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--------------------------------------------------------
Distribution Rights: Copyright (c) 1998 - May be 
distributed freely without modification on not-for 
profit web sites, not-for profit ftp sites, and news 
archival services which offer free public access to 
archived articles. All other rights are specifically 
reserved by the author.
--------------------------------------------------------

Friends and Lovers
by Sandman (sandman@bitsmart.com)

***

The casual relationship of a couple through the spring 
and winters of their lives. (mf, MF, rom)

***

Spring
======

"It's so funny!" Kathy exclaimed as she poked lightly at 
Cal's erect cock. It bobbed away slightly at her touch 
before springing back into position like a pendulum. 

"All right!" Cal protested. "You've seen it! You 
promised to show me yours."

"Just a minute," she said, sounding slightly annoyed as 
she stared at the strange protrusion with great 
intensity as if memorizing every last detail. She 
reached her hand around and grasp it, applying a light 
but firm pressure.

"Ohh!" Cal exclaimed, bending over slightly.

"Did it hurt?" Kathy asked worriedly as she withdrew her 
hand.

"No," Cal said. "It felt kinda good, but your hands are 
awful cold."

Kathy frowned and rubbed her hands together, blowing on 
them as well. The texture of his cock in her hands had 
been unique, hard yet somehow soft at the same time all 
while being very, very alive. She lowered her hand again 
to his penis and grasped it again. "Better?" She asked.

"Yea," Cal answered, his voice quivering slightly, his 
eyes wide as saucers. 

Standing almost nose to nose with him, her hand wrapped 
around his cock, Kathy leaned forward and kissed him on 
the lips. If her hands had not been wrapped around his 
cock, if the feelings and sensations he was feeling for 
the very first time had not been completely overwhelming 
him, Cal would have protested strongly at the "mushy 
stuff". But the kiss was a new dimension to the new 
sensations and rather than pull back, he leaned forward, 
pursuing the touch, much to Kathy's surprise. 

She had known Cal all her life, since he was her 
neighbor and all. They waited for the school bus almost 
every day. Sometimes she even joined in his silly games. 
As they had grown older she had often wondered what it 
would be like to kiss him, like the people she saw 
kissing in the movies. Kissing hadn't been on Cal's mind 
when she agreed to let him lure her into the woods, but 
it had been on hers.

She pulled back from the closed mouth kiss when Cal 
began to move in her hand "What are you doing?" She 
asked.

Cal blushed. "I don't know. I just started doing it. It 
feels really, really good!"

Kathy frowned again in thought and then moved her hand 
up and down a little. "Like that? That feels good?"

Cal gasped. "Yes!"

"Hmmm," Kathy hummed thoughtfully. "And the kiss? Did 
you like the kiss?"

"Yes," Cal admitted with another gasp since she had 
continued to move her hand up and down, dragging the 
foreskin up and around his swollen glans.

"Good." Kathy said sounding very pleased with herself. 
"I liked it too." 

"Don't stop." Cal pleaded as she unwrapped her hand. The 
devastation on his face was so clear it was almost 
comical. 

"Oh. I thought you wanted to see mine," Kathy answered. 
It had been fun kissing him and holding his privates but 
she felt he would let her do that all day long and while 
the kiss was nice it wasn't as earth shattering to her 
as it apparently was to him.

Indecision rocked Cal's world. Kathy's touch had built 
pleasure on top of pleasure and it felt like it had all 
been leading somewhere. He desperately wanted that touch 
again. But at the same time he was curious to know just 
how boys differed from girls. It was the reason he had 
asked her out here in the first place. Finally his 
shoulders slumped and disappointment rang in his voice 
as he said "Oh OK."

She hitched her fingers into her pants and then paused, 
giving him a stern look. "Remember, you promised." She 
said reminding him that he had sworn to keep everything 
secret. 

"I remember," Cal said slightly impatiently.

She pushed down, in one fell swoop lowering pants and 
panties. She looked cautiously up at Cal, and noted with 
a sense of rising panic the look of disbelieving 
amusement on his face. Cal scooted around behind her, 
circling once before standing in front of her again.

"It looks like a butt," Cal declared. 

Kathy blushed furiously, but anger also reared up it's 
head and she bent down to grab her pants, fully 
intending to pull them back up, storm back home and put 
an end to all this foolishness.

"You promised," Cal said quickly, reminding her that 
they had promised to let each other get a full measure 
of the differences. Kathy sighed and stood up straight 
again. "What do you pee with?" Cal asked.

