Chapter 9

She went home to call Greg. "I went to the hospital to see Madeline. She was very helpful and she is one of your real fans." She sighed audibly. "I felt much better after talking to her. She is a gold mine of information."

"She is a princess. What she says she will do, she does. That's so rare in volunteers. Everyone wants her for committee work. She adopted me when my wife left."

Before she thought, she blurted emotionally, "Why did she leave you?"

After a long silence on the phone, he said, "When the children went off to school, she resumed her art career. By then, she was burned out on children, parties, and charities. Why did she leave? Maybe she wanted to renew herself. She was a remarkable painter."

Sheila remembered her own life. "Was there another man?"

"I've never been sure, but I think so."

Stunned by his disclosure and with surprising empathy, she said, "That must have been awfully painful."

"Pain, surprise, and a thrill a minute. It was not my choice," he offered softly.

Instantly, Sheila felt a strong need to hold and cuddle him. To shield him from the lightning. Why do I care why she left him?

On Thursday night, he called from the hotel. She was in their bed watching the Hawks when the phone rang. "There's total bad news. All flights have been canceled until late tomorrow, maybe. The snow is going to cover us up, I think. I think you must cancel the rehearsal. I cannot get home."

"Don't worry. Madeline and I will take care of it. She asked Grace and Eileen to help me. I don't know how I got into this, but now that I am, I am the quarterback. They all assume that I will make things happen. After all, the show must go on. Come home when you can."

Greg hadn't really expected this spoiled brat to help, and it was really touching to him. As he muttered his appreciation, she heard him ask, "Are you having fun yet?"

"I've never been in charge. These people just assume that I will make it all happen. When they talk on the phone, it is all so matter of fact — nothing tentative. I feel like the little Dutch boy with his finger in the dike."

As he continued his soft talk she felt her finger suddenly on her clitoris. It just happened, but as they talked, her excitement was growing and her breath in the phone was obvious. "Do I hear you exciting yourself? I wish I were there to do it for you. I would love to suck your tongue and feel your body. I can feel you next to me and my mouth on your wet crotch. I want to lick you and make it feel good..." he continued until she started the guttural "Uhhh, Uhhhmmm, Ohhhh, Ohhhh, God, Oh God," and moaned until she had passed her climax.

There was a really long silence, then she said, "I have never done that before. I don't believe what I just did."

What you did Sheila was to hear his soft voice and lust for him right here in bed.

"Remember, do only what you feel like doing. I'm glad that you were able to let yourself go. Ain't it wonderful to be able to do that?"

Friday at noon, Greg called again. "No flights this afternoon. I can't possibly be there before noon tomorrow. I feel just awful about leaving you in this mess. Can I do anything?"

She answered with genuine confidence, "I think we're okay. Grace and Susan really helped. The place looks great and there is going to be lots of food." Then, she thought, "I have to pay the caterer and I don't have enough money. What do I do?"

He told her about money in the filing cabinet and again expressed his admiration, "You are magnificent to step in like this. I am overwhelmed."

"I'll let you make it up to me later. Right now, I have to do stuff. Call me early if we aren't going to the Snowflake Ball. Or, maybe I can find a date."

Sheila dressed in her interviewing suit and looked professional as the children and their parents came in for the concert. She greeted them and sent them off to put their instrument cases in an out of the way room. As she walked around the room, she adjusted chairs, went to the buffet table, and generally approved of the arrangements. She found satisfaction in supervising the event and making sure it came off without a problem. It wasn't that different from planning big parties at the sorority, but there she had more help and a lot of history to bank on.

Soon the orchestra leader had them seated and began the concert. He made them repeat several passages until he was satisfied that they were doing well. When she sat, she found herself enjoying the music. The parents seemed to be pleased with all the arrangements. She could finally let her shoulders down and relax.

She had several inquiries about her status and where Greg was. After the third nosey woman inquired, she decided to say, "Oh, I'm just Greg's girl friend trying to help out." After a while, she was actually amused at the number of inquiries.

The evening ended. The caterers took away the remaining food and left the room generally as they found it. As the evening ended, she poured a glass of wine for Eileen and Grace and they sat on the couch to wind down.

Grace said, "You did an outstanding job without much prior experience and help. I think you deserve a medal." Eileen agreed.

"People have done for me all my life. Something clicked in my head to tell me that it was my turn. I was on the verge of changing my ticket and going home. All of a sudden, I felt that if I checked out I would have failed the character test. I may not be totally moral, but I have some sense of obligation. l I'm glad it worked and I'm very appreciative for your help. You did the hard work."

By the time everyone left, she put a few things in the refrigerator and went upstairs to bed. When she was comfortably in bed, she reflected on how much she liked the kitchen and storage space. Maybe someday? The entire experience gave her a vague sense of belonging. She was at peace with the world as she drifted off to a comfortable sleep.

Next day, she awakened to hear his voice. He was on an early standby list and said he would call her back as soon as he knew. Then he said, "I'll arrange for an escort to the Snowflake Ball if I don't get home." He sighed. "I would hate for you to miss it in Angelina's gown. You'd have to go or she would lose face."

