Evelyn

Tragedy struck again, and my life took a turn for the worst. As I approached my fortieth year Debra was diagnosed with a terminal illness and given six months to live. In the first two months there was no change and we began to hope that the doctors had misdiagnosed her. However there was change and I was forced to watch her deteriorate, although it was hardly noticeable at first. By the beginning of the fifth month on the predicted timescale, Debra's condition demanded full time care. I couldn't do it during the day because I still needed to work to pay the bills; this is where Evelyn stepped in to help. She nursed Debra through the day and I through the night. I moved into the second bedroom, for the times I had the opportunity to get some proper sleep, but put a camp bed alongside Debra, so that I could cat nap between attending to her. Evelyn would attend her each week day and Saturday night; giving me a chance to catch up on some sleep. I would attend her every night except Saturday night, having previously attended her all day Saturday, then all day and all night Sunday.

I remember it was a Sunday while pottering around tidying her bedroom up, Debra asked me to sit on the bed she wanted to talk.

'Dan I don't think I've got much longer and I need to talk to you. Dan, Evelyn loves you and I know you have strong feelings for her. Evelyn needs a steady man in her life and you need a good wife I think you're perfect for each other and I want you to promise me that you'll ask her to marry you.'

'We'll see.'

'No Dan I want you to promise me, please promise me.'

'I promise.'

Debra died the following Saturday night while I was sleeping. Evelyn came to wake me because she thought Debra had passed away but I needed to confirm for myself that she had.

I mixed her ashes with soil and placed it in a large garden pot in which I planted a red rose bush named, Loving Memory. At least we would remain close to each other. Evelyn never stopped fussing around me, everywhere I turned there she was. I know she was only trying to help but just looking at her was hard enough, in the end I had to say something, for her to give me some space to gather myself. We never spoke for a month then one day I got a phone call inviting me to dinner. I felt mean declining her offer but I wasn't ready, I think it was more about the expectation that I should marry her and I wasn't sure if Evelyn was aware or even a willing participant in Debra's plans. It was the following month that I phoned Evelyn asking her if she would help me sort out Debbie's things. We spent Saturday together sorting through her things, one instruction that Debbie insisted on was that I should return Evelyn's wedding ring to her. Evelyn wouldn't accept it, but I told her she had no option but to take it back.

Late Saturday afternoon we had finish bagging and boxing up most of Debbie's belongings the stuff that I didn't want. Before we started I offered Evelyn first pick of Debbie's belongings; the only thing that I denied her was when she asked for her wedding dress. That was staying with me because I found it a comfort. Several times I had taken it out of its protective bag and cuddled up to it in bed. I couldn't part with it although I did notice that she chose her blue dress and several items bought for our honeymoon. With everything tidied up and packed away Evelyn suggested that she head for home. I felt guilty because she was giving me the opportunity to allow her to go home unrewarded for her hard work without any ill feelings. I wanted to find some way to thank her and for us to remain together longer into the evening. Our busy day together had not been as bad as I expected so I decided to extend her stay by offering to send out for Chinese.

After dinner the evening conversation between us was a little awkward with both of us skirting around the subject of Debra. She asked me how work was, I asked her what had she being doing with herself? We spoke about some of the things the three of had done together, the conversation was definitely strained. Suddenly Evelyn stood up saying that she was going and would I like to have dinner at her house next Saturday at seven o'clock, I thanked her, said I would, then walked her out to her car and she was gone.

We began to see more of each other, mainly weekends. She would come to my house or I would go to hers, sometimes we would go out to a restaurant. Companionship turned to dating we began to kiss goodnight, brief kisses at first becoming more passionate. Evelyn never pushed our relationship everything seemed to happen in its own time, naturally until THE weekend. We'd been dating six months, even as I was getting ready to have dinner at Evelyn's that night I knew exactly what would happen. I slipped the jewelry box with Debra's engagement ring in my pocket and headed off in the car. Somehow I knew; I don't know what it was but I knew, she would be wearing Debra's blue dress, she was and she looked fantastic. She slipped her arms around my neck; I slipped my arms around her waist and pulled her tight to me. The kiss lasted forever. There was very little conversation during dinner but a great deal of eye contact and smiles. After dinner we lay on the sofa and kissed and kissed and kissed some more.

