Silvia
Our lives returned to a routine after May with a few little exceptions. I found a part-time job as a para-legal, which helped reacquaint me with the working world. Since it was part-time, I had time to start a few classes in addition to Spanish. My swimming, working out, and running became an early morning thing. I used to go when I felt like it, but with a new job and classes, the earlier I could exercise, the better I felt during the day.
Susan and I kept in touch, and I found her becoming someone I could bounce ideas off of and get a second opinion with instead of relying on Megan. I enjoyed hearing about her life, and we always had new things to discuss. We didn't discuss sexual things, but I felt she might be interested in being intimate. We were becoming friends first, and I liked that.
I knew Megan and Carli texted frequently. I think there was also a spark, but Megan was still only seventeen. I assumed Carli could lose her job if she had relationships with her players or someone close to their age. I didn't see a problem with Carli and Megan hooking up. But that was none of my business. After all, Megan became sexually aware with a woman in her early twenties in front of my nose whom we'd just met. How could I say no to someone we'd both met and considered a friend?
I do have to confess that my outlook on life and sexuality became less stringent after our return from Costa Rica. Our attire at home slowly became less rigid, you might say. Since we'd seen each other nude fairly often on vacation when no males were around, we seldom bothered covering up at home. Of course, it was weather-dependent; we weren't nudists in the formal sense of the word, but we didn't see any reason to get dressed like we used to. One benefit to that was less laundry to do.
Having tasted the sweet fruit of another female, I admit there have been times I've wondered what it would be like to have a sexual relationship with Megan. But those thoughts are very brief and infrequent. I occasionally had her in my fantasies when I masturbated, along with a few other lovely ladies and some of Megan's teammates.
However, I was looking for someone for a long-term thing. I wasn't sure how to take the first step with another woman. It had been a long since I dated anyone, and it scared me, especially in our little town.
I began talking to more people in my daily activities, which was a start. I came to realize how sheltered I'd been married to Lloyd. It made sense because we were monogamous. I didn't have a real active social life during that time. I had friends, but most of my time revolved around Lloyd and Megan. Now, somewhat on my own, I became more outgoing and maybe a bit flirty with everyone. It was a nice feeling, and I was enjoying it. It especially felt good when others flirted back.
In mid-July, I got a text from Susan asking when I'd be free to talk. I answered that evenings are the best, so she texted back to expect her call after dinner. I thought it was odd she'd do that, but she must have her reasons.
Around seven, the phone rang; Megan and I had finished dinner, and I was relaxing while Megan studied Spanish in her room. Susan and I caught up for about half an hour until she told me why she called.
She asked if I'd heard about next month's Comic-Con at the convention center near our town. I said I had, but neither Megan nor I were into that. She paused, then said she and Carli were going to it in costume and wondered if they could stop by that weekend if we didn't mind, assuming we'd be home.
I asked if they'd gotten a hotel room yet, and she said no. I told her not to because they could stay with us. She went on about not wanting to be a bother and all that. I told her we'd love to have them both, and since they were so nice putting up with us when we visited, it was only fair we reciprocated. Susan thanked me and said she'd mention it to Carli. I replied I'd let Megan know, and I bet she'd call Carli and insist you stay with us.
Susan laughed, and then I asked who or what they were going as. She said she wouldn't tell us what they were dressing up as. Then she asked if we'd like to go with them. We didn't have to dress up if we didn't want to, but the convention was more fun when you're character. I told her I'd think about it, and we left it at that.
We talked some more, then said goodnight.
Megan was still studying when I knocked on her door. I told her Susan and Carli were going to the Comic-Con next month, and I invited them to stay with us if Carli agreed. Megan quickly searched for it online. When she found it, her eyes widened as she asked if we could dress up and go with them. I laughed and told her we could, but I had no clue who I'd dress up as.
Megan giggled and said she didn't know who she'd be, but we had time to figure it out. I left my darling in her room, and before I could get to the end of the hall, I heard her furiously texting away. I smiled and wondered who I could dress up as.
I was getting ready for bed when Susan called back the next night. She said Carli had talked to Megan. They accepted my invitation to stay with us during Comic-Con. They would pay for our admission and take us to dinner Saturday night. I told her they didn't have to do that, but Susan insisted.
I asked again, but she still wouldn't tell me who she and Carli would be, and I left it at that.
I was still racking my brain to develop a character the following day. I didn't see Megan before I went to the gym to ask if she had any ideas. As I was working out, I thought I should find something easy if I were going to dress up. I didn't want to buy a costume; I'm capable of making something. I thought about a character with red hair, so I didn't need a wig. It came down to me needing to spend time online and find something.
