Chapter 36: Little Things!

At quarter past six, I was ringing Sarah's doorbell. She opened the door, dressed in a bathrobe, with a towel around her head. I set the kitchen table while she finished toweling her hair. She joined me shortly, still in her bathrobe. After dinner, she went to the living room, and I put away the remaining food in the fridge; there was plenty left, and I knew I would get hungry later. It was always the case when I had Chinese. After finishing up in the kitchen, I took my book and went to the living room. Sarah was sitting on the big couch, her legs stretched along the length of it, with a pillow behind her back, against the armrest. The low table was pulled close to the couch, and she had her files and books stacked on it within easy reach. She had one file on her lap, taking notes on a clipboard. I took a seat in one of the armchairs, but she pointed me to the other end of the couch, and pulled up her knees to make some space. After I sat down, she slid her toes under my thighs.

"You can keep my feet warm," she said, and returned to her study.

Taking off my shoes, I put my feet on the low table, getting comfortable in the couch, and dove into my book. It was cozy, and relaxing. About two hours later, I was feeling hungry, and asked her what she would like to have. When she asked for coffee and some snacks, I prepared peanut butter and honey sandwiches and served her with a big mug of coffee. For myself, I had a small bowl of cold rice with shrimp from the leftovers, and a glass of red wine.

"What are you eating?" she asked, seeing the bowl and the chopsticks in my hand.

"Cold rice and shrimp."

"Eeeeuwww! How can you eat cold rice?" she asked, making a face.

"It's not much different from sushi, but at least the shrimp are cooked. I'm used to cold rice, and it will keep me till bedtime. I don't like going to bed with a full stomach."

"Eeeeuuuww!" she repeated again.

"Don't mind me. Go on, study."

Digging her toes under my thighs, she went back to studying, taking bites from her sandwich, and I went back to my shrimp and cold rice. After I finished eating, I returned to my reading. Sometime later, I heard her yawn, and looked at her. She looked tired and a bit sleepy, but she still had a few more files to go over.

"Sarah, take a break. Go wash your face with cold water, and open up a window to get some fresh air. It's quite warm in here, and sitting like that you won't be able to continue. In the meantime, I'll make some fresh coffee."

"Yeah. Good idea."

"How much longer do you have?"

"I don't know. Less than an hour? Why?"

"When I was at the college we used to have coffee with lots of sugar and a little bit of brandy in it. It gives you quite a boost. The alcohol helps the sugar and the caffeine hit you fast. It's not very healthy, especially the sugar. Nowadays, I use honey instead of sugar in my coffee at the rig; unfortunately no alcohol allowed during work."

"I think a bit of brandy won't hurt, but nothing else in my coffee. I could do with some sandwiches though."

While she went to the bathroom to freshen up, I set the thermostat lower, and opened a window, then prepared sandwiches and coffee. We sat in front of the window. I smoked, and she had her coffee and the sandwiches. When she finished eating, she stole a few drags from my cigarette. Her neck and shoulders looked tense, and I gave her a quick massage. Then, we settled back in the couch as we had been, and she dug into the files, while I went back to my novel.

I had forgotten about time until I felt her toes wriggling under my thigh. When I looked at her I found her watching me; the last file was sitting closed on her lap.

"I've finished ten minutes ago, but you didn't notice. Is it any good?" she asked, meaning the novel I was reading.

Marking my spot, I closed it, and said, "What do you think?"

She was still wriggling her toes, so I grabbed her calves and put her feet on my lap, and began a massage.

"Ooooh! That feels good," she said, closing her eyes. Then her eyes opened, and she asked, "Is this a full service?"

"Huh?"

"Are you up for some fun and games?" she asked, giving me a sultry look.

I looked up the ceiling. "Lemme think." That, of course, earned me a well-deserved kick for my trouble.

Grabbing her foot, I ran the back of my fingers under it, tickling her. She tried to squirm away, but she was no match. "Behave," I warned, and quit tickling her feet. Seeing her yawn, I reminded her of the time. "It's getting late. You really need your rest, and a good massage is what you need. Don't you think?"

"I think you might be right," she replied, looking sleepy and tired.

