Hawaiian Retreat: 4

 

Now that they're in Hawaii, things are moving faster than Donnie expected!

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Author's Note: Please consider leaving a review? I learn a lot from your remarks. ~Clara.
 
This version of Hawaiian Retreat: 4 has been updated with many corrections towards spelling and grammar.~Sephrena.
 
Image Credit: Image created through the use of ai at https://perchance.org/beautiful-people .~Sephrena.

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Chapter 4
 
 

 

I sat on the edge of the chair with my legs crossed at the knees, in that beautiful scene, knowing that I looked great and that I was going to win over the wives. Honestly, as I typed my text back to New England, I don't think I'd ever been happier in my life.

"Excuse me," a woman said as she came up beside my chair.

I said, "Yes?" But didn't immediately look up because I was finishing my text. I did smile, though, and half turned to her so she knew that I was not ignoring her.

"I'm sorry, but I believe I know you," she said.

I turned to meet her gaze, expecting to see a face that I'd seen at Halloween, but I didn't.

The woman gasped. "Donnie!??"

I couldn't even breath for a moment, but finally I was able to choke out her name. "Nancy?"

"Donnie! What the hell!?!?" Nancy was shocked.

"Shh, shh, shh." I stood and tried to quiet her. "Nancy, please, quiet down!"

She stared at me, amazed and horrified. Gradually, she caught her breath, looked about and saw no one nearby, so she asked, "Wha... What are you doing here and why are you dressed like that?"

I pulled her to the side, out of the view of the main lobby. "Nancy... I... I'm helping Mitch... it's a long story, but... please, please, please don't tell anyone, please!"

Nancy blinked to get her wits about her, shook her head and sat down in an empty chair. "Donnie..." she thought and searched for her words. "... How?... Why? ... I don't understand this. You look... Donnie... what have you done to yourself?"

I sat in the chair next to her and huffed and puffed in frustration as I tried to put everything into words. "Ok... look... I didn't do anything... permanent... to myself. I just lost a lot of weight after you ran out on me... oh, geez, Nancy, it's a long story. I can't really say anything right now. Someone might hear. Can we meet later? After breakfast, maybe? I swear, I'll tell you everything." Then it suddenly occurred to me that we were thousands of miles from New England. "Wait! What are you doing here."

"Oh," Nancy sighed. "Look, Donnie... I don't know if Marie told you, but... well... I met a guy and he... he proposed and, well, we're getting married this summer."

I nodded. "Oh... yeah... Hilda told me, actually. Congratulations, I guess... but... why are you here... in Hawaii?"

Nancy shook her head, not happy to be having this very confusing conversation before breakfast. "Craig... my... um... fiancé... well he's an accountant and he works for the same firm as Mitch." She shook her head. "I expected that I might run into Mitch while we were here, but, Donnie... holy God, Donnie... I never expected this."

I sighed. "I know, but... please don't tell anyone - not even Craig, please! Not until I've had a chance to explain."

She shook her head and stood. "Alright," she said with a huge amount of aggravation in her voice, "but this better be one hell of a good story." She shook her head again, obviously disgusted. "Look, Donnie... I gotta get back to Craig, but... look, I didn't 'run out on you.' I tried to work things out with you, but you... oh, never mind. If you want to paint me as the villain to rationalize what happened, fine, but I left because we just weren't working any more. Not because I didn't love you anymore - I did - I do... just... not like that, anymore. So... oh... whatever. Look, the guys have a meeting after breakfast. Where can we meet?"

I shrugged. "How about my room?"

Nancy nodded. "Ok. What room number?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. We just got here. I'll text you."

Just then a man appeared. He was looking around for something. "Nancy!" He called. "Is everything ok? You've been gone for quite a while."

Nancy looked at the man and said, "I'm sorry, Craig. I'll be right there." Then she turned to me and shook her head once more. "Send me a text."

Then she walked to the man who asked, "Who's that?"

Nancy glanced back at me and said quietly, but I heard her, anyway. "She's... she's someone I knew a long time ago."

They were gone a few moments before Mitch appeared and he was agitated. I wasn't where he left me, so he looked about in a panic. He spotted me and hurried over. "Donnie... Donnie, we have a big problem..."

I nodded. "Nancy? Yeah, I know."

He gave me a double take. "She saw you? Did she recognize you?"

I guffawed at that. "Of course she recognized me, Mitch. She's known me as long as you have."

He put his hands on his hips and thought for a moment. "Did you talk to her?"

I nodded.

"Is she going to tell anyone?"

I shook my head. "Not for the time being. She said that the men have a meeting after breakfast, so she's going to come to our room and we're going to talk?"

He nodded. "What are you going to tell her?"

I stood and straightened my skirt. "The truth, Mitch. What else can I tell her?"

"Do you think she'll tell any one?"

I shrugged and put my arm through his. "I don't think so, but if she does, then we make me out to be the bad guy who fooled you and took you for several thousand dollars of clothing. If everything falls apart... I'll be the bad guy. Ok? This is all about making you look good to the partners. Let's stay focused on that."

Mitch nodded. "Ok, but... Well, we're in this together, Donnie. Let's just hope she's going to be cool about it."

I nodded and leaned my head on his chest. "Kiss me," I said.

He looked at me, surprised.

"Come on, kiss me," I repeated.

He gave me a peck on my lips, but I grabbed him by the back of the head and planted a good, long kiss onto him. When that one ended, he kissed me back and, as with all of his previous kissed, that one melted me. I looked up into those beautiful blue eyes and smiled. "Tell me you love me."

He smiled. "I love you."

I smiled back. "Do you like how I look?"

"You're the most beautiful woman here." He smiled even more broadly and kissed me, again.

"Then we'll be fine." I hugged him as tightly as I could and he hugged me back.

"Come on, you two!" Jodi's voice called from the end of the veranda. "Breakfast is ready. You two must be starved. I know that I am."

I turned in Mitch's arms and we both waved. "Here we go!" Mitch said through a fixed smile and we joined my new best friend and headed into the buffet.

We met up with Bob Elliot, Jodi's husband, in the lobby and headed into the ballroom where the buffet was set up. Bob immediately began talking shop with Mitch, so that left Jodi and me to chat.

"Are you nervous?" Jodi asked as we walked. "You don't seem as excited as you did on the plane."

I forced a smile and said, "Oh... yes, I guess I am. I want to make a good impression."

Suddenly, Jodi stopped walking, looked at me, but spoke to her husband. "Bob, you and Mitch go ahead in and save us some seats. We'll be in in a minute."

The men stopped and both turned to look at us. "Is everything ok?" Mitch asked, knowing that everything was far from ok.

Jodi never took her eyes from mine. "Everything is fine. We'll be right along."

When the men left us, Jodi finally spoke to me. "Did that woman say something to you that upset you?"

I blinked. "That woman? You mean Nancy?"

Jodi pursed her lips and shook her head. "Is that her name? I know that she's engaged to one of the accountants, but that's all. Did she upset you in some way?"

I took a deep breath and shook out all of my nerves. "No, Jodi, but thank you for your concern."

"You know her, though, don't you?" Why was it so important to Jodi to dig into every aspect of my life? I didn't know, but I knew that I was there to help Mitch and alienating the wife of his firm's Vice President would not help him at all.

"I do, yes," I admitted. "We were friends, once... I suppose we still are, but... we had a falling out a while ago. I was just surprised to see her."

Jodi nodded and patted my cheek. "I'm sorry, dear. This should be a triumphant week for you. A romantic week with Mitch and a chance to establish yourself with the wives. I can talk to Beverly and some of the others to ensure that you don't have to deal with that woman."

I smiled at Jodi as I considered the situation. I had obviously never understood how the world of rich people, let alone rich women worked. The phrase, 'behind every great man is a great woman pushing him to succeed,' was obviously based in truth. I'd only really met two of these wives, Jodi and Bev, but it was clear that they took their roles as support staff for their husbands very seriously. If I was going to help Mitch, I needed to be accepted by them - BUT - I also had the reality of my own life to consider. Nancy and I had been friends and then lovers for twenty five years or more. She knew me. She knew Mitch and she knew Marie. Yes, she could cause Mitch and me a lot of trouble on this trip if I were to upset her, but more than that, she had shared my life with me for a long time and I owed her at least a conversation. "No, please don't do that. Nancy is... great. I'm sure that you'll like her once you get to know her. After breakfast, while the men are meeting, I'm going to meet with Nancy and talk things out. I know her. She's a good woman. By lunch time, everything will be fine between us. You'll see. We were friends for a long time. We'll be good."

