The Christmas Wish

In order to facilitate the increased number of wishes granted, Madison became the Chairwoman of Wishes Unlimited and Carol became the President, both of them having the final say but both of them delegating more and more to the actual workers in the field. This left more time for Madison to make contacts and raise money and promises while Carol worked to find those children they could help the most. Things were moving forward and Wishes Unlimited was now an established foundation.

Strangely, as Madison became more and more involved in Wishes Unlimited, Parker began to work more and more in his firm. What had once brought them together in spirit, now began to move them further apart. It was not immediate and neither noticed the change, since both were working so many hours and were always so tired at the end of the day. They did continue to spend their weekends together, but even those started to become less available. Things were comfortable, however, since both were involved in something they loved.

Things had been status quo for the better part of the past year when Parker introduced Madison to William Bethel, the chief financial officer of Zuc-Cor, Inc., a company with deep pockets and a fleet of planes that they used for corporate travel. Parker suggested that William consider using one of the idle planes to help with transportation and to contribute some of the capital that was Zuc-Cor's strength, but also a tax burden. William agreed and the meeting was set up.

There was an immediate attraction between Madison and William Bethel that caused some consternation for both at first. They were conscious of the attraction but both fought it. It became easier as time went by and they became friends. Madison considered turning the contact over to Carol but then, thinking herself foolish, she decided against that. She could handle this.

William was able to schedule the planes for transportation almost on call since he was the one that scheduled them for the corporate charters. He simply held one plane out at all times so that he could meet the requirements when Madison called. He looked forward to her calls and wanted to please her. So, one plane was always at her beck and call. She began to rely more and more on Bill to meet her demands and to contribute to the wishes that she deemed the most important. In this way, they began to grow closer and closer.

At home, things were stationary. Their evenings became quiet, each thinking about work related things and neither thinking much about the other. There was no intimacy during the week now and rarely on weekends, but neither thought much about it. Things had just become routine and detached. Neither noticed.

It was an early morning call to Bill that brought the first change in the relationship. Madison called Bill to arrange a trip for a sick ten-year-old girl that wanted to see the Grand Canyon. She so wanted to take a trip on the donkeys down into the gorge and Carol had made all arrangements except the plane. She asked Madison to make the call and schedule the flight for the following week. Madison agreed, called Bill and made the request.

"The plane will be available next Monday as you asked. Should be no problem. Can I do anything else for you?" Bill was hoping that there might be a reason for them to get together but he hesitated to mention it.

"That's perfect. No, that about takes care of things here." For reasons that she couldn't even identify, Madison had a sudden inspiration.

"Bill, if you're not busy, could I buy you lunch today? It's OK if you can't."

"I'm free. No problem. Why don't we go to the Hilton? They have a marvelous spread for lunch so we can just have the buffet. That way, time shouldn't be an issue."

"Perfect. I'll meet you there. 12:30 OK?"

They both agreed and Madison hung up, wondering why she had done that. She enjoyed Bill's company and found him attractive, but she believed she had no romantic feelings about him. She shrugged it away as a need to get out and relax with a friend and went back to work. She almost worked past the time for lunch and noticed the time almost too late. She grabbed her phone, called Bill's office and got his secretary who told her he had already left. Madison asked her to call his cell and tell him she was on her way.

When she arrived fifteen minutes late, she was flustered and embarrassed. She saw Bill waiting in the lobby and went to him with a red face.

"I'm so sorry. I got caught up in work and lost track of time. I hope you'll forgive me?"

He was gracious and led her into the restaurant. It was certainly beautiful, open and surrounded by green. It was very busy at this time but Bill had a table reserved. It was a company table as indicated by the plaque on the wall next to the setting. They were seated and began to relax.

