Stray Cats Ch. 04

He decided, what the hell, and clicked on the link. The iPad snapped out of his email server and quickly opened up a browser window. In seconds he was asked to register and login to a site that listed itself as 'open minded'. A few minutes later he was browsing through the thumbnail images of women and men looking to connect with someone. He was about to give up when a new page opened and an image nearly jumped off the screen. It was his neighbor, a woman he'd seen countless times in the lobby of the condominium complex where they both lived. She was as stunning as he remembered her. Her dark brown hair shimmered in the light as it cascaded like a waterfall around a beautiful face, nearly perfect in symmetry.

He looked at the name below the image, Wendy Bingham, hmmm. He scanned her biography below her name. Now he was certain that she was his neighbor. Not only did she live in the same complex but...she lived on the same floor and her balcony sat directly across the open space from his. He'd seen her countless times taking her coffee on her balcony on sunny mornings before work.

He smiled subtly, hesitated a moment, and then decided to send her a note. 'Hey, I'm sitting outside looking over at your balcony hoping you'd come out so we could chat. Call me.' He left his number and pressed 'send'.

It would be too much like a corny Hollywood movie to expect her to immediately respond but, what the heck, it was nice to fantasize a bit, anyway. He smiled again, closed his iPad cover, picked up his cup of coffee and walked back inside his apartment.

Across the way, looking through the sheer drapes that covered her balcony doors, Wendy glanced across to the other wing of the condominiums that faced her side of the building. It was another Saturday, almost like all the other Saturdays that have stretched back as far as she could remember except that this Saturday was supposed to have been her wedding day. Her eyes glistened as she thought about what it would have looked like. Her standing in a beautiful white gown, her hair done up in a cascade of curls, and in her hands a beautiful bouquet of flowers. Then the image of Ted's snarling face invaded her dream world. The vision shattered into a million tiny pieces leaving only the white sheer drapes to billow in the gentle breeze.

She looked across to the balcony that faced hers. A young man sat sipping coffee and looking at an iPad. He was busy tapping away, oblivious to the fact that a girl's dreams lay shattered at her feet. She sighed and turned towards her bedroom then the phone rang. Without looking at the caller id she opened her phone. "Hello?"

"Hi Wendy, it's me Rachel. What are you doing?"

"Nothing. I was thinking of going back to bed. I'm not much for anything today."

"Come on, we're going to the beach. We'll be over in twenty minutes to pick you up."

"I don't know, Rachel. I'm feeling kind of lousy today. I don't think I'd be very good company."

"Nonsense girl," it was Amanda's voice now. She must have grabbed the phone from Rachel. "We all know what today is and that's exactly why you need to come with us. We'll be there in twenty minutes to drag you out if we have to!" she shouted giggling as Rachel's voice came back on the phone.

"I know my wife, there's no arguing with her. See you in twenty, wear something sexy."

The phone beeped when Rachel disconnected and Wendy sighed. She knew Rachel was right, Amanda is a whirlwind and there is no arguing with her once she has her sails up.

Wendy tossed the phone onto her purse and headed to her bedroom to find a swimsuit.

An hour later they stood on the beach holding large towels and sunscreen lotion. Alex pulled a cooler loaded with drinks and snacks from his car to the beach while Rachel was struggling against a stiff wind with a large umbrella.

"Wow, Alex looks good in that one piece," Wendy said softly to Amanda standing nearby.

"You have no idea how hard it was to get her into that, let alone convince her to go to the beach today."

"Why? She looks lovely."

"Please tell her that," Amanda replied. "Her confidence is at an all-time low. She's still so self-conscious about her body. We can get her to go to the club, where she can hide in the back corner, but anywhere else and she's as nervous as a chased cat." Amanda sighed then hung her arms off Wendy's shoulder. "She wears me out sometimes but she's getting better. Oh, and call her April. That's her name when she's dressed like that."

"That's a pretty name." Wendy watched April and Rachel setup the umbrella as Amanda spread out several beach towels. This was the first time she had a chance to really look at Alex, er, April's body. She was tall and slender but not skinny. Her breasts were surprisingly full given her slender frame. She filled out the swimming suit nicely. Her golden brown hair fell in gentle curves across her shoulders and it framed a remarkably feminine face with barely a hint of masculinity. She was lucky; some men had to work very hard to achieve any sort of femininity when they went through the 'transition'. Wendy reflected back on her own journey. She thought of the excruciating surgeries, the countless pills, and then the most painful thing of all, the rejection by all of her so-called friends and family. That thought made her wince.