She pulled back her outer lips, revealing a staggeringly 
complex pink landscape within. "Here," she said, her 
finger poised above the opening. Cal fell to his knees 
to get a close up view. There was something fascinating 
about what he was seeing that he couldn't quite put his 
finger on. 

"Is touching it nice?" Cal asked. "Like when you touched 
me?"

"I've never tried before," Kathy answered. "Except to 
clean myself and I never noticed anything special about 
that."

Cal considered touching her, like she had touched him, 
but the daunting creases and folds confused him. Finally 
he stood up. "I don't see why it's such a big deal. 
Adults are weird."

Relieved Kathy pulled up her pants. "Yea. It was kinda 
nice actually." She admitted as Cal retrieved his 
shorts.

"Hey. Wanna go find Gary and see if he's up for a game 
of Robin Hood?

You can be Maid Marian."

"Thanks but I've got some homework to do."

"Maybe tomorrow then."

"Maybe."

***

"Hey Kathy," Cal said after they had stepped off the 
bus, his voice cracking in the first stages of puberty. 

"Hey Cal." Kathy goofed back at him. 

"Remember that time in the woods where, well you know," 
Cal said hesitantly.

"What about it?" Kathy asked.

"Well I found this book and it had some ideas. I thought 
maybe it would be fun to try." Cal fumbled.

Kathy thought a moment. "Why don't you bring me the book 
and if I like what it says maybe we'll try," she 
answered.

"I can't!" Cal exclaimed. Calming himself he explained, 
"It's in my parents room, I could only sneak a few looks 
at it. If it turned up missing they'd have my hide. You 
know how parents are."

"Well what did it say?" Kathy asked.

Cal sneaked a glance up and down the street to make sure 
no one was around. "A lot of things. Remember how I hang 
out and you have a hole?" Kathy nodded. "Well I'm 
supposed to put my thing in your hole." Kathy's face was 
a mixture of incredulity as Cal continued. "Really. It's 
supposed to be a real trip, but we can't do that cuz 
that's how babies are made."

"So what's to try?" Kathy asked, trying to find the 
point squeaky voiced friend was making.

"Well the book said a lot about sucking," Cal said 
studying the ground quite intently.

"Sucking?" Kathy asked, almost with a laugh and louder 
than she had intended.

"Shhh!" Cal scolded. "Yea. Well the book says it's 
really intense if someone puts their mouth down there."

"Calvin Conner, if you expect me to put your thing in my 
mouth we'd better just cart you off to the loony bin 
right now. You PEE with that thing! That is SO gross!" 
Kathy said in a low voice but with a tone that 
definitely conveyed how grossed out she was.

"Look, you don't have to do anything to me." Cal said 
quickly trying to calm her down. "I'll try on you. If 
you don't like it we'll stop, but the book says you'll 
like it, a lot."

"I don't know." Kathy said, sounding a little unsure of 
herself.

"C'mon," Cal coaxed with a lopsided grin. "Last time we 
did it, it was fun."

"That was a year ago," she reminded him. "We were just 
kids then."

"So?" Cal asked, failing to see the relevance.

Kathy thought a moment. "Can we practice kissing first?" 
Kathy asked. "Lynn said she kissed a boy who used his 
tongue, she made it sound really fine!"

Cal smiled broadly. "Sure!" He agreed readily, the book 
which he had been reading whenever he could sneak it 
away had a whole chapter devoted to kissing. 

They sat in a clearing in the woods behind Kathy's 
house. Leaning up against the base of a large oak tree, 
exploring the pleasures of the kiss. At first it had 
been but a gentle meeting of their lips. Then Cal had 
pressed his tongue forward, hesitantly parting her lips. 
When is tongue met hers and she hesitantly responded to 
the meeting it was intense beyond belief and his arms 
embraced her unconsciously, drawing her closer. She 
responded to this by wrapping her arms around him.

"Wow!" Kathy said as she pulled back, gasping slightly 
for breath.

"Yea," Cal agreed with a weak smile on his face.

"You sure you want to do this?" Kathy asked uncertainly.

It took Cal a second to realize that she had moved on to 
the next reason for their being here. "Sure." Cal 
answered. 

Kathy shrugged and pulled down her pants, wincing as she 
rested down into the dry scratch grasses. She was about 
to move to stand up when she saw Cal maneuvering between 
her legs, crawling towards her. Something in the way he 
moved, what he was about to do fired her imagination and 
she ignored the discomfort. Cal wasted no time and she 
suddenly felt his warm tongue run through her lips. The 
sensation was utterly pleasant, but was nothing compared 
to what she felt when his hands parted her and his 
tongue began to dance and stroke the most intimate parts 
of her.

