The Magic Mug

The Magic Mug

"I AM SO STRESSED OUT!!!!!!" Screams Tina from down the hall.

"What can I do, baby?" Dave responds as he hops off the living room couch and makes his way to the bedroom.

"Nothing. There's just so much going on. I have to give finals at school. You have a concert. The kid has all her activities. I'm just exhausted."

"I bought a lottery ticket," Dave, being extremely helpful. "So let me tell you what my admin wants me to do next year."

"Wait," Tina stops him. "Come here." Dave walks closer. Tina grabs his shirt, pulls him down to her, and kisses him firmly on the lips.

"I love you, and I'm not blaming you for anything. But I can't handle hearing about your shifty admin right now."

He laughs and gives her another kiss. "I love you," he says as he sits down on the bed. "Is there anything I can do over spring break next week? Wanna take a day off with me?"

"No, I can't. The kid still has her stuff, and I need to prepare my classes. That school shuts down when I'm not there."

Dave smiles and nods. "On the upside," Tina continues, "someone gave me this beautiful mug."

"Oh, that's nice. Who gave it to you?"

She hands him the semi-transparent ceramic cup with purple stripes within the glass.

"I don't know. It was on my desk when I got back from the copy room. Can you make me some tea?"

"Of course."

Dave takes the fancy new mug to the kitchen and makes her a glass of tea.

"I just wish we could have a night alone with no school work, no tennis, nothing. Just us." She takes a sip of your tea.

"Wow, this is really good. What kind of tea is this?"

"Um...it was in a yellow wrapper? I don't know."

Dave and Tina head to the living room. Tina sets her new fancy cup down on the end table. Just as she lets go, they both hear matching electronic beeps from both sides of the bedroomroom.

"You have your ringer on?" She asks him.

"You have your ringer on?" He asks back.

They exchange confused looks as we check out devices.

"Email from your principal?" I ask.

"Yeah," you confirm.

[Good evening Students, Staff, and Families. A construction mishap across the street from the school has resulted in damage to several utility lines. Currently, there is no electricity or water service to our building. We do not expect service to be restored until late Saturday. As a result, we are forced to cancel classes for tomorrow. I apologize for any inconvenience this causes in your daily schedule, but it is not safe to have students and staff on campus without proper utility service.]

"Wow, someone's definitely getting fired for that," Dave says. "You've gotta screw up pretty big to cut two different utilities."

"You know what this means?!?! I get a day off, and nothing at school will happen without me!" Tina almost shouts.

"Yeah!"

Tina's phone beeps again. Picking it up, she sees a text from Patricia Smith, the mom of one of their daughter Katie's friends from school.

[No school tomorrow. Had an idea. Can I call?]

Tina tells her she can, and her phone rings right away.

"TINA!" I can hear from the other couch. "My girls have been asking if Katie can come over for a playdate. And I just saw that email from the school, so I thought tomorrow might be a good day."

"Yeah, that would be great. She'd love it."

"Fantastic. We were going to take everyone up to the aquarium in Phoenix, if that's ok."

"Oh, she'll love that. We've been there a couple times."

"Great. We'll see you in the morning, and probably have her all day."

"We'll see you in the morning."

You hang up.

"Well hot shit!" Dave exclaims. "We get a day off together!"

"Oh yeah, you have grading day tomorrow. Do you have to go to school?"

"Nope. Grades are done."

"Nice."

"So I don't have to finish my work right now." Tina closes her computer and lets out a big sigh. What are the odds? But we're not going to complain.

"OK Google. What's the weather tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow in Phoenix, it will be sunny with a high of 74, and a low of 52. A good day for having fun."

They look at each other as they hear the odd response from Google.

"It's adding its opinion on the weather now?"

"Weird."

Suddenly, both of their phones start playing music. "Every Little Thing She Does is Magic" by the Police plays in stereo in the living room.

"Is Google going crazy?" Tina asks. Dave looks at his phone.

"It's a phone call," He says.

"Mine too. That's not my ringtone, though."

"Should we answer it?"

"I guess?"

Just as she tries to swipe her screen, the music stops.

"Maybe they'll call back?" A few seconds later, Sting comes back on both phones.

Dave swipes to answer.

"Hello" he says.

"Hello, is this Dave?" A female voice says on the line.

"Yes it is."

"My name Faye. I'm calling from Magical Adventures Unlimited. Is your wife, Tina available? This concerns her too."

