Take A Chance!

Arlene smiled and replied, "Yeah, I think I got engaged last night."

My world was coming to an end and she was smiling like a fucking twelve year old, "Really, anybody I know?"

She held her arm out and looked at the ring, "Sam Madison."

"I threw up on the counter."

Arlene went ballistic, "Well look at this. You barfed all over my counter." She started to wipe it up.

I couldn't stay. Crap I'd gotten puke on my shirt, and I was on my way to try to save two shitty companies that combined weren't worth a sandwich and a glass of water at an Appleby's. I got up and literally ran from that fucking diner. I was crying my fucking eyes out by the time I got to my car.

Susan Takes Her Stand:

I'd been talking with Devin. I'd just about had it with Calvin so Devin found me a good lawyer; someone who'd get me away from my husband as quickly as possible. We worked it out, and I signed the paperwork. All that was left was to have someone make the delivery. Devin said he'd take care of it.

Frankly I'm not sure where Devin stands with me. I asked him if he'd marry me if I got rid of Calvin; when he started to hem and haw I knew we'd just been a fling. I didn't care that much for him anyway. What I needed was a fresh start back home in Baltimore; back where the people understood me. I'd see daddy, and he'd help me get hooked up.

Calvin Feels the Crash!

I finally pulled in to work and sat down to arrange my desk. The lawyers and the business heads would be there any minute. It was a moot point. My supervisor came to my office, "Got a minute?"

I tried to smile, "That's about all I have."

He said, "Come into my office Cal,"

He walked into his office. I followed him. He pointed to a chair, "Have a seat son."

Uh oh, good news was never preceded by a 'have a seat son.' I sat down.

My boss went into his little routine. I'd seen it and heard it a few times already over the last few weeks, "You know times are tight. We've been doing a little belt tightening."

I just watched his facial expressions. I knew.

He gave me a rueful smile, "I'm sorry Cal."

I knew it. I was about to be canned. The great melt down had just poured its goo all over me. I thanked him and went back to my office and packed up my personals. I was back on the road in ten minutes. An hour later I pulled in the drive of my house, that great house right dead center on Quality Hill. Susan wasn't home.

About an hour later I was in the kitchen drinking some warmed over coffee when I heard a knock on the front door. I went and opened it and there was this girl, she looked like some high school kid. She smiled at me and said, "Are you Calvin McCabe?"

I answered, "Yes I am."

She smiled more broadly, "Boy, have you been hard to find." She handed me an envelope, "Sorry sir, but you've been served."

I took the envelope and looked it over. I knew what it was. I thanked her and went back inside. "Jesus Fucking H. Christ," I screamed.

In a matter of four hours my long lost high school sweetheart announced her intentions to marry the biggest shit-bird in the county. I'd lost my job, and now my wife wanted a divorce. There wasn't much I could fucking do. I called my brother and told him everything. Then I drove down to the corner liquor store and bought the place out. I wasn't a drinker, but tonight I thought I'd try to make an exception.

I didn't remember too much after until maybe 11:00 p.m.

Arlene's Big Plan:

I knew I had to make something happen. Everybody in town knew about Cal's wife, and I was pretty sure he knew too. Heck me and half the county had dropped enough hints! I figured I'd try another Gary, but this time hoping Cal wouldn't run away. When Sam Madison asked me for about the fiftieth time if I'd marry him I told him maybe. That was all he needed. He reached in his pocket and handed me this ring. I recognized it right away; it was the same ring he'd given his first wife. Damn I thought, to him I really was second hand merchandise.

I took the ring and put it on. I figured if the ring didn't scare Cal into action I could always give it back to Sam later. OK, it was probably a stupid idea, but it was better than not doing anything. And I wasn't real worried about hurting Sam's feelings; I wasn't sure he had any anyway.

Bad News Travels Fast:

Bob called Barbara and together they called everybody they knew trying to find their brother a job. There just wasn't anything out there for a man whose only specialty was in something that was ruining the country.

Arlene got wind of Cal's problem about the middle of the evening, maybe nine or ten that night the same day Cal got served. She was sitting on the sofa with Sam when her mom answered the phone.

Arlene's mom called out to her daughter while she was sitting compliantly beside Big Sam Madison, "Honey I've got some news."

"What's up mom?"

Her mom answered, "It's about Calvin."

Well her Calvin was in bed so it to be the other one, "What about him mom?"

Mom walked in the living room and stared suspiciously at Sam; then she turned to her daughter, "He's had a bad day."

Arlene threw her mother a smirk, "Really, him?" She played the smirk for Sam's benefit; but in reality she was worried.

Mom scolded, "Don't get too excited. It seems he lost his job today and his wife had him served with divorce papers."

Sam laughed out, "Well the big shot college boy got his comeuppance! Good for him!"

