Mandy's Sexcapade: Mandy the Matchmaker

This series is a non-sequential addendum to the "Sharing My Wife Amanda" storyline.

**********

It was a sad day when Amanda's mother Jacquelyn finally passed away. She had battled valiantly, but in the end my mother-in-law succumbed to metastatic cancer.

Jacquelyn's death was not unexpected, but that didn't lessen the blow for her friends and family. A life was taken too soon from this world, and our only comfort was that she died peacefully in her sleep, without pain or suffering, and surrounded by those who loved her.

Amanda wasn't just the most beautiful, the most intelligent, and the most kind-hearted person I knew, and would ever know; she also possessed an inner strength that was like a rock against endlessly crashing waves. My wife grieved over the loss of her mother, but steeled her resolve to move on. It wasn't due to callousness or lack of caring, but the world didn't stop for anyone, and Amanda came to terms with that cold, hard fact very quickly.

Amanda's father Franklin didn't take Jacquelyn's death nearly as well.

My father-in-law slipped into a pit of despair that no one- not even Amanda, his only child whom he cherished as much as his late wife- could pull him out of. After all, Franklin had just lost his spouse of over 30 years. In the weeks that followed Jacquelyn's death, he fell deeper and deeper in a melancholia that terrified those who cared about him.

Especially Amanda.

One random morning, my wife and I were seated at the breakfast with our 5 year-old son James when she suddenly turned to me. I knew that something in particular had been gnawing at her for the past week, and she finally appeared ready to talk about it.

"What's on your mind, Mandy?"

"We have to convince my father to move in with us."

Immediately after my mother-in-law's funeral, we had invited Amanda's father to stay with us. He was nearly inconsolable as he continued to process his grief, and my wife wanted to keep an eye on him, nor did she want him to be alone. But Franklin repeatedly refused, gruffly stating things like "I'm fine" and "you kids need your privacy."

But when Franklin's depression seemed to be worsening almost 3 months after Jacquelyn's death, Amanda would no longer take 'no' for an answer. The circle of life had reversed their roles: now my wife fell compelled to take care of her father.

"It'll be fine," she desperately tried to convince her father one evening after dinner at our house. "You can come and go as you please, and we can easily convert the basement into an apartment and make it your own personal space."

"Honey, it's not my personal space that I'm worried about. I may no longer be a spring chicken, but I still remember what it was like to be young and in love. Weren't the two of you talking about having more kids just the other day?" Franklin's expression softened. "I appreciate what you're trying to do for me. But trust me, when Little Jimmy goes to sleep and you want to start working on baby number 2, the last thing you'll need is for your old man to be here in the house with you."

"That's not true-" I began.

"Oh god, daddy!" Amanda interjected. "Are you serious? Do you really think we're concerned about that right now?"

Franklin's expression began to break and his voice started to crack as he held back tears. "I know you mean well, and you say this now, but 2 months from now... or even 2 weeks from now... when the arrangement gets old..."

James, who had been playing with his toys in the next room, suddenly came streaking in like a missile. He made a beeline for his grandfather and attached himself to the man's leg. "Grampa Frankie! Come live with us! Come live with us!"

Was our 5 year-old son actually eavesdropping?!?!

Franklin, suddenly overwhelmed with emotion, looked at his only grandchild as tears began to flow. Then he regarded us, unable to speak but more significantly, unable to ask for help even though he clearly needed it.

"Come live with us." Amanda repeated our son's words, barely unable to keep herself from crying.

Tears welled up in my own eyes, but I remained silent. Amanda and Franklin both knew that they had my unconditional love and support, but this was something they needed to work out on their own.

Franklin attempted to maintain a strong front, but was failing. "Are you sure?" His voice was barely above a whisper.

"Yes, daddy!" my wife cried.

"Dad, of course," I assured him wholeheartedly.

Franklin looked at us, then down at James, who was regarding him with an innocent and equally hopeful expression, then sighed and finally nodded. "Ok, then. If you're sure." He hesitated. "Ever since Jacquelyn... you guys are the only reason I have to live anymore."

I stepped back and smiled warmly as father and daughter hugged each other fiercely, crying tears of both joy and sadness.

