by
Dee
_____“I have never done anything like this before.” I looked back at the bronze object lying in my hotel bed. Was she kidding me? Did she think this was something that I did all that time? I pulled my pants on and stood up. I left my breast exposed as I went to the bathroom. I closed the door slightly, leaving it open enough to hear if she had anything else to say.
_____“Neither have I,” I confessed.
_____“What do you mean? You told me you were gay.” I heard the confusion in her voice. I laughed to myself.
_____“What I mean is that I have never met someone and taken them back to my hotel room. I am gay.” I flushed the toilet and washed my hands. I heard her scurrying around the room looking for her own clothing. I took my time, giving her time to get dressed. When I came out she was sitting on the edge of the bed putting on her shoes. Her fitting black dress hardly looked touched even though it had only taken me twenty seconds to get her out of it. I noticed that her panties and stockings were shoved in her open handbag. I sat on the bed. “Can I call you when I’m in town again?” I asked.
_____“Pam I told you I’m married.” She said. She wouldn’t look at me. She busied herself with buckling her shoes.
_____“Oh you thought that…” I laughed. “No I’m just saying I had a good time and I thought that you had a good time. You did have a good time didn’t you?” I asked before I continued.
_____“Yes I did but…”
_____“I’m not asking you to leave your husband for me. I’m just saying maybe we can see each other again.” It really wasn’t like me to go after a woman this way, especially a married woman. But there was something about her that I liked. Besides I needed a little in town thang. My schedule projected that I would be making more trips. She got up from the bed and gathered her things.
_____“I don’t know.” She would still not look at me. I got up and followed her to the door.
_____“Rena,” she turned to me. I grabbed her arm before she could reach for the doorknob. I backed her up against the wall and my free hand slid around her waist. I pulled her into me and lowered my head to hers. My lips lightly brushed hers and I felt her breath in deeply. She closed her eyes ask I deepened the kiss some. She pulled away and turned her head so I couldn’t kiss her again. “Can I give you my card?” I asked.
_____“Sure,” she said to the brown carpet. I let her go and went to my cardholder on the dresser. I pulled out one of my cards and handed it to her.
_____“You’ll use it?” I asked before I let go.
_____“I’ll think about it,” she finally looked up at me. The look on her face scared the hell out of me. This was the first time I had been with a bi woman. It seemed that I could read every question going on inside her head. What had I done?
_____“Do that.” I let the card go and she pushed it into her bag. She opened the door and looked out before leaving the room. She silently said goodbye before closing the door behind her.

My plan ride back the next day was interminable. I could hardly get any work done for thinking about Rena. I really didn’t want to cause any problems in her family or her life. But it wasn’t my fault that she came back to the room. I mean I did ask her but she is a grown woman and I didn’t force her. I had told her straight up when we first started talking at the bar that I was gay. I had asked her what she was looking so down for and why she was working on her second seven and seven. She had explained that she and her husband were not seeing eye to eye lately and she was in desperate need of a change. She had asked me if I was married and if I could relate and I told her that I was gay but that I could definitely understand what she was going through. We had talked for a good little while, flirting with each other back and forth. I had asked her if she had ever been with a woman and she told me that she hadn’t but had thought about it before. That was my queue. I had jokingly asked her if she wanted to see was it was like and surprisingly she said yeah. I knew that it was probably the Seagrams talking so I let it slid. We had talked some more and when she put her hand on my thigh it was all over. When we were up in my room it was totally and completely uninhibited. We took to each other like we had been with each other before. She had showed no signs of unfamiliarity. Her little 360 when she left though had thrown me. Oh well. I shook my head and hailed the stewardess. I ordered myself another sea breeze and opened my laptop.


I diligently listened to all fifteen of the messages on my voicemail as I moved around my apartment getting settled in from my trip. Most of them were from clients, a few from honies wondering when they would be able to see me again, one from my mother wondering when she would be able to see me again and one from my best friend, Vicky.
_____“Pam you’d better call me when you get this message. I don’t know what your problem is but I know I told you that Stacey’s birthday party is this Saturday and I just know you didn’t make other plans. Call me.” She demanded. Now how was it that she would think that I would forget my Goddaughter’s sixteenth birthday? Damn did she think I was that unreliable? Okay so there were a few events that I missed out on because I either had to work or was busy with other activity. But this was sweet sixteen. I thought back to Vicky and my sweet sixteen. We celebrated it together because we shared the same birthday. I remember getting drunk and making out with her cousin. What was her name? Oh well. I remember Vicky catching us and being pissed with me for two weeks. She accused me of turning her cousin out. Truth was her cousin had a thing or two to teach me so that was already turned. But we remained friends nonetheless. We have been through some times. Through countless relationship we were there for each other. Even though she didn’t approve of my life she never judged me. She was always there when I needed a shoulder to cry on, as was I. After settling in I picked up the phone to call my best friend.
_____“Hey you.” I said into the phone. I was talking with Stacey. She had clicked over and I knew that the girl was on the other line.
