“Hey there”
“Hi, watcha been up to?”
“Jogging on the beach. Spying at your neighbor’s houses. They are beautiful” Joan swung her arm to indicate the crackerboxes that lined the street.
“I didn’t know you jogged.”
To Joan this just showed how much more the needed to get to know one another. They went into the apartment together, discussing their day. Grace had had a schizophrenic patient come into the hospital where she worked. Without giving too many details which would violate patient doctor relationship, she gave some highlights. To Joan it was kind of scary the people that Grace dealt with. Definately not her career choice.
They ate in that night and played cards. Grace turned out to be a fiend for poker. She couldn’t bluff Joan though. Joan explained that she had played with her boys for years to stimulate their minds. She spoke of her son’s so lovingly. Telling Grace about each one, the pride in her voice was unmistakable.
They were still talking about Joan’s sons when they went to bed. Grace sensed the homesickness coming from Joan and just held her. They watched the news together and Joan drifted to sleep in Grace’s arms.
Joan awoke first. Looking at Grace for the longest time she tried to figure out what the heck was she doing here in this woman’s bed. She never would have thought she was gay. Never an inkling. Something though about this woman stirred her. It wasn’t just that she had given her orgasms. The sex alone didn’t draw her. Talking with her just was enough. Then being held by her was just so comforting. She wanted to give so much to this woman. It was strange. The attraction though was unmistakable. Was this what if felt like to fall in love? Joan didn’t know and didn’t want to jinx things by thinking too much on that subject. She was enjoying her extended stay. Was so glad to have met Grace. She had to leave that evening on a plane out of John Wayne Airport. She wished she could stay longer but had commitments to attend to. She missed her boys. She missed her home studio. She missed painting. It had been weeks preparing for this show and other work that she hadn’t had time to paint. She had a lot of ideas in her sketch book that she kept in her purse. Her purse was the size of most peoples briefcases. Hers kept pencils and the pad as well as her wallet and checkbook. Whenever she had a moment she’d sketch a little. She hadn’t had many moments during the show. She thought about a few of the idea’s that had come during and after the show. Her idea’s for paintings came at the oddest of times, she never knew when they would come and didn’t hesitate to stop whatever she was doing to quickly sketch them down. She was looking absentmindedly at the her print on Grace’s wall when Grace woke up and quietly watched her.
Sitting up beside Joan she started to massage Joan’s back. Startled Joan turned to look at her but Grace pushed her shoulders straight and continued the massage. After awhile she pushed Joan down onto the bed and the massage continued down her legs, calves, feet, even her butt. She felt as though she were melting she was so relaxed. As she massaged, Grace was thinking. She had a few weeks coming to her at UCI for vacation time. Perhaps she could visit Joan in Wisconsin for two of those weeks. Pursue this relationship. See where it would take them. She knew that this one was different. She could feel it. Joan herself was different. Unconsciously her hands stopped massaging and started enticing as her thoughts turned to Joan.
Joan felt herself becoming aroused. It was easier the more she made love to this beautiful woman. She had opened up feelings within Joan that she hadn’t known existed. For that alone she was grateful. It wasn’t just gratitude though and Joan knew it. She too knew that this relationship might well be very special. It certainly wasn’t just friendship, especially with Grace’s hand coming so close to her crotch. Her breathing changed, it became a panting as she anticipated the things that Grace would do to her. She still wasn’t confidant enough to take the upper hand.
Grace knew exactly what she was doing. She enjoyed making love to Joan. Joan’s responses were so real and unrehearsed. Her naiveté was exciting. She didn’t get squeamish. She didn’t play coy. She was real. Grace liked teaching her what her body could do. She’d like Joan to try the same things on Grace. Grace thought about introducing her toys to the relationship but felt it was too soon. That enjoyment could come later. Perhaps when Joan was more confidant.
They spent the morning in bed making love to each other. Joan was certain that a part of her had died and gone to heaven. Grace was certain that she didn’t want to lose this spectacular woman out of her life. She discussed the possibility of visiting in two weeks time. Joan jumped at the idea and invited her to stay with her at her studio. They discussed it avidly even as they showered together and dressed for the day. Joan packed and they hauled the suitcase and overnight bag to the Jaguar.
They spent the afternoon shopping in Fashion Island, a mall in Newport Beach. It gave off a sense that you had to dress up to even shop there. It was snobbery at it’s best. They enjoyed window shopping, occasionally stopping to admire and discuss different clothing. Joan definitely was drawn to the flowing blouses with an artsy feel. Grace liked business suits that were very effeminate. It was 3 o’clock before either of them realized that they hadn’t eaten. They stopped by a little bistro and had lasagna, garlic bread, and salad. Joan ate most of the salad and gave half her lasagna to Grace who tried but couldn’t finish it. They both drank mineral water as Grace would have to drive later and Joan didn’t want to get tipped before flying. Her plane was due to leave at 5. The last one she could catch to O’Hare and then transfer to one to Central Wisconsin. She’d get in about 11. A long tiresome trip.