"Ohhh," she moaned, arching her neck and back as she let 
the waves of pleasure roll through her.

Cal lifted his head and smiled. "You like?" he asked, 
knowing full well the answer. He had never heard a sound 
like that in his life, but something told him it was not 
a bad one.

"Yes!" She exclaimed. "Don't stop!"

"You'll show me what it's like?" Cal asked slyly, 
sensing his favorable bargaining position.

"Yes," Kathy agreed, angry at him for stopping, angry at 
him for forcing her to agree. 

Cal smiled smugly and then returned to his kisses. As 
Kathy grew more vocal he discovered the erect knob that 
seemed to be the focal point of her pleasures. The book 
had mentioned it, but there really weren't any 
illustrations so he discovered the clitoris by her 
reactions. After a while she started panting and moaning 
loudly and thrashed under him. He was a little worried 
about the noise she was making but the book had made 
quite a point that he should not stop at this point so 
he didn't. 

When she had settled down and was fondly running her 
fingers through his hair he raised up. "How was it?"

"Perfect," she said distantly. The look on her face was 
completely unreadable.

"Payback time," Cal said.

"Payback time?" Kathy said. "You lift me up to touch 
heaven itself then spoil it all with one crass remark. 
Boys!" Cal was thrown completely off balance by the 
vehemence of her words. Seeing the confusion on his face 
Kathy's expression softened and she said softly. "Next 
time try to say something more gentle. And now I guess 
we can see if it's as good for you as it was for me."

Cal's face brightened considerably as he quickly pulled 
down his shorts and settled down onto the grass while 
Kathy dressed. Finally she knelt down beside him, noting 
how it had grown since the last time she had seen it. 
She grasped it as she had done before and heard his 
breath catch a slight tremble rippling through his body. 
Bracing herself, unable to really believe she was really 
doing this, she closed her eyes and lowered her head.

The taste that greeted her was just slightly salty and 
not strong or unpleasant. The texture of hard yet fleshy 
was also pleasant She could not take him all in, but she 
could take most of it. Remembering how he liked motion 
she began to move her head, drawing it in and out of her 
mouth. Letting it roll past her tongue. Calvin helped 
her by telling her when she did something he really 
liked, like letting her tongue play around his glans, 
and what he didn't like when her teeth fell to sharply 
against his cock.

She was disturbed when she felt his hands around her 
head, pulling her into him, sometimes to far. But when 
she resisted, his touch lightened and she allowed his 
lighter touch to set her pace, a pace which he seemed to 
need quickened more and more. Suddenly he gasped deeply 
and pulled her head hard into her causing her to gag as 
his cock pushed against the back of her throat. She felt 
something warm and sticky and pulled back hard. He 
resisted but she managed to pull free in time for a 
second spurt of his seed to land square on her cheek.

She stared at him, the warm bitter, salty taste in her 
mouth, the thick white goo sliding down her cheek. She 
watched his intense expression as his cock twitched and 
shot even more milky white liquid onto his shirt. 
Finally he exhaled deeply and looked up at her. Frowning 
when he saw the liquid on her cheek, remembering that in 
the throws of ecstasy he had felt something leave him.

"Oh God! I'm so sorry Kathy. I didn't know!" He said. 

She wiped the liquid off her cheek and stared at it, 
rolling her tongue around her mouth to clear out the 
taste of the stuff he had shot inside her. "What is it?" 
She asked finally.

"I think it's sperm," Cal answered. "The book said that 
kids don't have it, but grown up men shoot it when they 
climax, that's what the book called it, shoot it. It 
goes into the woman and makes her pregnant."

"Did you like it?" Kathy asked.

"Oh man! It was fantastic!" Cal said enthusiastically. 
"It was kinda a letdown when you stopped, but it was 
great!"

"Well next time maybe you can warn me and I'll just use 
my hand."

Kathy said. 

Cal smiled broadly as he stood and pulled up his pants. 
He was already looking forward to the next time.

***

"Cal," Kathy said as they rested in each other's arms 
under a hot August sun. "We're moving."

"Moving?" Cal asked, his mind swirling a thick knot of 
dread welling up in his stomach.

"Dad got a promotion. My parents have a nice house 
picked out, but it's all the way across town. We won't 
even be in the same school!"

"No," Cal said futilely. "There's got to be a way."

"There isn't. They're putting up the For Sale sign 
tomorrow." Kathy said, the pain on her own face as deep 
and profound as on Cal's.


