Chapter 3

It was a Friday night. I bought my one scratch ticket. Son-of-a-bitch. This was the first one that I didn't at least get my money back on. Had my luck changed? Well I have had a hell of a run. I told Henry about it when he drifted down to my end of the bar and how he laughed. "All down hill from here, Jack. How much have you won, say in the last three or four months?"

I have never totaled it up. At least $2,000 and maybe a bit more. I'll total it when I pay my taxes."

"Damned fool you. I wouldn't declare it all. Oops, I shouldn't say that. Go home and tell Jane you are now on a downhill slide. When are you going to get in bed with her anyway? She needs it almost as bad as you do. It's going to happen, so it might as well be sooner as later."

"Screw you Henry. That's what Katy told me not over an hour ago."

"Well there you go. Words of wisdom, Son. Come in more often with Jane if you can arrange it. Gives us a chance to gang up on you."

I came in through the kitchen door. I could hear Jane talking to her mother in the living room. They were discussing the kids who I took were spending the night over there. "Jack is the best thing that ever happened to me, Mom. I loved my kids' father, but I think I love Jack more." She listened to something her mother was saying.

"I can't do that. Jack is a great one for trust and proprieties. If I slid into bed while he was sleeping, he would kick me out just as soon as he woke up." More from her mother. "Maybe I will on his birthday. You're coming over to celebrate aren't you? It's going to be a surprise. I'm even going to invite his wife. Patty says Jack won't mind."

I thought to myself, I'll give her a surprise. I looked in and could see her back to me sitting at the table cradling the phone. Bravely I walked up behind her and slid my fingers beneath her arms and cupped her breasts. There were bigger mounds there than was obvious. I tweaked my thumb over her nipples.

Startled, she looked up at her unknown assailant. "Mom, I have to go." Before she finished saying this, I leaned down and kissed her full on the lips. When our tongues stopped dancing I pulled back.

"Kids not home tonight, I heard you tell your mother. Do you have any ideas how we can entertain ourselves?"

"Several, and many, and much. To start with, you felt these little babies, now it is time for you to see them." With that Jane pulled her blouse up over her head. There was another silken undergarment covering her, but no bra. None needed. I stared. These breasts were about the same size as the first ones I had seen when I was barely a teenager. The mounds anyway, but the nipples--wow!

"Jack, step back a minute. Do you really want to continue? I'm willing, don't get me wrong. I don't want a one-night stand and I don't suppose I'm asking for a long-term commitment, although I would like one. I don't want to be just your plaything either." She stopped speaking before suddenly throwing up her hands.

"Oh hell, take me to bed. I'll worry about what comes after when I wake up in the morning." Okay, we never made it to bed. We didn't even make it upstairs. The bed came after we had cooled the urgency, both downstairs and in the shower. We both had been married (I still was) so it was just a matter of finding out what the other liked.

I slid out of bed in the morning--her bed. The only time before this I had entered this bedroom was to put Tinkerbell to bed and give her a kiss. I had to admit I had more joy waking up here this morning than in my own bed. Yes, and that went back for two years, which was about the time that Katy and I had started drifting apart.

I made coffee and filled my cup when Jane dropped into a chair. "Umm, me too, please. I suppose it is stupid after last night together, but I have to know. Do you love me? Oh, I know you said it in the heat of passion in the dark, but this is the morning and the sun is shining."

"I do. What I said last night, I meant every word. I love you and I love the kids and I love having you here with me. I can't say it any clearer. This is Saturday, what time do you have to go after the kids?"

"In a few minutes."

"Damn Jane, not enough time."

"Hey, what I have is going to be there for the next fifty or sixty years. Too bad we can't sleep together tonight too."

"We can. Patty said the kids could stay at her house any time."

"She'll put it together. Do you mind?"

"No, in fact it will stop her pushing me to make love to you. Oh, I have some news. I'm getting a raise starting Monday."

"Wonderful! We are making out okay the way we are aren't we? I mean, I've been carrying my weight around here and me and the kids haven't been a burden on your finances have we?"

"Nope. In fact I'm better off than when Katy left. There's more news. I'll only be going out of town occasionally from now on. Maybe overnight one night a month."

Jane looked into my eyes and then smiled all over. I mean the love in her eyes was blinding. This good news wasn't just for herself. "The kids are going to be so happy. They want you home every night. Jack, I have to tell you, I could have sympathized with Katy over you being away like you have been. I hate it when you are gone. The house is so empty. I don't think we can let the kids know we are sleeping together yet, but they'll see how happy I am and that will make them happier as well."

"Me too. You want me to go get the kids this morning?"

"No, I will. I want to tell Mom about last night."

"Do you think that's wise?"

"Oh, definitely!"

I poured another cup of coffee. Then I remembered it was Saturday morning. I turned the news on. I caught the last bit of a blurb. "Henry's Bar of this city sold one of the winning two tickets for the state lottery. This reporter said Henry had no idea who the winner was. No one has stepped forward yet. Again here are the winning numbers. The winners will split $3,200,000. Someone out there is very rich this morning."

"Oh, crap. Henry knew my numbers and he knew who won the lottery. Would he keep his mouth closed? Somehow I felt he would until after I talked to him. $1,600,000. Of course that would be the payout over twenty years. But I was a young man yet.