She was still lost in thought as April ran back up the beach towards the umbrella where Wendy had wandered after they set it up. Amanda and Rachel had been tossing a large ball and playing 'keep-away' with her. April finally gave up and crawled back under the shelter of the umbrella to retrieve a drink from the cooler.

"Those two are too much for me today," she grunted, collapsing on a towel. "I'm still exhausted from work last night. I swear that delivery truck arrives later and later each week."

"Where do you work?" Wendy asked, pulled out of her somber reverie.

"The convenience store on Elm near 39^th."

"I know it, I stop in there from time to time. But I've never seen you in there."

"I usually work night shifts so unless you come in after seven you probably won't see me. I have to work again tonight, yuck."

"Have you looked for other work?"

"Not a lot of opportunities for an English major trying to put himself through school. I hope the convenience store is only temporary until I finish."

"When's that?"

"Next spring, I hope." April settled back down and closed her eyes, pulling her arm across them.

Wendy could see that the girls had moved into the ocean with the beach ball. She suddenly felt a bit of jealousy for Rachel.

"Penny for your thoughts," murmured April, still lying with her arm over her eyes.

"They're actually a little embarrassing."

"What are?"

"My thoughts."

April sat up and looked at Wendy. "Okay, a nickel for your thoughts then." She wore a devilish grin.

Wendy sighed a bit and glanced at April with a subtle smile. "I was just thinking about how jealous I am of Rachel."

April's eyebrows rose as she cocked his head with a curious smile. "She is a beautiful woman."

"I agree, but that isn't why I'm jealous." She glanced over at Alex again and saw the quizzical look on his face. "I'm jealous because of you and Amanda. You guys love her and each other so much it makes me jealous. There, I admit it." She hung her head with a girlish pout.

April wrapped her arms around Wendy and gave her a big hug. "Don't be, your turn is coming, I can feel it. Besides you're with us now, part of our extended family."

"Speaking of which, where are Kim and Ray?"

"Ray had to work and Kim is with her uncle helping him get ready for a surprise party he's throwing for her cousin's birthday. They'll probably stop into the club tonight if you want to see them again."

"Which club is that?"

"Moulin Rouge, Rachel works there part time. She's on tonight until midnight, I think. Have you ever been there?"

"I've only heard about it but I've never been there."

"It's kind of a cool place, their policy is open and accepting, so a lot of gay and transgendered folks drop by. It can get pretty outlandish some nights but usually it's just a nice place to hang out and unwind."

"I'll check it out." Wendy paused again and watched Rachel and Amanda playing in the surf, riding the waves as they crashed endlessly onto the shore. "Wait a minute, what do you mean my turn is coming?"

"What I mean, is that it's just nature's way." She said brushing off the sand from her suit. "You just got out of a really nasty relationship, thankfully; so now Prince Charming is standing in the wings waiting for his cue. It's nature's way of finding balance in the world."

April took Wendy's hands in hers. "The universe wants to work for you Wendy, it has to, but you have to let it happen and not sabotage it in the process. And don't think that you don't deserve it because you do, we all do. It's simple, really. So simple that people sabotage it all the time with negative thoughts. So don't do that. Think of what you need, not what you want. Tell the universe, out loud, what it is that you need and let it work to make it happen. Oh, and don't attached strings, it slows the process down. So be patient girl, he will be here before you know it."

Wendy looked at April, speechless. Then she grinned and threw her arms around her and pulled her close. She could feel her breasts press against her chest. They were soft and full. "Thank you April, you're the best."

"What's up?" Amanda asked, as she dropped down on a blanket next to April flicking water all over her as she sat.

"Hey, you're getting me all wet," April groaned.

"Well, get in the water lazy butt, it's great out there, the temperature is perfect."

"What about you?" April asked, getting up on her knees.

"I can't, I'm pooped," Amanda replied. "Rachel wore me out."