Summer
======

Cal stared at the pretty girl across the restaurant 
trying to figure out why she looked so familiar. There 
was something about the way her blue eyes flashed, 
something about the way she kept brushing her brown hair 
out of her eyes. She noticed his stares and would meet 
his gaze for a moment before turning back to laugh with 
her girl friend. The last few glances had been less 
friendly, as if she were trying to determine if she 
should be worried at his attention.

"Cal," David said, pushing Cal's shoulder to get his 
attention. "What's up? She's pretty yes, but I doubt 
Jenny will be thrilled to find you ogling other girls."

"Sorry," Cal said, turning back to his friend. 
"Something about her is familiar. I think I know her but 
I can't really put a name to her face."

"Well I suppose there's no harm in asking." David said.

"No." Cal said resolutely. "No harm at all." He walked 
over to the table and waited until she acknowledge him 
with a glance. "I'm sorry for staring, but I think I 
might know you. I'm Calvin Conner."

"Cal?" The girl said excitedly. "I'm Kathy! God! I 
didn't even recognize you! Last time I saw you, you were 
a squeaky voice little boy. And now look at you!" She 
said, the words coming in a rush as she bounded up to 
hug him.

He returned the hug and pushed her back at arms length 
to look at her.

"Look at you!" He said. "You're absolutely beautiful!"

She blushed and smiled at him, basking in the happiness 
of finding a long lost friend. Suddenly she remembered 
her manners. "Cal this is Carol. Carol, this is Calvin 
Conner, a very old friend."

Carol smiled and shook his hand. "Take my seat Calvin." 
Carol insisted. "I have to be running along anyway and 
it looks like you two are going to reminisce a while."

"Thanks," Calvin said as he sat down. 

Kathy leaned forward and said, "So tell me EVERYTHING." 
She insisted.

Cal laughed. "Not much to say really. I finished school 
and got accepted at State. I'm in my final year now, I'm 
just visiting friends and family for the holidays."

"What's your major?" Kathy asked, leering so he'd catch 
the oft used pickup line in the question.

Cal laughed again. "Business, with a minor in English. 
And what have you been doing since your parents so 
evilly thwarted our plans?"

"About the same. Finished school, I'm attending the city 
college now. I plan to be a teacher and get my 
certificate after I graduate," she answered. "How's the 
love life?"

He winked. "If you mean have I found anyone like you, 
the answer is no. But I've looked. I've been going 
steady with a girl almost a year now. She's fun, 
exciting, interesting, and all that other mushy stuff. 
You?"

"I'm seeing a guy pretty regular, he's nice and cares 
for me but the sex is pretty boring. I usually have a 
private party the next day if he actually manages to get 
me off. I actually had two last month, I guess he's 
getting better."

The pause which followed was pregnant with anticipation 
as they stared at each other, memorizing the interesting 
new features of each other's face. "You've really grown 
up to be quite a looker," Cal said.

Kathy smiled, the blush creeping back onto her cheeks. 
"And you the stud. Do you work out?"

"Intramural football. There's a little weight training 
on the side," Cal answered.

Kathy ran her finger around the rim of her glass, 
staring at the table as she asked. "You wouldn't be 
interested in maybe, well for old times sake, maybe..." 
She let the thought linger.

"Your condom or mine." Calvin grinned. 

Kathy laughed. "Oh Cal! Didn't you remember ANYTHING I 
told you about the right words at the right time?"

"Ohh. That's right I should have said; I am a lowly 
slave to your radiant beauty. Ask and I shall move a 
mountain so that you may better see the sunset. Ask and 
I shall roll back the sea so that you may look for 
shells. Ask and I will plant my lips upon thee and count 
myself most fortunate among all men." It had started as 
a joke, but somewhere in the middle his voice grew 
serious and his eyes longing.

Kathy felt herself panting under the heat and intensity 
of his words and gaze. She had to shake herself free 
before replying. "Yes. Something exactly like that."

"David," Cal said.

"Come again?" Kathy asked confused.

"I forgot the friend I was with! I'll be right back," 
Cal said.

"Oh. The guy you were with. Go on, but don't keep me 
waiting too long. I might change my mind. We girls are 
fickle you know." Kathy said mischievously.

"Don't touch that dial!" Cal warned. "I'll be right 
back!" 

"Let me guess," David said after Cal returned. "You 
don't need a ride home."

"That obvious huh?" Cal asked.

"You were fawning all over each other the moment the 
other girl left. You'd have to be blind not to see 
something between you. Go on, have fun," David said 
making a shooing motion with his hand.

"You're a real pal Dave," Cal said. "See ya tomorrow." 
Then glancing back at Kathy added, "Well maybe not 
tomorrow."

