Re: In praise of Emily

James cooks a fair supper, simple but wholesome. He serves a chilled New Zealand white with the fish and it works. Has he been taught this? Has he always been fair in the kitchen- I don’t know.His manner is quiet, polite, yes deferential. By now he knows my favourite liquor, so after the meal that is poured for me and he clears away the table.

What really impresses though is the way that Emily handles the evening. She is dressed in a black cocktail dress, stockings and high heeled black leather boots. She wears the Cartier that matches my time piece and a string of pearls about her throat. In its refined, understated way, it is all designed to pull James’ string. Boots wreck James, he always wants Emily when she wears them. The watches remind him about Christmas-his commitment. The little black dress is sophistication itself. Tonight she will rule James, as part of a game of subtle pleasures. The relationship is not always about full on sex.

There are ways in which she reinforces the new lifestyle. She refers to me as darling several times during the evening. Its a casual reference, a passing reference, but the barb goes home every time. ‘Darling…I’m sure you have that deal well under control. You’re so astute.’ Its the term of address coupled with admiration. She never looks at him when she uses that word, but in the corner of her eye, I sense her monitoring his reaction. Perhaps once she addressed him that way, never now though. I want to talk about some evenings out in the weeks ahead. Its important to do so because she will have James book those. He will be her social secretary too. We discuss restaurants and select a prominent one in town. I notice James’ face twitch. People may see us there. James is left to squirm a few moments and then I suggest that we take Margaret along and introduce her to a friend of mine, Ben. ‘Will he fuck her for you?’ Emily wonders. It is stated SO offhand. I can’t tell you. Fucking is an appetite, a sport, she has changed so much and that won’t be lost on James. She is a natural at this. I assure my girl that Ben will-he really likes mature women and Margaret has a good figure. Emily states that she will speak to Margaret, prep her for a date. Why do I think that Margaret will be encouraged to put it on a plate for my friend?

There is something of the tea set about this. It is as if all Emily’s play time as a little girl has taught her how to manage such things. She has a keen sense of best behaviour, of the niceties of cultured living. I really like that. i like the instinctive snobbishness of it and want to fuck her. Its hellish hard to limit myself to kissing her slowly, to cupping her pert bottom through that dress-ever so briefly. She is so deft at this, playing our own little tease game as well as reminding James of his responsibilities. She tells James to add logs to the fire , when i’ve left there will be a fireside chat of the relationship kind. ‘I am going to make James rehearse how the evening felt for him. He has to be in touch with the deliciousness of the angst’ she whispers when he is out of ear shot. ‘He’ll want to lick your boots or something!’ I laugh. ‘Well, he’s not allowed to. There is nothing for him this fortnight.’

James will go to bed aching for her. She knows how to press a button and this through a simple supper evening.