TITLE    : How about it, Freddy?
STORYID  : how-about-it-freddy
SUMMARY  : Would you like to play with us?
AUTHOR   : Ephesus14@lit
DATE     : 2021-04-07
CATEGORY : adult-romance
FLAGS    : 
TAGS     : |romance|


<em>Thank you, Andi. There is little sex in this story.</em>

<strong>How about it, Freddy?... </strong>Would you like to play with us?

The fucking lug nut wouldn't break loose. I found a piece of pipe in the bed of my truck and put it on the lug wrench handle and stood on it, but the son of a bitch still wouldn't budge. Bouncing on the pipe didn't help.

I stepped off the piece of pipe and sat on my tailgate. The rain didn't bother me anymore because I couldn't get any wetter than I was. Cars were whizzing by and those closest to me were splashing water on the side of my truck with some of it reaching my legs. I was thankful it was summer. Being out there in the cold winter rain would have kicked my ass.

I was a Captain in the United States Army. Captain Frederick (Fred or Freddy) Hogan.

Members of the military receive 30 days of leave each year. I had completed a year in Afghanistan and was half way through my 30 days, and spent some of it in Cincinnati with my family.

I loved my family and I missed them; especially my brother, Simon. Growing up he was the wind beneath my wings. Everything I did was because he did it first and I wanted to be like him, and that worked until we went to college. He played on the golf team and I took Army ROTC. We never saw much of each other in college. I concentrated on learning, while he fucked anyone with a pussy and enjoyed using his Number 1 Woodie for the four years he was there. He probably had more holes in one than any student in the school's history and those were in his dorm room. He wasn't too bad actually playing golf, either.

He was a year ahead of me so graduated first. He tried to get into the qualifying school or whatever it is that golfers have to go through, or to, in order to get that magic card that allows them to play in tournaments for the big bucks, but he never made it. As a result he ended up teaching history at an upscale private school in our hometown of Cincinnati, Ohio. He also coached the school's golf team.

He was always a Cincinnati Reds fan, but he became fanatical about it when he learned the son of a member of the Reds team went to his school and was one of his students.

After that it was 'the Reds did this' and 'the Reds did that' every time we communicated during baseball season. He met the father of the student, whose name was Jeff, at a couple of conferences, but he met more often with Jeff's mother, Madison. By the end of his first year at the school he and Madison had more parent-teacher meetings than the school required and she was getting a divorce from the ballplayer.

I was stationed at Ft. Gordon, Georgia, when I received a call from Simon. He was getting married and wanted me to be his best man.

I met Madison and Jeff at the rehearsal. I couldn't get there any sooner because of my military duties. I'd heard the expression "Trophy Wife", but never fully understood what it meant until I met Madison. She was spectacular in every way a woman could be spectacular. Her looks drew you to her, but her personality made you want to stay. She was intelligent, witty, sympathetic, concerned and must have made out pretty well in her divorce because the wedding was much more than my family could afford.

The day after the wedding I had to return to Fort Gordon.

The following year was my third year of a three year assignment at Gordon. During that third year, I made it to Cincinnati a couple of times. Each time I stayed with Simon and Madison. They seemed happy in the big house she bought them, and Jeff liked Simon and was a natural golfer, which he much preferred over baseball. Top level baseball players, like the top level players in all professional sports, make a shitpot full of money. Why Madison divorced a top level professional athlete for an underpaid school teacher was a mystery to me, but everybody attributed it to true love so who was I to dispute that?

I only had two months of my three year tour remaining at Gordon when I was alerted that I was being sent to Afghanistan for the second time. Just before shipping out, I took a two week leave to spend with my family. I would have loved to have spent it with a girlfriend, but I didn't have a steady one of those so my family was the next best thing.

That was until one of Madison's friends came to visit early in the second week of my leave. She was recently divorced and we were sympatico immediately. So sympatico in fact that she spent the night in my room the second night she was there.

Everyone I know wants to get laid, and most of us like to get laid often. Sheila, Madison's friend, liked getting laid as much as I did, and we made every effort to accommodate our pagan desires. She stayed to visit for three more days before she had to return home and her job.

We communicated for three months before she told me we were finished because she met a man who was where she was and not half way around the world like I was. I hated losing a really nice piece of ass, but there was probably no future for us outside the bedroom anyway.

When my second year-long tour in Afghanistan ended, I went home. I had another thirty day leave and went to my brother's house to spend it with him before reporting to my next duty station which was Fort Carson, Colorado. I left my truck with him while I was in Afghanistan, but he didn't drive it much. He did take it to the garage and have it gone over and serviced so it was ready for me when I got home.

My first evening back, Simon, Madison, her son, Jeff, and I went to my parents for dinner. We ate and stayed pretty late.

At their house later, Madison told me that Sheila was coming for a visit and did I mind.

"Is she bringing her boyfriend?" I asked. Turns out she was between boyfriends. Madison met her at the airport and brought her home. The four of us spent the afternoon enjoying each other's company with some wine and cheese.

When it came time for bed, Madison took Sheila to one of the other spare bedrooms they had. The house had a total of five bedrooms. One wing of the house had the Master suite. The other wing had all the other bedrooms.

I took my shower and went to bed. The next day Simon had to work and Jeff had school, so Madison, Sheila and I hung out and chatted. It was another good day, but it was getting difficult looking at Sheila and knowing she and I had lots of sex before, but I was hesitant to initiate anything. That problem solved itself that night.

I was in my room when I heard a knock. It was Sheila and I invited her in.