Both were reluctant to end their afternoon but as 4 approached they found themselves heading for the car. Nothing purchased. Grace said that she had never done that before. She had never gone to the mall just to window shop. Joan in turn told her how she had kept the boys amused by doing that very thing at the malls, playing I wish, I dream. Sometimes at Christmas the boys would even get what they wished and dreamed about.
Grace parked the car in the parking garage and leaned over to give Joan a goodbye kiss. Before either one of them knew it it had lasted 5 minutes. Neither wanted it to end. They took Joan’s bags to check-in and Grace walked with Joan to the gate. Joan knew Grace didn’t want a public showing. They announced the flight 15 minutes later. Joan had to go. Grace gave a goodbye hug and whispered “two weeks” in her ear. Squeezing her hands as she let go, Joan got in line with the other first class passengers. One last look saw Grace waving. Joan lifted her hand and was gone.
~ CHAPTER 3 ~
That night when Joan finally got in she was met at the plane by her oldest son Craig. Smiling in greeting he gave her a hearty hug. Kissing her on the cheek he had to bend to do so. Craig stood over 6’5”. A tall blonde man he had Joan’s smile and bright blue eyes. Taking her overnight bag he walked with her to the baggage claim.
“Tough trip?” He asked solicitously.
“Naw, same ole same ole. Just tiring.”
“Well according to Yoshi the orders are coming in. You’d better plan on another catalog next year.”
“Oh yea?” she challenged him.
“I’ve got new ideas too for the portfolio. Your doing well and so am I” Craig answered cheekily. He knew his mother. She demanded hard work but nothing she wouldn’t do herself. In school she wanted A’s but wasn’t too upset if he got B’s. God forbid there were ever C’s. The one time in high school he did get a C was in Spanish. They both suffered through a 3 week Berlitz class to learn it. Not only learn it but master it so they both spoke it like they were born to it. He didn’t let another C show on his report card until his senior year in college. By then it was too late for her do anything. It had been in women’s studies and instead she teased him mercilessly about it. It still could bring chuckles around the dining table when she chose.
Last year Craig had come to work for his mother. He handled her investment portfolio and they had started the Wood’s Foundation. It was all his mother’s money. Ag
ain feeling that he wouldn’t dare fail her with a C his work showed all A’s. He had quadrupled the money placed in his hands. The investments were carefully screened by both of them to insure that they made money. Next year they would donate over one million through the Wood’s Foundation to needy causes to keep his mother from paying it out in taxes. Craig was clever that way. If his mother wanted to she could have stopped working and lived off the interest alone from her portfolio with room to spare. Anyone who knew Joan Woods though, knew she wouldn’t stop working. The foundation was a new challenge to Craig. He worked with a seasoned advisor that his mother had found and they were both paid well to administer things for his mother.
The only fly in the ointment thus far had been Craig’s wife Jane who though he should be earning more as it was HIS mother and she didn’t appreciate him enough. Jane thought that Joan was taking advantage of their relationship. Jane didn’t understand.
Mom had worked hard all of Craig’s life to pay off the bills that her husband had accumulated. He was forever stealing from her. When finally he was gone out of their lives Mom had had to work doubly hard to support three growing boys. Her art had been her only relaxation and that had been rare. Still after a few years she managed to save $500 a month to be put towards investments. She let the boys pick and choose. Together they all learned to invest wisely. A few didn’t pan out and they learned from those. The money was too hard to come by to be wasted. Studying the companies that they would invest in was a sound idea. As they learned they made fewer mistakes. When the boys were old enough they worked paper routes for extra money. Any money from the stocks was reinvested until they had a sizable portfolio. Selling at the right time gave them more money to work with. Then Mom’s paintings had begun to sell. As she became more confidant they became better and better and sold for more. The first time mom made five figures on a painting they celebrated by putting the money down on a townhome. A few years later they had enough to buy a real house. Investments in real estate yielded even greater gains and they happened to come across a foreclosure that required them to put their own sweat into fixing it up. This led to other foreclosures. One of them was the Mailbu Gallery. Joan had hung onto that one after they fixed it up and began displaying her work professionally. It had caught on. She became well known enough that she didn’t need to work outside the home. She had a studio in their home and was there when the boys came home from school. She helped them on their paper routes, was there for their homework, went to all their school activities.
When Craig turned 14 it was decided that they would move out of California. The climate wasn’t healthy for the money they were earning. The taxes were atrocious and secretly Joan was glad as she didn’t like the kids that were hanging out with her boys. They sold their house and kept the Malibu gallery as well as a couple of rentals. It was decided that they would move back to Wisconsin where Joan had grown up. Joan had friends there that welcomed them back. Joan’s parents were divorced and both had died at this point. She had no other family but her boys. She found an old building downtown in Wausau that they fixed up for her showroom. It had an apartment that they rented out upstairs. They found themselves a house in the country with a barn and horses, ducks, cats, and dogs. For awhile there was even a llama that they took backpacking with them. The boys grew up happy and healthy. Joan had her art. Several of her friends tried to fix her up but she either wasn’t interested or they weren’t when they found she had three growing boys. She was content to spend time alone. Lonely, but content. She filled her days by watching the animals, painting, enjoying her boys. When her youngest was 18 and entering college she sold the farmhouse and moved into the apartment over her gallery showroom. She turned the loft portion of the apartment into her very own studio with skylights lighting it. The only problem was that she was always at work.
