Mid-Life in Crisis

"Oh, other than insult men, calling them pin dicks and the like? Or maybe making a real scene?" Karney smiled.

"Who did I call a pin dick?" Stella asked trying to recall just what she did the night before and only finding a fog where the memories should have been.

"Oh, just about any guy that had the nerve to ask you if you wanted to dance or have a good time. After the third one, they got the message." Karney teased knowing her fried didn't remember anything after that third drink.

"Never again, I'll never drink again." Stella vowed to Karney's laughter.

"Famous last words. So, other than being hung over, how do you feel?" Karney asked looking for the shock and depression she felt she had to guard against.

"Fine I guess. I mean it wasn't like a major shock, I just never thought that.... Well you know. The thought of being single after so many years of being married, even if I now realize the last couple were nothing but a lie." Stella shrugged. "Our marriage was over a long time ago, I just never knew it."

"I am sorry." Karney tried to apologize.

"For what? If not for you, I'd be, well I'd lost more than I ever thought. I never knew he hated me so much." Stella tried to express her confused feelings about her very soon to be ex-husband.

"Are you ready to face the kids?" Karney asked reminding Stella of her responsibilities.

"Yeah, let me get dressed and then take me home. The kids will be happy to see you." Stella found her first smile.

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

The only surprise, over the next few months, was when Sheila showed up at the door one day. Stella was shocked and almost slammed the door in her face, but she had been raised better than that.

"Yes?" Was all she said, trying to reign in her anger.

"I know you've got reason to be mad at me, but I thought I needed to clear the air about some things." The younger woman said trying to ignore the daggers in Stella's eyes.

"What, did you come to gloat? So what, you won. Take your winnings and leave me alone." Stella hissed before she could stop herself.

"Look, I know this is hard. Think how hard it was for me to knock on your door. I'm trying for the sake of the children." Sheila said and unconsciously rubbed her abdomen.

"My kids are fine." Stella was about to retort some more, but she stopped. "Oh my god. You're pregnant aren't you?"

"Yeah, and well the kids do share a father. I wanted to make peace for the kid's sake. I'm not the monster you think I am." Sheila told the shocked Stella.

Stella was about to retort, but Sheila stopped her with a raised hand. "I know you've got reason to be hurt. But sniping at each other on your porch isn't going to get us anywhere. If we could meet someplace and just talk, I think we could clear the air."

"Oh, hell... you might as well come in. If we're going to have this talk, I'd like home field advantage. We can go into my office." Stella motioned in the other woman and led her to her private room. "Have a seat." She said without emotion.

"Thank you. I don't know if I could be a gracious if the situation was reversed." Sheila sat down and started. "First off, I think Frank held back some things from me. I know he never lied, but if you only get half the picture...." She shrugged. "And with the baby coming and visitation and everything." The younger Sheila said trying to defuse some of the animosity.

"Why did you have an affair with a married man?" Stella asked interrupting the other woman.

"I wouldn't even talk to him about anything other than work for the first year. Over time he convinced me that you two were separated and living different lives. He said that he stayed for the kids but the love had been gone for a long time. He, after months of talking about it, said you would never divorce him because... well I've seen some things growing up."

"And you believed him? Why...?" Stella asked realizing that everything so far had been true, but only half of the truth.

"Well, there were no love notes on birthdays, no afternoon calls, and he said you had tossed him over for your new outlook on life. That you were either at the Gym or buried work here in this office. He was lonely and I was lonely and then one day after we closed a really big assignment, we hugged. The spark was there. It just went from innocent sharing to something more over time." She shrugged helplessly. "We'd only had sex a couple of times when he told me that you knew about us."

"So to celebrate, you spend the day in my cabin getting pregnant?" Stella rubbed her head.

"He said you had a girlfriend and he wanted to have a place all our own. Look I'm not saying I didn't act like a silly love struck bitch. But, well I do love him and I am pregnant. Then when he told me that you went to Florida with your girlfriend, I didn't question it. He said he had talked to his attorney and he would get a divorce if you wanted one or not. I didn't know you were coming back. We had it out after what your kids said that night." She just looked down.

