Chapter 34

Sunday, October 8, 2028

My mouth dropped open, “You ... you ... WHAT?” This ... This was not a conversation I expected! My wife had just told me she wanted to invite Samuel for dinner Friday, this Friday!

“Here? At our house?”

She chewed on her lower lip, something she does a lot when she’s really nervous. She nodded, “Uhuh,” then went on, talking kind of fast, something else she does sometimes, “I don’t know if he could ... or even would; Lily, too, I want Lily to come.”

Thankfully, after breakfast, the kids had made a beeline for the Candyland game.

“But, but, why? I thought you were through with Sacramento?”

“I am. Well, at least mostly; with Jonah I am, but Samuel’s different than him. I, I’d like to be friends, maybe you, too...” She was watching me, hopeful. Friends? With Samuel? I didn’t know if I could. I’d seen and heard what he’d done with Addie. Of course, Tanner, too. I was friends with him and if there was anyone I should be jealous of, it would be Tanner. But Samuel? I didn’t know.

“Please!” Addie was looking at me with those now quivering lips, like she was a little girl begging for a puppy.

“This Friday? Right before your date with Nick? And where would he stay, here?” I assumed so. I assumed Addie wanted to spend the night with him.

She frowned a little, thinking, “Maybe the next Friday? And in a hotel, I imagine?”

I almost asked her, but I didn’t – would she be spending that night in the hotel with him?

She probably saw the question in my eyes, “He’d have Lily with him,” then she threw in, “trust me, honey, please.”

Addie was almost holding her breath, waiting for me to answer. “Okay, week from Friday.”

A huge grin broke out on her face and she threw her arms around me, kissing me hard. “Thank you, thank you, hon! You know how much I love you, don’t you?”

“Guess I have a phone call to make,” she said and wandered off into our bedroom ... where I couldn’t hear her.

I had a lot to think about. Samuel? Here? And Addie didn’t play fair, said to ‘trust her’. Well, I do, but. But what? Either I do or I don’t. I don’t know what she has planned. She’s never tried to embarrass me, and I have no reason to think she would. And the way she’s described Samuel, he doesn’t seem like a bad guy. And he’ll have his daughter with him. I guess I’ll let it play out and see what happens.

Several minutes later, Addie came back into the living room, beaming. “All set,” she said, a week from Friday, he’s going to get an airline ticket and rent a car.”

After that, Addie was feeling very pleased with herself. She and I wandered out into the back yard. The pool and deck are done. Still no water in it, we probably won’t fill it until next spring. It’s gorgeous, decorative designs all through the deck, blue-green masonry in the pool. The contractor had started on the pool barrier; four feet high, to keep the kids out of the pool when we’re not out with them. Neither Addie or I had ever imagined having anything like what was taking shape in our back yard until Tanner had come into our lives. The next project: Building the waterfall and stream meandering through the yard; trees, then lawn.

I wondered what he’d design for the front yard?

We sat in lawn chairs on the new pool deck admiring the new pool. I’m not sure what Addie was thinking about, but I was envisioning Addie in her bikini (or maybe without?) stroking through the water. Then my mind wandered to next weekend, Addie with her date; wondering what she’d wear, wondering how far she’d go with him.

“You want to go for a drive?” Addie interrupted my daydreaming, “you haven’t had a chance to drive the new car yet ... let’s call our parents, see if they’re up to a visit.”

We haven’t seen either of our parents since they got home from the coast last Monday. And I did want to try out the van. “Yeah, that sounds like fun.”

Addie called her mom and asked her about meeting us at Markle’s Grill and Steakhouse at three. We haven’t actually gone out to dinner with them for what seemed like forever. Then she called my mom as well, asking her the same thing.

Addie told the kids that we were leaving in about an hour to see their grandparents and they both ran for the front door. Addie and I both laughed and I asked them, “You do know how long ‘an hour’ is, don’t you?” They’re a little like Zuse and Rascal; when we tell them they get to go for a ride, they go completely wild jumping up and down, running in circles and making excited doggy noises at the front door. At least Katie and Kevin weren’t making the doggy noises.

