The Inn of Destiny

by Gene P. Abel

  It was just before eight o’clock when Jackie heard Mary’s familiar voice calling to her. “Hi! Let me see if you have a big smile on your face,” she said.

  “Sex—is that all you think about?” Jackie asked.

  “Me? You should talk. The last thing you showed me before you left Friday was the sexy white number you got at Victoria’s Secret.”

  Jackie asked Mary if she wanted some coffee, which was one of those non-questions. Mary always had coffee with Jackie, either at Jackie’s or at her place. Jackie and Mary shared almost everything together, just like Jackie had with Barb when she was in college.

  “Come on, give. Tell me everything,” Mary demanded.

  Jackie described the trip to the Poconos and the way the inn looked. “It was just like the material I showed you from the internet,” she said. She explained the blending of old and new and the friendly reception as they had checked in. “They asked us to sign in using a quill pen and then proceeded to complete our registration on the computer. John would have been impressed with the construction of the inn. Jerry said he didn’t think they used any nails. It was constructed using handmade joints and wooden pegs.”

  “Did Jerry approve of your choice?” Mary asked.

  “Yes. I know he had good time. He didn’t mention work one time. I made damn sure of that,” Jackie remarked.

  “What did you do after checking in to your room?” Mary wanted to know.

  “We unpacked and Jerry went to the bar. This gave me a chance to use the whirlpool tub and prepare for my first surprise.”

  “What do you mean, ‘surprise’?” Mary asked.

  Jackie answered, “Well, when I got dressed I didn’t put on any bra or panties. In addition, I wore my western outfit with the short skirt. I completed the outfit with that wide belt and my boots. I was hot, both on the outside and underneath.”

  “Did Jerry know you weren’t wearing underclothing?”

  “Well, parts of the dining room were a bit chilly, which made my nipples get hard. I knew he saw them although he didn’t say anything. He did rub against me a lot when we were dancing after dinner,” Jackie said. She explained how she had sat on the barstool and parted her legs so Jerry would see she wasn’t wearing panties.

  “Weren’t you afraid some of the other men would see you?” Mary asked.

  “Well, I was careful. Besides, by that time I didn’t mind if a few saw my show. After all, I’ll never see them again, and it may have gotten them ready for their after-dinner activities. Who knows?” Jackie responded.

  “What happened after that?” Mary questioned.

  Jackie gave her a general idea about the remainder of the evening. “Jerry is a great lover when he wants to be. He reminds me of François,” she explained. She had told Mary a little about her year in Paris but had never gone into the details of her relationship with François.

  “Tell me more about François. It sounds like he was much more than just a casual acquaintance,” Mary demanded.

  “François was the best lover I ever had,” Jackie admitted.

  “Come on. Give me all the details. How did you meet him? What did you do together?” Mary asked. She was getting excited just wondering what her friend had done with this Frenchman.

  Jackie described their bicycle ride and the way he got her to pose nude for him. Mary couldn’t believe Jackie had actually posed for an artist. “What happened to the picture?” Mary wanted to know.

  “Funny you should ask. Last night, when I was putting the suitcases away, I found my portrait.”

  “Let me see it!” Mary said.

  Jackie went to the attic and brought the picture down for Mary to see. Mary could hardly wait for her to remove it from the tube. As Jackie unrolled it, Mary couldn’t believe her eyes. “My God. It’s beautiful. You are beautiful. That is the best portrait I have ever seen!” Mary exclaimed. She studied the drawing for a few minutes and turned to Jackie and said, “What did you think when you saw it for the first time?”

  “I was flattered. The feeling that swept over me led to the best sex I ever had. François was an incredible artist and lover. He taught me things I will never forget. We had a relationship through the spring and summer,” Jackie said.

  As Jackie returned the drawing to its resting place, she told Mary that she was the only person to have seen it except for Barb. “There may be a time that I show it to Jerry, but now is not the right time.”

  “I can understand how you feel. I don’t think I would show a drawing like that of me to John,” Mary confessed.

