Forty Fucking Years Pt. 01

After a couple of days relaxing by the hotel pool and being pampered at a day-spa, Catt was getting restless. She was used to being in charge of a fast-paced, highly acclaimed restaurant kitchen delivering delicious plates to appreciative guests with very deep pockets. Lolling on the sunny, sandy beach was boring.

She remembered that Tom and his wife lived somewhere close by, but the two couples hadn't been in touch since that wild summer evening a couple of years earlier. Catt smiled at the memory of Tom spooning with her. A few minutes on the phone with the information operator tracked them down.

Catt might have considered how her bolt-out-of-the-blue telephone call would be received on the other end, but at the time it hadn't entered her mind. She craved some social interaction, but even more, she wanted to see Tom again.

Giselle graciously invited Catt to dinner at their home. It hadn't registered with Catt that this was a well-established middleclass family living in suburbia with a passel of kids and the proverbial two cars, two dogs and a mortgage. She was welcomed into the American dream. It was a very different image of Tom's life than she had imagined from her prior knowledge of him.

The whirling dervish that was the household at dinner time amazed Catt. Giselle kept the several pre-teen children involved with homework, while simultaneously feeding the baby and preparing a delicious-smelling chicken casserole, and setting a lovely table in the dining room. Catt was in awe of Giselle's organizational skills and culinary execution - seemingly without hesitation she had invited the woman to dinner and was unfazed by adding a guest to the hectic family mix. Dinner would be served shortly after Tom arrived home from the construction project he supervised for his father-in-law's company.

Catt offered to help prepare the salad, while Giselle handily managed the rest of the dinner preparations. She had thoughtfully brought along a couple of bottles of wine and once opened, and sipped, any awkwardness between the two women seemed to lessen. Catt liked Giselle, and smiled to herself, pleased that her friend Tom had picked a good mate. She hoped that they-three could grow to be friends; she wanted to keep Tom in her life and perhaps an added benefit would be a friendship with his wife.

Giselle seemed to relax a bit after a few sips of wine. She sashayed slightly to the beat of some background boogey music on the stereo as she moved about the kitchen, and Catt quickly realized the woman had some moves. Giselle wore very tight short-shorts over a comely ass and a fitted-scoop neck T-shirt which showed a deep cleavage between her breasts. Catt gave an admiring appraisal of Giselle's shapely body and buxom breasts - still quite shapely even after having several kids. Catt had never considered a relationship with another woman, but if she had perhaps... but maybe a three-way... with Tom...

The front door opened and a deep-voiced man yelled the typical sitcom opening line: "Hi, honey, I'm home!" Tom had arrived! "Who's car in the driveway?"

"We have a guest, Tom," Giselle responded in a neutral tone. Catt popped her head around the kitchen door frame and said "Hi, Tom!"

The man was gob-smacked, his jaw dropped open in surprise. His face flushed with some private embarrassment of thought then Tom tripped over his own feet, like Dick Van Dyke, wobbling slightly to regain his footing.

"Hey!! Hi, Catt! Wow - I sure didn't expect to see you here. How are you?" Tom was at a loss for words. He kept looking from Catt to Giselle for an explanation, but before that happened the kids piled on him screaming, "Daddy's home!

Tom was quickly overwhelmed with the kid's greetings, so all he could do was catch curious glances at the apparition that was Catt and wonder how it had happened.

Catt silently observed the happy, domestic bliss of married life in the suburbs: The Brady Bunch live - up close and personal.

Dinner was delicious and Giselle had timed the plating perfectly - fifteen minutes after Tom's arrival home. Catt's restaurant experience - knowing that timing and delivery of a meal is vital to success - caused her to appreciate how Giselle had so perfectly executed it in those days before the constant contact of cell-phones to update ETA status. The dinner table conversation was a burble of kid's school news and activities, occasionally with a request for seconds, or a bickering remark between siblings. A luscious looking strawberry pie was brought to the table for slicing and Catt lavishly praised the dessert presentation, as well as its taste - truly a five-star restaurant caliber! She silently wondered how this busy wife and mother kept their hectic life flowing so smoothly - Tom was a lucky man to have found the perfect mate. Catt refused to consider further how Tom and Giselle had been introduced.