"Am I missing something?" she asked.

"What do you mean?"

"When Madison asked me if I wanted to come visit and she told me you were here, I thought we might..."

"Might what?"

She chuckled. "The way Madison talked when she called me was that you had been a very lonely soldier for a very long time and was in need of some female companionship. When I heard that, I remembered the fun we had when you were here before and thought we might... well, you know."

"What Madison told you was correct. It has been a long time, but I'm not cad enough to suggest she asked you here just for me to have my ashes hauled."

She chuckled again. "She neither said it nor suggested it. She knows that we had fun together before and she's trying to get us together, not just as friends. She wants us to be a couple, but you and I both know that isn't in the cards for us. But we did have some very nice sex and I want you to know that I'm not averse to having more."

Well, I certainly wasn't averse to having more either, so we immediately got naked, and fucked, and we did it for the rest of the time she was there.

My leave was almost over and I was beginning to think about leaving.

Simon worked with the school's golf team after school so he and Jeff were late getting home one evening. Madison and I were in the kitchen preparing dinner. I had peeled some potatoes and was at the sink feeding the peelings into the garbage disposal when I felt her come up beside me. All of the peelings were ground up and gone so I turned the disposal off. I reached for a tea towel to dry my hands, but it wasn't where it usually was. Madison had it. She smiled and handed it to me. I reached for it and she gently pulled on it. I pulled back and she came with it. All of a sudden our lips were inches apart and I was breathing hard.

"When are you leaving?" she asked.

I hadn't decided until that very moment. "Tomorrow." I could feel her breath.

"That's too bad, but I want you to know that Simon and I will miss you."

Then she kissed me. Not a sister-in-law to brother-in-law kiss, but a full blown, dead on the lips kiss that made my dick railroad spike hard and she could feel it because I felt her move against it. Unfortunately she moved away from it not toward it, and that was it; the kiss was over. She went back to checking the roast, while I filled a pan with water for the potatoes. Not a word was said about the kiss, why she did it or whether it was just a sample of things to come. I left the kitchen and went to my room to pack.

Simon joined me in my room a short time later. "Madison said you were leaving in the morning. Is everything okay?" he asked.

"It's perfect," I said. "I just want to get to Colorado."

"Okay," he said. "Madison said to tell you dinner is ready."

The four of us had dinner and I heard all about the improvement of Jeff's golf swing. Madison and I locked eyes for just a second before looking elsewhere.

Jeff went to his room early to work on school stuff while Simon and I talked in the TV room. We were joined later by Madison.

It was almost midnight when we decided it was bedtime. Simon said goodnight and left. I started for my room when Madison stopped me.

"You won't be here when we get up, will you?" she asked.

"No."

She nodded and left. No good bye from either of us.

I was up and out of the house by three A.M.

I was about an hour from Fort Carson when I had the flat. It was raining like pouring piss out of a boot and I couldn't get the fucking lug nut loose. I was sitting on my tailgate feeling sorry for myself and thinking that Karma had a way of catching up with you and I was determined that the lug nut was her first blow at me for kissing my brother's wife. The funny thing was, until that kiss, I had admired Madison, but I never lusted after her, and I wasn't sure that I was lusting after her then. I did get an instant hardon when she kissed me, but I would have done that if The Wicked Witch of the North kissed me like Madison had.

I decided to give the tire another try when another pickup truck put on his four-way flashers and pulled up behind me. "Need some help," the driver boomed as he stepped out of his truck and came toward me zipping up his rain jacket. He must have stood 6'6". I don't know how much he weighed, but he was pretty big.

"I certainly do, I have a flat and can't break a lug nut free."

"Let me look at it." He went to my tire, pulled the piece of extension pipe off the lug wrench, and with no more effort than it would take to loosen a gas cap, the nut broke free. I just shook my head and watched as he finished changing my tire for me.

"Thank you," I said. "How much do I owe you?"

He chuckled. "You don't owe me anything."

"Well, at least let me buy you a cup of coffee."

"I have a better idea. Why don't you follow me down the road to our place?" He looked at my soaked clothes. "You can dry off and change your clothes."

He didn't give me a chance to say no because he walked back to his truck and got in. I looked, and for the first time I saw a woman sitting in his passenger seat. I got in, started my truck and pulled out in traffic behind him. We got off the Interstate two exits down and made our way down a two lane highway before turning into a long tree-lined drive. I pulled in behind him. He pulled his truck into a three car garage, but there was a covered area like a big, three-car-wide carport in front of the garage so when I pulled in, I was under cover and out of the rain.

I walked to where he and the woman stood waiting for me. "May I get a change of clothes and use your bathroom?" I asked.

"Of course," answered the woman.

I went back to my truck for my carryon then followed them into the house. They each carried two bags of groceries which I offered to help carry, but they refused. We went through the garage into the kitchen where they put their bags on the counter. "I'll show you the bathroom," she said and I followed with my carryon.

"There are clean towels if you'd like to shower first," she said, "and here's a plastic bag for your wet things."

"Thank you," I said. "My name is Freddy by the way. Freddy Hogan."

"I'm Sandy," she said. "And the big guy you already met is Harley. He doesn't talk much, but I make up for it."

I laughed. It didn't take long to get into dry shoes and clothes. With my wet things in the furnished plastic bag, I left the bathroom.

"Oh, good. Have a seat. Lunch is ready," said Sandy.

"Oh no, I can't. I should be going."

