Love in Troubled Times

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Love in Troubled Times Page 36

by Gayle Riley


  Chapter 7

  Tonight was the night. Everyone was going to the sex party. Aida, Kenneth, Emily and her husband, and of course Stanley would be there. Aida couldn’t wait to get her freak on. She was finally brave enough to wear the tiny black dress with the slit down to the navel that she had bought at the boutique. It would showcase the long-stemmed rose tattoo that started on her right breast and followed her cleavage. The tattoo had been a gift to herself for courage. Spiked gold heels and smoky eyes completed the look.

  Aida entered the party as groups were still in business mode. Oddly enough, many big deals were made and business contracts signed at these parties, giving powerful men a second reason to attend. It seemed to Aida that the conversations paused and all eyes turned to her as she walked across the room. Kenneth looked shell-shocked when he caught sight of her and Stanley’s eyes grew intense and hot as he approached. Dinner was going to be interesting with a man on either side of her.

  Emily pulled Aida to the side to ask, ” When did you get a tattoo? And that dress? You look so hot you could melt metal! Stay away from my husband. He wouldn’t be able to resist.”

  Aida replied, “I would never step on your toes that way. I plan on getting Stanley to finally do the deed. He and I have done everything but the finale until now. Wish me luck.” The dinner bell rang and they sashayed to the long table, drawing many appreciative stares.

  After dinner, both Kenneth and Stanley made a play for Aida. She took Stanley’s hand and put her other hand gently on Kenneth’s chest saying, “Pick someone lovely and have a wonderful night.” As she walked away with Stanley, Kenneth grabbed a drink in each hand and chugged them, then reached for two more. He didn’t want anyone but his wife. Seeing her actually enter a cubicle with someone else cut him to the core.

  Stanley slowly removed Aida’s dress, kissing every inch of skin he uncovered, lingering over each breast to suckle. He worked his way down and let his tongue stroke the prize between her legs. Aida’s legs almost gave out at the first flick of his tongue. Creaminess flooded Aida’s core. She wanted Stanley naked with her, so she pulled him up and reached for his zipper as he pulled off his shirt. Stanley’s heavy, engorged member sprang free into her hands. They used the body oil that was provided on a bed side table to cover and massage each other’s body, building more sexual tension. Stanley laid Aida back on the edge of the bed, spread her legs and let his tongue finished what it had started. Before her climax came to an end, Stanley rose and entered her, letting her muscles clench around him. They rolled over allowing Aida to be on top and take control.

  Surprise and shock showed in their faces when the curtain opened and Kenneth entered the cubicle. He was obviously quite drunk as he began stripping. Stanley shrugged off the interruption, he was willing to try anything. He gripped Aida’s hips and urged her to begin moving again. Kenneth pressed himself to Aida’s back, reached around her body and started playing with her oiled-up breasts. As she rode Stanley, Kenneth’s penis rubbed up and down on her back, still slick with oil. Aida had the most powerful climax of her life as Stanley screamed out with his. She felt Kenneth’s pumping out onto her back at the same moment. Then he collapsed onto the floor in a drunken stupor. Aida checked to make sure Kenneth was okay and sent Stanley for some champagne. While Kenneth slept it off, she and Stanley went for rounds two and three using some of the sex toys provided.

  As the sun rose, Aida and Stanley helped Kenneth into a cab and went their separate ways promising to meet up later and go for round four. Aida, though exhausted, was happy. She finally felt that her life was exciting again, and she had enjoyed Kenneth being a part of it. Maybe he would be willing to join them again. She headed for her apartment with a new bounce in her step.

  Chapter 8

  Kenneth invited Aida to brunch. As she dressed, she imagined that he wanted to talk to her about another threesome. Hopefully, he liked it as much as she did. She chose to wear his favorite color, donning a deep blue silk shirt with cream slacks and deep blue flats. Kenneth wore a slightly sad smile when Aida entered the restaurant, greeting her with a kiss on the cheek and saying, “You look lovely. That blue has always been my favorite color.”

