Kaye and I
This was the weekend before Labor Day. Kaye and I talked for over an hour.
There is no sex involved so you might want to move on.
Mel was out of town with K.C., and I hit the pub about eleven.
There were six of us, and I'm the youngest by about five years. Oldest dudes are around seventy-five. We all sit on one end of the bar, which is referred to as the smart-ass corner, or asshole corner. We do have our fun.
Women entering at that time of day are unusual. The bartender is a gorgeous forty year old, married, and she can give as good as she gets. The owner, also a woman, generally stops in long enough to check things out, buy a round, and leaves.
Pretty dark in the place because old people look a ton better in the dark right?
Door opens, heads turn, and in walks Kaye taking off her sunglasses. Takes a moment for the eyes to adjust to the darkness. She spots me, and breaks into a big smile.
A woman doesn't have to be a hear turner to get her drink paid for on a Saturday morning. One of us generally offers to buy. Kaye looked good in a floral sundress, but wasn't showing too much of any portion of her body.
I of course said hi, and offered to buy her a cocktail if she wanted one.
The boys hadn't met my MIL before, and introductions were made.
Closely followed by the expected verbal abuse directed my way.
"You let this looser marry your daughter?"
"Bet Mel didn't bring him home to meet you before the wedding."
"How did someone that beautiful settle for him?" Etc., etc., etc.
Then it was Kaye's turn to receive their compliments and attention.
I believe that throaty laugh of hers was having the desired effect on all of us.
They made room so she could sit beside her son in law, but Kaye told them as much as she'd love to sit and chat with them, she and I had an event to plan.
Told them it was a surprise party for her husband. Don't keep close track, but Art's birthday is, I believe in early spring. I got up and we both walked to a cocktail table with our drinks.
The sundress hit her just above the knees. Y'know how some women have a knack for clearing their dress when they go to cross their legs in just the right manner in that it gives you a shot nearing the promised land? Mel and Kaye both have the gift. Didn't see her panties, but got a nice look at tanned thighs.
"Mel knows where I'm at Kaye, and seeing my truck outside would be proof enough if you're gonna call her."
I didn't mean to be pissy, but really didn't want to spend my pub time with her.
"Relax honey, I just thought we'd compare notes on our favorite panty manufacturers."
"You're killing me Kaye. Wanna compare colors while we're at it? Gonna tell me not to get my panties in a bunch?"
That got a small chuckle.
"No, and I'm not here to give you any sort of a bad time. Melissa does not know I'm here, and the only way she'd ever find out is if you choose to tell her."
"What's on your mind?"
"You know that I wasn't thrilled when Mel told us you were getting married."
"Yeah, Kaye. A definite where was the love number."
"Do you know why?"
"Gee, I don't know. Did it have anything to do with me being...old?"
"That was part of it, but there were two other reasons. I have two grandchildren. Those two kids mean the world to me. I don't think you can really understand until you've experienced it and I'm not saying that suggesting you shouldn't input. It's a chance to shamelessly spoil those kids, and not feel the least bit guilty about it. You just take them home and let their parents worry about the problem.
I wanted more grandkids Ron. Two would have been great, but I'd have happily settled for one, and if it were Melissa's that child would be right here. In the same city. I could visit, baby-sit, and let the child spend the night with grandma. Brad's kids are 500 miles away."
There was more, but you get the drift. Bottom line, I shoot blanks = no more grandkids because her son and his wife are done.
"I didn't go through the little life change number until I was fifty-four years old. Runs in the family."
Interesting, but...
"What was the other thing?" Couldn't wait for this one. Penis size, cuckold news?
"My daughter can be a handful. Regardless of her mate's age. I thought her ex was perfect. Which brings my abilities as a matchmaker into question doesn't it? Melissa earned every grade, every degree, every job, every title she has, and we're both so very proud of her. Our daughter is a doctor."
There was a but coming.
"But, she was, and still is extremely head strong. That's a good quality in some situations, not as good in others. Her ex was a baby. No one saw until it was too late. I think that boy was in every rec. league this city offers. He had to have this re-enforcement of his ego constantly. Mel wasn't just invited to attend, it was expected of her. He needed his cheerleader. He wanted praise when he did well, and someone to hold his hand if he didn't, and make it all better. He wanted my daughter available all the time. Mel had a job, and she wanted to go to night school to start working on her master's."