David leaned over and punched Cal in the arm. "Bud, with 
a girl like that, maybe not next year."

Calvin and Kathy made it as far as her Toyota before 
falling into a passionate embrace. The kiss didn't even 
start out tenderly, it went straight from passionate to 
aggressive as they rediscovered the comfortable road 
they had traveled that one magical summer so long ago. 
Cal lifted her up so she sat on the trunk of her car and 
she wrapped her legs around him as they kissed. His hips 
ground against hers as they both responded to the naked 
desire that consumed them.

"Where are we going?" Calvin asked, his chest heaving.

"I've got an apartment, it's about twenty minutes away. 
I just drove down here to meet Carol on her lunch break. 
She works afternoons and evenings," Kathy replied 
pulling him into another kiss.

"Hmmmm," Calvin hummed pulling back after a while. "Do 
you see that posh looking hotel over to your left? I'd 
be willing to bet they've got a really nice room 
somewhere. Unless you really want to wait a half hour or 
so before I ravish you."

She grinned wickedly. "You're doing all right so far." 

"Yes," he said as he touched his forehead to hers. "But 
the elderly couple a few cars down have been staring at 
us like they wanted to go grab a hose or something."

Kathy turned her head and saw the a gray-haired couple 
staring at them indignantly a few cars down. "They're 
just jealous." She giggled. "If they watch, they deserve 
what they see."

"Still, the wind's a bit nippy," Cal said. "And just 
think of all the fun we could have in a nice big bed, 
maybe a nice bottle of champagne on ice." He rolled his 
head playfully from side to side. 

She kicked her heels and squealed in delight. "You 
talked me into it. Your visa or mine."

"Mine of course silly," Calvin scolded. "Something's a 
guy's just gotta do."

"Oh," Kathy smiled. "A gentleman."

"My momma, my pappa and a very dear friend raised me 
proper," Cal agreed.

She slapped him on his butt playfully as she hopped 
down. On impulse she glanced back at the disapproving 
couple and stuck out her tongue impishly at them before 
sliding behind the wheel. Ten minutes later they stepped 
into the honeymoon suite at the ritzy hotel.

"Wow!" Kathy said as she took in the opulence of the 
room. "You musta won a lottery or something."

Cal smiled as he watched her explore the room, noting 
with pleasure how her hips swayed lightly as she walked. 
"Just a good job that's paying my way through school and 
gives me a little spending money on the side."

"Well it's just perfect. Perfect!" She said as she 
bounced on the bed.

"Yes it is," Cal said admiring her by the door.

She stretched out her arms and smiled, "And what are you 
waiting for? I believe we started something in the 
parking lot."

There was a knock on the door as she finished. Cal 
smiled smoothly and opened the door. He spoke to someone 
in the hall and turned around as the door closed with a 
silver tray with a bucket of champagne with two crystal 
goblets. "Waiting for this," Cal said. "Wouldn't do to 
get all hot and bothered again and get interrupted." He 
set the tray on the night stand before setting down on 
the bed beside her. "Now where were we?" He asked.

"You were just about to fuck me for the very first 
time," Kathy said.

"Ah ah!" he replied, wagging his finger at her. "The 
right words remember?"

"You were about to sweep me off my feet and make mad 
passionate love to me," she answered as she fell into 
his arms.

They broke the ensuing kiss only to hastily remove the 
layers of clothing that separated them from the union 
they both needed so much. Sweaters went flying, buttons 
were ripped, as bit by bit they got closer to that final 
moment existing only within the touch of each other.

Finally, her exquisite body exposed to his hard, etched 
form he thrust into her warm, moist womanhood, feeling 
it close around him as she lifted her legs up around 
him. They did not go gentle into that good night, they 
took as much as they gave; moving fast and furious under 
the silken sheets. Exploring this thing they had done 
with others but never each other as if for the first 
time, drinking in the powerful sensations like the 
sweetest wine after a long drought. They did not go 
silent into that good night, their moans of pleasure 
mingled with each other in a symphony of ecstasy. 

When her gasps and moans carried her into orgasm she 
dragged him in behind her. His fevered thrusts, 
struggling to find yet a deeper purchase met her 
upraised hips as her fingernails dug into his buttocks 
with each powerful thrust. When their moment had passed, 
he lingered inside her. Staring down into her radiant 
face his contented, satisfied smile meeting hers he 
kissed her lips lightly and said, "You complete me." 

"And you still lift me up to touch heaven itself," she 
replied as he poured the champagne into their glasses.

"This is good stuff!" She said as she took her first 
sip. 

"Only the best," Cal agreed. She frowned into her glass. 
"What's the matter?"

