What Goes Around... Ch. 02

I walked into the house, tossed Jackie's purse on the table in the foyer and knew that I would have to call her. Shit, if it wasn't for her bag I would have done my best to forget that whole maddening conversation. One thing for sure, I didn't want to remove the scab that was covering the wound of the events leading to my divorce. I didn't want to bleed again, poor metaphor that that may be.

I wandered into the kitchen and stood there a moment. I almost went through the motions of making a sandwich until I realized that I wasn't hungry. The ring of the phone momentarily startled me then I grimaced, knowing who the caller must be.

I picked up the phone and mumbled a "hello."

"Max, it's me, Jackie." There was a moment of silence. I didn't say anything.

"Max, do you have my purse? I think that I left it on the table at the bar. My wallet is in it and my driver's license. I shouldn't drive without that, Max."

I could hear the plea in her voice. I sighed and asked for directions to her place. I told her that I would be there in a few minutes. Shit, I felt as if I were being pulled in, like a fish who had bitten on the bait.

It wasn't long before I was at the front door of her condo, a first floor unit in a two story building. I didn't get a chance to ring the bell before Jackie was at the open door, inviting me in. I entered and was suitably impressed. Her decor was simple, neat and tailored. Muted earth tones prevailed and there wasn't a sign of clutter. My estimation of her went up a small notch.

"Here's your purse, Jackie," and I held it out, hoping that she would take it and let me get the hell out. I felt distinctly uncomfortable and I really wasn't sure why. This woman was someone I had disliked for quite awhile and who was at least partially responsible for the breakup of my marriage. Intellectually I knew this and yet, on a deeper level, I had to admit that she did not plan the events that killed my relationship with Tina and I also had to admit that she seemed genuinely sorry about everything that had happened.

"Max, thank you. I appreciate that you had to drive over here. Look, I know that you haven't eaten so I prepared a snack for us." She took me by my elbow and steered me into the kitchen. Again I was impressed - dark cabinets and stainless steel appliances. I was also talking to myself. "What the fuck are you doing, idiot. You've returned her purse, now get the hell out. What? You're actually going to sit down and eat with her? Fool, get the hell out. Get away from her."

Maybe I was a fool, but I didn't get out. I looked at the spread on the table - tuna salad, egg salad, fresh tomatoes, onions, etc. Croissants, they looked fresh. All of a sudden I felt ravenous, like I hadn't eaten in days. We sat down, Jackie poured coffee and we ate. Did we chat? I swear I don't know, all I remember was stuffing my face. I did notice Jackie smiling at me occasionally. It wasn't long before I realized that I was making a pig out of myself and that I was also sated.

I smiled wryly at Jackie and wiped my mouth with my napkin ."Sorry, I guess I was hungrier than I thought," I said sheepishly. Subconsciously I wondered if her smile was just a bit brittle, then I felt that uncomfortable feeling again - shit. What the hell is going on? Am I actually becoming attracted to her? "HELL NO," I shouted silently, and yet...

We adjourned to the living room with fresh cups of coffee. "I'm really sorry I made such a fool of myself, Max. I guess I was just really nervous. I'm glad that you didn't humiliate me there - I sure deserved it," said a contrite Jackie.

I blinked a couple of times. Where was the arrogance I had always associated with this broad? Where was the smug complacency? Between her confession at the bar and her present apologetic manner, she seemed a different woman. Perhaps I had judged her too harshly. Maybe my dislike of Bonnie had encompassed those around her.

We sat and chatted, the topics far afield from our central issue. I avoided asking her anything about Tina and she didn't even hint about what was, probably, uppermost in both of our minds. I found her sharp, smart, very aware of events happening in the world. Jeez, could I have been this wrong about this woman? After awhile I realized that I was actually enjoying myself. As we sat there I appraised her with part of my mind. Again I admired her soft auburn hair, the hazel eyes and her well built frame. I had noticed that a button on her blouse had become undone, not surprising considering the strain on them by her very well developed breasts, and I could occasionally see a glimpse of a lacy bra.

"Oh, my gosh, Max. Look at the time and I have an early morning appointment tomorrow," exclaimed Jackie as she rose.

I blinked again, coming back to earth and realized that it was after midnight. Damn, it just seemed like minutes, sitting there, enjoying her company. "Sorry, Jackie. I didn't realize the time. I'm sorry if I've overstayed my welcome," I apologized.

