I waited as she grabbed her purse. She came to the door, smiling.
She said, "Liv? That's such a pretty name."
Uh… It is? "Oh… well…"
"Better than my name."
"What?" We were walking in the hall towards the outer door.
"Imagine me trying something like that. Ell doesn't work." She bugged out her eyes. "Just call me Ell. Great. Might as well call me Eff or Cee."
I laughed. "Ellie is a pretty name."
She snorted. "I don't know. It sounds more like a name for a cow or something."
I laughed. "It really is pretty, and it fits you."
"Fits me?"
We were at my car. I unlocked the doors and got in.
I said, "You're so cheery and bubbly. I don't know, Ellie fits."
"Oh. I guess so."
"How did you come to work for Carson? Should you be in college?"
"Oh, through church, you know. Like you did. My mom wanted me in college but…"
"What about your dad?" I pulled out onto the street.
She raised her hands, palms up, little fingers curled. Her voice was dramatic and mysterious. "Who knows?"
"Oh, divorced?"
"Yeah, a long time ago. He vaped one day, so my mom said. I barely remember him."
"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that."
"It's no big deal; it's not like I knew him well enough for it to matter. I was like four or something."
"So you don't want to go to college?"
Her smile vanished, replaced by an almost comical look of seriousness. "Well, why should I? I have a job I like and it pays better than anything else I could get."
"But with a degree—"
"A degree in what? Dentistry? Pick at people's rotted teeth all day? Yucko."
I laughed. "Well, there's other things…"
"Sure. A law degree. Boring…"
I laughed again. "I mean, something meaningful."
She looked at me serious again. "Do you think your work for the church is meaningful?"
"Oh, well, yes—"
"I think my work is meaningful, too. I'm happy doing it."
I nodded. "All right. Don't think I was trying to push you, I was just asking."
"No, I didn't think you were."
"If you're happy doing it, then that's what matters."
"Right. That's what I try to tell my mom."
I smiled. "Give her time."
Her eyes went all serious, but her tone was goofy. "Maybe a hundred years."
I laughed and covered my mouth.
She said, "You're nice." She smiled at me.
That made me feel good. "Oh, well thank you. So are you."
CHAPTER 3
The guard let us in after I gave my name. Oak View Estates was well-known around town, but I had never been inside. The homes made my jaw drop. "Wow, I never had the privilege of selling any of these."
"Selling?" Ellie sounded curious.
"I was a realtor."
"Oh, that's right."
"These are still relatively new. Maybe in another couple of years I could've listed some."
"It's a pretty community."
She was right, trees lined the streets that would one day be large enough to reach over and shade the entire road. The center divider was planted with flowers of brilliant colors. "Wow, Carson must have a lot of money."
"I guess he's rich," she said. "The church pays him well. You're in for a surprise on the raises."
"Carson said about ten percent."
"Better and frequent if your work benefits the church." She had turned serious.
The benefits of working for a well-established, giant church… I think I made the right move. "They pay you well?"
"Next raise ought to put me at sixty thousand a year."
I was floored. "And you're what? Nineteen?"
"Twenty." She pointed.
"That's fantastic." I pulled into the circular drive of a large home. A garage was attached and the drive also extended behind the home to another garage.
She pointed again. "That one back there."
I stopped the car near it. The backyard was fenced with wrought iron and was immense. A pool glittered like sapphire surrounded by emerald lawns and ferns. "Wow."
"You know, that's what I said when I first saw it. So much color."
I chuckled. "Very nice."
We got out.
I saw Mrs. Wills stepping from the side of the home. She wore a small smile and approached. Her smile broadened and she held out her hand. "Olivia?"
"Yes, you're Rachel?" We shook hands.
"Yes. Carson told me you fit right into the job the first day." She turned and unlocked the door on the side of the garage.
"Oh well…"
She beamed a smile at me again. "He was right; you're very pretty."
Um… I hope that didn't cause a fight. "Oh, um, thank you." I looked down.
"Here we are." She stood aside.
I went inside with Ellie. She flipped on the lights.
Tables were neatly stacked along one wall – the conference type tables with folding legs. A few rows of folding metal chairs were stacked alongside.
I frowned. "Hmm."
Ellie said, "Something wrong?"
"These are very basic."
Rachel stood beside me, arms folded, one hip cocked out. "What's wrong with them?"
I shook my head. "You have such a beautiful backyard. I think I would cringe seeing these out there." I noticed her black blouse was undone three buttons, but she did not have what my husband called cleavage. She had almost no boobs. And here I was all buttoned up, except for my neck.
Rachel said, "Oh."
Ellie pointed. "We have these table covers for them."
A neatly folded stack of white covers filled a constructed shelf.
The realtor in me came out. I shook my head. "I think your backyard deserves better."
Rachel said, "Like what?"
"I'll need to go online. Do you have an email? I can email you some pictures."
She pointed a thumb over her shoulder. "We have computers. Why don't you show me?"
I blinked. "Oh, sure."
