Chapter 3: Talking some more

I now saw Elaine pretty well every time I went to the Health Club. We said our hello's, asking after each other's health and worked out, apart from a smile that was all the contact we had. Until a couple of weeks had gone by. She came up to me as I was getting my adrenalin pumping on the treadmill.

"Do you think we could have another coffee?" She asked.

"Of course." I answered. "Shall I see you outside in twenty?"

"Great. I'll be there."

It was a good feeling driving with Elaine. She was much more relaxed with me, and rather than sit upright in the seat, slouched sideways a little so she could talk easily. When we got to my home she went straight through to the conservatory and stood looking out at the garden. I called to her.

"Coffee or wine?"

"Wine please, James." I got the bottle, collected two glasses and took them through to the conservatory. She shocked me rigid with her statement.

"My husband has left me." My first thought; as I suppose would be the thought any man who met a married woman in private; was that somehow or other that he had discovered our meeting. Elaine then squashed that worry completely.

"He has been seeing this other woman for some time, now it would appear that he is moving into her home. Bastard!" she didn't seem as upset as you would imagine a woman would be with this situation. I was worried about her anyway.

"Are you going to be alright. I mean about somewhere to live and support?"

"Oh, that's ok. It's my house. It was left to me by my grandmother. I shall have to find myself a job though, but I have some savings so I will be able to manage for a while." she paused and looked at me. "I could always move in with you." She grinned as she said it, knowing it was a joke. I followed up.

"Yes, well I do need someone to do all the cleaning and washing." She laughed. I liked to hear Elaine laugh. She picked up her glass, and raised it in a toast.

"Well, here's to a new life." I did the same.

"I hope it brings you the fulfilment you deserve."

She looked at me as if she was trying to look into my mind.

"I enjoyed our talk the other week. You were talking to me, not at my body. You listened to what I said, and seemed to pick up on things I didn't actually say, but were there in my mind. Would you mind if I asked more questions?"

"Not at all, if I can answer them I shall." She said nothing for a few moments, obviously trying to get her thoughts sorted.

"When you made love to your lover. How did you start?" I wasn't expecting that question. But the truth was easy.

"Very badly at first. After nineteen years of marriage and a child, I was still very inexperienced. I did try to go down on my wife, but she was of the same school of thought as your Brian. That was not something that a man would do to a woman. It was dirty. So when I met my lady I was a very poor lover. Looking back on it now, I am surprised she stayed with me. She was patient though, and coaxed me into things that I had never thought about. One lesson that stood out in my mind was never rush." My memories came back to me with pleasure, and for a while I lost the reason for my starting to tell Elaine about it. Then I got my head together again. But before I could say anything Elaine interrupted.

"You must have loved her. I could see by your face that the memories are good." I smiled.

"Yes, they are good. I loved her then and I have carried that love for twenty-five years, after we parted. It will never go away, but sits in a special corner of my mind." Elaine had moisture in her eyes as she said.

"I wish someone could love me that much."

I leaned across and put my hand on hers.

"Elaine, I am sure that you must have been loved by someone like that. Even Brian must have loved you at one time." She looked sad and shook her head.

"No, I don't think so, but to tell the truth I doubt that I ever loved him that much!" She looked up at me. "We grew up together in Barsfield. We always went around together as children, and later as teenagers. When my grandmother left me the house here, there seemed no reason for not getting married. I was sixteen. After twenty years together you don't question your feelings, and then it suddenly hits you. I wasn't happy and neither was Brian. But we had got into the habit so there we stayed" I knew this feeling, after all didn't I exist in the same situation?

"I know about that, but I managed to change my life, not without hurting someone though. That happened almost forty years ago, so don't give up hope."

I sat back and drank some wine. Getting my thoughts together. I realised hadn't actually answered her question yet.

"Every time is different, the reason for making love varies tremendously, so how you go about it varies as well. The worst thing that can happen is that it becomes a routine, same time, same place, same actions that is when boredom sets in." Elaine was bursting to say something, and I knew what she was going to say.

"That's what it was like. Always Saturday nights!" It was not a surprise to me. So I painted the other side of the picture.

"Loving has to be spontaneous, and exciting, and sometimes a little dangerous. Sometimes we need it to be fast and even a little rough. Other times it has to be very slow and sensual. I prefer that. I liked to give my lovers a massage. It is very relaxing for both. But the real benefit of it is that very gradually a massage can turn from relaxing to exciting, as the touch moves from muscles to erogenous zones. It is best when you use scented oils. Sandalwood is best, but unfortunately you can't use it all the time."