Chapter 10: The Gala

Our group of eight at the Planned Parenthood Annual Gala split between two adjacent tables, with there being two other couples at each of our tables. None of the others we met were connected to OI or the mechanics of the gala. Several were volunteers for the charity. Overall, there were about 900 people at the event. They’d hoped for over a thousand.

We split up the usual couples so that we were having a Date Night, only with someone not our usual spouse. Jake took Ellie as his date at one table, and I had Anna as my date at another. At my table I met Steve and Sophia Wallace, and Cole and Stacy Kane.

The women were all gorgeous and sexy in their gowns and plunging necklines. The four girls from our group had spent the better part of the day getting ready, what with spa treatments, pedicures and manicures, and hair styling followed by professionally administered makeup to add to their allure.

The gowns our group wore got restyled in the days leading up to the event, resulting in greater cleavage, bare tummies on a couple, partial nudity especially of gauze-covered breasts, and gown slits that reached to the hip and suggested a lack of undergarments. Like me, the men were in rented tuxedos. We each looked as though we stepped out of James Bond film.

We mixed up the seating at my table, and it was boy-girl around the tables. I was between Sophia and Stacy, both lovely women about my age. Anna and Megan were across the table surrounded by Greg, Steve, and Cole. The new men were slightly older and seemed more sophisticated.

As we sipped on some good wine, we each introduced ourselves, providing bridge lines to inspire further conversation. Being head of the growing ‘fitness empire’ established me as an interesting person. Further, I was clearly in the best physical shape, possibly more than any other person in the ballroom. I did have broad shoulders, was inescapably muscular – even in the tux, and according to the girls, handsome to boot.

As we started individual conversations, Sophia gestured at Anna and Megan, and asked, “Which one is your spouse?”

I smiled politely, “Neither. Ellie, my wife, is the blonde in the maroon dress at the table next to us.” Heads turned as I loosely gestured in that direction and there was Ellie in a lip lock with Darren that left no doubt that they not only liked each other but that there were deeper feelings and actions involved.

Stacy blurted out, “She’s kissing that other man – like really involved.”

“She likes him. They work together and often travel together when they’re putting on events such as this.” I let the implication that they did things together on those trips just fester in her mind.

“But ... you’re not upset?”

I shrugged, “No. Megan here is Darren’s wife, although she’s not my date tonight. She’s with Greg, who is Ellie’s sister’s husband. Greg goes with Ally in the strapless blue dress also at the table next to us.” Ally was snogging with Jake, who was teasing her with two fingers stroking the gauze almost hiding her breasts as though he was going to pull down the front of her dress. They were laughing and obviously giving each other dares and sexual looks.