After dinner, Giselle herded the children off for bathes and bedtime stories while Tom and Catt lingered over coffee at the dining room table. For the first minutes the awkward silences between polite chit-chat was almost deafening. The children's laughter and water splashing carried softly from the back of the house where the bedrooms and bathrooms were located.

Tom sat stiffly in his chair - he started to pour another cup of coffee for himself, then realized he should offer some to Catt first and almost poured the hot coffee all over the table instead of in her cup. Catt placed her hand on his arm, "I am so sorry, Tom..."

"Why should you be sorry, I spilled the coffee?" There was a snappish in tension in his retort.

"I shouldn't have come - it's made you uncomfortable. I just was feeling glum and wanted to see some dear friends again - you especially. I'll leave now, please thank Giselle for me." Catt pushed her chair back to stand, but Tom grabbed her hand and squeezed it tight.

"Oh please Catt - don't leave! I was surprised to see you that's all. I am so glad you called Giselle. It's so good to see you - you look wonderful considering the way that shit of a husband treated you - just as I was always afraid he would!"

Catt was stunned by the heartfelt emotion behind the words. She needed to move around and put some space between her and the man who was holding her hand tight. Patting him gently on the arm with her free hand Catt said, "Let's do the dishes for Giselle - you wash and I'll dry." She grabbed up the dessert plates and walked briskly into the kitchen. Tom followed, stepping up to the sink, rinsing dishes, loading them into the dishwasher while Catt finished clearing the table. They worked together silently, but their movements were choreographed like a pair of practiced dancers. Neither of them spoke a word except to remark on their scullery accomplishments.

Tom left Catt in the kitchen to finish cleaning up while he went to say goodnight to the kids. She poured another mug of coffee and sat at the kitchen table listened to the companionable chatter of the family and wondered to herself whether she would be happy with a 'married-with-children' life instead of a career.

Tom returned to their guest before Giselle, joining Catt who was sitting at the kitchen table. He retrieved a bottle of bourbon from the cupboard and indicated to her with a presentation of it in her direction: want some? After a moment's hesitation Catt nodded her head yes, and hoped it was a good answer. He pulled another glass from the cupboard and leaned over her to pour.

Catt inhaled deeply to steady her emotions. As she did, she recognized that familiar scent - there was something about the smell of Tom's pheromones - it was addictive to her. Catt was aroused and nervous at the same time - his wife was in the next room! Red caution flags mixed with anxiety were everywhere. He sat down at the table leaving the chair on the far side for Giselle when she rejoined them. Their conversation took a deliberate turn toward their shared interest in the hospitality industry and other 'safe' topics. The sexual tension between them was palpable.

Giselle rejoined her husband and Catt at the kitchen table when the children were tucked in for the night. Declining an offer of a bourbon pour, she preferred a cup of hot tea. The three people sat companionably discussing a wide range of world and domestic political issues, and while it was getting late, Catt really hated to leave the enjoyable evening.

Mid-sentence Tom seemed to stutter and lose his train of thought about some political issue, but recovered quickly and reclaimed the conversation smoothly. He did, however throw a quick glance in Catt's direction. Giselle didn't seem to take notice.

As the hour was late and Catt had a long drive back to the hotel, she said her thanks for a lovely evening - meaning every word of it - then headed to her car. Giselle remained in the kitchen cleaning up while Tom saw Catt safely settled into her car.

"You gave me quite a surprise with that toe action climbing up my leg under the table- it really caught me off guard." Tom wanted to pursue what Catt's intention might have been, without being too rude.

"Oh, oh my god, I am so sorry! How embarrassing!! I didn't realize that I was doing that, and when I did... well, I am so sorry!" She whispered the apology with abject sincerity. Catt realized at once that her attraction for Tom had gotten way out of bounds. She was horny, and she let that get the best of her emotions in a situation that could have cost her a valuable friendship - two friendships since Giselle had been so generous and hospitable. She was mortified with embarrassment.

"Catt, please - it sure did surprise me, but it was a very hot and sexy move. I rather liked it... a lot." Tom was not sure how far he should take this line of conversation, but he had always been attracted to the woman - from the moment he had first laid eyes on her - her sexy ass and her very perky tits.