There was an opening there for a bad joke, but I managed to keep my mouth shut.
"When Melissa rebelled he simply couldn't understand why she wanted anything that would make her less available to her husband.
Less than a year into their marriage he decided if she wouldn't be his full time cheerleader he'd find a part-timer to fill in, and then one wasn't enough. It wasn't about sex Ron. Believe me my daughter was giving him all he could handle in that department. He was the one who lost interest. He was, of course putting his prick where it didn't belong.
When Mel did find out she was devastated. She wasn't eating right, she couldn't sleep, she was a mess. She worked longer hours, she took more night classes. She buried herself deeply enough to all but exclude him from her life. Mel did her studying at
the public library and stayed there until they kicked her out. I suggested counseling, but she said none to politely told me to butt out."
I was aware of the general nature of my wife's first marriage, but only in broad strokes. Melissa had never spoken his name in my presence, and Kaye wasn't either.
"She put off filing. I think she was in so much denial that she needed a push to proceed. Not surprisingly the prick provided the push. Melissa had been at the library, and left to go home when it closed. That was normal and he knew that, and what time she'd be walking in the front door. Most evenings he wouldn't come home until after the bars closed, but this particular evening."
Kaye stopped for a moment to compose herself. Ah, shit she was close to crying. I don't deal well with crying females, less so with crying males.
"Melissa never had a large number of girlfriends. She had three girls she met in grade school, and they were what I guess people now call best friends forever. Jillian, Jill was her closest friend. They had no secrets. Boys, family, school, they shared everything."
Ah, hell no.
"Jill stood by my daughter's side at her wedding. It was Jill that she sought out for advice when her troubles started; it was Jill that she went to when she suspected that her ex had started to cheat. It was Jill..."
Real tears now, and they were sliding towards her cheeks.
"Kaye, don't, don't do this to yourself. It's over, it was along time ago. I'll never hurt your daughter. I'll never leave your daughter Kaye. I cannot image left without Melissa."
Nice job, more tears. That's me, Mr. Cheer Your Ass Up.
"I'm sorry...I must be a sight."
"You're gorgeous Kaye, always have been, always will be...my wife got it somewhere and it sure as hell wasn't Art."
That brought a small smile.
"I've always been more than a wee bit attracted to you Ron, and not in a good way for a mother in law. That was another reason I wasn't crazy about you marrying Melissa."
"But you'd never...” I did a Groucho Marx eyebrow number, and pretended I had a cigar that I wiggled. If you're too young to get the reference google it.
"No, but I do truly love to tease you. I should feel bad about that, but I don't. It makes me feel pretty good knowing I can get your attention."
"Speaking of which did you happen to have maybe mailed me..."
Kaye blushed. A ton better than the tears.
"You must think I'm awful."
"For sure, and if you send me more than a dozen more I'll be ****** to give you the spanking you deserve."
"Ten would be okay?"
"Swats or pictures?"
"Either...or both."
"You're a sassy old broad aren't you Kaye? I smiled.
Determination showed on her face.
"It's important that I tell you a few more things, if you'd be a dear, and indulge an old broad?"
"Of course."
"Melissa filed for divorce. As much as I wanted grandchildren I was glad she hadn't had any kids. That man and her friend took the sparkle out my little girl's eyes. I'll never forgive either of them. Melissa dropped her studies. She taught school, went straight home to her apartment, and slept. She lost weight. She left her apartment to eat, and she'd stop by our house. That was her social life. Visiting her parents."
Kaye drained her martini, and another appeared almost instantly. Boys at the bar.
"I suspect people with degrees in such matters would say she was in denial. I forget what phase is supposed to follow, but with my daughter it was anger. Mel decided to express that anger by proving to herself that she was a desirable woman. At first we were pleased. Oh dear. How to say this..."
"Just say what you feel Kaye."
"Her apartment door should have been revolving?"
"Clear enough."
"The later she stayed out at night, the lower the standard for who she dragged home."
I nodded understanding to encourage her.
