Just Once: A Sequel Pt. 03

This is the final chapter of my ending of Kalimaxos' story, "Just Once, If You Don't Mind." He challenged writers to finish it. I highly encourage people to read the original story, https://www.literotica.com/s/just-once-if-you-dont-mind. It gives a much deeper understanding of the situation. I also encourage reading part 1 and 2 of my version of the story because it won't make much sense without it. https://www.literotica.com/s/just-once-a-sequel-pt-01 and https://www.literotica.com/s/just-once-a-sequel-pt-02-1

The original left us hanging in suspense after Rick had just finished reading Marcy's letter, given to him by their neighbor, Leslie, with whom Marcy had arranged a hall pass for Rick while she, Marcy, was shacked up with Dr. Trey Cardozo on a six-week mission with Doctors Without Borders. The story between Rick and Marcy is unfinished, and the bitter way it ended begs completion. And I know there are dozens of other versions.

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Several years after the end of "Just Once, A sequel, Part 2..."

"Damn you, Buddy, what the hell is your secret? Every time I see you, you are with someone even hotter than the last. Who knew that an older woman could be, well, hot."

Rick snorted. To his colleague, who was all of 28, anything north of 35 was old, anything above 40 was, well, ancient. Rick didn't take offense, though he was well above the ancient age; he also had been 28 once, too. He and Tom were babysitting a project, analyzing data coming in from some Middle East shithole (aren't they all?).

"That is the something being ancient brings, padawan learner, wisdom. You think we are going to reveal our hard-won secrets to a young punk like you? "

His friend laughed. "Like what?"

He shook his head, his eyes twinkling. "If I told you I would have to kill you."

Tom looked at him and grimaced. "That joke is older than Moses, Grandpa."

Rick shrugged. "As they say, when you got it, you got it. Older women are to be savored."

Tom smirked. "That's because you forgot, like what you had for breakfast, what young pussy is like. Can't be anything that good about older broads."

Rick winked. "Older women, when you are having sex, are into having sex, and sex only. Their entire being in centered in their pussy; what the pussy wants, the pussy must have...and it wants your cock. No love, no violins, no whispers...just raw, fast, hard fucking until they collapse from more orgasms than they have ever had. They are there and fully into you and the moment; they let you know it. You are in bed with some hot young thing and she isn't all there; half of her is moaning and half of her is trying to figure out how to post about having sex on Instagram, all the while rapidly texting. Worse, how good is it when the only way you know she had an orgasm is when she stops texting?"

Tom roared and nodded. "Yep, you have sampled the young'uns, Grandpa. Maybe there is something to what you say. That last one you had around, the redhead, wow."

Tom didn't break the illusion, but that last 'hot mama' was Deidre, the ex-CIA analyst of his past, and there was nothing there but friendship, as Deirdre was married.

Thinking of Deidre made him think about something he hadn't in a while: his marriage to Marcy and how it imploded. Though it had been several years now since the divorce, the memory didn't fade. There was still sadness and pain at what had been lost. He and Marcy were doing okay these days; they saw each other occasionally at the same family event or another gathering and were able to be civil if not overtly friendly.

Thinking about the last time they had been together, he snorted loudly, which caused Tom to raise an eyebrow. Mutual friends had a party, he and Marcy had been invited, and Marcy went all out.

He thought to himself how she looked a lot younger than her age, stunning. She was wearing a dress that showed off her still stunning body in a sexy yet tasteful way. Short enough to show off her legs and the sparkly heeled sandals she was wearing made them look better. The top of the dress was low cut enough to show off her great breasts, and he recalled how much he paid for them. She also was wearing makeup that reminded Rick of what he would see on YouTube influencer videos. Her hair was lighter with auburn highlights and it looked good. He thought, 'in another time, another place...'

When she came over to say hello, he also noticed other changes. She had a tattoo of a rose chain around her left ankle and for her, it was a bold statement. He recalled that she always had been somewhat critical of women having tattoos, and she had multiple earrings in each ear, something she never would have thought of doing in the past

He suddenly had the thought that if Tom liked Diedre, he would be absolutely drooling at the way Marcy looked now, and he again snorted, getting another puzzled look from the younger man.