Jodi shook her head. "My God, she's as beautiful as a goddess and as sweet as a saint. You're the real deal, aren't you, Donnie?"

That made me smile for real. "I certainly hope so."

We entered the Kauai Ballroom where the rest of the firm and their wives had already gathered. Mitch had mentioned that the firm employed sixty five lawyers and accountants - secretaries and paralegals were not included in these retreats - so I estimated that there were about a hundred and thirty people already chatting and eating and enjoying their first full day of the retreat. There was a sense of vacation, undoubtedly, but there was also a sense of posturing and networking and even desperation that was never a part of my own work experience. It made me realize why Mitch was so concerned about having a woman to accompany him on this trip. It only took me a few moments of looking around to understand how the hierarchy of this world worked. The good news was, though, I was feeling that same sense of pride I had felt on the plane, now that I was back amongst other women. I could tell that I was making an impact. That my silk blouse with the floppy, feminine bow, the gold jacquard skirt and the gold, spiked sandals, combined with my luxuriously long hair and well executed makeup was having the desired impact on the room.

I headed toward the buffet table, but Jodi slipped her arm through mine and led me towards the table where Mitch and Bob sat with Beverly and Oscar. "No, no, dear," Jodi whispered, "we are sitting at the head table. We don't carry our food, it will be brought to us."

Bev saw us coming and stood, her arms wide open to hug Jodi. "Thank God you're here!" She said with great theatricality. Then she spoke into Jodi's ear, as if whispering, but plenty loud enough for me to hear as well. "Oscar hasn't closed his computer for a moment since we arrived and without you, I have had absolutely NO ONE to talk to. These women... oh, I don't need to tell you. We'll get them in line though, won't we."

Both she and Jodi laughed about that. "We certainly will," Jodi was still laughing as she spoke. "But I'm sure that this wonderful girl is going to help us crack the whip, too." She indicates me and stepped to the side in a way that made it known to everyone else that I was being presented to the most important woman in the room.

Beverly eyed me from the top of my head to the bottom of my heels and then, and only then, looked me in the eye and smiled. "Yes indeed," she nodded. "You, young lady... you have potential to go far with this company. Just look at you. Young, beautiful, and with the poise of a princess. Mitch has chosen very well."

Creepy, right? Yeah, well, that's how I felt, too, but I couldn't show that, could I?

Instead, I smiled. "What makes you think that Mitch chose me?"

That brought a very satisfied smile to the older woman's face. "So you chose him? Even better."

Ok, I have to admit, I had no idea what I was doing in this situation, but it certainly seemed like my improvisations were winning Beverly over. So much so, in fact, that she hugged me and patted my back. "I like, you, Dawn. Let's have some breakfast."

Finally, we arrived at the table. Mitch stood and pulled out my chair for me, then scooted me in so that I sat comfortably. The straight table of six was set up in a Boy-Girl fashion. Oscar and Beverly in the middle, Bob and Jodi to Beverly's right, I sat to Oscar's left with Mitch at the end. It was almost like a bridal party arrangement. We sat at the only rectangular table, while everyone else sat at round tables in front of us. I leaned towards Mitch and said, "Sitting with the President and Vice President? I had no idea that you were such a big deal."

"Neither did I." Mitch sipped some orange juice and tried not to speak too loudly. "Apparently, Bob liked the work I did on the plane last night."

"Congratulations," I said, sincerely.

"And..." He let that hang for a moment. "From what I understand, Jodi called Bev and told her how amazing you are. Since I sat down here, I have heard the word 'Dawn' at least fifty times. You are the buzz of this retreat. Thank you."

I know it's petty, but I loved that he said that and I kind of loved that it was true, too. All I had to do was survey the room to see the looks on the faces of the women to know that the 'dress to impress' plan that Randall and Marie had hatched was paying off - and I loved it.

Our breakfast was brought to us and it was delicious. Fresh tropical fruits as well as the typical egg dishes you'd find at a luxury restaurant. I enjoyed every morsel of the limited amount I allowed my self.
As we reached the end of the meal, Mitch's text message alarm sounded. He looked at his phone and leaned over to tell me that our luggage had been delivered to our room. "Do you want the concierge to send up maids to unpack for you?"

"Yes, please," I said, not wanting to have to deal with that daunting task! "What is our room number?"

Mitch told me and I text that to Nancy, who I had not seen since I arrived in the ballroom, but there were a lot of people there. I asked her to meet me in an hour in my room.

"Did you enjoy your breakfast, Dawn?" Oscar turned and asked me. It was the first thing he'd said to me since I sat down.

"Yes, very much, thank you," I said. "The fruit was delicious."

"Was it?" he said and nodded. "I wonder if you'd mind switching seats with your young fellow so that I can speak to him about some pressing issues."

"No, not at all," I answered and pushed my chair back. Mitch jumped up to assist me, of course and I asked him to trade seats with me, but before we could do that Bob had joined our side of the table and suggested that I might join the ladies in mingling with the employees.

I looked to see Bev and Jodi pushing their chairs back, unaided, and standing, preparing to greet the masses. "Oh, of course," I smiled and joined them.

Obviously, Bev and Jodi were very used to playing the hostesses in these situations, but it was all new to me. Thank God they didn't send me off on my own! Instead, we traveled from table to table as a threesome. I was introduced to everyone as 'Mitch's Girl.' At first, Bev introduced me as Dawn, but with Jodi's persistent use of my nickname,"Dawn' was soon replaced with 'Donnie.'

I couldn't possibly keep track of the names of all these men and women, and I was shocked at how many names Bev and Jodi could recall with ease.

We worked our way from table to table, shaking hands, being hugged, having my clothes complimented. I kind of loved the whole experience - for the first time in my life, I was a big deal. I did notice, though that there were numbers on the tables, just like a wedding reception, so there was definitely a seating plan at work here. I wondered if we were meant to sit elsewhere prior Mitch's ascension to the head table.

Finally, we came to table twenty four, near the back of the hall, where I found Nancy and her fiancé sitting with two other couples. All of them seemed a bit out of their element. One of the men was wearing cargo shorts, which would probably be fine, even at this swanky place, on any other occasion, but certainly not in this company.

Neither Bev, nor Jodi seemed to know any of these people, so I took the lead. "Beverly, Jodi, this is my friend, Nancy. Nancy grew up with Mitch and me. And this must be her fiancé, Craig," I said, indicating the man I'd seen her with on the veranda. "I had no idea that Nancy was here until we ran into each other this morning."

"Oh, my heavens," Beverly gushed, "what a small world!" The fact that I knew Nancy, and seemed to be endorsing her in some way, seemed to encourage Beverly and Jodi to show her more attention than they had to many other people who'd been sitting in the seats far from the head table. I felt bad for them, but I was happy that I'd been able to bring some attention to them.

Craig was a good looking guy. A little shorter than Mitch, maybe six feet tall, tight, curly, dirty blonde hair, brown eyes. A little chubby, perhaps, but not fat by any means. He had a nice smile, but seemed extremely nervous, but let's face it, the stakes seemed very high for all of these people.

Just as we finished, Oscar stood and asked for everyone's attention. He announced that the men would be having a meeting for the next few hours and asked that Beverly announce what was planned for the women.

Beverly stood in front of the head table and spoke loudly, "At eleven thirty, all of us who would like to have a massage are meeting at the beachside spa. Now, there's plenty of tables and plenty of masseuses, so we can all participate if we want. It's eight forty five now, so we all have plenty of time to unpack and do a little shopping before then. See you there!" She waved and the more experienced wives stood immediately, kissed their husbands and headed for the doors. The newbies followed their lead.

I kissed Mitch who whispered, "Be careful with Nancy. Call if you need me. I'll bow out and come running."

I kissed him again. "Thanks, but Nancy and I are both big girls. We'll work things out."

He gave me my purse and a keycard and I left. In the hall, Jodi asked if I'd need any help getting ready, but I declined, reminding her that I was meeting with a Nancy.

She rolled her eyes a bit. "I know she's your friend, dear, but... I just don't know if she and that fiancé of hers have what it takes. I mean, that skirt and top... they need to up their game considerably if they're ever going to be the faces that represent this firm."

I felt a chill pass over me. I really didn't like the snobbish way she'd said that, but beyond that, I was very afraid that if Bev or Jodi were to be rude to her, Nancy might assume that I'd influenced them in that direction and then in turn she'd tell them about me.

"I'll see if I can guide her towards being more dressed up," I said with a smile. Then it occurred to me that I had never had a massage before. "Listen, Jodi, I hate to ask this, and I don't want to appear stupid, but what should I wear to get this massage later?"

