Wanders

Author’s Note:

This chapter picks up where chapter five ended; the story continues here.

I hope you’ll enjoy the unwinding saga of Neil, Kat, Amy and the folks they meet along the way. I’d like to ask, please help me to improve on future stories. Leave a note about how you reacted to the story. Also, if you are interested in proof or a beta reader, please reach out to me; I’d like to hear from you. As always, all the players are over 21 in this fictional character study.

Chapter 6 What’s next doc?

“Neil? What’s with Ru? I thought you told me that he’s a heading dog and not a retriever?”

“Amy, or more fully, isn’t it Amelia? You’re funny; then again, that was kinda funny. Kathleen? In many ways, she has reinvented herself. There aren’t that many people that hold two terminal degrees. She’s a very complex woman, someone who was lost in a world where she didn’t see herself fitting in. I just hope that the time she spent in school gave her a sense of being and direction. Anyway, you had asked what she was like. Now that you’ve encountered her, what do you think?”

“Well, for sure she dresses well, then again nobody here wears designer anything. If what you got covering your ass don’t come from Wally’s Palace down the road, it ain’t happening. That and her attitude was, at best off-putting. Also, a little bell in the back of my head started ringing really loud. That bell goes off when I run into a woman who is at the least bi, if not a full-on lesbian. You never asked, and until now, I had no reason to say anything. But in the distant past, I played for the other team. That little girl needs to do a lot of growing up. Honestly, babe, she strikes me as very insecure and unsure of herself. The way I see it, the only place she might be working here is over at the art college. If she comes across to the students there, as she did to us, then she’ll be dead in the water. Hey, Neil? Let’s get home; I need something that only you have.”

I had to chuckle at that.

“What! You stinkin’ old dog.”

“Nothing darling, nothing at all. Miss Amy? Have I told you lately how much I love being with you?”

“Mister, don’t even think you can smooth talk your way out of the dog house you and Ru live in.”

“Ya know, when I first met Sandy and Charlie, well, both of them intimidated the hell of me. I don’t recall what Charlie started to say or do. Anyway, Sandy came down on him like five tons of bricks, and he just lit up with a huge grin.”

“Tell you what, the next time they are over, and this would work better yet if Cathy and Carl were there too. I can suggest that the three of us menfolk go out to the shed cause I have an excellent bottle of bourbon that I’d be delighted to share with my good friends. Step back and watch the fireworks. Cathy will tell Carl that he’ll be walking home, and when he gets there, he can sleep with the dogs’ cause that’s what he is. Charlie will try to explain to Sandy why that is a most excellent idea. Then he’ll start to walk towards the door and the shed. Sandy will remind him that she has the keys to the car and the house. So he’ll be walking home with his buddy, and since it took him so long to walk home, she will have locked the place up and have gone to bed. After that, she’ll oh so sweetly call out, nighters, my fair-haired boy, that is if you still had some hair left on your head, hope all the bugs don’t eat you up while your sleeping outside again. Yes, Amy, like you, all of our wives run us, and yes, we love it cause we love you each in our own way. That, my dear, is the god’s honest truth.”

We were lying in bed curled up next to each other like a couple of newlyweds. “Honey, real simple my man, you are the best, and I love you. But if you go out to the shed to sample that bottle of bourbon with your buddies and don’t invite me along, you’ll be sleeping with Ru after I kick your ass. Does that work for my sweets?”

A few weeks later, all of us were having dinner together when Sally chimed in, “so Amy? Hear you and Neil met his former sweetie. What do you think of her?”

“I’m sure she is a very talented artist and very intelligent too. However, seems to me that she does have a very high opinion of herself.”

“Amy, that’s an excellent way of saying it. She’s in the administration here at the art school and teaching an advanced color theory class. The folks there at UC wanted to keep her there so she wouldn’t inflict herself on us ordinary folk. But that’s often the problem that very high IQ people have. They cannot relate to the rest of us mere mortals like the bozo twins over there.”