'Don't leave me tonight Dan, stay with me, sleep with me, I need you in my bed, I need you in me. I'm in love with you Dan; I have been since that first time we met, please take me to bed.'

Hand in hand we climbed the stairs. Evelyn led me into her bedroom; a room that I was fairly familiar with although every time I had entered there had been three of us, now we were only two. She asked me to undress her; I did, kissing every bit of her body as it became exposed, every bit. The strangest thing was that our love making lasted almost twice as long as it did with Debbie. I did everything with Evelyn that I did with Debbie, kissing every part of her body, fondling her tits, sucking her nipples, occasionally using my tongue to bring her to a climax. The difference was in the foreplay. Evelyn really enjoyed, just as I did, the initial bout of kissing on the mouth, with the lips and tongue in harmony creating so much passion. We spent so much time kissing while our hands explored each other's body, continually bringing each other almost to the peaks of ecstasy before backing off. Our love making was just like a conveyor system by the time we had satisfied each other sexually we could carry on kissing. By the time we had satisfied each other romantically we were again ready for sex. Having made love twice and on our third bout of kissing I stopped, Evelyn wanted to know if there was a problem.

'Evelyn I need to talk with you, I want to ask you to marry me but you will have to stop going with other men.'

She started laughing and said. 'You don't know, Debra never told you?'

'Told me what?'

'I haven't been with another man apart from the few times we've been together since that first Saturday you and Debra came to dinner. So yes darling I will marry you, and I think you can safely say that I will not be going with any other men.'

We kissed then I reached under the pillow and pulled out the box removed the ring then asked Evelyn if she would consider wearing Debbie's engagement ring or would she prefer for me to buy her a new one. I was delighted when she said she would be pleased and honored to wear Debbie's engagement ring. I slipped it on her finger then she told me she always envied Debra wearing the ring not just because it was a beautiful ring, but what it represented, me. She kissed me then said there's a bottle of champagne in the fridge.

'Dan would you propose to me the way you did with Debra in the sitting room, I'll just wear the blue dress?' Evelyn handed back the ring for me to slip back in its box.

'No, for you I think the pagoda would be more suitable, especially if it's filled with flowers, I'll come to you there. You put the dress on, give me a few minutes to check the pagoda and I will call you when I'm ready and you can wait for me in there.'

The pagoda was full of flowers and tucked out of the way in one corner was this magnificent vintage totally white in every respect two seater sofa. Consisting of a white cast iron frame with delicate filigree work across and above the white leathered upholstered back, balanced by similar work below the seat in front of the white leather cushions. I managed to drag it out into the middle then surrounded it with flowers at the back and both sides. Heading for the kitchen I stopped and called to Evelyn to come down and close the doors behind her. The champagne was racked in the fridge and the ice bucket in its usual place. Filling the bucket with ice and screwing the bottle down into it I made my way back to the bedroom picking up a couple of champagne glasses on the way.

Still naked from our love making, I slipped on my shirt and pants and headed back downstairs. Evelyn, having taken up a pose of coyness, was sitting in the middle of the sofa; I went to her, knelt, opened the box and asked her to marry me. She feigned surprise and with her hand stretch out waited for me to slip the ring on her finger before saying yes. Back in the bedroom Evelyn recreated the same situation as Debra by propping me up on pillows and positioning herself between my legs. I poured out the glasses of champagne and we toasted our engagement.

'Did Debbie tell you everything we did, how we celebrated in bed after I gave her the ring?'

'No why?'

'She never told how when we got back into bed she propped me up with pillows, then sat between my legs celebrating our engagement?'

'What do you mean like we've just done; no she never said a word?'

We finished the bottle of champagne between us, made love again then fell asleep in each other's arms.

