Page 59 of Afternoon Delight
Meg
When I thought about what anchored me to Toronto, Roddie was it.
Most of my real friends had been made when we were still in Montreal, when I’d been a young mom and Shelby had been starting play group.
I kept in touch with them online, but I didn’t see them in person much anymore.
I had a few friends in Toronto, but those connections had fallen stale through Dad’s illness and the divorce.
None were so precious to me that I would take over their adult toy shop if they asked me to.
As I considered leaving, I made myself look at all my options.
For instance, I could move to Calgary to be closer to Shelby.
Roddie might like that, but the thing that drew me to Victoria was the familiarity.
It had grown up and grown very busy through the years, but compared to Toronto, it felt quaint and laid-back. It felt like home.
I waited until Shelby came for Joel’s wedding before I told anyone that I was secretly shopping real estate in Victoria. Mom had taken me up on my offer to visit while her house was being shown, so she was with us when I took the kids out to dinner.
“This is fancy, Mom. What’s the occasion?” Shelby asked.
We were in the rotating restaurant atop the CN Tower with a window seat overlooking the city lights.
“The occasion is that I work ten minutes from this place and I’ve never been. There are a ton of things to do here and I never do them. That leads me to wonder why I live here. And now that I’ve got you all together, there’s something I wanted to tell you.”
Roddie slapped the menu closed. Shelby’s eyes widened. Mom picked up her drink and seemed to hold her breath.
Oof. I really had set some rough precedents.
“I’ve decided to move to Victoria.”
“You and Zak are getting back together?” Shelby clapped her hands in excitement.
“Spoiler alert, they never broke up,” Roddie said.
“Oh, I like Zak,” Mom said warmly. “Are you going to marry or?—”
“Mom. Everyone calm down.” I held up a hand. “I don’t know what will happen with Zak. I haven’t told him because I don’t want to put any pressure on him. This move is something I want to do. And hopefully Roddie? Do you still think you would come with me?”
“I told Bethany I might. She said, ‘What would you even do there?’ I said, ‘I don’t know. I can’t learn to fish ’cause I sold all of Grandpa’s gear.’ She laughed so hard, but she said she’d visit. And I’ll see her when I visit Dad. I can come back if I don’t like it. Right?”
“Exactly.”
“Then, yeah.” He shrugged and opened his menu again.
“I wish you’d said something before I listed the house,” Mom said with mild annoyance. “I’ll call in the morning, see if I can back out...”
“No. Mom. I love you and I want to be closer to you, but not that close. This is a fresh start for both of us.”
“I thought you were excited about the condo, Grandma?” Shelby asked.
“It will be convenient. Did your mother tell you I’ve started doing the window display for the pro shop at the golf course? Let me show you the photos. They’re paying me in store credit, but I buy enough there that it works out well for me.”
She showed us a photo of three large stuffed teddy bears propping up golf clubs. The female mannequin in the middle wore a wig of long gold curls and was teeing up. The whiteboard next to her said, Ask us about custom clubs. We’ll make sure they’re Just Right.
“That’s so cute!” Shelby said. “Where did you get the bears?”
“Zak. He and Dale went to an estate sale. The wig is from Negasi. I’ve been talking to him about helping with financing his business, once the house sells, as an investment. I had forgotten that. Of course I can’t back out on listing it,” she murmured.
We moved on to Shelby’s new job and other topics.
The kids were at Joel’s wedding the next day, and Mom was getting a mani-pedi at a salon she liked to visit when she was in town. I had planned it this way because Dale almost always went to his respite group on Saturdays now.
I texted Zak.
Any chance you’re free for an hour? I’m home alone.
I was looking forward to driving to chucking bread at seagulls, but I can do that later if this is important.
A few minutes later, his voice was in my ear.
“Can you hear me?” he asked.
“Yup.”
“Cool. What happens if I push this button?”
“It vibrates in my hand.”
“What’s it doing in your hand? Put it in your pussy,” he said crossly.
“Where’s yours?”
“In the drawer.”
“Zak!”
“Babe, I’m so hard and so horny I’m going to come just hearing your voice.”
“You really don’t want to do this together?”
“Okay, I will. Just a sec.”
I heard some huffs and rustles while I lubed my toy and slid it between my thighs, accepting the small pinch as I inserted it.
“How are you?” he asked. “I’m kissing your neck as I ask that.”
“Thanks. I’m good. Are you— Oh!” A low vibration rumbled deep in my vagina.
“Too much? I’ll dial it down.”
“No, I was just surprised. I didn’t realize we were starting.”
“Did you hear the part where I came twice because you texted me? I’m— Oh, fuck.”
“Feels good?” I smiled as I increased the suction on his toy one degree.
“Really good. Fuck, I miss you, Meg. I?—”
I didn’t hear him. I groaned, pinching my thighs together as the buzzing inside me began sending waves of pleasure through the rest of my body.
“Is that a good noise or...?” he asked in a strained voice.
“It feels really good, but not enough.”
“More?”
“No. I just really wish it was you. Your cock. Oh, fuck, Zak.”
“Rub your clit. I wish I was sucking your nipples right now.”
I pushed my hand between my thighs and it was over. I was gasping into the phone, coming hard. His sexy, ragged noises followed in seconds.
I touched the button to stop his toy, and the rumbles inside me ceased. We both sighed and lay there, not talking.
“I miss you, too,” I confessed.
No response.
“Zak?”
“Hmm? Oh, fuck,” he said in a drowsy tone of discovery. “I gotta clean up. Can I call you after I shower?”
“You don’t have to. Get some sleep. It sounds like you need it.”
“I do.” He yawned. “Dad’s been getting up at night. He keeps thinking the TV is on.” I had the sense he was moving, then I heard the thrum of the shower starting. “But thanks for this. Let’s do it again soon.”
“Sure. Um, maybe we could do it in person. I might, um...” Why was I so nervous? “I’m hoping to fly out with Mom when she goes home. I’ll let you know. Hopefully, you could get away for a few hours.”
“I’ll make it happen.”
I smiled. “Okay. Bye, Zak.”
“Bye, Meg.”