_____“Hey Aunt Pam. Hold on okay?” The teen said. Before I could object and tell her that I would just call her mom later she had clicked over and was back again. “So you gone be here Saturday right?”
_____“Wouldn’t miss it for the world. What time are the festivities?” I asked.
_____“Well the old head party is early in the day but the pool party starts at eight.” The girl bragged.
_____“Really though? And which one am I invited to?” I laughed.
_____“The old head.” Stacey laughed too.
_____“Old head? Are you kidding me? I can get down with the best of them.” I said.
_____“Now see that’s why you cant come. Nobody says “get down” anymore.” She said.
_____“Well excuse me then Miss. Thang. I guess I will just hang with the old heads then.” We both laughed.
_____“Na I’m just playing with you. You can come to the pool party.” Stacey said.
_____“I’ll be wherever you want me baby. It’s your night. Where’s your mamma?”
_____“Hold on.” Without even covering her mouthpiece, Stacey bellowed for her mother. A few seconds later Vicky picked up on the other end.
_____“Hello?” she said, sounding beat.
_____“Damn what is wrong with you?” I asked.
_____“Bye Aunt Pam. See you Saturday.” Stacey said and hung up.
_____“Girl I am so tired. This child has got me running all over this town doing stuff for this party. You would think B2K was coming or something.” Vicky said. I laughed.
_____“What can I do to lessen the load for you?” I offered.
_____“Everything is done now but thanks for asking. Where you been anyway?”
_____“I told you I had to go out of town for a few days.”
_____“Oh yeah that’s right. So how was your trip?”
_____“Exciting,” I smiled. She read my smile.
_____“You met someone and I don’t want to hear about it.”
_____“What?” I laughed.
_____“Next subject. Did I tell you about my bum baby’s daddy?” She switched the subject to her ex husband, my least favorite subject.
_____“What has Mr. Wonderful done now?”
_____“You know we were supposed to be going half on this party right? Well how about I haven’t even heard from him?”
_____“Not surprised. Did you call his job?” I asked. I believed in not holding back.
_____“No because he is at least paying support like he is supposed to.” She said. My friend was entirely too soft. I would have been waiting for him after work one day, blocking his car in so he couldn’t leave. He would have given me the money on the spot. But I did understand Vicky not wanting too much conflict with him. She had enough of that during their marriage. He abused her physically and verbally. She finally decided to leave his tired ass and to everyone’s surprise he didn’t try to object. Maybe he just wanted out. But that was a piss poor way of saying it.
_____“Well what is the bill? I’ll stop by your job tomorrow and write you a check.” I said.
_____“No you wont. This is not for you to do Pam. As much as I appreciate it and damn if I don’t need it, you already do too much.” She said.
_____“Vic you my girl. What else are we going to do for each other but help each other out? We go way back. Don’t do me like that.” We were silent for a moment and I hoped like hell that she wouldn’t start crying. I was not ready for one of them “I love you girl” moments.
_____“Okay,” she gave in and quickly. I knew then that she really needed the help and I was more than happy to.

_____“What time do you want me there Saturday?” I asked. Vicky and I were sitting in her office. I had come by for lunch to take her out and drop off the check.
_____“First thing in the morning. I have so much to do. I need all the help I can get.” She shuffled some papers around on her desk. There was a short silence. I knew there was something else on her mind.
_____“What?” I asked.
_____“What what?” She looked at me.
_____“There is something else. What is it?”
_____“Were you thinking about bringing someone with you to the party?” She asked. Here it was. Time for her to get up on her soapbox.
_____“Would that not be a good thing?” I asked.
_____“I’m just saying. This is Stacey’s sixteenth birthday. I just want it to be about her.”
_____“Vic…” I stared at my friend and saw the concern in her face.
_____“Pam please.” I nodded. There really wasn’t anyone I wanted to bring with me anyway. While Vicky was the only one who had a problem with my life, I did respect her decision. She was totally tolerant with me for the most part. I knew that Stacey wouldn’t give a damn about who I brought. In fact she liked everyone I have ever introduced her to. But I did want to respect her mother’s wishes.
_____“Well, let me get back to my cage. I have a ton and a half of work to do. This gone be okay?” I reached into my organizer and handed her a check.
_____“Girl this is perfect. I’ma pay you back,” she said.
_____“No worries. I’m not missing it.” I said. Vicky knew how we did. “Well I’m out. I’ll call you later.”
_____“Pam thanks okay?” she said. I waved her off and left her office. I walked to my car in the humid afternoon air. I decided to take my jacket off, allowing the cook silk tank to help me cool off some. I heard a whistle from a nearby construction site. I got into my car, put my 3000 in reverse and peeled off.

The rest of the week was uneventful. I only had one date with Candi. She was a cute little college student. She was a twenty-year-old political science major. She was a very strong spirit. Very active. I actually met her at a pride rally and avoided her calls for almost two weeks. I was very apprehensive about getting involved with her. She was fourteen years younger than I was. Our first date was a fun afternoon at a carnival and I actually learned that she was a lot more mature than any other twenty year old. She had lived. She told me that she had always dated women at least ten years older than she. That made me feel a little bit better. Plus she wasn’t a virgin and I was glad. I did not want to be responsible for that. Candi didn’t mind not hearing from me for weeks. I liked that. No pressure. And when she did hear from me she was always available. When she left my apartment on Friday morning after I had already left for work, she had made the bed, cleaned the kitchen and left a note for me, telling me to have a good weekend. She was sweet.