She got off the couch, and collected her files and books, and I collected the plates and cups, helping her tidy up the place, then we headed to her bedroom. For the next 20 minutes, I worked on her back from her neck down to her toes. When she rolled onto her back, her nipples were standing erect. With a devilish grin, she spread her legs. Her labia were swollen, shiny with her moisture.

"Naughty girl. Close your legs. Let me finish this, and I'll think about it," I said.

"Don't tease me, Mitch," she pleaded.

"Sarah, baby. I'm not teasing you. I want to finish the massage first."

"Fuck the massage!"

"Fuck the massage? I don't think that's possible," I returned, and flashed an intolerable grin for good measure.

"Then fuck me!"

"I'd love to, but after the massage. Your shoulders and neck were really knotted. You need the massage."

Before she could protest, I quieted her with a soft kiss. Then, I started massaging her: first her neck, then moved down to her shoulders and arms. When I neared her tits, they were flushed, and as I worked them, her nipples hardened more. She was starting to squirm, and each time my fingers kneaded her tits and touched her nipples, she moaned. To bring her to a quick release, I moved one hand down, and rubbed my fingers along her slit, while continuing my massage. Seeing her so needy, I stopped the massage, and slid down her body to use my tongue and lips on her pussy. I managed to bring her to a shaking climax in short order. Then, I continued with the massage, and finished it by rubbing her feet and toes. After the climax and the massage, she was almost asleep, so I carefully covered her with the sheet and the blanket. Collecting the towels, and the massage oil, I went to the bathroom to clean up. Back at the bedroom, I put the night light on, and crawled into the bed. As she felt my body, she rolled to my side, seeking the warmth of my body, and snuggled, and I followed her to sleep.

I was enveloped in something soft and warm. It felt like mud, but it wasn't. It was thick like honey, but it wasn't sticky. It was warm and wet, with a silky texture, and I felt like I was floating. Whatever the stuff I was swimming in, it felt great, touching my nerve endings, making them tingle with soft, sensual energy. It was like thousands of soft fingers massaging and caressing me with a warm and moist touch. Opening my eyes I looked around and it was dark without being dark and light without being light. I was in a pool, covered in that special unknown substance, and I was bobbing up and down, sinking and rising in it, enjoying the feeling like a little child in a mud pit.

Experimentally I cupped a handful of the stuff, trying to get a feel of its real texture. It was warm, and slick, but also soft, yielding to my touch, and strangely enough, parts of it felt firmer. It felt alive, like a living thing, and as I ran my fingers, touching the soft strange material, the living mud moved and rolled all around me, as if I was in a boat... and it moaned.

Huh? Strange dream! A living mud...

I was enjoying it too much to bother with the strangeness, and let myself go with the feelings. Then, the thing started to talk to me, whispering, "Oh, Mitch... Yes... Like that," each time I kept moving and touching that strange living mud.

My lower body felt like it was caught in a soft press, undulating, and rocking around me. There was a strange feeling of weight down below my belly, and I felt like I was being massaged both the inside and outside. I tried to figure out what it was that kept me rocking like that, and touched my insides and outside so sensually. I knew I was dreaming, and I tried to wake up, but I couldn't. A bit later, I felt something inside me melt, as the undulation around me got stronger, as if I was in a boat in heavy weather. Slowly I came awake. This time for real!

"Hey, handsome. Having a good dream?" Sarah whispered.

At first, I was disoriented, and then, I realized Sarah was straddling me. I felt her drape her upper body over my chest. Then she nuzzled my neck, and kissed me. I could hear her soft panting, her breath washing over my neck.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"You were having a very good dream," she giggled.

"Yeah. What a dream," I mumbled, still a bit out of it.

"Do you know that you make love when you're asleep? If you didn't know it, now you do," she added with another giggle.

At first, what she said didn't register, until my mind changed gears.

"You're crazy."

"No, I'm not." She rocked back and forth gently to make her point, and I felt her channel gripping my softening cock, and the wetness. I realized I had just come.

"Did we just..." I asked the obvious.

"Yep. It was great. You can make love in your sleep," she quipped, giggling again.

"You're nuts, you know that. How did we..."

