I want to thank all the readers who have commented, either here on Lit or via PM, about this story. I love hearing what you think! I'm working on the conclusion of the story right now, and hope to submit it shortly. For those of you who have read Chapters 1 and 2, you know this is a slow build-up. This chapter doesn't have any actual sex either, but I promise it is on the way in the conclusion.
As Colleen moved through the living room toward the hall, she glanced out the bay windows which provided a clear view of the large back yard. Tiny white Christmas lights still twinkled on the eaves of their mother's small studio out back, even though it was now late January. The rest of the studio was in darkness. Their mother, Silvia Prentice, had been heartbroken at her husband's death, but time and new activities worked their healing power. After her initial shock of loss and sadness eased off, Mrs. Prentice found she had a lot of lonely hours on her hands. She started playing bingo at the Senior Center once a week, joined a bowling league, and even braved going out dancing with friends once in a while. Along the way, she made a number of new friends. That morning, she had left with one of those new friends, a 75-year old gentleman, on a cruise to Alaska!
How wrong is it, that my mom is probably getting some nooky right now, at her age, while I'm left high and dry?
wondered Colleen.
Reaching her bedroom, she sank down onto the bed, stomach churning. Raising her glass, she noticed her hand was trembling, and she let out a rueful laugh.
My god, what's the matter with me? I know it's been months since I got laid, but to go completely to pieces just because Matt touched me. My own brother! I almost rubbed up on him right there in the kitchen, like a cat in heat!
She kicked her shoes off and wiggled her feet.
Damn pointy toes – designed for sex appeal and definitely not for comfort!
Carefully unrolling and removing her thigh high stockings, she placed them on the bed next to her. Falling back against the pillows, Colleen stared up at the ceiling and reflected on the last few weeks of her life.
Returning to her home town had been interesting, to say the least. For one thing, she could no longer hide behind a pair of dark glasses and feel confident that she could walk down the street without being noted and recognized by
someone
. It didn't matter that she hadn't lived in this town for eleven years; she still knew a lot of people and they knew her. A couple of the cashiers at the grocery store were former classmates; a high school boyfriend was now a local cop; her seventh grade English teacher, Mrs. Gowry, called the bingo numbers at the Senior Center every Thursday night. Beyond that, she passed numerous other familiar faces, people she knew at least well enough to nod to, or wave hello when they passed in the street.
Colleen was working part-time at a bookstore downtown, and taking a full class load in the afternoon and evenings at the local beauty college. It had been Matt who suggested she consider returning to her original career goal of obtaining her cosmetology license. The idea had appealed to Colleen and she was happy to find out she was far from the only student over thirty in her classes. She had already made several friends that could turn out to be future business partners.
Almost every one of them, except her friend Trey, who was gay, asked if she was "seeing anyone special?" or wondered when she was going to settle down. Trey was only twenty-three and didn't see the point in settling down. "Honey, when there are so many fine guys out there, why pick just one?"
What was she supposed to tell them? "Well, I would love to settle down, but you see, there's this little problem. I'm in love with my brother. What's even worse is that I'm in
lust
with him. I want him inside me so deep that I don't know where he ends and I begin; I want him to walk into my room right now, rip my clothes off and fuck me so hard the neighbors call the police because of all the screaming. He's in my blood and has been ever since we started playing touchy-feely during his haircuts. I'm so pathetic that I've been dating a man for three years just because he looks like my brother!"
Yes, it was true. She had been shallow enough to date Brian, put up with his infidelities, his cheapness, his selfishness in the bedroom and out, simply because he looked amazingly like Matt. The pale imitation had been satisfactory until she was face to face with the real thing every day.
Meeting Brian tonight for what was supposed to be the start of a wonderful "romantic" week-end had finally made Colleen face the reality that their relationship had been built on false pretenses.
Brian worked as a pilot for another airline, and they had been fixed up on a blind date by mutual friends. They arranged to meet at a local restaurant, in the small bar tucked off the waiting area. Colleen arrived first and seated herself at a small table that faced the entrance. When Brian walked into the lounge, holding a single red carnation (as they agreed, so as to better recognize each other), Colleen felt an instant rush of pure attraction. He looked vaguely familiar, the shape of his nose, his dark blond hair, or maybe it was the way his mouth quirked up on one side when he smiled. She couldn't think of who it was he reminded her of; all she knew was she found him incredibly sexy.
Their first date passed in a blur; afterward Colleen couldn't remember much of what they talked about, only that she had been instantly smitten with Brian. The night ended at his apartment, the attraction mutually acknowledge as they tumbled into bed. The sex itself had been a little rushed and fumbling, but she put that down to first time jitters. Snuggled against Brian afterwards as he snored in his sleep, Colleen felt nothing but satisfaction and contentment.
After that, they fell into an easy routine. Colleen understood that Brian's schedule always took precendence over hers, and became adept at dealing with last minute cancellations of plans, whether it was Brian calling to cancel because he got called to cover a flight, or a meeting with one of his friends ran longer than expected, or Colleen cancelling plans she'd made with her friends because Brian called without prior notice and wanted to see her. She became the kind of woman she'd sworn she never would, treating her friends as filler for any free time she wasn't spending with Brian. Some of her friends tried to gently share their concerns about the way Brian treated her; but love, infatuation, call it what you will, usually doesn't leave a lot of room for comon sense. If your friends can't see your man's innate fabulousness, you think they don't get to see his "real side," the way he is when it's just the two of you, alone together. Besides, if you're happy with the way things are, then why should your friends get all bent out of shape?
Seeing the writing on the wall, most of her friends stopped saying anything at all; and others simply began to drift away. Her friend Tilly gave her one last warning, "You shouldn't judge a book by its cover, Colleen. You think that man is all that and a bag of chips, but I'm telling you, he's gonna let you down some day." Colleen remembered how she rolled her eyes and laughed at Tilly, thinking "yeah, right."