Jodi smiled, "Never hesitate to ask, my dear. Wear a swim suit and a covering. We'll probably be relaxing on the beach for lunch."

"Wonderful," I said. Then we kissed each other's cheeks and went our separate ways.

I stopped at the front desk and asked directions to my room. They called over a young man who was instructed to lead me there. As I followed him, I heard someone say, "You are sure friendly with the executives, aren't you?"

I turned to see Nancy coming out of her room. "Just a moment," I said to the young man I was following. I turned back to Nancy and asked, "Do you want to come with me now and we can talk?"

She shrugged. "I guess so. I was just going to take a walk, but I'd rather find out what..." She waved her hands up and down in front of me '...is all about."

When we reached our suite, even I, who had seen the photos, was amazed by the size and beauty of the room. Nancy couldn't believe it.

"This is your room!?" Nancy said as the door closed.

I nodded, but I could hear movement in the next room. I excused myself and walked towards the noise. It was being caused by three women in maids uniforms who were just finishing unpacking my luggage. They quickly put the luggage into closet and, after I signed a receipt that included a generous tip, they left, leaving Nancy and me alone.

"You have maids unpacking your luggage for you?" Nancy crossed her arms and looked around the suite. "God almighty, that get up that you're wearing must have cost a thousand dollars. What kind of a game are you and Mitch playing, Donnie!?"

Now, since I had first spoken to Nancy, I had resolved to not only be perfectly honest with her, but to show no sign of embarrassment or humiliation or let her provoke me. Besides, I had handled myself well at breakfast and I was proud of that.

"Come on," I said as I headed out of the bedroom, "let's sit in the lounge."

"Lounge?" Nancy said sarcastically as she followed me. "Unbelievable."

There were two wing-back chairs looking out of a huge window. Nancy watched as I sat, my rump near the edge of the seat, my back straight and my legs crossed daintily at the knees. She shook her head and put her hands on her hips. "Sit. Please," I said, politely, indicating the other chair as femininely as I could.

Nancy flopped herself into the seat and waited. "Well?" She finally asked.

I was honest. I told her everything. The Halloween party, the Velma costume, the picture in Mitch's office, the deal I made with Mitch, Marie, Hilda, Randall, the clothes, the makeup, the fears I'd wrestled with, the night at O'Connor's Restaurant, Beverly, Jodi, the flight with Jodi - everything and Nancy just sat and listened in amazement.

I waited for her to say something and she did. "I... I'm speechless. This is insane, Donnie. What happens when they find out? Mitch will be ruined!"

"They can't find out then," I said. "Please, Nan, I know you probably hate me, but please, for Mitch's sake, don't tell them."

Nancy stood and looked out the window. "Donnie... I know I hurt you when I left, but I don't think that you ever really understood why I did. I... I need to feel like I'm a part of a relationship, Donnie, and... and I didn't feel that way with you anymore. You had shut me out at least a couple years before I left. You were depressed and distant... I begged you to see someone about it, to get some help, but... you just kept shutting me out. I knew you were suffering, but there was nothing I could do to help you if you kept refusing to help yourself. I didn't leave because I hated you, Donnie, I left because I loved you and couldn't just stand by and watch you do that to yourself."

What could I say? She was right. I had been floundering and unhappy for quite sometime before our breakup. I'd gained weight, I'd gotten moody and I flat out refused to seek help. I think I thought I was being brave and strong, but... You know, if I'd heard Nancy saying those things just a week earlier, I would have been furious, but right at that moment... at that moment I knew what happiness felt like. I'd felt it in Mitch's arms. So at that moment, I understood what she meant.

I stood and walked over to her and said, "I'm sorry, Nancy. I really am."

She smiled a sad smile and said, "It's ok, I guess, Donnie. It all worked out. I found Craig and I'm happy now." I nodded, and I was surprised when Nancy asked, "Are you happy with Mitch?"

I laughed. "I'm not WITH Mitch, Nan."

She nodded, but smirked as she did. Before I could discuss that look, though she surprised me when she reached out and touched my blouse. "I envy your clothes, Donnie," Nancy said, taking in the whole look. "I can't afford things this nice. Craig is an accountant. They don't come close to making what lawyers make at that firm." She ran her fingers along the floppy bow. "It's so soft. It must be nice to wear something so beautiful. How do you do it, Donnie?"

"What?" I asked. "Wear these clothes?"

"All of it!" she said with a tone that sounded almost like despair. "You carry yourself so beautifully, your makeup is perfect... and these women, Donnie! I'll never be able to impress them and you've been a girl for, what, a week, and they're falling all over you! How do you do it!?"

I smiled to try to keep her from crying. "What are you wearing to the luau tonight?" I asked.

She looked down at herself and used her hands to indicate her clothes, which, let me be clear, looked just fine on her, but were not designed to impress. Nancy was not exactly a clothes horse. She bought the highest quality she could, which typically meant that she shopped at Kohl's or JC Penny. There's nothing wrong with that, and there was nothing WRONG with how she looked. She was wearing a loose fitting, short sleeved rayon top with a scoop neck and a button closure in the back, matched with a run of the mill, royal blue skirt that sat high on her thigh. Her shoes were a pair of low heeled, tan sandals that she probably bought at DSW (Discount Shoe Warehouse).

I didn't know quite how to broach my next suggestion, so I led her to the closet and looked to see where my clothes had been hung. I stepped into the walk-in closet and looked for something I had brought against the expressed wishes of Marie. I carried it out and pulled the dry cleaner style plastic bag off of it revealing a beautiful white sundress with red roses adorning the wide, pleated skirt.

Nancy shook her head and touched the fabric. "It's beautiful. You'll look beautiful in it."

"No," I giggled, "I'm offering it to you to wear."

Nancy looked at me, back to the dress and back to me again. "Me? You're suggesting that I wear this tonight?"

I nodded. "Let's try it on." I laid the dress carefully on the bed, then turned to help Nancy undress.

It's funny, because I saw the same look of shock on her face that I must have displayed last night when Jodi started to change in front of me. "It's ok, Nancy," I smiled. "I've seen you naked before."

She blinked. "Yeah, but things were different then."

"You're right," I nodded. "I was a guy, then. Now, I'm... well, let's not go there. Just try on the dress."

Nancy is a little bigger in the bust than I am, but other than that, we are similar in size. I helped her zip up the sundress and she looked amazing in it. "What do you think?" I asked.

Nancy looked into the mirror and shook her head. "I don't know, Donnie. Are you sure? I mean, if I wear this, you won't be able to wear it this week. They'll notice."

"I'm sure," I assured her. "Let's start with this dress tonight and we'll figure out how to beef up your wardrobe for the rest of the week."

My shoes didn't fit her, but I called down to the concierge's desk and asked about the possibility that the resort sold shoes. He transferred me to a clerk in their boutique who said that they had a wide selection of sandals, but nothing else. As it turned out they had three different styles of sandals with a two inch heel in Nancy's size. I asked them to send all three up to my suite for her to try on. I'd guess it took eight minutes for the shoes to arrive and all three were attractive and all three fit nicely. I told them to charge all three to my room.

"Shouldn't you ask Mitch, first?" Nancy asked.

I chuckled at that. "He won't mind. I promise." It was less than two hundred dollars. I was sure he wouldn't mind.

Nancy laughed at that. "Of course he won't mind. He loves you." She hugged me hard, "I do too, Donnie. I'm glad that we've cleared the air between us. I think I should go put on my swimsuit so we can get those massages."

She kissed my cheek and I followed her to the door. Before she left, she stopped and looked at me. "Thank you, Donnie."

"Anything I can do to help." I smiled and I meant it.

She nodded and headed out the door.

I had just gotten into my high waisted, two piece swim suit when Jodi came knocking at my door. The suit was hard to describe. From a distance, the pattern might have been flowers, or perhaps an animal print of some kind, but there was also this kind of snakeskin type mottling over that pattern that made it all just blend together. The colors were a mishmash of tans and browns and reds that I liked. The panty came to just below my belly button, I know, not as high waisted as you might think, but still tasteful, and the top featured cups just big enough to offer 'good girl modesty' with a narrow band going around my back and a very thin spaghetti strap going from one cup, around my neck, and back to the other cup.

"I'm coming!" I called as I hustled barefoot to the door. "Hi, come on in. I'm still struggling to figure out where the maids put everything."

Jodi laughed at that. "Oh, my dear, traveling is a great challenge. You'll get used to it."