"Don't be silly, Max," she giggled. "I'll forgive you if you promise that the next dinner is on you."

Without giving any thought to what I was saying, I blurted out, "Tomorrow is Saturday. Seven o'clock?"

A small smile appeared on her lips and she nodded. "Seven will be fine, let's not go to anyplace fancy though, okay?"

I nodded and in a small daze made my way to the door. Jackie reached up and gave me a soft kiss on the cheek and murmured, "Thanks Max, you're sweet."

********************

I awoke the next morning with a start. Glancing at the clock I saw it was almost 7:30 and jumped from my bed. Shit, I rushed so that I wouldn't be late for my golf match with Sam Able. I quickly showered, shaved, etc., had a quick cup of joe and was at the club exactly at 8:40 as promised.

I was feeling great and for the first time I broke 90. The sun was shining and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. We drove the cart from tee to tee and I couldn't stop smiling. Sam kept looking at me sourly. For some reason my good mood seemed to annoy him, or was it that he was again, going to shoot over 100. We finally finished the 18th and I wound up with a 88. "Jeez, I'm going to frame this score card," I said proudly to Sam.

He laughed, tore his card up and threw the scraps at me. "Shit, I guess I'll be hearing about this for weeks, won't I? You broke 90 so you buy lunch."

That didn't bother me one bit and we both ordered club sandwiches and cold brews. We ate on the terrace overlooking the 18th hole and after lunch Sam leaned back and lit one of his notorious stogies. Thank goodness we were outside, but even so he got some menacing stares from a couple at a nearby table. He took a couple of puffs and then said casually, "I guess you're aware that Tina moved."

It was as if he had punched me in the gut; my breath escaped and for a moment it was if I couldn't breath. "Goddamnit," I screamed silently. "I'm over her, get control of yourself," but I couldn't fool Sam.

He smiled softly and continued. "She moved to the Atlanta branch of her company, Max. That should make you happy, you won't have to worry about running into her here."

"Sam," I replied tightly, "I told you before. I don't want to hear about Tina. If you keep bringing her up it will screw up our friendship. I'm asking you again, please just drop it, okay? I'm over her"

"Okay, Max. I just thought you might want to know," responded Sam breezily.

That conversation seemed to turn the day somewhat sour and the letdown from my high was unnerving. What the hell did he bring her name up? I really felt that time was on my side, I was getting over her. I admit that I was a bit surprised that Tina had moved, but that would make it that much easier. I was moving on. I was moving on.

********************

I picked Jackie up at 7:00 and headed out to a small, rustic restaurant that I had heard about. It wasn't fancy and it wasn't part of a chain. I had read that they served good food at reasonable prices and it was a good thing that I had called ahead and made reservations - it was crowded yet the noise level was moderate and the tables spaced far enough apart so that conversation was easy. We were lucky, we had a booth which made for more privacy.

I looked over at Jackie and was again impressed by how good she looked. Her eyes sparkled and she returned my smile.

"I've never been here before, Max. It looks nice," she remarked.

"It's not the only thing that looks nice, Jackie," I murmured. "You look terrific," I continued as she blushed. "I can't believe that we used to dislike each other so much. I guess I should apologize for that."

"No need, Max," she said quickly. "I was as much to blame. We were both wrong about lots of things. Let's not bring that up, let's just have a nice meal and enjoy the evening."

I'd like to say that we had a wonderful evening that ended with us in her bed, but that would be a lie. The funny thing is that that didn't really bother me. I did enjoy being in her company and I enjoyed her quick mind. I did get a nice goodnight kiss and I didn't try to take it any further. Tell the truth, I really didn't know how much further to take this budding relationship. Was I developing feelings for Jackie? I had to admit that I liked her, but was it more than that? That was something that I had to think about.

Then, as usual, I thought of Tina and again felt the pain. The pain of her betrayal, the pain of our separation and divorce, the pain of missing her. 'I was over her, I was over her,' I said to myself. 'It's over, get used to that,' I berated myself. I sat in my easy chair that night until well past midnight. I was absolutely bewildered. Was I 'over' Tina? If not, was the longing and the pain diminishing? What about Jackie? Was she starting to get under my skin, was I developing 'feelings' for her? Could that be possible? What the fuck - I'm an emotional mess, I concluded and went to bed.

I had finally fallen asleep and woke to the phone ringing. I groggily reached over and mumbled something into the mouthpiece. "Max, is that you? It's past 11:00, you're still asleep?" screamed a voice. At least it seemed a scream.

