Chapter 12
I was sleeping soundly when Jan awakened me.
"Honey, it's noon. You going to sleep all day?"
Yawning and stretching, I sat up. "God! I'm tired."
"You must have had a rough time in Milwaukee. Breakfast is ready."
Did she suspect anything? I looked up quickly, but she had already turned toward the door. I slipped on a pair of sandals, donned a robe and went out to the kitchen.
"Another lovely day," I said. "What the hell is that?"
"What?"
"This sticky stuff on the floor. I just stepped in it."
Jan tore off several paper towels from the roll, wet them, and knelt at the edge of the table. "I spilled some syrup the other day. I thought I'd wiped it all up. Here, dear, let me have your slipper." She wiped the sole, sniffed at it. "Syrup."
Neither of us could find any light topics for idle chatter. I watched her munching on toast across the table from me, her right hand lying on the corner edge. She's thinking . . . got something on her mind, I thought, noting her fingers working a light caress on the surface. "Why don't you take a swim, honey?" "Maybe I will."
"I took a dip yesterday. The water's warm."
She looked so lovely, her blonde hair, brushed and shiny, framing her face, the warm light in her blue eyes matching the allure of her smile. I thought of my long sex sessions with Helen last Monday, and the day and night I spent in bed with Marie Thursday, and a pang of remorse cut deep. Poor baby! A week without any tail! A noonie now would make partial amends. I reached over to take her hand, but she rose.
"Why don't you swim, dear, while I finish up these dishes? " The water was refreshing. I swam two pool lengths, then stretched out on a redwood lounge. Drowsing in the warm sunlight, I glanced down at my swim trunks. I should have invited Jan to swim in the nude! Hours later, she awakened me, by removing a light cotton blanket.
"I kept an eye on you, dear. Fortunately, the shade of that oak protected you after an hour out here. I put a blanket over you later."
She was already bathed, coiffed and dressed for the evening in a marine-blue knit.
"What time is it?"
"A few minutes after five. Better dress. We're due at the Hubbards' at eight." "Oh, shit!" I muttered. "Don't you want to go?"
"Well. .. okay. We can stop for dinner on the way up there."
After dinner driving north on the Edens Expressway, I cast occasional glances at her, seated near the door, staring ahead, uncommunicative. Slowing down at the Lake Forest turnoff, I said, without looking at her, "Honey, I don't know about this swap business. It seems to be forcing us apart."
"Yes. I've been wondering ..." In the brief silence, I felt her hand on my thigh. "Maybe we should drop out. Who needs somebody like Freddie Pimple Something, or that crude, arrogant Joe Hagen? " "Shall we try it once more tonight? We can stay for breakfast and let them know then. Okay? " "All right."
At a few minutes after eight, we turned into the Hubbard estate. The headlights of two cars that followed a minute after us glared in my rearview mirror. Milt and Rose Hubbard stood on the front porch waiting to greet us. The Hagens and the Lefiers pulled up right behind us.
"Hi!" Milt called out. "Everybody on time." He was very cordial, shaking hands with everyone. Rose was icily aloof, nodding an unsmiling greeting. "What's this?" Milt was staring down the long driveway. Two cars were driving slowly toward the house, the second one obviously a police cruiser with red rooflight flashing. They stopped in front of the steps, Marie and Goss emerging from the Chevy, and a helmeted policeman from the other.
"What's wrong, Sam?" Milt called down.
"Mr. Hubbard, suh, you know the Village has rules about vagrants. I spotted these niggahs coming this way, and I stopped 'em. This big one says his name's Jenkins. Says he's a friend o' yourn, and comin' to a party. I told him we'd see if Mr. Hubbard had any niggah friends."
Rose's voice was shrill as a whistle. "The Hubbards have no nigger friends."
"Shall I lock 'em up, suh? " In the silence, everybody turned toward Milt. His swarthy face had paled to dead-white.
"Damn you, you ignorant boob," Jan cried, stepping forward and confronting the policeman. "These are two of my dearest friends. I don't know about the Hubbards, but you lock these people up, you'll have to lock me up with them."
Another car pulled up, and Don and Helen stepped out.
I glanced at Milt, expecting him to resolve the situation, but he had lost any ability to speak. I thought of the Hubbard advertising account, looked down into the distraught face of Marie, the composed features of Goss, and at my wife, Jan, standing beside him, holding his arm defiantly. I knew where I had to take my stand.
"Goddamn you, officer, you'll take me and my wife along. These are two of our dearest friends. I'll have a federal court warrant out for your arrest within two hours."
"What's going on? " Don asked.
"This jackass is going to arrest Goss and Marie on vagrancy charges," I replied.
"I jus' asked Mr. Hubbard... " "Like hell, he wants trouble, I'll give it to him." Don looked at the group, the Leflers and Hagens standing in the background, Jan and I beside Marie and Goss, and Milt at the top of the steps. Rose had disappeared.
"Come on, Jan, Jim. Helen, get in the car." He strode up to the policeman. "Well, make up your mind."
Sam glanced up at Milt, who hung his head, shaking it in negation.
