It had been two months since Barb began her wicked affair with her grandson, Kurt. He'd lost in the second round of the statewide wrestling championship. But, thanks to his weekly trips to his grandmother's house, it hardly seemed to matter to him. All those weekends together had deepened and solidified their connection. It had also spurred them into more and more adventurous lovemaking.
More significantly for Barb, thanks to Kurt's love and to Doctor Pam's purple elixir, she'd discovered something fundamental about herself - - she was a sexual being. After a lifetime of thinking of sex as a sometimes pleasant, more often routine event, she'd discovered that sex could be a wild, amazing opportunity for pleasure and imagination.
She was reflecting on this as she left the parking lot of the mall halfway to Smithville. It was the only place that had a Victoria's Secret and it was far enough from home to guarantee discretion. She patted the glossy shopping bag next to her and licked her lips. Kurt would be home in just two days.
When she got home, she checked the mail. Along with the bills and the fliers, a big brown envelope sat in her mailbox. Once inside, she examined it. Her address was scrawled in blue ink across the front. No return address. Curious, she found a pair of scissors and carefully opened the envelope. A glossy color brochure slipped onto the dining room table.
"Hedonist V" the front of the brochure read in bright crimson letters surrounded by silhouettes of couples. She frowned and unfolded it. Among pictures of men and women in swimsuits and a few missing their swimsuits, paragraphs of text described an "all-adult vacation resort." Barb's frown deepened. Was this a joke from Crystal? As she pushed the brochure back into the envelope, the phone rang.
"Hello," Barb said, sliding the envelope out of view.
"Hi, Barbara." It was Doctor Pam. "How are you?"
"Great, thanks," Barb answered. Her eyes glanced across the Victoria's Secret bag she'd dropped onto the dining room table. "Really great."
She could almost hear Doctor Pam smile.
"I won't make this long," the other woman continued in her usual brusque way. "You should have received something in the mail." She paused. "A brochure."
Barb jerked her head from the phone in surprise and she dug the envelope free.
"I did," she answered. "It was quite a surprise."
"Yes," Doctor Pam said in a flat voice. "I'm sure it was. I've booked you a one week vacation."
"What?" Barb exclaimed.
"You've been such a good patient and.... You've made so much progress, I thought you deserved some thanks."
"But... " Barb was flustered. A week in Florida? At some weird resort?
"You leave on Saturday," Doctor Pam continued.
The envelope slid from Barb's fingers..
"Well...I... I... can't," she sputtered. "Kurt's coming this weekend. This is all... all so sudden."
Doctor Pam inhaled deeply. "I know, Barbara," she said. "But don't worry about Kurt. He's already there. In Florida."
Barb froze in confusion.
"Kurt... Florida?"
"That's right," Doctor Pam continued. "He's waiting for you. There. In Florida."
"But... " Barb spat out.
"Relax, Barbara," Doctor Pam said in her calm, measured voice. "I'll explain it all when you get back. For now, you just need to get prepared for your trip."
Barb sighed.
"I've arranged everything - - car to the airport, air flight, etc. etc. I want you to go and have a good time." Doctor Pam paused. "I want you and Kurt to have a good time."
"I... I... " Barb's head swam. Doctor Pam knew everything. "But... I... "
"Nine a.m., Saturday morning." Doctor Pam replied. "Be ready. And... do enjoy yourselves."
The phone clicked.
Barb felt dizzy. How did Doctor Pam know everything? Did she know everything? She plopped onto a chair and pulled the brochure from the envelope. Her eyes roamed slowly over the photographs. Sun. Sand. Bare skin. She gulped and tried to call Kurt but he didn't pick up.
"Kurt, honey," she said when his voicemail invited her. "Call me back, sweetie. I just had the strangest conversation. About Florida."
Kurt didn't call her until the next afternoon. He too had received an envelope - - with the same brochure and a plane ticket to Miami. He said he'd also been confused until Doctor Pam called him and explained everything. They'd just finished talking.
"But.. this is really a little weird, don't you think?" Barb asked.
Kurt chuckled.
"Maybe," he replied. "But a week in Florida sounds pretty good to me."
Over the next five minutes he reassured her that all would be well. And, he convinced her how much fun Florida would be. Especially if they enjoyed it together. By the time they hung up, Barb was even feeling a little excited to get on the airplane.
Two days later, Barb stepped into the warm, humid air of South Florida. The sun was bright, but she had packed her sunglasses. A tan-skinned man in a dark uniform stood outside the baggage claim holding a sign with her name on it. He closed the passenger door and the cool air-conditioning of the big Lincoln wicked the sweat off her forehead.
After a couple of minutes, Barb tapped on the plastic divider between herself and the driver. He slid the divider open.
"I'm sorry," Barb began. "I was supposed to meet someone here."
The man nodded. "I drive him down to Campo Bello this morning. He wait for you there, I think."