Season of Joy

He was a driving force in drive to build both the Performing Arts/Convention Center and the larger arena that now housed the local hockey rink that also served as an arena for touring professional musical and comedy shows.

She learned he had lost his wife of 28 years a few years ago but didn't know any details. Joy decided to check with Allison too.

Allison knew something was up right off. "What's happened? You're all flushed."

"I am? Oh, that's not good."

"Why?"

"I met Gere Dawson."

"And...?"

"He is nothing like I expected."

"Uh huh," Allison smiled wryly.

"He has this ability of making you the center of his attention when he speaks with you."

"Uh, huh, that's what I told you!" Allison's smile broadened.

"Yes, you did! And he's so good-looking, shorter than I imagined, but he reminds me of someone famous, I just can't put my finger on who."

"Cary Grant."

"YES! Oh, my god!"

Allison smiled as if she had a piece of secret knowledge.

"What?"

"He's very 'charming' isn't he?" Allison smiled, "When I first met him, I got 'wet' and stayed that way all afternoon."

"Allison!" Joy gasped in feigned shock.

"What, and how about you? I'll bet you're 'wet' right now!" Allison giggled.

Joy was scandalized, not by what Allison said but because she knew what she was referring to and that she was right! She was worried because she was scheduled to spend the rest of the day with him in a personal guided tour of the area. How could she make it through the day if he so effected her by talking with him a few minutes at the Senior center?

"What am I going to do, I can't walk around all afternoon w... like this?"

"I know what I would do." Allison bobbed her eyebrows and fanned her face.

"Allison!" Joy said as if shocked, "You're married!"

"Yes, but some opportunities are too good to pass up"

Joy's jaws dropped and then both women laughed. Joy was sure that Allison was joking but thought again, 'maybe not'.

All in all, though, Allison didn't help at all. Her comments only added a sexual context to a complicated situation.

Perhaps it only seemed complicated to Joy. She had no interest in dating since Thomas died and still didn't for the most part. Now her attempt to regenerate her career crashed to ashes and the hidden wolf of loneliness she tried to ignore reared its head.

Her mother tried t get her to entertain the thought that it was time get out into the world, 'start looking around' while staying in Tacoma.

But a new romance never entered her mind! Add to that the prospect of taking on a new job, a new career, basically, was a distraction she didn't need! But a distraction it was! She found she couldn't stop thinking of him since they met!

Gere arrived on time and came to the office directly. Allison, obviously aflutter with his presence, fawned over him shamelessly. Her behavior annoyed Joy, and then she was annoyed because she was annoyed, Even worse, Gere was completely flirting with Allison in return. She wasn't sure why it annoyed her so, it was an unfamiliar emotion for her, and she couldn't reconcile it.

Joy was observing from the door of her office until she decided she had seen enough.

and stepped through the door.

Gere looked up and saw her and smiled his charming smile, Joy's annoyance melted away, and she couldn't help but smile back.

"Are you ready to go?" Gere asked moving the three steps across the office to her.

"Yes, I'm excited." Joy dropped her eyes as Gere took her jacket from her and opened it for her to slip it on. She heard Allison stifle a laugh, and shot a little frown her way. Allison gave her a thumbs up as they slipped out the door.

"I think we'll take a little drive up the east side of the valley so you can view a panorama of the whole area. Along the way, we'll visit a few landmarks and points of interest. Okay?"

"Alright, that sounds like fun." Joy smiled at him, he was so good-looking!

Gere opened the passenger door to his Lincoln Aviator and helped Joy slide in, then got behind the wheel, and they were off.

"I gather from your résumé that you grew up a Washington girl?"

"Yes. I was born and raised in north Tacoma, almost out in the country. I went to public schools and attended the University of Washington, After graduating with a performing arts degree, I studied at Julliard. I had a happy childhood, and was blessed with musical parents who made sure I had piano lessons, ... and voice, of course.

"I remember you in 'Figaro'! I loved your voice, and you were pretty easy on the eyes, too," Gere smiled and glanced at her. He noticed she was blushing.

"So, you were performing on stage, then you disappeared..."

"I met a wonderful man and decided I would be happier as a wife and mother.

"Were you?"