Man it seemed that Saturday morning came too quickly. Just as promised I went to Vicky’s house bright and early. There really wasn’t much that we needed to do. I just think she wanted the company. Stacey had taken her car and gone to the mall with her little girlfriends.
_____“Heard anything from Keith?” I asked Vicky. We were sitting on the couch nursing a couple of bottles of Coronas. She looked over at me with a “I cant even believe you asked me that’ look. “Okay.” I said and took another gulp.
_____“I don’t know what I ever saw in that creep,” she said. This was definitely the beer talking. Vicky hardly ever drank.
_____“Oh Lord,” I exclaimed. “Are you about to go into one of those ‘if life were different’ moments?” We both laughed.
_____“I’m just saying. You know I should have married Terry,” she said about her high school sweetheart. I honestly don’t even know why the two broke up. Oh yeah I guess it had something to do with him getting some other chick pregnant. That’s when Vicky found Keith. He was cool in college. He was on the football team and she was on the cheerleading team. They were the cutest couple. It wasn’t until after he hurt himself in college and found out that he would never be able to play professional football that things started going down hill. He began drinking then sleeping around then the abuse started. There were so many times that I wanted to just come over with my piece and handle things for her. But I couldn’t because that was her husband and as much of a asshole as he was she loved him. She finally got fed up with it all and took Stacey one night and left. Nobody heard anything from them for three weeks. Even me. She finally contacted me to let me know that they were fine. She said that she had gone to her aunt’s house in North Carolina. An aunt that even Keith wouldn’t think about. When she finally had her head together she contacted Keith and told him that she was filing for divorce. He didn’t object. Everything went smoothly as far as the divorce was concerned but she caught hell trying to get child support from him. But she held strong. I admired her for all that she endured. I would have been killed the mofo.
_____“Oh you mean somebody else’s baby daddy Terry?” I joked.
_____“He wouldn’t have done that if it weren’t for me acting so crazy. I should have given him some when he first asked.” Again we both broke out laughing. I got up to throw my empty bottle in the trash and get myself a glass of water. Stacey came into the house loaded down with bags.
_____“Hey yall,” she called.
_____“Come show me what damage you’ve done,” Vicky, said.
_____“I was good. But I did get some cute stuff,” the girl sat down beside her mother on the couch and showed her the prizes from her shopping adventure. I watched from the kitchen. I really envied Vicky for her relationship with Stacey. I wish there was someone I had who loved me the way that girl loved her mom. Occasionally Stacey would hold up an outfit for me to see remembering that I was there too. I would nod or oooo my approval.
_____“Well I guess you didn’t do so bad. Its your birthday anyway so you deserve it.” Vicky kissed her daughter and they hugged. I had to turn away and drink more water. A lump was forming in my throat.
_____“Thank you,” I heard Stacey say. “I gotta go and decide what I’m going to wear tonight,” she picked up her bags and got up from the couch. “And which bathing suit,” she called from her bedroom.
_____“I have the final say in that,” Vicky called back to her.
_____“I know I know.” They both laughed. I smiled as I put the glass in the sink.
_____“I’d better go too,” I said.
_____“I thought you brought your clothes with you to change here,” my friend said.
_____“No I decided not to. I have to take a shower and everything and I like doing that at home. I’ll be back in time I promise.” I had to do that because Vicky knew me.
_____“You’d better.” She said, head leaning on the couch. I leaned down and kissed her forehead.
_____“Maybe you should take a nap before the party. Sleep some of that beer off. You know you cant drank.”
_____“I fine. I still got stuff to do. I’ll see you around nine,” she tested me.
_____“Vic I’ll be right back,” I laughed as I walked to the door.
_____“Ummmhuh,” I heard her say as I opened the front door. To my unpleasant surprise, Keith stood in front of me.
_____“What’s up Pam?” he said.
_____“What’s up Keith,” I said back. “Long time no see.”
_____“I know that’s a good thing for you though,” he hit the nail right on the head.
_____“You got that right. The less I see of you the better my day,” I smiled. This was our little way of greeting each other.
_____“And like wise,” he smiled back. “Still like furbugars?”
_____“Just as much as you like that E and J.”
_____“That’s what I thought.” I rolled my eyes at him.
_____“Vic you’ve got company,” I called to my friend and moved out of the way so he could go in. I walked to my car hating myself for letting him get to me the way he did. I loathed the ground he walked on.

_____“Yes Ma I’ll tell her,” I was on the phone with my mother. She was again giving me instructions on telling Stacey happy birthday and assuring the girl that her gift would be in the mail on the first of the month. Little did she know a card was already sealed from her to Stacey containing $100. By the first of the month my mother would have long forgotten about sending Stacey a birthday gift, as if she could afford to do so.