This was the first time I'd been with Jodi without wearing heels and I was struck by how much taller than me she actually was. Heels really change your perspective. "Can I help you find anything?" She asked as she meandered towards the closet. She'd followed me into the bedroom without a thought, but so what - after changing together on the flight, we had no secrets anymore - well, you know what I mean.

"Yes, if you wouldn't mind. There should be a pair of wedge sandals in there with the same pattern as this suit. Argh, I can't find my coverup, either. I should have had them wait until I could be here to have them unpack for me. Then I'd have at least a clue of where they put things!" I was digging through my drawers, looking for the article in question.

"My goodness," Jodi, in the typically theatrical manner that she and Bev favored, called out from the closet, "you brought more than even I did! And these are all new! Mitch must have spent a fortune on all of this!"

I found the wrap I was looking for and went to closet to see how Jodi was making out. She had the sandals in her hand, but she was looking through my clothing that was hanging in the closet. I have to admit, there was a huge disparity between the amount of space my clothes took up and the the space taken up by Mitch's.

I shrugged at Jodi's observation. "I wasn't one hundred percent sure what to bring, and... well, I wanted to 'dress to impress.'"

Jodi laughed at that. "You've certainly done that, young lady! My God! The comments I have heard from the other wives about your entrance this morning! Right out of the gate, you and Mitch have become the rising stars of this firm!"

"Well, that's certainly nice of you to say, Jodi." I smiled as I slipped my feet into the comfortable wedgie style sandals, "but it's Mitch that's a rising star. I'm just along for the ride."

When Jodi spoke, she dragged the first words out and laughed through all of them. "Oh, no, no, no, no, Donnie. See, this firm has been the focus of Oscar and Bob's lives for decades, now, and they are very serious about who they'll make a partner. We have had a few female partners, but they all moved on to greener pastures. We've had a few gay partners, too, but their husbands tend to not join the wives - for obvious reasons. Bob and Oscar prefer straight, honest men who are focused on a stable community and a stable life. A wife, a home, kids if that works out... Mitch is bright and talented and he works hard, but the thing that is putting him over the top... is you."

"Me!?" I was genuinely confused. What did I have to contribute.

"Yes, you, Donnie. Your style and your grace and your presence... you are exactly the kind of person we want to see at our charity events, or on the arms of our partners when their pictures are in the papers... I know that sounds awful, but think of it as stage production. You make Mitch look good - darling, you make Mitch look great - and that's something we need to always be thinking about. You two can go far!"

"But..." I was feeling a little trapped. I was certainly going to continue to do my best while I was in Hawaii, but I needed an escape hatch. "Jodi, I'm not sure that Mitch and I are at the point of making things permanent. I mean... I'm still looking for work and who knows where that may take me... and Mitch and I haven't discussed anything like that... seriously, I just don't know if we're going end up together forever."

Jodi held my wrap open for me and I slipped it onto my shoulders. It was short, matched the swimsuit and had a handkerchief hem line - made of sheer silk, of course. Jodi adjusted the garment on my form as if she was a tailor. "Just stop thinking negatively. Mitch loves you and you love Mitch, right?"

"Yes."

"Alright, then. End of story. Start looking at all the positives that a relationship based in love has to offer. I bet your mother loves Mitch, too."

I shook my head. "She did, but my mom died before we started dating." Thank God for that! I'm not sure that I could have explained all of this to her.

"Well, your sister, then."

"My twin sister and Mitch are very close. My older two sisters don't even like me very much, let alone Mitch."

"Well, to Hell with them, then!" Jodi ushered me towards my door. "I'm not trying to tell you how to live your life, but you know and I know that you two were made for each other. Now, I promise that I will never, ever mention it again - at least not until I have the two of you together tonight at the luau. Let's go."

Oh, the massage was heavenly!!! It hurt so much and then felt so good! After it was done, most of us congregated at a beachside bar. I spent a good chunk of the afternoon sipping a mai tai and participating in Bev and Jodi's mandatory networking exercises. It was an eye opening lesson in the American caste system, but I was able to get Nancy a little bit better acquainted with Bev. I wasn't sure how that went, but I did my best!

We were back in our rooms by five thirty with the reminder that we had to be dressed and at that evening's luau by seven thirty. Mitch was already in the room, showered and changed into pair of white slacks and a lightweight linen shirt that hung handsomely from his broad shoulders.

But there was a problem with that outfit.

"Hey!" He greeted me from the balcony where he was reading something on his iPad. "How was your day?"

"Interesting," I shrugged. "Nancy is not going to be a problem. She was just surprised when she saw me. I think our bigger problem is Jodi's desire to see us locked in holy matrimony before this trip is over. I just need to rinse off in the shower. I'll be right out."

I tucked my hair into a shower cap and washed up quickly. I dried off, moisturized, powdered, made myself up and pulled on the panties, bra and slip I'd be wearing that night. I took out the red cocktail dress with the tropical flower theme print that was meant for that evening and checked that it was ready to put on just before we left and I found the red shoes to wear with it and laid all of that out on the bed. Then I hustled into the closet and pulled out the hotel provided ironing board and iron. Then I went back into the lounge and told Mitch to stand up.

"You look nice," he smiled. "Is that what you're wearing tonight? What are you doing?" He asked as I started unbuttoning his shirt.

"You're a wrinkled mess, so take your shirt and pants off and I'll iron them." I helped to pull the shirt off. "And no, this is not what I'm wearing tonight. This is a slip, smart guy. The same thing that seemed to confuse you this morning. Take off your pants and bring them into the bedroom. I'll do your shirt first."

By the time I got back into the bedroom, the iron was hot enough, so I went to work on Mitch's shirt. A moment later, he came in with his trousers over his arm. "So, how is it that you know how to iron clothes?"

"Everyone knows how to iron clothes, Mitch. Well... everyone who doesn't live across the street from his mom." I laughed at that.

"Haha, very funny," he smirked. "I DO NOT bring my laundry to my mother. I use a cleaning service."

I smiled because that seemed even funnier than having his mom do it.

Mitch looked out the window as I worked. I probably shouldn't have brought it up this close to having to leave for the luau, but I had to. "Hey, Umm... Mitch... can I ask you something?"

"Sure," he said, turning to face me in his boxers. I've seen Mitch in his drawers dozens of times through the years, but now... it seemed different. Sexier.

"Last night... when you kissed me goodnight... we talked about Jodi wanting us to get married..."

He nodded. "I remember."

I sighed. "Just before you got into bed, you said 'if only.' Do you remember that?"

"Umm... yeah, I guess." He turned to the window again. "What about it?"

I hung his shirt over the back of a chair and picked up his pants and started ironing them. "What did you mean by that?"

He turned partway toward me and shrugged. "I don't know. Probably nothing. Does it matter?"

I set the iron to the side. "Of course it matters, Mitch. I wouldn't have asked if it didn't. Come on, what did you mean?"

He sat on the bed and said, "Come here."

I walked over and stood in front him. With him seated, Mitch was about four inches shorter than me. He wiggled his finger for me to come closer, putting me between his legs. He reached up and bent me toward him. He smiled at me and kissed my forehead. "Donnie... you're my best friend and you know I love you. If the universe had created us differently, maybe we could have been together in a different way and... I'm sorry, but I keep thinking about that. You were a great guy, but now... now, you're... you're breathtaking, you really are, and part of me wishes that this was all... real. That you were... you know... that we could be... together. That's all I meant when I said 'if only.'"

Now, Mitch's big hands were in the middle of my back, rubbing the soft silk of my slip and making me feel small and... needy. "I'm sorry," I said too quietly.

"Why?" Mitch asked.

"That I'm not... real." I really did feel bad about it. "I wish..." I looked away. "You know... 'if only.'"

He nodded and kissed me, just softly - lovingly, not with the promise of anything else. He rubbed his hands along my back, it felt nice, but feeling nice almost made me feel worse.

"This feels soft," he smiled. "I can see why you're enjoying wearing clothes like this."

"I better finish your pants," I said as I pulled away and returned to the job at hand.

I ironed his pants while he sat on the bed, trying to think of something to break the silence. When I was done, I handed them to him and watched him put them on. The pants and shirt hung more neatly, now. "That's better," I nodded, then I turned and dug my amethyst pendent out of my ziplock baggie of jewelry while Mitch returned the iron and ironing board to their storage areas. By the time he was back in the bedroom, my tropic-themed cocktail dress was on and I was reaching to pull the zipper up my back.

"I'll get that," Mitch said as he took the zipper from my hand and slowly raised it while I slipped my feet into the black, three inch heeled, open toed, dark red pumps that went with this ensemble.

