9

Return to Princeton

As Jerry and Jackie were leaving the inn, they noticed a billboard advertising a large flea market on Route 209. Jackie said, “Do we have time to stop and do some shopping?”

“I guess so. We told your parents we would pick the kids up at dinnertime,” Jerry answered.

They had been on the road about twenty minutes when Jackie saw a sign for Route 209. “You go south, and we should see signs for the flea market soon after we turn onto Two Oh Nine.” As advertised, the flea market was on the left, and Jerry pulled into the field that was used as a parking lot. Though it was frozen, Jerry commented, “I bet this field is a problem if they get too much rain during the spring or summer.”

“This place is huge,” Jackie commented. She was right. There were dozens of interlocking buildings and several hundred vendors. This was advertised as one of the largest flea markets in the area. They had merchants selling almost anything one could imagine. When Jackie saw the extent of the place, she shifted into shopping mode. Jerry was not as enthusiastic until he discovered an antique dealer that specialized in Civil War items. Other than golf, this was one of Jerry’s few hobbies, and he couldn’t believe his luck.

Jerry was a bit of an expert on the Civil War. He first asked to examine some of the items the dealer had for sale to see if they were fakes. After examining several pieces, he was convinced the items were genuine. “Would you believe I would find this in the Poconos?” he said to Jackie. Jerry spent about a half hour looking over the supply of artifacts and purchased a set of buttons from a Confederate officer’s uniform. He also looked at a few old pictures that were said to have been taken by Brady, the famous Civil War photographer. However, Jerry was not 100 percent sure they were actually taken by Brady and decided to pass. They spent several hours and got things for the folks at home. Jackie purchased a Poconos T-shirt and an apple-paring machine.

“We better get on the road. It will take us until five o’clock even with light traffic,” Jerry said. “Why don’t you call your parents and tell them to expect us between five and five thirty. Ask them if we should pick up pizza and bring it with us. We can all eat together at their house and then drive home and get the kids settled for the night.”

“Sounds good. I’ll see if that’s OK with my parents.” Jackie called them on the phone, and they agreed pizza was a good idea.

It was just after five o’clock when they arrived at Jackie’s parents’ home in Princeton. The kids ran out to greet them. It was great to get away, but they were glad to see the children and her parents.

“Let’s get the pizza out before it gets cold,” Jerry said. They had called ahead when they were twenty minutes from the pizza place.

As they ate, Jackie gave them a thumbnail sketch of the inn. She also said they had surprises for everyone in the car. Lisa wanted to know what they had brought for them. “Just be patient. You will see soon enough,” Jackie said. After they finished the pizza, Jerry went to the car and brought in the bags with their flea market purchases.

Lisa and David each got a new video game for their PlayStation. It proved a mistake to give the kids their presents first. All they wanted to do was go home to try their new games. For Jackie’s father they got a DVD of the movie Titanic. Jackie’s mother got a new gourmet cookbook. This was just the thing for her because Jackie’s parents belonged to a gourmet group. They would have parties and try out the latest culinary delights.

After everyone had opened their gifts, Jackie and Jerry loaded the kids and their suitcase in the SUV and started the drive home. It was dark when they pulled into their driveway, and the kids couldn’t wait to play the video games. “You must first get your bath; then you can play for a short time before bed,” Jackie told them.

“Do we have to get a bath first?” David asked.

“Yes, no arguments,” Jackie responded.

They dashed up the stairs, and David took his bath first. Jackie helped Lisa with her bath, and they went to the playroom and tried out their new games. Jackie allowed them to stay up a half hour past their normal bedtime. She knew they were excited.

At nine o’clock, Jackie said, “Time for bed, kids.” They turned off the game and went to their bedrooms. As Jackie tucked them in, Jerry put the car in the garage. When he came back into the house, he came to their room and said good night to them. He then told Jackie he had to get things ready for a Monday-morning meeting and took his briefcase into the study.

Jackie took the empty suitcases to the attic. She had a hard time even getting into it since everything was piled at the top of the pull-down steps. She decided to rearrange a few things in the attic to make it easier to replace the suitcases. As Jackie was moving things around, she spotted an old wardrobe in one corner. She unzipped it and saw it was full of her old clothes. Some of them went back to her days at Smith. She took several items out and tried to remember the last time she wore each one. In the bottom of the wardrobe was a shipping tube. She pulled it out and removed one end cap. There was a rolled-up piece of paper in the tube. Jackie removed it and began to unroll it. It was the nude portrait François had drawn in Paris. She had forgotten how great the drawing was and how beautiful and happy she looked in the picture.

Suddenly she heard Jerry calling, “Jackie, where are you?”

“I’m in the attic putting the suitcases away.”

“You didn’t have to do that. I would have put them away,” he replied.

“It was no problem; they’re light. I’ll be down in a second.” Jackie quickly put the drawing back in the tube and placed it in the wardrobe. Now was not the time to dig into the past. In fact, she didn’t intend to show her portrait to Jerry.

She climbed down the ladder and turned the attic light off. Jerry had come up to help her and pushed the spring-loaded access door into place. “Did you say good night to the kids?” Jackie asked.

“Yes. They’re all set for the night. They wanted to play longer with their new video games. I told them maybe tomorrow. I think they spend too much time playing those games,” Jerry said.

“Well, I know how engrossed I can become at the computer at times,” Jackie responded.

“You seemed to be able to keep yourself occupied this weekend without the computer,” Jerry quipped.

“Ha ha. You think you are funny,” Jackie responded.

They went into the family room to relax after their weekend adventure. They held each other on the sofa and began to kiss. This time their kissing was not a prelude to something else but just to be with each other after a most enjoyable time together. As they relaxed, Jerry told her how glad he was that she had arranged their weekend at the inn. Jackie had hoped for a romantic interlude, and it was that and more. Jerry loved Jackie, but he didn’t seem to realize that Jackie’s physical needs weren’t being fully met at times. Jackie and Mary often discussed her need for sex and how she should communicate this to Jerry. Jackie wasn’t shy, but she didn’t want Jerry to feel inadequate by her becoming too forward. Jerry enjoyed sex, too, and never strayed from his marriage vows. Jackie needed to find a way of making Jerry aware of her needs. At times, she felt close to exploding with pent-up up sexual desire. She knew the answer was not to go away each weekend and hoped their trip had reminded Jerry how good sex could be with her. Maybe this will spark him into action more often, Jackie thought.

Jerry was thinking of how great the sex had been that weekend and was proud of himself. I still have it, he thought. I was able to keep up with Jackie. He wondered what was up with her. She had never wanted so much sex since their honeymoon.

It was almost eleven o’clock when they decided to take a shower together and have one last interlude to cap off the weekend. After their lovemaking in the shower, they got dressed for bed and said good night. Before Jackie fell asleep, Jerry turned to her and said, “I love you, Jackie.”

“I love you too,” she responded.