"Is there something wrong?" Tina looks at Dave with a concerned look as he talks on the phone.

"Oh, absolutely not. If she's there, can you put me on speaker?"

Dave walks over to Tina, taps the speaker button, and sets the phone down on the armrest of the couch.

"Ok, we're both here."

"Good evening to the both of you!. Again, my name is Faye, from Magical Adventures Unlimited. Someone who knows you both very well has given you a gift. Recently you received the Mug of Mitigation."

"Oh, yes. It was left on my desk. Clear-ish with purple stripes?"

"That's it!" Faye says. It's a reward of sorts. Someone thought that you two are a very special couple, both personally and professionally. The Mug of Mitigation is an ancient artifact that provides some time away to let deserving people relax from their stressful lives."

"Ancient artifact... you sound like it's magic or something," Dave say in disbelief.

"Is it so hard to believe? A day off of school. A full-day play date."

"How did you know that?" Tina asks.

"Let's just say that the fates are conspiring in your favor. Don't worry. Your school will be up and running Monday. No one will get fired for cutting power lines. And the Smith's will discover the aquarium's 'buy 3 get 1 free' deal, so they won't even have to pay for Katie."

Dave and Tina just stare at each other in silence as Faye lets them process what's going on. After a few seconds she continues.

"We have a little adventure for the two of you. Tomorrow, after breakfast, our specially designed stretched limo will pick you up from your house, and take you on a private tour of the prettiest sights around Phoenix. Lunch and refreshments will be provided, and I guarantee it will be a day to remember for both of you."

They look at each other, trying to gauge the other's reaction. Dave nods to Tina, and she agrees.

"That sounds like fun," Tina say to Faye. "What time should we be ready?"

"Oh, we'll be ready when you are."

The call ends. Tina and Dave just stare at each other, each assuming they're having a joint hallucination. Tina takes another sip of your tea from the magic mug. Sorry, the Mug of Mitigation.

"It's still hot," she says.

"And look at it," Dave adds. The purple stripes inside the glass now have gold specks flowing up and down.

"I don't..understand..." he mumbles.

"I guess we're going with magic, then."

They go to bed thinking about what their tour will be.

"Maybe a scenic desert drive outside of town," Dave suggests.

"That could be cool," Tina answers. "I don't know what else there is."

"There are tours through the boneyard at the Air Force Base."

"Blah. I mean, ok. But that's not what I want to do on our day together. There's no drive-thru tour of the desert museum, is there?"

"I don't think so," He says.

"I wish we could see the Winterhaven lights," Tina say cheerfully. "It would be really cool to be driven through the neighborhood."

"Too bad it's March."

The gold specks in the magic mug swirl around. If they weren't paying attention to it, they probably wouldn't have noticed. But it's definitely not the pattern from a minute ago.

"Does that mean something" Dave asks, talking to both Tina and the mug.

"I guess we'll see where the magic limo takes us."

Getting to sleep feels like being a kid on Christmas Eve. Eventually they fall asleep, sleepin in till about 7. Early for a day off, but late for a school day. They explain to Katie how the school doesn't have power and her play date. Of course she's excited, and gets dressed as fast as she can. Tina get a text that the Smith's are on their way. Dave gets Katie on the road while you take a shower. Once she's on her way, Dave hops in the shower, and gets dressed before his wife.

Not knowing what to expect, he puts on khaki pants and a Polo. Tina emerges from the bedroom wearing her cute yellow sundress, all made up and ready for whatever the day brings.

"Wow, you look beautiful."

"Thanks Bunky!" She gives him a little kiss. "It's going to be nice today, so I thought this would be nice."

"I love it! Are you ready?"

"I think so. How do we let them know we're ready?"

Within a few seconds, the dogs start barking at the front window. Dave looks out to see what's going on.

"Hey, guess what?"

"There's a limousine here?"

"There's a limousine here."

"Ok then." Tina grabs her purse and they head out the front door. As they approach the long, black Cadillac, the driver opens his door and steps out. A little on the short side, he wears a formal black and white suit with sunglasses.

"You must be Dave and Tina. My name is Gerald, and I will be your host for your tour today. I am here to meet your every request, and to make today as magical as it can be. Once inside the car, I will show you a few key features. But before you step inside, I would draw your attention to the windows. They are entirely one-way glass. You can see out with no problem, but as you can see right now, no one can see inside the vehicle. Now, if you will allow me..." Gerald reaches for the door and opens it. "Welcome aboard."

