Promises Made and Promises Kept Pt. 03

"Great," I answered. "Matthew and Mark are looking forward to seeing you too."

"Shall I bring a bottle of wine?" Judy asked.

"Sure," I replied. "Whatever goes good with pot roast will be fine."

"That sounds like a bottle of red wine, maybe a Cabernet Sauvignon," Judy said.

"Works for me," I said with a smile. "I'd better go get my work done."

"Me, too," Judy responded as she got up and walked me to the door. "See you tonight."

I went back to my office, and Cathy followed me in so we could synchronize our calendars. I noticed that my afternoon meeting with the advanced LIDAR customer team was rescheduled for next week, leaving my entire afternoon open. I was thrilled because I could go earlier to prepare for dinner tonight. I remarked how lucky it had been, and Cathy just smiled, like she knew something I didn't know. I was too into my own thoughts about tonight to make anything of it.

I told Cathy that I would be leaving early this afternoon, so we blocked out my calendar after 4 PM. When we were done, Cathy went back to her desk, and I got to work. The morning flew by, and Judy and I met for lunch, planning our evening. I worked on my presentation to the e-ConFig group with Sally until 3 PM. We got it finished, and I sent Sally back to her desk, stating that I'd schedule some time with Judy next week to give the presentation to her and her team.

At 4 PM, I packed up, turned my computer off, and headed out, saying good night to Cathy. As I headed down the hall to the stairs, I heard Cathy on the phone saying, "Sue, she's heading ...," just as I got out of earshot.

When I got home, I started working on dinner. Matthew and Mark were there and offered to help, but I shooed them away, telling them to get dressed. I was so nervous as I fixed dinner because I wanted to make sure everything was perfect tonight. Before I got too stressed out, Grace came out and shooed me out of the kitchen, and told me to go get ready for dinner. As much as I hated the idea of letting Grace help me with dinner, I accepted her offer and went into my bedroom.

I had thought all day about what I'd wear tonight, and I finally settled on a navy blue sheath dress with a princess neckline and matching 3" heels. I put my hair in a French braid and let it hang down my back. I donned a lovely navy blue choker with a sapphire pendant to compliment my eyes. As I looked at myself in the mirror, I turned from side to side, admiring how the dress emphasized my hips and bust.

When I came out, I met Matthew and Mark in the living room. They had both dressed nicely in slacks and button-down shirts and ties. They both looked so handsome, and I knew Judy would just love them. They looked me over, and Matthew said, "Mom, you look beautiful."

"Yeah, Mom, you look nice," Mark added.

"You two look very handsome, too," I said, nearly tearing up from happiness.

I headed out to the kitchen to check on dinner. Kathy had joined Grace in the kitchen, and Kathy looked me up and down and whistled when she saw me, saying, "You look good, Virginia."

I went up to Kathy and hugged her, saying, "Thanks, Kathy."

Grace came up to hug me, saying, "You look beautiful, sweetie. Judy is going to love your outfit."

"Thanks, Grace. I really appreciate your support on this," I said, hugging her back. "Thanks for helping with dinner. I've got it from here," I finished as I let Grace go.

"Everything's ready; it's all in the warmer," Grace said as she headed out to get ready to go out with Kathy. While Grace was getting ready, I sat at the kitchen table with Kathy, and we chatted about our day.

When Grace came out, I hugged her and complimented her on her outfit. Kathy hugged her and laid a kiss on Grace that promised her she would enjoy herself tonight. I walked them to the door and told them to have a good time.

I started to set the dinner table when Matthew and Mark came into the kitchen to offer to help. I let them carry the china and place settings out to set up. I checked on the food to make sure it was ready since Judy would be there any minute.

I heard a car pull up in the driveway. Matthew and Mark hurried out to meet Judy while I stood by the door. Matthew opened Judy's door and handed her out while Mark took the wine bottle that Judy handed him into the house. Judy was wearing a lovely pale lilac A-line dress that came down to just above her knees, and it had a v-neck that exposed the tops of her breasts. She had a beautiful pendant necklace that nestled between her breasts. Matthew walked Judy up to the door, and as Judy stepped into the house, I hugged her and said, "Welcome to my home, Judy."

Judy hugged me back and said, "Thank you, Virginia. I'm glad to be here."

I then introduced Judy to Matthew and Mark. She hugged each of them in turn, thanking them for their help and telling them how handsome they looked. I then said, "Matthew, Mark, would you please keep Judy entertained while I finish getting dinner ready?"