_____“Your uncle Johnny is going to send me something next week. So I can go down to the Wal-Mart and pick something up for her. What does she like?” she asked.
_____“Ma don’t worry about it. I’ll get something for you.” I promised. I talked to her on the speakerphone as I toweled dry. I rubbed the towel over my locks and fluffed them as I looked in the mirror at myself. “Why is Uncle J sending you money Ma? Do you need something?”
_____“No he just hit the lottery and he wants to share it with his only sister. I’m not objecting.” She said.
_____“Oh okay. But are you good anyway?” I asked as I searched my drawers for a pair of boyshorts.
_____“I mean the first is only two weeks away. I’ll be okay. Unless you just want to send something.”
_____“I’ll put it in the mail tomorrow.” I said.
_____“Thank you,” she said. There was a small pause. “So who umm…” she hesitated.
_____“Ma I gotta get ready. I’ll call you later okay?” I put her out of her misery. She hated talking to me about my life but always felt obligated to do so. She never knew what to say to me. Most of the time I felt like she just wanted to tell me what she really felt about it but was too afraid that I would estrange myself from her, hence cutting off her little middle of the month cash supply. I would never do that. She was my mother. I just wanted her to know that I loved her and I just wanted her to love me regardless of what I did in my own home.
_____“Okay then. Tell Vicky and Stacey that I said hello,” she was happy to be getting off the line.
_____“I will. Call you later.”
_____“Bye,”
_____“Bye.” We never ended our calls with ‘I love you’s’ I guess we both just knew that the other did. At least I hoped she did. Okay so I was a little late getting back to Vicky’s house. After my shower I laid down for a few minutes since I had time and I must have dozed off. Since Vicky hadn’t called I figured that all was still well. When I pulled up to her house the parking lot and the street was packed with cars. A few people stood out front talking and I recognized a few of them and spoke as I walked to the back where the smoke from the barbeque was coming. The music was playing and some kids were playing volleyball. Keith was working the grill and Vicky was sitting in a small circle with some coworkers and a few other friends that I recognized. Stacey spotted me and ran up to me. The tight shorts and baby tee that the girl wore shocked me with both her parent in tow to witness. Especially with a yard full of teen aged boys.
“Aunt Pam. You made it back,” she hugged me.
_____“Girl I told you I don’t miss a party,” I hugged her back. “Happy birthday baby girl.” I handed her two envelopes.
_____“Thank you. You know what a girl likes,” she said as she shook the envelopes.
_____“So I’m told,” I said and remembered that I was talking to my sixteen-year-old Goddaughter. I reserved my jokes and kissed her on the cheek again. She went off to put the cards in the house and I found a seat in the group with Vicky.
_____“Hey girl,” one of her coworkers said as I sat down.
_____“Hey how are you?” I smiled I couldn’t for the life of me remember her name. I know Vicky had introduced her to me once when I was at her office but it was so long ago.
_____“What’s up Pam?” Denise, a friend of Vicky, greeted me.
_____“Hey Denise. How have you been girl?” I faked a smile. I hated her. She was so stuck up and she always made Vicky feel like shit. I never knew why Vicky even dealt with that hooker.
_____“I’m doing fine girl. We just got back for The Hamptons. I am so tired.” She bragged.
_____“I can imagine,” I said. I looked around the yard for a cooler. Vicky spotted me and directed me to the blue and white cooler by the fence. She knew what I was looking for. I walked over and got myself a ice cold beer. I took it to the head after twisting the top.
_____“See you can drank like a man too,” Keith stood next to me. I came up for air.
_____“I’m not in the mood Keith,” I said. I really didn’t want to get in it with him.
_____“I’m sorry. You’re right. We shouldn’t do this on Stacey’s birthday,” he said. I really felt he was sincere. “Want something to eat?”
_____“Yeah. I’ll take a hamburger.” I said. He went back to the grill and placed a hamburger on a bun for me. I moved to the fixings table to dress the ground beef.
_____“There he is,” I heard Keith say loudly. I looked up to see what he was talking about and saw a nice looking brother coming into the yard. I almost dropped my burger when I saw who was with him. It was Rena. What in the hell? Keith and the man shook hands and hugged then Keith hugged her. Do not tell me that Keith knows her. I finished dressing my hamburger, not really concerned about what I put on it now. I think I actually put some hotdog relish on it. “Come on in man. Vicky is over here. I’m so glad you guys could stop by since you were in town.” Keith escorted the couple into the yard. Vicky spotted them and got up and greeted them. Oh these four went way back. Well how in the hell did I not know them? I thought I knew all of their friends.
_____“I’m so glad you came. You want something to eat or drank?” Vicky asked them.
_____“Girl something cold would be so nice,” Rena said.
_____“Okay. The coolers are over by the fence. I’ma go and get Stacey,” Vicky said. She directed Rena to the coolers. Right by me. She walked toward me without even seeing me. I know she didn’t see me when she first came in either. Finally she looked up and almost stopped dead in her tracks. I cocked my head to the side and smiled.