The hour went very fast and Madison was sorry when the time was up. She had fun and enjoyed the time with Bill. When he asked if they could do it again, she immediately agreed and they made plans for two days later. Madison left, feeling strangely pleased. She was already looking forward to the next time. Bill escorted her from the restaurant, walked her to her car and, surprising her, leaned down to kiss her cheek before opening her door. She smiled, got in and drove away, watching Bill in the rear view mirror. The funny feeling in the pit of her stomach stayed with her for the rest of the day.

At dinner that evening, Madison was confused. She was thinking about Bill most of the time and was having trouble concentrating on what Parker was saying. She had to ask him to repeat himself several times and finally, he just stopped talking. They ended up saying little to each other for the rest of the night. Madison was still trying to understand the feelings she was having when Parker said he was going to bed. She watched him go up with mixed feelings. She followed hours later, confused still.

The next meeting with Bill came up quickly and she found herself almost giddy with anticipation. This was insane! She should cancel! But no, she didn't want to cancel. She was on time this time and Bill was waiting. They sat at the same table and lunch was a blur of conflicting emotions for her. She was silly, confused, happy, interested, guilty, all emotions colliding with each other constantly. She was in this mood when Bill quietly asked her if she would like to see the guest suite his company kept at the hotel for traveling guests. He suggested it might be used from time to time for some of the parents of her kids. She quickly agreed.

Bill led her to the elevator and they went up to the seventh floor. He led her down the hall to room 715, a placard on the door indicating this room was reserved for Zuc-Cor, Int'l. He opened the door with a key and motioned her inside. She walked past him, looking around at the room. It was big, furnished with a large conference table and a small kitchen. She moved in and looked into the attached rooms. There were two, one a small lounge with soft chairs and a TV and the other was a bedroom with a king bed. She was looking at the bed when Bill came up behind her and put his arms around her. She didn't flinch as it felt perfectly natural for him to do this. She leaned back against him and lay her head on his shoulder. Bill leaned down to kiss her, this time on the mouth.

Without warning, the passion flared and they found themselves clutching each other in a kind of frenzy. Madison could not remember how her blouse got opened and how Bill's hand was cupping her breast, but she didn't seem to care. Bill was kissing her with an intensity that took her breath away. They moved together into the bedroom, Bill hurriedly pulling his clothes off while she did the same. There was only a small nagging thought about what they were going to do before Bill grabbed her and pulled her down on top of him. He was not gentle, taking her hard and fast. He quickly brought her to a climax with his hands, and that made her want even more. He rolled her over onto her back and, as she waited breathlessly, he plunged inside her. She was well lubricated from his hands and she was hot and wet still as he took her. She was very aroused and had little trouble taking his full length. She came quickly, as did he.

Afterward, they lay together, not speaking or thinking much. She knew that later thoughts would come unbidden and she would have to deal with them, but just now, she was once again feeling Bill's arousal. He pushed her onto her back, moving over her and positioning himself between her legs. She looked down to see his length, pointing at the entrance to her lips and closed her eyes in embarrassment. Bill was only the second man ever to see her this way. She was a virgin when she married Parker all those years ago. She quickly blocked that thought and let the feeling of Bill's cock fill her. He was pumping her again, this time more slowly and taking his time. He was able to go longer this time and she finally felt him tense up, ready to climax. For her, there was nothing this time but she encouraged him so he would finish.

As she dressed, she avoided looking in the mirror at her reflection. She brushed her hair by feel and wiped her face with a dry towel. Her makeup would suffice and her clothes were not wrinkled, thank God. She collected her things and walked back into the main room where Bill was already dressed and ready to go. He smiled at her, moved to take her in his arms and kissed her gently. She enjoyed the kiss, wishing that it was all she had done. Bill escorted her out of the room, down the hall to the elevator and down the seven flights to the lobby. They said goodbye and she walked to her car. She drove home rather than going back to Wishes Unlimited. She had things to think about.