"Nonsense. Sit and eat," said Harley, short and to the point. I couldn't imagine not doing what he suggested.

Lunch was a Cobb Salad and a local microbrew beer which I enjoyed. Sandy and I chatted, but Harley didn't say much. I told them I was in the Army and was on my way to Fort Carson, and that I had just recently returned from Afghanistan. They seemed interested both in my tour over there and my career to date so I spent some time telling them all about it. It seemed they were familiar with the military and had friends at Carson.

Harley smiled when I finished my bottle of beer and complimented it. "Glad you like it. It's mine."

"Yours?"

"Yep. I brew it."

"Well, it's very good, may I have another?"

It was in front of me almost before I finished my request. I would have liked to stay for yet another, but decided I should get back on the highway while I could still drive. He gave me one of his brewmaster cards and a separate list of where his beer was sold.

My job took over my life once I settled in. I had a plumb of a job and I loved it. It was my second week on the job when I remembered to send a thank you note to Harley and Sandy so I sent it to the address on his brewmaster card.

Winter came and Simon, Madison and her son, Jeff, came out to ski. Simon had never been on skis in his life while Madison and Jeff were accomplished skiers. Simon insisted I meet them at their lodge one evening for dinner.

We were looking at the menus trying to decide, when I looked at the drinks list. Harley's beer was listed. Simon enjoyed beer so I suggested he try it. He did, and liked it. We finished dinner and were on our way out when Harley and Sandy came in. They recognized me before I did them and they came over. "Hello, Freddy," said Sandy. "How's the new job?"

"It's great. Simon and Madison Hogan, this is Harley and Sandy Meyers. Simon, the beer we had tonight is brewed by Harley's company."

"Really, well it's a great beer. I enjoyed it."

"Thank you. Are you staying here at the Lodge?"

"We are," said Simon.

"Give me your room number and I'll have some sent up."

"Great. It's 686."

"It will be there when you get there," said Sandy.

It was just a short drive home and I was ready to go, so I said goodbye to the group and left. I had just gotten home when my phone rang, and it was Simon. "Holy, shit, Freddy. Did you know your friends, the Meyers, own the Ski Lodge we're staying in?"

"No, I didn't."

"There was a card with the beer he sent up. It said compliments of Harley Meyers and Sandy Meyers. Owners."

"Of course they're the owners... of the brewery, stupid."

"The card is an official Lodge card, Freddy. I think they own the joint."

"Well, good for them. I'm going to bed. Good night."

The next week, I was promoted. I didn't know enough people to have a big party, but I invited the few friends I'd had time to make to the Officers Club for drinks after the ceremony. My little get-together was in one of the small rooms because there was a big party in the main ballroom.

I was just leaving the club when I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned and Sandy Meyers was there. "Good evening," I said. "How are you?" She looked very nice and obviously belonged to the party in the Ballroom.

"I have a big favor to ask," she said.

"Of course."

"Will you take me out of here?"

"Are you okay?"

Before she could answer an Officer who, obviously had at least one drink too many, came up to us. I had seen him around and we attended a couple of meetings together. I never cared for him. "Com' on back. I didn't mean it," he said to her. "Let's have a drink then I'll take you home."

"I'm sorry, Tony, but I'm leaving now," she said.

"But I'm not ready."

"Excuse me," I interrupted, "but the lady is ready. Good night."

"Hey, you can't do that. She's with me." He reached for her arm, but I got it first.

"Not any more, she isn't." I led her to the cloak room for her coat and my hat and gloves.

At the cloak room we retrieved our things. We never talked until we got in my truck. "Where to?" I asked.

"I need to get to the Lodge, but I can't ask you to take me. Get me to a cab company and that will be fine."

There was no way I was going to do that, so I headed for the Lodge. I wanted to ask her what happened, but figured it was none of my business.

The Lodge wasn't far from Carson, and we were about halfway there when she started talking. "Do you know Tony Johnston?"

"Was he the guy you were with?"

"Yes."

"Not really. We've been to a couple of meetings together. From what I've seen, I'm not impressed."

"He seemed like a nice guy when I first met him. He invited me to this party and I thought it would be fun, but it wasn't."

I should hope not, I thought. You're married, so why are you going to a party with him anyway? The rest of the trip was made in silence. At one point, I glanced down and saw her left hand was bare of rings. She apparently didn't want people to know she was married. She got out with a sincere "Thank you" and that was it. What she did was her business. Harley might not have been the easiest man to be married to, but to go on a date while still married?

The next day, I received a call from her thanking me for rescuing her and asking me out to dinner. "What about Harley?" I asked.

"What about him?" she replied.

"I'm sorry, but I can't. Thank you anyway." I ended the call.

During the next several weeks, I dated two women. The sex was always good but there was no real emotional spark with either of them, but then along came Joanie. She was the manager of the Class Six Store on post and she was fucking hot. Every pore she had oozed sex and I bought more alcohol than I could drink just to go in the store and watch her move. The Class Six Store is where you buy alcohol on a military installation. I wasn't much of a drinker, but I did like Bailey's in my coffee on Saturday and Sunday mornings, and it was a lot cheaper there than in town. I also enjoyed a glass of nice wine occasionally. She and I dated for about a month and had lots of sex.

I had never been on skis, but there were several classes available at some of the Lodges, so I took lessons and had fun. The Lodge I chose was Harley and Sandy's. I didn't choose it because they owned it, but because they offered what I thought were the best ski packages for beginners. I saw either one or both of them everytime I went. We stayed friendly and always took time to chat. I had come to the conclusion that in spite of Sandy dating on Harley, I liked her and went out of my way to speak to her and vice versa. A couple of times she even joined me when I was eating there.