"It's just not fair," she complained. "Just when you and 
I start having some serious fun, life tears us apart. In 
a few days you'll be back at state with your girlfriend 
and I'll be back at city with Steve. And I swear to you 
I've never had sex like that in my life. Ever. Period."

Cal dipped his finger in his glass and ran the moistened 
digit across her lips lightly. "Like two ships that pass 
in the night, or two thieves stealing time and pleasure 
where they can find it."

She laughed. "You can stop being romantic now, we're 
both done after all."

"Are we?" Cal asked. "Are you so sure about that?" 

"You couldn't possibly. I mean. So soon?" but she only 
had to glance down to see that they weren't done at all. 


Fall
====

As her friend walked down the concourse to the waiting 
plane Kathy waved goodbye. Envious of the tropical 
location her friend would soon be visiting, while she 
returned to the first cool winds of fall. She turned and 
bumped into a man just stepping off another plane, 
sending his briefcase and a folders flying. "I'm sorry!" 
She exclaimed as she bent down to help him pick up the 
papers. As she handed the jumbled papers she had 
gathered back to him she paused, wondering what was so 
familiar about his face. 

There were lines in his face now that had never been 
there before, and a haggard look to his appearance. 
Maybe he was not so lean and muscular as before, maybe 
there was just the hint of a beer belly. But if he was 
no longer the young powerful man, he was very much now 
the self assured, respectable man. The mustache threw 
her off, but the color of his hair, even streaked with 
the occasional gray and the deep dark eyes reminded her 
of a long lost lover. 

"Calvin?" She asked hesitantly.

The man paused and studied her. She wore her hair up in 
a manner that spoke more of professionalism than 
sensuality. There was a touch more makeup than she had 
worn before, and a few lines that showed through despite 
her best efforts. Her figure was no longer that of a 
trim, youthful goddess, but a middle aged woman who had 
borne children and the responsibility that came with 
them. Maybe she no longer had the figure of a goddess, 
but standing before him was a figure of grace and 
elegance that eludes the young. But her crystal blue 
eyes recaptured for a moment the full glory of her youth 
none-the-less.

"Kathy!" He exclaimed. The papers went flying to the 
ground again as they embraced each other.

"My God, has it really been twenty years?" Calvin asked.

"Twenty two." Kathy corrected as they knelt to retrieve 
the papers once again.

"You're not flying out are you?" Calvin asked in a tone 
that seemed to say "that would be just my kind of luck."

Kathy smiled. "No. Just saw a friend off. Could I 
interest you in a cup of coffee?"

"Definitely," Calvin replied. "I need to make a phone 
call first though do you mind?" 

"I'm in no rush," Kathy said as they began walking down 
the terminal.

Cal flipped open his cell phone and punched in a number. 
"Hey Bobby, I'm going to be tied up for a while. Go 
ahead and run the marketing layouts and I'll proof them 
tomorrow. No. No problems, just bumped into a good 
friend I haven't seen for a long time. Oh and double 
check the figures in column five, I think you over 
estimated the ratings points." Cal closed the phone and 
said, "I'm all yours."

She wrapped his arm around his waist and said slyly, 
"You always were."

The coffee was passable for airport brew, but hardly 
held their interest as they reminisced. "I'm the 
regional manager now." Cal was saying. "It keeps me busy 
and the hours are hell but the pay's good, though with 
two teenage sons it's never enough."

"So you married Jenny?" Kathy asked.

Cal nodded. "Eighteen years now. How about you? You and 
Steve tie the knot?"

"Twenty years and three kids ago," she answered, taking 
a sip of coffee. "Jack, the oldest just started college 
a year ago. Mary will be following him next year. Dave 
just turned fourteen and is already breaking the girls 
hearts."

"You still teaching?"

"Science and math at Smith High. Your old school I 
believe," she replied. 

"It was. I have fond memories," he said with a 
reminiscent smile.

"I have fonder memories of Junior High."

"Do you live here now?" She asked.

"No. Still in Seattle. I'm here for the next week on 
business," he answered. 

"Ah. Once again our paths cross briefly," Kathy sighed.

"Are you happy?" Cal asked.

She tilted her head slightly and considered for a moment 
before answering. "Content is a better word I think. 
That may not be as glamorous as happy, but I've got 
three wonderful kids and a husband who sticks by me. 
I've got a good job that lets me still be a mother. All 
in all, I think that's about as close to happy as anyone 
can really hope to get. How about you?"

