Percy arrived home that evening with a puzzled mindset. Initially, he was astonished at Holroyd’s gesture. It was unicorns and rainbows, the excitement of the trip that lay ahead with his work buddies. Yet it all seemed to deflate at the mention that he was going to have to invite Sandy on the retreat also. He tried to see the positive light, enjoy the notable presence he had at CondoCapture, and soak up his achievements. Yet a part of him wished wholly that he didn’t have to entertain such an idea.
If he had any chance of furthering himself in the company, he had to be smart. He knew at some point directive rolls would be made available, so he’d have to do Holroyd’s bidding. He loved his wife dearly, yet with the strange responses he’d received since marrying her, seemingly that of their polarising physical statures being brought into conversation it had not been overly forthcoming. It had created an ever-present boiling pot of angst and pressure in him. Not to mention her vivacious presence and the electric magnet pulses she gave off to other men, which mostly he felt a sucker to deal with.
“Hey babe, how’s my little man doing?”
Sandy smiled as she ruffled Percy’s pretty little Leo’s. She was doing her nails when he arrived, a shiny turquoise that bade well with the dress she was wearing that evening. She always looked phenomenal even without putting her face on.
“I’m good. Oh where’s the pup?” he asked.
He was referring to their latest joy. A spritely little designer dog she had always wanted. Maxi was his name, a Shihpoo puppy that screamed adorably! Sandy was oh so fond of putting little doggy clothes on him, pink collars, and pretty little outfits. He was so cute. It didn’t help so much with their identity parade though, yet she seemed oblivious. Percy just wanted to make her happy so he didn’t say anything. After all, it was hardly the dog's fault, so he went along with it. Being truthful minded, he often found he was readily going along with her wants, asks, and needs. Yet she was so radiant, and kindly, always there for him if he had problems; swings and roundabouts he guessed.
“I took him to Mimi’s. She’s shampooing him as we speak! Here, look...”
She was doing a FaceTime with her girlfriend Mimi. He could see the dog getting soaped up with suds in the bath,
“Cute isn’t he babe? Hair dryer next, he he!”
Percy felt weak suddenly and an off sort of nauseousness came over him.
“Oh yeah, nice one. Can’t wait to get him back later, lots of cuddles. Listen, I’m just gonna run a bath. I’m feeling pretty tired today.”
Sandy ever so slightly tensed her eyes. It seemed a bit off from her husband but she thought nothing of it and continued to watch her little precious getting all rinsed off with the warm shower head.
“Ok, hun. We can talk later. I’ve done us something special for dinner. Maybe later when Maxi’s all sleepy we can have some fun time too.”
Little Neck was a small town. A large proportion of the towns folk either worked for the Mail sorting company down at Bushmill or for Dick Holroyd at the edge of town overlooking the river. The residents were kind and not too much happened in the wispy, leafy Midwest town.
Percy soaked in the bath. He thought of how he would have to somehow break the news of the forthcoming week away to Sandy. Caught up all the while in the privacy of his insecurities, that she knew very little of. It was daunting but he continued to relax in the bubbles thinking it through.
Later that evening as Percy was finishing off refreshing himself, Mimi made her way down to the house with Maxi pup after his grooming. She had brought a friend with her.
Sandy opened the door to them with a fervent pup ever so excited to see his mammy!
“Aww my baby. Oh, come here my little ball of beautifulness.” She kneeled to pick Maxi up in her arms and proceeded to greet her guests.
“Sandy, this is Clayton, Clayton, Sandy,” Mimi said, introducing the pair of them.
The two of them exchanged smiles before Sandy ushered them inside from the porch. Strikingly, Clayton hadn’t missed a trick in what stood before him. She was gorgeous, really sexy and sweet. He loved those hips, and what he sensed very much so was a fine behind too. Although he had not had the pleasure of setting his eyes on it yet. Wow those curves! She was a brimming bag of beauty.
“What do I owe you?” Sandy said softly rummaging in her handbag.
“Oh don’t be silly,” Mimi exclaimed. “We’re friends. I enjoyed pampering the little mite and Clayton here was keeping me company all the same. Say, where’s Percy?”
Percy! Clayton suddenly gasped to himself. He froze for a moment; he couldn’t quite understand the situation he had inadvertently come into. Here he was in front of this stunning woman whom he had just undressed with his eyes and yet all the while it appeared to be Percy’s wife! Talk about a revelation. He had not the faintest idea little Percy could have caught such a fine catch! What a little dickie magnet he was, unreal.
He felt envious all of a sudden, but that was natural standing amid such an aesthetically pleasing woman as Sandy. Sure he knew that Percy had got married not long back but he had not an iota it was a woman as dashing as Sandy, he’d certainly kept it under wraps. As she stood there he couldn’t quite tear his eyes away from her violet satin nightgown she had wrapped tightly around her waist with a cord. It seemed to further propel her already buxom breasts outwardly more so. He was quite sure she wasn’t wearing a bra either, or anything else. This was all bizarre, to say the least, and a flicker of devil ran through him momentarily.
Percy was just finishing up and cleaning his teeth when he heard the chatter coming from the lounge. He made his way downstairs in his Jim-jams unexpectedly at what he was to encounter.
“Percy baba, Mimi is here and she’s brought a friend with her.” Sandy screeched up to him from the kitchen.
Percy Baba, Clayton thought. Hmm this certainly was the affectionate real deal, wasn’t it?
“Be down in a minute!” He shouted back gazing into the mirror, checking out that Mr. Cute.
He liked Mimi - she was a Laotian girl who had emigrated with her family to the States in the 90s. She and Sandy were good together and she didn’t pick on him for their strange, incompatible physical irregularities as others had.
Sandy happily prepared coffee whilst Mimi and Clayton sat on the sofa. Clayton in vantage point waited for the embarrassing exchange to happen. He played it cool with Percy at work, not giving him too much freedom of thought of what he felt towards the ‘poster boy’ of ‘CondoCapture’. If anything he was more taken back at how he had managed to marry Sandy. Or why, for that matter, she had married him!? It all seemed slightly suspect and a tad unreal. He noted to think more deeply about that later on. But now it was fun time.