The taxes wouldn't be too bad. Should I tell Jane? I guess I wouldn't until I was married to her. Hey, I kept the secret about the scratch ticket that still resided in the box at the bank. Again, I wouldn't have to collect on this until next year if I didn't want to. I dumped my coffee and pulled a Genesee from the refrigerator.

It was midmorning before Jane and the kids arrived. I was into my third beer by this time. Jane looked askance at me. "What's up with you? You never drink in the morning."

"Celebrating that's all. Has anyone had breakfast? I think I'm up for cheese omelets."

"Sit Jack. I'll do it. You might scramble the eggs." This struck me funny and I started to roar with laughter. The kids didn't know why and I had to explain or try to. Then Jane started to laugh at my attempts which came out more as babble than anything else. Jane finally made it clear. "You can't make an omelet without scrambling eggs. Jack was acting kind of silly so what I was saying was, he might mess up the omelet. That's all." It set the mood for the rest of the day.

After dinner that night, I said I was going over to Henry's to get me a scratch ticket. I promised I wouldn't even have a beer. "Jack, have a beer. I don't care. Celebrating about last night and this morning makes me feel pretty damned good. Come home early and maybe I'll let you hold my hand." She just didn't know all that I was celebrating.

Henry's was busy and I finally got his attention when he wasn't serving a customer. "Hey Jack, you put my place on the map. This is the biggest payout the city has ever had and I was the one who sold one of the tickets. The place is jumping. You want another ticket for next week?"

"No, I don't think so. Just a scratch ticket. Henry, do you have to tell anyone who bought the winning ticket? I don't want to come forward until after the first of the year. Taxes and everything, you know."

"Sure, I won't say anything. I get a bonus for selling the ticket and I'll get that next week whether the winner is identified or not. There is going to be a lot of speculation, though. Jane know about it?"

"No, and don't you tell her either. I'm planning on courting her and I don't want a whole bunch of money to have any bearing on my courtship."

"Hell, Jack, you don't have to court her. Take her to bed. That's all the courting she needs." Henry looked closely at me. Could be a little satisfied smile had crept onto my features. "Son-of-a-bitch, you have already done that haven't you? Congratulations. If there were ever two people made for each other you two are." I scratched my ticket. Back on track again. Two dollars. I went home without beer on my breath.

Things settled down in my life. The kids went to school. Jane started getting articles to edit. I had much more responsibility, but I was home just about every night. I was pleasantly surprised on my twenty-eighth birthday. Katy came and I welcomed her. I was introduced to her new love and thought he was pretty nice.

Kenneth Johnson was Katy's boyfriend's name and he worked in the building trades. I thought Katy would look for someone with a more prestigious job, but I could see it didn't matter because they definitely were in love.

I don't know who spread the word, but before all of the guests left that evening, every adult there knew I was sleeping with my housekeeper. I suspected it was my future mother-in-law who had to tell on us. As Katy went out the door, she had to say something. "I adore your housekeeper's children. It is odd, but I wouldn't have picked Jane for you, but you both seem happy. Is this a permanent thing?"

"Yes, it is. Working here in the city and being home every night brought us together. We both understand why you left me and I'm happy for you and Kenneth."

"Good, that will get you an invitation to our wedding."

I had my own personal secretary and she was young and very beautiful. I had to fly to the company headquarters and Cecile had to go with me. The trip came up suddenly and I was busy so I sent Cecile home to get my bags. Jane was jealous from the moment my secretary knocked on my door. It was a poor move on my part, but I wasn't aware.

I certainly was aware that something wasn't right after I returned home. Jane was hardly speaking and avoided kissing me. I knew I would find out why eventually. The kids went to bed and to sleep. Jane had gone into her room and was making ready for bed. I knocked on her door.

"What do you want?"

"I want you in my bed. Something is bothering you. I've been away for two days and I want a kiss."

"Kiss me and get it over with then. I'm tired and want to go to bed."

"Damnit Jane, give me a hint at least. I love you and want to get this straightened out."

"You think you can go off and sleep with a beautiful sexy young woman and I'm not going to get mad?"

"Stop right there. What gave you the idea I was sleeping with Cecile?"

"She said you had adjoining rooms with interconnecting doors."

"Yes we did. Jane, just to put things into perspective. Do you remember the night you went on a date with your boss and it wasn't anything? This is the same thing. I'll bet you are feeling the way I did when you didn't come home when you said you were going to. Now come into my room and let me explain."

I took her hand and led her into my room. I slowly undressed. She stood there undecided. It was up to me and I had it to do. She was still reluctant to come to me when I removed the last article of her clothing. "Jack, you aren't going to lie to me are you?"

"No. First though, let me tell you a little about Cecile. She flirts outrageously and there is a reason for that. You know I should have been the one who was worried when I sent her home to get my bags. Worried about you and her, I mean."

It took several seconds to get what I meant. "You're kidding aren't you?"

"Nope. She confessed to me when we first started working together. She asked if I minded she was like she was. I told her no, as long as she didn't try to seduce any of the other women who worked in our office. We have set this up for cover. She flirts with the men and lets the women alone. It is dangerous because she comes across as a tease.

"I have met her significant other, who is just as pretty as Cecile is. Jenny works in a different department where we all work. As far as I know, I'm the only one aware of her preferences. We do have connecting rooms when we are away on business, but that is so I can get some work done in the evening after the meetings. I said a few minutes ago that I was worried about you and her. I wasn't really, because I trust you totally and Cecile about ninety-five percent of the time.