The car is a dream come true! I’ve never ridden in or driven anything like it, even T&T’s Tesla. On top of all the technology built in (the thing drives itself – literally), those soft leather seats are just plain incredible! It almost made me feel guilty for dickering poor Hank down so much. Almost, not quite.

The four of us met Mom and Dad and Addie’s parents at Markle’s. They were already there, waiting for us. This was the first time that the eight of us had gone out to dinner for, I don’t even know how long. Something that had never even crossed my mind before Addie and I with T&T, then that coast trip the four of them went on, was ‘is there anything romantic between them?’

All through dinner I watched to see if I could detect anything. Dad’s eyes were directed at Laura (Addie’s mom) a bit more than they should have been (maybe quite a bit more?). My imagination? Probably, but still ... I could see why, Laura’s gorgeous, just like her daughter, just a bit more mature (I don’t think I have to worry about Addie turning into an old hag any time soon if genetics have anything to do with it). Of course, Mom ain’t no slouch, either, but I didn’t see any other wayward eyes than Dad’s. Maybe he just has the hots for her. Maybe Russ (Addie’s dad) is just a little more subtle in his lady-watching than Dad.

After dinner, which was outstanding, even the kids’ hamburgers, Russ invited us all to their house to look at their coast pictures. It instantly brought to my mind the pictures on Addie’s laptop that I wished I could show. Don’t think it would be a good idea, though. Of course, going back to my ‘wonderings’ about their coast trip, I might be surprised.

When we got to the house, Russ got out a truck and tractor for Kevin and the dollhouse for Katie. That’s one reason the kids love going to Grandma Laura & Grandpa Russ’s house. They have toys.

Then Russ hooked his laptop up to the TV and started scrolling through the pictures. The Oregon coast is absolutely stunning in September and October, the best time of year. It’s sunny and warmer than mid-summer, with clear blue skies. And big waves crashing on the bluffs and beach. The prettiest they had was of Oswald West State Park, a secluded beach, about a half-mile walk down a steep, windy trail, with tide pools, especially at low tide, big bluffs with a waterfall pouring off it and a long sandy beach.

No whales, though. Usually, there are whales just off the coastline, but they weren’t lucky enough to see any. No bikinis, either. Mom and Laura wore shorts, no bikini. The best ‘glamour’ pictures were at Oswald West, with them sitting on the boulders amongst the tide pools, faces glowing and feet in the warm tide pool.

Both Mom and Laura told Russ to hurry past those, they were embarrassed. Then we heard the kids laughing and watched them for a little bit. They’d switched and Katie was pushing the truck, going, “Nnngg, nnngg,” trying to make a motor sound, and Kevin was putting dolls in the little kitchen. Kids!

Russ had some pictures out their hotel room, the Shiloh in Seaside. They apparently stayed in a single room with two queen beds. More food for thought! Their room looked straight out on the ocean with a little deck and his sunset pictures out their room were incredible. I could almost smell the ocean wafting through the room.

The kids were asleep before we crossed the bridge across the Snake River into Idaho. As soon as I was sure they were asleep, I asked Addie, “You ever wonder about our parents?”

She looked at me with that quizzical expression she gets on her face when she has no clue what the hell I’m talking about. “Wonder ... what... ?”

I looked in the little TV screen on the dashboard. There’s a camera showing the back seat. Both kids were sound asleep, their mouths gaping open.

I know damn well she knew what I was talking about, but she was going to make me spell it out, “You know ... like us ... with Tanner and Tanya?”

She looked at me and laughed, “I guess that means you noticed your dad watching my mom?”

“Well, it was kinda hard not to notice. I didn’t see your dad or my mom acting jealous, either, like it didn’t surprise them. If anything, I thought they might have been flirting a little. And the single hotel room ... and you know, they’d be surprised if they knew about Tanner and Tanya. If we ... what’s different about them?” Addie’s upcoming date crossed my mind as well.

