February Sucks until May Shines Ch. 02

Hi all, I hope you enjoyed the first chapter. For those of you who haven't read it, I'd advise you to go back and give it a quick read - this chapter picks up where that one left off.

Chapter 2

"Well Marie, you were right," I said, placing my phone on the table and spinning it around for her to look at. She picked it up and began reading the message over the top of her glasses. While she read, I took a large bite out of the bacon and egg sandwich she'd bought me. It tasted a little bit like what I imagined heaven would taste like.

I studied the elderly lady as her eyes flicked back and forth across the screen. Over the course of a week, she had become a surprise rock in my life, a steady guiding hand that held my own as a storm raged around me. It also happened to be a hand that had no issues with clipping me around the ear if I was moping too much. Somehow, those small moments of pain pulled me out of a downward spiral.

"What's the point in glasses if you look over them when you read?" I asked through a mouthful of salty bacon, fluffy bread, and juicy egg.

Marie's eyes darted upwards and she gave me a look that would send many a man running for cover. Fortunately, her hands were occupied with my phone and I was leaning far enough away that my ears were protected... for the moment.

"I can read things up close just fine," she replied tartly. "It's anything slightly further away that's the problem, now let me finish reading. Oh, and Jim, swallow your food before you talk, I didn't go through the effort of making it for you to have it sprayed back in my face."

I looked appropriately sheepish and ate my sandwich in smaller bites.

Marie finished moments later and slid the phone back across the table to me, a thoughtful expression on her face.

"Well?" I asked.

"It sounds like it could be complicated."

I sighed. "Yeah, I suppose that's it then. Maybe being with her should just be a golden memory and nothing more."

A sharp pain exploded in my left earlobe. "OUCH!"

"You're doing it again," Marie said heartlessly. "You do this thing where you look down like a lost puppy and feel sorry for yourself."

"Well, haven't I got a right to feel that way?" I asked, rubbing my ear. The old woman was some sort of ear-slapping ninja.

Her voice softened a fraction. "Yes, you do, but it won't help, trust me. It would be the easiest thing in the world to let yourself tumble into a pit of despair, but you have to keep your chin up and eyes forward." She pointed at the phone. "I said it could be complicated, not that you shouldn't do anything about it. Tell me, what have you thought about most over the week?"

The answer was easy. "My night with May."

"Even after what Linda did? Even after her betrayal? All those years of marriage?"

I rubbed my temples. "I know! My mind is a mess, I'm a mess! My heart is broken, my marriage is in pieces, and yet all I can think about is that night with May! It's like I'm on a sinking rowboat out at sea and then May comes along in this crazy yacht and offers me to jump on board. Am I jumping on board because she's the ultimate rebound or because I genuinely like her? More importantly, why the hell does she like me? I mean, what have I got to offer her that a million other far richer and more successful guys couldn't? Shit, I wouldn't be surprised if she gets offers every night!" As I finished, the memory of Linda dancing with Marc flashed into my mind accompanied by a stab of pain and anger.

"Hence why it could be complicated," Marie said sympathetically. "You're right, Jim. You are all over the place, but I will tell you one thing: I've been around long enough to know a good one when I see them, and you, darling, are one of the best."

She patted my hand affectionately.

"Thanks, Marie. If only you were forty years younger, eh?"

She laughed. "You couldn't have handled me at your age. I was untameable..." Her smile faded at the end of her sentence and she looked sad. "Well, I was nearly untameable," she added sadly.

"What do you mean?"

"I was a bit of a wild person... until I met Bob. I was out partying, as I always was, when I met him, my future husband. I don't know if love at first sight is a real thing, but I reckon it was for me."

I thought back to meeting May. "It could be," I said. "How did you meet?"

"Well, I saw him standing at the bar and I was infatuated. I targeted him as my next conquest. I remember strolling up to him, all of the arrogance and sexiness in the world - I used to be a catch, don't you know. Anyway, I tapped him on the shoulder, ready to take him and have my way with him and do you know what he did?" Marie laughed. "He turned around, looked me up and down, and said, 'no thanks'."

"No thanks!?"