Ellie and I followed her to the house. I stepped into air-conditioned coolness. What a house. Everything was spacious and open. Recessed lighting was everywhere. The halls had sconce lighting and the carpet was some of the most plush I had ever seen. The walls were painted a deep burnt red.
I said, "I've sold many homes as a realtor; this is the nicest I've ever seen."
Rachel smiled in appreciation. "Thanks. We had fun picking out the drapes and carpet. The color was Carson's idea, but it grew on me."
I just shook my head. "Stunning."
She led us to a bedroom-turned-office. She pressed the power button on the computer and it popped up from sleep-mode. "Here you go."
I sat and brought up Firefox. I typed into the search bar and hit enter. I clicked images and scrolled to a selection I thought looked good.
Rachel had leaned over and as I scrolled, her mouth dropped open.
That made Ellie curious and she moved to my other side to see. She said, "Ooo, pretty."
Rachel had one hand holding her chest just beneath her neck. "Oh my goodness. I never really thought about the function tables. These are beautiful."
I said, "Several of these fold up really small."
Ellie said, "Folding wooden tables. Who woulda thought?"
Rachel straightened. "Ugh. Just seeing these makes me want to throw out all those things in the garage."
I said, "I don't know if the church would pay for these; I'll have to ask Carson."
She said, "Well, if they won't, we will." She pointed. "Those look very nice."
I clicked into the site and bookmarked it for her. Then I opened a tab and logged in to my personal email. I sent my church email a link. "I'll show him what you like when we get back."
She was nodding. "Definitely. I never thought about anything except
covering those things. Wooden tables and chairs would be just the thing." She touched my shoulder. "Thank you, Liv. I see Carson was right to hire you. Beauty and brains all in one."
I laughed with embarrassment. "It's just a habit from being a realtor. I have an eye for things that look out of place."
She squeezed my shoulder. "And modest, too. Wonderful."
~ ~ ~
Back at work, I printed out a few pages of what Rachel had liked. I carried them to Ellie's office.
"Yes?" Her voice floated out.
I entered and waved the papers with a smile. "For Carson to see."
Her bubbly personality looked eager. "I wonder what he'll think?" She was up and moving to the door. She knocked and leaned in. "Liv is here to see you."
Carson's voice answered immediately. "Send her in."
Ellie stepped back and gave me the same cheery smile she always had.
I swear the girl can't stop smiling. It made me want to smile with her. I went in and sat.
Carson gave me his intense eyes filled with curiosity. An eyebrow quirked upwards. "You made quite an impression on my wife."
She called him? "Oh, uh…"
His smile was secretive. "She says you have something to show me and that I better pay attention." His eyes did not drop down to my one unfastened button.
I laughed nervously. "Oh, well, yes. I thought something like these would be nicer for your backyard. Your wife wants this style." I slid the printouts to him.
He frowned and picked them up. His eyebrows shot up. "Folding wooden tables and chairs, huh? These do look nice." He studied each sheet.
"I don't know if the church would pay for them, but what you have in the garage could come to the church. Maybe a trade—"
"Normally not. But if we did take those tables and used them here… Hmm, yes. The church could buy them from me at a discount for being used. Then Rachel and I could pay the difference on the new ones."
I was impressed. Carson was not a man to abuse his position as comptroller. He was indeed the right man to handle the church's finances.
He pulled his wallet out and slid out a credit card. "Use this. Order what you think necessary. Return it to me after."
I took his card with a shaking hand. He trusts me that much? "Certainly."
~ ~ ~
I moaned under my husband. His cock thrust into me deep with the sliding-filling sensation that drove me wild.
Jim said, "So how's it been running around showing your neck for the last week?"
I laughed at the interruption of my pleasure. "Um, daring and goofy."
He shook his head. "If Ellie can run around with three undone, so can you."
Her image popped into my head – bubbly smile and all. "She's so nice."
"See? You can be nice and still show cleavage."
"Oh…"
"God gave you these wonderful things. Why hide that you have them?"
I wasn't sure what to think of that. "I don't know."
He pushed deep and held it there. "Ready for your big day tomorrow?"
The picnic was tomorrow. I didn't want to think about it. "Yes, shush."
He chuckled. "Sorry."
"You're coming."
He sighed. "Yes, yes, yes. I'll be there with you."
I smiled. "Thank you."
"But you have to unbutton another button or I don't go."
Men. "All right." I resolved to pick a shirt with a high second button.
He growled his approval and went silent, thrusting again and bringing me to the edge.
I wrapped my arms around his neck, wanting to pull him onto me, into me…
CHAPTER 4
I looked in the mirror and fiddled with the open second button. What will Carson think? Or Rachel? Will they notice? Will Ellie notice? Would anyone? I twisted and turned. My cleavage was still hidden.
Jim shook his head.
I frowned. "What?"
"Still can't see your cleavage."
"Good."
"Bad."
"No, it's good."
He gave me a patient look. "You're beautiful; I don't know why you feel the need to hide it."
"I don't hide anything."
He barked a laugh. "Except your cleavage."
"Life isn't all about boobs."
"Exactly, so why are you so obsessed with hiding the fact you have nice breasts?"
I coughed. "What do you mean?"