James, still too young and innocent to truly comprehend the crueler realities of life, pumped his fists in the air and whooped, "Yay!"

**********

Two days after my father-in-law moved in, we heard James crying in his bedroom at around 3 o'clock in the morning. I groaned, but Amanda was already throwing off the blankets.

"It's ok, Mandy," I told her groggily. "I'll go."

"Don't worry about it, babe. You need to be up for work before me. Besides, I'm already wide awake." Amanda suddenly cocked her head. It was only then that I noticed that our son had stopped crying, but she rose from the bed, anyway. "Let me go check on him."

My wife quickly rushed out of our bedroom and toward James, hoping to get to him before he started crying again and woke up her father. But when she entered his room, Franklin was already there, lying next to his grandson and comforting the boy.

"Mommy, I had a bad dream that the bad guys beat all the superheroes," James told her between sobs.

She was glad that the darkness his her smile. "It's ok, baby. Mommy's here now. Here, let me hold you."

Amanda approached with outstretched arms, but our son buried his face into Franklin's chest, much to the man's surprise, and shook his head emphatically. "No. I want Grampa."

My wife was, at once, delighted and hurt. "But, baby, mommy always-"

"No! I want Grampa!" The little boy looked up at Franklin. "Grampa Frankie, will you stay with me? At least until I fell asleep again?"

Franklin couldn't help but beam proudly. "Sure, Little Jimmy. Grampa Frankie will stay here with you for as long as you want." He looked up at his daughter and smiled warmly. "Go back to sleep, Amanda. I got this."

While my wife was still smarting from the fact our son essentially chose his grandfather over her, it warmed her heart to see them together like this.

"Thanks, daddy. I love you. I love you, James."

"We love you, too, mom," Franklin told her. He looked back at James as Amanda turned to leave the room. "And you, young fella, need to close your eyes and go back to sleep. Grampa will keep all the bad guys away."

A moment later, Amanda climbed back into bed and snuggled against me.

"Everything ok?"

Even half-asleep, I could hear the happiness in her voice. "Everything is just fine."

**********

The days that followed quickly developed into a smooth routine. Franklin, without being asked, became something akin to a chef, housekeeper, nanny, and security for us. He often woke up before us on weekdays to prepare breakfast, and did drop-off and pick-up for James at his kindergarten. My father-in-law would then watch over him until Amanda and I returned home, and dinner was usually ready by the time we arrived, too.

Amanda and I didn't want Franklin to think that all of this was our expectation. Far from it! In fact, we initially tried to discourage his help around the house. But Amanda's father was retired and more recently widowed. We realized that sometimes having a family who loved him dearly wasn't enough, and that he needed a sense of purpose. So my wife and I pulled back and allowed Franklin to make himself feel useful, which, indeed, he was.

And watching James develop a close bond with his grandfather was perhaps the greatest boon of all.

On this particular day, Franklin had picked up James from kindergarten and decided to take him to the local park, which was in walking distance from our home. Our son ran around like the proverbial "chicken with its head cut off", but Franklin managed to keep up with him.

They were playing in the sand when an ice cream truck slowly drove by, chiming its music through large speakers and attracting the attention of the nearby children.

"Oooh, ice cream! Grampa Frankie, can I get some? Please? Can I get some? Please, please, please?"

There was no way that Franklin was not going to spoil his only grandchild. "Ok, little guy. Just don't tell your mom when she gets home!"

Walking hand in hand, the two headed for the ice cream truck, which was now parked at the curb. A relatively long line had already gathered, and Franklin waited patiently with his grandson, who was not nearly as patient as him.

It was hard for Franklin not to notice the woman standing directly behind them. She appeared young- perhaps the same age as his daughter, in her early 30's- and stood at his eye level. While big-boned, she wasn't large by any stretch of the imagination, but solidly built in a very healthy-looking sort of way. Her long, dirty blonde hair was hastily pulled into a ponytail through a white baseball cap, and her eyes were a magnificent green that sparkled.

More than anything, Franklin tried hard not to ogle her body: the blonde wore a form-fitting tank top and yoga pants that accentuated every curve of her voluptuous body. Even from of the corner of his eye, her ample cleavage and shapely ass both appeared magnificent. And he silently applauded the woman for not wearing any makeup since she possessed an incredible natural beauty.

