Chapter 10

The next morning, Bonnie still couldn't believe that David had called her mother, though she no longer felt surprised that her mother had taken his side. After all, she was the one who'd really pushed her into a relationship with him in the beginning.

"Well, if you like him so much, then you can marry him after you divorce Dad!" she thought, while cooking David's breakfast.

That morning was no different than the previous one. They'd gotten up, she cooked his breakfast, they had their coffee and he left, all without saying a single word to each other.

"If he's waiting for an apology, he's going to grow old and die first!" she thought bitterly. In all her nine years of marriage, she couldn't remember a single time when he'd offered a sincere apology to her. She'd always been the one to cave and say she was sorry whenever any disagreements came between them.

"Not this time," she mumbled after he'd gone. "Not this time, you asshole!"

David had just left when she heard Sandy's car pulling into the driveway.

"Damn, I haven't even had a chance to brush my teeth yet." Sandy was getting there earlier and earlier, and Bonnie thought she knew why. Hell, she would have left before David got up, too, if she thought she could get away with it. "Anything to avoid being home with him," she breathed.

Unfortunately, the earlier Sandy came, the more time she had to talk, and Bonnie had enough troubles of her own without having to sit and listen to her babysitter, too!

"Hi, Mrs. D!"

"Oh, hi, Sandy." Bonnie used as disinterested a voice as she could. "At least she doesn't have any new bruises," she thought. "The boys are still asleep, and I have to go upstairs and get myself ready for work."

"That's okay, Mrs. D. You go right ahead. I'll just stay down here and listen for the boys."

Bonnie took her time getting ready for work. She hoped that if she timed it right, she could escape without having to have a conversation with Sandy.

By the time she came down the stairs, Sandy was already getting the things together to make pancakes and eggs for the boys. She liked how Sandy took care of Tommy and Corey. It made up for having to put up with talking to her and listening to all of her problems.

"I have to go now, Sandy," Bonnie called, as she went through the door. "Thanks for everything."

"Hi, Mr. Derrelli," said Tracy, in a singsong voice when she saw him coming down the hallway towards the store. "And here's your coffee; just the way you like it, as usual."

She added that last bit just to remind him how consistent she was. She wanted him to know that, not only could she give good head, but she was dependable as well.

Her efforts were not lost on David either, as he thought about how undependable his wife was getting.

"Thank you, Tracy. I have to admit; it's nice seeing you here in the mornings like this.

The girl thought about the tight designer jeans she was wearing and the amount of cleavage her tight top showed, not going quite all the way down to her navel. She wasn't sure if he was talking about the way she was dressed, or the way he always found her waiting for him with his coffee. Either way, she was happy with his remark.

"Why thank you, Mr. Derrelli. I see you're in a better mood this morning."

David was silent for a moment. He wished that he hadn't let Tracy go as far as she did the previous morning. "I have to get better control of myself," he thought.

"Hey, Mr. Derrelli, any word on when I can be moved into a cashier spot?"

David smirked upon hearing the question. "And there it is," he thought, "the ulterior motive." But he didn't really care. "So what if she wants to be a cashier," he thought, smiling to himself. "What's it to me? I mean it's not like I have to do anything special for her."

It amused him to watch the teenager play her game while she thought she was manipulating him. "I don't think you will have to wait much longer, Tracy. I believe Mary over in lingerie is thinking about quitting soon."

Tracy thought about the ancient looking woman who worked the cash register in that department. "What's an old woman doing in lingerie anyway?" she thought. "She's too old to know what's sexy or stylish. That dinosaur should have left the store decades ago."

"Thanks, Mr. Derrelli." She didn't care that he never told her she could call him Dave or David whenever they were alone. It didn't bother to her at all. In fact, she liked calling him by his surname. It somehow made her feel naughtier and gave her a greater sense of power to be able to twist the older man around her finger and make him do what she wanted.

Tracy decided not to follow him into his office that morning. While he was looking at her, she licked her lips as sensuously as she could, and in her sexiest voice said, "You have a good day, Mr. Derrelli."

David caught the look and stared at her lithe body for a moment. Once again, he thought about how much fun it would be to have sex with her.

"Fantasies," he told himself. "There's nothing wrong with fantasies!" He then turned away from her before she could see the smile that was spreading across his face.