Sandy offered her experiences with Kat, or is it now Kathleen, while she was attending UC. From what she said, the two of them became very close to each other. Kat had lost or didn’t know either of her parents. She felt almost abandoned even though her aunt and uncle had taken her in and ultimately adopted her. She’d often mentioned her fantasy of a man coming along on a white horse to carry her off. That fantasy is open to all kinds of interpretations, few of which are good. UC did a great job adding to her talent pool; Kat’s problem is using all her skills and talents. Honestly, I think at first, she will fumble and stumble about. Which, I believe, is what happened when you met her. Amy? Might you say that Kat came across as being defensive? Kat does that with me often, and I will call her out for doing that, by the way. She is feeling her along new paths that are unfamiliar to her. These paths have new rules and expectations of her. Kat has been in school for basically the past eight years, and being out here in the real world is new to her.”

After a few moments, Amy looked over at Sandy. “Thanks, Sandy, for sharing your insights and experiences. I know that you and Neil supported Kat in school; what these past four years or so? And here, of course, I’m guessing, but seeing her flop around frustrates the hell out of you. In Boston, I mentored architecture students. Mentoring is like a mother bird pushing a hatchling out of the nest; almost all take wing and fly. At first, maybe just a short flight, but they learn and soaring in the clouds in time. I remember one very bright grad student I had as a mentee. Incredible drawings and breathtaking concepts, but they had the social skills of a pink elephant trying to dance about. I kept pounding on their head; it is all about the client and meeting their needs. I told them if they don’t get that, the only question they will be asking a client is, would you like that super-sized?” That got a round of hard laughs from everyone. “OH! Neil! Don’t you even think about it, asking if I want anything super-sized? Dear heart, does that work for you?”

Carl chimed in, “Neil, it is so lovely seeing you with a ring in your nose.”

I sat there in silence, shaking my head. Knowing well that being quiet was my best and only option. As I wondered what was next.

A few weeks later, while Amy was at the grocery store, she ran into Kat there. “Hi Amy, have you got a moment? I fear I might have come on a heavy when I ran into you and Neil at the square a couple of weeks ago. Honestly, I don’t why, but I was surprised to see you guys there. Through Sandy, I had kept up with what Neil was doing and knew you guys had gotten married and lived here. I guess, first of all, congratulations. Neil is a great guy, but when I knew him, I just couldn’t see getting married and going to school at the same. Everything just short-circuited in my head, and I ran. Can I buy you a cup of coffee, and maybe we can chat and hopefully get to know each other a bit?”

“Sure, Kat. By the way, here along the gulf coast, the beverage of choice is ice tea, usually sweet tea.”

“Thanks for telling me that, and by the way, you are correct; I’m Kat. I have a hard time flipping from the professional world to the real world. Here’s a kick for you, Sandy puts on seminars on one or another topic for fellow artists. In those seminars, she uses her maiden name, Sandy Abbot. When she’s going around for the foundation, she uses her married name, Sandra Willamson. What blows me away is that people don’t recognize that she is the same person and how smoothly she flows from one to the other persona.”

It was delightful talking with her once the claws were in. Kat went on to tell about school and why she wanted to come here to Bird’s Nest. I knew the school had a solid local reputation. For many of our projects, we had hired recent grads to work on one or another phase. Also, we had a host apprentices helping out as well. I explained to Kat why we actively went after the new grads. Neil and I hope that the students would get experience and progress to become a general contractor or a skilled artisan working in the field. I used to live and work in Boston. Back home, there is a crying need for people with the skills that the folks that graduate from the school here have. If she knows of any of her students that want to go there, please let me know. I know a lot of people that would die to have them working with them. I told Kat about the Meadows; she didn’t know who was doing the project and was surprised to discover that I was the principal architect.

Kat asked if we ever used a color consultant, which I had never considered. What she suggested in how to use color in various applications was way beyond anything I’d seen. I knew that I would be talking with Neil about doing this. Doing this would move the Medows to a higher level at a minimal additional cost.

What amazed me was that we had been sitting here for two hours chatting away like the best of old friends who were catching up with each other after having not seen each other for some time. Something between us clicked on a fundamental personal level. I wanted to hate this woman, but instead, I liked her.

“Hi, babe,” Neil called, walking in the house, “how was your day, Miss Sweetcheeks?”

