The Secret Lives of Housewives (20 page)

“I'd love to,” Angie said with a wide grin. “I guess I'm supposed to protest some more about you lending the car to me, but it's so wonderful that I'm done with arguments. Wait until Tony hears that I'll finally stop whining about getting one of my own, at least for the moment.”

The four women parted in the parking lot and Angie and Eve got in their cars and left. “Monica,” Cait said as they crossed the lot, “will you talk to Dan about whether Hotguy can easily find me?”

“Sure. I'll call him when I get home, then call you.”

“Call me on my cell. I don't want to take any chances that this will get back to Logan.”

An hour later, Cait's cell phone rang. After a few pleasantries, Monica said, “Dan thinks that unless Hotguy's a real computer insider, finding out specific details about who you really are and where you live would be difficult. Don't give him any help, however. Dan said it's amazing what folks reveal, even when they're trying to be circumspect.”

“I'll be careful, and thanks, Monica. You're a doll.”

“No sweat. Just take care.”

 

At home that evening, Eve sat in the living room, Minnie on her lap,
Titanic
playing soundlessly on the VCR, trying to get up the courage to tell Mike that she couldn't see him any more. This was silly. Even if she made the decision, she couldn't do anything about it until they were alone. She couldn't call him or talk to him in the office where someone might overhear. Well, if she could get some time alone with him, she'd do it tomorrow. If not, it would have to wait until Tuesday in the hotel. It wasn't the best place to do it but it would have to suffice.

She leaned back and turned on the sound so she could listen to Leonardo DiCaprio. As she scratched Minnie's belly, Maxie jumped onto the sofa and soon both cats were purring.

 

Tony was delighted at the idea of Angie using Cait's van. “You're sure she's really serious?”

“I'm sure,” Angie said, feeling totally mellow. “She's such a wonderful woman.”

“You'll have to keep the kids from making a mess in the backseat.”

“I know. I'll keep up with it.” They hugged and Angie felt lighter than she had in months. “It's so great. I feel so free.” She kissed him deeply.

“Let's go into the bedroom and we'll see just how happy you are.”

“Sounds good to me.”

In the bedroom, Tony wrapped his arms around his wife and held her to him as he kissed her with so much passion that she forgot all the things that had been worrying her. The party, Jordanna, their lackluster sex life, all faded into the background. Even the joy that she was going to have a car at her disposal disappeared into the distance as his tongue invaded her mouth. She tasted him, so familiar, yet so sexy. She inhaled the scent of his after-shave, spicy and so, so, so Tony. God, she loved him.

It took only a few embraces for her blood to boil in a way that it hadn't in so long. Suddenly there were no twins, no long, predictable marriage, no quickies in the night. Now it was just the two of them, holding, touching, stroking. She held onto his biceps, strong and powerful from wielding a hammer and saw.

His fingers threaded through her hair and he held her head so he could deepen his kiss still more, while she went to work on the buttons of his shirt. Frustrated by her clumsy fingers, she pulled the tails from his jeans and found the skin of his back beneath. So smooth.

He started to unfasten her jeans, but she quickly stopped him, undoing buttons and zippers until they were both naked. Almost ravenous, they fell onto the bed and with little preamble, he was inside her. Although there had been little foreplay, this didn't feel like their usual quickie. Often she indulged him, enjoying the feel of him inside her, but not totally aroused herself. This time, she was as hot for him as she had been in a long time.

How perfectly he joined with her, how well he fit, how completely they complemented each other. They found each other's rhythm and rocked together, taking and giving simultaneously. When he reached between them to stroke her clit, she felt as if she were soaring, flying. She held him tightly and they moved together. Almost at the same moment they came, muffling their shouts against each other's mouth.

“Mustn't wake the babies,” Tony said as he rolled off of her, laughing softly and yawning. He cuddled her against him and she kissed his chest. He usually fell asleep after they made love but this time it didn't bother her. She was totally satisfied.

“I love you so much,” he purred, his speech slurred with sleep.

“I love you, baby,” she said, meaning it deeply. Did having a car make that much difference or was it the end of a long year of parenting? Whatever, she made a silent vow to hold on to the feelings they had both enjoyed that evening.

“Good night,” he mumbled, then drifted off, still holding her against him.

As she slipped away, too, Angie realized that Tony hadn't used a condom. Not a problem, she reasoned. She had just gotten over her period so she probably wasn't fertile anyway.

The entire Cariri family slept soundly through the night.

T
he following morning, Cait drove her van to Angie's house and the two women hefted two car seats into the back. “Don't worry about any stuff the kids might do back here,” Cait said, struggling with the latch on her side. “When you're done with the car I'll have it detailed, so let the twins be kids.”

“I can't get over your generosity,” Angie said, trying to jiggle the seat belt to be sure it was tight enough beneath Brandon's seat. “Tony was totally floored and sends his deep abiding love. That's a direct quote, mind you. Part of me keeps wanting to fight you and not take you up on your wonderful offer, but another, and I'll freely admit the louder part says, ‘Yay. A car. Shut up and take it.'”

“I'm delighted that you listened to the right voice,” Cait said, standing up and rubbing her lower back.