At home, she went slowly upstairs to the bedroom where she stripped off all her clothes. She took her panties and bra and threw them down the laundry chute to the downstairs laundry room. She carefully hung up her suit jacket and the matching skirt but placed the blouse in the hamper with some other lacy items that needed special washing. She walked into the bathroom and looked at her naked body in the full length mirror. She saw a tall, well-toned body, a little large in the hips and rather well endowed in the breasts, but overall very nice. She did keep herself in good shape and enjoyed the gym in the house, at least twice a week working out.

When her eyes moved up to the face, she saw something else. She knew she was pretty, even beautiful by some standards. She knew she still turned heads when she went out. She knew what she looked like to others but she was curious to see if the afternoon with her lover would show. In the eyes? How about the worry lines above her eyes? The slight smile that hid a secret? Would any of those show? She knew that face, had looked at it in the mirror for almost forty-eight years. But this time, the face was different. It held secrets.

When she looked directly into her own eyes, she was rocked at what she saw. Guilt! Betrayal! An adulteress! The shock extended to her legs which suddenly buckled under her, sending her staggering back away from that image. She caught herself before she fell and made her way back to the bedroom, tears blinding her, making her reach out in front of her to find the bed. She fell forward and lay there, sobbing uncontrollably.

It was hours later when she pulled herself up and went back to the bathroom to shower. She let the hot water cascade over her as she fought to keep the control that she finally achieved from slipping away again. She knew what she had done, but it was over. She made a mistake and betrayed her marriage vows. But, it didn't have to be the end of the world. She would put it aside and move on. Parker didn't have to know, needed never to know. She could put this behind her. She felt much better when she dried herself off and dressed comfortably in jeans and bulky shirt.

She made it through the evening with Parker, somewhat surprised that he noticed nothing different about her, but thankful nevertheless. They talked about their respective days, Parker relating an interesting case he was working on and she about a new wish that they were planning on fulfilling. Nothing about the people she saw, that was dangerous territory. The evening ended, she went up early and was asleep by the time Parker came up. Before falling to sleep, she thought about the way they avoided each other in bed as they had for some time now. She was sad about that but didn't know how to change it. Maybe they should talk again? But, what about their jobs now? What about . . .

Nothing happened for the next month as Madison worked hard on making several wishes come true for some very special children. She and Carol worked miracles in getting the arrangements made. One child wanted to meet his hero, Michael Jordan. One wanted to go to Hollywood to meet her favorite actress, Lindsey Lohan, while another wanted to go up in a jet fighter. Since time was always an issue with these children, it took every contact and every favor they were owed to pull these off but they did. Three dying children would get their last wish. The trip to Hollywood required a call to William Bethel and Madison agreed to make it herself.

The call was difficult but she made it. When Bill answered, she clamped down on her emotions and asked him in a very businesslike manner about the plane. She explained quickly what it was for and Bill, just as quickly, agreed to provide the transportation at the requested time. They finished their business quickly and then Bill asked her.

"Would you have lunch with me today? Just lunch? We should talk."

Madison was about to say no when she thought about it. They really should talk, if for no other reason than to agree that what happened should never happen again. She steeled herself and agreed to meet him at 12:30 at the Hilton. She hung up before thinking that they should have met somewhere else. But, it made no difference. This was a business meeting and time to resolve an issue. Nothing more.

Maybe she should have known, maybe she should have said she would meet him on neutral ground, maybe she should simply have let it go without trying to talk about it. Maybe a lot of things, but they would have all been lies. She wanted to be with Bill and they ended up in the suite again, but this time they didn't even have lunch first. When she met him in the lobby, he simply took her hand, led her to the elevators and it was much like the first time, except that they took more time with each other and the sex was more like making love. It was wonderful: slow, soft, gentle and sweet.

They spent the afternoon together, talking, holding each other and making love twice. She felt alive and wonderful afterwards. She dressed this time with no hesitation, looking at her reflection in the mirror and seeing a woman, satisfied and happy. She left with the same feeling. As she reflected on her afternoon, she tried to understand her feelings. She knew she was fond of Bill and as a lover, he was fine. Not as good as Parker, of course, but still. Did she love him? Of course not! She loved Parker, and always would. Then, what was she doing? What if he found out? The answer was so frightening that she quickly suppressed those thoughts.