She was silent for a bit, then started laughing, “Our parents! Who would have guessed?”

Granted, so far, the evidence was pretty thin. But people had probably been convicted on less. “Should we tell them about us?” I asked her.

She shuddered, “Oh God no! I couldn’t do that.” She thought a minute, “Maybe we could ask them, though ... if we can think of a way to do it.”

Now it was my turn to laugh, “And how would we do that? Oh, Dad, we were just wondering, you...” and I checked the back seat one more time, whispering “screwing Laura?”

Addie scrunched up her nose, “Maybe not exactly like that...”

“Maybe not at all,” I interrupted her, “like it’s not really any of our business, ya know.”

“Good plan,” she laughed, “that’s exactly how we’ll do it.”

“Maybe,” Addie mused, “sometime we should introduce our newest friends to our parents. Just to see what happens.”

I laughed, thinking about that. It would certainly be fun!

When we pulled into our driveway, I commented to Addie, “You do realize, don’t you, that I never had to touch the steering wheel, not a single time, either direction.”

We carried kids in the house and tucked them in bed. Then Addie and I climbed in bed. Twice on successive nights had become pretty frequent the last few months, except for that forty-six-day spell of hell. This was one more time. Twice, too; once when we went to bed and again in the morning! I will be forever grateful to Jonah for those Ben-Wa balls.

At four-fifteen, Monday, UPS delivered another package from Jonah. This time, a much bigger one. I about went out of my mind wondering but put it on Addie’s side of the bed, unopened. Naturally, Monday is Addie’s late-getting-home night with volleyball practice and the kids and I had Livvy to watch.

When Addie and Nicki got there and after Nicki and Livvy left, I couldn’t wait for Addie to open the box. She, however, had other ideas. When she saw it, she set it on her makeup desk and said she was too tired, that she’d open it tomorrow. Arghhh! I knew that there was a game tomorrow and she’d probably put it off again. About the only thing she said before she went to bed and was asleep was, “This time we are READY!” I guess that meant they’d addressed the mistakes from Saturday.

I was right, too! When she got home Tuesday after the game, she was pumped ... and exhausted. They’d won the first game 25-8 and the second 25-13. It wasn’t the strongest team, but all the teams were pretty good, so she was pleased with their progress. “We need to all work on endurance, though. I’m tired!”

She looked at the box, still on her makeup table and frowned, “Tomorrow?” she asked.

I won’t even say I was disappointed. I was, but not surprised. She’d just sat on the edge of the bed when her phone rang. I say ‘rang’, but actually it just announced, “Tanya calling,” in Addie’s sexy voice.

She pushed the phone button and put it to her ear, “Hi Tawns,” and listened, her eyes getting bigger.

“Oh my God, Tawns! Are you serious?” she practically screeched. I wished to hell that I could hear the other end of the call.

“When? How?” not exactly giving me any clues about what she was so excited about.

She was listening and got up to go in the bathroom, closing the door behind her. Crap! I didn’t think it was intentional to hide anything, just her habit whenever she uses the bathroom. All I could hear was her muffled, excited voice, though. None of it was making any sense.

When she came out of the bathroom, she was still chattering excitedly with Tanya. When she finally hung up, she beamed at me. “You know that today was the day the Playboy photographer was going to be there?”

“Yeah, I remember,” I told her. “I guess it went okay then?”

She giggled, “A little different than Tawns expected.” She went on, “It was a guy photographer, not that that matters so much. He took a few pictures, had her put on some lingerie, then took a few more ... and then told her that instead of the ‘professional woman’ series, they wanted her for the Playmate of the Month...”

My jaw dropped open, “Are you serious?” Seems Addie had asked that exact question.

She nodded, “Uhuh, the centerfold, and probably ten pages of article and pictures! Of just her! And her own section on their website.”

