David's Secret Life
David had been widowed five years previously. His wife, Joe's mother had
never really enjoyed good health and had faded away quite quickly after a
particularly bad dose of bronchitis. David, always a strong man, had crumbled.
His wife Hellen had done everything for him, and for the following few months he
suffered terribly. They had shared a 'cozy' marriage, never really exciting but
a good solid marriage nevertheless.
It was his daughter-in-law Amanda who persuaded him to get 'out and about'
again. Certainly, in the last couple of years, David had made a good social life
for himself. There had been a few casual flings, but to be honest, he enjoyed
his own company sometimes. David was often a visitor to Joe and Amanda's home
but was careful never to outstay his welcome.
He was no fool and knew that his son saw other women. He had also seen the
way that the next-door neighbor looked at his son and wasn't sure quite what was
'going on' there!
David had always loved the opera. Hellen had never been able to get
interested in it, and because of her ill health; he had not visited the opera
often. Last week, he had heard that 'La Traviata' was being performed locally.
David decided that he would get a ticket. There were many female friends who
would be glad to accompany him, but he thought it might be nice to go alone.
Going out alone nowadays didn't worry David at all; he rather enjoyed it now and
again.
The day of the opera arrived. The opera house was a grand building, and David
welcomed the chance to dress himself in his best suit. Thinking that he might
enjoy a glass of something in the interval, he called a cab and was soon in the
foyer of the building.
Hoards of people milled around him, and for a few seconds, he felt a little
lost. Suddenly in the crowd, he spotted a familiar face.
"Hi Patsy," he called, recognizing his daughter-in-law's sister.
Patsy smiled and gestured to him to come over. It turned out that she was
waiting for her friend to meet her there. In fact the friend had just called to
make her excuses...something about a sitter not turning up to mind her young
child.
"I feel a fool going in by myself," she said wrinkling her nose.
"Don't be daft," said David
"I chose to come alone, be my guest...let's accompany one and
other"
Patsy smiled and David thought, not for the first time, what a pretty smile
she had. She was not at all like her sister. He loved Amanda, but she had the
worries of the world on her shoulders and seldom smiled nowadays.
They thoroughly enjoyed the opera and sat during the interval sharing a
bottle of dry white wine.
"Fred not want to come then?" asked David
Patsy winced,
"No it's not his thing really," she replied
"In fact, at the moment I'm not sure what hobbies we do share. He is
always working...don't get me wrong, I'm not knocking him for that...it's just
that...maybe the age gap is showing"
David looked at the attractive young woman opposite. She was twenty something
with a terrific career. He had wondered countless times what on earth had drawn
her to Fred. Oh, he has a nice enough fellow, but he seemed so plain...so
uninteresting. Now and again, after a drink, he would pull Patsy on to his lap
for a cuddle...sometimes, Patsy almost pulled away...why?
The second half was as good if not better. It was over a little sooner than
they expected, and David suggested ordering another bottle of wine.
"I've got a cab booked," he said
"Share it with me...you'll be company"
That agreed, the pair sat back and relaxed.
Patsy studied David. She had always found him attractive...and nice to talk
to. At 55, he was 15 years older than Fred, but you'd have thought that it were
the other way round. He was a good-looking man too. It was easy to see where her
philanderer brother-in-law got his good looks.
David looked down at his watch. Goodness, it was almost midnight...where had
the time gone?
He led Patsy out to the car park to await the cab...it was late tonight.
Somehow, though, David didn't mind. It gave him more time to spend in Patsy's
scintillating company. Now maybe it was the wine, but something was happening
between the two of them tonight. The atmosphere was almost static.
'My God' thought David. 'It would be so easy to make love to this woman.'
The times he had secretly berated his son's behavior, and here was he
...planning a mental affair...with a woman 28 years his junior. Little did he
know that the object of his desires was harboring the same thoughts! She didn't
see age as any problem. The only problem worrying her was that this man was
extremely attractive, and she had to think about Fred.
Fred...he had seemed so mature, so exciting when she had first met him.
Now...they shared a bed and that was about all. The spark that had flickered
brightly seemed almost extinguished now. She got on well with his children
Natalie and Steve and inevitably had more in common with them nowadays. Her
family had warned her, but she had laughed at them. She didn't want to marry,
and the age gap had seemed unimportant then. So why, now was she entertaining
kissing this much older man. She couldn't help it though...she faced David.
Back home that night David thought about the situation. They had only kissed
and had not spoken much in the cab. What ever happened from now on was in their
hands. Seeing as there was another get-together planned for the coming weekend,
David knew that they had to face each other again soon. Maybe Patsy had come to
her senses. After all, he was old enough to be her father...although the kiss
that they had shared was not a father-daughter kiss.
'What a tangled web we weave...' came to mind, and David knew that he had to
speak to Patsy before their next meeting.
The next morning he dialed her mobile.
"Hello, it's me" he said.
©2002 StoriesByEmail.com
|
