William Davis
The Polaroid club book I
CHAPTER ONE
The third anniversary party of the Jamisons was going well. Cindy Jamison, smiling broadly and her ice-blue eyes sparkling, walked out of the kitchen as the last of the dinner dishes were taken from the table by her husband, Howard, and their two party guests, Ralph and Norma Taylor. Cindy was happy; happy because the dinner had gone perfectly, her special potato flambe having earned well deserved praise, and because as she looked at her tall, handsome husband, she realized just how much in love with him she was.
She kissed him fondly on the cheek as he passed her with the gravy boat. "I love you, Howie," she murmured.
Howard grinned, and kissed her back. He looked down at Cindy, once more feeling the stirrings of love and physical attraction which had first excited him, and had never once stopped making him want her over the past three years. Her full, ripe figure nearly burst the tight bodice of her white dress, and the plunging neckline disclosed more than just a casual view of her sun-bronzed breasts, breasts which he knew had been first caressed by him — Cindy having been not only a virgin but a shy, hesitant maiden before their marriage.
She turned and went into the living room, and for a long moment Howard watched the smooth enticing undulations of her buttocks, the twin globes a rhythmic reminder of the warm wet passion she stored between her well-curved thighs. There was just enough dinner wine in him to let his thoughts roam to what was going to happen later, after the Taylors left, and he and Cindy were alone, and in the privacy of their bedroom…
His revery was interrupted by the entrance of Ralph Taylor. He walked out of the kitchen wiping his wide, muscular hands on a dish towel, his face a picture of pleasantness. "Howie, my boy, let's open the champagne now!"
"Champagne?" Howard asked, baffled.
"You don't think that I could let you folks celebrate without a little of the bubble-juice, do you?" He laughed jovially. "Heh, heh, Norma brought two magnums with her, along with your present."
Cindy, lighting a cigarette as she sat on the couch, said, "Ah now, Ralph, you didn't have to buy us a thing."
"Nonsense! No employee of mine is going to be let off his anniversary without something to liven things up. Especially a star salesman like Howie, here. I know how it is with old married couples, Cindy; after all, I'm going on ten years in the ball-and-chain, and so I've got a little deal for you both which will perk up everything, believe you me!"
Cindy wasn't too sure what Ralph meant, talking about a gift to "perk up" their anything but dead marriage, but she smiled anyway. After all, Ralph was the manager of Auto Circus, Morriston's biggest and most prosperous used car lot, and Howard worked under him. Ralph was a big, impressive looking man, liking to dress well and flashy; right now he wore a double breasted blazer cut Edwardian, gray striped pants, and polished loafers. As usual there were three cigars poking out of the handkerchief pocket, and a pearl and diamond tie-tac in his wide, striped tie. Cindy liked him, not only because he was her husband's boss, but because Ralph was so jovial and fun-loving, ever smiling and with a joke to tell — even if some of them embarrassed her because they were a bit too riske.
Ralph, she knew, often said things in a round-about manner, a carry-over from his work when he would talk about a car in almost teasing buildup to interest a prospective customer. So she wasn't concerned that his comment wasn't clear to her and knew that by the end of the evening all would be explained.
"Yes, Cindy," Ralph said expansively, "I can just picture you now with the gift. I can't wait to see how things developed!" He started laughing in his hearty, gravelly laugh, and was joined in by his wife, who was still in the kitchen but who had evidently overheard his conversation.
"Oh, Ralph," Norma said loudly, "you card!"
She and Howard then came out of the kitchen, her arm linked in his in a gesture of friendship. "Are you sure you want to expose them to this?" she asked Ralph, again the emphasis falling so that the Jamisons knew a double meaning was hidden in her words. "Perhaps we haven't timed it right!"
The Taylors erupted in more laughter, the Jamisons looking at them with bewilderment. They were both jokers, Howard reflected, Norma just as quick with the puns as her husband. He grinned anyway, caught up with the humor of the situation, and gripped Norma's arm tighter. She was a good-looking woman, thinner than Cindy but no less desirable, with her multicolored hostess gown falling over pert, upthrust breasts and thin, tightly molded buttocks and thighs. Her raven black hair, cut in a boyish bob, cameoed her round, innocent face, but Howard knew from the way she reacted to some of Ralph's spicy stories, she was well experienced in the ways of love…
"Ralph, honey," Norma continued, releasing her arm and walking across to where her husband was lighting a cigar, "Where's my bag?"
"By the front door, where you left it," came the reply. He released a stream of smoke. "Want me to get it?"
"No, I will." She crossed to the front door of the Jamison home and opened it. Reaching around the corner she retrieved a large straw shopping bag from the porch. "We hid this on the way in," she explained, shutting the door again. "We wanted it to be a surprise."
"It is that," agreed Howard, still mystified.
They all grouped around Norma and her bag as she opened it. Out came the two magnums of champagne and a gayly wrapped present.
"Ooohh," cooed Cindy, "what's in the present?"
"You'll find out," Ralph promised, "but only after some champagne." He chortled, obviously enjoying his role as gift-giver. Cindy picked up the rectangular package and shook it; there was only a faint rattling from inside it. The box was quite large, decorated by "Happy Anniversary" paper and a big red ribbon, and a tingling of expectation ran through her. She loved to receive presents, and Howard often brought her home small, inexpensive, meaningless gifts, just so she'd have something to open. She loved him for this; this, and for many other reasons.
Howard went to the credenza in the dining room and got four cocktail glasses, then went back to the kitchen for a bucket of ice. They sat around for a little while after that while one bottle of champagne cooled, Cindy lovingly staring at the large gift, trying to guess what was in it as the Taylors made jokes about its contents. Most of the bottle was consumed, adding a certain glow of merriment to the festivities, when at last the time came for the box to be opened.
Cindy, of course, was chosen as the opener. Slowly, carefully, she slid the bow off and then slit the paper… underneath was a plain cardboard carton advertising dog food. She looked up questioningly.
"No, we just had to use the box for all the parts," Ralph said. "C'mon, open the thing."
Trembling with anticipation, Cindy obeyed, and inside the carton were other boxes, only these were clearly marked.
"Howie!" Cindy exclaimed, "look at this!"
Howard was pleasantly shocked. The main gift was a brand-new color Polaroid camera, an expensive model with adjustable lens and shutter speed. Then there was a strobe flash attachment, the kind which was rechargeable, and then… well, he wasn't quite sure what the third item was.
"A timer," explained Ralph, "it allows you to be in your own pictures." He held it up and showed how it operated. "See, you set this thing for up to fifteen seconds, then get in range and the camera takes your picture. Then one minute later, you have your photo, automatically."
"My God, Ralph, you shouldn't have," Howard gulped. "This is so expensive…"
"Ha ha, what's money if not to spend, I always say!"
"Well, gee, thanks Ralph… thanks a lot!"
"Don't mention it, my boy! Don't mention it!" Ralph picked up the Polaroid and opened it up. "I've got one just like it, Howie. Had nothing but fun with it. Hand me a roll of film there, and I'll show you how it works."