"I woke up feeling horny, and felt your hardness between my thighs. I was rubbing myself for a while, and getting worked up. When you rolled onto your back, I debated if I should. I decided I would try to make love to you while you were still asleep."

"Jeeezz, Sarah! I've heard about men taking advantage of women by getting them drunk, but you really take the cake."

"What can I say? You must have been horny or having a wet dream."

"I guess. So how was it for you?"

"It was great," she giggled.

"Really? Didn't feel like making love with a blow-up doll?"

"Oh, no. You were responding, and touching. It was really something."

"Well, I'm glad," I replied.

"Mitch, are you pissed?" she asked suddenly with a much sober tone.

"No, I'm not. I'm worried about the ribbing I'll get from you. Or Kathy."

She let out a soft laugh, before she sucked on my lower lip and concluding with a kiss. "Don't worry about it. I really enjoyed myself. It was something different."

"What time is it?"

"I'm not sure. I think past two or something."

"You sound as if you're wide awake. Will you be able to sleep?"

"Oh, yes. There's nothing like good sex to make me relax and fall asleep."

"I thought the earlier orgasm and massage would make you relax and put you to sleep."

"It did, but... I was having a dream, and when I felt your hard-on..."

"I see."

I rolled us on our side and my cock slipped out from its warm nest, while we were moving. Despite loosing our connection, we kept kissing and caressing each other until we fell asleep.

The alarm clock woke us up, and Sarah turned it off. I wasn't awake, yet, ready to sleep more. Sarah lazed in the bed for a few minutes, and after a kiss and a whispered a "Good morning," she got out of the bed. When I asked about the time, she told me it was too early for me to wake up, and to get some more sleep.

When she left the room, I rolled to her side, and reached for the clock; it was 6:30. I wanted to sleep more, but I knew it would be almost impossible, and I would be half-asleep and half-awake, wasting the time in bed. With an effort, I got out and went to the kitchen to put on the coffee, but found Sarah had already done that. I heard the shower running, and decided to surprise her, suddenly in the mood for mischief and wanting to pay her back for last night. At the thought of what she had done, I couldn't help but chuckle. It had been an experience, and I still couldn't believe I thought I was having a great dream at the time. I quietly opened the bathroom door, and saw her silhouette behind the shower curtain. Closing the door, I moved to the bathtub, and when her back was to the curtain I pulled it aside to step into the tub. The sound of the water masked the sound of the opening curtain, but she felt the draught, and startled, she turned and shrieked in surprise.

"Mitch! Damn you! You scared the hell out of me!"

"Sorry, love. I just wanted to surprise you," I replied.

I turned and pushed her against the wall, and got another shriek. She jumped back from the cold feel, and found herself in my arms. Collecting herself she tried to elbow me, while yelling, "What are you doing? It's cold. Why are you so mean to me?"

I held her tight, and moved my hands to cup her tits. She was still struggling to get free, but when I started to knead her flesh, she started to relax into my embrace, and sighed. Twisting her head to the side she looked at me over her shoulder, waiting for a kiss. I didn't disappoint her and we shared a long kiss.

"Why are you so early?" I asked.

"I changed shifts, taking the early shift. In the afternoon, my shift ends around 4:30, and I need to pack. Saturday, I have another early shift, and I want to get on the road as soon as my shift ends."

"Mmmm... Good plan. It's not a long drive, but it would be nice to get to Dana's early."

"Uh-huh. Can you use one of your hands where it would do the most good, or that pole that's pressing against my behind?" she retorted with a husky voice.

"That pole isn't from what you think. I need to take a leak, but it can wait. In the meantime..."