Bonnie wasn't expecting to see Greg that day. At least, that's what she told herself. She was trying very hard to convince herself that it was true; just in case that it was. She had been looking forward to seeing him too much the day before, and really felt let down when he didn't show. She didn't want to go through that again, especially since it was already Friday, and there wouldn't be another chance to see him again until after the weekend.

"Oh, the weekend," she thought. "How am I ever going to get through this weekend with David around?! I just hope it doesn't rain and spoil his Saturday outing with the boys!"

That's what she was thinking when she approached the gas station. Because of Sandy showing up so early, she didn't get her second cup of coffee that morning. So, she had a legitimate reason for stopping there. She pretended not to notice that Greg's car wasn't there, and she pretended not to notice that he hadn't come through the door while she was getting her coffee either.

"This means that he probably won't be meeting me for lunch either," she thought, standing in line. She tried not to think about it, but the thought came to her anyway. It not only made her feel disappointed, but ... well, kind of lonely, too--almost as if she'd lost a close friend or relative. She didn't know why it made her feel that way, and that also bothered her.

"Hey, let me get that for you."

Her heart jumped at the sudden sound of Greg's voice behind her. He'd come in while she was standing in line, and at first she didn't know what to say.

Greg saw the smile come to her face, and he saw how her cheeks started to redden slightly. "Is that a blush I see?" he thought.

"I missed you." Bonnie couldn't believe she'd said that to him. She didn't even know where that came from, and she'd said it before she even said hello to the man! "He must think I'm some sort of basket case," she thought. "My God, what is wrong with me?! I just can't seem to keep it together whenever he's around!"

From the way that he was smiling while paying for her coffee, it was obvious that Greg didn't think there was anything wrong with her.

"I'm sorry I stood you up yesterday," he began as they walked towards the door of the station. "I got held up. And I would have called to let you know, but you never gave me your phone number. Even so, you must think I'm terrible."

"No, I never thought that," she replied, trying to keep her emotions in check. "I was just worried that something had happened to you." She just barely managed not to add, "That made you change your mind about seeing me."

"So does this mean you're still willing to have lunch with me today?"

Bonnie looked down. She couldn't help blushing a little more in spite of herself.

"It does."

Greg flashed her a broad smile. "Good. I'll pick you up around twelve then."

For the second time that week, the hands of the clock just couldn't move around fast enough. Once again, Bonnie's mind was full of questions. She'd waited so impatiently for Greg's return. And now that he was back, she didn't know what she was going to do about it. She knew how abnormal it was for her to be pining away for his company while he was gone. She also knew that it wasn't right that she had come to almost crave his attention. But she didn't know how to make it stop--or even if she wanted to.

"Besides, what will Liz and Shelly think when I don't show up for lunch?" She thought about calling to tell them that she got tied up. "But what if they happen to see me when Greg picks me up?" she asked herself. "After all, the café is only across the street."

She could almost hear David's yelling voice and her mother's accusations if it got out that she was having lunch with a strange man. Instead of filling her with fear, however, she found the prospect irritated her. "So what if I am? I'm a grown woman, and I can have lunch with a friend if I want to!"

That's what she told herself, but she knew that it was much more than just having lunch with him. She could tell it was more than that just from the way she felt when he didn't show up the day before. That and the fact that she could hardly wait for him to get back from wherever it was that he went to. She just wouldn't let herself think about it quite that way before.

"So what if he is a man?" she thought, trying to cover up what she felt deep within her breast. "It's not like we're having an affair or anything. And if my family and friends can't see past that, then to hell with them, to hell with all of them!"

Bonnie shook her head back and forth as if David and her mother were actually standing right there in front of her. "It's only lunch and nothing more," she told herself again.

Unlike the previous day, Bonnie casually walked to the elevator at precisely twelve o'clock. Naturally, the elevator stopped at every floor on the way down, but that didn't bother her like it did before. This time, she knew that Greg would be there waiting for her. Of course, she still felt excited about having lunch with him, and she still couldn't wait to talk with him again. It's just that his time, the anticipation wasn't making her crazy like it did before.

Sure enough, he was there waiting for her just like she knew he would be. He was already standing on the curb, ready to open the door of his shiny black Mercedes. She could actually feel herself being swept away by his broad smile and confident mannerism.