  Mary was intent on learning what else took place at the inn. Jackie told her about the couple they met from Philadelphia and that the man had designed the web page for the inn. She told Mary that during the two days they were there they had made love seven times.

  “You mean to tell me Jerry was able to perform well each time?” Mary asked.

  Jackie assured her the sex was fantastic. “At least I know he still enjoys making love to me. I guess it must be the pressure of work that keeps him from showing me more often,” she explained.

  After Mary extracted all the details from Jackie, she decided that she and John needed to get away to the inn. Mary asked Jackie for the telephone number so she could see when they could get a reservation. “If I can get John to perform like Jerry, I’ll be able to give my vibrator a rest.”

  “Do you really use that thing?” Jackie inquired.

  “Sure. Most times it’s the only way I get off. John very seldom takes the time I need to reach climax. It’s either the vibrator or I would wind up having an affair with the blond trainer at the spa. He is really a stud. I fantasize doing it with him when I use my vibrator. He has a body that drives me up a wall at times. After a workout with him at the spa, I need a cold shower,” Mary explained.

  By the time Mary had gotten all the details of Jackie’s weekend, it was almost noon. “It’s getting late. I must get started on the wash,” Jackie said.

  “Yes. I’ll go home and give the inn a call,” responded Mary. “That place is just what the doctor ordered for John and me. Stop over later and we can talk more.” Mary got up and went home. Jackie took the wash to the basement and went one step further into her normal routine and one step further from the inn.

  It didn’t take long for the weeks to pass, and before Jackie knew it, it was late March. Spring was upon her and thoughts of the inn were a fading memory. April was rainy and the cabin fever of the winter continued. Jerry was more consumed than ever by the deals he was trying to put together, and Jackie was becoming frustrated by the lack of attention Jerry paid to her needs. She had gotten away from a scheduled exercise program, and Mary kept after her to get back to a regular program. Jackie decided to take Mary’s advice, and they both set up a supervised program three days a week. After a couple of weeks, Jackie was beginning to feel better and took off a few pounds in the right places.

  Mary had the hots for the instructor and always talked about what she would like to do with him. Although there was a strict policy of no involvement, Mary tried to flirt with him every once in a while. “Jackie, you should give him a whirl. With a body like yours, I bet he would forget the rules,” she said.

  “I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Jackie replied. The spa visits did seem to help her focus better, but she was still frustrated with Jerry’s lack of attention.

  In mid-April, the last parent-teacher conferences were scheduled at school. Jackie got both conferences scheduled on the same morning. Mary watched Lisa and David while Jackie went to school. Lisa’s teacher gave a glowing report about Lisa and talked about recommending some enriched work for next year. David’s teacher indicated he did very well academically but was a bit of a loner. He seemed to have only one friend, and his teacher thought they should encourage David to join some group or team to help bring him out of his shell.

 
That night, Jackie talked with Jerry about the teacher conferences. When she told him what David’s teacher had had to say, he suggested Pee Wee baseball. David seemed to have some athletic ability and good coordination. Jerry decided to take David to a practice so he could see what it was like. If he showed any interest, they could talk about joining a team.

  Jerry also decided to see if John’s son, Billie, was going to play ball. He thought if both boys joined the same team, David might be more interested. He seemed to get along with Billie, and they could alternate driving the boys to practice. As it turned out, Billie had decided to join, and Jerry took David to his first practice on Saturday. During practice, David watched as Billie got a couple of hits and saw how much fun he was having. After practice was over, David asked his father if he could join Billy’s team. They went over and talked with the coach. At first, the coach indicated they were at their limit, but he would see if they could add one more boy to the roster. As it turned out, one of the boys dropped out, and that provided a spot for David. He began attending practice the following week. Jerry agreed to be an assistant coach, which gave him a good opportunity to observe how well David was progressing both with baseball and with the boys on his team.