“Let me tell you, I actually had a most amazing day. You recall our what? Encounter, is that the word a couple of weeks ago with your ex?” Amy handed me a glass of wine as I knew what would come next would not be pretty. “Neil, we had a delightful conversation about everything and nothing at the same time. We talked about the school, what she is doing there, and what the school wants to do next. Did you know they are actively considering do a program in culinary arts? That’s something totally new for the school. They have been focused on areas supporting the restoration, renovation, remodeling, or constructing period buildings. Sandy paid the school to take on their new home as a demonstration project for plastering techniques. The plaster moldings are a tour de force of what is doable, and the Venetian plaster is killer. The walls in their dining room look like they are made of marble, but they are plaster. The wrought iron the folks there do is like sculpture. They did a series of panels to make up a fence that looks like lace, but hell, they form a security fence. A few of the houses in our development are examples of what they do with post and beam construction. In our home, the transom windows are stained glass that graduates of the school did. And it goes when anyone looks at a building, applying traditional crafts to buildings. What they are looking to do with this culinary program is along the same line. They aren’t going for classic preparations; instead, they want to go towards Grandma cooking. Our grandmothers made very simple local fresh dishes from things she grew in her garden or were harvested locally. Grandmother always made a dinner that filled the soul with good food. Doing a program like that is in line with the primary mission of the school, the preservation of traditional skills and crafts.”

The both of us were sitting on the sofa and talking while we looked out the glass wall that made up the back of our home. “Amy, I have always thought that what the school does is excellent. You know, on the old trust property we have. Behind town, there’s the old creamery building. We have kicked around more different ideas on what to do with that building besides tearing it down and put something else there. I wonder, do you think the school would be interested in taking that building and converting it into their new culinary school? Between Sandy and Charlie, as well you and me; we know damm near everyone there. What do you think? Might there be interest on their part?”

“Baby? What’s the worst answer you can get? No?” Putting her glass of wine down, my sweet imp spun around on the sofa and looked me in the eye. “Hey, Mister Man. In case you might be asking, the answer is yes!” With that, her arms were wrapped around my neck, and I saw the most a wonderful smile. “The only question to be answered is, here or the bedroom?”

“WOMAN!!! You are impossible!”

“YES, MISTER MAN, for once, you are correct. I am impossible, an impossible horny wench. Your wench, so what are you going to do about that?” Slowly we dissolved into this warm, soft kiss that lifted us both up. Again we slowly explored each other, the both of us knowing the buttons that turned each other into a lake of bubbling passions. And how to tap those buttons just right. Amy’s button is her ears, nibbling on her ear lobes, and she melted away into one after another soft mews like a kitten. While she had found a couple of spots on the back of my neck that take me out along the Milky Way. When she started rolling those special spots about, I would melt into a puddle beside her. The joy of being long-time lovers was so incredible. We both knew each other and how to enjoy each other, so we soared into the heavens.

All I could do was cry out, “Amy, you are lovely, my dear woman, you are so wonderful. You take me to places that I could never dream of. You are the best.” Slowly pulling her top up and uncovering those sweet breasts. “MMM, good girl. You forgot your bra again.”

“Honey, I didn’t forget to wear a bra. I didn’t wear a bra on purpose. I know my horn dog of a boyfriend likes it when I don’t. And well, horn dog, I do go out of my way to please you. Besides, I don’t like how a bra makes me feel all confined. Sure I like it when you restrain me on our bed spread eagle and totally open to you. Then you attack me. I remember all too well when we went for a walk in the forest preserve. And you found that feather some bird had lost. Then with a glint in your eyes, you told me that you were going to tie me spread eagle on our bed and take the feather you found to explore me. You know what that did me to me, don’t you?”

“Uhh??? No honey, did that have some effect?”

“See if this has some effect!” As suddenly, her fist collided with my shoulder. “Asshole. You know, asshole, that restraining me spread eagle on our bed does have price. Afterward, you have to change the sheets.” That was the entry point for a wicked giggle as my imp tossed her head about. “You know what was worse than that damm feather? Blindfolding me, so I had no clue what evilness you were up to. The time you attacked me, an ice cube was pure hell, you asshole.”

“Amys? Was that now. And exactly how many times did you cum then? Was it five, or was it seven? I seem to have forgotten.”

“Asshole, I still owe for that, you know!”

“Honey? Next time, and yes, there will be a next time. Should I blindfold you, then gag you, and slip on those new noise-canceling earphones you like so much?”