One Thursday, I was supposed to meet Joanie but I called and told her I couldn't come because we had an inspection scheduled for the next morning. Late that afternoon, the inspection was changed to the following Monday, so I hauled ass to Joanie's apartment. I called to tell her, but there was no answer so I left a voicemail.
<hr pg="2" />I got to her apartment and rang her bell. She answered wearing a short house coat and was surprised, no, shocked, to see me. She was blocking the door and not letting me in. I looked over her shoulder at the redhead who was also wearing a housecoat and coming out of Joanie's bedroom.

"Uh, hi, Freddy. I didn't expect you. I, uh, have company," she said.

"I can see that. What's her name?"

She looked at me and saw the smile on my face, then looked over her shoulder. "Diane. Would you like to meet her?"

"I certainly would." She swung open the door and I went in. I heard the door close and the lock slide into place as I walked toward Diane. "Hi, I'm Freddy." I stuck out my hand. She stuck her hand out and the short house jacket fell open. She grabbed to close it. "Don't bother on my account." I said with a grin.

"I'm Diane," she said smiling.

Joanie stood in front of me. "You don't mind if I like girls a little sometimes, do you?"

"Not as long as I can watch," I said with a huge smile.

She wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed me hard. She broke the kiss and spoke to Diane. "Diane, you don't mind if Freddy watches do you?"

Diane took her little house jacket off, walked up to me, pushed Joanie aside and kissed me as hard as Joanie did. Looking in my eyes she said, "Maybe he'd like to play, too."

"How about it, Freddy? Would you like to play with us?" Asked Joanie in the most sultry voice I'd ever heard.

Thus began six weeks of any red blooded male's number one bucket list fantasy. I was really proud of myself for keeping up with them and not killing myself until Joanie told me that she had resigned her job and she and Diane were moving to Las Vegas to do a sex act at one of the clubs. "You're invited to join us anytime you want," said Diane.

After they left for Vegas, I was having dinner at the club. I finished eating and was on my way out when I went by the Club Manager's office just as she and Harley Meyers were leaving. I said hello and we chatted for a while. "I tell the story all the time about you being on the side of the road looking like a drowned rat," he said. "I love that story."

"Gee, thanks. That makes a great visual. When are they going to put your beer in here?" I asked him to change the subject, but I was looking at the Club Manager.

"Starting Friday, actually," she said. "We're having it added to our drinks list and the first load gets here Thursday for Friday sales. Since you know the beer, stop by and give it a good word," she suggested.

"Great. I'll be here." I looked at him. "By the way, how's Sandy?"

"Doing well. You should give her a call. She mentions you once in a while at parties, and whenever she needs a laugh."

"Gee, thanks. We all want to be remembered for something."

"Hell, give me your number and I'll have her call you." We exchanged numbers even though I had no intention of calling her. "She'll be here Friday giving out samples of our beer."

"In the Club?"

He and the manager said yes at the same time.

I said goodbye and left, but I turned just in time to see the two of them kiss each other full on the mouth. That was no successful conclusion to a business meeting kiss, that was a full-blown lover's kiss.

I shook my head. First Sandy, now Harley. What kind of marriage did they have? One of those "open" ones?

I was back at the club later that week for the arrival of Harley's beer and the first person I saw was Sandy. She was supervising the setting up of their advertising display. Sandy was an attractive woman from any angle, especially her ass.

We saw each other at the same time, so we hugged and exchanged greetings. I got the first free beer handed out that evening. I walked around telling anyone who would listen how good it was. I was on my third free beer when Sandy approached me.

"I've heard some of what you've been saying. Thank you."

"All I've done is tell the truth."

"Well, thank you, anyway. Why don't you let me buy you dinner as a thank you?"

"You don't have to do that. Besides, it's time for me to leave. Thank you for the free beer."

She stopped me. "Let's cut to the chase. I've asked you to dinner twice. You've said no both times. I obviously see something in you and I think I would like to know you better. Are you married or involved with someone?"

"No, neither of those things."

"Then it must be me. What is it about me that you find distasteful? Okay, distasteful might be the wrong word. What is it about me that prevents you from even wanting to have dinner with me? Do I have bad breath? Spinach on my teeth? Body odor? What is it? I'd like to know so I can fix it."

"I just don't go out with married women," and I started out.

"Whoa. Whoa. Wait a minute. Married? Who said I was married?"

"Nobody said, but you and Harley..." She didn't let me finish.

"Are brother and sister."

"What?"

"We're brother and sister. As a matter of fact, his fiancé is the club manager here." She looked at me. "You mean you haven't talked to me or called me because you thought I was married?" I nodded meekly. "Let me explain something to you. I've only ever asked two men to go out with me. Two. And the other one didn't turn me down. He asked a couple of questions first, but he never turned me down." She took a breath. "I've gone out with several men over the years and I've always managed to find out if they were married before I dated them, but you never bothered to find out. Is that because you weren't interested? Or are you just oblivious?"

"I, uh."

"Never mind. I hope you enjoyed your beer." She walked away. She wasn't angry, so much as disappointed as far as I could tell.

I felt a tap on my shoulder. I looked and it was Harley's fiancé. "From a woman's point of view, any man who has turned her down twice is pretty much screwed. I'd be willing to bet there won't be a third invitation."

"I'd be willing to bet, you're right." I said as I walked away.