The couple slides into the low seats. Once we're in, it's great. Dave is tall, so he falls into the vehicle. The passenger section of the car is ringed by black leather bench seats. Ten people could sit comfortably in a circle. Gerald closes the door and gets in the driver's seat. His area is open to the passenger area, and he gives Dave and Tina the rundown of his fancy car.

"My car is designed to give you a wonderful afternoon. Towards the front on the left is the beverage cooler, currently stocked with our specialty champagne and orange juice. On the right you will find tasty snacks to take you through your day. Once I close the privacy glass..."

The divider between the driver and passenger compartment slides up. A chime reminding Tina of an old Disney movie sounds and the intercom begins.

"...I won't be able to hear or see you. If you need anything, just push the button on the roof. I'm ready when you are, so let me know when you're ready to go."

Tina reach up and pushes the intercom button. The same sparkling chime sounds.

"We're ready back here. Thank you."

They pull away from the house and head down the road. Dave and Tina just smile at each other in amazement of what's going on. For people who get excited about winning $5 on a lottery ticket, this is pretty amazing.

They drive a few miles north, then west.

"Do you know where we're headed?" Dave asks.

"This is the way I would go to Winterhaven. Nothing else interesting is this way."

They pass some familiar buildings and approach the parking area they usually use each Christmas season.

"Is it getting dark outside?" Dave says, trying to look up through the sunroof.

"Um, it sure looks like it. What's going on?" Tina looks out the back window. Sure enough, the sky dims and the street lights turn on. By the time the car slows for a turn, it's definitely night outside.

The intercom chimes, "welcome to the world-famous Winterhaven Festival of Lights. I'll be taking you through every street, cul-de-sac, back alley, dead end, and Crack house in the Winterhaven development. We'll hit every street a few times from different directions, so don't feel the need to look at everything the first time. Have fun, get distracted, have a drink, and enjoy yourselves. We have all the time in the world."

As they look out the window, they see the first house all lit up.

"It's March, right?"

"It's 10 am right?"

"Magic mug."

"Ok then. Can I make you a mimosa?"

"Oh, yes please."

Dave opens the beverage cooler and removes the bottle of champagne, orange juice, and two glasses. The bottles all open easily, and he pours the liquids together. They take our first sip of the bubbly.

"This is really good. What kind of champagne is this?" Tina asks.

Dave picks up the bottle again and looks at the label.

"Stamina Vineyards," he reads.

"Stamina Vineyards? Stamina for what? Riding in the car all day?"

"Stamina for...whatever goes on in the back of limousines?"

The glasses weren't traditional champagne flutes. They have a wide, heavy base that fits firmly into the cup holders of the car. Dave mixs the two liquids together, and they bubble up to the top of the glasses.

He raisees a glass in toast. "To magical days together, with the love of my life." They clink glasses and take a sip. Immediately he feels a warmth inside.

"There's no way I'm drunk already, but..." Dave trail off.

"Yeah, I feel it too," Tina confirms. Another sip provided similar results.

"I feel like Alice in Wonderland," Dave smile.

"Well, neither of us is shrinking. So at least there's that."

They lay back into the front-facing seat of the car. Dave is against the door. Tina leans against him with his arm around you so we can both see out the left window. Every house is perfectly decorated. For the first few blocks, they cuddle and watch the lights go by. Tina doesn't realize how tired she's been until she just has time to sit and relax. The limo drives very slowly past the decorated houses. They have plenty of time to study each display before moving on to the next. Dave starts to touch the back of Tina's neck as they sit. Gentle strokes behind her ear.

She hums lightly as they cuddle. Her hand slowly strokes my chest. They take another sip of mimosa, and their romantic drive gives them a new view of familiar sights.

"We need some music," Dave says.

"Ok." Tina reachs up and taps the intercom. "Hi Gerald. Could you put on some quiet music for us?"

"Of course," he answers. And of course, it's amazingly similar to their Spotify playlist used for sexy time at home. All the tunes they like, plus some great additions.

"Nice. Good idea," Tina says. Dave squeezes her shoulder, pulling her into him. She continues, "you know...usually when we're listening to this, we're..."

Her hand moves down his chest, over his belly, and rests in his lap. He sighs in happiness as she rubs him through his pants.