"It didn't seem funny that none of their stuff went with me?" Stella asked shocked. At least Sheila wasn't trying to sugar coat it.

"Yeah well, if you knew my past, you might understand. I know I'm not some hot number like you. All I ever wanted was someone to love me for me. Frank gives that to me. I didn't know I was being a home wrecker. I thought I was making an unhappy, depressed, man live again. I thought you were nothing but a stone around his neck and it was my job to save him."

"What about the dirty pictures that my son saw? Is that what you think is appropriate?" Stella asked without the venom.

"Frank is only my second, and the first to make it feel good. I thought I was just having sexy fun with the man I love. I never expected your kids to see that. I'm ashamed that they did and the names they called me." She blushed.

"Didn't your mother ever teach you right from wrong?" Stella could see the remorse.

"I'm an orphan. My momma was killed by my father who was killed by the cops when I was five. I was raised in a home until I was fifteen then some of his family found me. My uncle, well, he was my first. He made it sound like we'd be together forever. He even put me through school. He is serving a life sentence for rape of a minor." She saw the look on Stella's face and blanched. "I don't want your pity. I don't want anyone's pity. I've made a life for myself."

"And one hell of a mess." Stella said sighing.

"I'm no slut. If I knew the whole truth, I'd made him wait until he got the divorce. Unfortunately, it's too late for that since I'm carrying his child. I'm having our baby and I'll forgive him his half truths. I'm going to do everything in my power to make him so happy he'll never have to look at another woman again." Sheila said sitting forward.

"Well, I wish you the best of luck." Stella said and meant it. "He was right you know. Our marriage was over years ago, I just didn't know it. I went to the gym because he wanted me too. But, that's all water under the bridge. I'll be honest. I'm going to have to do some thinking about what you've said. I'll talk to the kids too." Stella said tired of the whole mess.

"Then I did all I could do. I don't expect we'll ever be really friendly to each other, but maybe less combative. I don't want to have to make him choose between his kids, yours or mine. It was nice thinking about having a big house for that week." She motioned around. "But, this is your house and I want my own. Together we make a good living. Better than I ever thought I would. I'm sorry if I hurt you in my fantasy and ignorance."

"Yeah, well. Maybe some time we can talk about that. The kids will be home, if they already aren't. Thanks for stopping by." Stella got up and walked her to the door.

"What's SHE doing here?" Ryan asked angrily, as soon as the door closed.

"Trying to make peace." Stella sighed and leaned against the door. "She just might have accomplished it too. Remember she isn't the only one at fault and watch your tone. I don't want to hear any of you calling her a slut again." She gave her son the look.

"Yes Ma'am." Ryan knew the look and that his mother meant it, even if he still thought his dad's girlfriend was a slut. "So, when is Karney coming over again" He asked changing the subject.

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

"Well, wasn't that interesting." Karney said as they peddled down the imaginary road in the gym.

"Yeah, she's been through some shit. But still, to swallow his load of crap without question? I was surprised she didn't try to paint herself in a better light." Stella said thoughtfully. "Ryan asked when you were coming over again. I think my son has a crush on you." She smiled and peddled faster.

"That's just what I need." She panted as she tried to keep pace. "Okay, slow up, you win." Karney said as she sat up and mopped her face with her towel.

"You're starting to get soft. That's what you get for trying to avoid me." Stella said and smiled at the look on Karney's face.

"I've been busy, I swear." She said as she sat there and did her five minutes of cool down.

"Uh huh, sure... if you say so. You ready for a shower?" Stella jumped off the bike and swatted Karney's ass with her towel. "Last one in has to wash the other's hair." She called back and jogged into the locker room.

"No fair! You cheated." Karney ran in a second behind Stella.

"I'll start the water" Stella smiled. "You get the shampoo. I'm going to enjoy this." She stripped and was standing under the hot spray, letting it relax her muscles when she felt Karney come in behind her.

"Here, tilt your head back. I still say you had too much of it cut off. I like you hair longer." Karney started rinsing the sweat out of Stella's hair so she could take her time and wash it.

"It was only six inches. It'll grow back. Ummmm, that feels nice." She moaned as Karney started washing the long strands of her hair. She had wanted this for a long time, as she leaned back and let her body come in contact with Karney's firm breasts. She could feel the hard nipples poking her back and moaned.

