Catherine awoke naked and alone in her bed, her body aching beautifully after the passion of the previous night and her husband’s side of the bed still warm from his recent departure. She stretched and purred and kicked away the bedclothes so that only her feet remained covered, lying on her stomach so that the cool September breeze from the open window danced upon her back.
Today was her birthday and she’d booked a day off work so that she might be free to do whatever she chose, or indeed, do nothing at all if she chose. Daniel, her husband, had to work, but it was Friday morning and Catherine was compensated for this disappointment by the possibilities that a free weekend together might offer. Her husband loved to surprise her on such occasions, to make her feel special and she recalled how on this day a year ago he had presented her with two reservations at the exclusive Seaham lodge health spa. Her best friend Jennifer had been part of the plot and had accompanied her on her adventure, but Daniel had gone further than either had expected, booking them onto programs that Catherine would have otherwise shied away from. Indeed the sensual massage she’d received was something she still recalled and used to help her climax during sex. But this year, Daniel had been uncharacteristically careless, leaving clues that Catherine had followed to uncover the nature of her present. Whilst some might say that her curiosity detracted from the gift and even disrespected the efforts her husband had gone to. Daniel, she was sure, knew her well enough to know that even the smallest slip on his part would prove irresistible to her.
She turned in bed, sat up and pulled Daniels pillow behind her to support her back, her firm breasts responding immediately to the chill caresses of the fresh morning air. A pot of steaming tea sat cooling upon her bedside table and the scent of her breakfast being prepared percolated upwards from the kitchen directly below. Compliantly she remained in bed and sipped at her tea and goose bumps appeared on her flesh.
The radio alarm clicked on at 7am and at that moment Daniel entered carrying a tray. For a moment he stood transfixed by the naked vison and made no attempt to disguise his desire, nor indeed to cover her. He had already showered and dressed, but his hair was lank and curled and shimmered with the memory of the refreshing cascade. He kissed her and placed the tray on her lap and Catherine smiled appreciatively. It wasn’t as though this was a rare occurrence; Daniel loved to bring his wife breakfast in bed and on those occasions breakfast unfailingly concluded with enduring and passionate sex – but not today. Catherine slowly consumed her perfectly cooked mushroom omelette and waited for her husband to present her with his gift, whilst Daniel let his hands languidly wander over her thighs. He pulled away the sheets entirely so that her feet were offered to his lips and he stooped to kiss and suckle upon her toes while she also feasted.
Daniel put aside the empty tray and pressed his lips to Catherine’s, kissing her deeply and lingering until they were both breathless. “I have to go my love.” He said at last, reaching under the bed to produce a flat box and an enveloped card. “Happy birthday.” He smiled. “Don’t wait too long before opening them.” He jumped up to continue dressing and when he kissed her a final time and left the room, Catherine was consumed by an overwhelming sense of loss. But she suffered his absence without complaint and remained in bed, listening to his footsteps as he moved around downstairs. A door opened and closed and a car engine fired into life and slowly faded, leaving her abandoned in the ensuing silence. Catherine was unbearably aroused and desperate for sex, desperate to feel her husband on her, in her, but she knew that he had a crucial meeting at 8:30 and the denial she endured was almost as good as sex would have been — almost.
Catherine considered whether to first open the box or the card and though she was desperate to read and listen to his loving words, albeit knowing the gift within, she chose to keep this treat for last and opened the box. As she expected from noting its size and shape, the box contained an item of clothing. But rather than expensive lingerie as she had perhaps expected she held up a deep alizarin dress of impossibly soft cotton. She let its hem tumble from the edge of the bed so that it brushed the floor, telling her that it would likely cover her petite frame entirely.
Catherine slipped gracefully from her bed and carefully laid her gift over the back of the dressing table chair, placing the unopened card on the walnut table top and stealing a glance at her reflection in the antique mirror. She loved being naked, and would often go unclothed all morning at weekends so that Daniel could follow as she went about her self-assigned chores. Though in truth, the risk that a passing stranger might catch a fleeting glimpse of her through the window as she worked was more than a little exciting. Catherine pulled the sex soiled sheets from the bed and took them downstairs, forcing the bed linen into the washer and turning it on before dancing back to her room on her toes, still unclothed. She found it both flattering and arousing that after 10 years of marriage and a total of 15 together, her husband still found her fresh and exciting. At the age of 38, Catherine was older if not wiser than the day they had met and was perhaps even more sexually demanding than in her youth, and to her delight, her husband praised and worshiped her daily.