Over the next five months, she met Bill three more times, each time less enjoyable than that second time. They tried, were gentle with each other, worked hard to bring pleasure to each other but things were not the same. She felt no guilt, no regrets, but she also felt little else. She hadn't had a climax the last two times and regardless of how she tired, couldn't get back the feeling she had when they first got together. She couldn't explain what was missing but something had changed. Bill was trying as hard as he knew how to bring her back to that peak they shared before. He was patient, worked to make sure she was wet and ready, asked her what she liked, everything he could think of but he could sense it wasn't the same. He saw her slipping away from him and it cut at him. He knew he was in love with Madison but also knew she didn't feel the same.

At home, Madison had slowly become aware that Parker was different. He was working more hours at the firm now, where before he had brought work home. He sometimes called to say he would be late and for her not to wait up. He used to make plans for them for dinner out at least once or twice a week but recently had not even suggested it. She made plans once for a night out, but he cancelled it. She called Parker Jr. and Blair several times and casually asked them if they had heard from their dad but both said he hadn't been calling as he usually did. They just chalked it up to work demands. She agreed.

Madison planned for Thanksgiving dinner to be at home this year. She had called Parker Jr., Blair, and Carol. All agreed to be there so she planned for nine, including her grandson Billy. Parker wasn't sure he could make it for dinner, but the rest of the family was coming. Parker Sr. said he would be home but expressed very little enthusiasm for the occasion. Madison tried to enlist his help, since he always loved to cook, but this year he simply said something about being too busy: maybe she should just take care of it. Madison was hurt by his attitude but hoped the dinner with his family would make him more pleasant. He loved his grandson and his children. Early in November, Bill called and asked her to meet him again. She thought about it for a week, planning to refuse, but finally decided to keep the meeting. She would have this one last time with Bill and then stop. She no longer felt the same and wanted to get back to her life with Parker. She was going to begin to change their life. Maybe it was time to turn over Wishes Unlimited to Carol and others. Maybe she and Parker should consider retiring and spending more time with each other. They were both healthy, they had plenty of money, and they had no worries about the future. Now would be the time to stop and enjoy each other and the things they had worked so hard to obtain. Her mind made up, Madison went about her work with a lighter step.

She met Bill at the suite, going directly there without the pretense of lunch. Bill opened the door and greeted her with a hug and hard passionate kiss. She let him have his way and just enjoyed his attentions. He slowly undressed her, using his hands and his mouth to bring pleasure to her. She felt him nip at her nipples, something she always loved, felt his hand slide between her legs and begin to work her toward arousal. She did become wet very quickly, probably because she was so relaxed and willing. This was to be her last time and she planned on enjoying it.

She let Bill lead her to the bedroom where she stepped back and stripped, trying to appear wanton and seductive. He watched, his tongue running over his lips as he became aroused and ready. He finally could take no more, grabbed her around the waist and pulled her down on his lap. He was hard and rigid and she used her hand to guide him inside her. She sat on his lap, facing him as she began to move up and down, watching his face as she did. He came quickly and she didn't really mind.

As Bill slowly softened inside her, she stood, moved to the bed and lay back, watching him. He knew what she needed and rolled over beside her. He used his hands and his mouth to bring her to a climax, the only way she could cum. She let the pleasure wash over her and laid back pleasantly satisfied. Bill needed some time to regenerate so they talked together some while both recovered. There was little of them in their talk, more of business and wishes and practical matters. Madison thought about this as she waited for the second round. She let the conversation slow down and watched Bill. He seemed to be nervous and she thought he was aware of her decision. She hadn't said anything but Bill seemed almost desperate. He was handling himself, obviously trying to become aroused as quickly as possible. When she saw this, she smiled to herself and decided to help him along. The sooner he could get hard again, the sooner she could finish this.