It was late when Sandy and her crew broke down their display and loaded it in their truck. I was leaning against my truck which I parked in the Commanding General's slot right by the front door. I figured it was late and he was probably home in bed, so I took a chance. Sandy walked out and saw me. She slowed down while I started walking toward her. We looked at each other for just a couple of seconds before I spoke.

"Would you consider having dinner with me?" I asked.

"I'll have to check my schedule. When did you have in mind?"

It was after midnight so I said. "How about tonight?"

"I think I can make that. What time?"

"Six-thirty? Where shall I pick you up?"

"I'll be at the lodge."

"That's perfect. See you at six-thirty... this evening," I added, and we both smiled.

"I'll be the girl without a wedding ring," she said as she held up her left hand and wiggled her fingers.

She was in the lobby of the lodge when I went in. I smiled when I saw her and vice versa. She took my arm as we walked out.

Choosing where to take the owner of a lodge with one of the best restaurants in the state, was a challenge. I decided I would take her to my apartment, so spent part of the afternoon preparing. We had a bottle of Harley's beer and a Cobb Salad, which is what we had at her house when we first met.

It was a very nice evening and we talked about a lot of things. The house they took me to after Harley fixed my flat was about an hour away and I asked her if they commuted every day.

"No. About once a week. We stay in the owner's suite when we're at the Lodge. We inherited the house and the Lodge from our parents. Neither of us wanted either of them, actually, and we're trying to sell them. Harley wants to do nothing but work in his brewery and me... I don't know what I want to do, but I do know that running a lodge is not it."

She said that the choice of the Cobb Salad was perfect.

We dated about six weeks before we had sex. We had been to the Officers Club for drinks and dancing and true to what we had become accustomed to doing over the recent past, we were rubbing ourselves against each other and not even attempting to dance. I leaned my head back and looked at her. "I really want to fuck you."

She looked back at me. "And I really want to be fucked."

Twenty minutes later we were in my apartment.

I heard an exchange of dialogue in a movie once, but I can't remember its name. A couple had just met, the sparks flew and sex was inevitable.

The man asked "What do you think about foreplay?"

The woman's response was, "I think it's overrated."

At that point, they attacked each other.

That's basically what Sandy and I did that first time. Our clothes were scattered from the front door to the bed. The only thing I was able to watch her take off were her panties, because that was all she had left when we reached my bed. It got really frantic after that. Arms and legs were everywhere and in every direction, and it got even worse when my dick was in her and we were actually fucking. Sandy's arms were flailing around like she was trying to grab something to hold on to and her legs went from straight out in front of her to straight up in the air, then almost over her shoulders. She was the wildest, most out of control woman I'd ever had, and I loved it.

When we were finished, she fell asleep and slept like a baby until mid-morning the next day. When I awakened, I lay next to her and watched her body as she slept. After a while, I went to the kitchen figuring that if I stayed with her any longer I would have been fucking a sound asleep woman.

When she awoke, she came, naked, into the kitchen where I was, kissed me hard, sat and had coffee with me. She was almost finished when she jumped up.

"Oh, shit. Where's my phone?" She found it and came back and sat. She called her brother. "I'm fine. I just overslept." There was a pause. "Where? At a friend's house. Tell Frank I'll be there shortly." Frank was the General Manager of the Lodge and she was supposed to meet with him and Harley at nine. She stood, came to me, and I stood. We hugged and kissed. "I would like to have Round 2, but I have to go." She smiled. "I was pretty wild, wasn't I?"

"I liked it," I said as I smiled.

"So did I, but I'm not always like that. It had just been a long time and I got a bit out of control."

"Would you like to do it again, sometime?" I asked.

Her face lit up, "Oh, yes, please."

She took a quick shower and when she was dressed, I took her to the Lodge. Harley, waiting for her, was there when we pulled up. He was surprised when she got out of my truck. He ducked and looked at me.

"Well," he said, "I'm a bit surprised. I thought you lost your chances with her."

"I thought you and she were married, that's why I never called her."

He laughed. "You better take care of her, Freddy, or you answer to me."

"I'll do my best."

Six months later they sold both the Lodge and their house and she had no place to live, so we put her stuff in storage and she moved in with me. I started spending time with Harley at his micro-brewery and we were both surprised to find that I had something of a knack for it.

Seven months after she moved in with me, I proposed, and she accepted. She wanted to start looking for a house immediately, but I reminded her that I was in the Army and subject to be transferred and we could possibly be moving to Germany or Alaska, or Japan, or someplace else relatively soon, so maybe we might want to hold off buying a house.

She hugged me. "Then we wait, and we'll go where they tell us to go because I can love you anywhere and live in a tent if we have to."

Over the next couple of weekends I worked at the brewery. It was on a Sunday and Harley and I were the only two left. "Let me ask you a question, Harley."

"Sure."

"Be honest with me. Do you think I'm good enough to work for you fulltime and if I am, would you consider hiring me?"

"What are you saying? Are you considering leaving the Army?"

"Yes. I have some money I can invest in the brewery, and I've been running the numbers. If it grows like you and I both think it will, I won't miss my Army pay or the retirement pay and benefits."

"Why are you considering doing this?" he asked.

"Because your sister loves me enough to go anyplace in the world the Army sends me, and I know in my heart this is her home and she will leave if she has to, but I don't want her to have to."

"You're a good man, Freddy, and my sister is lucky. You do realize that since we sold the Lodge that neither she nor I have to worry about anything for the rest of our lives, and after you're married, that will include you. You don't need the Army or the brewery and neither do I. I stay with it because I love doing it."