"Jeez, Sam. What the fuck. Lower your voice, damnit," I finally sat up. Looking at the clock I realized that indeed it was after 11:00. I had overslept, but so what - I had no where to go.

"Max, get your ass moving. We're going on an outing. I've got my brother's cabin for the day and a car full of food. Bring your swim suit, we'll go swimming in the lake." burbled Sam, excitement in his voice.

"Sam," I began, regret in my voice. "I don't want to disappoint you, but...

"No buts, Max. Jackie already said yes and I'm bringing a date. You'll get to see Jackie in a swimsuit. You gonna turn that down?" he demanded.

Ooops, I did a turnaround. Didn't even have to give that any thought. "Okay, Sam. Do I pick Jackie up?" I asked.

"Yeah, pick her up at noon. She's expecting you. I'll meet you there, you know where it is. I'm leaving now to pick up Bonnie. See you soon."

I sat there, speechless, a dead phone in my hand. Bonnie?? Bonnie?? Sonofabitch, Bonnie was going to be there. Sam was bringing Bonnie. What the fuck. Shit, shit, shit. I shouldn't have been so surprised. I knew that Sam had dated Bonnie at least a couple of times. He also knew Jackie and Bonnie had probably told him about our "date." I felt myself going around in a circle. Tina, Bonnie, Jackie, Tina, Bonnie, Jackie. Only now, Tina was not in that circle, but I was still revolving. Shit, I didn't know how I would react in Bonnie's presence, but... I did want to see Jackie again, and Jackie in a swimsuit... okay. I rushed a shower, etc. and was soon on my way.

********************

"Max," said Jackie softly as we drove. "I'm really sorry, I didn't realize that Sam had asked Bonnie along. I know that you really don't care for her, so if you want to change plans, I'll understand," and she put her hand gently on my arm

"Nah, that's okay, Jackie. I'd really like to put all of that crap behind me. If she behaves herself, and no wise cracks, I'll be okay. But, if she makes one crack about me or Tina, I'll really lay into her, so don't be surprised," I said grimly.

Jackie then laughed. "Maybe that's what she needs." She giggled again and laid her head back on the seat.

We were soon there. Sam's brother Frank, had a sweet little cabin on a small lake. You could see the bottom through the crystal clear water and occasionally a small mouth bass for which we used to fish when he would invite me up. The cabin had a bedroom, a spacious living room and a small but serviceable kitchen. It had electricity which was supplied from the main trunk line for the few widely separated cabins built around the lake. The lawn, which was maintained by someone who did all of the properties there, ran down to the lake and had some low aluminum and nylon chairs scattered about. I felt a pang - the last time I had been here was when Sam had invited Tina and I to enjoy a weekend by ourselves. Bittersweet memories.

We unloaded out things from the car which I had parked beside Sam's SUV and headed for the front porch. Sam rushed out to greet us before we even had a chance to mount the steps.

"Hey, there. You made it just in time. Bonnie's putting out a nice spread on the picnic table in back. C'mon, let's eat. I'm starvin'."

Shit, Bonnie. Oh well, guess I had better get this over with. I'll be pleasant as long as she behaves herself, I thought.

As promised, the table was covered by a checkered cloth and there were dishes of coldcuts, etc. laid out. Bonnie was standing there, a tight and obviously reluctant smile on her face. She did approach me and held out her hand. "Hi Max, I'm glad you were able to join us. Isn't it beautiful here, I'm so glad that Sam invited me," she said almost mechanically.

Shit, I can play the game. "Hi, Bonnie. It is nice, glad that we could come," and shook her hand briefly. Well, that didn't go too badly. Maybe I could get through this day without too much grief.

We had a nice but somewhat subdued lunch, but by the end everyone seemed to get somewhat more comfortable when we realized that Bonnie and I weren't going to spring at each others throats. We cleaned up and then adjourned to the front porch with some wine. Sam lit one of his noxious cigars, but sat downstream, so to speak. The fumes didn't bother us.

"Okay, kids," Sam said eventually, flinging the stogie into an empty coffee can by his chair. "Let's get into our suits and get wet. Girls, you go first. The bedroom is yours - unless, of course, you want to change right here," he leered and then laughed.

The girls laughed with him, and Bonnie taunted him. "You wish," as she followed Jackie into the cabin.