"He can't see us right?" She asks.

"I don't think so."

"Good."

Confidently Tina unbuckles Dave's belt and upzip his pants. He keeps his hand around her shoulder and gives her a little squeeze. Her hand reaches in and pulls the waistband of his boxers down. Already excited, his dick springs straight up. Without losing sight of the millions of lights outside, she wraps her fingers around his shaft.

"Sorry, I felt anxious just sitting here," Tina jokes. "I had to do something to keep my hands busy."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. I'm happy I could help." Just as gently as he touchs the back of her neck, she traces the underside of his penis. They drive a block or so as she plays with him. Towards the bottom, she struggles with his pants. Dave's belt buckle flops around against Tina's hand, and the fabric is somewhat in the way. She reachs across his waist, grabs the top of his pants, and pulls them down. He lifts his butt off the seat and helps from the other side.

Free from the thick fabric, Tina's hand pets her husband's shaft unrestricted. Dave leans down to kiss his wife's head, and runs his fingers through her hair. Freely, she glides her fingers over him. He almost purrs at her touch. Another block down the road, and she gets a bit more involved. A firmer grasp and more deliberate motion feels so good for Dave. She leans in, letting him scratch her back. They continue their innocent commentary on the decorations outside.

"That one has a neat flashing pattern," Tina say, leaning down an inch.

"This house has a clever motion," Dave says, leaning back as much as he can.

Dave hears Tina take a deep breath.

"Oh God, that's good." Dave says. He looks away from the lights, glancing down at the back of his wife's head. He runs his fingers through her hair as her head bobs up and down on his lap.

Tina puts her expert technique to work, as always. Dave's moans and sighs fill the back of the limo. Wanting to get back to watching the lights, she wastes no time. Her lips, tongue, and hands work in perfect concert.

"Yeah, baby" he mutters under his breath. He can hear her slurp, making him smile to himself. Giving a blowjob in the back of a limo, you dirty girl. But it doesn't take long for them to realize something's off.

"You ok?" Tina asks.

"Oh, yeah."

She sits up so they can talk. "I just thought you'd be done by now."

"Yeah, I was trying, too. What was the name of that champagne?"

Tina picks up the bottle and reads the label. "Stamina Vineyards."

"Ok then." Quickly she leans back down and takes him back between your lips. For another few seconds, she swirls her tongue around him. After she sits up and leans back against him.

He kisses the top of her head as they look out the far window. "That was nice," Dave says happily.

His arm rests over her shoulder as they travel another block. The car creeps past the decorations on their magical tour. The seats of the car are low, so Dave can stretch out as Tina lays against him. Outside they see some familiar displays. The cartoon cutouts. The recycled political campaign signs made into decorations. Tina puts her legs up along the bench seat to relax. Dave's arm draws over her and he pulls her tight.

Without reaching too far, Dave can slip the left strap of Tina's dress down over her shoulder. She doesn't say anything, but she helps the fabric fall. She pulls the right strap off her shoulder and slides the top of her yellow dress down to her waist. Taking her invitation, Dave runs a finger down her chest and rests his palm on her left breast. She lets out a deep breath as he tracees her areola and nipple.

Down the road the couple continues. They pass a house we saw earlier, now going the other direction. The driver doesn't seem to mind repeating the same roads. Dave leans down a bit and kisses Tina behind her ear as his fingers keep playing. He gently kneads her breasts and rolls her nipples between his fingers. She lets out an occasional happy sigh.

After several minutes she lays back onto his lap. She can only see the lights in the trees, but it gives her husband better access. With the top of her dress still bunched around her waist, he can use both my hands to massage her chest. A sexy smile crosses Tina's face.

One finger touches her lips, and she kisses it as it trails off. She feels it draw a line over her chin, along her neck, between her breasts, and over her belly. Dave pauses to gather the bottom of her dress. Inch my inch, he scrunches the fabric together, revealing more of her legs. He uncovers her knees, then most of her thighs. The cool air of the car's vents blows against her skin. Dave gathers the end of your dress above Tina's hips and discovers nothing beneath.

"No panties?" he say, surprised.

"I didn't think you'd mind."

Tina's whole cute yellow sundress is now wrinkled up like a belt. His hand that traced down her upper body continues. Over her belly, and down her right leg. Changing direction at her knee, it moves back up and in. Slowly he touchs the inside of her leg, up between them, and brushs against your tender hair.