This young blonde was a stunner, the kind of girl that old men like him could only dream about. My lord, those yoga pants...

Jacquelyn's face suddenly appeared in his mind, and Franklin felt a stab of guilt. He hadn't so much as looked at another woman since his wife passed away, and felt as though he was being unfaithful for noticing the blonde.

His emotional wounds were still that fresh.

Franklin suddenly noticed that the beautiful woman was accompanied by an adorable little girl, roughly the same age as James. Her hair was braided in pigtails, and her pretty dress was smudged with stains from playing in the dirt. Amanda's father politely smiled at them.

Somewhat to his surprise, the woman returned his smile.

Franklin immediately blushed. The woman suddenly appeared more gorgeous than she did a moment ago, and he actually felt his pulse quicken. It had been a long time since a female other than his late wife had spurred this kind of reaction in him.

Embarrassed and somewhat ashamed, Franklin turned back around.

As the line inched forward, a myriad of emotions washed over him. He wanted to face the blonde again and strike up a casual conversation, even hit on her. But Franklin, in a self-deprecating moment, realized that it had been eons since he flirted with a woman. Not to mention, he didn't want to come across as a creepy, dirty old man.

And, of course, he wanted to remain faithful to his beloved Jacquelyn, even if she was no longer in this world.

Franklin and James finally reached the ice cream truck, and ordered. As the man inside handed them their ice cream cones, he asked Franklin, "Can I get you anything else?"

On a sudden whim- not to be flirtatious, but to be genuinely kind and thoughtful- Amanda's father gestured behind him. "And also whatever these two lovely ladies would like."

The blonde reacted with surprise, but the little girl squealed, and jumped up and down excitedly as she faced the woman. "Can I get 1 scoop of vanilla and 1 scoop of chocolate in a waffle cone, mom? Pretty please?" Then she turned to Franklin. "Please, mister. Can I?"

Franklin laughed. "I'm ok with that, young lady, as long as your mother is."

The woman hesitated. "That's so nice of you, sir. Are you sure?"

"Of course. Just pay it forward someday when you can."

The blonde's expression brightened, highlighting her remarkable attractiveness and causing Franklin to experience a further tightening between his legs. "Why, thank you so much. You have completely made our day! Ariana, say 'thank you' to the kind gentleman."

"Thank you, mister!"

Franklin peered down. "You're very welcome. But you better behave and be nice to your mother, or else no ice cream for you next time!"

"I promise, mister."

Franklin smiled at the duo one final time, and began leading James away. Part of him wished to speak to the blonde some more, but that wasn't the intent behind buying their ice cream. Franklin wanted to do something nice solely for the sake of being friendly. Somewhat unexpectedly, performing the random act of kindness made him feel good about himself... and it had been a long time since Franklin felt good about anything.

He and James had only walked a short distance away before the woman and her daughter caught up to them. "Sir?"

Franklin turned around, surprised.

"Would your little one like to play with Ariana for a bit? She's always wanting to make new friends whenever we come to the park." They both looked hopeful.

Franklin longed to say yes. He found himself wanting, more than anything, to chat with this friendly woman as the children played together. All he truly sought was companionship and friendly conversation.

Franklin was afraid.

"I'm sorry, young miss. I would love to linger, but I need to get my grandson home. My... his parents will be home soon. And I need to get him cleaned up... and... do other things."

The woman appeared crestfallen, but nodded and smiled. "I completely understand." She held out her hand, and Franklin tried to keep his hand from trembling as he shook it. "My name is Amber."

"It's wonderful to meet you, Amber. I'm Franklin... my friends call me 'Frank'. And this handsome young man is James."

"Hi, James. It's a pleasure to meet you both." Amber looked back at Franklin. "Do you bring your grandson to this park very often?"

"Two or three times a week. We live just 2 blocks away."

Amber smiled again, but this time, it was even warmer and friendlier, and much more inviting. "Great! I will definitely keep an eye out for the both of you. Hopefully, the kids can play together next time. Thanks again for the ice cream. It was very nice to meet you, Frank."