The friendship evolves...

Catt spent the remainder of her brief Florida vacation at the beach to recharge her batteries and reflect on her current life, and what might have been, and what it would be in her future. She returned to work and seized her responsibilities, in the kitchen of one of the premier Washington restaurants, with renewed dedication and focus. Her days were long but her nights were lonely. Because she was a diligent, hard-working sous chef her temperamental, egomaniacal boss with a head larger than his toque blanche treated her reasonably well, but never gave Catt the credit or recognition she deserved. He was out of the restaurant for a few days, so she had moved into his small office to manage the ordering and staff scheduling. The phone rang shortly after lunch service was completed. "Catt? It's Tom... I've missed you several times and didn't want to leave a message with your boss."

This was in the pre-historic days before Steve Jobs revolutionized the world of communications; even plug in home messaging systems were just becoming readily available to make communication easier.

"Tom! My Gawd! How are you? Where are you?" It made Catt excited in all the right, sexy places on her body to hear his voice. It had been several months since her toe-dance with him under the kitchen table.

"Catt, I am so glad we've finally connected! When do you get off from work? I have lots to tell you, and I know you're busy." Tom's warm, sexy voice made Catt want to slam the door to the office and start fondling herself as she chatted with him.

"Well, dinner service should be done by ten-thirty tonight, but I usually don't get out of here until mid-night... and Gustav is in California this week being wined and dined while I schelp around as the scullery maid in charge. What's up? I have a few minutes to talk now. Damn, it's great to hear your voice!"

It dawned on Catt she should ask about Giselle and the kids, but somehow she just didn't want to spoil the intimate mood of their conversation.

"Great! I wanted to let you know that I've taken a new job and we will be relocating to Texas in the next few months. As soon as we can sell the house but not until after the kids are out of school for the summer." Tom's tone was neutral.

Catt wasn't sure if he was happy about the change, or if something was wrong. She didn't know what to say. Finally, she offered, "Is this what you want? Are you good with this transfer? Tell me what's happening - what's this all about, Tom?

Tom Sanford explained that it was a transfer to a new job, with better pay and responsibilities. And while the move would be tough on the family, the kids changing schools especially, he couldn't say no to the offer. He was calling her from the hotel in Crockett, southeast of Dallas where he was staying until he could get settled into the new job and then to relocate the family.

"Tom, I'm so happy for you! If this is what you... and Giselle... want - great! I'm so glad you called and told me what was happening. Please stay in touch and let me know the schedule for the move. If there is anything I can do for you, always remember please, just give me a call." Catt was genuine in her offer, but she had no idea what she was proffering would change her life forever.

There was a knock on the office door; Catt finished the call with Tom to address some kitchen crisis. But before she hung-up, she implored Tom to stay in touch.

The rest of the dinner service was busy and the sous chef spent the remainder of the evening putting out fires - literally and figuratively. As she headed home at the end of a very long day Catt's thoughts went back to the phone call from Tom. It gave her a warm feeling in her lady-parts to know that he wanted to stay in touch with her. She had no idea!

*****

A few weeks later Catt was home alone on a Sunday night - another weekend gone-by with no prospects for a date, or any kind of social life for that matter - when the phone rang. It was after ten o'clock so she assumed in was bad news, perhaps a crisis at the restaurant and what was left of her quiet day off would be ruined. She answered the call reluctantly.

"Hello..." Her voice was flat with annoyance.

"What are you wearing, Catt?" A husky male voice, slightly slurred, asked the obscene, very personal question.

Catt slammed the handset back down into its cradle as she simultaneously screamed: "Pervert!" into the mouthpiece.

Her heart was beating a rapid tattoo as she considered her options: call the police! And report what? If the phone rings again: don't answer it! And what if it's someone else calling? Maybe it was a wrong number - however, he had called her by name.

The phone rang again. It rang several times before Catt picked it up and screamed into the mouthpiece: "Who is this?" She hoped that the question would catch the perp off guard, perhaps provoking an unguarded response identifying the pervert.