"I'm beginning to as well. Let me talk to Sandy and see what she says. If she agrees, I have $150,000. Let me buy in for that and give me a percentage. I'll work my ass off for you and the brewery."

"Okay. Talk to her, and if she agrees, you're in and we're partners. Of course I'd be the much senior partner." We laughed.

At home, she and I had dinner. Afterward we were sitting at our small kitchen table sipping on some really nice wine she brought from the Lodge. In fact she and Harley divided the best of the wines the Lodge had when they sold it, and we won't have to buy any for a long time.

"I was thinking that we could look for a house this weekend," I told her.

"What?"

"I've also been thinking about getting out of the Army and working with Harley."

I could see her eyes twinkle. "Are you serious?"

"Yes. Would you like that?"

She stood, crossed to me, knelt, put her head on my lap and cried. "I would love that."

And so it was done. I resigned my commission and presto, I was a civilian brewer of beer.

We did go house hunting and found one that we both loved. We spent quite some time furnishing it. I say we, but it was mostly Sandy and her best friend, Lois. Lois's husband, Randy, was our County Sheriff and I fit in with them immediately.

Lois, I learned, was from old money. Lots of old money. Enough money so that both she and Randy drove Lamborghini's. She had more jewelry than the Queen of England and wore it often and proudly. As a matter of fact, before Randy and Lois got married, they had meetings with the County Board of Supervisors and their legal staff where Randy and Lois disclosed her net worth so there would be no questions about the lifestyle of their Sheriff. Even then, there were some accusations of him doing something wrong, but obviously they came to naught and he was told to drive his Lamborghini proudly, which he did.

While my brother, Simon, was always a big sports fan, I was never interested at any level until I met Randy. Not only did he provide security for the baseball team, but he enjoyed the sport. After being talked into going with him to a couple of the games, I found myself not only enjoying them, but looking forward to going.

My whole family stayed with us when they came for the wedding and we had some fun times. They loved Sandy and vice versa. Simon and Randy became friends as soon as they met and shook hands. Sandy, Lois and Madison also bonded instantly.

Three days before the wedding, Simon, Randy and Jeff were playing golf while Sandy and Lois were doing Bride and Matron of Honor stuff. I was standing at the patio door watching my parents rocking in their chairs and looking at the mountains when I felt a presence beside me. I looked and it was Madison. She latched onto my arm with both of her hands and held tightly.

"Sandy's wonderful," she said. "You're a lucky man."

"I agree." We both looked at each other. She took my hand and led me away from the window.

"We have to talk," she said.

"Okay."

"Our kiss was a one-time thing." I hadn't thought about it in a long time and was a bit surprised that she even remembered it.

"I know that," I told her.

"I love your brother more than I have ever loved anyone."

"I think I know that, too."

"Let me finish. There is something about you that reminds me of him. You both have a certain fragility that makes me want to hold and protect you. In his case, I want to because I love him. In your case, that kiss happened because for one brief moment, I needed you to know that I love you, too. Not like I love Simon, but like I love someone who is important in my life."

"Madison, I recognize the kiss for what it was and would never think of it as a promise of anything else."

"Good, because I've worried about it since it happened, thinking you expected more when there will be no more."

"Absolutely not. I would never do that to my brother."

"And neither would I."

With that we hugged and separated and I joined my parents outside.

Simon was my best man and Lois was Sandy's Matron of honor.

Neither Sandy nor Lois was shy about wearing jewelry. Sandy wore a brand new necklace at our wedding, but then so was everything else she wore. She told me before that she bought a new one, but the wedding was the first time I saw it. She also told me that Lois and a couple of their friends never bought their jewelry from a jewelry store. They always bought through private sources.

Sandy and I left immediately after the reception for our honeymoon in Germany. We thought we'd try some of their beer.

Back at home, I went to work at the brewery and Sandy started spending more time with Lois. It didn't take long before they were having girl's night out. I had heard more than once that girls nights out tended to be trouble for marriages. I had no intention of tolerating cheating and decided to find out for myself what happened at girls night out and stop, early on, anything that might remotely be considered improper.

We had been married six months and the two of them, or possibly more that I didn't know about, had gone out three times.

I followed them on their fourth night out. They went straight to the Hampton motel, knocked on the door of room 186, which was opened by a man who hugged them as they went in. I waited about fifteen minutes and walked to the door and started to knock, but lots of laughter from inside the room stopped me. I went back to my car and drove home.

Six months. Six fucking months and it's over. Had to be some sort of record. I sat there until she came home. I was sitting in my chair and she came over to kiss me, but I turned my head. She looked at me.

"Is something wrong?" she asked.

"I followed you tonight."

"You followed me? Why would you do that?"

"Because I've heard that Girls nights out can deteriorate into evenings of cheating. You've had four of them and I was concerned."

"So you don't trust me."

"I don't trust people you might come in contact with who could have sinister thoughts on their minds."

"So you followed me to check up on me."

"Yes, and I saw you go to a motel, knock on the door to room 186 where a man opened the door, hugged you, and led you and Lois inside."

She turned and slowly walked to our bedroom. I followed her expecting the door to be locked, but it wasn't. She was lying on the bed as I went to my closet, took an armful of clothes, tossed them in a suitcase, then went to the bathroom, collected shaving gear, tossed that in the suitcase and left. We didn't speak to each other and she made no effort to stop me.

