Friends Like These, Part 1
by Sally Gray

Typical British weather!

If you were in Britain and planned a barbecue, what else would you expect the weather to do but rain?

Thank goodness for Joe's new patio gas heater...a must for every Englishman.

That is how; in the middle of July, a group of some eleven thirty-somethings were huddling around the heater and trying to dodge the relentless rain.

Amanda Grifford watched them from her kitchen window.

Her husband Joe was doing what he did best...flirting.

Oh, Amanda knew him well...and loved him reservedly.

He had always been a wicked flirt, but she knew...hoped that it ended there.

The thrill of the chase was what she suspected that he needed, and if it remained that innocent, she would turn a blind eye. He was in his mid thirties and was well built with laughing blue eyes and unruly dark hair.

Amanda herself was not unattractive. Sure, she'd put on a little weight since the birth of Jack and Emily, the twins...that was to be expected though...she'd lose it soon.

Let me introduce everyone present to you reader:

Joe...thirty-five...husband to Amanda

Patsy...twenty-seven...Amanda's glamorous sister

Fred...forty...Patsy's partner

Tina and Ray...mid thirties (I'll pair them together, as they do everything as a couple...completely joined at the hip!)

David...Joe's widowed father

Becky...thirty-nine...next-door neighbor

Sam...thirty-nine...Becky's husband

Natalie and Steve...nineteen-year-old twins (Fred's children from his first marriage)

It had started to become something of a habit.

Every weekend, someone would suggest a get-together. Sometimes it would involve 'the whole gang' and other times someone or other would be absent.

There were times that Amanda wished to have a break from all of this.

She was a family orientated girl and would have been more than happy with a quiet weekend...walking, sitting in the garden or going for a family drive in the country.

Joe, though, loved life in the fast lane and seemed to thrive on the heady mix of double entendres and booze.

The other thing that made the 'meeting's special to Joe was the fact that, for the last ten weeks, he had been having a torrid affair with Becky from next door.

The arrangement suited him fine. Becky was available most of the time, as Sam worked strange shifts at work.

Amanda did some voluntary work at the children's play school so Joe quite often found time on his hands...working from his office at home certainly had it's advantages.

He loved Amanda in his way. She was a good wife and a great mother. He really wanted her in his life, but he needed more. Becky was attractive, bubbly and insatiable...Amanda was constant. Joe wanted things to stay that way. He would never knowingly hurt his loyal wife, and he loved his children fiercely.

The weekly get-togethers were a great way of living dangerously for Joe and Becky.

Sam, her husband was simply not aware of anything going on. It was so easy for Joe to go to the kitchen to fetch himself a drink...quickly followed by Becky.

With the twins safely out of harm's way upstairs and the remaining group usually sitting in the long garden, lust would soon creep over the couple. Joe would always have one eye open...ever watchful of his guest's whereabouts.

This particular Sunday, Amanda had made a large jug of Pims.

It was really quite potent, and as usually happened; most of those assembled were already approaching a drunken stupor.

This always pleased and excited Becky. As soon as the alcohol hit her Sam, he would be totally oblivious to anything going on around him...even more than usual.

Alcohol heightened Amanda's senses though.

She was no fool; she knew her husband's reputation.

Many were the times that Joe hadn't been too careful with his dalliances.

The aroma of a scent would cling to his clothes. Such a strong aroma couldn't have been from a passing female. They would have had to be within very close proximity indeed.

There had been smears of lipstick on his shirt collars and the endless phone calls. She would answer and the receiver would be placed down pretty swiftly.

This saddened Amanda. She had never strayed and was so content with her lot.

Another great clue would sadden her the most. When the clues of a little indiscretion on Joe's part became apparent, he always seemed to make love to her with a greater urgency. Amanda wanted him to want her for herself...not because of his desire for another woman.

So scared was she of ever losing Joe that Amanda had long since made up her mind that as long as he always eventually came home to her...she could cope.

Becky next door seemed to always brighten Joe up if he was feeling a little grumpy.

She was an attractive blonde with a wicked sense of humor, and she exuded sex appeal.

Amanda secretly thought her a little brassy, but she was a good neighbor, and Amanda liked Sam, her husband. He always seemed to be a little in awe of his over confident wife, and he also appeared to be satisfied with the quieter life.

At the weekend, he would be in his greenhouse potting his plants, and Amanda would quite often stroll up to the top of her garden and chat over the wall to him. She enjoyed their shared conversations. Sam was calm, and he was always willing to talk...they enjoyed each other's company.

Joe was in the kitchen, pouring himself a large cold beer.

The pine door opened, and Becky appeared in front of him.

She looked fantastic today, thought Joe. Despite the inclement weather, she had on a short denim skirt that showed her long legs off to perfection.

Her flimsy top left nothing to the imagination, and her blonde curly was piled loosely on top of her head.

Joe grabbed hold of her, casting a quick eye simultaneously at the crown in the garden. Yes, they were safe for the moment.

He kissed her passionately, and she purred in appreciation.

"Sam is working all day tomorrow," she said teasingly

"I do believe that Amanda is out all morning as well," Joe grinned and nodded his head enthusiastically.

"Same time same place then," he said roughly. He let her go quickly. Patsy was making her way up the garden path to re-fill her wine glass.

Joe walked back to the group, his beer glass now full. Minutes later, Patsy and Becky emerged together laughing at some thing.

Amanda smiled warmly at her sister and indicated for Patsy to sit next to her.

Fred, who pulled his partner on to his knee, squashed this idea.

"Oh well," said Becky, "Waste not, want not," and she moved to sit next to her neighbor.

A strong gust of wind blew suddenly and wafted Becky's newly applied perfume towards Amanda.

'Oh no,' she thought sadly to herself. 'Not again!'

She instantly recognized the aroma from her handsome husband's shirts and sighed inwardly.

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Nolan Chart