  Early spring turned into the end of the school year. Jerry had to be away from home on a series of site visits to evaluate several large acquisitions. One was in Hawaii, and Jackie wanted to go along. However, Jerry’s schedule and the children’s summer plans prevented her from accompanying him.

  Jerry was gone a good bit of July and into early August. Jackie was feeling very neglected, and the spa instructor was looking better and better. Jackie would kid Mary about letting her borrow the spa instructor for an afternoon. “You’re my best friend, Jackie, but if I could get him for an afternoon, I would keep him all to myself,” Mary responded. She did, however, decide to get on the internet and order Jackie a little present. When it arrived, she wrapped it up and took it over to Jackie. Before she gave it to Jackie, Mary made sure the kids weren’t around. “Open it,” Mary said.

  Jackie said, “What is this?” though she suspected by the shape of the package what Mary had gotten her. Yes, it was Jackie’s very own vibrator. “What if Jerry finds it? How would I explain it?” she asked.

  “Well,” answered Mary, “if he finds it, you can say it wasn’t as good as he was at the inn, but it was better than nothing.”

  11

  Jackie’s Summer

  The summer was very hot and dry in Princeton that year. The majority of the July afternoons were in the high nineties, and the first week of August, the temperature was in triple digits. The grass was a light brown color. Jackie had convinced Jerry to hire a lawn service for the first time. The hot summer had destroyed most of the benefits from this care, and Jackie almost wished she hadn’t talked Jerry into it.

  With Jerry away so much, Jackie’s summer was more hectic than normal. She had all her housework and the volunteer work at the nursing home plus all the kids’ activities. Mary could see that Jackie was a bit harried and frustrated because of the lack of romance. They discussed how she felt, and Mary convinced Jackie to resume a regular exercise program at the spa. They offered childcare so busy parents could find the time for their workouts. They decided to cut short their morning coffee and go to the spa at ten o’clock Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Mary hoped this would help take Jackie’s mind off Jerry’s lack of attention and help keep her body in shape.

  It was Wednesday, and Jackie’s turn to host the morning coffee. Mary was a bit early and appeared in the kitchen before eight o’clock. She took one look at Jackie and said, “You look strung out! Is there anything I can do to help?”

  “No. In a little over a week Jerry gets home, and then I’ll be OK.”

  “You need some help before that,” Mary insisted.

  Mary knew Jackie wouldn’t ask, so she decided to invite Lisa and David over on Friday night for a sleepover. This would give Jackie a chance to unwind. “The kids can come over about five, and we’ll get pizza and take them miniature golfing. After that, we have the video Mouse Hunt that the kids all love.”

  “You don’t have to go to all that trouble,” Jackie said.

  “It’s no trouble. We love to have the kids over, and Billie will have fun as well.”

  Jackie finally agreed and thanked Mary.

  The girls finished their coffee, and Mary went home to give Billie breakfast. Jackie did the same for Lisa and David. She called the kids to come down for breakfast, and in a few minutes Lisa and David appeared at the table. Lisa wanted some Cocoa Puffs, and David, French toast. Jackie decided on an English muffin and some juice. After they finished their breakfast, Jackie told them to hurry and get dressed in order to get to the spa by ten. As she cleaned up the breakfast dishes, she began to plan her Friday evening alone. Her thoughts turned to the vibrator that Mary had given her. She had never had it out of the box and wondered what it would be like. Before long, the kids appeared, and it was off to the spa.

  Hump day passed slowly, but it finally came to an end with Jackie tucking the kids into bed. The phone rang. It was Jerry calling before he went to a late-night dinner meeting. Jackie told him of her day and that Mary and John were going to have the kids over Friday night. Jerry thought that was a good idea and would give Jackie some badly needed time alone. “What will you do on Friday night?” he asked.

  “I plan to take a long bath and will probably read my new book in bed.” She didn’t mention her plan to get acquainted with her vibrator. After all, she had never told Jerry about it.

  “Do you miss me?” Jerry asked.

  “You know I do, you silly pill. You better get yourself home next Friday, and don’t be tired. I will require some attention from you,” Jackie said.