By the time they finished the conversation, she agreed that going to the ball was important and that he would have to live with the consequences. Fortunately, he got an early standby. She was at the MARTA waiting for him when he arrived. He looked exhausted as he walked across the parking lot. When he got in the car, she undid her seatbelt and leaned over to give him a long passionate kiss. "Gregory, I am so glad you're home. I missed you."

"I'll bet you are." he said, missing the raw emotion in her greeting. "I am sorry that I dumped this youth orchestra on you. Sheila, it is so good to see you. I looked forward to your coming home from St. Augustine and our time together. I want you all to myself to relive the beach time."

"Believe me, I could use some beach time."

She looked over at him several times while driving home. Sheila, are you taking charge? Then, at a long stoplight, she put her hand directly on his crotch and massaged it. "Did I tell you that I missed you?"

"Drive home and we'll see if you're telling the truth."

He found her to be surprisingly aggressive when they were comfortably in bed. She shocked him by taking him in her mouth until he reached a strong erection. "That's some welcome home, baby. Thank you."

She removed her mouth and said, "At the beach, you said to climb on it if I wanted it. I wanted it then and I want it again now." She crawled up his chest, kissed him at length, and then slid him inside her hot tunnel.

"I love it when you take charge. I don't feel like I'm taking advantage of you like at the beach."

She pounded into his bone, circled her hips and then began the slow thrusting that she had come to adore. I'll just have to practice this more often. After her third gut-wrenching orgasm, she paused her strokes and said, "Actually, you didn't take advantage of me. You gave me every chance to leave. After we danced, I knew that I wanted to stay with you. I even thought about coming to your bed before the storm. I could have saved us both a lot of trouble if I had acted on my impulse." She started up again. "Now, it's your turn."

Ball day at seven, Deirdre's salon was a madhouse. Everyone was crazy. No, they wanted it a little different. Her six o'clock was late and was pushing her into Sheila's time. Then, Deirdre said, "If you're on time, you get fixed up, if you're not, wait, or you're on your own." As the only woman in a high-fashion shop, she had to contend with constant catfights among the male stylists. "Shit. That's life."

The receptionist said her seven was here. "Jesus. Its only six thirty. No, I can do her and then put the six at seven and I'm out of here."

"You're Sheila? Good. Angelina called and told me what you're wearing. She told me to do it up. Is that okay?" And they went on from there. Deirdre could make a soul mate in fifteen minutes. They talked constantly and as she was finishing up, said, "How'd you get to Greg. He's been in the newspaper's top ten."

"I moved into his beach house uninvited and made him a sex slave," she offered. How the hell do I know what happened?

Deirdre laughed heartily. "You know, I'll bet you could do just that. Men will be all over you tonight. Be careful out there."

"This is all new to me. I'm anxious and also really looking forward to it. Sounds like a blast."

After her nails dried, she drove back to Angelina's to be "dressed". She hadn't been dressed since she was six, except when she was in a play in college and they "did her costume and makeup."

Angelina had made the alterations and laid everything out for her. She had to take off everything but her panties as Angelina put her together. When she was ready, Angelina stood with her in the mirror and offered some gestures and postures to highlight the gown. They giggled as they preened. Then, Angelina went to a table and came back with a roll of tape. "Miss Sheila, you're going to want to move around and not worry about your cleavage. I'm going to put just a little of this double stick tape on both sides so that you can bend over without revealing too much, just like the runway models."

With that, she moved the cleavage seams back and attached the tape to the inside of each breast, and then pressed it against the fabric. "Now, bow and let me see. That's great. Sometimes folks throw their arms up when they dance — do it Oh, you're going to be fine. Not primly proper and not brazen. Some of those tramps are just too brazen."

Does he do tramps? Stephanie was not a tramp.

"Come and have some tea," she offered. Then, Angelina took her hand and had her sit on a proper chair, looking elegantly poised. "Miss Sheila, you're taken with this man. He is a good man and I know that. You can have a fling and an affair, but he will try not to hurt you because he knows reality. He knows that he is too old for you. You know that, too." With that, Angelina took Sheila in her arms and gave her a big loving hug.

What the hell do I do now?

Sheila wished she had a photographer to capture the woman she saw tonight. She couldn't believe herself. She stared in the three-way mirror and saw that her hair was perfect, her gown was incredible, and the tiara and jewels that Angelina put on her made her fit for an emperor's ball.

When she returned home, he had made some soup and tea and they sat by the fire to rest. She watched the evening news and the beginning of a Hawks game while he dressed. Okay, Cinderella, how did you get here? You didn't even clean any ashes. You're here because you "chose." You made some kind of mistake at the beach and you're worried and pleased. I don't think anyone twisted your arm. Where else will you wear those glass shoes?

When Greg returned, he looked like an ambassador in his evening clothes. The network television would certainly want him for a sound bite. To say he was handsome would dilute the meaning of the term. He lifted her arm and escorted her to the mirror and they admired together. They could have been in Paris, at Cannes, or Monte Carlo. A more elegant couple would not be found tonight. Kelly, he really has green eyes.

"Don't forget your driver's license," he teased and she gave him an obscene gesture.