Marie laughed harder. "Yes! He just said, 'No thanks' and turned back around. Of course, the hothead I was, I demanded he talk to me. I asked him what made him think he was so great, and he said something that changed my life, he said, 'I don't think I'm great, but I don't think you are either'. When I looked at myself in the mirror that night, I didn't like the person I saw... the person Bob had seen with one look. He was the first person to strip all of that away. Suddenly, I felt naked and ashamed. So, I changed. It wasn't overnight, it took time and effort, but eventually I became a person I could be proud of. I went back to the same club every weekend, but not for a good time. I went back there for Bob. It was two months before I saw him again, and when I did, boy was I nervous. I must have looked like a rabbit approaching a lion. I tapped him on the shoulder and when he turned around, I saw how a man should look at a woman. There was no leering, no lust in his eyes, only admiration. Pure admiration. And the rest, as they say, is history."

"I would like to meet this Bob one day," I said without noticing the wistful way in which Marie had told her story.

"Well, I actually see him every time I finish my shift, if you'd like to join me?"

I shrugged. "Sure, I'll train after I've finished work."

Marie disappeared to gather her belongings and reappeared wearing one of those long coats elderly ladies always wore in cold weather. I had all of my things for work with me, so I shouldered my bag and offered her my arm as we left the hotel.

The air was bitter outside and the streets were filled with bustling people and cars driving far too fast. I was suddenly aware of just how fragile Marie was. In the hotel reception, she was a force of nature but out in the real world, she was just a little old lady. I felt oddly protective over her.

I let her lead me through the park and we made small talk. It wasn't until we reached the far side that I noticed she sounded sad. Then I looked up and saw the archway for the cemetery. My heart dropped from my chest to somewhere around my stomach.

"Marie," I said in a soft voice. "Bob..."

"He passed away earlier this year," she said with a catch in her voice. "We used to take walks in the morning, it's why I do the nightshifts. It means I can come here after and speak to him... besides, I don't really sleep all that well anymore."

I put my arm around her and she dabbed at her eyes. "Come on, let's go and meet him," I said gently.

The noise from the cars and the business of the world turned quiet as we stepped beneath the cast iron archway. It was like stepping into a bubble. Everything became muted and the air was filled with a sad peace that clung to each blade of grass and paving stone.

Marie led me past old gravestones weathered by time to a small plot at the far side. An old oak tree stood proudly over it, its thick branches stretching over the graves protectively. There was a bench before its broad trunk that faced the cemetery, in the perfect position to sit on and look at an immaculate gravestone.

I stepped closer and read the words.

Here lies Robert Windstone,

May 1 ^st 1950 - January 2 ^nd 2024

No thanks.

"No thanks?" I asked with a small smile.

Marie wiped her eyes but laughed. "It became a running joke throughout our relationship and marriage. When he got ill... towards the end, he arranged for the plot and the headstone without telling me." She pointed to a patch of grass beside his. "That's where I'm going someday. Even after he passed, he still looks after me." She looked at the two words at the bottom of the headstone and laughed again. "I thought it was some sort of sick joke when I saw it or there had been some mistake, but the more I thought about it, the more I realised it was a message to me. Bob saw me for who I was, who I could be, from the moment I met him until his dying breath. He... saved my life and then gave me one to remember."

"He sounds like one hell of a man."

"He was the greatest man I ever met."

I guided her to the bench beneath the old oak and helped her sit. "Tell me about him."

Marie smiled and there was a twinkle in her eye. The years fell away as she told me about her life with Bob. It was a fairytale life, one that I wanted for myself. They'd travelled the world, built a home together, had two children and grandchildren. I wondered if I could ever find that, or if Linda had been my only chance at happiness. As happy as I was to hear Marie speak, I was equally unhappy that it was something I might never have.

*

I arrived at work in an odd mood. I greeted my managers and received a slap on the shoulder from the behemoth that was Jason as I hurried up to my office. I sat behind my desk with a bottle of water and tried to focus on my tasks for the day. The gym was thriving and membership was doing amazingly well, so the big bosses up at corporate were happy.

"At least my working life is sorted," I muttered to myself as I logged onto my computer.