I caressed her, from her tits down to her belly, and then moved further south, to her sparse bush. When she was warmed up, I ran a finger in her slit. Spreading her folds, I eased it into her. A bit later, I added another finger. When I pressed my thumb at the base of her hood, I was rewarded with a moan. In the meantime, my other hand kept kneading her tit. Catching her nipple between my fingers, I squeezed it gently, feeling it harden. I pulled her back and turned her slightly so that the spray from the showerhead would hit her chest, stimulating her other tit. When her moans picked up in frequency, I increased the pace of my fingers in her channel, finger fucking her. Then I broke away and knelt in front of her, to worship her pussy with my lips and tongue. She spread her legs to allow me better access to her core. As I licked and teased her clitoral hood, swiping my tongue on the nubbin, she clutched my shoulders, trembling in pleasure. I stroked her belly, and felt the tremors, before I moved up to her tits. In a few minutes, she was at her peak, and with a soft scream, she came, her tits heaving in my hands. She was shaking and trembling, trying to support herself by holding onto my shoulders, so I put my arms around her lower back, and pulled her against my face, trying to help her. I continued to suck and nibble on her labia, until her climax ran its course. I tongued her channel to collect her oils, and teased her inner lips, enjoying her taste and smell, and the pleasure she was deriving from my attentions.

A few minutes later, she managed to pull herself together and pulled me up to my feet. I gathered her in my arms, and she put her arms around my neck, kissing me, tasting herself on my lips and tongue. My hard-on was trapped between our bodies, and she pressed herself against it, trying to feel it.

"You don't want me to do anything about that?"

"Nope. It won't work."

"You sure?"

"Yes, Sarah. I'm sure. That was for you, and I enjoyed it very much."

"Me too," she replied softly. "What am I going to do when you're away?"

Perhaps, she felt embarrassed at what she said, because she quickly tried to apologize, but I cut her off with a kiss. When I looked at her, she had an apologetic expression on her face.

"Sarah, I understand. I don't know what I'm going to do when I'm away. It's mutual, you know."

"I... I don't want to get used to this, but sometimes I can't help myself," she said, after a long pause. Looking in my eyes, she added, "And I don't want to get in between you and Dana. You know I care about her."

"I know, love, but do you really think Dana would mind it? You know what she said."

"Yes, I know," she replied with a resigned sigh. "But sometimes I feel guilty."

"I understand, Sarah. Sometimes I feel guilty, too. About you, Dana, and a lot of other things. Maybe, we should just enjoy what we have. Dana certainly feels that way, and said as much."

"I guess..." she replied. Then with a more contemplative tone she added, "I'm really looking forward to visiting her."

When I raised an eyebrow, she smiled and said, "I want to see her in her element. It's going to be a great opportunity to get to know her better. And I'm happy that you two will have sometime together." Giving me a sincere look, she continued, "You two really need to be together without distractions, Mitch. I monopolized you a lot, and I know she missed you. And I need a break. It will give me an opportunity to get back to work and school. This whole week had been a blur, and I feel like I got caught in a storm."

"Do you really feel like that?"

"Well, yes. Too much happened in a short time... Kathy and Mark, you and I and Dana. I need a bit of normalcy to gather myself."

"Sarah, are you feeling guilt or remorse for what happened?" I asked with an apprehensive tone.

"No, not exactly. It's... It was great. Really. But, I've put my studies aside, and have to catch up. I don't want to repeat what I did a few years ago. Don't misunderstand me. I enjoyed what happened, and I want to enjoy it more, but I need a bit of time to catch my breath, to get my life back on schedule. Do you understand?"

"Yeah. I think I do. I guess I might have a similar problem when I get back to work. It's the first time I've managed to switch off my mind, and haven't thought about work or other things during a vacation. Usually it's a week or so before I can switch everything off completely and get into a vacation mode."

She smiled understandingly, and we were going to continue chatting a bit more, but the water started to turn cold. She took a sponge, and let it soak the hot water before turning off the taps. Using the shower gel, she lathered my body. I did the same for her, and shampooed her hair. Turning on the taps, she stepped under the warm spray and washed away the soap and shampoo, and when she was finished, pulled me under the spray, and helped me. The water was almost cold by the time I was finished, but I was used to cold showers. She wasn't, and she was shivering from the cold water that splashed her when she was helping me. We stepped out of the tub, and I wrapped her in a big towel, and gave her a quick rubdown to warm her up. As she got busy with her hair, I dried myself, and went to the kitchen to prepare a plate with toast.

She came in and sat at the table, and I served her toast with honey and a cup of coffee. Checking her watch she said, "I gotta run. I'll call you from the hospital. Where will you be?"

