only bring it up again if Foster did, which he showed no inclination to do.

They went in for an appetizer and then dinner, and they all had a wonderful time. Dale and Susie found Foster to be as sincere and down to earth as Margie had said he was.

Later in the evening, Dale and Susie excused themselves, when he explained that he had to do some studying yet, and Sylvia had to be put to bed. They'd already helped Margie and Foster with the clean up, which he insisted on doing with her.

When they were left alone, they settled in the living room for a bit.

"Lovely home," he said.

"Yes, small but I was on my own all those years and it always fit my needs," she replied.

There was a silence then and he got up to go. She, however, had already thought of this and went to him.

"Real hug now," she said.

"Real hug," was his reply, as he took her in his arms.

"Not a Mom's hug!" was her next statement.

He smiled at her and said: "How do I know?"

She took his hand and moved it, as she was grasping him by the wrist, so that it came to rest on her ass.

"Oh, I see," he said, and then he whispered: "It feels as lovely as it has looked all these weeks."

"You peeked!" she said, with mock surprise.

"Yes," he answered, "The therapy cost but the looking was free."

"I want . . ." she said hesitating but went on then: "I want to kiss you, Foster."

"Oh, yes," was his answer and he leaned into her and kissed her, still letting his hand roam around her ass cheeks.

"Oh that feels so nice," she said.

"This kiss? My hand?" he asked.

"Both!" was her reply.

She asked him then, her mouth close to his ear:

"Foster, shall I . . .uh do you want me to take my clothes off?"

"In the worst way," he said, "It would fulfill all my fantasies but I don't think so tonight. Let me explain. If you did, it might seem, even if that weren't the case, that it was because I've helped and will help Dale. So, we won't tonight. But since we both know that this is the case now, the next time it will be only us and it will be fine."

"Oh, you lovely, lovely man! And 'next time,' I want a 'next time'," she said, kissing him again.

After the kiss, he left.

She called him that night.

"Hello, Foster Wayne!" he said.

"My turn!" was what she said first. "Only to say good night and tell you that I have only pink panties on in bed tonight!"

"Oh you cruel, cruel wonderful woman!" he said, and she giggled. "Gives me something to work with here!"

"Good," she answered, "Accomplished my aim! Good night, Foster."

Once again, she bit back the phrase that was already in her mouth and on her tongue. She simply bit it back.

The following Tuesday, they had had their therapy session; she was pleased at how well he was doing and how his knee was bending. They shared a cup of coffee and then he left.

She talked with Janie for a bit and assured her friend that they were indeed 'taking it slow and easy'. They still had a giggle about the entire situation.

Margie was the last one out and then her car, an older Toyota, wouldn't start. It just grunted a few times and that was it.

"Oh dear!" she moaned to herself.

She'd let her AAA membership lapse in a cost cutting gesture and here she was. Then she remembered what Foster had said about helping her at any time. She called him hoping, hoping.

"Foster Wayne," he said.

Then in a tiny voice she said: "Foster, my car won't start; I'm afraid something is dead and I don't have an AAA membership any more. I'm sorry to bother you . . ."

"No 'sorries' for us, Margie," he said, "I'll be right there."

She waited and, true to his word, he was there with the sporty, lovely Mercedes sports car within just a little while. She noticed that he wasn't alone, another man was in the car with him.

He got out of the car, and so real was her relief to see him that she went to him and just held on to him.

"I hate these kinds of predicaments," she said, "Hate them!"

He kissed her cheek, and then he said:

"Margie, this is Stan."

"Oh," she enthused, "Stan the Man!" She reacted immediately and put her hand over her mouth.

But Stan was grinning and held his hand out to her for a greeting.

"Here's what we're going to do," Foster said, "Stan has called an acquaintance and the car will be picked up soon. But he'll stay with it. You can come with me, I'll give you a ride."

She just said 'thank you' to him, as they left, leaving Stan behind.

"I don't know what I'll do," she said, "Damn car!"

"It's taken care of," he said, putting his hand over hers.

"I am a very resourceful and practical person," she said, almost by way of apology, "But this car stuff has always defeated me."

"How well I know, how resourceful the Dragon Lady is!" he said grinning at her.

The name, and his using it served to take her out of her funk, and she laughed.

"Some Dragon Lady!" she said, "Defeated by a car!"

"We all have our weak spots," was his next statement.

"Gee," she said, smiling at her, "I wonder what yours is?"

"I promise that I will tell you one day soon," he said, "But first here we are."

She was confused, when he pulled into the driveway of a very large and lovely house.

"Here?" she asked, expressing her confusion.

"Yes," he said, "My house! I'm going to give you the Mercedes; use it as long as you wish. I'd give it to you outright but that might make you, at least at this point in our relationship, uneasy."