Sam arrived moments later with the excuse of talking about a few new members. It was a poorly disguised attempt at checking up on me, but I appreciated it all the same.

She poked her head around the corner, her midnight hair hanging down from her ponytail. "Hey Jim, got a minute? We have a few new members I wanted to talk to you about."

We sat on my sofas and talked about the new arrivals, one of whom had a physical disability. She wanted to ensure that the gym was safe enough and equipped well enough for him to work out comfortably. It was one of the many reasons she was the perfect number two: she truly cared about the members. We went through every detail we could think of until we were satisfied that we could offer the perfect environment for the young gentleman to train.

After, she finally got to the questions she'd been dying to ask from the moment she'd entered the room. "So, what did Maeve Whyte want the other day?" she asked eagerly. "How are you feeling about Linda? Are you OK? What's happened?" All the questions came out of her mouth tumbling one over the other.

"Woah, slow down," I said, holding my hands up. "If I tell you, can you promise you won't tell anyone? I trust you but I'd rather this was kept between us."

She motioned zipping her lips and sat up straight like a child in class.

I chuckled. "OK, so May wanted to take me out to eat to say thank you for... something I did for her the other night."

"WHAT!?" Sam jumped up "She asked you out!? Jim, oh Jim, oh Jim." She was pacing back and forth, shaking her head in disbelief.

"Sam, calm down. It really wasn't a big deal. We just went out to eat at this real pretentious place and had a nice evening."

"How can you think it's not a big deal? She's Maeve Whyte." She got out her phone and loaded up some social media sites I didn't care about.

"Wait!" I said, shielding my eyes. "To me, she's just May, and I want to keep it that way. I haven't looked up anything online because I don't want to know about her. Anyway, I'm still trying to get over what happened with Linda and decide what I should do."

Sam sat down and tucked her phone away. "Sorry," she apologised guiltily. "What that bitch did to you is far more important, I just got carried away with the whole Maeve thing." She looked far more serious as she said, "So... how are things with... her?"

"Not good, she had sex with him."

"BITCH!"

"I know, she told me about it all... it sounded like it was shit for her, not that it matters."

"No, it doesn't matter," Sam said fiercely. "Although I'm glad it wasn't any good for her, I hope her cunt falls off."

I laughed loudly. "Sam, you've got a special way with words. Thank you, you're a good friend."

She grinned. "And don't you forget it!" She sobered. "Is there anything we can do here?"

"Not really, you guys are all amazing. Let's just keep things running smoothly, I don't want the shit storm in my personal life spilling over into the gym."

"OK, boss. You need us though, we're all here for you," she said with a salute. "So... have you spoken to Maeve?"

It was only then I remembered the text message on my phone. "Oh yeah, she messaged me this morning, actually. I haven't replied yet."

Sam looked at me like I'd committed a murder. "What!? Why haven't you replied!?"

I shrugged. "I forgot and then I was too busy."

She shook her head in disbelief. "You are one of a kind, I'll say that much. I'm going back to the floor, please reply to her. People don't ignore a message from Maeve Whyte."

I rolled my eyes and waved her from my office. I picked up my phone and unlocked it, the message was still there from the morning.

Jim,

I want to apologise for leaving you the other night. I meant what I said when I told you I didn't want the night to end. Alfred... he's employed by my managers to make sure that I don't do anything that might ruin my reputation.

I can't believe I'm saying this over a text message or that I'm nervous as I'm typing, but I would really like to see you again. I picked out our first date so, if you want to see me again, I thought you could choose our second date?

I'm sorry again,

May x

I read the message more times than I was proud of. Marie was right, it was complicated. The part about her wanting to see me made my heart swell until my chest couldn't contain it, but then I read the part about me ruining her reputation and it went down like a popped balloon.

I didn't think she meant to say that I would spread rumours or gossip about her - I'd hopefully proven to her I wasn't that type of person after the park incident and my subsequent silence. But, that would mean I might ruin her reputation in another way... was being seen with me bad enough that it would harm how people saw her? I was under no illusions that the difference between my social standing and May's was the equivalent of an eagle soaring in the stratosphere while I was a lonely clucking chicken.