"Oh yes, no regrets there. I lost Thomas to Alzheimer's a little over 2 years ago."

"I'm sorry, I can relate to that, my wife also died of Alzheimer's about 2 years ago. Hers happened quickly, mercifully. I only had her for two years after the first symptoms. 9 months after her diagnosis, I found her walking in the rain out in the street one spring night. She was totally nude and drenched, she was lost."

"Poor thing!" Joy interjected as Gere continued.

"It was terrible. She had to go to a memory care center after that"

"I'm so sorry." They were both silent for a few moments, "It took over five years for Thomas. He got combative about 2 years in, poor man. When he started to hit me, I had to have him committed. He was just too big for me to handle.'

"That's terrible," he noticed her dabbing her cheeks as a tear formed in her beautiful blue eyes, so he drove without speaking for a few seconds.

"Janet was a spirited woman, though a little shy! I liked that about her except when she was angry with me, but the Alzheimer's changed her into a happy extrovert, she loved everyone."

Joy studied Gere as he drove and talked. He glanced at her from time to time. She figured she was a few years older than him, but there was a quiet agelessness to his eyes, it made her wonder.

"Do you mind if I ask you a personal question?" She asked.

"Sure as long as I can ask one in return."

Joy laughed, "Okay that sounds fair...I guess, hmmmm," the prospects of what she may be asked made her consider a moment.

"Alright, here it is ...how old are you?"

"Oh, I'm old...ancient decrepit! Are you sure you want an answer?

"Yes, but if you don't want to tell me you don't have to"

"No, no, its alright. My usual response is to make people guess. So what to you think?"

"Uh....50?" She thought he could be younger, he had no wrinkles except smile lines by his eyes, and he had just the beginnings of aging showing in the rest of his face, and his hair was a little more gray than his natural light brown.

"Oh my! I'm tempted to say 'you guessed it' but...I'm actually 65, almost 66.

Joy was flabbergasted, "I don't believe you! How can you look so good at 65?" She realized what she had said a second after she said it and turned bright red. The one drawback to her light complexion was that the slightest blush was visible to everyone.

He looked at her with a little grin. She was blushing, but he decided not to call attention to it. "Okay my turn, I have the same question, though I think I have an advantage because I was in the audience when you sang 'Susanna' in Seattle opera's 'Figaro' years ago and you were at least 20. You don't look a day over 42 . But I'll guess 45."

Joy laughed, "Flatterer! You are either lying or you are horrible at math!"

"I'm not particularly good a math but..."

"I'm 52!"

"The only reason I believe you is that you had to be about 21 or 22 when I heard you sing, and that was 30 years ago. Oh! I nearly forgot...," Gere reached into the console and pulled out his program from her performance those years ago, "I wanted to show you this."

"What is it?" Joy took it and turned it over to see her picture as 'Susanna' on the cover and her name in bold print across the bottom of the page. Across the dress was her autograph "Best wishes Gere Dawson", a little heart and her signature. She used to sign autographs that way.

"I had a crush on you for weeks after," Gere smiled but looked straight ahead.

"and you kept this?"

"Yes, I remember the performance. I hoped you would release an album, so I could hear you sing anytime I wanted."

"One was in the works, but I got married instead."

"Good for you, but a loss for the world."

"Thank you, that is so kind."

"It is so true!" Her glanced at her then, she was blushing again. Gere smiled but said nothing."

"Take a look at the river," he called attention to the view of the great Columbia River where the Wenoka river joined its flow.

"Oh!" Joy gasped "It is so beautiful."

The trees in the city were turning color so the green of pines and spruce were interspersed with the colors of deciduous trees in the parks and yards on the valley floor. It never ceased to inspire Gere with its beauty and now, he shared that view with this equally beautiful woman,

"Yes, beautiful," but Gere was not looking at the valley he was looking at Joy. She caught his not-so- subtle appreciation of her appearance.

"Oh you, now stop!" She playfully slapped his arm.

"I don't think I want to," Gere said but smiled mischievously after a few seconds."

They fell silent for a few minutes, while Joy now turned about, looking at the view as it changed the higher their elevation.