Franklin felt like a smitten young schoolboy. As Amber turned to lead her daughter away, he drank in her sexy profile: the shape of her stacked breasts... the sleekness of her neck, shoulders, and arms... the curves of her hips... the way her yoga pants clung to her bottom in an extremely flattering way.

"Good-bye, mister!" Ariana called back as she followed her mother.

"Good-bye, Ariana."

**********

Amber was relieved that Franklin couldn't see her blush as she led Ariana away. There was something peculiar about the older man, who was stirring feelings in her that was as exciting as it was unexpected. He was obviously old enough to be her father, but didn't look old enough to be the part. In fact, Franklin possessed a boyish quality, and Amber found his charm enticing and his youthful looks extremely attractive. His polite gesture, along with the request that she pay his kind act forward, impressed Amber and touched her deeply; it was nice to know that there were still men like that in the world. And the sadness that she sensed in Franklin... why did it intrigue her so much?

And why was she so eager to see him again?

Amber was confused, but these were confusing times. She reached for her cell phone and, feeling an adrenaline rush, called her friend. "Hey, girl. I just met the sweetest man..."

**********

Franklin was noticeably more reserved in the days that followed. Something beyond the loss of his spouse was on his mind, but Amanda and I wanted to respect his privacy, and chose not to press the issue.

2 weeks later, we hosted a party at our house for James' 6^th birthday.

Almost 20 of our son's classmates, as well as their parents and other close family friends, were packed in our home. James excitedly played games and mingled with the other children, but wherever he went, it seemed as though he always had Franklin in tow. Even when my father-in-law urged James to play with his friends, our son was adamant that his grandfather had to join them.

Amanda and I observed them with amusement, and it warmed our hearts.

At one point, Franklin was finally able to break free from the children for a much needed respite. He headed to the backyard for some fresh air, where more children were playing outdoor games and some adults had congregated. As he opened a cooler to retrieve a bottle of water, an attractive female, who just happened to be chatting with Amanda, caught his attention. The woman was fairly tall, about his height, with long, hip-length hair that was unusually bright. Not quite blonde, there was a peculiar orange-ish tint to her hair.

My father-in-law may have been an older man in his early 60's, but, like any other man at any age, he almost immediately zeroed in on the woman's ample bosom and toned ass. It was hard not to notice since she was wearing tight shirt and yoga pants that may as well have been painted on her skin!

Franklin suddenly cocked his head curiously and narrowed his eyes. The woman was young and pretty, and solidly built, but as he studied her more closely, she somehow appeared familiar to him. There was something about those fabulous curves...

Amanda noticed her father and waved him over. At first, he feared that he had been caught red-handed, but when his daughter smiled encouragingly, he approached and tried to act as if nothing was out of the ordinary.

"...so let me introduce you to my father..." Amanda began.

The woman faced the older man and gasped. "Omigod! Frank!"

Franklin eyes widened as he stared into the pretty face. Her naturally pale, unblemished complexion was offset by striking green eyes, poignant cheekbones and chin, and brightly colored yellowish-orange hair. Franklin felt the odd sense of familiarity again, but the young woman was beautiful, and he was certain that he would remember meeting such a stunner, especially in those sexy yoga pants.

Yoga pants...

The older man peered at the woman more closely, as if seeing her for the first time. "A-Amber?" His voice quavered with hesitation.

"Frank!" Amber exclaimed again as she laughed and hugged him warmly.

Amanda demanded incredulously, "You two know each other?"

Amber was still chuckling as she inclined her head. "Remember the man at the park whom I told you about... the one who bought me and 'Riana ice cream, and asked me to pay it forward? The one with a handsome little boy who just happens to be celebrating his birthday today?"

Amanda looked at her father. "That was you?"

Franklin stammered. "Yes... no... I mean, yes, it was, but..."

His daughter laughed. "Of course it was! That's totally something you would do!"

The older man squirmed awkwardly, embarrassed. "I had absolutely no idea that you two knew each other."

But Amanda and Amber were still grinning. "Amber, why didn't you tell me his name? Or the boy's?"

Now it was Amber's turn to flush as she threw Franklin a quick glance. "I.. I guess I thought that it didn't matter," she admitted lamely.

Amanda was unconvinced by her friend's words. She suddenly experienced a premonition that almost caused her to burst out in laughter again, but kept her thoughts to herself.