It wasn't long before the girls appeared, now dressed "appropriately?" in their bikinis. I almost swallowed my tongue. Jackie had on a hot pink number. The bra was adequate, I guess, but emphasized her breasts, her nipples obvious. The lower part was modest enough, I guessed, but was cut so low that it was apparent that she had shaved down south.

Bonnie was another story. Damn, she might as well have been naked. Her bra consisted of two small triangles that barely covered her nipples. The lower part of the "suit" was a thong, again a triangle that just, just covered her pussy and left her ass as bare as a baby. The strange thing was though that Bonnie didn't really seem very comfortable. She was wearing a slight blush, I thought, and turned quickly from us and ran down to the lake. She walked into the water and was soon chest deep.

Jackie turned to us and urged us to get into our suits. "Go ahead, guys. The water looks wonderful. Get changed," she smiled mischievously and followed Bonnie, but at a more sedate pace.

Sam and I changed quickly, both of us wearing baggy boxer type suits and joined the girls. We were soon splashing each other and laughing and acting like teenaqers. Even Bonnie soon loosened up and seemed to be having fun. It was obviously to everyone but Bonnie that her "swimsuit" was now wet and very transparent. Her aroused nipples were poking holes through the soaked material of her bra and her shaven nether lips were on display behind the so called thong. It was also apparent that she had no idea that she was so exposed.

In all of the horseplay, Bonnie's boobs slipped from the brief bra and she squealed, turned her back and adjusted herself, still not aware of her near nudity. Sam made it a point to tickle her and dunk her under the water. Shit, he might as well take her suit off, it would have made no difference. I glanced at Jackie and she just laughed as she called Sam a jerk.

We soon grew tired and left the water. Sam had brought a large blanket out and the girls gratefully lay back, breathing heavily from their previous exertions. Sam and I sat in the chairs, strategically placed so that we had an excellent view of the beauty of the "area." Bonnie was lying there, her eyes closed, her body gleaming with moisture, her breasts, nipples and pussy totally exposed. I looked at Jackie put she had an innocent look on her face. I frowned a bit, puzzled by her indifference to Bonnie's near nudity. I shrugged, shit, who am I to complain.

Sam suddenly arose and approached Bonnie. He extended his hand and pulled her to her feet, muttering, "Let's go, sweetie."

His arousal was very evident by the tent in his cutoffs. Bonnie, realizing where he was leading her, blushed a deep red and turned her head, not even glancing our way. They soon disappeared into the door of the cabin.

I looked over at Jackie and raised my eyebrows questioningly. She gave me a crooked smile and shrugged. "I guess that they've been here before, Max," she said. She then patted the blanket and asked me to join her. I didn't hesitate, but lay down on my back, beside her. I looked up at the clear, blue sky and felt a calmness, a lassitude come over me. This was one of the few times in the past months that I felt at ease. The tension that was almost like a living thing inside of me seemed to retreat, at least a little bit. I felt at ease.

I was startled to see Jackie's face above me, her lips descending to mine. I didn't move, but also didn't react right away as she kissed me. That didn't last long, I responded, reaching up for her, my hands on her shoulders. The kiss was gentle, undemanding. I felt her hands on my chest, pushing, and the kiss ended abruptly. She was still for a moment, looking down at me, a thoughtful expression on her face.

"You're a nice guy, Max," Jackie said softly. "It's a shame...," she paused and then quickly rose to her feet. I was about to speak, to ask her what she meant, when she continued quickly. "It's getting late, Max. I want to get back before it's dark. Do you mind?"

I stood there with a stupid expression on my face. What the hell happened just now? I know I blinked a couple of times and then nodded. "Okay, Jackie. We can leave, but our clothes are in the bedroom - now what?"

"Shit," she muttered. "Well, that's their problem. C'mon, Max. Looks like we're going to be interrupting the love birds." and headed for the cabin, me trailing behind, grinning. This was going to be fun.

Damn, it looked like Sam had taken precautions - our clothing had been removed from the bedroom and was tossed onto the sofa in the living room. I shook my head unbelievingly. He had the presence of mind to do that? I admit, I was a bit more than surprised. Guess he really didn't want to be interrupted.

Jackie told me to turn my back and we dressed hurriedly. I yelled to Sam that we were leaving and heard no response - of course. We threw our things in the back of the car and headed back to Jackie's place. Pulling into a parking spot, Jackie turned to me and asked me to come in.