Still, another date with May. Another chance to repeat one of the most magical nights of my life? Or would I end up getting hurt? I imagined Marie standing behind me with her hand raised and my ear gave a painful throb.

"OK, I'll message," I said to nobody in particular.

Hi May,

I would love to see you again. I'm free any evening, so just let me know and I'll send the details.

Jim x

Her reply came almost immediately.

Jim, that's great! I'm free on Wednesday night if that works for you?

May x

My heart was beating hard and my fingers were trembling. I shook my head and tried to get a hold of myself, I was behaving like some love-drunk fool. I played it cool trying to channel my inner James Bond.

Wednesday's perfect, I'll work something out x

I pressed send and then the realisation that I had to plan something hit me like a train. Where the hell do you take a world-famous singer? It would cost me half my meagre savings to take her to the type of place she was used to, and I'm pretty sure a walk in the park is off the cards - there's nothing like your date taking you to the place you were attacked and almost raped.

It didn't leave my mind for the remainder of the day, meaning I was far slower to get through my tasks than I would have liked. I decided to grab some food at the small café downstairs and have dinner in my office. By the time I'd finished my tasks, the gym was empty and locked up. I assumed the team would have realised I hadn't left and left me to set the alarm.

It wasn't an issue, quite often I would work out after the gym had closed. There was something incredibly relaxing about having the entire place to myself, not to mention using the spa facilities without worrying about having to make small talk with members.

I changed in the staff lockers and then did a short, thirty-minute high-intensity workout. It wasn't as long as I'd normally go for but it provided the rush of endorphins I needed and helped to settle my mind.

After, I decided to swim a few laps of the pool and then call it a day. I changed in the downstairs lockers and then walked down the short corridor to the pool. As I was opening the door, a noise froze me in my tracks. It was a low moan of pleasure.

My first thought was that someone had broken in or hidden until the gym was empty before using the facilities. I should have gone in and kicked whoever it was out but another throaty moan stopped me. I was paralysed, unsure whether to listen, walk away, or interrupt.

The pool area had a jacuzzi at the end nearest the changing rooms, a long pool, and then a sauna, steam room, and other facilities running down its length. From where I was, I could peer around the door and see who was in the jacuzzi.

I felt like a pervert, listening to the increasing moans as my heart hammered in my chest. Then, a voice spoke that almost collapsed me to my knees. It was Sam.

"Ah, lick my clit. Yeah, just like that..." she drifted off into another moan.

It was too much. I hadn't had sex for nearly two weeks and my cock was so hard it ached. A small part of my mind told me that it was a good thing that I was still able to get turned on after what had happened. But another part, located in my stretched swimming shorts, quickly told it to shut up.

I slowly peered around the door, my breath coming in shallow, quaking rasps.

Sam was sitting on the side of the tub, leaning back on her hands with her legs spread wide apart. Her head was thrown back and her eyes were closed in rapture. She was completely naked.

Under the pale blue night light, her skin took on an ethereal quality, smooth like silk and glowing faintly. Her breasts were larger than I expected, shaped like a teardrop with small nipples set slightly higher than dead centre. They rose and fell with her chest in short movements in time with her moans.

My eyes travelled down to her flat stomach, slightly toned but not enough to show a six-pack. Then her long legs, spread wide enough to display her flexibility. I'd never considered myself to have a foot fetish, but watching her slim, arched feet and slender toes curl and stretch in pleasure made my cock throb.

Then, I looked at the most shocking, arousing part of it all. Between her legs was a woman with curly red hair that hung over her shoulders and into the water of the jacuzzi. She was on all fours, with her rear facing in my direction.

Her ass was well-rounded, displaying a perfectly shaven hole and pussy that was dripping with cum. As her head moved rapidly up and down between Sam's legs, I saw her reach between her own. Her finger parted her lips and began to move in small circles around her clit, occasionally dipping into her pussy and returning drenched in fluid.

"Lick my fucking pussy," Sam moaned, getting into it. I stepped back slightly as she opened her eyes but I needn't have worried, her attention was riveted on the redhead. She grabbed her hair and pulled it closer. "I said lick it, you slut."