This was not the Marcy he had known. Though not really prudish, she was someone who in the past, cared a lot about maintaining proper image, whatever that was. Rick often wondered if that led her to stray during their marriage, that she was rebelling against something.

He recalled her telling him that she hated having to be the proper military wife, not complaining, keeping emotions in check around the craziness that can be the military spouse's lot. He mused that maybe her screwing around was her finally saying F.U. to the rules she thought she had to obey; that what she did might not have entirely been directly aimed at him but to the way she felt she had been made to live. She once admitted that she balked, finally, at having to lose herself, her identity, simply because she was married to an officer.

At the party, she must have known he was looking her over, and she laughed, flirty, "You like? Some of the younger nurses said I needed a change and took me under their wing." In fact, he didn't know if it was the changes or Marcy, but she seemed very different. She was still the same Marcy in some ways, but her energy was changed somehow. She had always been a confident woman, but this was different, as if to say 'this is my life, take it or leave it."

This was confirmed when Rick asked Marcy about how people around the hospital took the changes, and she said, "Who cares? Old Man Carruthers, the head of HR, gave me a couple of dirty looks and some of the doctors weren't happy, but as my young friends said, they need to get real and realize this isn't 20 years ago."

She used to care a great deal about the way things looked and often would chide the younger nurses if she felt their appearance was 'not appropriate' which could be makeup or nail length or beards on male nurses or jewelry on either. So, this was a bit of a shock.

Whatever it was, he really hoped Marcy was happy; his bitterness had evaporated over time. The bitterness of the humiliation and disrespect were there but now lessened by time. He knew that like him, she had dated, and like himself, there had been nothing serious which he knew from their kids who updated him. He also suspected Marcy had ideas of perhaps getting back together which, despite mellowing a bit, he couldn't see. Reconciliation, he thought, had been out of the question ever since he read her letter and the intervening years had done nothing to change his mind despite her attempts at reproachment.

He must have zoned out, because his colleague started shaking his arm and asking him if he was okay. Rick realized he really must be processing something about the past, one of the few things that would break his long-trained habit of being fully aware.

The universe must have been listening to his thoughts because his phone rang...Marcy. He was surprised. While they talked occasionally, it was rare that she would call out of the blue like this. Usually, she would call about something he was aware of, like a kid's birthday, a family member dying, or the like.

Nothing like that was going on that he knew of, and his heart raced a bit. Could it be one of the kids? Rhonda was at Annapolis, thanks to a Navy program, so it couldn't be anything with her service. Kyle was in grad school and as far as he knew, was in good health and was doing well.

Rick stood up and left the monitoring room and walked to his office, closing the door.

"What's up, Marcy? Everything good?"

She must have sensed something in his voice, because she quickly said, "Everything is fine, Rick, kids are good. I wanted to call to say hi, and to ask a favor of you."

This surprised him. "Depends what it is. If it is clearing a clogged drain or cleaning out gutters or throwing out 4-week-old Chinese takeout food from your fridge, forget it."

She laughed. "Since when would I ask you to do those things? I spent 20 years dealing with those things, remember, when you were never around?" It was said lightly, but she quickly seemed to realize that it was throwing salt on an open wound. Rick didn't react, but she could tell he felt the impact of her words and knew there were still tender wounds.

"Oh, that was wrong. I'm sorry, Rick. No, the reason for my call is the hospital is having a big fund-raising shindig and senior members of the staff have been asked to go and mingle with donors. I'd like you to be my plus one. You're one of the best minglers I ever knew!"

He paused. "Me? Why are you asking me? I wouldn't be much of a benefit to what you would be doing there. Isn't there someone else you rather invite?" He had felt her last comment about not being there and responded with a dig that he immediately regretted. "Like maybe a doctor? You seemed to enjoy that in the past."