"I think you're scared to death of your own tits."
I laughed incredulously. "Um, what?"
"Like they're going to go out of control and attack someone unless you keep them carefully strapped in and hidden."
I giggled and shook my head. "Out of control?"
He threw up his arms. "Out of control boobs attack bystanders, news at eleven."
I covered my mouth. "Oh my gosh."
"Hey."
I gave him a suspicious look. "What?"
He leaned close and whispered as if confiding something intimate. "Do you secretly whip them when you're in the bathroom?"
I leaned my head back. "What?"
"You know, show them who's boss?"
I laughed. "Shut up."
He pushed out his lips, his eyebrows down. He gave a little knowing nod. "Yeah, you do, don't you."
"Stop it."
"I've got you figured out."
"Would you shut it?"
"Guess what?"
I dropped my shoulders and rolled my eyes. "What?"
His voice was dry and flat. "No one is going to notice. You're not showing anything worth looking at anyway."
Yeah, right. Everyone is going to notice. "Let's go already."
~ ~ ~
The picnic was held under cloudy skies. The sun broke through occasionally.
I was busy at the beginning. Too busy to bother with niceties. Main Street Catering was slightly late and I spent a half hour directing them on placement.
When I was satisfied they were moving with their own momentum setting out warmers and trays, I wandered back to my husband. He was reclining back on a bench.
As I approached him, Carson and Rachel walked over. Her arms were wrapped around his left arm. They looked like the perfect couple – powerful, assured, and in control.
Rachel said, "Olivia, dear, is this your husband?" Her smile was inquisitive.
"Yes. Jim." I looked at him. "Jim, this is Carson and Rachel."
My husband was a polite man. He rose immediately and offered his hand to Carson.
Rachel blinked at him and said, "My, as handsome as you are beautiful. What a lovely couple."
I blushed. As a realtor, I had to always be aware of doing or saying anything that seemed like a threat. I had to be sanitary. If the husband asked a question, I had to be carefully neutral or answer as if talking to the wife.
Rachel gave me a warm look. "You look nice, today. I like that shirt."
It was a plaid number that went with my jeans. "Oh, thank you…"
Carson said, "Yes, I rather like that outfit. More down to Earth."
A little emotional flip inside me spread a sense of satisfaction. It was nice being complimented.
Carson was asking my husband about his job. Jim restored cars and it immediately piqued Carson's interest.
Jim said, "I have a sixty-four Mustang I've restored."
Carson's look was awed. "You do? Those were the days of the real Mustangs."
"If you want to see, we drove it here, today."
His face lit into a wide smile of delight. "By all means."
They walked towards the parking lot together, talking.
Ellie came up to Rachel and me with a tall boy. Her sunniness was unclouded. "Hi, Rahcel. Liv." She was looking at me. "This is my boyfriend, Ryan. Ryan, this is Olivia."
I appraised him with the barest flickering glance before settling on his eyes with a smile. Another realtor-thing: taking in someone's stature at a glance. Were they buyers? Or lookers?
Ryan was a tall boy
with open and genuine eyes. He smiled and nodded.
Rachel seemed distant.
What was going on there? She wasn't distant to Ellie; they were almost like mother and daughter. Ellie exchanged looks with Rachel that said she was aware of whatever the issue was between them all, but didn't lose her bright smile for an instant. I found myself wanting to smile with her.
Rachel said to me, "Will your husband be coming to our home next week? We'd sure love to see him there."
"He likes to drag his feet over church functions, but I think he will." I hope he doesn't make me unbutton another button. Maybe I can just plead with him and he'll melt and go.
Rachel smiled something secretive. "Carson had to drag me at first." She glanced at Ellie, but not at Ryan. She looked back at me and touched my arm. "You never really know what interesting people you might meet unless you go."
CHAPTER 5
I was dressing for work Monday. Bra and panties, the foundation of bodily make-up. A blouse for some rouge, slacks or skirt for some eyeshadow…
I recalled Carson and Rachel complimenting me on my choice of clothing. What would impress Carson? Or Rachel if she saw me? I frowned through my closet.
Ellie would wear something flimsy and open. But her clothing went with her personality. My realtor personality was more guarded. But I'm not a realtor anymore.
I fingered the blouses I had and flicked past my standard realtor blouses. I chose a black blouse with a banded collar. Never really in style, it wasn't one to go out of style. I had worn it once.
The bottoms were another story. I had a half-dozen boring beige skirts of knee length. Realtor skirts. I took down my odd skirt, the grey one. It had always reminded me of an old librarian's skirt. Its hem was above the knee.
I nodded. Black nylons. I dug them out from under my boring beige nylons.
Suddenly I wanted to throw all my realtor-beige clothing away.
Jim came in. "Leaving."
I grunted. "Okay. Love you."
He paused. "Interesting choice of clothing."
"Everything is beige."
"And dull."
I looked at him, understanding the connection we had and not taking his comment as an insult. "I just had an idea to throw it all away."
He smiled. "I second the motion. Buy some things that are more expressive. Colors. Whatever."
Stretching My Marriage Vows Page 2