  Aida replied, “I wore this color just for you. I wanted to say thank you for joining in at the party and say wow, what an experience.” Kenneth pulled out her chair and frowned at her words, hiding his face behind her back. They continued with small talk until their food arrived. Aida then brought the subject back up. “Kenneth, I enjoyed the other night immensely and I would love us to do it again. You climaxed, so you must have enjoyed it too. Do you think we can have a replay?”

  Kenneth sighed and replied, “I was drunk. That night was a huge mistake. I didn’t want to share you then and I don’t want to share you now. I love you and I am willing to fight for us, but not until you prove you are ready. Do what you must to make yourself happy. Just don’t expect me to join in. I will be here when and if you want our marriage, until then this is goodbye.” Tears were in both their eyes as Kenneth walked away.

  Aida immediately called Emily to tell her what had happened. Emily was sorry for Aida but wasn’t really surprised. She knew Kenneth wasn’t into the swinging scene and had noticed the deep sadness and concern in his eyes every time he looked at Aida. She felt that Aida was heading for a fall and she would be there to help pick up the pieces. Emily was truly sorry that she had ever suggested the sex parties to Aida. Kenneth and Aida didn’t have the same kind of relationship as Emily and her husband.

  That weekend, Aida went to the rodeo alone to watch Stanley compete. She was upset for him when he lost. They went to a diner afterward and she could feel his anger. In an effort to cheer him up, she told him, “Everything’s going to be fine. After all you have me all to yourself now. Kenneth has stepped away and we can go for a true relationship. I’ll be with you whether you win or lose. You can even stay with me at the apartment.”

  To Aida’s surprise, Stanley didn’t smile or jump at the offer. Instead he calmly replied, “I’m not staying here much longer. I’m moving on to a new venue soon. You are more than welcome to go with me. You said you used to travel the rodeo circuit.” Aida didn’t give an immediate answer. She was too shocked at Stanley’s take me or leave me attitude. She had thought his feelings for her were growing as hers were for him. The idea of traveling the rodeo circuit sounded like fun, but she wanted to go as a girlfriend not a groupie. Maybe his attitude tonight was just due to his loss. Aida decided to let it go and maybe he would fall in love with her.

  During the next two weeks the subject of Stanley leaving wasn’t mentioned. Aida began to believe that he had changed his mind. She happily went out with Stanley and his posse and brought him to her apartment for the night as often as possible. Saturday morning though she wasn’t feeling well and declined Stanley’s invitation for a day of four wheeling fun. The thought of bouncing around over the dusty hills in the heat just made her nauseous. She invited him to a day of movies, pizza and lovemaking instead. Stanley declined. He wanted to be outdoors with his friends not cooped up in a tiny apartment.

  Aida lay down for a nap with tears in her eyes. When she woke up, the nausea had grown worse and she ended up in the restroom throwing up. For a moment Aida thought she had gotten the flu, but then she realized she hasn’t had a period. She frantically dressed and headed for the drug store.

  An hour later, with three positive pregnancy tests sitting on the counter, Aida was both thrilled and terrified. She had been trying for years to have a baby and she was finally pregnant. Although there was a slight possibility that the baby was Kenneth’s, she felt sure that it was Stanley’s. Traveling the rodeo circuit would no longer be wise. Stanley had to understand and stay with Aida. She called his phone, but there was no answer, so she left a message asking him to stop by tonight no matter how late he got back.

  The doorbell finally rang at 1:13 a.m., waking Aida from sleep. She had been watching movies and fell asleep on the couch. Aida
groggily answered the door to a half drunken Stanley. He immediately pulled her to him for a sloppy kiss. Aida pulled back not wanting to get into a sexual situation right now. She asked Stanley to please come in and sit down for a discussion. He looked aggravated and confused, but he complied.

  Aida began with, “You know I’m crazy about you and that I was planning on traveling with you if necessary, but something has changed. It’s wonderful and exciting. Besides, you haven’t said anything else about leaving, so maybe this would be a good reason to stay. I discovered today that I’m pregnant. You’re going to be a father! Isn’t that great?”

