True to her word, Crystal moved out that weekend, moving back into the apartment she had shared with a friend before meeting me. Donna wanted to move in, which I refused, wanting to spend some time trying to figure life out first. Just what did I want? With Crystal gone, I found that I missed her much more than I would have thought. In those few months we had grown closer than even I realized. In the weeks that followed, she still came by frequently, but always refused to spend the night, saying that she didn't want to go back to that unless we were going to be serious again and not just play. It was just too difficult for her otherwise. I couldn't blame her because even though I still invited her, I knew that in the morning it would be hard to say goodbye.
Marge stopped by frequently as well, occasionally for sex, but mostly just to "hang out" as she put it, trying to help me find some direction to my life. In some ways she was like a mother, in others a lover. She had on some occasions not come alone, which was her version of dating. She would bring a sexy woman, usually younger than her, but not always, and spend an afternoon doing things. Those things didn't always include sex. Often it was just watching a movie or playing some games or the three of us taking a long walk in the woods. As the early winter cold settled in and the much longer nights took over, I was starting to feel quite closed in. It was always this way as winter came into it's own. I was a very outdoors person, and the winter months made it difficult to want to or even find daylight to be outside. With six inches of fresh wet snow on the ground from an early November storm, I was surprised to see a forecast for low fifties for Saturday and immediately started looking forward to getting out for a hike.
"Hello Michael." I heard as I answered my cell, the caller ID showing Williams, but the voice clearly not that of Marge.
"Hi. Christina?" I asked cautiously.
"Yeah, it's me. I was wondering what you were doing this weekend?"
"Well, I was planning on going for a hike. I thought some nice snow pictures would be fun."
"Ahhh, okay, I can do that," she said as if I had just invited her.
"Oh?"
"Sure. Mom said you wanted to take me out this weekend, and that all I needed to do was call and find out what you planned."
"Ahhh, I see."
"She's being a busy body, isn't she? You really didn't invite me, did you?" she asked after a few seconds of silence.
"She means well."
"Yeah, she's been trying to get us hooked up since the canoe trip."
"Uh huh. She refused to tell me what you were wearing to the party though, so I could have met up with you and not even known it."
"Well, maybe some time I'll tell you what I was wearing. Anyway, you seemed like you were pretty busy there anyway."
"A bit," I answered, suddenly feeling embarrassed. "I seemed to attract younger women interested in only one thing."
"And as a guy you're complaining about that?" she asked with a chuckle. "I think my mother may have played some role in that. Oh, by the way, how are things going with Crystal?"
"Oh, I thought your mom would have told you. She moved out. Mutual decision."
"Actually, she did. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't stepping on someone else's toes," she said quietly.
"Nope, none at all."
"Well, I guess that's all I wanted. Have a good weekend!" she said cheerfully.
"Christina!" I said before she could hang up.
"Yeah?"
"You know, if you wanted to, I'd be more than happy to take you along."
"Hiking in the snow?"
"Yeah, take a few pictures. Snowscapes can be nice, especially if it's sunny."
She paused a few moments before answering, "Okay, I can do that."
"Want me to pick you up or you wanna come by here?"
"How about I drive myself over. What time? Tenish?"
"Tenish works fine for me," I answered. "See you Saturday then."
"Sure, see you then," she said before hanging up.
"Marge!" I said looking at the phone and shaking my head. She'd been trying to get me to take her adopted daughter out since the canoe trip. To be honest, neither of us were particularly excited about the idea at the campsite. She'd heard about the antics of some of the girls and after the car hood thing, she seemed more interested in keeping her distance than anything else. Oh well, I wouldn't turn down the company, knowing that Crystal was tied up, or at least she said she was.
The next day was a typical work day, though it seemed to drag on a bit. I was kind of surprised to realize I was looking forward to the weekend, and maybe getting to know Christina, or at least prove to her that I wasn't a complete dip shit intent on fucking every skirt that walked by. I'm pretty sure that was her impression, at least. Someday I was going to have to move on from Crystal and find someone serious. If living with Crystal had taught me anything, it was that I didn't want to be alone any longer. Not that I didn't have plenty of women to pick from, but I just hadn't found that "right" person. I cared for both Crystal and Donna, but the more I looked at Donna the more I realized that I wasn't sure I wanted to end up married to her. And Crystal, well, we all know the problem with Crystal, and it wasn't emotional attachment. They were both fun. I wanted to spend time with them, but marry? No, not really. After Crystal moved out, I realized that we wouldn't have made it anyway, or at least that's what I kept telling myself every time I missed her.
Saturday morning came as quiet and unassuming as always. It was still dark when I got up. I settled in with my laptop to do a little writing and then finally got up for a shower and breakfast about eight. With still an hour before Christina was supposed to show up, I got out my camera gear, checked lenses and batteries, stuffed my gear, some bottled water and snacks into my pack and then dug out what I would call lightweight winter wear. I was used to the winter, so for me a pair of long johns, knee high muck hunting boots, a sweatshirt and a light coat were all that I really needed. Of course, a hat and some light gloves would top it all off, but it wasn't a particularly big load to wear. With things packed and ready I sat back down for some more writing, waiting for Christina to show up.
The doorbell dragged me out of the middle of the science fiction novel I was writing, prompting me to get up and answer the door.
"Wow," I whispered as I opened the door. "Christina?"
"That's me!" the woman on the other side of the door said. She was about five and a half feet tall, wearing a pink down jacket with white furry cuffs and hood trim, pink, blue and gray yoga style pants that tightly encased her shapely legs, and pink calf high boots with white fur trim around the tops. Her brown hair cascaded over her shoulders and the hood of her jacket from under a white and pink knit cap with a pink pom-pom on top. She wasn't thin, but definitely not fat either. Even through the padding of the down coat I could see she was maybe a size ten or twelve and had a very shapely chest. She was a far cry from the last time I'd seen her at the river, her whole body covered in a baggy gray sweatsuit and her hair up in a rather unattractive bun.
"Come on in," I said after a few moments staring at her, stepping back from the door to allow her to walk in.
"So. Where are we going hiking?" she asked as she stepped through the door.