"Oh, Foster!" she said, leaning over and claiming a kiss from him.

"I'm sorry that I do have some things to do tonight; it's ungallant but I must attend to them," he explained.

"No, no," she said, "You are never ungallant, not ever. I'm coming out now for a hug and a kiss, and to remind you that it's your turn to call tonight."

"Yes, my turn," he said, getting out of the car and going to her.

When they'd kissed, he said to her: "Margie would you please come to dinner with me at my house this coming Saturday?"

"Oh, love to!" she said.

"We can invite Dale and Susie some other time but maybe this first time is just for us," he went on.

"Yes, just for us; lovely!" she said.

"Have a bathing suit?" he asked.

"Uh, yes, why?" she said.

"Well, I was thinking that we'd have dinner at my house in the Bahamas, actually!" he said.

Margie's first instinct, which she obeyed, was to squeal!

"I'm sorry," she said, "What a noise but that is so absolutely nice, and I'll shop for a suit. Any preferences?"

"You in a bathing suit sounds delicious to me!" he said, kissing her again. "And pack some overnight things, clothes etc. We'll stay the weekend."

He thought for a second and went on: "And please know that this is not my big seduction move. It's a large house and you'll have all the privacy that you need."

"Yes, I know," she said, "Thank you." Her face brightened then and she said: "Foster thank you for rescuing me again, for the loan of the car and for the invite to your house!"

"Not necessarily a loan," he said, "But I don't want to do things that you would not approve of!"

"Haven't yet," she said, "The Dragon Lady is calm!"

He laughed, "Lovely! I'll call, when Stanley gives me the word about your car."

They kissed again and she left.

"Lovely car!"she sang to herself, "The Bahamas! His house in the Bahamas!"

As soon as she got home, she called Janie.

"Hello," Janie said.

"Janie, it's Margie," she said and then she launched into it: "My car wouldn't start at work," she began.

"Do you need a ride or anything?" Janie said immediately.

"No, honey," Margie went on, "I called Foster and he gave me his Mercedes sports car. I think that he just gave it to me but I'm not sure."

Janie squealed.

"And he's invited me for dinner on Saturday to his house in the Bahamas!" Margie went on.

Janie squealed again.

"Janie, I need a bathing suit!" Margie went on.

"At least one," Janie said. Maybe an every day and a sexy one; what do you think?"

"Maybe!" Margie said, "Shop with me?"

"Love to!" Janie said, squealing again.

"Time tonight?" Magie asked.

"Of course!" Janie said, "And one thing."

"Yes?" Margie asked.

"When you finally land him, invite me and my husband to your house in the Bahamas!" she was giggling and laughing by the time that she got to the end of the sentence.

Margie laughed and said: "You're terrible!"

"But accurate!" Janie said, "Promise!"

"I can't," Margie said, "I don't want to jinx it!"

"You're right," Janie said, "We'll speak about this again."

They ended up selecting a one piece red stretch fabric suit for Margie that really showed off her figure, and, at Janie's insistence, a bikini, this one a sky blue.

Janie was in the dressing room with her, when she had the red suit on and said: "I'd tell you to go out and model it but there'd be a riot!"

They both giggled at that.

They went, after the suit shopping and had a drink before going home.

"I love your car!" Janie said, as they got into the Mercedes.

"His car!" Margie corrected.

"We'll see!" Janie said.

By then they were at Janie's house; Margie gave her a hug and thanked her for going with her.

"Keep me informed!" Janie said.

"I will," was Margie's response.

Margie was already snuggled down in bed, when the phone rang.

"Hello!" she said, "You've reached the Dragon Lady!"

"Oh, have I," Foster said, and she laughed.

"Just now in bed," she said.

"Your evening?" he asked.

"Had to go out and show my car!" she said, "Oops, I mean your car!"

"Now you know it's your car!" he said.

"Oh, Foster! I'm afraid that I'm getting giddy!" she said.

"Giddy is a good sign, I think," was his response.

"We'll talk about the car," she said.

"Fine, Margie, yes we will," he responded.

"And," she said.

"There's an 'and'?" he asked chuckling.

"Janie and I went bathing suit shopping!" Margie said then.

"Oh, anything good?" he wanted to know.

"Knock your eyes out suits! I think," was her response.

"Can't wait for that!" he said.

"Don't you want to ask me what I'm wearing?" she asked in a sly voice.

"Not sure a gentleman asks that," he said, "Besides I was counting on you to just tell me."

She laughed: "Pink panties!"

"Only?" he said then, interested.

"Only!" was her reply.

"My what a mental picture that gives!" he went on.

There was a small silence and she said:

"Oh, Foster, you keep sweeping me off my feet and I find myself loving it! Will you forgive me if I fall in love with you?"

"I would forgive you even if you didn't!" he said.

"Please don't think it's the . . ." she began.