"Yes, Mom," Matthew said and motioned for Judy to follow him.

"Yes, Mom," Mark echoed, following Matthew and Judy into the living room.

I went out to the kitchen and started getting the dishes out of the warmer and taking them in to set them on the dining table. I then dressed the salad with an oil and vinegar dressing and placed it on the table. I opened the wine, poured a drink for Judy and me, and put it on the table, along with ice water for Mark and Matthew.

I then went into the living room to tell them dinner was ready. I found Judy in an animated discussion with Matthew and Mark. I stood there for a minute, just watching how Judy interacted with them. My heart clenched when I saw that Judy was completely comfortable with them. I stepped into the living room and announced, "Dinner is ready. Matthew, Mark, please show Judy to the dining room?"

Matthew sat Judy at one end of the table while Mark sat me on the other end. They then took their seats, Matthew to my right and Mark to my left, while Judy and I thanked them for their kindness. Judy smiled at me and said, "Your two boys are such gentlemen."

"Yes, they are," I replied while smiling back at Judy. My heart clenched again when I thought about how they had matured. I then bowed my head and said, "Let us pray." We all crossed ourselves before I prayed, "Bless us, Oh Lord, and these thy gifts, which we are about to receive, from thy bounty, through Christ, Our Lord. Amen." When I finished, they all said "Amen," and we crossed ourselves again.

Matthew and Mark passed the dishes to Judy and me to serve ourselves first before plating their food. We all dug in, and Judy praised the food, as did Matthew and Mark.

I asked, "Judy, how are Amy and Emily getting ready for swim season?"

Judy started talking about her girls, and Matthew and Mark asked questions to keep the conversation going. I again watched as Judy was comfortable with talking with Matthew and Mark. I could see how proud she was of her daughters, and she took the time to answer all of the questions asked of her. The conversation turned to Matthew and Mark as Judy asked them about the soccer season just finished up last month.

Matthew eagerly jumped in and started telling Judy about his soccer season. I just sat there feeling proud of Matthew. I watched as Judy paid attention to Matthew as though what he had to say was the only thing she was interested in. I know Matthew was thrilled to be the center of her attention. When he was done, Judy turned to Mark and said, "Your mom tells me you made the All-Star team." Mark was thrilled that Judy knew about that, and he told her about his season and how well the team did.

By the time Mark had finished regaling Judy about his soccer, we were done eating. Judy and I took our wine into the living room while Matthew and Mark cleaned up the dishes. When we reached the living room and sat on the couch next to each other, Judy said, "I really enjoyed dinner tonight. Your sons are delightful, and I'm glad I got to meet them."

"Well, I just want to say that they certainly like you," I said. "I'm glad you got a chance to meet them."

"I think my girls would like to meet your boys sometime," Judy said, a blush coming up her throat.

"Yes, I think Matthew and Mark would like to meet Amy and Emily, too," I said. I was thrilled Judy was thinking about taking our relationship to the next level.

We sat there, gazing at each other in silence, each lost in our own thoughts. I took a drink from my glass, and Judy followed suit. Before I could say anything, Matthew and Mark came into the living room and sat down in the side chairs.

"Judy, I'm glad I got to meet you tonight," Matthew said.

"Me, too," Mark said. "I'm glad that you and Mom are friends."

"Thank you," Judy said. She looked at me and smiled as she said, "I'm glad we're friends, too."

I blushed at that, and I noticed Matthew and Mark shared a look and grinned at each other. We sat and chatted for a while. Judy saw the pictures and trophies on the mantle and got up to look at them. I noticed she spent some time looking at our family portrait before looking at the trophies. She commented on them, praising them for their sporting achievements.

When Judy came back to sit on the couch with me, she reached over and took my hand in hers. The shock made my breath hitch, and I was thrilled Judy felt comfortable enough to express her feelings for me in front of Matthew and Mark. We chatted for a while longer before Matthew and Mark begged to be excused to go to their rooms.

Judy said, "I'd probably better get going, too. I need to pick up my girls and get them home."

We all got up and said our goodbyes. Matthew and Mark went up to their rooms, and I walked Judy out to her car. Before Judy got in her car, I said, "Thanks for coming, Judy. We really had a great time."

Judy turned to me before saying, "I'm glad I got to meet your sons. I had a great time, and I'd like to do this again sometime."