_____“Hey,” I said.
_____“Hey,” she said nervously. “What are you doing here?” She asked. Did she think that I was stalking her or something? She had forgotten that this was my hometown this time.
_____“Vicky happens to be my best friend and Stacey is my Goddaughter,” I said. “What about you?” I asked. She reached into the cooler and pulled out a Coke.
_____“Guy and Keith are frat brothers. I met Vicky a couple of times before. We were in town on business and Guy called Keith.” She said as she popped the top of her drank.
_____“Small world,” I said, taking a bite out of my hamburger.
_____“Too small,” she said. Vicky and Stacey came out of the house.
_____“Here she is. The birthday girl,” Vicky said. Rena smiled.
_____“Hi very nice to meet you. Happy sweet sixteen,” she shook hands with Stacey.
_____“Thank you.” Stacey said then looked at me. I turned away from the group not wanting anything to show on my face.
_____“Aunt Pam you got any mix CD’s in your car?” Stacey asked me.
_____“Yeah a few,” I turned back around and said.
_____“Can we get them? The music is getting boring.” I reached into my pocket and pulled out my keys. “Come with. I don’t want to get anything you don’t want us to play,” Stacey said. I smiled and we went out front to my car. The girl went through my CD collection and I stared in space. What a fucked up day this turned out to be. Well I just had to make the best of it. I was not going to let Rena spoil my fun. “How about these?” Stacey asked as she showed me the CD’s that she wanted to play.
_____“Those are fine,” I said.
_____“Can I ask you something?” She said. I looked at the girl.
_____“Sure.”
_____“You know that lady don’t you?” Where in the world did that come from?
_____“Huh?” I was dumbfounded. What did Stacey see?
_____“You know her? I can tell.”
_____“Stacey you don’t know what you are talking about. I just met her,” I lied.
_____“Right. You know her. I can tell.”
_____“You got the CD’s that you want?” I asked, changing the subject. She smiled and said yes. We walked back to the yard. I would make it a point to try to avoid Rena at all cost today.
_____“You have been mighty quiet today. Is everything okay?” Vicky asked me. I was standing by the volleyball net watching a game.
_____“Yeah I’m fine. Everything going okay for you?” I asked her.
_____“Yeah its smooth sailing. Keith is actually behaving himself.” She said.
_____“That’s good.”
_____“Did he say something to upset you?” she asked me.
_____“No why?”
_____“Because you have been unusually quiet and standoffish.”
_____“Baby I’m fine. I’m just a little tired is all. Keith has been fine. We actually agreed that we wouldn’t argue with each other in spirit of Stacey’s birthday.” I smiled.
_____“How sweet of the both of you. Well its just about time for the kids to go down to the club house for the pool party. No grown ups allowed. I do have to go down and sign them in though and make sure the lifeguard is there. Wanna come with?”
_____“Yeah I’ll come. And where did yall get that ‘come with’ crap from?” We both laughed and walked into the house. As Vicky gathered her things to go down to the clubhouse I looked out of the patio door at Rena. She sat by her husband and Keith looking bored out of her skull. They were probably talking about old times and she was forced to sit there and listen like she was interested. When we got to the clubhouse Stacey and her friends were already there waiting. They were anxious to get into the pool. Vicky went into the office, paid the fee and signed all of the necessary paperwork releasing the development owners of any liability if someone got hurt or drowned. She had to supply her own lifeguard. The DJ pulled up in his van and asked Stacey where to set up. “Damn yall bout to get bout it bout it up in here aint you?” I asked Stacey. She stared at me for a moment with a solid look.
_____“Aunt Pam don’t try to talk hip no more,” she laughed and I laughed too.
_____“You know what…” I swatted her and she moved away joining her friend in a group again. I smiled. My baby girl was all grown up. Man where did the years go? It wasn’t but a few years ago that she was calling me up begging me to come over so I could see her ride a two-wheeler. Seemed like just last week we were at a dance recital for the Tiny Steppers. I know it couldn’t have been more than a week ago when she was telling me how gross boys were. Now she was about to celebrate her sweet sixteen birthday with a live DJ and a pool full of boys with no shirts on.
_____“Okay Stacey come on lets go over the rules,” Vicky came out of the office and called the group to attention. They all gathered around her. “These are the pool’s rules. Familiarize yourself with them and pass them around.” She handed the girl a sheet of paper from the office. “And here are my rules,” she began. “You are all responsible for each other. I hold each and every one of you responsible for whatever happens here tonight. I know all of you and I know all of your parents. If I didn’t know you, you wouldn’t be here. I trust all of you. That is the only reason why I can do this. This is my baby’s sweet sixteen birthday. Lets make it one she will remember for good things and nothing bad okay?” She got a collective agreement from the group. “I will come down and check on things periodically and you will never know when. I just want everyone to have a good, fun, safe time. Stacey,” she looked at her daughter. “Happy birthday baby.”
_____“Thank you Ma. I love you.” They hugged.
_____“I love you too.”
_____“Thank you Aunt Pam,” she hugged me.
_____“You are welcome baby. Have fun.” I hugged her back and said. Vicky and I walked back to the house.
_____“Girl my baby is gone,” she said.
_____“I was just thinking the same thing. I remember the days when she was crying because she had scrapped her knee,” I said.