  Stanley jumped up from the couch and paced the room while running his fingers through his hair. He protested, “No way! I can’t be a father. There are too many places I still want to go and too many things I still want to do. Getting tied down with a family can’t happen. I left home because I wanted freedom. Dad’s a billionaire. I could have stayed back home and worked for him, had a wife and family, and tons of money. That’s not what I wanted and I still don’t.”

  Aida was shocked and saddened by his reaction but tearfully replied, ” I can’t and won’t get rid of this baby. I’ve wanted one for far too long and I don’t believe in abortion.”

  Stanley shouted, “I didn’t ask you to get rid of it, did I? I’m not the type of person to kill a child because of my stupid mistake, but I’m also not dad material. If this baby is mine, I will have my father send you all the money you could ever need. Just don’t expect me to hang around and play family. It’s not going to happen. I thought you were in this for excitement and fun too, not to trap another cowboy. My mistake. I’ll be heading out today. If you want money, you know how to reach me.” Stanley stalked out and slammed the door.

  Aida returned to the couch, devastated. She had been a fool. Leaving Kenneth and trying to regain the past had turned into the biggest mistake of her life. Now she had a baby depending on her to fix everything. She cried herself to sleep wondering what to do now.

  Chapter 9

  Aida hid out in her apartment for several days. She didn’t answer the door or the phone even when Emily called repeatedly and banged on her door several times. She just couldn’t face anyone right now. Instead, she binged watched movies, ate junk food, threw it back up and researched morning sickness on the Internet even ordering books about pregnancy. She mourned the loss of Stanley, then the sadness turned to anger and she eventually admitted that what she had felt for Stanley was a form of lust, not real love.

  After a full week of self-pity, Aida took a shower, dressed, made a doctor’s appointment for later in the week and re-entered the world. She had to get it together for the baby’s sake. Her nausea had gotten better, so her first stop was lunch where she sat and made some serious decisions about the future. After lunch, she headed for Kenneth’s house. No time like the present to start on her plans.

  Kenneth answered the door quickly, though he seemed confused to find Aida standing there. He invited her in, which seemed strange to them both. After all, it had been Aida’s home for years. As Kenneth brought her a soft drink he asked, ” What brings you here? I’m glad to see you, but was there something you needed?”

  The true and honest look of concern on Kenneth’s face, made Aida speak out, holding nothing back, “I have been a fool. I’ve destroyed my life and caused you a lot of pain. I’m so very sorry. When the baby didn’t happen, I started looking for things to take its place. Fun and excitement sounded good. I jumped on Emily’s suggestion of the sex club even when she warned me not to let go of you. She knew you loved me and didn’t want me to lose that, but Stanley was like the fountain of youth for me and I couldn’t resist the feeling of being young and free again. I soon forgot that young and free meant no commitments. Now things have come back around to punish me.”

  Kenneth reached for Aida’s hand and told her, “From the look of you, you’ve been punishing yourself. You’ve lost weight and there are dark circles under your eyes. Did that piece of shit hurt you?”

  Aida smiled sadly and said, “He never harmed me physically. Emotionally, yes, but that was just as much my fault as his. I thought I was in love and that he should be too. I thought he was the old version of you, but he wanted someone to have fun with only as long as he was here, not a commitment. I’ve lost weight because of morning sickness. I’m pregnant Kenneth. There is a slight chance that it is yours, but a greater one that it is his. Not that it matters, he doesn’t want anything to do with a family. He offered to have his rich father send lots of money to support us if the baby’s his, but I don’t want it. So the baby’s mine and I will love it and raise it the best that I can.”

  Kenneth pulled Aida into his arms and held her close as he declared his unfailing love for her. He promised that she never needed to be alone. He was more than willing to work things out with her if she wanted to try. He also said, “The paternity of the baby doesn’t matter. As far as I’m concerned, it’s the baby we’ve always wanted. I want to love and care for you and the baby for the rest of my life. Is there any way we can work that out?”

  Aida had always known that Kenneth was a good man, but today he had passed all her expectations. She wanted to be as good a wife to him as possible so she insisted, “We can make a go at being a family if we can go to counseling and take things slow. I want this family to be a happy, healthy and strong one. No more ridiculous mistakes or regrets. I am deeply sorry for all the terrible choices I made.”