He could almost hear her wincing. "OK. I probably deserved that but at some point, you need to let it go. I am asking you, Rick, not someone else. First of all, this is a big deal to Dr. Porcelli. This is really his baby and I know he would love to have you there, to take you around, show you off to the donors and recount how the most brilliant piece of medical advice he ever gave was when he told you that the head injury you received was not a problem because to have a brain injury, you needed a brain."

Rick laughed. In fact, Doc Porcelli, when a military neurosurgeon, had told him that after he had had a pretty bad injury. He liked Porcelli. He had saved the lives of a lot of people Rick knew and was a good man. He also had made sure that Cardozo left the hospital and out of respect for Rick, listened to his recommendation to put Marcy back as the head surgical nurse in her unit after Trey had demoted her in revenge when she broke it off with him when the mission ended.

"Anything else, Marcy?"

"I did say first, which usually implies something else."

"Why?"

She sighed. "Maybe because you as much as anyone are responsible for me staying at the hospital. A lesser man would have gone scorched earth and let me dangle in the wind, enjoyed watching me lose something that meant a lot to me, and I haven't been able to really thank you. You'll be my guest."

"You want to thank me by having me go to a rubber chicken dinner and schmooze with rich people who give money to make themselves feel better about the way they earned it, or didn't?"

Marcy snorted. "The food won't be rubber chicken. It is being catered by a restaurant with a Michelin star and has one hell of a wine cellar, along with reportedly having very old French cognac."

Rick laughed. "Not sure eating a scallop with three sprigs of parsley and a spiral sliced carrot is my thing...now shit on a shingle...."

The groan was real. "Oh, stop! It is Italian food and that is to eat, not to look at."

He laughed, then became silent. What was the real reason she was asking him? Was this a game of some sort? She sounded sincere, but he found it hard to believe she would want him at a work event, not after everything that had happened.

As if she read his mind, she continued. "It really is more about the second part, the donors. If I go stag, the creepy ones will be trying to impress me with their wealth after hastily hiding their wedding rings, and it won't just be the men. You've always been my protector and if they see a guy they know was military, they won't dare."

He started to say something, but she shushed him. "Let me finish. There is another reason as well. I can't make up for the past, don't even want to try, but I realize that for years with all my resentments, I never told people how proud I was of you and what you did in the service. People around the hospital, I think, assumed you were some conceited jackass of a soldier and that I did what I did because I was stuck with a putz. I'd like to set the record straight, with you beside me. I think I owe you that much."

He tried interjecting, but she stopped him. "I want people to know just how much I fucked up. There also is another little matter."

He sighed. "Something else? Geez, Marcy, the hits just keep on coming!" From the tone of his voice, it sounded like he dreaded hearing it

Marcy spoke softly. "Rick Weston, did it ever dawn on you that I simply have missed you and would like to have a chance simply to be with you? To talk and watch you work a room again? I have missed that. I am looking for nothing more than that, I promise, just companionship for a night."

Surprisingly, he believed Marcy when she said she didn't have any ulterior plans. Still, he couldn't believe this was the same woman who for years had either ignored or even demeaned his service, resented it, and then humiliated him. What had happened? In so many ways, it shouldn't matter because their ship had sailed, but he was finding it did matter. Had she finally realized what she had done to him, to their marriage, to their family?

His first instinct was to say no. He looked around his office, looked at the pictures of the kids, and tried to find a reason to say yes, or at least not say no.

The silence on the other end told him Marcy was waiting for his response, that her offer was serious. His first words likely weren't what she wanted to hear.

"Marcy, I am flattered at the offer, but I am just not sure. You and I both have moved on and I am afraid that all that will happen is old memories will come up, you'll say something you will regret, I'll say something I regret, and ruin the evening for everyone else."

She sighed. "Look, just the fact that I am asking should tell you something. I know my stock with you is probably less than zero, even now. It took a lot of courage to ask you, but please understand that I've been thinking about how much I hurt you. If you want, I'll beg you to go...it is that important to me...and Doc. It wasn't easy to ask and will be even harder to beg, but I will do it, if it will convince you."