_____“I know. But I still got her for about two more years. Three or four if I’m lucky.” She said.
_____“What? Three or four? Girl once they are eighteen its time to let go.”
_____“That’s my baby. I want to hold on for as long as I can.” I laughed faintly and looked down at the ground.
_____“Any regrets?” She asked me.
_____“Regrets? For what?”
_____“Not having any.”
_____“No, no regrets. I do envy what you have though.”
_____“Told you, you should have hooked up with Paul.”
_____“Oh no you did not go there,” I laughed.
_____“Prince Paul.” We flashed back.
_____“The rapper extraordinar.”
_____“He was in love with you,” she said.
_____“He didn’t know what love was,” I said. “But his sister did.” I smiled at her. I knew exactly how to shut her up.
_____“Okay I’m not listening.” She covered her ears and walked faster trying to leave me. I caught up with her and tried to pull her hands away.
_____“Oh she was so cute,” I joked.
_____“I’m not listening to you. Lalalalala.”

When we got back to the yard party we found that most of the guest had gone. A few friends still lingered. We found Rena sitting by Denise looking as bored as she did when she was talking with Keith and Guy. “Vicky wonderful party. Thank you for inviting me. If Franklin is any trouble at all just call us and we will come and get him.” Denise stood with her foil wrapped plate in her hands.
_____“Thank you for coming Denise. Franklin will be fine. He is always a gentleman when he comes over to see Stacey. I don’t expect anything different from him tonight,” Vicky said. I sat down in a chair beside Rena.
_____“Yes he has his father’s charm.”
_____“Well tell Frank that we are sorry that we missed him. Maybe you guys can make the next one together.”
_____“Lets hope so, but you know how busy he is.”
_____“Yes I do.” Vicky said.
_____“Yes well goodnight everyone. Very nice meeting you Rene.” Denise said calling the woman all out her name.
_____“You too and its Rena,” but she was corrected.
_____“Oh I am deeply sorry. Vicky, do you mind if I take a beer home with me? I know Frank would just enjoy one when he comes home.”
_____“No dear not at all. Take two.” Vicky offered.
_____“One is enough. Let her get her own damn beer,” I mumbled under my breath. Only Rena heard me, and she chuckled.
_____“Thank you. Goodnight again.” Denise finally left. Vicky sat down in another chair in the group.
_____“Now tell me again why I should like her,” I said.
_____“Pam play nice,” Vicky warned. “We were all in school together.” Vicky explained to Rena. “Pam and Denise are arch rivals. And to this day I don’t know why. Why don’t you like each other Pam?” she asked me.
_____“Because she is a stuck up little bitch and I don’t take her shit,” I confirmed it. Rena laughed and Vicky shook her head. The cell phone in her pocket rang and she reached for it.
_____“Hello? I don’t know. Is the manager still in the office? Alright I will be there in a minute.” It was obviously Stacey. She hung up the phone. “The hot tub is not bubbling and the office manager is gone. They don’t know how to turn it on. Keith!” she called to him. He, Guy and some other man were in the house watching television and talking.
_____“Yeah?” he called back.
_____“Stacey needs you down at the pool house,” she said.
_____“That’ll get him moving,” I said low. Vicky looked at me with a warning look.
_____“She doesn’t know how to turn on the hot tub.”
_____“What do they need with a hot tub?” He called back.
_____“Would you just go down and turn it on for them please?” she asked.
_____“Alright. Where is it?” He asked as he came out of the house.
_____“At the clubhouse Keith.” I could tell that Vicky was getting agitated with him.
_____“Which one is the club house?” He asked. Man was this cat stupid.
_____“Come on Keith damn,” she got up and they left leaving Rena and me alone.
_____“Having fun so far?” I asked her.
_____“Yes. They are nice people. I take it you don’t like Keith either?” She said.
_____“Keith and I have a love/hate relationship. We love to hate each other,” I said.
_____“Is it because you are in love with Vicky?” she asked.
_____“Vicky and I grew up together from this high,” I put my hand out a few inches from the ground. “She’s my sister.” I explained.
_____“I’m sorry.” She said.
_____“No problem. I just don’t like Keith, that’s all.” I said. “so had you any intention of using that card that I gave you?” I asked. She sighed as if she was waiting for me to bring it up.
_____“I thought we settled this in Boston?” she said as she looked around the yard. Her husband was busy in the house and there was no one else around us.
_____“Then why did you even take my card? Why didn’t you just say you didn’t want to see me again?” I asked.
_____“I don’t know. Maybe I did want to at the time.” She confessed.
_____“But not anymore? Have things gotten better with your husband or something?”
_____“No they are about the same. If not worse.”
_____“But your feelings have changed about wanting to see me again?”
_____“It’s complicated Pam.”
_____“But it wasn’t that night?”
_____“Why do you insist on making me feel this way?”
_____“What way is that Rena? Guilty or excited?” I leaned back in my chair and stared at her. She looked back at me. I creased my lip in a slight smile.
