Chapter 2: Setting the Hook

It was a beautiful Wednesday night and we had the youth outside to play some games behind the church. Maybe it was the pleasant weather but whatever the reason there were quite a few parents there that night, including Stewart and his wife. Since it had been planned ahead of time for tonight’s events to be outside, I was wearing a pair of faded denim shorts and a light yellow tank top. Because it WAS a church activity there were dress codes which had to be adhered to, including prohibitions against anything TOO short or TOO revealing. The rules were written with the teenage girls in mind but the helpers were expected to set an example.

Under the rules, my favorite cutoffs were strictly verboten - I would’ve been sent home in a heartbeat and probably told not to help with the youth again if I dared to wear them. Likewise, I was even wearing a bra under my tank top as hard nipples poking through your top were another major no- no. As if all that wasn’t conservative enough, for once I was wearing a tank top itself that was actually my size, one of the few I owned that was a little loose on me.

Stewart and his wife were on the sidelines, watching Duane playing soccer. Stewart was in khaki safari shorts - the type with all the pockets, and a Steelers t-shirt while his wife was actually dressed very similar to me. She may have been around ten years older than me but she looked great! I also noticed that the “no nipples” rule apparently didn’t apply to parents. I would have bet a lot of money that her boobs were fake but even so, they looked magnificent even if they were as rigid as concrete.

The one thing I DID notice was that the two of them were standing several feet apart and not talking to each other which was odd as usually he had his arm around her or least stood right next to her. Hmmmmmm, were there problems in paradise? The two of them were always trying to act like they had the perfect marriage, even sponsoring weekend marriage retreats and counseling young couples about marriage. As much as I hate to say it, it wouldn’t have bothered me to see a few cracks in that crystal podium they’d set themselves on. Really, don’t you just hate the “perfect” families, especially when they flaunt it?

About half-way through the first game, I noticed Stewart and his wife arguing over something and then suddenly he just shook his head, threw up his arms and walked back into the church leaving her stewing. Hmmmmmm, now THIS could be interesting ... There wasn’t much for me to be doing at the time and I doubted anyone would miss me so I left without saying anything to see where Stewart was off to. When I got in the church, it was deserted and he was nowhere to be seen. Just as I was about to turn around and head back out to games, I heard a toilet flushing and a little bit later Stewart appeared from the men’s restroom. My heart sank as I realized he’d come back just to go to the bathroom! So much for there being a genuine riff between him and his Barbie-doll wife.

“Hi Kelly, didn’t know anyone else was in here,” he said to me the door closed behind him and he approached me.

My heart fluttered back up again as I looked at him. God he was hot! OK, so he was ten years older than me but I prefer older men anyway so that wasn’t an issue. He obviously worked out from the way his muscles stood out in his chest and abs, his arms muscular and his legs strong and lithe. A summer tan didn’t hurt either and only made his short blonde hair look even more heavenly.

“Cat got your tongue?” he teased me, bringing me back from my daydreams. God I was so embarrassed. It’s supposed to be the guy staring at the girl, not the other way around!

“Oh, sorry Stewart,” I stammered, trying to regain my composure. Most of the parents I addressed as Mr. or Mrs. but long ago Stewart had insisted I call him by his first name, saying his father was called “Mr.”

“No problem ... was there something I could help you with?” he asked, now just a few feet away from me.

Have you ever just reacted to someone by saying the first thing that pops in your head? Then, after you say it you ask yourself how in the world could you EVER had said such a thing? Well, that was me as I responded without completing clearing the fog in my brain.