The view now was overpowered by the great Cascade Mountain Range. It was difficult to take in from an automobile so Gere pulled over in a place that had a wide shoulder centered around a tourist kiosk. She was about to jump from the car when Gere put his hand on her arm.

"Just hold on a second, it will be cold out there and your little jacket will not be enough. I brought some coats for us." He reached into the back and pulled out two wool coats. When he opened the car door to step out, the cold wind chased away all the warmth inside. He put one of the coats on as he stepped out and brought the other around the car and opened her door. She stepped out and was immediately hit by the bite of the cold air. The chill was compounded by a brisk steady wind that blew.

"I brought a coat that belonged to Janet. She was about the same size as me so it will be big on you I'm afraid."

As Joy stepped from the car he held it open for her to thread her small arms into the sleeves. It was indeed too big and swallowed her small form once she pulled it closed. It was warm from the car, and she welcomed the soft woolen lining that rubbed against her dainty neck and snuggled her cheeks. The coat still had the faint fragrance of the former owner's perfume which she realized was coincidentally her own.

Gere looked at her and smiled, 'She is so adorable!" he thought. The coat made her look even smaller and more vulnerable due to its size. He slipped his arm around her and guided her to the edge of the road where they could look at the view.

The mountains had already gathered a covering of snow, and there was some evidence there had been snow where they were standing.

"Surprisingly," Gere began, "We are at about the same elevation as the top of Blewett Pass that you no doubt drove over to get here from Tacoma. You can see off to our left, a finger of the Cascades that are named the Wenoka Mountains and off to our right the river valley winds toward Grand Coulee Dam. In front of us, is the rugged Cascade mountains. If we drove up this side a little higher we may be able to spot the top of Mount Rainier if the sky is clear like today. We maybe can do that another time. We need to head back down soon."

Joy turned her head from one side to the other enjoying the amazing panorama before her. A view of such stunning beauty which fills the viewer's range of vision with mountains, valleys, and river meet the sky was the rarest of experiences. It was humbling and so beautiful that she was moved with emotion.

"It is so beaut..." was as far as she got before a little sob escaped her and a tear rolled down her cheek. Gere raised his hand and softly laid it aside her face and tenderly wiped the tear away with his thumb. With his other hand he hooked a strand of her hair that blew in the wind behind her ear. She thought that he would kiss her, and she would not stop him if he had, but he just looked in her eyes and thought better of it.

He indeed had the urge to kiss her, but it would have been a bold and, perhaps, unwanted advance. Maybe she would have allowed or even wanted him to, but there was time. He wanted to build a rapport with her, to be sure she would welcome his advances. That would take longer than the hour they had together thus far. He reminded himself to be patient a woman as special as Joy was with the wait.

He looked down at her petite 5 foot form enveloped in a wool coat several sizes too big. She looked up at him with her big blue eyes opened wide, still wet from her tears at the wonder of the panorama before her. She looked so vulnerable, needing tenderness and care, she was adorable beyond Gere's imagination to withstand. His heart ached to know her better, to know her well enough to take her in his arms and kiss her full lips.

Joy yearned to fall into his arms and bask in the warmth of his body and his cheek against her own. She wanted his lips on her neck and have him whisper sweet things in her ear. She would have probably been shocked if he did, but she wanted it just the same.

The 'want' passed through her body settling between her legs. The cold wind acted as a catalyst to her desire, causing her to shiver as the chill of the wind raised goosebumps on her chest, arms and neck. Her areola compressed her nipples into tight buttons inside her bra and sheer blouse and rubbed maddeningly across her second most erogenous zone.

She shivered from her shoulders to her pelvis only partially due to the cold. Gere, unaware of the thoughts that almost certainly brought the shiver upon her, slipped his arm around her small shoulders and drew her to himself in an awkward side hug, fearing a full-frontal embrace would be too intimate, too soon.

In fact, he longed to pick her up off her feet and wrap her in his own coat to protect her from the cold. As he pulled her to his side, she turned toward him and lifted her face and stood upon her toes. Her lips were but inches from his own. He felt her sweet breath on his chin and then the pupils of her eyes enlarged with desire.

Without further doubt or explanation he slipped his hand behind her head, pulling her face to his, lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her, long and hard.

