Sue Thomas looked round her comfortable living room and smiled in satisfaction. Everything looked just the way she wanted it too. She absent mindedly fluffed a perfectly plumped cushion as her husband entered the room fiddling with his tie.
"Can you fix this stupid thing for me," he asked sheepishly.
Sue looked at the man who had shared her life for 40 years and felt a great rush of affection. "Sixty years old and you still can't dress yourself" she said, as she battled with the errant piece of cloth and planted a kiss on his cheek. "There now, you look good enough to pour me a drink before our guests arrive" she said laughingly.
"Good idea" he answered going to the drink table and picking up a bottle.
Settling on the couch with her Vodka & Tonic, Sue became serious. "I know I planned this dinner tonight but now I'm wondering if I've made a mistake." She took a sip from her glass and went on, "I mean what if it turns ugly. You know what Clarence can be like if he takes one too many. Honesty is one thing, but too much of it can be a recipe for disaster."
"You could be right darling, but surely they don't expect everyone to approve of their relationship, it's not as if this is a normal romance. I think I'm a pretty liberal guy but I'm uncomfortable with it." Jim took the loveseat opposite his wife and stared into his glass."It's just such a shock."
Sue sipped her drink slowly and said "I never expected Bill to have any sort of relationhip after Emma died never mind this kind of relationship. You've worked with Bill for at least 20 years, did you ever suspect that he'd be capable of this ?"
"Hell no. If you feel uncomfortable, think how Roger, Clarence and the rest of the guys feel, we work alongside both of them. It's caused a few jokes around the water cooler I can tell you."
"How and When did it start?
"As far as I know it started when they were working on that big case together last year. Sam being the new kid on the block was asked to help with the research and they ended up spending a lot of time together. I suppose nature just took it's course".
"Nature! You can't call this relationship natural. come on, I mean Sam & Bill...?
"Listen to you" said Jim. "I never expected you to be sitting in judgement, Ms liberal thinker."
"I'm NOT sitting in judgement, but I am a little shocked. I just never thought I'd have to deal with a relationship like this. I'm sorry, but it doesn't seem right for them to be moving in together. I know I planned this party for them tonight but I felt pressured and spoke before I had time to really think about it. I should have waited till people got a little more used to them as a couple, but I didn't want them to think I was....
The door bell rang before Sue could finish and Jim went off to greet the first guests.
Sue plumped up the cushions on the couch and love seat, a habit she had when she was nervous, and took their glasses into the kitchen. She could hear the voices of her friend Betty Paxton & her husband Roger as they were greeted by Jim. Betty and Sue had been friends since kindergarten and both were now in their late 50's Both were still attractive and slim. Betty was as dark as Sue was fair. They had been bridesmaid to each other and their husbands were fast friends, in fact, Betty met Roger through Jim and Sue. The men were partners in the same law firm & belonged to the same Golf Club. The four friends often took trips together'
"Thank god you're here" said Sue, entering the room and giving her friend a hug and a kiss on the cheek. "I don't think I could get through this without you."
"I wouldn't have missed it for the world. I can't believe it, Old Bill Smith and Sam Larson playing "kissy face" and not one of us knew." She threw herself onto the couch and shrieked with laughter. "I keep trying to picture them together in bed but it's just too gross. Roger would rather be having a root canal than be here for the celebration, but I made him come. He was the one who hired Sam Larson. I told him at the time it was a bad move, but he wouldn't listen. I'd heard a story about Sam and a basketball coach but I didn't really give it much credence at the time, but I still didn't trust Sam. I just love Bill though and that's why I'm here. I truly don't think this kind of thing is his scene. I think he was just lonely and flattered by the attention. I can't believe he meant it to go this far."
"Thinking back, I suppose there were signs but I just didn't pay attention," said Roger.
"I didn't listen to the gossip Betty was peddling about Sam I thought it was just a personal thing between them and told her I didn't want to know, now I wish I'd listened to her. I've always tried to keep Betty out of the office politics."
"Let's just get through this stupid dinner of mine, and let's all try to keep an open mind about this. After all, if they're happy who are we to say it's wrong? Jim, where's their drinks?
"Sue's right, let's change the subject." Jim handed them each a drink and took a long swig of his own. How's the Pettifor case coming along Roger? Need any help on it?
"Oh no, not you two" laughed Betty, "remember what working too close together can bring about." The four friends broke up in laughter just as the door bell rang.
"That'll be Clarence and Louise, I told them to get here before 8pm if they wanted to bitch," said Betty. No you stay Jim, I'll let them in."
She left the room and seconds later they heard the booming voice of Clarence Cooper and the high pitched one of his wife Louise. The three of them entered the living room which suddenly seemed smaller when filled with the over 6ft height and 290 lb weight of Clarence. In contrast, Louise was barely 5 ft and couldn't have weighed more than 95 lbs. Although she was more or less the same age as Betty and Sue she seemed much older. Jim rose to greet them and almost picked Louise off the ground when he hugged her.
"What can I get for you lovely lady," he said, and turning to Clarence, put on a fake scowl and said, "I suppose I have to get you a drink too?"
"Indeed you do" answered the big man, "and don't make it one of your sissy drinks either, I want a real man's drink."
"Double Scotch on the rocks it is then, wouldn't want you getting mad at me." Then puitting an arm around Louise he went on, "How do you put up with this ugly beast?"
"Oh, he's a pussy cat at home," said Louise
"So where's the happy couple"" asked Clarence
"They should be here any minute, Bill has always been a stickler for promptness."Said Jim.
"Maybe they won't come?" Betty piped in.
"Oh they'll come, I talked to Sam earlier" said Sue "They want to get this first public dinner together over and let the furor die down."
"I keep thinking of Bill's two daughters, what they must be feeling. How long is it since Emma passed, a year, eighteen months, it can't be more than that.?" said Clarence angrily.
"Actually, it's been three years Clarence," said Louise. Besides, even if it was ten years, that's not the problem with this relationship now is it?"
The door bell rang again and there was a deafening silence in the room. No one moved. The bell sounded again and Jim rose and left the room.
Clarence threw what was left of his drink down his throat an went to the drinks table. "I need another one."
They heard Jim talking with the visitors as he led them towards the living room.
"Its good of you and Sue to do this for us buddy." said Bill, "Sam and I are real nervous, we know that this is going to take a bit of getting used to."
Jim entered the room followed by a white haired man of around 70 and a beautiful, tall blond young woman in her twenties. She was wearing a dress that was cut to defy gravity. Samantha Larson was stunning, and as the rest of the guests looked at her they each had a private thought.
Jim - 'This is not a normal relationship but he's a lucky old bastard'
Sue - 'Nobody could call this natural'
Betty - 'I keep trying to picture them in bed together'
Roger - 'Looking back, I suppose there were signs'
Louise- 'Even if it was 10 years since his wife died, that's not the the problem with this relationship.'
Clarence - 'I keep thinking of Bill's two daughters'
Having made sure everyone had a drink, Jim raised his glass in a toast. "To Bill and Samantha whose engagement took us all by surprise. We've expressed our concerns regarding your relationship because of the great age difference, but we still wish you nothing but the best, so let's raise our glasses in this toast to Bill Smith and Sam Larson."