"I'm not sure. Try me at Kathy's around four in the afternoon, or I can drop by after five."

"OK! Drop by around five. Make sure you've got your packing done and ready for tomorrow. Dana knows my schedule and she will probably try to call me at the hospital or you at Kathy's."

"All right. I'll see you then."

She stood up, kissed me; collecting her bag with files and books, she left. I decided to have my breakfast and finish my coffee, then go to Kathy's to pick up my sweats to visit the gym. After that, I was planning to drop by at my parents for lunch.

I did a short workout at the gym, and took an hour under the sunlamp. By the time I took a quick shower, and drove to my parents, it was noon. Dad was out, and Mom was busy at the kitchen, cooking. We had a quick lunch, and talked. She asked about Kathy, when we were coming for lunch or dinner. I told her we were going out for dinner tonight, all together-explaining the 'all together' part-which was a mistake, because she immediately asked when she was going to meet my new girlfriend.

"Come on, Mom. It's too early for that, and you know it," I retorted.

With a twinkle in her eyes, she said, "I know, Mitch. So, you two are going away for vacation?"

"Yeah. Tomorrow."

"For how long?"

"I'm not sure. She's got a week off, but I don't know what I'm going to do after that. I want to spend more time by the beach, but I might drive back with her to her place."

She gave a quizzical look, and when I raised my eyebrow, she shrugged.

"What's on your mind, Ma?"

"Nothing, Mitch. I was just wondering about the changes..."

"Changes?"

"You look restless; you shaved off your beard and moustache."

"Oh, that. I got tired of looking old. Restless... Well, you know how I get before a trip. I'm looking forward to the vacation," I replied.

"Is it the vacation or the new girl?" she asked with an amused tone.

"Both," I replied, returning her smile.

"Good. So, are you going to tell me more about her or do I have to ask Kathy?"

Instead of answering her question, I went on a tangent. "Kathy?"

"I know your sister, Mitch. You've been with her for a week, now. I'm sure she had gotten something about her from you," she retorted.

Shit! And I didn't even tell her we had been to dinner already.

"Well, she met her," I deadpanned.

"She met her? When?"

"Mark was visiting, and we all went out for dinner last weekend."

"You didn't say anything," Mom accused.

"I wonder why," I retorted, and received an annoyed look for my trouble. Not to irritate her further, I decided to talk a bit about Dana. "If you really must know... she's quite beautiful. She's blonde with incredible blue eyes, and she's kind and gentle. I like her."

"That's all?" she prompted me.

I wasn't sure if I wanted to tell her she was older than me, but I knew she would get more from Kathy, so I decided to bite the bullet. "She's a few years older than me."

As I mentioned that little tidbit, I didn't know I was closing further discussions about Dana, especially about her work. If Mom had asked about what Dana did, it could have opened a can of worms. Later, back at Kathy's, when I went over the conversation, I would come to realize how lucky I had been. Mom would have probed further if our talk hadn't taken a different turn after my little revelation.

She raised her eyebrow at that, but when I didn't comment, she asked, "Older than you?"

After a long period of not playing the field, I was getting involved with an older woman, and she was worried that the new woman might be trying to sink her hooks into me. "It's not that important. She's really a nice person, Ma. I know what you're thinking. She's not that kind."

When she gave a skeptical look, I said, "Sometimes, it would be a nice change if you gave me some credit." It came out harsher than I intended, almost an accusation instead of resentment. Quickly I tried to rephrase, but she beat me to it.

"I guess I have to get used to the idea. It's been too long, and... Well, we both know how I am," she said.

"I didn't want to sound like that. For what it's worth, Kathy got to know her a bit. You know she's a good judge of character and she thinks highly of her, so it's not only me. Have you already forgotten what you told me? How reserved and picky I am about people?"

She nodded her understanding, and smiled affectionately, before patting my hand, even though I knew I had not been very nice to her. It occurred to me that, in the last several years, she had been the one that took a step back every time we had a discussion or talked about something that I considered my private life. She didn't have to do that, and she had never done that before. I had grown distant, and perhaps quite hard in certain respects. I knew she missed the closeness we had shared, and the long talks we used to have. Her kids, and Dad, had been everything, and now, we moved out. I realized for the first time that it must have left a hole in her life. With those thoughts in my mind, I made a conscious effort to be more accommodating.