When their lips met, Joy let a tiny whimper escape her throat, she had not been kissed since Thomas was still in his right mind almost 6 years ago. She opened her lips and tentatively touched her tongue on his lips. He opened his mouth and their tongues danced together instantly raising the heat between them. Joy wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled herself up pressing her body into his. The bulky coats allowed him to discern no more than her general shape under his arms but her tiny form aroused him just the same..

Gere embraced her about her waist and shoulder and completely lifted her off her feet. Had they been further into their relationship she would have wrapped her legs around his waist, but that was much to forward for a 'first' kiss.

Their kiss intensified with their faces rotating on the axis of their lips, first to one side then the other for several minutes until they had to come up for breath. When they broke the kiss, Gere slowly let her down upon her own feet, but she did not step away.

Joy licked her lips, her eyes still closed savoring the memory of his warm lips on hers. A small bashful curl turned up her lovely lips.

"Wow," she said timidly, "I didn't see that coming."

"Me either, I wanted to kiss you all afternoon but I didn't think it would happen. Are you alright? Are you offended?"

"No," Joy giggled, "I think I kind of kissed you. I didn't intend to but it seemed right in the moment."

"And was it?"

"Oh yes," she almost whispered, but to herself she continued, 'it was probably the best kisses I've ever had.'

Opera singers and actors of both stage and screen often were called upon to kiss their leading man. Though it was part of the role, any woman and probably any man as well, would be able to tell a good kisser.

Joy kissed a number of leading men on stage and once in a while the kiss flustered her, so she would momentarily forget her lines. Once during 'La Boheme' the kiss with the actor who played opposite her kissed so well she found herself literally breathless and unable to sing her line.

The orchestra played two measures before she could pick up her lines again. In subsequent performances she broke the kiss early to gather herself to proceed.

The kiss with Gere was better than that, easily the best kiss she could remember. She loved Thomas, but he lacked somewhat in the physical aspects of lovemaking.

A mediocre kisser at best, she tried to teach him, but he resisted. She always resorted to facilitating her own orgasm, but he adored her and loved her more than anything in the world, until the Alzheimer's changed him into someone she barely recognized.

But... the kiss with Gere! It robbed her of her resolve, she was at his mercy! Had he been less of a gentleman, she would have gladly climbed into the back of his Aviator and fucked his brains out. But, he did not press her, proposition her or try to 'feel her up' as she used to call it in college. He was a perfect gentleman for which she was grateful...sort of.

"We should probably head back to town, there is much more I want to show you, and I need to get you back into the car to warm you up!"

Joy had forgotten she was cold. Gere took her hand and wrapped his arm around her back and led her back to the car. She settled into the seat and buckled up. She watched him do the same, and when he looked over at her, she smiled to let him know that she liked being with him, liked kissing him, and she was not afraid.

In reality, She WAS afraid, but not of him, she was afraid of the flood of lust that overwhelmed her causing her to behave so wantonly. It was not like her. Even in college she was much more reserved.

Gere showed her all the tourist sites and points of interest. He showed her the other sites in which she would be coordinating events. He finished up the afternoon by showing her the markets and condos in the scenic Riverside district, then drove her to the doors of the Performing Arts Center, so she could check in and close up her office.

As they sat in the drop off concourse, Joy put her hand on Gere's arm.

"I don't usually become so, uh....intimate with a man, so soon. I don't know what came over me, but I hope you won't think of me as a cheap, wanton woman." Joy said with a small smile, blushing profusely.

"Oh no, please don't worry about that. You did nothing to be ashamed about! I consider the kiss the best I have ever had, ...it was perfect! The most beautiful panorama together with the most beautiful woman, it was only natural. I was in heaven!

"It was amazing.... I have no regrets," Joy smiled candidly.

Joy removed the bulky coat a short time after they began the ride home but still she held her own in her lap. She gathered her purse and suddenly remembered that dinner at Edith's tonight would include an evening with Jack and dread filled her heart. It must have shown because Gere, who was about to exit the vehicle to open her door closed his again and looked with concern. She looked like she was in pain.

"What? Are you alright?" Gere put his hand on her lower arm.

"Yeah...well no... Have you any plans for dinner?" She asked looking up from under her eyelids.