The initial shock hit Arlene like a fifty caliber bullet fired at close range. She'd been watching him for weeks. She knew things were bad all over, and she knew he'd been fighting trying to hold back the tide. She thought he'd been a lot like the old lady trying to sweep back the sea with a broom, and she like most everybody within a twenty mile radius knew his wife had been seeing some guy in Frederick. In fact the only man in town who probably didn't know was Cal.

Arlene looked at her mother, "You're sure about this?"

Her mom looked down at the floor, "Pretty much."

"Mom do we have Bob McCabe's number?"

Mom replied, "I guess we've got it around here someplace."

"Find it will you mom."

Sam interrupted, "You're not thinking of going to that asshole?"

Arlene looked down at her hand, at the ring on her finger. She took it off and handed it to Sam.

He accepted it, "You're not serious?"

"Sam."

Sam looked at her; he looked at Arlene's mother, "You little bitch. Here I'm willing to make an honest woman out of you. I'm ready to give your little bastard a name, and this is what I get?"

She'd known the whole thing with Sam had been just another stupid mistake; another stupid try at getting Cal? She looked at Sam sadly, "Sam, I've got to go to him."

Sam stood up. He wanted to punch her in the face, "That worthless piece of shit ran off and left you. He married somebody else. He never gave a shit about you, and he doesn't give a shit now. You're the stupidest cow in six counties. He was headed for the door, "You watch he'll make a fool of you again." He walked out the front door, slamming it as hard as he could.

Arlene's mom looked at her, "At least you did one smart thing tonight. Here, I found Bob's phone number."

Arlene picked up their house phone and got Bob on the line, "Hello, this is Arlene. Is all this true about Calvin?"

Arlene's mom couldn't hear Bob, but she surmised he was confirming everything they'd heard.

Arlene asked over the phone, "Is there a key anywhere if I wanted to get in his house?"

Bob told her where to find the key Cal had hidden outside. As usual it was on a nail in the shed in the back yard.

Arlene grabbed her purse, she looked at her mom, "Mom, I've got to go to him."

"I'll take care of Little Cal. What about the diner?"

"I'll open in the morning like normal," answered Arlene.

She wasted no time driving to Cal's. She found the hidden key, and opened the door. All the lights were off. She turned on the dim light that illuminated the foyer. She saw him sitting in the kitchen, "Cal?"

He looked up. He'd been sitting at the kitchen table with his head in his hands, probably asleep or in a drunken stupor. He looked awful. Arlene walked to the kitchen, found the coffee, and thought she might put on a pot. The place smelled like alcohol, but he didn't seem to be drunk. He barely moved.

Arlene said, "Had a pretty bad day."

He didn't look up; there were great big tears in his eyes, "You're going to marry Sam Madison."

Arlene noticed he hadn't mentioned his job or his wife's decision to divorce him, "No, I sent him packing a little while ago."

For the first time Cal actually looked up.

Arlene watched what had to be one of the great metamorphoses of modern times. Cal the defeated businessman, the jilted husband, in a matter of not more than six seconds emerged as though he'd just won the billion dollar lottery. He exclaimed, "You did?"

"Yeah."

Cal got out of his chair, "Make some coffee. I'll get the cream and sugar."

Arlene immediately saw, though he'd been drinking he wasn't drunk, more exhausted than anything, "What are you going to do?"

He'd opened the refrigerator and found the half and half. He was working his way to the kitchen counter for the sugar. He didn't use sugar but he knew Arlene did. He waited till she started the coffee before he sat down.

Arlene had the coffee ready. She poured some in each cup; then she asked again, "Have you thought about what you're going to do?"

He poured some half and half in his cup and took a sip, "Want to take a shower?"

She looked at him like he was crazy, "You on something?"

"I asked you if you wanted to take a shower with me."

She leaned back in her chair, "You've gone bananas haven't you."

He stood up. He was dead dog tired, but he felt pretty good. In fact he felt damn good. He reached out his hand, "Come on."

"Where," she asked?

"First you and I are going to take a nice hot shower, then I'm going to take you to my bedroom."

Arlene started to say something, but he held up a hand, "Listen, I've got this king sized bed in a house that is so underwater that it'll be a hundred years before anyone ever pays it off. I figure I'll be out of here in a few days. I'll have to sell or give away all the furniture. They'll probably take the car. The John Deere tractor won't last the week. All my suits, my shoes, all my clothes are headed for Goodwill, and I never felt better in my life. I feel like I'm the luckiest man alive!" He pulled her to her feet, "It's been a while I imagine, but let's give it another go."

She was stunned, "You want me to go to bed with you?"

He started pulling her toward the stairs, "That's a start, but I have a lot more planned for you if you'll just follow me."

She followed him up the stairs to the bathroom. God she was tired, but so was he.