Sunday morning Evelyn woke me with fried breakfast on a tray, two trays in fact one was hers. This time she was wearing a nightgown, well it shouldn't be called a gown because a gown by its very nature is long. This item of night attire was very low at the top and very high at the bottom, perfect for what I had in mind after breakfast. I held her tray while she snuggled in close to me, planting her lips on mine before taking her tray. She was waving her hand around catching a ray of light as it streamed through the window, her diamond ring projecting the colors of the rainbow on the wall opposite.

After breakfast we snuggled down together and experienced probably the most tenderness hour of my life. When we kissed our lips rested lightly together. Evelyn eased her nightgown up and slipped her hand around my manhood gently massaging and guiding me, while pushing herself onto me, encouraging minimal penetration into her most sacred of places. For my part, I was tenderly fondling her breasts and lightly squeezing her nipples between my fingers. I suppose it was a form of teasing, frustrated that we could not bring the whole thing to a climax, terrified that one of us could not control their emotions, bringing the whole thing to a sudden conclusion. We developed a pace in our foreplay which would allow us to go on forever.

While we continued to provide each other with these incidental pleasures, I suggested that we discussed the wedding arrangements. Where would we hold the wedding? Evelyn preferred an old church close by, according to her small but very quaint. What wedding attire should we consider? Here she was very specific; I was to dress in the same grey morning suit I wore when Debbie and I married. Evelyn asked if she could wear Debbie's wedding dress, I didn't have a problem with that, I'd arrange to have it cleaned.

'Darling is the dress dirty or stained?'

'No it's clean having been its protective case these past years.'

'Then please don't get it cleaned, I would like Debra to be with me when we get married.

'Evelyn is there anyone you wish to invite?'

'Yes darling, several of the attorneys, the partners in fact who helped me face up to the board who were trying to sell the company from under me when Bob died.'

We completed our wedding arrangements without a single disagreement and I promised to bring the wedding dress with me the next time, allowing Evelyn to try it on in her own time. She could make whatever arrangements she needed to make. If she thought it needed cleaning, altering or was just not suitable she would let me know. For the honeymoon we were to return to the same complex in Jamaica only this time Evelyn preferred a beach bungalow rather than an overwater bungalow. That was not the end of our conversation, not as far as Evelyn was concerned.

'Darling you remember how, after Debra died, I was obsessive, possessive and drove you mad following you around every day until you said something about wanting your own space. I stayed away because I knew if I didn't I would lose you, so I gave you time on your own to mourn. If you marry me it will still be the same I will want you around me all the time, but I know that will not work so I have a proposal to put to you. My attorneys have met both you and Debra several times so they do know you. Since Debra died I have spoken to them about the possibly of us getting married, and they are not happy with the idea or my proposed plans. I would ask you to pack up work and stay close to me at the house. I'm not so stupid as to think we'll sit in the same room all day as lovers. I know you need your own space and something to occupy your time without me hovering around you all day. This is my plan.'

'Once we are married I propose to transfer half of my financial holdings and half the house into your name, unless you would prefer to move to another part of the country. I propose that you leave your current employment and with your analytical knowledge of the stock market start your own business with your office here at the house. You've seen Bob's old office you can work in there and set it up anyway you like. That way we will remain close to each other, however I will respect your wishes and your office will remain off limits, unless it's something important. I can bring you morning and afternoon tea or coffee and you can even have lunch in there if you wish. After I informed my attorney's what I proposed they would like to talk with you before the wedding, I think they want to impose some conditions, but I will back you on anything you decide.'

It was midday before we rolled out of bed and into the shower making love for the umpteenth time. Debbie's breasts with those large nipples were fun to play with and great to suck, however, Evelyn's breasts were prettier, the same size as Debbie's but prettier and with smaller nipples. I dressed in the same clothes that I arrived in not expecting to stay overnight and left Evelyn still dressing as I made my way downstairs. Bob's old office really needed some work, and as Evelyn walk in I was picturing in my mind how it could be laid out. She looked stunning all made up with a coffee colored silk skirt and cream blouse and a single string pearl necklace. I couldn't remember ever having seen her wear a necklace before, and it turned out that she had numerous pieces of jewelry but never, in her words, flaunted them in front of Debra. I apologized for wandering around Bob's office without her permission. She put her arms around my neck, kissed me and said.

