Family Groupings

ike and Maggie had lunch, on Wednesday, at a restaurant, in a neighborhood where they were unlikely to run into anyone they knew. This, at Maggie's request, with Mike's full agreement. Mike fully expected to get her in bed, this after-noon, since she had asked him to clear the rest of the day, for her. He kissed her thoroughly, when they met, at the appointed time, but she would not let things go any farther. All through lunch, she refused to let him talk about anything serious, or even personal. Several times, during lunch, he caught her inspecting him closely, which he felt was fair, since he could hardly take his eyes off her. They both enjoyed their lunch, though he was torn, between stretching the lunch out, and hurrying, to try to get her in bed. Inevitably, lunch ended, and there was no alternative to moving on, to the next stage of the afternoon. Maggie directed him to a nearby super-market, where they picked up a bottle of wine, and a loaf of bread. When they had their purchases in the car, Maggie sat against the passenger door, and told him what she had in mind.

"We're not going to fuck, this afternoon, Mike. I know you're disappointed, but at the end of the day, I promise you, you'll be satisfied, in a different way, and much more permanently. What we are going to do is talk, and talk seriously. Later, maybe later this week, we are going to fuck, I promise. That is, if, by then, you still want to. I hope you will, because I like you, a hell of a lot, and I am looking forward to it."

"'Okay', 'Okay', I'll go along, 'cause I want you, too. But I thought we had already talked, on the way home, Monday."

"Let's just put it down to the fact that women like to talk."

"That's bullshit, and you know it."

"Start the car, and drive. I don't care where, as long as it's private, and quiet. I don't want to be interrupted, by anything."

Mike started the car, and drove out of the parking lot, inland, toward the scrub and palmetto groves. After they left the built up area of the city, there were fewer and fewer cars, as Mike turned onto smaller, and smaller roads. The final road dead-ended, at a small grove of palms, and banana trees. Mike turned off the engine, and turned to Maggie:

"This ought to be remote enough. I don't even know, if I can find my way out of here. There's enough privacy to plot an assassination, and get away with it."

"All right, Mike. This'll do, just fine. Do you have a blanket, in your car? Bring it with you, and follow me. I'll bring the food."

"Do you know where we're going. I'm beginning to think your crazy."

"I'm not crazy. We're going into that grove, until we find a clearing, with some shade. Then were going to sit down, I'm going to talk a while, and you'll listen. When I'm done, we'll talk together, and maybe, settle this whole mess. Maybe not. We'll see."

Maggie walked away, toward the grove of trees, with Mike close on her heels. After two or three minutes, in the grove, when all sight of the car was lost, they came on a clearing, which suited Maggie's specifications.

"Here, Mike."

He spread the blanket, in a patch of shade, and watched, as she hiked up her skirt, sat down, with her legs crossed, and spread her skirt, to cover her legs completely. He sat beside her, with the wine in one hand and the bread in the other, put them down, and turned toward her.

"'Okay', Maggie. What's the big deal?"