They walked in the bedroom. He helped her get out of her clothes. He took his off. He walked her to the shower stall; it was nothing spectacular. He turned on the hot then the cold water. He pulled her in the shower; he spent the next thirty minutes washing her then himself. He washed her short brown hair, her shoulders, her back, her beautiful little boobs, her tummy and her crack. He dried her and then himself off. He led her to the big bed.

Arlene held back, "Cal I don't know."

He kept pulling, "I do."

She let him lead her to the bed, "Cal I haven't done anything in over four years. Honestly, I don't really like it."

Cal pulled down the bed sheets, and slowly pulled her on the bed. They lay down side by side. He whispered, "Arlene I love you. I tell you I love you. All I want to do is lie here and hold you, kiss you, I want to touch you. If anything comes of it that's OK, if you don't want to take it anywhere that's OK too."

They didn't do anything right away. Oh they kissed, and they hugged, and they explored each other's bodies. He got an erection that would have embarrassed the Empire State Building, but he didn't try anything. He certainly caressed her breasts. He kissed each beautiful brown nipple. He massaged her back and tummy, but when he reached below her navel and she put out a hand to stop him he relented.

She held him, and kissed him, and touched his face, his neck, and his hands and arms, but she didn't do anything or touch anything else. Then she started to think; this was a dangerous activity for her. She hated sex, but she'd only done it twice, and her first time resulted in her little boy, no not her little boy, their little boy.

She knew without a doubt he loved her, but she wanted to lock this romance away once and for all. If they did it again; if they did it right now tonight she'd have a real hold on him. She decided she'd make the sacrifice.

She whispered, "OK Cal. If you want to do it I'll let you, but you've got promise you won't hurt me."

Cal listened; they weren't in the back seat of a Camaro this time. He was no Colin Farrell, no Justin Timberlake, but he knew how to be gentle.

Cal wrapped his arms around his sweetheart. He took the fingers of his right hand and slowly experimented with the opening of her vagina. For a woman who'd had a baby she was still pretty small. He slowly massaged her labia. He found her clitoris and gently rubbed it. He crawled down and, using his tongue and his lips he slowly and carefully started to make love to her vagina. He could feel her labial lips start to expand. He smelled her woman's juices; he started to taste her moisture.

After several minutes he slowly climbed up and mounted her. Oh so slowly, oh so carefully he began to penetrate her. He was so careful, inward slowly oh so slowly. He carefully; pulled back. This was going to be like what it should have been back on that hot humid August night.

Slowly Arlene started to rise to meet him. She started to rotate her pelvis around and around. She began to flex her vaginal muscles. As if by some magical command they began to rock to and fro in unison.

Cal hadn't been very active lately; it was hard to hold back, but he didn't have to. Arlene started to squirm and nervously undulate. He felt her; she was approaching the moment of truth, so was he!

Arlene started to shiver, to quiver. She breathed a deep luxuriant sigh. In Cal's ear she murmured, "Oh."

He ejaculated!

It had happened! It had finally happened!

++++++++++++++++++++

They lay there awake all night. They kissed and hugged and explored each other's bodies. Neither had much to say, but they sure said a lot with their eyes. Near 4:00 a.m. Arlene announced I've got to open up."

Cal asked, "Can I help?"

She whispered, "I can't pay you."

He kissed the tip of her nose, "You're talking money?"

She nodded.

He kissed her lips then her neck right behind each ear. He felt her shiver, "A couple fried eggs would be nice."

She kissed him back, "That could work."

They got up. He found a pair of jeans, a dark green Tee-shirt, some socks and a pair of Nikes.

She drove them over to her mom's and dad's so she could get dressed. Dad was home from work. He gave Cal a pensive smile, "Sorry about your troubles."

Cal smiled right back, "Think nothing of it."

Dad asked, "Have you thought about what you're going to do?"

Cal laughed softly, "Yeah, today I'm going to help Arlene at the diner, and then later I think I'll play with my son. Tonight, if it's all right with you I think I'll join your daughter in her bed right here at your house. And tomorrow I'll figure out what to do with that big house, I'll sign the papers that will make me a free man. In the next day or so, if Arlene will let me I'll buy her a ring. Maybe in a few months you can arrange for a nice wedding for somebody. And then I think I'll get back to work on my original plan."

Her dad asked, "What was that Cal?"

"Why marrying you daughter and living happily ever after.

By then Arlene was back downstairs dressed and ready for work, she'd heard what he'd said. She smiled one of those beautiful smiles he'd loved so much not so long ago, "Sounds like you've got everything all worked out."

Calvin McCabe reached out his hand to the girl he'd loved since that first time he saw her way back in the fourth grade, "Yeah, think I do."

She took his hand, "Know what?"

He leaned down and kissed the top of her head, "No what?"

She looked up into his big brown eyes, "I really triple decker like you."

They both stepped out on the porch. The sun was coming up. It was going to be a beautiful day.