"Catt, it's me. Its Tom... please don't hang up! I'm so sorry - I didn't mean to scare you. Oh gawd, I am so sorry to have frightened you!" He sounded almost panicked.

After a moment's pause to process what he was saying, Catt replied, "Tom? It's you?" She was nonplussed. Her heart was pounding against her chest. Her breath was coming in short gasps as if she had run a foot race.

Tom Sanford had been sitting in his hotel room, alone in Crockett, Texas, slightly drunk and very lonely on a Sunday night before his work week began. He decided to reach out to a sexy female friend and chat her up a bit. Tom hadn't thought through his flirtatious opening gambit.

Catt's reaction to the call sobered Tom in an instant. "I am so sorry, Catt! I was feeling kinda lonely out here alone in the middle of Texas, and I wanted to talk with you... I just thought I'd call you and see how you are doing. I like talking with you Catt." He said the last softly, tentatively.

For her part, once her heart resumed a normal beat, and her breathing was restored to a calm rhythm, Catt was thrilled to have Tom to talk with.

The conversation was relaxed and companionable between the two people. Good friends catching up with each other's jobs and lives. Catt wandered into the kitchen to retrieve a glass of wine as they continued to explore each other's intimate personalities and get to know each other on a deeper level.

"You know Tom, this is pretty much the first extended conversation we've ever had, just the two of us. Usually there are so many other people around when we are together." Catt selfishly liked having Tom all to herself for a change.

"I like it too, Catt. Let's do it again! Can I call you after work - if it's not too late for us to talk a bit? There is the time difference, so it's later where you are... but, would that be okay?"

"Sure, I'd like that too. It's great to have someone to talk to and you have a wonderfully easy sense of humor too."

"Catt?"

"Yes?"

"So, you never answered my question: what are you wearing right now?" Tom decided it was now okay to tease her again with the question.

The was a stunned silence that dragged on for more than a few seconds while Catt interpreted the question from a different angle and whether she should play this game. She decided she could control the situation beginning to build between them and besides, it was just an innocent fun query... Well maybe a little sexy.

"Well, not much really," she paused for several beats as if she wasn't going to answer in more detail before finally responding, "just a pair of panties and a sleep shirt."

"What the hell is a 'sleep shirt?' he growled. His imagination of her naked except for a pair of lacey bikini briefs had been dashed.

"Tom, why are you so curious? She laughed lightly at him. "It's a giant T-shirt silly; I stole it from a big, burly longshoreman." Catt silently smiled at the mental image of her stealing the shirt off of a man's back.

"How 'bout I give you one of mine instead?"

Catt quickly realized the conversation had detoured into some dangerous territory, and while it was flirty and fun, probably not appropriate under the circumstances. "Tell you what, next time I see you we can discuss whether I should take the clothes off you back. Deal?"

Tom had the good graces to sound pleased with the possibility while not pursuing the topic further. They stepped back from the rather slippery slope too soon to be trod upon. Neither of them wanted to spoil their personal enjoyment of the spontaneous conversation.

"I've got to get to bed, Tom. I have to be in the kitchen early tomorrow, we've hired a new sous chef. I am being promoted to Assistant Chef, after I train my replacement. Whoo-hoo!" Catt was happy about the promise of a promotion, but there had been no date-certain. She hadn't shared that information with anyone else, but she felt comfortable discussing her feelings with Tom.

"Catt, I'll let you go for tonight and congratulations on your well-deserved promotion! We'll celebrate the next time we are together. I Promise! Sleep well." Tom's words seemed almost dragged out, as if he didn't want to hang up.

After the conversation was disconnected, Catt stared at the phone in confusion and amazement. Wow! She wondered what the call, and its suggestive banter, was all about. She really liked Tom, but he was married - to her ex-husband's ... ah... former lover. This might not be good.

Catt brushed her teeth, climbed into bed and not for the first time, gave some serious thoughts to the relationship she had with Tom. Suddenly, she was very horny and aroused, so she awkwardly fumbled around with herself - rubbing her fingers intimately on her cunt until she succeeded in pleasuring herself - and the sexual release was epic! Catt fell into a deep satisfying sleep dreaming about being in Tom's arms on a sandy beach a la 'From Here to Eternity.'