Craig was married right out of college to his high school sweetheart Jane. Adam and Bryan were both in college and came home only occasionally. Joan had her friends but she was terribly lonely. She poured out her feelings into her artwork and as a result it was incredible work. Beautiful pieces were turned out by her hand. Paintings of such heartfelt angst came to people. They thought they knew her as a result. “One of this centuries greatest artists” had been said. Joan knew better. She could paint even better. Her business acumen had made her wealthy. Her paintings had made her even wealthier, and famous. Her children were happy and healthy. She was alone. It was all she had until she met Grace.
Craig had wanted to go to business college from little on. Joan hoped she hadn’t influenced him. She wanted him to be happy in his chosen work. She had paid for his college education cheerfully. She had let him go summers to finish early and then he had topped it off with a masters. He had been offered jobs on Wallstreet. He chose instead to work with his mother. He had taken their money and done beautiful things with it. When he increased the already enormous portfolio she was impressed. When he came to her with the idea of the foundation he won her over. Now he handled it all for her. Nothing was purchased or given away without her knowledge but she knew she could trust him. She paid him handsomely as a result.
Jane thought it should be more. What she didn’t know is that he took much of his earnings and bought stock for them along with his mother’s so that they could buy larger amounts. He refrained from mentioning this to Jane. She lived comfortably, she shouldn’t have any complaints. He loved her and gave her all his free time. This year they had had a beautiful boy named Aaron. She insisted that he be raised Lutheran even though Craig had never been to church except for his own baptism and wedding. Craig didn’t mind. If Jane wanted that, then that would make her happy, so be it. Craig loved his family and that included his brothers and mother. Jane knew that but still slightly resented his mother getting any attention. Craig ended up doing a balancing act. Joan knew he was torn and tried not to interfere.
Asking her about the show, Craig directed her to her Mercedes. Unlocking the trunk he stowed her bags and handed her the keys, slamming the trunk shut he escorted her to the driver’s side. She unlocked the door and slid into the drivers seat. Craig shut the door for her and headed around to the passengers side. They continued discussing the various merits of the show, she told him her ideas for some of her new work. He in turn told her what she had missed the week she’d been gone and the prior week when she had been getting ready and distracted. He asked about the extra days she had stayed in California.
“Oh, I met a friend and decided to catch up with her” she answered. It was true, just not the whole truth. “She’s going to spend her vacation here with me in two weeks.”
“Here?” he asked puzzled. “What’s to do here?”
Laughing at his tone she knew what he meant. If you didn’t fish or hunt or follow the Packers football team things could be limited. Fortunately she had given her boy’s a taste of the arts and they enjoyed concerts and other art and could keep themselves amused. All of her son’s were athletic so she had started jogging to keep up with them. They had gold memberships at the YMCA. She herself would go there to use the weight training room and occasionally run into Craig there.
The short drive to Craig’s house was accomplished and he invited her in. Jane was nursing Aaron when they walked in. Embarrassed she tried to cover up. This made the baby squirm. Joan walked into the kitchen for a drink of juice and Craig followed. He told her Aaron’s latest news which wasn’t much at this age but then as the doting father seemed like much. Jane contributed from the living room. Finished nursing she brought Aaron in burping him over her shoulder. He spit up a little on the diaper rag that she had over the shoulder. Joan wasn’t too maternal. She enjoyed little kids when they had more personality. At this age they threw up, pooped up, and just made noises. She loved her little grandbaby but just preferred to let Jane handle him. She smiled at the picture Jane and Aaron made. Like a flash bulb going off in her head she realized her next work of art was standing in front of her.
Feeling tir
ed she called it a night and left Craig and Janes house. She let herself into her apartment and carried her bags up the stairs. She had thought about getting herself another house but felt that there was no need for it at this point in her life. Instead she would concentrate on her art.
It was well after one when she got herself settled. She thought about calling Grace but knew that Grace had to work tomorrow and it was already after 11 there. Instead she turned on her computer, typed on her internet service provider and typed in her password. She went first to her business emails. The ones with orders she left for Yoshi to sort out. None were older than today anyway. She deleted some spam and then switched to her personal email. There was over 100 emails. Most of it was spam that she just deleted. A few were jokes sent by well meaning friends and family. The boys had wicked senses of humor, inherited she thought gleefully from her! Then looking down she saw an email address she wasn’t familiar with, about to delete it, she read the subject line. It said “From Grace Monroe.” Eagerly she clicked on it. Grace had sent it as soon as she had gotten back from dropping her off at the airport. Funny how a person can pour out feelings in the written word that they might not be able to in the spoken word. Grace already missed her. Was looking forward to seeing her in two weeks. Enjoyed getting to know her over the past few days. Joan responded with a like email, stressing how much she would miss her over the next couple weeks. Clicking send she then captured the address to her address book and buddy list, in case she should see Grace on line and want to chat. With the time difference and their working schedules, who knew. Turning of the computer, Joan headed for bed.
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