She showered, taking time to wash and dry her hair; after all, this was her special day. Catherine slipped into her new dress, and purred contently as the fabric breathed with her and caressed her legs, seemingly contracting about her. She let her hands wander and despite the garment’s almost total coverage, she felt naked and aroused and knew that it would be something that could only be worn with nothing beneath and she was thrilled by the notion. As predicted the hem tickled the tops of her toes as she stood admiring the deep cut cleavage that perfectly offered her breasts up for inspection. She picked up the envelope and carefully removed the card, but as she opened it, something slipped out and fluttered to the floor. Catherine recovered the fallen items, two train tickets, and she gave each a cursory glance noting that one was the return journey of the other, before returning to read her husband’s loving sentiments in the birthday card.
“My love,” he began. “Though it hurts me to be parted from you, I shall endure my solitude until your return on Sunday evening. You have, no doubt already found the tickets, but you must hurry as a taxi will arrive at 9:45 to take you to the station. I have arranged that you will be met by a friend and colleague from the university at your destination. I have packed an overnight bag for you that you will find by the front door and you will need nothing else. Enjoy your weekend my love and I will see you on Sunday evening.”
Catherine was overwhelmed and a fleeting look at the bedside alarm clock told her that she had less than an hour before her cab arrived.
“P.s.” the note concluded, “I assume that you are by now wearing my gift to you. Go dressed as you are.” And Catherine laughed out loud. How well he knew her. She skipped downstairs and resisted the urge to open the weekend bag — that much at least would be a surprise.
Daniel may have surprised her completely had he been a little more careful and Catherine grinned at her cunning in uncovering his plot. She’d found the main clue almost three weeks ago, a name, telephone number and date on the pad by the telephone, barely visible and yet not quite completely hidden; an impression from the missing page above, almost unnoticed on the page beneath. She trusted her husband implicitly and the thought that he might be conducting an affair never entered her mind. Instead, when she read ‘Alice, ext 57692’ and todays date, her date of birth, she was in no doubt that this related to his surprise birthday gift to her. Of course, she had had to investigate and try to beat him at this game and when she returned from her adventure she would take great delight in telling him how easily she had uncovered his scheme.
On finding the secret note, Catherine had telephoned the university at which her husband taught, asking for the extension she had found.
The phone buzzed a couple of times. “Good morning, Alice Simpson.” A woman said cheerfully.
“Oh Hi.” Catherine replied. “I think I have the wrong number. I was trying to call the Chemistry department.”
“Ah. This is Art.” Alice told her. “Would you like me to transfer you?”
“Thanks, but that’s Ok. I’ll dial again.” Catherine answered quickly, so as not to raise suspicion. “Thanks for your help.” She added as she hung up to end any further discussion. Catherine immediately reached for her IPad and typed ‘Alice Simpson, York University.’ She’d hit send and at once the device threw back Dr Robert’s biography.
‘Alice Simpson,’ Catherine read, ‘is a doctor of fine art and renowned figurative artist living and teaching in the north of England…’ There were samples of her work that took Catherine’s breath away and just as she was about to close down the page she saw a link to ‘up and coming events’ Catherine almost didn’t follow it, but she was curious and impulsive by nature and couldn’t resist. She tapped the screen and a list of exhibitions and workshops appeared, one, she noted excitedly, a life drawing class for experienced artists, beginning on her birthday.
Catherine smiled at the memory of her cunning and checked the destination of her train ticket, finding to her delight that it matched the location of the workshop that Dr Robert’s was holding this weekend. Catherine almost jumped for joy; she loved art of all kinds and was a gifted painter, though she had little time for hobbies these days. How wonderful of Daniel to feed one of her greatest passions. A car pulled up outside and a horn sounded and Catherine dropped her phone onto the dining table and grabbed her bag as she skipped out like a child.