I turned and thanked him, feeling as if the wind had been taken out of both of us by our conversation. "I'm sorry if I upset you, Mitch," I said. "I just needed to know what you meant."

He nodded. "I know. What do you say we have a good time tonight, ok? I mean, that's what we're here for, right."

"Ostensibly," I laughed.

He snickered at that. "Ok, so you got rid of my wrinkles and you look... freaking amazing... so let's go have some fun, ok?"

I know it sounds horribly egotistical to say this, but I did look great. The deep red of the dress matched my nails, my shoes and my lips beautifully, my evening makeup was perfect and my long, shiny, blonde hair fell luxuriously over my shoulders and to my lower back. I've worn a tux once or twice and I owned a good suit that didn't fit me anymore, and I liked the way that I'd looked in those, but men never get to experience the process of joining into a partnership with clothing, makeup and hair. As a woman, I was beginning to not only enjoy, but to crave the feeling of the perfectly chosen and executed look. Combine that feeling with the feeling of having compliments rained on you by admiring women and the looks of fascination from men, well, it was beyond intoxicating - it was addictive and I had developed 'a jones' for that feeling.

"I look good, then?" I asked Mitch, fishing for another compliment.

Mitch smiled and put a hand on each of my arms, pulling me closer. "You," he kissed the skin of my exposed left shoulder, "look," he kissed the exposed skin of my right shoulder, "absolutely," he kissed my forehead, "gorgeous." He kissed my lips gently, warmly, softly, with a restrained passion that I felt flow from my lips to my chest to my stomach to my knees to my toes.

I didn't even realize that my eyes were closed until the kiss ended and I opened them, again. "I love you," I whispered in a passionate gasp, and then was immediately horrified that I'd gotten that caught up in the moment.

Mitch smiled, but the smile wasn't sexual in anyway. It was just Mitch's smile. "I know. I love you, too. Let's go."

Whew! Mitch had mistaken my 'lost in the moment confession' as our usual, odd banter.

In the hallway, Mitch took my hand and we walked to the elevator. "I have a golf game at nine tomorrow morning," he said as we waited.

"Just you, or all the men?" I asked.

He chuckled, "All the men. There's a kind of unofficial tournament going on throughout the week. There are four courses at the resort and one nearby. We're playing one every morning for the next five days."

I nodded. Of course I knew that golf was part of the trip and that was fine, but with the longing feelings that Mitch had just stirred in me still surging through me, I was feeling a little jealous about his time being eaten up by a silly game. "I hope there's a good prize," I said, a bit too petulantly.

He laughed. "Oh, there is. The winner gets an extra week of vacation any time he wants to take it."

Ok - great prize, right! I guess I could understand why he'd want to win that.

The elevator doors opened and we were greeted by the smiles and conversations of a few of Mitch's colleagues and their wives. Mitch introduced me, of course I'd met them, but I still was struggling with names. As we finished our descent to and walk across the lobby, Mitch and the men spoke about the next day's golf groupings while I gave compliments to and received compliments from the wives, all of whom were in their forties and very, very, very good looking women.

Just as we were approaching the doors, I heard someone call from just a few feet behind us, "Hey, um, Mitch! Dawn! Um, could I bother you for a moment."

We turned and saw Nancy's fiancé, Craig, hurrying towards us, looking a bit flustered. He looked from Mitch to me and spoke nervously, "Hi... ummm... I'm Craig. I guess you both know my fiancé." He indicated Nancy, who was just catching up with him and who, by the way, looked amazing in the rose-print sundress I'd provided.

"Oh, sure," Mitch smiled, but looking a little concerned. They shook hands. "This is my girlfriend, Dawn."

"Yes," Craig said, "we met briefly this morning, but... look, I don't want to take up your time or anything, but..." he looked at me, then at Nancy and indicated the dress. "... well... thank you so much for... This is all kind of new to us. I worked for a little tax firm until a few months ago and this whole retreat thing... I didn't realize how... fancy it'd all be. I mean... we felt like the poor relations at breakfast this morning, and the wives... you know... appearance means a lot to them. Thank you. We've ordered a few things online to..." he chuckled, "... upgrade our look for the rest of the week, but you guys being so generous and helping Nancy, well... both of us, out this way. It means a lot. Thank you."

Mitch, of course was completely in the dark, but the guy seemed sincere and Nancy had put her arm around my waist and kissed my cheek, so Mitch figured that whatever the guy was talking about, it was better than being threatened with the exposure of my true sex. Forming a picture of what had happened without his involvement, Mitch finally put his arm around my shoulder and said, "Anything we can do to help!" Then he looked at Nancy and said, "Hi, Nan. Good to see you."

"Good to see you, too, Mitch," she said as she let go of my waist and kissed Mitch's cheek before moving beside Craig. "I'm sorry that we interrupted you on the way to the luau, but Craig wanted to thank you before you were wrapped up in schmoozing with the big shots. We'll get out of your hair, now. Thank you both, though and, Mitch... take good care of that lady. She's something special."

"Don't I know it." Mitch squeezed my shoulder as they walked away.

We waited a moment or two before Mitch looked at me with a smirk on his face. "So... am I paying for dresses for all of the wives this week?"

I smiled and leaned into his body. "You don't really mind, do you? I mean... you know how the wives are. She needed this, Mitch. It's just one dress."

He nodded and we headed towards the luau area. "I don't mind," he said as we walked. "You and Nancy seem cool and that's a good thing. So if all that cost was a hundred dollars for a dress, I guess it's worth it."

I waited a moment before asking, "Is it worth it if it cost three hundred and fifty dollars for a dress?"

He shook his head. "You are definitely not a cheap date."

The luau was just as wonderfully cheesy as you'd expect. Lots of food with coconut and pineapple in it, hula dancers, ukulele players, Hawaiian folk songs, fire performers with flaming batons, swallowing and spitting the flames. It met the expectations of every tourist's vacation dream.

We sat with Bev and Oscar, and Bob and Jodi again. I spotted Nancy and Craig crossing the floor after they'd paid a visit to the bar. Nancy waved to me, a big smile on her face, and I waved back.

"I assume that dress is your doing," Jodi said, leaning towards me. There was a pitcher of mia tias on the table and I'd had a couple and I was feeling the warmth of a slight buzz, but Jodi and Bev seemed immune to the strong drink.

I just smiled at first. "She looks lovely, doesn't she?"

Jodi took my hand in hers and squeezed it. "I bet you're the kind of girl that always brought home the stray puppies, aren't you? Yes, she looks lovely and maybe, just maybe, with your tutelage, that girl and her husband might just rise up above the rest. You've outdone yourself already. Good work."

Jodi leaned towards Bev and whispered something. Then, Bev looked past Jodi to me and said, "Excellent work, Dawn. That's what the wives are here to do - help the other wives so that they can properly support the men. Very well done!"

Hah! At least now I had an idea of the goals the wives were trying to achieve.

As the evening wore on, the band put away their ukuleles and started playing instruments more commonly heard on the radio - bass, drums, guitars, keyboards - and some of the hula dancers reinvented themselves as singers and the area where the show had taken place became a dance floor.

Realizing that the band had switched to pop music, Mitch looked at me from across the table and said, "I say four," and he held up four fingers. By the look of Mitch's face, I could tell that he'd been enjoying the mai tais as well.

I glanced at the band and shook my head. I held up two fingers and said, "Nope. I say two."

"What on Earth is that all about?" Bev asked.

I laughed as I explained, and the band began playing their first selection, 'Just One Look,' an old song that I knew from Linda Ronstadt's version. "Whenever Mitch and I go to a bar, or a wedding or any place where a cover band is playing, we always bet on how many songs it will take until they play Van Morrison's 'Brown Eyed Girl.' They all play it and they usually play it within the first six songs."

"That's hilarious!" Beverly laughed. "Mitchell! Mitchell! I say three!"

"Five!" Jodi joined the game.

"What does the winner get?" Bev asked.

"The joy of acting smug about being right for the rest of the night." I giggled.

"Oh, well, I certainly want to win, then," Bev said, refilling her glass with the bright yellow drink.

The song ended and we all listened for the start of the next song. We heard the faint sounds of the drummer counting, "One, two, one, two, three, four," followed by the somewhat 'island-y' sound of everyone's favorite song my Belfast's favorite white-soul singer.

"Ha!" I shouted as everyone else groaned and I stood and began bowing - This was not typical behavior for me, this kind of display of silliness, and I should have taken it as a warning that I'd already had a little too much rum. I didn't, though. "Thank you! Thank you, very much!" I bowed a few more times, before grabbing my skirts and pretending to curtsy.