About then Rachel dropped down on the sand and pulled out a towel to dry her hair. "God, I love days like today. No tourists, peaceful, and the beach isn't too crowded. Who's up for beach volleyball?

"No way, I'm worn out." Amanda collapsed on a towel and groaned.

April got up, kissed Amanda and Rachel, adjusted her suit, and waved to Wendy as she headed towards the surf.

Wendy, waving back, watched her long legs stride gracefully towards the surf. "She's really a lovely girl isn't she?"

Rachel followed her glance towards April. "Yes, she is, and I love her dearly." Then she leaned over and tickled Amanda's feet. "Just as much as I love my little munchkin."

Amanda squealed and pulled her feet away. "You have to sleep sometime you Amazonian goddess," Amanda muttered into her towel between squeals. "And then I will have my way with you." She leaped up and surrounded Rachel with tiny pokes. Rachel shrieked shouting, "Uncle, uncle." They both fell into each other's arms laughing.

"So, how did you two meet April?" Wendy asked, trying her best to stay out of the middle of the horseplay.

"He lives in the same apartment building." Amanda replied, poking her head out from under Rachel's arm.

"Right across the hall from me," added Rachel. "I first met him when I was climbing those God awful stairs at two in the morning wearing heels that were, as Alex called them, dangerous on level ground. I have no idea why I bought them. My heel broke and I twisted my ankle. Alex caught me and helped me into my place. He was so sweet, he brought me dinner the following night."

"I remember that," Amanda added. "I met him running up the front steps with a large bag of Chinese carry out. He called it 'meals on wheels'."

Rachel pulled a beer from the cooler and opened it. "So we talked and a couple of days later I decided to open up to him. I don't know why but I felt like he was going to be somebody very special, and he was. From there we became friends, then lovers, and now wives."

Wendy glanced over at Amanda who grinned impishly.

"I had just moved into town and all my stuff was just dumped on the front lawn by the movers. Alex was walking up the front steps when he saw me standing there. I probably had the longest face on he'd ever seen. I was miserable. Alex offered to help and within the hour we had all of it neatly stacked in the middle of my new apartment."

Amanda reached over and grabbed a beer out of the cooler. "After that we'd talk occasionally in the hallway or at one of Reilly's backyard parties, then one day he saw me run out of my apartment crying. I went out to the old tree swing in the backyard. It reminded me of the one I had when I was little living in Vancouver. My Mom had just called to tell me that my cousin Susan was getting married in a month. I was devastated. I thought my life was a total screw-up. Then Alex looked at me with those beautiful blue eyes and told me that I was the luckiest girl in the whole world. He said that I got a do-over."

"A what?"

"That's what I said. A what?" she laughed. "He said, It's what happens when the universe deals you a hand that is so terribly wrong that in one fell swoop things are reset and you get to start again, fresh." And then he told me "you are truly blessed Amanda Simpson, and that is nothing to be sad about."

"I was dumbfounded. I looked at him for a moment and then I knew he was completely right. In that same moment I realized that I had fallen in love with him," she paused a moment and leaned up to kiss Rachel on the cheek, "and then I met this sweet, beautiful girl and I knew that I'd found my place in the world. Between them and with them."

Wendy's cheeks were wet and her eyes were glistening as she listened to their stories. She took a big breath and let it out slowly. She settled back against her towel to think about where her own life had been and where it might be going. April's words kept repeating in her mind. 'Your turns coming; just be patient.'

=THREE=

That afternoon after the girls dropped her off at her condo, Wendy flopped down on her couch and picked up her iPad. Work was the last thing she wanted to think about but she knew that she had to check into her email server at least once a day to keep up with everything.

Then she saw it. It was the third message down.

'Hey, I'm sitting outside looking over at your balcony hoping you'd come out so we could chat. Call me.' He left his phone number after the note.

Her face flushed scarlet. Oh my God! He lives in the same complex! Do I know him? How does he know that my balcony is...? "Oh Shit." She scrambled off the couch and dashed to the sheer curtains that covered the balcony doors. Directly across from her balcony was an identical one facing it. And sitting on a chair was someone she had only noticed once or twice as she came into the building lobby.

She peeked through the drapes and then she grabbed up her iPad to look at his note again. He must have seen me sitting on the balcony but I never noticed him sitting there. Does he know about me? Maybe. He has to suspect something if he was looking at that particular website. It's called 'open-minded' for a reason.