Once everything was in place, they put the twins into the van and Angie drove it to the mall. “Maneuvering this will take a bit of getting used to. It's so much bigger than our car. Until I master parking, I think I'll put it where there is lots of space.”

“It took me a while, too, but eventually it will feel normal.”

“God,” Angie said as she pulled into the mall parking lot and aimed for a spot where there were no other cars around. “Let's see what I can do with this boat.” She tried to guide it between the parking space lines but when she opened the door to look out she discovered that she was straddling two spaces. “Parking this thing it like berthing a cruise liner.”

“We're in no hurry,” Cait said, remembering the time several years before when Logan had patiently helped her get used to driving this large vehicle.
He can be so great,
she thought. “Why don't you park and pull out a few times to get the feel of it?”

After fifteen minutes of maneuvering, Angie was feeling a bit more confident. With the twins, both dressed in denim baby overalls, MaryLee in a pink shirt, Brandon in navy, in their stroller, she and Cait entered the mall and went directly to the food court. “Real lunch today,” Cait said, “in a real restaurant, in honor of the twins' birthday and the new car.”

“You can't mean that,” Angie said. She pointed to MaryLee and Brandon, comfortably gnawing on teething crackers, wet, chewed starch all over their hands and faces. “These two in a real restaurant?”

“I think I can cope. Come on, Mom, this is a celebration.”

In Mimi's, a noisy restaurant with an entrance off the food court, Angie and Cait sat across from each other, a baby in a high chair on either side. The server quickly brought a small plate for each child, with a paper cup full of Cheerios and a package of crackers. “They're brilliant,” Angie said, dropping three Cheerios on each of the children's trays. The two happily scooped up the cereal and stuffed the little circles into their mouths with gooey fists. “This is great. They really seem to understand kids here.”

“That's why I thought of this place. I've been here several times and kids seem to be welcome and well cared for.”

“You're brilliant,” Angie said, suddenly getting choked up. “I really, really can't thank you enough for the car.”

“Stop thanking me! It's getting tedious.” Cait smiled, her tone deliberately soft. “Anyway, I want to talk to you about something else. I think it's time you graduated from being Mommy to human being status.”

Angie cocked her head to one side. “I don't understand what you're getting at,” she said, dropping several more Cheerios on Brandon's tray without really thinking about it.

“There's a beauty salon over there,” Cait said, pointing to one end of the mall's upper level. “I think you should take time this afternoon to have your hair styled and maybe highlighted. You could have your nails done, as well.”

“I don't think so,” Angie said, handing two more Cheerios to a slightly slobbery MaryLee. “I'm fine the way I am.”

“You are fine the way you are, but fine isn't good enough for my best friend. From what you hinted about at Huck's last night, you and Tony are on the right path. It's time for you to move along a bit further into the realm of sexual beings.” As if she'd done it for years, Cait handed Brandon several more Cheerios, which he shoved into his mouth. Then he pounded his fist on the tray of the high chair. She was becoming pretty adept at this baby thing, Cait thought, not that visiting was anything like having her own, but it was as close as she was probably going to get.

“Tony doesn't care how I look. After all, we've known each other since high school.”

“Ah, but you care. I saw the way you looked at Jordanna last evening and I heard you being envious of her appearance.” Cait leaned forward, her forearms on the table and her eyes locked with Angie's. “You need this for
you
. The way you feel about yourself will become the way others see you. You're a pretty woman hiding behind all that hair. You've got a great body, probably from all that yoga, but who'd notice with the sloppy clothing you always wear?” Handing Brandon more cereal, she said, “Come out, Angie.”

Angie looked down at her sweatshirt and loose-fitting jeans. “I'm comfortable, and with these two,” she said, indicating the two babies, “there isn't time to be more than this.”

“You have to make time. Believe me. It's important.” Cait thought about Logan. Had she been letting things go so that they had nothing in common and no attraction anymore? No, this recent distance was all Logan's doing.

“Maybe, one day.”

“You can't keep putting off things like this. Do it, babe.”

“You mean right now? Today? After lunch?”

Rubbing her index fingernail with her thumb, Cait asked, “Do you have anything more pressing to do this afternoon? You could be beautiful before the party for the twins this weekend.”

“What about the babies?” Angie said, obviously casting around for excuses.

“I'll push their stroller around the mall and suck up all the compliments.”

“I'll think about it.”

Without another word about the beauty parlor, the two women ordered sandwiches and sodas. Angie took containers of baby cereal and strained fruit from her diaper bag and the two women chatted as they fed the babies, Cait acting as if she'd done it for years. Then they talked about nothing specific as they ate their lunch, giving Brandon and MaryLee bread crusts to chew on, washed down with sippy cups of juice. When the meal was over, Cait didn't insist on picking up the check. Rather, she did the math and collected from Angie.

When they had the twins back in their stroller, they walked to Hair Today, and with Cait pushing at her back, Angie reluctantly went in. “Maybe they don't have anyone with time right now.”

“I'm sure there's someone who can help us.”

Cait told the hostess their requirements and she led Angie to a chair. “This is Marge,” the hostess said confidently, “and she'll fix you right up. She's a whiz with new styles.”