Cal leaned back in his chair. "Oh there's times when 
I've put in an eighty hour week and feel like I haven't 
spent enough time with Jenny and the kids. They grow up 
so fast. It seems like just yesterday I held Tim, my 
firstborn, in my arms and now he's got a car, tearing 
all over town and giving me ulcers. But I like my job, 
and the family makes it all worthwhile."

The pause that followed was long and comfortable as they 
sipped their coffee. "Do you ever wonder what life would 
have been like if twenty-two years ago we didn't part in 
the night?" Kathy asked.

Cal smiled tenderly. "Often. I remember how you used to 
try to get me to play dolls with you. How you'd be Maid 
Marian to my Robin Hood. How you taught me how to make 
love to a woman. Then you were gone. And for three days 
you were back again, as intense and full of life as ever 
and you taught me how to love a woman all over again. 
Maybe we'd have been good for each other, but maybe it 
was just great sex. We really didn't know each other 
when we last met."

"When life gets dull, I still think of you." Kathy said. 
"You always remember your first, especially when they 
come back and haunt you with three perfect days."

Cal grinned bashfully running his hand through his hair. 
"God! I can't believe some of the things we did. Did we 
really drive down the strip with my ass hanging out of 
the window and you shouting, YeeeHaw! I gots myself a 
man!? Were we ever that young?"

Kathy started laughing so hard she had to hold her 
sides. "And when the policeman pulled us over you told 
him I said I'd sleep with you if you mooned the strip!"

"And he let us go!" Cal laughed joining her in 
hysterical laugher as people at the other tables cast 
curious glances their way.

"Oh God! I felt so alive then," Kathy said as she 
managed to get control of herself.

"I felt pretty alive myself," Cal admitted. "Wanna 
recapture our youth?" 

Kathy smiled mischievously, "You gonna hang yer ass 
outta my bronco while I drive down the strip?"

"I was thinking more of a posh hotel," Cal said 
seriously.

"Oh," Kathy said, frowning. "I don't know. Cal, I really 
don't. I want to say yes. I want to be with you all over 
again. But I'm married, I have kids, a job."

"And it would be wonderful all over again." Cal said 
finally. "Only this time we'd go back to our lives and 
know that just a flight away, heaven waits for us."

Kathy smiled warmly, grateful that Cal had put into 
words what she most feared. "And it would be wonderful. 
The years have been kind to you."

He bowed his head slightly, acknowledging the 
compliment. "And to you as well." He sighed. 
"Shakespeare would have had a field day with us."

She leaned forward. "Show me the pictures of your kids."

Cal paused a moment then smiled and fetched his wallet. 
He flipped it open and pulled out a picture. "That's 
Jenny in the middle. Tim's to her left, the tall one. 
Chris is to her right."

"She's beautiful," Kathy said appreciatively, "So are 
your kids."

"They're a handful. But I love them to death," Cal said 
beaming with pride as Kathy passed back the picture. "I 
showed you mine." Cal said a note of wickedness in his 
playful tone.

Kathy beamed and fished through her purse to retrieve a 
photo which she handed over. "That's me and Steve. 
Jack's the tall one with the goatee, it's supposed to be 
the fashion rage on campus this year. Mary's the one 
sticking her tongue out, honestly she can't seem to take 
anything seriously. And Dave's the shy one who manages 
to bring home a different girl every week." 

Cal laughed. "He doesn't sound all that shy to me."

"Well it must just be around us then," Kathy said with a 
wink.

"And Mary is as beautiful as you. There's more than a 
passing resemblance," Cal said passing back the 
photograph. "What's Jack majoring in?"

"He hasn't decided yet." Mary shrugged, replacing the 
picture. "But he's really bright enough to do anything 
if he'll just put his mind to it."

Cal's phone rang and he rolled his eyes apologetically 
as he answered. He spoke a few minutes but Kathy already 
knew the real world was calling them back again.

"I'm sorry Kathy. I've got to get into the office," Cal 
said.

"I know." She answered softy. 

"If you could give me your number," Cal began.

She smiled. "No. I think not."

Call, disappointed rose from his seat and she rose as 
well, stepping into his arms. Offering him a parting 
kiss which he took, with twenty years of desire behind 
it. "Go home to Steve tonight. Make wild passionate love 
to him. Make him remember how damn lucky he is." Cal 
murmured. 

She watched him walk through the wide open space of the 
terminal until he was just another suit in an endless 
sea of travelers. When she finally sat down and reached 
for her coffee, she found her hand was shaking and that 
she had a single tear rolling down her cheek.