I pumped my hands in the air as I sat and joined in singing with the song,

"Hey, where did we go?
Days when the rains came
Down in the hollow
Playin' a new game"

By this point, Jodi and Bev had joined me in singing.

"Laughing and a running hey, hey
Skipping and a jumping
In the misty morning fog with
Our hearts a thumpin' and you
My brown-eyed girl
You, my brown-eyed girl"

When the song was over, all three of us were laughing a bit drunkenly, but not so drunkenly as to raise people's eyebrows.

When, after a few upbeat songs, the band started playing a ballad, it was 'Wild Horses' by The Stones, which is kind of an odd song to play at an event like this, and, coincidentally, one of my favorites, so I jumped up and grabbed Mitch's hand and dragged him out of his seat. "Come on, come on, come on," I insisted. "We're going to miss it!"

Bev and Jodi convinced their significant others to join the dance as well.

Mitch surprised me by being a remarkably good dancer. I expected the typical hanging off of each other that most modern couples do when dancing, but he led me around the floor like a pro. I have no idea how he had learned to dance, but it was an awfully nice surprise.

The next song was Elvis' 'Are You Lonesome Tonight?' I was to learn that Elvis was a big deal in Hawaii, apparently because of the filming of three of his movies there and a concert that he did there in the seventies that was broadcast world wide.

"You seem like you're having a good time," Mitch whispered as we danced.

"I am." I smiled, enjoying the feel of Mitch's embrace and the smell of his chest. We swayed and sang along until the song ended.

When the song ended, we were headed off the dance floor when we heard the distinctive piano lick that begins Bob Seeger's 'Old Time Rock and Roll." Bev and Jodi, who were walking ahead of Mitch and me, turned on their heels and ran back to the dance floor, grabbing my hands along the way. Most of the men abandoned the floor, but most of the wives swarmed towards the middle.

When I think back to that night, I remember how great it felt to cut loose with the women. I remember how wonderful my dress felt as it bounced with me. I remember that Nancy was dancing near me with Bev and Jodi. I remember singing at the top of my lungs, and then... I don't remember anything else about that night.

The next thing I remember is Mitch waking me up the next morning. "Come on, sleepyhead. We have to get to breakfast pretty soon."

I grunted as I sat up. My head didn't ache, but it was filled with cobwebs. "What time is it?"

"Seven," Mitch smiled. "We're teeing off at nine, so we need to eat before that."

"Ok," I muttered as I pulled the covers back, but then I stopped and looked at myself. I was wearing one if my new, slip-style nighties. "How did I get into this nightie?" I asked.

Mitch laughed. "What are you I talking about? You made a big deal out of putting it on last night. You modeled it for me. Don't you remember?"

I blinked and tried to get the cobwebs out. "I guess those drinks hit me after I got into bed."

Mitch excused himself to the lounge for a moment and returned with a bottle of orange juice. "Here. This will help. I ran down to the lobby and grabbed a couple of bottles."

"Thanks." I smiled. My mouth was drier than I expected and the strong flavor of the juice hit me pretty hard. It definitely helped to wake me up a bit. "Hey, can I ask a favor?"

"Sure." Mitch smiled as he folded the pajama bottoms he's apparently worn to bed.

"We have that semi formal thing tonight, right? Well, I was just thinking, I'll have to wash my hair anyway and Marie mentioned that, maybe, it might be nice if I had my hair up for that, so..."

Mitch started at me blankly. "So... what?"

"So," I hated to even ask after spending so much or his money already, "would it be ok if, maybe, I made an appointment to have my hair done at the salon?"

He laughed. "Sure! You don't need to ask me about things like that though. Just do it."

I nodded. "Ok, thanks, but..."

He looked at me and held his finger sideways and made a rolling motion indicating I should continue.

"Could I maybe... invite Nancy to come, too. Jodi said that the dress I'd loaned her was a big improvement and she kind of made me take her on as a project."

Mitch laughed again. "That's fine." He offered two hands to me and helped me to rise from the bed. "I'm surprised you want to go back to a salon after the story you told me last night."

I froze. "What story did I tell you?"

He looked at me a bit confused. "You know. You told me what they did down there." He pointed to the bottom of my nightie. "You showed me that heart that the lady made and why Jodi made the Valentines Day remark on the plane."

I hung my head, slapped my hands to my face and nearly passed out. "Oh, my God! I didn't really show you that, did I?"

"Sure you did. You don't remember?"

I shook my head. "No. I must have had a little more to drink than I thought. Oh, no... you must think I'm such an idiot!"

"Why?" He laughed. "I think it's adorable!"

"Never mind." I shook my head as I headed into the bathroom.

"Seriously..." Mitch started to say, but I was way too embarrassed to get into a discussion.

"No! Not a word about it!" I actually shouted. "And never, ever, EVER bring it up again!" I closed the door far too hard, but I didn't care. Then I cracked it open again and shouted out, "And get the suit you're wearing tonight out and hang it by the door! I'll make sure that it gets pressed."

When I was dress and we got down to the lobby, I stopped at the concierge's desk and asked about their laundering services and salon appointments. The woman on duty promised to have Mitch's suit picked up and pressed and to make the appointments for me and call me to confirm a time. We had breakfast with Bev and Jodi, but Oscar and Bob had eaten earlier and were off doing something or other. I took the advantage of the two empty seats at our table to invite Craig and Nancy to join us, and they were thrilled to do so.

That morning, I was wearing a short, straight, but loose fitting, beige skirt and a sleeveless, sheer, white silk blouse that hung very loosely from my shoulders and breasts. It had no collar and a fairly low cut neckline that had three buttons that sat between my breasts. As I mentioned, it was sheer, and beneath it I wore a nicely lace covered camisole that played a part in the overall look of the garment. It was very comfortable.

Nancy showed up in the same run if the mill shorts as she'd worn the previous day, but she had purchased a lovely top from the resort's boutique that looked lovely on her. I know how wrong it is to judge a person on their appearance, but that is the situation in which we found ourselves. Thanks to my having been primed by Hilda and Marie, I was thriving. I was glad that Nancy was getting into the swing of things, too. Maybe that would help both her and Craig.

"We'd better get a move on," Mitch said as he finished his coffee. Both he and Craig stood and prepared to leave. Mitch bent and kissed me on the lips, but politely, while Craig told Nancy that he'd see her later.

"What?" Nancy said, overly dramatically. "Donnie gets a kiss from Mitch and I don't get anything?"

I laughed at the remark.

"'Donnie!'" Bev said with a big grin. "That is an adorable name for such an adorable girl."

"That's sweet of you to say." I smiled as Mitch kissed me once more then left with Craig.

"Well, Donnie, I hope that we might impose on you to be our spokeswoman at tomorrow’s luncheon when we inspire the other wives to be involved in our spring charitable event," Bev smiled a smile that indicated that I was going to accept the offer no matter what. "As a matter of fact, Jodi and I have been discussing it, and we’d love for you to be our chairwoman for this spring’s ‘Community Involvement Day.’"

"Oh, gee, Bev." I tried to think of an excuse. "I really don’t know. I mean, what with looking for a new job and all, I’m not really sure where I’ll end up in the spring."

"What’s this!?" Bev seemed horrified. "You are not leaving us, young lady. I just won’t have it! You and Mitchell make a perfect couple. This is just nonsense. Of course you’ll still be here in the spring."

"But..." I started to argue, but her phone rang and she picked it up quickly, eager to shut me up.

She listened for a few moments, then told Jodi that they had to leave to deal with arrangements for the evening’s dinner. Jodi told Nancy and me to enjoy our day, and that they’d see us at the dinner dance that night. Then she whispered to me, "You’re doing a great job with her, dear. Keep up the good work."

When they’d left, Nancy looked at me and shook her head. "How deep are you going to dig this hole, Donnie? These women adore you! Hell, Mitch adores you! You can’t just come into people’s lives like this, win them over, then just disappear! You might be able to go back to your old life, but this is not going to end well for Mitch!"

I felt sick to my stomach. "I know. I just wanted to put on a good show for them then disappear. I didn’t expect that they’d befriend me like this."

We sat in silence for a few moments, then Nancy asked, "What about Mitch?"

"What about him?" I asked. "We’ll just need to figure out a story to tell them about how I got a job offer, or we broke up... we’ll figure it out."

"Donnie." Nancy leaned her elbows on the table and took my hand in hers. "I don’t know how you can possibly not see this, but... Mitch is in love with you."