I spent the night in a motel that was not the Hampton. The next morning Harley was waiting for me when I went in. "What happened?" he asked. I told him. "You need to talk to her before you do anything stupid."

"I don't think so. Do I still work here or not?"

"Of course you do, but you still better...." I didn't give him a chance to finish.

"Harley, I watched her knock on a motel room door. A man in his shirtsleeves answered and they hugged each other as she went in the room. A few minutes later I heard lots of laughter coming from the room. I don't think she and I have anything to talk about."
<hr pg="3" />"Okay, but you know she told me to call her if you came to work and that's what I'm going to do."

"That's fine."

Thirty minutes later she came in the office. There were two other employees in there with me. I saw her motion for them to leave. I kept working.

"So what do you think happened in that room?" she asked.

"My heart and mind don't need to have described to them what usually happens when a woman goes to a motel and meets a man. Their action pretty well speaks for itself, don't you think?"

"So what do you intend to do?" she asked. "Not talk to me? Get a divorce? What?"

"Not talking to you works for me right now."

"How long will that last?"

"Until I find an attorney."

"It would save time, money and probably our marriage if we talked before then," she said. I didn't say anything. "So that's it. I'm condemned because you're positive you know what happened?" I still didn't say anything; I just watched as she turned and left. I went back to work noting in my mind that she never denied anything happened.

The next morning there was a knock on my motel room door. It was Randy and his wife Lois. I didn't have to wonder how they knew where I was. He was the County Sheriff, for Christ's sake.

"May we come in?" Lois asked.

"Sure, But it won't do you any good."

I opened the door wide and ushered them in. They both sat on the edge of the bed.

Randy started "Did we ever tell you what I felt I had to do before Lois and I got married?" he asked.

"About declaring her wealth?" I asked.

"Yes," he answered.

Lois took over. She held up her arm and dangled a bracelet. It sparkled with diamonds. "Have you any idea how much this bracelet cost?" she asked. I shook my head. "Would you venture a guess?" she asked.

"What's your point, Lois?"

She smiled. "$12,000 dollars. "How about my watch? How much do you figure it cost?" I just looked at her and shrugged. "$3, 000," she said.

"What's your point, Lois?" I asked again.

"My point is this. I haven't bought a piece of jewelry out of a brick and mortar store since I was... Hell, I don't think I've ever bought jewelry out of a store. Not in the United States at least. Amsterdam is a different matter."

"So?"

"So. Like my mother, my Aunts and several of my friends, I buy privately."

Randy jumped in at that point. "Several of the larger jewelry outlets have agents who travel around the country with a couple of million dollar's worth of jewelry in a briefcase. When they get to town, they notify us and as a courtesy, we tend to keep a closer eye on their motel. That's how I met Lois. I was going to check on one of those agents and she was there looking at some of his jewelry."

"They call their regular clients when they are coming to town and let us know when they'll be here and what kind of merchandise they have. If it's something we might be interested in or we have asked about, we meet and look at what they have." said Lois. She paused. "When is your birthday, Freddy?"

"Next week. Why?"

Randy handed her a piece of paper which she took, stood and brought to me. "This is a receipt for a watch. It was to be for your birthday. If you look at it carefully, you will see the name of a man, a motel, and a room number. Do the motel and room number ring a bell?"

I looked at them. "I have to go," I announced. Three seconds later I was in my car and headed home. Sandy was still in bed when I went in our bedroom, but she wasn't sleeping. She was crying. She didn't appear to know I was there until I sat on the edge of the bed and touched her arm. She jumped, rolled over to face me, recognized me and rolled over with her back toward me. I touched her again and she moved her body so I could no longer touch her.

"I'm sorry." I said as sincerely as I could.

"Fuck you. Get away from me and stay away." she said.

I reached to touch her again and again she moved. I slowly stood and left the room and the house. I didn't want to go back to the motel so I went to the brewery and spent the rest of the day. The next day was Sunday and I called Sandy.

"I told you to stay away from me." She ended the call.

Later that day I went to the house. She was there and watched, without saying anything, as I packed my belongings, got in my car and left. I started driving east. I stopped in Cincinnati, brought my family up to date then drove to Washington, DC. I wanted to see if I could get my commission back and return to the Army. I spent two days there, but it didn't look like it was going to happen, so I drove back to Cincinnati. Just before getting to Simon's house, I needed gas, so I stopped to fill up. It had been almost a week since I left, and I expected the credit card Sandy and I used most often to not work, but it did and I was surprised. I had expected her to cancel it.

After giving Harley my brewery investment money, I didn't have much left. I could be in trouble if I didn't get a job soon.

When I got to Simon and Madison's, we had something to eat and talked. We chatted about the availability of jobs locally.

I hadn't talked to either Sandy or Harley, so I called him.

"Where are you?" he asked.

"In Cincinnati. I just wanted to tell you that I'd like to keep my stock in the brewery. When I get settled, I'll tell you where to send any profits. I have a feeling I'm going to need them."

"What you need is to call Sandy."

"No, thank you. She told me to fuck off and stay away from her. Then she watched as I loaded my car and left. She had ample time to talk, or say she accepted my apology, but she chose not to."

I had been gone three weeks when I completed a resume and took it to several large corporations in the Cincinnati area then went home and waited to be called for an interview. Any interview for any job at any of the places I submitted would be great, but nothing.

While staying at Simon and Madison's, she and I avoided each other. One evening at dinner I announced that I was moving in with Mom and Dad.

"Why," asked Simon.