_____“Don’t do this,” she begged me. I knew she wanted me and I was going to make her want me even more. She would use that card.
_____“Do what? I just asked you a question. How do you feel right now? Do you feel so bad about the other night that you can go in there and tell your husband or are you so turned on by the other night that you will call me tonight when your husband is sound asleep?”
_____“I wont call you,” she lied to herself.
_____“But do you want to?” I licked my lips.
_____“No.” She got up from the chair and walked to the cooler for another drank. Keith and Vicky came back into the yard.
_____“I’m just letting you know what everything cost and reminding you that you said you would help out,” Vicky said to him.
_____“Whatever Vicky. Lets talk about it later.” Keith walked back into the house and sat back down with the boys. Rena found it safe to sit back down in the group. We talked some more casual conversation with me and Rena stealing quick glances at each other.
About an hour later Guy and Keith came out of the house. They looked like two men on a mission.
_____“Baby Keith and I are going to take a ride for a little while. You gone be alright here?” Guy asked Rena. She looked uncomfortably at him then at everyone else. I could tell that she wanted to get into it with him but didn’t want to in front of everyone.
_____“Sure. I’ll be fine.” She finally said.
_____“Cool. We’ll be back soon. If you get tired you can just go back to the hotel and I can have him drop me off.” Guy said. Man this guy was a real winner. Rena nodded weakly. I could tell she was embarrassed. He handed her the keys and was out of the yard with Keith before she could even get them in her purse. She pulled something out of her purse and looked at it. It was my card. She looked up at me and put the card back into her purse.
_____“Girl with your man out with Keith there is no telling what time they will be back. You can stay here if you don’t feel safe going back to your hotel.” Vicky offered. “No I will be fine. I don’t think I will have any problems with being alone tonight.” She looked up at me again. Oh now she wanted to play.

About thirty minutes after the men’s departure I decided to make my great escape. I had to go home and make sure the crib was right for when Rena came by. Before I left I did make sure that I had a strong confirmation in her eyes that she would show. She was pissed off with Guy so she had some getting back to do. That was fine with me. I wasn’t looking for a relationship out of this. I actually only thought that we would see each other when I was in Boston again but their little business trip had changed that. When I got home I made sure I had plenty to drink chilled. Whatever her flavor was I had it for her. There was everything from water to Alize to Cristal to Remey to Courviosier and more in between. I did not play. It depended on who I was with as to what they wanted to drink. Most of my lady friends only wanted a little drink and the sweet taste of Remey Red and coke on a pair of hot lips set me off right. I lit a swisher sweet and took a few puffs as I walked around my apartment, making sure everything was ready. The cigar mellowed me out and I needed that after the day I had. I was hoping that Rena wouldn’t disappoint me and that she would help me calm down even more. I checked the stock in my bathroom to make sure that I had shower gels and massage oils. Anything could jump off tonight. The bathroom was stocked. There were clean towels and clean linen on the bed. Candles were placed all around the room which I would light later and my CD changer was equipped with ten of the most romantic CD’s known to man. The programmer was preset on my favorites songs to play randomly. The selection included Floetry, Janet Jackson, Joi, The Isleys and many more. As I stated before, I did not play. The phone woke me and it was then that I realized that I had fallen asleep. I looked at my watch and was happy to see that I had only been asleep for twenty minutes. That was my power nap. I was good to go for the rest of the evening and the evening was young. I picked up the cordless, muted the basketball game on NBA league pass and answered it.
_____“Hello?”
_____“I was beginning to think you weren’t there.”
_____“I’m here. Waiting for your call.”
_____“Haven’t been waiting long have you?”
_____“Long enough. How far away are you?”
_____“Right outside your building. Looking up at the lights and wondering which one is yours.”
_____“Top floor.”
_____“All the way to the top?”
_____“The penthouse.”
_____“Where do I park?”
_____“The parking garage. My code is 971.”
_____“Okay. Any more instructions?”
_____“Just tell the doorman where you’re going and who you are here to see. I’ll call down for you.”
_____“Thank you. See you in a minute.”
_____“I can’t wait”
I hung up the phone then called down to the desk. George answered and knew it was me.
_____“Yes Ms. Richmond?”
_____“George I’m expecting a visitor. A young lady. Please show her to the elevator.” There was a separate elevator to the penthouse suites. There were only four penthouse apartments.
_____“Yes ma’ma,” I heard George smile. It was usually during George’s graveyard shift that I got most of my visitors. I made sure everything around my apartment was set while I waited for the elevator. I left my front door open for her. I lit the candles in my bedroom and checked myself in the mirror. My linen outfit was tight and I looked good if I said so myself. When I first got home I showered and changed. I heard the elevator ding and I went to the door to greet my guest. She stepped off the elevator clad in a red strapless. She had changed too. Her hair was pulled back in a bun and she glowed. She smiled when she saw me and I smiled back.