I laughed nervously. "No, he’s not. He’s just playing along to make them believe our story."

Nancy shook her head. "Donnie, I saw you two dancing last night and I saw him kiss you just now. It may have started out as a game for Mitch, but it’s not that way for him, now." I considered this for a moment or two, then she added, "It’s not that way for you, either. Is it?"

I shrugged, but her words echoed the feelings Mitch and I had discussed less than an hour earlier.

"Donnie, I can see it. You’re more girl than guy, now. Christ almighty, have you looked at yourself in a mirror recently?"

"I’m not..." I began.

"You’re not what? You’re not gay? Let’s face a few facts here, Donnie. You obviously love your new persona, don’t you?"

I nodded.

"I’m only guessing here, but I’d bet that if you had the option of continuing to live looking like this, rather than going back to being a guy, you’d chose this, wouldn’t you?" I didn’t respond. "Wouldn’t you?"

"I don’t know," I said honestly. "I do like looking like this, though."

She nodded. "Of course you do. Hell, I wish that I looked that good. So – maybe you’re not gay. Maybe you really are a girl in a boy’s body, like we used to hear about on talk shows. Maybe you’re not MEANT to be Donald. Maybe you really are meant to be Dawn. Has that ever occurred to you?"

I sighed. "It’s all occurred to me, Nan. Every single possible reason that I’m suddenly happier than I’ve ever been when I should be a nervous wreck. I just... never considered any of it before this past week. It’s a lot to think about."

Just then, I got a text. "What are you doing at two forty five?" I asked her.

"Nothing, I guess. Why?"

"We’re getting our hair done for tonight. Mitch’s treat."

Nancy shook her head. "Why would Mitch pay for me to go to a salon?"

"Because I asked him to," I said, hoping to end the conversation.

She waited for me to go on, but I didn’t, so she said the obvious, "You asked and he said yes because he loves you, Donnie, and I don’t mean in a ‘I love you, bro’ kind of way. I mean, in a ‘I want to spend the rest of my life with you’ kind of way. You need to work this all out, one way or the other, Donnie – for both your sakes."

I shook off that thought by joining Nancy and several other wives in some shopping therapy. The resort had several lovely boutiques and gift shops and we wandered in and out of each one. I got to talking with the other wives and I was relieved to find out that several of them actual did hold jobs of their own. Nancy, I believe I mentioned, was a function coordinator at a hotel local to our town – nothing like the resort that we were enjoying at that time – several were teachers in local schools, one was a social worker and one was even a lawyer herself! She specialized in child welfare cases, which paid notoriously poorly, so having a husband making a hefty income at the firm where Mitch worked was very beneficial to her own career.

I was very good and only bought a couple of nice little souvenirs to give to Marie and Hilda. Okay... that’s not quite true. Nancy had only brought one ‘nice’ dress to wear to both the semi formal dinner that evening and the formal dinner a few nights later. I knew that Craig and she had spent more money than they had expected to spend in order to buy some new clothes to get through the week, so she couldn’t really afford to spend any more, but when we found an absolutely PERFECT dress for her to wear to the formal dinner... well, something had to be done about that, didn’t it!? I sent Mitch a text and he was very nice about it, so I charged it to our room and had it sent to Nancy’s room without telling her.

We shopped right through lunch, and found ourselves at the salon just before our appointments. As the hostess led us to our stylists, Nancy laughed, "I have known you most of my life, Donny, and I never once expected that I’d ever be going to a salon to have my hair done with you. I have to say, though, I like it. You’re a great girlfriend."

I smiled. "Nan, I’m just glad that we’re friends again. I really missed you. I know that we’ll never be a couple again, but I’m really happy that we can spend time together as friends."

We started with shampoos. I have to be honest, prior to a week before that day, I had never had a professional stylist wash my hair, but once I’d had my scalp scratched and rubbed and massaged by stylists a few times, I was addicted to it. What a great feeling! I loved it and still do.

We looked at magazines for updo ideas and, since I had never dealt with an updo before, I really didn’t know what to pick. Nancy picked a very pretty bun in the back of her head – ‘a chignon,’ they called it – and for me she suggested a style called ‘a messy bun.’

I luxuriated in the feeling of having my hair manipulated and curled and brushed and sprayed. I never understood why women loved their salon visits before, but I certainly had figured it out by then.

When we were done, Nancy had a pretty, tight, neat bun at the back of her head with an invisible net that had little, artificial pearls on it to enhance the beauty of hairstyle. I had a five or six inch pile of hair on top of my head. Where Nancy’s was tight and perfect, mine was loose and beautiful in its imperfection. Around my face, six or eight little tendrils of hair had been pulled free of and allowed to hang freely about my face. Just as when I’d first had the extensions sewn in, I was amazed by how easily my face was changed just by changing how my hair looked.

It was nearly five o’clock when we walked back into the lobby, just as Mitch and Craig entered with Oscar and Bob. They were all in deep conversation, so we were going to sneak past, but Bob spotted us and called us over with this charmingly misogynistic call, "There are two of the four most beautiful women at this resort! Come on over girls!"

"Your hair!" Craig shook his head as we approached.

"What, you don’t like it?" Nancy patted her bun and teased, knowing that her hair looked great. She kissed Craigs’s cheek and I kissed Mitch’s.

"So, young lady-" Bod smiled as he looked at me with a smirk on his face. "A little bird told me that you were going to be the chairwoman of our spring fundraising event this year."

I looked at Mitch and rolled my eyes. "That little bird doesn’t take ‘no’ for an answer. I tried to explain to her that I am still looking for a new job and I don’t know where I’ll be in a month. I’ve interviewed all over the country, so... who knows where I’ll be this spring."

"Oh, no, no, no," Bob said, "we can’t allow that to happen, can we, Mitch?"

"She’s her own woman, Bob." Mitch laughed, his arm around me. "She has a lot of options and I’ll support whatever she decides."

"Oh, now." Oscar was still looking closely at me. "Let me ask you this, my dear. If Mitchell, here, offered you an option that would allow you to remain a part of our family, would you be open to that?"

Geez, did these people only ever think about my relationship with Mitch?

Mitch laughed nervously. "No pressure, right, Oscar? Come on, now, you don’t want to put us on the spot, do you?"

"I don’t know," Nancy giggled, "I think you make a very cute couple."

I gave her a look as Mitch said, "I think we’d better go get ready for tonight. We’ll see you all there."

On the way to our room, Mitch told me that introducing Craig to Bev and Jodi as a friend may well have put him on a fast track. That was good, right?

Mitch’s suit was pressed and hanging in our suite. He grabbed it and we both went into the bedroom to change. He teased me mercilessly when he saw me putting on my waist cincher, but once I had my dress on, he was impressed.

It was a soft, sea glass green colored affair, with a plunging neckline, spaghetti straps, but, even though it appeared to wrap around me, it had a zipper in the back. One issue with the dress was that the low cut back meant that it was actually meant to be worn either braless or with a specialty bra that would stay hidden. Randall and Marie had decided that I didn’t need the specialty bra, so the girls on my chest were going commando that night. The material had a gossamer quality to it and it was comprised of layer after layer after layer of these very thin pieces of soft, sheer material. To make it even more beautiful, there was a slit cut mid thigh high in the front.

"It’s too long," Mitch observed. "You’ll be walking all over it."

I rolled my eyes as I slipped my feet into the three inch, white, spiked heels that went with the dress and, to complete the look, I wore my mother’s string of pearls. How did I feel? Like a goddess! Every move made the material in the dress fly away and fall against my skin, again. The coolest part, though, Mitch was as taken with me as I was with the dress.

The dinner was in the man ballroom and featured a nineteen-forties style swing band, a type of music I knew well because Mitch liked Benny Goodman, Glenn Miller, The Andrews Sisters and Cab Calloway almost as much as he liked Taylor Swift.

Dinner was a choice of either prime rib or fish and I tasted a bit of both and both we delicious, but Mitch was all about dancing that night. Luckily, so were a lot of other people. The dance floor was full most of the night. Thing was, though, when I would stop dancing, Bev or Jodi or one of the other wives was always nearby with a sip of something or another. I avoided mai tais as much as I could, but still, a sip of a scorpion bowl here, a sip of a martini there, then add in a few sips of wine, a gulp of a ‘sex on the beach,’ a quick sip of a margarita and an entire blue Hawaiian and I was feeling no pain by ten thirty.

I knew that I was a little past being tipsy, but, thanks to my rather checkered past, I knew how to behave so that people wouldn’t suspect how tanked I really was.

