Once Again for Old Time's Sake

Chapter 7 - Idea Planted

UNKNOWN

"Sir, those pictures you requested have been delivered. The cops and EMS arrived within minutes. She was taken to the hospital. Checking dispatches for the destination."

"Very good. Keep me posted. Identify everyone there. I need a report on my desk in 48 hours." A click followed his statement, the conversation over for the moment.

NIC

As the elevator doors closed around us, I turned to Riley. "Damn, I'm disappointed she's married. My hopes just got dashed again." Looking at our reflections in the mirrored panels, I noted we looked as if someone had licked the stripes off our candy canes.

Riley bobbed his head in agreement. "Same here. I started building a fantasy life with her in my mind. We talked last night. She's changed."

"What about? You two looked cozy coming from the hotel in that picture." Even though I had no claim on Carmen, I still felt a twinge of jealousy over my friend's luck. We exited the elevator, which opened directly into the cafeteria. Going for a quick, prepackaged snack, I selected a half sub, a bag of my favorite sour cream and onion chips, and bottled water. Riley did the same. After I paid for both meals, we found a table in the far corner.

We found a seat by the glass wall of ceiling-to-floor windows surrounded by the campus gardens. The tall trees and flowering rhododendrons gave our spot colorful privacy. Inside, very few people dined, the tables closest to us empty. It suited me just fine to have a quiet space to discuss things.

Riley smiled. "We chatted about general stuff, and I met her daughter. God, she's a mini-Carmen, but with absolutely no filter. Then sleeping beside her, my cock forgot the years on it and tried to create a zipper tattoo. I didn't sleep too much, truthfully."

I laughed at the mental picture I got. "You're not alone there. It's been ages since I've experienced constant arousal."

I set my phone on the table between us. "I don't want her to return home."

"You're preaching to the choir. Think she was seriously inviting us for the Fourth?"

Riley's hopeful expression caused me to smirk. I was hopeful, too. "I think so. Would you go if she does?"

"In a heartbeat. You?"

"Abso-fucking-lutely! I'm still shocked that she's been this close for so long and I had no clue."

Riley slouched in his seat before sitting up again. Munching his sandwich, he looked at the wall behind me with unfocused eyes. "You ok over there?"

Starting, he looked up as if he appeared here suddenly and was confused. He cleared his throat and shifted again in his seat. "The other night, Margret stirred shit up, and it's been fucking with my mind."

"Is she ok?"

As he considered how to respond, Riley had a wild look in his eyes. His deep baritone rumbled with nervous laughter. "SNAFU, situation normal, all fucked up, as per usual. I was supposed to be traveling, but she came over to the house to have a party. You could say the evening was an eye-opening experience."

Maggie appeared to be level-headed and thoughtful. The fact she had Riley so discombobulated proved the unusual circumstances. "Ok, so she's caused the world to tilt on its axis. How messed up are we talking?"

The burst of air that escaped him could have been a groan, laugh, or sigh. His hands flew from the table, gesticulating as if he was crazy. "It's so fucking nuts. I've been going around the bend trying to come to terms with it. I found Margret tied up. She told me she has three boyfriends and wants to make a life together with them."