He shook his head, not that she could see it over the phone. "But why? Hell, when we were married, you rarely ever invited me to these things. Why would you care now? I just can't figure it out. There is a side of me that still lives in the past, that thinks you are setting something up, and not in a good way."

He heard her cough, a sign she was agitated and not under control as much as she would like. "Look, understand I am setting something up, but it isn't what you think. I'm not trying to trap or embarrass you...I've done that enough. Yes, part of this is selfish in that I am trying to show you how much I feel the pain of what I did to you and to make you understand the lengths I am willing to go to gradually make it up to you."

"I thought this was about making amends, Marcy? How is this doing that? Honestly, you also could be doing this to humiliate me again, to show off how the ex you destroyed still is obedient. "

"Dammit, shut up and listen! Try living life by getting down from that fucking cross! Geez!" Rick instinctively shut up, he knew how rarely Marcy ever talked that forcefully.

"You know damn well that in my life, my biggest fear was having to face people, face their judgement. By having you there, I am trying to show you that I am willing to face the pain I created, to remind people of what a fucking bitch I was and how in the process, I destroyed the one thing I truly loved in this world. They know it, have heard all about it. They will see this incredible man on my arm and know what I did to you, yet you are strong enough to be seen with me at an important function. I will know deep down that people will be looking at me with contempt and scorn, and there is nothing I can do about it. It is basically showing you just how deeply I regret what I did; that I am willing to face that scorn."

She paused, then continued. "I am fucking petrified of this. Porcelli asked me two weeks ago and it has taken this long to call you; it took me 2 hours of agony to finally make the call today. I spent the time before I called you puking; that is how much I feared asking you, and having you say no way or worse."

Rick had been around Marcy a lot of years and he knew her tone of voice and from the raspiness of her throat he knew her story of throwing up was true. For the first time, he also felt she was totally sincere.

As a result, he surprised himself when he said to her, "Give me this afternoon to think about it, and I promise I'll call you tonight with my answer. This might be big for you, but it is bigger than that for me in ways I can't even express."

The voice that came back sounded relieved. "That is all I could ask for. I really don't want to stir up the past or cause you more pain, but this really is important to me."

He rang off and went to the monitoring room. Tom raised an eyebrow, and without a word saying, "Something important?"

Rick shook his head. 'No, nothing earth shattering. That was my ex-wife asking me if I wanted to go to a party with her."

The other man shook his head. "Fuck! Are you serious? What the bitch did to you was just evil. Honestly, I am surprised she didn't end up in a Mexican whorehouse or something worse..."

Rick gave a rueful grin. "I thought about it, but in the end, I would have regretted it."

Tom nodded. "Yeah, revenge always sounds better before you do it. And given the pieces of ass you seem to attract, you are kind of getting the best revenge, know what I mean?"

The words were meant to be funny but the reaction it touched off was not. Rick had had a lot of fun and met some really nice women, but none of them touched him that deep down. It was okay; they all wanted friends with benefits or otherwise were not looking for serious, so it worked.

Still, he knew he was missing a deep connection with a partner, and of all the things he still missed about Marcy, that was the biggest: that intimacy drove everything else and it was really the one thing he still mourned.

He was jolted out of his thoughts. "You gonna go, old man? If you should happen to find some winning young nurse, well, isn't going to hurt your ego, and also could get you some revenge, too. Just imagine you walking off with some twenty-something hottie while your ex is standing there with her mouth open..."

Rick grimaced as he shook his head. That image caught him by surprise and he felt some stirring in his cock but he brought himself back to the present. "I know I was once young but thank God, I grew up."

Tom laughed. "Yeah, yeah...but seriously man, go. Maybe it will let you move on; it is obvious you still have things to work out...I bet both of you do. And who knows, maybe she's after a happy ending. You don't know, could be she's on a losing streak as well."

"Yeah, right. I doubt that."

The conversation drifted off. Rick, while monitoring an absolutely dead status board, had time to think. He noticed that Tom a couple of times tried to talk, but then stopped.

By the time he left for home, he still didn't know what his answer would be.