So, the evening wore on and Mitch and I were fielding compliments about our dancing, really I just followed him, and our stamina, we had been dancing for hours, when the band started playing Glenn Miller’s ‘Moonlight Serenade’ and, thank God, we were able to slow things down a bit.

Mitch held me close as we moved around the floor. He looked handsome in his suit and I felt feminine and elegant in my long, flowing dress.

I don’t know exactly why I said what I said. It was probably a combination of the way I felt in the clothes, the way I felt in Mitch’s arms, the way I felt with the warm feeling of the alcohol flowing through me, but whatever the reason, I heard myself say to Mitch, "I’m thinking about not going back to being a guy when we get back."

Mitch looked surprised. "Really? Why?"

I looked up at him and shrugged. "I like this. I like how I feel, now. How people treat me. How people look at me... How I feel when I’m like this... with you."

Mitch held me a little closer, but didn’t say anything.

"You like me better like this, too, don’t you?" I asked. See, I knew that I was saying these things, but I hadn’t really thought any of this through. I just needed to say them, right then, right there and to Mitch. It seemed like the most important thing in the world and nothing I could do would keep my intoxicated mouth shut. "I mean... if I went back to being a guy, we could never be like this again... and... I like this, Mitch. I like this a lot and I want this forever."

He kissed the top of my head, then rested his cheek right where he’d just kissed me. "Donnie... I can’t deny... I love you, whether you’re a guy or a girl, but... yes... this... having you like this... is amazing and I do love it, but... I don’t want to make you... Oh, Geez, this is more than I can figure out... when I see you as a girl... especially tonight, with your hair that way and that dress... it does things to me, Donnie. I can’t even think straight when I’m near you like this... I can’t even explain how I feel."

I rose up on my toes as much as I could and he bent slightly to meet my lips and we kissed. "I feel the same way, Mitch..."

We had to stop talking because the song ended. We all applauded the band, Mitch kissed me again then the band kicked into the biggest of all the Swing Era hits, Benny Goodman’s ‘Sing, Sing, Sing!’ Mitch picked me right up off of the floor and swung me in a circle, eliciting a squeal from me. I landed on the floor and we began to jitter bug to the classic hit as best we could. I remember Mitch’s smile. I remember the amazing feeling of the dress swaying around me. I remember everyone smiling and then, as Hamlet so succinctly put it, ‘The rest is silence.’

The next thing I remember was very early the next morning when I tried to open my eyes, but each attempt caused a rumbling in my head that was so painful that I was afraid that I’d break my skull open if I actually forced my eyelids open. Of course, I knew what this feeling was, but I don’t think I’d had a hangover this intense since my college days of epic overindulgence. I would have liked to have just gone back to sleep until this pain passed, but nature was calling in a rather urgent way. I struggled some more and eventually succeeded getting them open, but focusing took a minute or so, even though the room was dark.

My head ached like it had been kicked a hundred times and it only hurt worse as I raised myself to a seated position. I let my eyes close again for a few moments to try to get my brain working. I did what I always did when I was younger to get a handle on the situation. Start with the day of the week – Friday, no it was Friday the previous night. It was Saturday, yes, it was Saturday. Where was I? I peeked through squinted eyes. I was in the hotel suite in Hawaii. Did I know where the lavatory was? Yes. Could I make it there? Maybe. I had to try.

I opened my eyes as much as possible. I ached everywhere. I ached in odd places. My back hurt. My lower back really hurt. My bottom and the tops of my legs ached, too.

I took a step or two and bumped into something. I focused. It was a bed. Weird. My bed was closest to the bathroom. No time to think about that. Toilet. Toilet, now.

I recalculated my route to the lav and made a beeline for it. I closed the door as I entered, but didn’t dare turn on the lights for fear that they’d make my head explode. I raised the seat and cover, dropped my panties and reached for my penis, but it wasn’t there. I panicked for a moment then searched with my fingers. I was still bound and taped. Why? I should have taken care of that before bed, No time to deal with it at that point, though, I just sat and nature took its course.

As the pressure on my bladder began to ease, I began to wake up a bit more and take stock of myself. Those aches were definitely in my lower back and in my tuchus. Had I just over done it in heels or was I in for a day of King Kamehameha‘s revenge – in other words, diarrhea from too much drinking. No. I didn’t think so. It didn’t feel like that.

I finished my liquid purge and wiped. Wait. Why was I sticky down there? And then I realized that the only things covering my body when I had awaken were a pair of panties and my departed mother’s pearls. What the hell!? I shouldn’t have been parading around in front of Mitch in only...

I began to have a very bad feeling in my gut and suddenly, I was very, very, very sober.

I turned on a light, pushed past the crash of thunder it caused in my head. I squinted to see myself in the mirror and I was not proud of what I saw. My makeup was still on and my lipstick was smeared and messy and, speaking of messy, the ‘messy bun’ that had looked so cute and elegant the night before was a crazy bird’s nest of hair that was falling apart. I began to panic. How drunk had I gotten? What had I done, why did I ache this way...

And then I saw it in the waste basket next to the vanity. It made no sense for a moment. I couldn’t have used that. I was still bound and taped. Why was there a used condom half wrapped up in a tissue in the...

Oh, Jesus Christ, no!

I grew frantic. I went from confused to petrified in less than a second. I pulled the door open and turned on the lights in the bedroom to see if the evidence in the room might calm my fears. It didn’t. The sudden brightness did make Mitch groan in sleepy confusion from his bed, though.

My beautiful, sea glass green gown was in a heap partway between the door and the beds and Mitch’s jacket, shirt and pants were strewn across the floor. I couldn’t even breath for a moment, until I heard Mitch mumble, "What the hell, Donnie?" which drew my attention to that side of the room where the bed I had claimed as my own was still neatly made, but the one beyond it was a mess with blankets thrown to the floor and only a sheet covering part of Mitch – from his toes to his thighs to be precise – and just above that sheet was a very large, somewhat stiff, very, very naked penis.

My jaw worked up and down for a moment, but I couldn’t even produce a squeak.

"What are you doing?" Mitch asked, checking the watch that was still on his wrist. "It’s not even five o’clock yet."

Finally, my voice worked, but it worked at a decibel level I had never used before. "What the fuck did you do to me!?!?" I screamed it like a steam whistle at a factory. It came out of me with the force of rage and indignation and, above all, fear.

Mitch, suddenly wide awake, sat up in bed. "What? What are you talking about?"

"What... what... what..." I was struggling to get control over everything – my voice, my thoughts, my fear... everything. "Mitch? How... how could you have done this to me!?"

Now, fully aware of what was happening, Mitch sprung out of bed, naked and appearing to be much bigger than me and more threatening to me than he’d ever been before. "Oh, Donnie, please..." his voice sounded as if he was pleading for something and that scared me even more. "... please, Donnie, don’t do this to me. This wasn’t my... we both wanted to... please, please, please tell me you weren’t that drunk, please!" He was begging, now, as he reached out to hold me, but I jerked away from him in complete revulsion.

"Don’t you fucking touch me, you sonofabitch!" I screamed as I ran into the lounge, blind with rage and fear and the need to just get away.

Mitch followed, begging me to calm down the whole time. "Donnie! Donnie! Stop! Please! Think back to last night! I didn’t... we talked and we decided... I didn’t do anything you didn’t want me to do!" I could hear that he was on the verge of crying, now, but all I wanted was to be away from him. I ran to the hallway door and opened it, but the safety catch was on, so it caught the door’s swing at just a couple of inches. Good thing, too, or I would have been hysterical and running topless through the hallways.

"Donnie, come on..." Mitch tried to calm me down, but I was having none of it! My adrenaline level was off the charts and I needed to get away from him. He tried, once again to touch me, but I ducked under his arm and I ran to the second bathroom that was off of the Lounge and I slammed the door shut. I locked it before he got to me. He pleaded with me through the door, " Donnie, come on, please! We talked about this last night. We both wanted to do it. Please, open the door and talk to me."

"Go away!" I shrieked at the top of my lungs while I looked desperately for anything to throw at the door. I found a water glass and heaved it with all my might, but it was plastic and just cracked and fell to the ground.

"Donnie... Please, come out and talk to me. I love you, you know I love you." I could tell Mitch was crying, but the rage that I was feeling wasn’t let me listen to him.

"You love me!?" I shrieked even more angered at having heard those words. " then, why did you rape me!?" I felt betrayed. I felt used. I felt alone. I felt trapped. Did he really do that to me!? Had I actually agreed...

Oh, God, what the hell had I done?
 
 
To Be Continued...