“Marge,” Cait said, taking charge, “this is Angie and these two darlings are her twins.”

“Aren't they the most adorable…” Marge, a thirtysomething blonde cooed as she squatted down to make silly faces at the twins. “How old are they?”

“They'll be a year on Thursday,” Angie said, beaming as she did anytime anyone made a fuss over her children.

“Ah, I have not-all-fond memories of those days, and you have to deal with two of them. You've got to have arms ten feet long and quick reflexes to keep up with these two, I'll bet. Mine are six and four and I still feel like I need leashes for both of them.” She whipped several pictures from the station's counter and showed off her children.

After the mandatory “What beautiful children” from both Cait and Angie, Marge asked, “Now, what can I do for you?”

“Angie wants a styling and maybe some highlights,” Cait said, not letting Angie chicken out.

“Maybe a little shorter,” Angie said, fingering her nondescript, light brown hair, “but I don't think I want highlights.”

“You really need them, love,” Marge said, gazing at her in the large mirror that covered the wall of her station. “You hair would be so much livelier with a bit of color. Mine's just about your color underneath.”

“Really? It looks so natural,” Angie said, her eyes wide.

“It's supposed to, but this kind of coloring takes a few hours. How about just an auburn rinse for you?” She looked at Cait in the mirror. “It won't come out anything like that wonderful titian of your friend here, but it will add a little life.”

“I don't know. There's not a lot of time until the twins' naps.”

“I've got just the thing,” Marge said, whipping a bottle from the countertop. “This shampoo will add just a little color. It will only take about an hour and that includes the styling.”

“Great,” Cait said, quickly pushing the stroller toward the door to the mall. “I'll be back then.” She looked at her watch, then disappeared into the crowd.

 

After Cait left, Angie watched as Marge played with her hair and made suggestions for style and color.
Can I really do this? What will Tony think about me spending his hard-earned money on my looks?
Actually, if she were honest with herself, Tony would be delighted. He loved her and wanted her to be happy, and this, she had to admit, would make her happy. After all, Jordanna must spend mucho bucks on her looks.

Finally she and Marge agreed on a plan, then Marge spent the next hour washing, rinsing, and snipping. “I'm not going to make it too much shorter, merely give it some shape. With the little ones around, you'll probably still want to put it into a ponytail most of the time. It's still the easiest way to control it quickly,” Marge said once the color was done.

After a final quick blow dry, Angie looked at herself in the mirror and beamed. She didn't look dramatically different, just like a well-retouched photo of her former self. “It does look wonderful and you're a miracle worker, Marge. I don't look very different, just better.” She threaded her fingers in her hair and loved the silky feel. She'd always been afraid that if she colored it, her hair would look like straw.

“That's exactly what I was going for. A little life in the color and enough shape to the cut to bring out your eyes and long neck. I think I'm a genius, if I do say so myself.”

“I couldn't agree more,” Cait said, parking the stroller with the two sleeping babies behind the beautician's chair. She studied her friend in the mirror. “Angie, you look fabulous. Will it be difficult to maintain, Marge?”

“Not at all,” Marge said. “I suggested a shampoo-in rinse she can use from time to time to keep life in the color and she'll only need to have it shaped every six weeks or so.”

Angie stood up and after one last look in the mirror, bussed Marge on the cheek. “It's a miracle. I can't wait until Tony sees it.”

Since the babies were asleep and would awaken if they put them in the car, Cait and Angie walked around the mall for another hour. Cait talked Angie into buying a lightweight pink sweater and a pair of tight-fitting mid-weight jeans. With her old clothing in a bag, they finally made their way to the car just as the twins were waking from their nap. Angie drove Cait home, then drove the van back to her house. She couldn't wait until Tony got home.

 

After Angie dropped her off, Cait wandered through the empty house, bored and restless. As usual, Logan was long gone, and wouldn't be home until late. She was reluctant to log onto her computer but she eventually gave in and clicked over to a new chat room. Watching insipid conversation scroll up her screen, she tapped her fingers on her desk. What would be the harm, she reasoned, in just seeing who was at Paul's Place? Before she met Hotguy344 she'd chatted with several men, both in open chats and privately, men who wanted to talk about sex. There were probably lots of places like Paul's, of course, but she was comfortable in this one.
These folks are my kind of people and Hotguy344 probably isn't even logged on.

She clicked over, relieved, and she had to admit, also a little disappointed that Hotguy344 wasn't logged on. She stayed for a while, enjoying the conversation, right now about anal sex, but continually scanned the list of chatters. Finally she saw the name Hotguy344 appear. She reached for her mouse to log off, but then pulled her hand back. She shouldn't give him the ability to spoil her fun.

He'd underlined that word and she flicked her gaze to her camera, peering at her from above her monitor. What was she to do? Her body was aroused and she needed release. She could masturbate alone, of course, but Hotguy could make her feel things she couldn't feel alone. What was the harm? She'd be really careful. Anyway, he was in Fairbanks.

A few mouse clicks and a few lines of type and Hotguy's face appeared. “I can't get over how sexy you look,” he said, now that they were able to see and hear each other.