"Oh, yes," I said before my head tilted up while Judy's head tilted down for a kiss. Our lips met, and our eyes closed as our lips met. The world went away for a while. All there was were our bodies molded together as our arms instinctively went around each other. I thrilled at the feelings going through my body as my nipples hardened and my pussy got hot and wet. We both softly moaned as our mouths opened, and our tongues invaded each other's mouths.

We broke our kiss before we passed out from lack of oxygen, and I stepped back, my arms returning to my sides. Judy turned and opened her car door before getting in. Before closing her door, I said, "Goodnight, Judy. Drive safely."

"Goodnight, Virginia. I will," Judy said as she started the car.

I pushed the door closed and stepped back so Judy could back the car out of the driveway. I stood there watching until Judy drove out of sight. I heaved a sigh and walked back into the house. I went into my bedroom and changed into sweats before going out into the kitchen and cleaning up.

When I had the dishes in the dishwasher, I went into the living room and turned on the TV. I sat and watched "Frosty the Snowman" and "Rudolf, the Red-Nosed Reindeer." I thought about Judy and how she had enjoyed her interactions with Matthew and Mark. I could finally let my last reservations go and pursue a relationship with Judy. With that decision made, I relaxed and enjoyed the show.

Eventually, Matthew and then Mark came down and joined me on the couch. I asked, "So, what do you think about Judy?"

"She's a keeper," Mark quipped before Matthew added, "She's very nice. I like her."

"So, I have your permission to pursue a relationship with her?" I asked, looking up to Matthew.

"Yes, Mom," Matthew replied. "You have my blessing."

I teared up as I hugged him and said, "Thank you, Matthew."

I turned and looked up to Mark as he smiled and said, "Ditto, Mom. You have my blessing, too."

I hugged Mark as I started weeping in joy and sorrow at the thought of bringing Judy into our family. "Oh, Bonnie," I thought, "I love you so much, but I'm going to keep my promise to find someone else to love. I won't forget you, but I need to move on." Matthew and Mark both hugged me, and they teared up a little as they realized a new chapter in their life was beginning.

We eventually settled down and finished watching "Little Drummer Boy" before we got up to prepare for bed. I said goodnight to the boys before heading into my bedroom. I prepared for bed and fell to sleep, dreaming of Bonnie. She hugged me and told me it was okay, and she wanted me to be happy. When I woke in the morning, I was ready to take our relationship to the next level.

***

Raytheon was preparing for the holiday break. Just about everyone was going to be out for the week between Christmas and New Year. Friday, December 23rd, was our last day in the office until Tuesday, January 3rd. That Friday, before we left for the extended holiday, Judy and I planned to go running on the 31st.

***

I got the most incredible Christmas presents ever this year. After all of the presents under the tree had been opened, Matthew handed me a large envelope and said, "Merry Christmas, Mom."

I took it and looked at Matthew questioningly.

"Go ahead, open it," Matthew urged. Grace, Kathy, and Mark also gathered around, looking at me expectantly.

I opened the envelope and pulled out some legal documents. I started reading them and suddenly realized what they were. It was a petition for Adoption. I noticed Grace and Matthew had already signed the paperwork. All that was needed were my signatures before it could go before the judge. I started tearing up when I realized what it was. I looked up at Matthew, seeing his love for me in his eyes, and I just pulled him in for a hug, my tears flowing all over his chest. I started sobbing, "Oh, God, Matthew. Thank you! I love you so much!"

Once I got myself back under control, I released Matthew and stepped back. That was when Mark pulled a similar envelope from behind his back, handed it to me, and said, "Merry Christmas, Mom."

Without hesitation, this time, I immediately opened it. I pulled out two sets of documents and started reading them. The first document was an order of Emancipation from Gary, his biological father. The second one was a petition for Adoption. The order of Emancipation had been granted just last week. The petition for Adoption already had Mark's and Grace's signatures and, like Matthew's petition, was waiting for my signatures.

I started tearing up again and looked up at Mark and said, "Oh, Mark, I love you so much!"

I pulled him in for a hug and started sobbing and leaving tears on his chest. Grace came over and hugged me, saying, "Merry Christmas, sweetie!"

I turned and hugged Grace back, saying, "Oh, God, thank you so much, Grace!"