“You know I do love you so very much, my dear wonderful husband. But I had no idea you were such a total asshole. Yeah, a wonderful, loving and giving husband, who is an asshole too.” Suddenly my girl wrapped my head in her arms as once again we slowly ran our lips over each other’s lips. A very soft, warm, loving kiss that rattled the core of my being. As Amys leaned back and held my eyes in hers, “oh? Honey? Don’t you dare think about so casually strolling out of the bedroom, leaving me tied down to the bed with a vibrator resting on my clit. That, Mister Asshole, topped your list of being an unadulterated dick weed. Even if I did squirt from that one. You’re still a shithead. Sure, my loving shithead, but still, that was pure torture, shithead.”

“Woman! That’s it. You are about to get that pert little ass seriously spanked.”

“Yeah, yeah. All that talk of yours is cheap.”

After that comment, I reached and took both of her hands in mine. And pulled my bride across my lap while pushing her skirt up to her waist. “Looks like you forget something else today, like panties.” With that, I set about giving Amy the spanking that she so richly deserved. Which in turn lead to a series of howls and soft cries. Pressing my hand between my girl’s parted legs and slowly exploring, looking for her hidden clit as my thumb petted the cute little hidden rose. “I know what you need, baby. Oh, yessss, yes I do. You need to wear your butt plug for the rest of the day.” That comment brought about a shuttered as she once more Amy was lost along the milky way leading into the heavens of another climax.

“You, you did it again! How in the name of, of? I don’t know. But you, my dear husband, can you call a climax out of me with just a whisper. I am left like a wet towel dropped on the counter. Niel, I so love you, my wonderful husband. Thank you, dearest.” Slowly we curled up on the sofa and started to drift off together.

Into this soft, warm haze came Ru’s insistent barking at the front door. “OH! Shit! That’s got to be Erin and Fred. Remember, Timmy’s to spend the weekend with us while they go and pick up her sister.”

“Having Timmy around is good, but not half as good as this time with you is. Go and let Ru out to greet his partner in crime while I get dressed.” With that, Ru dashed out the door and down the steps to the driveway. Along the way, he found a stick, knowing that his bestie loved to toss a stick for him.

When Fred opened the car door, Timmy got him out of his seat with a solemn look. As Ru danced around his feet, the best Timmy could say was something like, oh hi Ru. Something was going on; usually, Timmy would be joyfully playing with Ru, but not this time. I walked over to him, “Timmy, what’s on, partner?”

“I got in trouble at school. This fourth-grader pushed me and, and I fell down. I got up and hit him.” With a glint in his eye. “I gave him a black eye. He’s a bully anyway, pushing us third-graders around out on the playground. He’s not nice! So I can’t go to school and see my friends Monday and Tuesday.”

“Honey, can you help Timmy for a minute while I talk with Erin?”

“Hey, guys, no problems. You two have a site visit Monday and Tuesday that you’ve been working towards for ages. Ain’t nobody gunna miss the damm boss if I’m not in the office the first of the week. Timmy can stay with us, and us men will go hunting orcs over in the forest preserve with Ru.”

“Neil, you are the best. Thank you.” Then Erin gave me almost as good a hug as Amy does.

“Erin! You go and figure out what’s going on with your sister and leave the manly orc hunting to us.”

Amy had been standing on the side holding Timmy’s hand while I spoke with Erin and Fred. “Neil, you are impossible! I gotta wonder who is older? You or Timmy? And honestly, my vote goes to Timmy. And by the way, Neil Terrell, don’t you two trouble makers think about taking Ru to the dog groomers to have his coat died pink and green. Do you the both of you two understand me, mister?” Well, that idea got everybody laughing.

“Darling? Thank you, dear. Wonder what’s going on with Erin’s sister? Hope she didn’t go on the road that we traveled with a long-term relationship falling apart. Anyway, need to get a fire going out in the firepit so me and my partner can cook us some hotdogs for our dinner. Miss Amy, should me and my partner cook you a hotdog too?”

“Neil, you are impossible. We both want children, but that hasn’t worked for us. But, when you get around Timmy. I do shake my head and wonder. Yes, do ask Timmy to please make his Aunt Amy one of his special hotdogs.”