Holy crap! No wonder Addie was excited on the phone. “And the contract is for thirty-five thousand dollars!”

Holy crap all over again! “When? When’s this going to happen?” I asked her.

“She said they want to start the photoshoot next week. She’ll be going to the Playboy Mansion in Beverly Hills, too.”

“Tanner?” I asked her, “him, too?”

She scrunched her face, “I was so excited, I didn’t even think to ask. And I’m not sure if she said ‘I’ or ‘we’.”

At least with the excitement, Addie got over her tiredness. Unfortunately, we both completely forgot about the box from Jonah. When she came to bed, naked, I might add, she mentioned one more little thing, “She also said that you’ll get five-thousand dollars just for referring her.”

That did it. I broke out laughing. Five-thousand dollars for what was no more than a silly prank! And Tanya, my girlfriend, the centerfold. In Playboy!

The next day, Addie and I were still incredulous at Tanya. I tried to do a little research on Playboy. Unfortunately, their site is almost exclusively subscription and I didn’t want to pay the fee, so couldn’t access much of anything.

I did find interesting information on Google, though. From what I could find, Tawns, at thirty-two, will probably be the oldest centerfold they have ever had. All that I looked at, randomly clicking, were in their mid-twenties. None were married, either.

Undoubtedly, a huge part of Tanya’s appeal is her unique, beautiful ‘Bo Derek’ face, (well, unique except for the real Bo Derek). Her perfect bod doesn’t hurt, either! The thought crossed my mind that those pictures Robert took could eventually turn out to be worth a fortune if he wanted to illicitly sell them. He seemed honest, though; I don’t think he would.

There were other things going on that day. One of Susan’s assistants in Ontario quit. The girl’s getting married and moving to be with her new husband. How inconsiderate! So Addie had to go to Ontario to help Susan interview for new help.

Susan is Addie’s oldest manager; fifty-eight and a little pudgy. She’s a little scatter-brained, but in a lovable, not incompetent way. Her customers love her and so do Addie and I. She was both happy and sad that Carolyn quit. Carolyn had only been there a little over a year but had a following of customers that always asked for her. I know that both Addie and Susan were hoping to find someone just like her.

I amused myself all day by going over inventories and ordering new stock for the four stores. It seemed like every month we had to order a new supply of the Rhythm Clocks. We have them in all four stores now and people love them. So do Addie and I! They’re a cash-cow.

Addie was happy when she got home that night. They had found someone, another single mom with two kids, one in high school and one in junior high. “Her name’s Sheila. Some-day manager material if we ever open another store,” Addie said. “She’s a little over-qualified for what Susan needs, but she needs a job and seems like she’ll fit.”

That night, after the kids went to bed, Addie finally got around to opening the box. But so damned slow! She found a pair of scissors in her makeup drawer and cut the tape holding the top closed, teasing me with her slowness, like she knew it was driving me crazy. Of course, my, “Hurry up, honey,” every few seconds might have tipped her off.

The flaps on top finally popped open and I started to get up off the bed to see what it was. The instant I did, she pushed them back closed and told me, “Sit!” like she was getting after one of the dogs. I sat.

She opened the flap back up and the first thing she pulled out was a little black garment. She held it in front of her like she was modeling it. It was short, barely going from her boobs to above her belly-button, about where Jonah had put his finger on her tummy and said, “It’ll reach about to here inside you.”

I recognized it and my cock was instantly hard. “That’s all you wore that night, isn’t it?”

“Well, not all,” she grinned, reaching back inside the box, “there was this, too,” showing me a tiny, torn pair of black panties.

I groaned, remembering watching my wife wearing those two things into a room full of horny men (and women). “You gonna model for me?”

She giggled, “Well, this might need a little repair,” showing me the broken string where Jonah had torn the panties off her. It was hard for me to believe that night had only been two and a half weeks earlier. She pulled some shoes from the box, then a needle and thread out of her drawer, a couple of her makeup items and disappeared into the bathroom, saying she’d be back shortly.