  Kenneth declared that he had made lots of mistakes and bad choices as well. He had turned his back on the simple pleasures in life and let go of true friends in the meaningless pursuit of money. He explained that he had already decided to change his life before she came to the door. In fact he had thought she was the realtor that was coming to look over the house and put it up for sale. He wanted to live in a more normal neighborhood, where you got to know your neighbors, held barbeques on the weekend, and your kids rode bikes down the streets. He wasn’t looking for youth or the past, just a more balanced and happy life and he preferred to build that life with Aida and their baby. It sounded like bliss to Aida. She asked Kenneth to come with her to the first doctor’s appointment so they could be a true family from the beginning. He was happy to agree.

  Chapter 10

  Aida looked into the mirror and smiled at her reflection. The woman in the mirror looked happy and content. Her long lavender dress flowed over her body accentuating her larger breasts. She owed her current cleavage to the fact that she was currently breast feeding twins. Her thoughts seemed to have conjured up the real thing. Katy was entering the room with the boys now, announcing, “It’s time to feed my favorite nephews so that they don’t cry during the ceremony. Kent has been loudly screeching for about five minutes, but Kevin’s siren hasn’t gone off yet.”

  Aida laughingly reached for her twin sons as she replied, “Thank you so much Sis for handling them so well. You are the best nanny ever. Come, my sweet boys and let Mommy take care of you so that she and Daddy can get married all over again.” Aida couldn’t believe how her life had changed in the last year. She had risen from despair into ecstasy in a short time.

  After Kenneth and she had decided to make a go of their marriage, they sold the mansion and moved into a large, rambling house in a family friendly neighborhood. Aida had enjoyed decorating the house in a less stuffy fashion than the designer decorated mansion. The boys’ nursery, with its sailor decor was her favorite. No cowboys for these babies. Counseling had worked well for her and Kenneth, though admitting to the counselor all the things she had done was difficult. But it was all worth it. Kenneth had started working fewer hours, spending time having fun with his pregnant wife and planting a garden under the nursery window so that the babies could wake up to beautiful flowers. The look on both their faces when the sonogram showed two babies instead of one had sent the doctor into a fit of laughter. “Making up for lost time aren’t you,” he commented. The pregnancy had gone well, with Kenneth falling m
ore in love with the unborn babies as Aida grew larger and the little ones more active. When they learned that both babies were boys, Kenneth asked to name them after his father and his grandfather. Aida thought that was a fine idea. Once they were born, Aida realized she needed some help and they asked her younger sister to be a nanny for the boys, which was working out really well.

  Today was a celebration of Aida’s and Kenneth’s love for each other and the family they had always dreamed of. They were to have a vow renewal ceremony in the beautiful garden that Kenneth had planted and then change into more practical clothes for a barbeque and dance with their new friends and neighbors. Their second honeymoon would include the babies, but Katy would come along too so that Mom and Dad could have some alone time. As Kenneth said, “The boys need a little sister, maybe even two.”

  Aida handed the boys back to Aunt Katy, straightened her dress and checked her reflection once again. Then she waived out the window to her beloved Kenneth, letting him know she was ready for the ceremony and the next chapter of their lives to begin.

  Aida’s vows to Kenneth included her promise of an unwavering love and commitment to their marriage. She vowed to never again take his hard work and understanding for granted. Kenneth vowed to be a more playful and less work consumed husband. Their children would have the time and attention they deserved from both parents. After the final kiss, Aida leaned in and whispered, “I will never make fools of us again. I know that I have the best man alive. I love you more than ever.”

  The after party was amazing, yet crazy. Kent managed to spit up on Grandpa’s shirt, while Kyle’s diaper leaked on Grandma’s dress. Kenneth burned some of the burgers due to spending too much time kissing the bride. He made up for it by playing his guitar and singing a song he had written just for Aida. Later they danced with each one holding a baby in their arms. Katy finally took the boys up to bed so that Aida and Kenneth could continue to celebrate with their friends.

 

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