Karney felt Stella's shutter. "Are you sure?" She asked as her body responded with hope of fulfilling a long denied want.

"We're both single... and this does feel nice." Stella said and wiggled her tight butt cheeks against the taller woman, felling the soft fuzz of her trimmed bush in the small of her back.

Karney took her time. She didn't want a mad rush. She wanted to savor every touch, every sensation as she finally made love to the woman who had consumed her mind for the past two years.

She let the water wash out the soap, following the tiny bubbles with stroking hands. She put body wash in her hands and lovely cupped Stella's breast, continuing on from where they stopped so many months before. She leaned down and kissed her neck as she captured the hard nipples and gently stroked and caressed them to full hardness.

Stella moaned at the attention. Her body vibrated with each caress and stroke, willing Karney's hands to explore like her husband never did in his rush to get his needs met. She knew she could do this for a long time as her flesh rose and her legs flexed waiting for the attention her core craved.

Karney's fingers explored every curve, every contour, every inch of the woman she was about to take as a lover. She gently probed her butt cheeks, parting them and coming around to the tight springy curls of Stella's flame red bush. She was just about to part her lips with her fingers.

"Karney... are you in here, you have a phone call." The Gym's office assistant called into the shower area. Both women groaned in frustration as the gym bunny came in.

"Yeah, I'm in the shower... can't it wait?" Karney asked gritting her teeth, her fingers literally a fraction of an inch for the heat producing core of the woman she had wanted to make love to forever.

"They said it was very important. I'm sorry but he was so insistent." The young girl said and was about to find them in a very compromising position.

"Fine...! I'll be out in a second. Tell them it better be a fucking emergency, or heads are going to roll!" Karney said, and nipped at Stella's neck making her groan. "I was just rubbing some sore spots on my friend. She'll not forgive her aching... muscles later." She teased Stella, knowing their interlude was over.

Stella was blushing red as the frustration and the situation had caught her completely off guard. She felt like she was acting like some sex starved teen ager. "Well hell, I am sex starved." She muttered to herself.

"What's that?" Karney asked, not catching all of what Stella had said.

"I'm starved." Stella smiled. "Go take the call and then take me to lunch." She found the strength to move away from Karney's embrace and finish rinsing her body. "I'll be waiting outside." She reached up and tweaked Karney's hard nipples and grabbed a towel and headed to her locker.

As Stella dressed, she realized that she hadn't had that much fun not getting laid in a long time. She wondered just how much teasing her friend could take. She also realized that sooner or later, they would end up having some wild unrestrained sex. Somehow, that didn't bother her as much as she thought it would.

"Goddamn fucking retards...!" Karney stomped back in before Stella had finished buckling her sandals.

"What's wrong?" Stella asked concerned.

"My investment broker, the lousy fucking scumbag, has made off with over half of my money and headed to parts unknown. The investment company is trying to fob it off as all a bad mistake. I have to go and talk to my lawyer to see what I can do. If I don't get that money back, I'll have to go out and find a fucking job to help pay the bills on this place."

"What do you mean? Do you need, can I help pay for your fees until you fix this?" Stella asked confused.

"No... I'll deal." Karney said realizing she had just about let the cat out of the bag. "It's just I hate dealing with this stuff. So, I let someone they said was supposedly trustworthy, handle it and they fucked it all up." She griped, still feeling the after effects of the shower, but knowing the mood had been broken.

"Okay, then when you are done, come over and I'll fix diner. I'm sure the kids won't mind the company." Stella reached up on her toes and kissed her friends cheek. "Call if you're going to be later than six thirty."

"Damn you and your trust issues." Karney muttered to herself as she watched Stella walk away.

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

Several frustrating hours later, Karney smoothed down her slacks and knocked on the door.

"I'll get it." She heard Amy yell seconds before the door burst open. "Oh, hi Karney... Mom said someone was coming for dinner, but not that it was you. She's been fussing over her clothes for an hour. I thought she might be going on a date or something." Amy showed her mother's friend in. "I'll tell her you're here, and then Stacy is coming to get me for a sleep over. Have fun!" The vivacious teen said and bounced down the hall.