"Hello there, gorgeous. I've been waiting to take you to lunch all week."

If anyone else would have said that to her, she would have thought it was just a pick up line. Not when it came from Greg. He was too well mannered, too smooth--too confident to use such a line. Besides, a man like him wouldn't have to.

Even so, Bonnie wondered, why her? Why was he paying attention to her? "Of all the women in this city, why did he choose me to give his attention to, particularly since I'm married!"

She made her mind up to ask him, but once again, he put her at such ease that by the time they were halfway to the diner, she'd forgotten all about her doubts.

"So tell me, Pretty Lady, what have you been doing with yourself all week?"

"Ah, ah, not this time, Greg. This time, why don't you tell me what you've been doing all week?"

"Alright, I had to attend an important meeting that went much longer than anyone anticipated. It was a nightmare. But in the end it went well, and now I'm back home."

"Bonnie gave a light laugh. "That's not really telling me much now is it. How about telling me where your meeting was?"

"London. I'm sorry, but I really can't go into any details about it."

"London! I thought that maybe you went to New York or something like that."

"Well, my job takes me to all kinds of places sometimes."

"Like where?"

"Oh, places like Sidney, Singapore and Rome, among a few others--anyplace where the US has corporate interests. Sometimes, I even go to places like Columbus Ohio!"

Bonnie had no idea that Greg had to travel to so many exotic places. She laughed when he mentioned Ohio. Greg had a wonderful sense of humor, and she loved being in his company, and she thought about how exciting it would be to travel to some of those places with him.

"And you?"

"I'm afraid the only exciting place I've ever been to is Niagara Falls." She suddenly felt embarrassed about her answer, and thought about how outclassed she was compared to him.

Greg caught the look, and guessing her thoughts, said, "Well, Bonnie, you may be surprised to know that Niagara Falls is one place that I've never been to!"

She wasn't sure if she believed him, but was glad he told her--even if it wasn't true.

"Really," he said. "Niagara Falls is a place for romance. Now, although I'm a romantic at heart, I'm afraid I haven't had much time for such things in my life."

"Maybe that's it," thought Bonnie. "Maybe his whole adult life has been about nothing but business, and he's finally beginning to miss having romance and a meaningful relationship." She dismissed the thought almost before she'd finished thinking it. "That can't be the reason he's interested in me. I'm married! What kind of meaningful relationship can he have with a married woman!?"

Greg gave her a quizzical look. "I can tell that your mind is going a mile a minute. Anything you'd like to talk about?"

Bonnie was surprised. She hadn't realized that she'd lapsed into such a long silence.

Greg let it pass and asked her again about her week. Bonnie thought about all of the things that had gone on in that very long week in her life. She thought about Sandy and her excursion with Shelly, and the time she'd spent in the parking lot with James. She thought about her argument with David and her mother's visit. Then there was all of the anticipation of seeing Greg again, and then the disappointment she felt when he didn't show. She thought about how much of what had gone on that she could tell him--or even if she wanted to tell him.

Her thoughts had changed so much since she went out to "The Night Moves" with Shelly, and she wondered about that, too. Before, she wanted ... needed to talk to Greg about at least some of her problems. But now, she didn't want him to know about any of them.

"Just work, nothing much."

"And the kids? How are your two boys doing? I remember when I was young; I was quite a handful for my mother sometimes. Oh, some of the things I put that poor woman through!"

Bonnie couldn't imagine Greg being too much trouble growing up, and hoped that he was going to tell her about some of the things he did. He didn't. Instead, he asked if she had any more problems at work.

"No, why do you ask?"

"It's my profession you know ... fixing people's problems."

Bonnie thought for a moment and wondered if maybe he could tell that she'd been under a lot of stress. "Maybe that's why he brought it up, she thought. After all, a man in his position would be an expert at telling whether a person was having troubles or not."

The fact was she wasn't far from the truth. Greg had noticed the underlying stress almost from the first moment he saw her that morning. The little tightness of her lips, the nervous movement of her fingers, and the look of the skin around her eyes were all signs that things were not going that well in her life.

"Well, to tell you the truth, I have been having a little trouble with my babysitter."