'Darling this is your house as much as mine, you can go where you like there are no restrictions, so if you are considering what needs to be done with your office, I assume we won't be moving?'

Standing beside her with my arm around her waist pulling her close, sighed, there was quite a lot of work to be carried out. In my mind I knew the type of furniture and layout I wanted, and discussed it with Evelyn seeking her approval.

'The room needs redecorating, the wallpaper I decided on a very pale blue with a regency ivory and gold metallic pattern and a new suitable carpet. Bob's excellent antique walnut desk with brass handles and a dark green leather skiver top will remain if it's not a too painful memory for you. For the desk, a large comfortable high backed leather chair. For the clients, if we achieve such status, two antique tan leather Chesterfield sofa's; one two seat, and one three seat, plus four matching Chesterfield captain's chairs, with two positioned in front of the desk.'

The intended meeting with Evelyn's attorneys was probably the most stressful of all the pre-wedding arrangements, and it happened about a month before the ceremony. Even their offices seemed to intimidate, Evelyn was wonderfully supportive and entered as if she hadn't a care in the world. She suggested that should they try to interfere with my plans, tell them that you will take me, my estate and our business elsewhere. When I asked if she meant it, was told that she never says anything she doesn't mean, it did make me feel a little better. We were ushered into the attorney's office immediately we arrive, which straight away made me suspicious. The gentleman conducting the interview was not Evelyn's usual attorney neither was he a partner, we were being fobbed off with a lesser animal. I enquired about Evelyn's personal attorney and was told that he was extremely busy.

'Too busy to see one of his most important clients or perhaps she's not that important. Thank you for your time, come on sweetheart lets go.'

Without saying a word Evelyn rose from her chair and followed me through the door, we left the office and the building and returned to Evelyn's house. Although we slept together every weekend I felt it improper if we lived together on a permanent basis before the wedding. Therefore I still lived alone at home during the week. At that time I did not consider Evelyn's house as home even though we were refurbishing Bob's office. Evelyn phoned the following evening, her attorney had phoned during the day, apologizing and requested that another meeting be arranged. She asked me what I wanted to do.

'If I agree to meet him would you consider having the meeting at your house in the evening?'

She said she would, so I left the arrangements to them to pick any weekday evening.

Roger Sullivan, Evelyn's attorney arrived before me, probably prepping her for the events about to unfold. We shook hands, he apologized for his lack of consideration with regard to the last meeting, and then the three of us settled ourselves in the sitting room.

'I understand from Evelyn that you are about to be married and that she intends to transfer half of her estate into your name. I hope you can appreciate that as her friend I am employed to look after her interests making sure that no harm comes to her or her estate. I've told Evelyn, now I'm telling you I'm against this marriage I think she making a big mistake. However, since she's so set on marrying you I have a proposal to put to you, a prenuptial agreement if you like. In the case of a divorce you will sign your share of the estate back to Evelyn in return you will receive $10 million which will keep you in comfort for the rest of your life.'

I looked towards Evelyn she shook her head telling me that it was not necessary to sign any legal document. I patted her leg and told her everything was fine 'I'll sign his useless document because there'll never be a need for it.'

'Evelyn tells me that you're terminating your employment and starting up your own financial business dealing in stocks and shares, you know it's a very volatile business. I had you investigated and found that you are a very successful analyst in that field but have had no experience in dealing with clients. I'm sure that you have experience in the business but you are not a qualified or licensed trader. However, you can start off small and work your way up. If it ever gets to a point where you need a license or recommendation we can help you with that. You will need to invest in certain equipment; computers and such like and create an office.'