Chapter 8

By November fourth, I was eager to see what Tanya had for me. So much so that I sneaked a preview of what Ness had written for this day. I was disappointed to read she’d only written, “Halfway through Tanya’s birth year, baby. Can you make it through another six months without your head exploding?”

“Probably not,” I muttered, wishing for the last three days before the fourth to fly by.

My wife was on an afternoon shift on November fourth, so we spent the morning together, trying not to do anything stupid as we waited for the mailman. Finally, close to 1.00 pm, he kicked out the stand of his ‘postie bike’ and walked up to our door.

Ness had sat on the kitchen stool closest to the front door, so she beat me to the door when the mailman knocked. With trembling hands, I could tell that Ness badly wanted to rip the envelope open and stare at the enclosed picture, but she restrained herself and handed it to me.

Opening it, I removed the photo, then, with my hands trembling, placed it on the bench. Tanya wore her School Formal dress (the Aussie equivalent of a Prom). It clung to her youthful figure but still revealed nothing that would bring the censor’s or police’s ire.

“She’s beautiful,” Ness breathed. Then suddenly insecure, she added, “You won’t leave me for her, Liam. Will you?” The last question was almost plaintive in its delivery.

Absently wondering who the lucky guy that escorted Tanya to the event was, I took my wife to bed and showed her that she had nothing to worry about. I had time to give her seven orgasms before she needed to shower for work. Then as she got out of bed, I quietly said, “Mrs Liam Shephard, I swore in front of that preacher that it was ‘until death do us part’ I intend to keep that vow!”

With tears in her eyes, Ness hugged me and said, “Thank you.”

The speaking and MCing engagements continued through most of the rest of November, so I had plenty to keep my mind away from my soon-to-be young lover, for which I was grateful. The only interesting event to note was my wife bringing a young man that seriously could have been my ‘brother from another mother’ home from the hospital.

“You won’t believe me, baby,” Ness said as a way of introduction. “But this gorgeous hunk of young manhood is Liam Aldiss. He came into the ER after being knocked out practising with The Morningside Panthers this morning. As you were, he’s a full-forward.”

Walking two confident steps forwards, Liam offered his hand and said, “Big fan, Mr Shephard. I was delighted when The Bears drafted you from The Fitzroy Lions. You’ve been my role model ever since.”