"Ma, I understand. I'm sorry. I'm sorry I've been so hard on you and Dad. These last few years have been trying. I know it's not a good excuse, but... I know that you know it. I need time. Just a bit more time."

She gave a long look, and I could see her eyes were getting moist. She tried to pull herself together. Averting my eyes, I took out my pack, lit a cigarette for her and passed it without looking at her to give her time to compose herself. I lit one for myself, as well. My eyes were on the table, and I kept rolling the cigarette between my fingers, running the tip against the side of the ashtray, trying to look busy.

"Son," she called out softly.

When I looked at her, she said, "It's all right, Son. You have your own life, and you make your own decisions. For a long time you've been your own man. Long befo- ehm... for a long time. I know we haven't been easy on you, too, especially about your work. It's just..." She tried to collect her thoughts before continuing. "Parents want to have the best for their kids, and they also want to feel needed," she said, pointedly. "Do you understand what I'm saying?"

I thought about it, but I didn't really get what she was arriving at. When I shook my head, she said, "You've been too independent, Mitch. Making your decisions, and never saying a word. I don't mean it as something bad. No. It's good to see you be your own man, make your own decisions and follow them through. What I'm getting at is you rarely came to your dad or me when you were lost or in trouble. You don't even mention anything about your problems."

"I still don't understand what you're getting at, Ma." I replied.

"Mitch, you make us proud; make no mistakes about that. But sometimes, we felt like we had only one kid, Kathy," she replied softly.

Then I got it. I felt my face heat up, and didn't know how to respond. "B-But, I'm 25, Ma. I've changed, true, but that's what happens as you grow up..." I mumbled.

"That is so, but... Mitch, it's not a question of age. It's something you will know only when you're a parent. But let me get back to what I wanted to say. Even when you were young, you were your own man. I had to probe you when I felt you had problems."

I thought about what she said, and maybe she was right, but for the life of me, I couldn't remember having major problems. "I'm not so sure, Ma. I don't really remember running into many problems."

"No, you didn't. Well, you didn't have really serious problems, except on a few rare occasions. And we always talked about a lot of things, if you remember. When you were young, you didn't hesitate to talk about minor things, but you kept the serious ones to yourself, until I probed and slowly dragged it out of you. But there were times, I had to let it go... like what happened with the bullies. You remember what I said, 'giving us a heartache, ' yesterday? What I meant was, you didn't give us problems, but watching you go through some of the things you did, was... had been... difficult," she said. The last point was a reference to how Dad had asked her to stay out of it. Before I could respond, she added, "You grew up too early, too fast, Mitch." Then, she gave a gentle look to me, and added, "And that pains me."

Even though I knew I couldn't fathom how hard it must have been for her, now, I had an inkling of what she was talking about. I nodded my understanding.

"These last few years-"

"Ma, please," I cut her off.

"Son, listen to me," she said with a serious tone that didn't allow me any room to object, so I kept quiet. "I'm not going to lecture you about your life, or your work, or your decisions. You've changed a lot, Mitch... in the last few years. And the changes hadn't been for the good. You never talk, and keep everything inside you. Why don't you talk about things that bother you, trouble you? Why don't you talk to your sister, if you don't want to talk to us? You two have always been very close."

Ma, please. Leave it alone.

She waited for me to respond, but I didn't even acknowledge whether I heard what she said. She tried again. "Do you know how she feels? You've both been so close, but now..."

"Ma, please. Don't you think I don't know that? Kathy and I were always close and we still are. I told you I need some time. And I don't see the point of digging into the past. It's over and done with. What's the use?" I replied with an irritated tone.

She raised an eyebrow, especially at the part 'it's over and done with.' We both knew it was far from the truth, but, on the other hand, she knew I was moving on. Still...

The silence dragged on, making me very uncomfortable, and I was thinking of making my exit. I hastily put out my cigarette. As I reached for my pack and lighter, she changed the subject-perhaps she sensed what I was planning to do.