  “What did you have in mind?” Jerry inquired.

  “You know exactly what I’ll need. I plan to have the kids at my parents Saturday evening by the time you get home. Don’t be late,” Jackie insisted. They said goodbye, and Jackie decided to watch some TV before going to bed.

  Thursday passed quickly, and by Friday, Jackie’s thoughts turned more and more to her evening alone. The girls got to the spa, and Jackie thought how great the trainer Paul looked. Mary was always the one who talked about him, and upon closer examination, Jackie could see he was quite a hunk. After their workout, they took the kids for lunch and went home. The kids decided to play together at Mary’s, and Jackie went home. She decided to take a look at the vibrator and see what size batteries it took. She opened it up and saw it took D batteries.

  Finding that all she had were AA and C, she called Mary to tell her that she had to run to the store and pick up some D batteries.

  “And what do you need with D batteries?” Mary jokingly asked.

  “Never you mind,” Jackie responded.

  “You can borrow some of mine. I have the rechargeable type. Come over and I’ll give you what you need,” Mary said.

  Jackie got the batteries and returned home.

  It was soon five o’clock, and Jackie finished getting the kids’ pajamas and toothbrushes ready. Lisa and David had returned home and were playing their video games in the recreation room. “It’s time to go over to Mary’s,” Jackie said. The kids turned off the game and ran for the door. Jackie followed them with their clothing and gave them a hug. “You have fun and listen to Mary. I will see you tomorrow morning. I love you.” By this time, it was going on six, and she decided on takeout Chinese for her dinner.

  Jackie got out the menu from their favorite Chinese restaurant and decided what to order. She called in her order, and they told her she could pick it up in a few minutes. She grabbed her keys and purse and drove to the restaurant. When she arrived home, she got out a bottle of wine and proceeded to spread her dinner out on the family room floor. She popped in a travel video and ate a relaxing dinner. Jackie had several glasses of wine, which had
a tendency to mellow her a bit. About the time she finished her dinner, Jerry called to see how she was. He told her he was about to go out for a working dinner and that he had a site visit on Saturday.

  After Jerry’s call, Jackie decided to clean up the dinner dishes and get ready for her bath. She turned the lights off on the first floor and went upstairs. She got out the vibrator and installed the batteries Mary had given her. She turned the dial and the vibrator began to hum. As she turned the control to the right, the vibrator shook faster and faster. Jackie turned it off and laid it on the bed. She went into the bathroom and started running the water. She wanted it hot and added a liberal amount of the new bath salts she’d purchased. She went to the linen closet and got out an oversized towel to wrap herself in when she got out of the tub.

  When the tub was filled, Jackie took off her clothing and stepped into the water. It felt so good. She leaned her head back and rested it on an inflatable headrest. For over an hour, Jackie allowed the water to caress her body. She almost fell asleep several times, and as the water began to cool off, she decided to get out and dry off. After she was dry, she let the water out of the tub and went into the bedroom.

  Even though she knew she was alone in the house, Jackie closed the door to make sure no one saw her. She took off the towel and lay on the bed. She turned the vibrator on and began to touch it to her breasts. It felt tingly but good. Slowly she moved the oscillating tool between her breasts and toward her tummy. She lingered there a few seconds as if she was teasing herself before she moved ever closer to the intended spot. All the time she was using it she was fantasizing that Paul the trainer was using the toy on her. She closed her eyes to imagine his face as he moved it toward her waiting love spot.

  She finally got the courage to place the tip of it on her womanhood. She rubbed it all over and slowly increased the speed. It wasn’t long before Jackie was fully engrossed with her new toy. She let out a scream as it did the job, and it was then that Jackie knew why Mary used one. She lay on the bed for some time after she had finished and finally got up to wash her new toy and put it away. She put on her nightgown and got under the covers. Mary was right: it wasn’t as good as Jerry, but it wasn’t bad. In fact, she thought, I’m going to use it again.