Winter
======

"Cal?" Kathy asked as she approached the man on the park 
bench. The years had streaked his hair gray and etched 
deep lines into his face, but the eyes were the same, he 
still had that same chin. If she had not seen him almost 
twenty three years ago she never would have recognized 
him now. But that brief interlude at an airport coffee 
shop had etched his maturing features in her memories.

The man stood. "Kathy!" He said warmly taking her hands 
in his. He took in the stately dress, and the prim and 
proper way she styled her hair. The sands of time had 
marked her but not to unkindly. Her blue eyes were still 
those of the lively girl he had coaxed into the woods. 
The smile on her face the same smile he woke to in bed 
so long ago in his college years. The elegant stance the 
same silent dignity he remembered from the airport. "I'd 
hoped to run into you sooner or later. "

"You've moved back?" She asked.

He nodded. "I'm retired now. With Jenny buried and with 
the kids all off with lives of their own, I decided to 
finally come home."

"Oh," Kathy said, sympathetic pain crossing her face. 
"I'm so sorry."

He patted her hand. "It's all right. It was five years 
ago. I've had time to adjust."

"Steve passed away last year." Kathy said, her voice 
quivering slightly. "I'm still trying to adjust. Funny 
how you miss all the little things."

"Like seeing their toothbrush on the counter." Cal 
agreed. "I still sleep on the right side of the bed. 
I've got the whole bed open to me and I still use only 
half."

"Or the shoes by the door," Kathy said wistfully. "And I 
still sleep on the left."

"Come. Sit. Tell me about yourself and your kids," Cal 
invited.

"Why thank you." She smiled, taking the seat on the 
bench as Cal settled in beside her. "Well Jack's a 
doctor now, married to a wonderful woman who I really 
can't stand. Mary's a homemaker raising two children, 
and married to a wonderful man who reminds me very much 
of you. I guess my daughter and I share the same taste 
in men. David though, died a few years after we last met 
in a car accident."

Cal laughed bitterly. "Remember when we were immortal? 
There was a time when death was never a word in our 
vocabulary."

"I suppose I could say something philosophical," Kathy 
said. "But I really don't want to. Life's not fair, 
death's not fair, in the end we all get the short end of 
the stick."

Cal smiled. "Well said!" He said patting her on the 
knee. "But tell me about yourself. What have you been 
doing all these years?"

"Oh home and work mostly. Work when the kids moved out. 
I do a lot of volunteer work to pass the time. It's 
rewarding for the most part. I thought about retiring, 
but really I'm scared of not working."

"I wish I had been scared," Cal said. "I thought 
retirement would be a snap. For a month it was like one 
great big vacation. Then I got bored. Then I started 
making up things to do just to keep busy, trivial stuff. 
I should have held on to the job, I should have gone 
kicking and screaming when they packed up my golden 
parachute and pushed me off."

"So now you sit on park benches watching the world pass 
you by?" Kathy asked. "That doesn't sound like the Cal I 
know."

Cal shrugged. "Oh like I say, I keep busy. I've taken up 
wood carving when the arthritis isn't too bad. Painting 
when it is."

"Ah. The artist," Kathy said slyly. "I never suspected. 
So what about your children. How are they?"

"Well Chris is a construction worker. He never had much 
aptitude in school, but he makes a good living, has a 
good wife and two beautiful children. Tim went off to 
college and followed me in business. He married had a 
child but is divorced now. Sometimes I think the kid is 
running in neutral, but he's long since outgrown any 
fatherly advice I can offer him."

"Well I guess we were the same way. There comes a time 
when the only voice you have to listen to is your own, 
for better or worse," Kathy said.

"True. But it'd be nice if they just pretended to listen 
now and again."

"You know what I'm thinking?" Kathy asked after a short 
silence.

"Why don't you tell me so I don't make a fool out of 
myself," Cal said as he smiled back at her.

"I'm thinking that I'm tired of mourning and feeling 
alone. I'm thinking that for the first time in ages 
we're both unattached. Wanna show me yer etchings?"

Cal laughed, "Fair Lady, I'd be honored to show you my 
etchings."

They walked in comfortable silence hand in hand back to 
his car. They paused for a long, lingering kiss until 
they noticed two twenty something's eyeing them across 
the street. With a giggle from Kathy they parted, but 
before Kathy eased herself in to the car she stuck out 
her tongue impishly at the two young voyeurs.

--Sandman

ftp://asstr.org/pub/Authors/sandman/

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
It's okay to *READ* stories about unprotected sex with
others outside a monogamous relationship. But it isn't
okay to *HAVE* unprotected sex with people other than
a trusted partner. 4-million people around the world 
contract HIV every year. You only have one body per 
lifetime, so take good care of it!
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Kristen's collection - Directory 67