As I was finishing my workout, daydreaming on the elliptical, one of the regulars who works out early like I do climbed on the machine next to me. We usually nod and say hello, but this time, she woke me from my thoughts when she said good morning and that I looked preoccupied. I told her good morning and apologized, telling her I was trying to think of a costume for next month's Comic-Con. I was lost, wondering whether to dress up and who I might be.
She laughed, telling me I did look a little distracted. She mentioned she'd been a couple of times and found it fun and fascinating. She introduced herself, pausing on her elliptical to tell me her name, Michelle. I stopped and told her mine, and I was glad to meet her, and then we went back to working out.
Usually, I see Michelle in the free-weight area. We smile and do our thing, lifting and taking turns with the barbells and dumbbells. Typically, she has her earbuds in, so we don't talk. She's about five foot two and very fit, in her mid-twenties, with blonde hair, usually in a ponytail.
Michelle started telling me about what to expect at the Comic-Con. It's a great place if you're a photographer, but you should always ask before taking a picture. She said she dressed up once and became slightly annoyed with men taking her image without permission.
Michelle told me she went as Cammy White from Street Fighter. I told her I had no idea who that was. She smiled and suggested I Google it. Michelle said that her costume may have been relatively revealing or sexy, which was why the photographers annoyed her. I could see their reasoning because Michelle had a very yummy physique. We continued talking about Comic-Con until I reached my time limit. We said our goodbyes and that we'd have to talk more about it. I thanked her and left the gym.
When I got home, I checked the Comic-Con site to see what it was all about. As Megan had said, there were speakers, booths, autograph signings, and more. I could see why I'd never paid much attention to it; I'm not a pop culture fan. But I'd go to please Susan, Megan, and Carli.
So, once I looked it all over, I Googled Cammy White. I could see Michelle going as that character because she certainly had the body for it.
My decision to be a character that would be easy to create came down to Vicki Vale. She's a photographer associated with the Batman comics. I had a small camera I could use as a prop, and dressing casually would be pretty straightforward. The only prop I'd need would be a pressman's hat with a card that said 'press' in it. This was going to be easy.
During my gym visits, Michelle and I talked more about Comic-Con. Our talks slowly expanded to other areas of our lives. I guess Michelle intimidated me before we started talking because she has such a tight body. She was always focused on her workouts, seldom smiling while listening to her workout playlists. After getting to know her a bit, seeing her at the gym became a bright spot in my day.
Michelle was an absolute sweetheart; her serious persona was mainly to keep guys from hitting on her. We slowly became 'gym buddies', working out together and chatting. Of course, I couldn't keep up with her intense workouts, but I was trying. Michelle didn't give me any flak about not keeping up. She was always cheerful and complimentary, which made me want to work harder. She was like having a personal trainer without paying the fees.
Megan and I didn't talk much about it during the weeks before the convention. She'd call Carli and talk for hours. I did my usual things: reading, sewing, and schoolwork. About two weeks before the convention, I told Megan about my choice, and she was visibly disappointed. She expected me to pick someone like Poison Ivy, Ariel, the Little Mermaid, Scarlet Witch, Harley Quinn, or maybe Jessie from Toy Story since they were all redheads.
I told her I wasn't as excited about the convention as she was. I wanted to see how Carli and Susan dressed, but this wasn't a big deal for me. Maybe I was getting old and grumpy at the ripe old age of thirty-six. I reminded her that Susan said we didn't have to dress up. I even considered saving them money and not going both days.
Megan chastised me for reverting to the pre-Costa Rica me. But I didn't want this to get out of hand. She was upset, so I told her I would rethink the costume. I also suggested she find something for me. That calmed her down for the moment.
I called Susan later that evening to tell her what was going on. She was sweet about everything, reminding me it didn't matter if I dressed up. This was her and Carli's thing. Plus, they wanted to see us, and the convention was an excellent reason to visit. I thanked her, although I still felt somewhat guilty about not wanting to participate.
The next day, Megan and I had another talk. I modified my suggestion to a character that wouldn't cost a fortune and was easy to make. She grinned, making me promise to be whoever she came up with. I didn't go that far, but I did tell her I'd seriously consider it. She felt better about the whole thing, and life went on. God, I hate drama.
Megan now had a mission. The convention was two weeks away, and I still didn't have a 'good' costume. She asked if the character had to be a redhead, a superhero, or just a cartoon character, questions like that. She was wearing me down, but I played along to keep her happy. I told her it didn't matter as long as I wasn't a serial killer. Finally, with a week to go, Megan decided what I'd be.