The next day, we finished moving Kathy's stuff out of her apartment and into storage. We spent the day cleaning up the apartment and getting it ready to turn in. Matthew and Mark moved Kathy's stuff into storage while Grace and I helped Kathy clean up the apartment. Finally, Kathy went to turn in the keys, and she teared up when she did so. We all hugged her until the tears stopped.

I couldn't wait to share the news about Matthew and Mark adopting me as their mother with Judy. When we met to go running, I was smiling so big that Judy looked at me and asked, "Why are you so happy today?"

"Matthew and Mark have petitioned the court to legally make me their mother," I said, tears leaking from my eyes despite the smile on my face. "Now, I can say they're my sons, and I don't need to qualify it."

"That's wonderful!" Judy gushed, and she hugged me tight, making my breath hitch as I realized Judy didn't mind being affectionate with me in public. I hugged her back fiercely as I enjoyed the feel of her lean body against mine. We eventually broke and separated, but not before drawing glances from a few people walking by. We went on with our run, and I really enjoyed it. We dawdled a bit when we finished the run, neither of us wanting to end our time together. Judy again told me how happy she was I would soon be recognized as Matthew and Marks' mother. We hugged a sweaty hug before we left to go our separate ways home.

January 1995

We've been having dinner at each other's house two times now, and I thought it was time we went on an actual date away from our children. I stopped by Judy's office on my way to my office and knocked on the door. When Judy looked up, she smiled, obviously happy to see me. "Good morning, Virginia," she said. "Please come in."

I walked over and sat down across from Judy. I smiled and said, "Good morning, Judy."

"Are we on for dinner at your place this Friday?" Judy asked.

"Actually," I started, "I was thinking, maybe we could go out for dinner instead?"

Judy paused, looked at me intently, and then widely smiled as she said, "I'd love to, Virginia."

"Great," I said, smiling back at Judy. "This place I know has great food, and we can go dancing afterward?"

"Oh?" Judy replied. "What kind of dancing did you have in mind?"

I felt some heat come over my face and down my throat as I said, "This place caters to a more mature crowd, so it's not Moshe pit type of dancing. Fast or slow, it's up to you."

Judy smiled as she saw the blush on my throat and said, "That sounds like fun. Let's do it."

"I'll pick you up at 6:30 then," I said, getting up to leave.

Judy stood up and came around her desk, and walked me to the door. As we paused at the door, she touched my arm with her fingertips and said, "I can't wait. I'm really looking forward to Friday night."

"Me, too," I said as I turned and headed back to my office, feeling like I was floating on a cloud. I knew Judy was watching, so I put a little extra into my walk.

When I got back to my office, Cathy saw me coming and smiled, twigging to the mood I was in. I smiled back as I walked into my office. As I sat down, I realized that Friday would take forever to come. I sighed and dove into my work. I had a lot to do before Friday night came around.

***

Friday afternoon dragged on forever. I finally finished up at 4:30 PM, thankful that nothing new had come across my desk. I shut down my computer and gathered my effects, and walked out of my office. Cathy was still at her desk, and she smiled as she said, "Good night, Virginia. I'll see you Monday."

I smiled back and said, "Have a great weekend, Cathy. I'll see you Monday."

As I turned to leave, Cathy picked up her phone and dialed a number. Just before I was out of earshot, I heard her say, "Sue? This is Cathy ...."

When I got home, Grace and Kathy were there. I had told them I was going out on a date tonight with Judy, and they were happy for me. Grace urged me on up to my bedroom, saying that she would fix dinner for Matthew and Mark tonight.

I took extra care in my toilet, making sure I was freshly shaved everywhere. I decided to wear a lovely red piped lace sheath dress that came down to just above my knees with slits halfway up my thighs. The straps exposed my shoulders and arms, and the dress hugged my figure, emphasizing my breasts and ass. I put my hair up in a French braid pinned up in a loose bun, exposing my neck. I wore a pair of red 3-inch heels that matched my dress and clutch.

When I came downstairs, Kathy gave out a wolf-whistle in appreciation. Grace just smiled and looked me over before saying, "You look beautiful, dear. Judy is going to love that outfit."

I hugged Grace and kissed her on the cheek, saying, "Thanks, Grace. I love you so much!"

I went over and hugged Kathy, saying, "Thanks for the compliment, Kathy."

I went out and got in my car. Due to the weather, I'd have to drive with the top up on my Miata. I made my way over to Judy's home, fighting the butterflies in my stomach. I was nervous because this would be our first actual date, and I wanted to make sure I didn't go too far or not go far enough.