_____“Welcome,” I said as she entered my apartment. I closed the door behind her.
_____“Thank you,” she said. “Really nice place.” She looked around.
_____“Thank you. Care for something to drink?”
_____“Got any wine?”
_____“White or red?”
_____“White please.”
_____“Please make yourself comfortable. Be right back.” On my way to the kitchen I picked up the remote to my CD system which had base units in the living room and the bed room but surround sound throughout the apartment. I hit play. From the random selection Luther Vandross’s “Superstar” played first. I heard her moan her approval as I went into the kitchen. I got two glasses and a bottle of chilled zinfandel. I poured two glasses and went back into the living room. She was not there. I looked around and saw her shadow in my bedroom. I went into the room. “Here we go,” I said. She was checking out the African art on my bedroom walls although the lack of lighting made it difficult. I handed her a glass of wine. She took a sip.
_____“Nice,” she said. I wasn’t sure if she meant the art or the wine.
_____“The wine?” I asked.
_____“Everything,” she said as she looked at me over the brim of her glass.
_____“You like huh?”
_____“Oh very much.”
_____“Well so do I,” I said. I put my glass down on the dresser and walked toward her. She didn’t back away. I took her glass from her and put it down also. I took her in my arms without resistance. I lowered my head to hers and she met my half way with a kiss. Our tongues danced in her mouth before they changed dance floors and danced in mine. I sucked on her tongue as a prelude to the sucking I would be doing in a few more minutes. She wrapped her arms around my neck and caressed the back of it as she let me arouse her with my tongue more. I backed us up to my bed and lowered her to a sit. I sat down beside her, all while never giving up the task of possessing her mouth. She moved her hands to my face and then down the front of my neck and then down to my chest. She took over the kissing now. I placed my hands back on the bed to brace myself. She moved her kissed down my neck to my shoulders. She was unbuttoning my shirt all at the same time. She opened my shirt and pushed it off my shoulders. She pulled my tank up, exposing my hardened breast. I threw my head back and breathed a heavy sigh as her mouth caught my hardened breast.
_____“Oh baby,” I moaned. Her hands caressed the rest of my body as her mouth staked claim on my nipples. She was now positioned on her knees between my legs. This was driving me crazy. I couldn’t take this anymore. I had to have her. I had to have my mouth on her. I took her by the shoulders and pulled her back onto the bed. I changed positions with her and now I stood in front of her. “Lay back,” I commanded. She did as she was told, schuching back on the bed. Now I was on my knees. I spread her legs and my hand moved slowly up her legs from the outside in. the insides of her thighs were moist. She had been wet for a while. I pushed her dress up over her hips. She helped me out by lifting her hips. She wasn’t wearing any panties. My hands came back down underneath her buttocks. I watcher her eyes close as I massaged her ass. She put a finger in her mouth and sucked it, and then she reached down and put the same finger between her legs. She buried it inside her womanhood and let out a long moan. She pulled her finger out then opened up her eyes and looked at me. She brought her wet finger to my mouth and traced it over my lips, leaving her nectar on my lips to taste. My tongue followed the trail and I reached up and shoved her sweetened finger in my mouth. Sucking her juices from it. She moaned.
_____“Baby damn,” she managed to say. I let go of her hand and my own hands moved to the inside of her thighs. I began rubbing her wet mound. I had to make sure she was good and ready. She wasn’t. I wanted her to beg me to put my tongue inside of her. I played with her clit. She scrwarm. My fingers massaged the insides of her lips. “Oh baby.” She was close. She was real close to telling me what she wanted me to do. I played some more between her legs as juices continuously secreted from her hole and she moved, urging me with her hips to come inside. I rubbed her clit faster. “Oh Pam.” Had I heard right? Did she just call my name? Damn was I good.
_____“Tell me what you want,” I said.
_____“I want you,” she said. “I want you bad.”
_____“What do you want me to do?”
_____“Put your tongue in me. Taste me,” she said. I lowered my head obliging her. I took her clit in my mouth and sucked it as I had her tongue earlier. She reached back at nothing, grabbing at nothing. “Damn.” I continued to suck her clit and massage her lips. “Baby please. Put your tongue in me.” She was begging now. I moved my head lower until my tongue found her opening. I used my tongue to catch the dripping juice before it fell to the bed. I licked around her opening and she begged more. I finally dove my tongue into her pulsating opening. She used her muscles to pull my tongue in deeper. I moved my tongue around inside of her. I caressed her walls with my exited tongue. She tasted so sweet. I could eat her all night. She cried out some more which urged me no even more. “Pam I’m coming,” she said. I rubbed her cit with my thumb as my tongue darted in and out of her hot, wet pussy. “Oh Pam,” she bucked and exploded. Her juices bursted from her opening, drenching my tongue. I tasted her. I sucked her from my tongue and licked her from my lips. Her flood continued as she spasmed. “Oh damn,” she tried to catch her breath. I kissed her inner things and moved up to her shaved mound. I moved up to her neck then took her mouth in mine. I kissed her long and hard. I pulled away then looked down at her.
_____“I look forward to you getting pissed at her husband more often,” I smiled down at her.
_____“I’m thinking of fights to pick with him right now,” she smiled up at me. I laughed and leaned down to taste her lips more.

The End

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