Karney wanted to drool as Stella came into view. She took in the nice, if a bit revealing outfit her friend was wearing and wondered if everyone knew she was staring at Stella's tits. Hell, they were practically on display. Then to see the taper of Stella's firm shapely legs, incased in the silk stockings that hinted at what she knew was a silk and lace garter. Karney swallowed hard, ignoring the sharp eyed teen as she stood there in admiration of the beautiful woman.

"So, how did it go?" Stella asked with a slight smile on her face.

"What? Oh, it went... the lawyers can battle it out. Theirs is claiming I signed a liability waver, and mine is saying 'Yeah, for loss in the market, not theft from their company.' They are trying to save face and hush this up and my lawyer is threatening to blow it out in the news. I'll get my money back, but don't know how much it's going to cost me. Enough about all that. Are we going somewhere? I thought I was getting a home cooked meal." She stopped when the phone rang.

"I'll get it." Amy yelled and bound out of the room to grab the phone.

"Dinner will be ready in a few minutes." Stella said brushing down her skirt self consciously.

"So, did you wear that for me?" Karney quirked an eyebrow.

"Nope, I wore it for me! Do you like it?" She did a little spin that had Karney panting.

"Oh yeah, I like it. Where have you been hiding that?" Karney asked all attention, thinking she'd love to come home to that view every day.

"Mommmm, Stacy just called. I can't go over. She's been puking all day and her parents canceled the sleep over." Amy came back in complaining, only half aware of the scene she was interrupting.

"Looks like a girl's night in." Stella said and laughed at the obvious disappointment on Karney's face.

"Cool, but where are the boys?" Karney asked taking off her shoes and sitting down on the big couch.

Throughout dinner, Stella would take pains to lean over and watch Karney's eyes delve into her cleavage. By the time Amy started cleaning the table, both women were trying to deal with wet panties. Stella couldn't remember ever having this much fun playing and teasing. She could see the reaction every time as Karney would drop the food off her fork or spill her drink or just sit there and wiggle uncomfortably in her chair.

The girls would laugh giggle and cry at the movie Stella rented for their entertainment. It was almost eleven when the boys, coming home from their dates came in and exclaimed.

"Crap, a house full of teary eyed females, head for the hills." Brian smiled at his mom and ogled her friend.

"Boys are such pigs. What did your date leave you high and dry again?" Amy said and got up to confront her idiot brothers.

"What...? I didn't say anything." Ryan tried to defend himself.

"You agreed with him, that's enough." Amy pushed the boy toward the stairs. "Just go to bed and try and act like a human being." She added following them. "Night mom, night Karney. I had a great time."

"So, did mom go out on a date? I haven't seen her dressed that nice in a while." Ryan asked as he walked into his room.

"Like I said, pigs. No, Karney came over and they had movie night. A woman doesn't have to have a reason to dress nice. Unlike men who only do it to try and get a female. Once he got her, all his bad habits come out." Amy lectured her brothers like they were brain damaged.

"Well, that's my cue. I'll see you at the gym?" Karney didn't know how she would react if she didn't get some distance. And she knew for sure the kids would be shocked by what she wanted to be doing on the couch with their mother.

"Yeah, I had a nice relaxing evening. Thanks for coming over." Stella said as she walked her friend to the door. "Don't be a stranger." She added and leaned up to kiss Karney's cheek.

Karney, frustrated by all the teasing and hinted at intimacy, turned and captured Stella's lips. They stood there lip locked for a minute, before Karney knew she had to leave or make love to Stella right there.

Amy was about to tell Karney goodbye, but stopped when she saw them kissing. Tiptoeing back to her room, she listened to see how long the make-out session would last. She had a feeling about Karney, and she now knew she was right. She knew she would have to think about how she felt about her mother falling in love with Karney.

She knew her mother had been a lot happier since the divorce was finalized and she was spending more time with the tall brunette. Now if she just could keep the boys from ogling Karney's tits and ass all the time, there might be laughter in the house again. Amy wondered if she should go out and talk to her mother. But, decided against it when she heard her mother's door close and went to bed instead.