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Authors: Nancy Thayer
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Barton Baker—”
“That asshole,” Alice spat, and for a moment the four were silent, remembering the executive secretary at TransWorld who had seduced Marilyn and betrayed both Marilyn and Alice.
“Asshole, sure,” Marilyn continued, “but he was an angel in bed!”
“Here’s my question,” Faye asked softly. “Why do we care so much that our men have erections? As proof that we’re sexy? Or for the sex itself?”
“Excellent point, Faye!” Alice pointed her fork at her friend. “When Gideon and I were first dating, I really needed confirmation that I was attractive. I mean, since I was last with a man before Gideon, my body had changed so much, my new bra size was forty-two long.” She waited for the others’ laughter to die down. “When I learned Gideon had prostate cancer, I felt sorry for him, but also, I hate to admit it, secretly relieved, because I knew his failure to stand at attention wasn’t because the sight of me didn’t turn him on. But now he’s okay, the scare’s over, and we’ve got the rest of our lives to think about. He
tells
me he thinks I’m sexy, but I’m a little disappointed he can’t
show
me. But he’s so wonderful in all other ways. We have so much fun together.” She nodded, agreeing with her own thoughts. “I’m lucky he’s in my life. I love him,” she added simply.
“Have you told him yet?” Marilyn asked.
“Does he love you?” Shirley asked.
“Oh, yes.” Alice’s smile signaled private pleasures.
“I’m so glad,” Faye said, patting Alice’s hand. “Love is the
best.
”
“Love and good sex ain’t so terrible,” Shirley added, grinning smugly.
Instantly, Faye, Alice, and Marilyn went from melting smiles to matronly suspicion. Justin Quayle, Shirley’s beau, was twelve years younger than she, handsome, charming, and glib. He was also, in spite of his education, unemployed, and deeply in debt after investing the little money he had had in a real estate deal that fell through, leaving him behind in child support payments for three children living with two ex-wives. He’d moved into one of the condos in the expansive The Haven complex, where he paid no rent, which didn’t bother the other three much, but also, no utilities, which did. Yet they’d discovered that the usually compliant Shirley was intractable on the subject of her lover. Shirley paid for Justin’s expenses and stonewalled the others when they tried to discuss him. After several intense arguments, they’d reached an agreement with Shirley. They wouldn’t complain about Justin if she’d promise not to marry him without telling them first.
But that didn’t mean they had to listen to Shirley sing the man’s praises.
“Let’s get back to Marilyn,” Alice suggested. “Whatever the reason for it, I think Marilyn needs another shopping spree. I mean, when was the last time you bought any new clothes for yourself?”
Marilyn thought about it. “This summer! I had to buy jeans and shirts and shoes for my hiking trip with Faraday!”
Alice and Shirley snickered, and even gentle Faye’s mouth trembled with a smile.
“What?” Marilyn demanded.
“Honey.” Faye put a reassuring hand on Marilyn’s. “Hiking clothes don’t count. We mean dress clothes. Like you wore at TransWorld.”
Marilyn thought. “I bought some new underwear,” she confessed, blushing. “At Victoria’s Secret.”
“All right, Marilyn!” Shirley laughed. “High five!”
Marilyn looked bewildered. Because of the other three, Marilyn no longer thought exclusively about the primordial Paleozoic ages during which her beloved trilobites had lived, but she still wasn’t au courant with the contemporary world around her. “Look, you all, it’s not my love life that troubles me. I’m worried about Teddy and Lila. Lila’s mother is a terrible strain on their marriage.”
“I’m not surprised,” Faye said. “When I worked for Eugenie Eastbrook, I was a nervous wreck. She’s such a
“That asshole,” Alice spat, and for a moment the four were silent, remembering the executive secretary at TransWorld who had seduced Marilyn and betrayed both Marilyn and Alice.
“Asshole, sure,” Marilyn continued, “but he was an angel in bed!”
“Here’s my question,” Faye asked softly. “Why do we care so much that our men have erections? As proof that we’re sexy? Or for the sex itself?”
“Excellent point, Faye!” Alice pointed her fork at her friend. “When Gideon and I were first dating, I really needed confirmation that I was attractive. I mean, since I was last with a man before Gideon, my body had changed so much, my new bra size was forty-two long.” She waited for the others’ laughter to die down. “When I learned Gideon had prostate cancer, I felt sorry for him, but also, I hate to admit it, secretly relieved, because I knew his failure to stand at attention wasn’t because the sight of me didn’t turn him on. But now he’s okay, the scare’s over, and we’ve got the rest of our lives to think about. He
tells
me he thinks I’m sexy, but I’m a little disappointed he can’t
show
me. But he’s so wonderful in all other ways. We have so much fun together.” She nodded, agreeing with her own thoughts. “I’m lucky he’s in my life. I love him,” she added simply.
“Have you told him yet?” Marilyn asked.
“Does he love you?” Shirley asked.
“Oh, yes.” Alice’s smile signaled private pleasures.
“I’m so glad,” Faye said, patting Alice’s hand. “Love is the
best.
”
“Love and good sex ain’t so terrible,” Shirley added, grinning smugly.
Instantly, Faye, Alice, and Marilyn went from melting smiles to matronly suspicion. Justin Quayle, Shirley’s beau, was twelve years younger than she, handsome, charming, and glib. He was also, in spite of his education, unemployed, and deeply in debt after investing the little money he had had in a real estate deal that fell through, leaving him behind in child support payments for three children living with two ex-wives. He’d moved into one of the condos in the expansive The Haven complex, where he paid no rent, which didn’t bother the other three much, but also, no utilities, which did. Yet they’d discovered that the usually compliant Shirley was intractable on the subject of her lover. Shirley paid for Justin’s expenses and stonewalled the others when they tried to discuss him. After several intense arguments, they’d reached an agreement with Shirley. They wouldn’t complain about Justin if she’d promise not to marry him without telling them first.
But that didn’t mean they had to listen to Shirley sing the man’s praises.
“Let’s get back to Marilyn,” Alice suggested. “Whatever the reason for it, I think Marilyn needs another shopping spree. I mean, when was the last time you bought any new clothes for yourself?”
Marilyn thought about it. “This summer! I had to buy jeans and shirts and shoes for my hiking trip with Faraday!”
Alice and Shirley snickered, and even gentle Faye’s mouth trembled with a smile.
“What?” Marilyn demanded.
“Honey.” Faye put a reassuring hand on Marilyn’s. “Hiking clothes don’t count. We mean dress clothes. Like you wore at TransWorld.”
Marilyn thought. “I bought some new underwear,” she confessed, blushing. “At Victoria’s Secret.”
“All right, Marilyn!” Shirley laughed. “High five!”
Marilyn looked bewildered. Because of the other three, Marilyn no longer thought exclusively about the primordial Paleozoic ages during which her beloved trilobites had lived, but she still wasn’t au courant with the contemporary world around her. “Look, you all, it’s not my love life that troubles me. I’m worried about Teddy and Lila. Lila’s mother is a terrible strain on their marriage.”
“I’m not surprised,” Faye said. “When I worked for Eugenie Eastbrook, I was a nervous wreck. She’s such a
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