What if he's some dumb jock who cruises websites looking for a quick poke? Or maybe he's a stalker, or a rapist? Oh get a grip girl. If my mind keeps going like this I'll end up crazy, old, and alone. I just have to ask. It's that simple. And if he tries to hurt me...

She spun her foot up in a classic roundhouse kick then she settled down and repeated several more forms. "Then I'll just kick his butt," she muttered with a sheepish grin knowing that she'd only been to two lessons so far.

It was late in the afternoon, nearly five o'clock when Kyle heard his cellphone beep. He had stepped inside to freshen up his drink and he got a text message to come out onto his terrace. He stood looking around and then he noticed a girl waving at him from across the way. It was her, the girl he'd seen countless times in the lobby. The girl he saw on that website. His cellphone began to ring.

"Hi" Wendy said waving again timidly.

"Hi back at you."

They stood looking at one another across the open space that separated the two wings of the condominium complex.

"So, do you want to meet someplace where we're not standing so far apart?"

She glanced at the setting sun. "How about dinner?"

"Perfect. Burgers at Rudy's? It's just down the street from here."

"I'll meet you in the lobby in thirty minutes."

"I'll be waiting."

Rudy's was a quaint little 'Ma & Pa' operation that specialized in gourmet burgers and seafood hoagies. The price was reasonable, for this side of town, and the atmosphere was always warm and welcoming.

Kyle led the way to a seat outside on the terrace away from several others crowded around the television blaring sports news. He turned to Wendy. "Is this okay?"

"It's fine, thanks."

"Actually, I've never been here before. I've driven by it enough times to tell myself that I should try it but..." He shrugged and grinned.

Wendy glanced up from the menu and returned his awkward smile. She could see he was nervous. She was nervous too. She took a big breath to settle the butterflies fluttering in her stomach. "I know I'm the same way. But now we're here." She gazed into his twinkling eyes and she could see that Kyle was beginning to relax a bit. "So, you sent me a message."

"And you texted me back, then you called."

"Yeah."

They sat looking at one another, forgetting that the rest of the world existed, including the waiter who arrived at their table several minutes earlier.

"Ahem, can I get you something to drink?"

"Ah, yes, just water for me," Kyle responded.

"Me too."

Wendy watched Kyle take a big breath and let it out with a soft whistle as if he was trying to release some of the tension that was building up inside. She felt the same way only she didn't want to whistle.

"Wendy, I've never been very good at this, meeting beautiful girls and talking to them."

"Well I feel just as awkward as you do so we're even." She thought for a moment. "I tell you what, tell me your most embarrassing moment this week and I'll tell you mine. After that we can't be any more embarrassed than we were then, so everything will be just fine." He smiled sweetly and her heart just melted.

"Okay, hmm, oh I know. I was walking out of my office two days ago when I ran into Henderson from accounting. We were both late to a meeting. I was juggling a stack of folders and a glass of water. The water tumbled and I managed to save the folders but not my pants. It went right down the front, splashing all over my crotch. About then the general manager walked out of the conference room. I must have turned fifteen shades of red." He chuckled as he shook his head and Wendy smiled. "Okay, your turn." He leaned forward and rested his chin on the palms of his hands.

"I'm a real estate broker. I was showing a house to some close friends the other day when we all walked into the main bathroom to see an elderly man standing buck-naked with everything at half mast. I guess he didn't hear us come into the house. I had phoned earlier and left a message but sometimes, try as you might, you manage to see a cock or two when you least expect it."

Kyle laughed out loud. He had such a beautiful smile. His eyes lit up with a sparkle and his cheeks had such cute dimples in them.

"Okay, you win, a cock at half mast always beats a wet crotch in any poker game I've played." He shook his head and chuckled again. The waiter brought their water and they ordered the house special.

"So, tell me about yourself. You're a real estate broker? That must be interesting."

Wendy sat there a moment and studied Kyle's face then she smiled meekly and sighed. What do I tell him? I will never get into another relationship, even a casual one, without the truth. Wendy hated what happened that day in front of those condos; even more than she feared telling Ted her secret. From now on it's the truth. She took a big breath again and let it out slowly.