"No trouble, mister." Sam stepped aside.
"Goss, Marie. Let's go. My place everybody."
None of us glanced up at the others on the porch as we entered our cars and drove away.
We had just driven past the gates when Jan snuggled up to me, and kissed my cheek. "Oh, darling, I'm so proud of you."
"Thanks, baby. How could I do anything else?"
"The man I married couldn't." She squeezed a handful of the flesh of my thigh. "I love you, darling."
"Damn! I sure got my tit in the wringer on the Hubbard advertising account. Oh, I don't mind losing the account,"!
added quickly. "It's going to be one hell of a job explaining to the boss why we won't even be allowed to make the presentation that's already cost us thousands ..."
"Don't worry about it now, honey. It'll work out some way."
As we turned onto the expressway, Jan said thoughtfully, "I just had to say what I did. Goss is such a fine gentleman."
"Marie's a very wonderful, sweet person," I added.
"She seemed to be."
I glanced at Jan quickly. "Yes, she certainly does. When we get to know her ... By the way, Jan, if we play games tonight, how would you feel if you happened to draw Goss's number again? " "Well..."
"I mean, could you go to bed with him this time?"
"Yes." Putting her arm around my shoulder, she leaned over to kiss my cheek. "You know, darling, I saw it all clearly tonight. That damned policeman was a southerner. If we're ever going to eliminate all this bigotry, it's up to individuals like you and me. The principle's the same in or out of bed."
I didn't reply right away, pretending to think it over carefully. "You're right, Jan, honey. I wont object if I draw Marie's number tonight."
"I'm sure you'll find her very charming and very satisfying. Not too much so, I hope."
In Don's apartment, we had several drinks to take the edge off.
"Jan. Jim," Goss said quietly, "I can't tell you how much I appreciate the way you both jumped in. I had the devil of a time trying to control my temper."
"I couldn't have done anything else. Jan and I are so glad we've had the privilege of knowing the two of you. And we do consider you very close friends."
"The trouble with this group is too many lunkheads," Helen said.
"I thought the same thing the night we first met as a group," Jan commented. "Don, why don't we start over with just us three couples? We'd have quality, not quantity. Why do we need anyone else? " "She's right," Marie added. "We have all the talent we need right here."
"I vote for that. Any objections? No? Do we play games tonight?"
"Yes, let's play," Jan said with a broad smile. "Only instead of that silly pairing off, why don't we rotate each time." She took my hand. "And tonight, let's start off with our own mates. We can swap next time."
Her suggestion met with unanimous approval.
"And Don, please, may Jim and I use the mirrored bedroom? I've never seen more than one of him in bed with me." "Sure," Don agreed. "We'll take turns at the bedroom too from now on. Come on, Helen, get that lovely little bottom wiggling down the stairs." He turned at the door. "No time limit tonight, folks. Enjoy yourselves. We'll meet for breakfast at eleven." Goss and Marie followed him out the door, waving good night.
I closed the bedroom door behind me, and Jan turned into my arms. Our lips met in a passionate, working kiss, when the phone rang. We let it ring several times.
"It may be important. There's probably no phone in the bedroom Don's in."
"I'll answer it, honey. Why don't you get undressed?" I sat on the bed and picked up the receiver. "Jim Ryden speaking."
"Jim, this is Milt. Is Don handy?"
"He's downstairs, Milt. I can get him for you if it's important."
"No, don't bother him. I just called to apologize to all of you. I was so damned upset by Rose and the . . . Goddamn it! I had forgotten about the local situation. I never dreamed . . . Look, Rose is leaving tomorrow for the West Coast to visit her sister. I don't think she's coming back. I hope not. Jim!"
"Yes?"
"Please convey my apologies to Marie and Goss. I wouldn't..."
"You'd better call them yourself, Milt."
He paused for half a minute. "I have a girl friend, Jim, she's only twenty-five, young ... I hope you folks will give me a chance ..."
"I think that's up to Don and the others."
"Okay, thanks. I'll get in touch with them. And, Jim, one more thing. Tonight's events have nothing to do with your company's presentation on our advertising. I want you to go ahead with that."
"Thanks, Milt. I appreciate that."
"Let me say again, I'm goddamned sorry about everything tonight."
Replacing the receiver on the phone, I stood up, looking into the mirror for the first time. Jan was lying naked on the bed, her legs spread, the fingers of her right hand in her pubic hair, and her left hand under her breast. "Come, lover, make me scream with delight tonight."
I undressed where I stood, dropping my clothes on the floor, never taking my eyes off her naked loveliness. I thought of Helen and Marie-hell, they were tune-up fiddles compared to this, my own, personal Stradivarius.
Stripped finally, standing bedside with a huge, stiff hard-on that seemed to reach half-way across the bed, I smiled down at her. Baby, I thought, you've been wanting some variation in sex technique. Tonight I'm going to show you things you've never even dreamed of.
I leaned over and kissed her right breast, then ran my lips up to her ear. "Darling, I'll make you scream tonight. Baby, they'll hear you as far away as ... as Milwaukee."