"Honestly, I don't want to wear out my welcome here, Simon. I might need to come back and I want to feel welcome."

"My God, Freddy. Why wouldn't you feel welcome?" he asked.

I glanced at Madison just as she averted her eyes from looking at me. I didn't answer his question. The next day after Simon and Jeff left for school I loaded my car while Madison watched, but neither of us spoke: She stood on the front porch as I drove away.

Mom and Dad were happy to have me and I was happy to be there. It wasn't that I felt uncomfortable around Madison, I didn't, but there was a small, indefinable something that always seemed to be there when we were together. I don't know if she felt it, but I did, and it was enough to make me want to leave.

Another week passed and I received a call from a large chemical plant. They wanted to talk with me. The interview was relaxed and comfortable. I talked to three different people in the course of three hours. When I left, I felt confident that I was going to be offered a position.

Silly me. No offer from them, but the next interview was with another large, international company, and they did make an offer which I accepted.

I called Harley to give him my new address. "So Sandy will know where to send the divorce papers. As you know, I signed the pre-nup, so the divorce should be quick and easy."

"Haven't you talked to her, yet?" he asked.

"No reason to, Harley. She staked out her position and is apparently sticking to it. I just want to make it easy for her so it can be over."

"Isn't it worth a phone call?" he asked.

"I made the phone call, Harley, the day after I apologized in person, so, in fact, I apologized twice. Both times I was rejected. Since then, she has made no effort to talk to me, and apparently she still refuses to accept my apology, so as far as I'm concerned it's over. I'm living here now and I even have a job. Cincinnati is the home of some really good beers and breweries so I might look into that as a hobby."

We talked for a few more minutes before ending our conversation.

Less than an hour later, my phone rang. It was Sandy.

"I already gave Harley the address, Sandy. What else do you want?" I asked when I answered.

"What address?"

"My address so you can send the divorce papers."

"What divorce papers?"

"Give me a break. Why else would you call?"

"To tell you I'm sorry and ask you to come home." There was silence for a few seconds. "Hello?" she said.

"Who is this?" I asked.

"Your wife, and I love you."

"My wife told me to fuck off and stay away from her."

"Freddy, I'm sorry I said those things. I didn't mean them. Please forgive me and come home."

"Let me see," I said. "The very minute I found out I was wrong about you and the motel room, I rushed home and apologized; an apology you refused to accept. And you refused to accept it not once, but twice. Then you watched as I packed and left. That was over a month ago. When did you decide to apologize and why should I accept it when you wouldn't accept mine?"

"I accepted it right after you gave it. I was just mad at you."

"So you've been mad all this time?"

"No. I was too embarrassed to call."

"I'm perfectly happy where I am. I have a new job and am surrounded by a family who loves me, so I suggest you start the divorce, send the papers, and get on with your life like I've gotten on with mine."

I wanted to feel good after the phone call, but I didn't. I wanted to feel like I showed her, but I didn't. I wanted to feel like I was getting on with my life like I told her I was, but I didn't. The fact is, the only thing I felt was empty and lonely. It was worse than when I first drove away from Colorado when she told me to stay away from her.

The next day was Saturday and I hung out with Simon and Jeff. During the course of the day, I had thought about Sandy and realized I loved her and wanted to go home. I made up my mind to call her when I got to my parent's house. I parked in the driveway and went in.

"Get cleaned up. Dinner will be ready by the time you're finished," yelled my mother as soon as I stepped in the house.

I was never one to disobey my mother so I headed for the shower, but before getting in, I called Sandy.

"Hello," she said.

"I'm sorry and I want to come home," I told her.

"I'm glad," she said. "I love you."

I was coming out of my room when I heard my mother say that my timing was perfect. "Come and let's eat."

We usually ate at the island in the kitchen and that's where I headed. I stopped dead when I saw Sandy and my father already sitting there chatting and apparently waiting for me. Mom was putting food on two plates. Dad and Sandy already had theirs.

The island had four tall stools with arms and backs; the kind you sometimes see in bars and they were side-by-side so you weren't sitting across from each other like at a regular table or restaurant booth. Sandy was on the stool at the end of the island farthest from me and my father was sitting next to her. My mother brought plates for her and me and put them on the island before sitting next to my father. That put the two of them between Sandy and me. The three of them chatted away while I sat and picked at my food.

That dinner seemed to take forever. When it was over, Mom "shooed" Sandy and me into the livingroom while she and my father cleaned up.

Sandy sat at one end of the sofa while I stood and looked at her while she looked back, neither of us knowing quite how to approach the other, but both of us wanting to. Finally, I sat at the other end of the sofa.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

"I came to take you home."

"When did you get here?" I asked.

"About three hours ago. After we talked yesterday, I made up my mind to come after you and convince you to come home, so I called your parents to make sure you would be here, got on a plane this morning, your father picked me up and here I am. Your phone call me happy when you said you wanted to come home."

I looked at her. "Are you sure you want me back?"

She moved to as close to me as she could get, clutched my arm and put her head on my shoulder. "I'm positive."

I removed my arm from her clutches and slipped it around her shoulder. She slipped off her shoes, lifted her feet onto the sofa, tucked them under herself and snuggled into me. "It's been a long month and I've hardly slept." She said before almost immediately falling asleep.

I awakened the next morning and the only thing that had changed overnight was we had a blanket over us. I supposed my mother had covered us with it.

I looked down at my wife and kissed the top of her head.

"I love you," she said still half asleep.

I smiled and thought about our trip home.




