Great White Limo, Pt. 01: The Attempt

******

"Honey! I'm HOME!!" I yelled, with sad sarcasm, as I came through the front door, Bea's cooler in hand.

"Well?" she said, greeting me in the foyer and lifting the lid, "looks like very little alcohol was consumed - could be a good thing - could be a bad thing."

I stared at her, expressionless, and I'm sure she knew then that things had not turned out as planned.

"I can't wait to hear all about it," she said, turning to walk down the hall to the kitchen. "I've got two ribeyes resting on the counter, a bottle of Trius Cab Franc to go with, and Gretzky's cream whiskey for dessert. Crack the wine," she ordered, tossing me the old-fashioned screw-type opener. "I'm going to throw the steaks on."

As soon as she was out of sight, I checked my phone, hoping for an afterglow communiqué from Steve. Nothing. Then I struggled to extricate the cork from the bottle, splashing a little of the wine on my white cami.

"Cheers mate," said Bea, gently clinking her big bowl-shaped wine glass against mine.

She sipped then winced.

"Whoa tight."

"That's what he said," I huffed.

Bea chuckled.

"And . . . is that what he said?" she asked, with inquiring eyes, swirling the wine to aerate it, and sticking her nose down into the glass.

"He wouldn't know," I said, putting the glass to my lips to help mask my sorrow.

"I'm sorry, friend; I was afraid you might be disappointed," she said, setting her glass down and squeezing my forearm. "On another note, how did Lawrence do?"

"Excellent," I said, forcing a smile.

"Good to hear," said Bea, heading back outside to flip the meat, and in her absence, I glanced at my phone for a second time, and for a second time, I was disappointed.

"So nothing happened?" she asked, as she began to toss the salad, "Nothing at all?"

"He barely touched me," I said, with a wistful sigh, "and yet, it was so exquisitely intimate; the most mind-blowing non-fuck ever."

I swallowed hard in a futile effort to clear the lump in my throat.

"Sounds frickin' hot!" Bea exclaimed, licking some stray Mighty Caesar dressing from her pinky, and I couldn't help flashing back to the limo - my tongue teasing Steve's silken salad dressing from my fingertips.

"Maybe it wasn't all you expected, but more than most old married gals get. Stop your boo-hooing," she added over her shoulder as she stepped outside once again.

And overwhelmed by a feeling of finality, I decided to break radio silence and reach out.

Me: Hello darling. Just wanted to say I had a wonderful time, and hope we can meet again soon. Call me.

I was just about to press 'Send' when Bea came back in with the steaks. I set the phone face down on the island.

"You need to realize, though, it's over Shan," she continued, "Promise me you won't embarrass yourself by contacting this guy."

I hesitated, and Bea stared at me wide-eyed, waiting for the required response.

"Promise me!"

"I promise," I choked out, squinting hard to stop the flow of tears, and Bea skated a box of tissue across the island towards me so I could wipe my eyes.

"Bea, can I watch TV in your bed with you tonight?" I asked, as I began to set the table.

"BAHAHAHAHA! No. Nice try though," she said, "No one gets in my bed but me - you know that."

"You let your sisters do it," I said.

"That's different," she said, "I don't have to worry about them getting a hardon for me."

She laughed. It stung.

"You really think you're all that, don't you Bea! Did you ever consider, that just maybe, I might need some sisterly love myself tonight?"

Bea grabbed my shoulders and shook me.

"SNAP OUT OF IT!" she barked, "He's just some horny married geezer you met in a chat room one night, full of guys just like him, cooped up and cooter crazy!"

When I attempted to twist away, she gripped my chin and locked eyes with mine.

"Whatever you thought you had with this Steve guy, Shannon - it's OVER!"

But it was far, far from over - not just for me and Steve, but for Bea and the chauffeur as well.

——————————————————————-

NEXT UP: Great White Limo, Part 2: The Do-Over.

Note: Voting and comments are off until the end of the story - part 4.