Page 43 of James

“I do?” Laura went still.

Suzie frowned. “Yes, haven’t you noticed?”

“Not really,” Laura admitted. “I’m feeling good and I can run three miles easily now, but I hadn’t considered it could be seen as well.”

“Yes, it shows. But it isn’t only how you’ve slimmed and toned. Your hair is shiny and your eyes sparkle. Your complexion is so good, I swear you’re literally glowing. I haven’t seen you this happy in years.” Suzie went silent for a moment and continued, “I know I wasn’t keen on this BDSM stuff, but I think this James guy is really good for you.” She looked around to see if the kids were in earshot and asked, “Did he tie you up again?”

Laura nodded and said in a low tone. “Let me tell what he did to me last night.”

Suzie leaned in closer as Laura told her about a session that involved being tied down and shaved bare, followed by the most amazing oral sex which had led to a delicious orgasm. “And before I’d come down from that one, he slammed into me, and I came all over again. Believe me, the sex is over-the-top good,” she concluded, blushing as she checked the doorway yet again to reassure herself the kids were still playing in the other end of the house. “I never know exactly what he’s going to do, just that he’ll take care of me.”

Suzie let out a breath and slumped back in her chair, looking slightly flushed herself. “I could almost be a little jealous.”

Laura debated for a moment, then took the plunge. “I’d really like to bring him around to meet you someday,” she said, adding when Suzie’s eyes opened wide with alarm, “I promise you, he’ll leave his whips and leather pants at home.”

“Oh, I’m not worried about that,” Suzie said with a forced laugh and a faint frown. “I just don’t know. I know he’s a big part of your life right now, but my kids… I’m not sure I’m ready for that. I don’t know. We’ll see.”

“All right,” said Laura, recognizing a ‘No’ when she didn’t hear one. “We’ll see.”

A few days later, Laura’s phone rang. Recognizing the caller ID, she tried not to sound surprised or concerned as she answered. “Hi, Dad. What’s up?”

“Okay,” said Dan softly, not to her, but almost as if he was hyping himself up for something. Odd. Her father didn’t call often and always got straight to the point. But before Laura could ask if something was wrong, he started talking again, once more in his usual hearty phone-voice. “Hi, honey. You have plans for Thanksgiving?”

Laura’s eyebrows rose. “Well, nothing special, I guess. Aren’t me meeting up at Suzie’s like usual?”

“Well, it’s a lot of work for her, isn’t it? And a lot of dishes to wash up. So I was thinking… What would you say about all of us going out for dinner on Thanksgiving? My treat.”

Laura sank on her sofa. “That would be fun, Dad, but it’s really expensive to buy us all dinner.”

“Nonsense. It’s a long time since I took my beautiful girls out and the little rascals are old enough to enjoy a restaurant and not cause trouble,” Dan replied.

That was true. Laura couldn’t remember the last time they had gone out for dinner as a family.

“Besides I wasn’t going to take you to the Bluestem,” her father quipped.

Laura grinned at the thought of them dining in the super expensive Michelin star restaurant. “So what were you thinking?”

“Golden Corral? Something for everybody there.”

“Well, in that case I would love to have Thanksgiving with you. Thank you, Dad.” Laura was genuinely pleased, mostly from hearing her father sound so happy. Not for the first time, she reflected on the change in him lately, but this didn’t seem like the time to ask. Dan didn’t like having big conversations on the phone, and Laura couldn’t think of a polite way to sayWhy aren’t you depressed anymore? After they’d discussed the details, they said their goodbyes.

As soon as she hung up, her phone rang again. This time, it was Suzie.

“Hey, I was just about to call you,” Laura answered, curling up against the backrest.

“I guess you’ve spoken with Dad.”

“Yep. Thanksgiving at the Golden Corral. Black Friday with a bottle of Tums.”

Before Laura could say anything else, Suzie exclaimed, “What’s happening? It was only a couple of months ago he was so down and depressed that he would barely leave his living room and now he wants to go to a restaurant. On Thanksgiving, when it’s crazy busy!”

Laura burst out laughing. “I couldn’t have summed things up better. I don’t know, he sounded so…” She searched for the right word. “Well, happy.”

“Yes, he did.” Suzie agreed. “But it’s not just dinner with the family for the first time in forever, it’s… it’s so many little things. The garden, the lawn, the house looks great, he got a new suit?—”

“He what?”

“I saw it in his closet when I went over to help him with the laundry, not that he had any for me to do. Has he hired a cleaning service, do you know? The house is spotless every time I come over!”

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