An online novel by Gillette Edmunds

Chapter 13 – Sun Tans

Sonya and Connie lay on the chaise lounges on the sun deck of their Pensacola beach house. The previous night, Sonya had arrived from Europe and told Connie the essentials of her experience. The sun was directly overhead, the smell of suntan lotion was in the air and they both wore bikinis and sunglasses lying on their backs with their eyes closed.

“Isn’t it stupid,” Sonya said. “Here I’m 34 years old and working on my suntan. Shouldn’t I be doing something more important?”

“This is what all women do waiting to get divorced,” Connie said. “Even if they’re 50. I see them out here all the time, getting thin and tan, jogging on the beach.”

“But I was doing this when I was married,” Sonya said. “It’s the only sort of thing I ever do.”

“So it feels good. How can you put it down?”

“It doesn’t feel at all,” Sonya said. “Laying in the sun is like putting on eye liner. It’s good for your looks. That’s all. Certainly it’s bad for your skin. It passes the time but you can’t make a life out of it.”

“Don’t worry. You’ll find a new husband,” Connie said.

“I don’t want another husband. I’m not even divorced yet.”

“Let’s face it,” Connie said rolling over on her stomach and putting her sunglasses on the deck. “You’re a prude, Sonya. You’ll get horny as hell without a husband. You’re hung up on marrying guys to make your sex life legit.”

“Sex has nothing to do with it,” Sonya said. She sat up and looked out over the ocean. “I can give myself an orgasm as good as any man can. Sometimes better. So many men don’t know what to do and I hate instructing them. I won’t instruct them. Michael was a complete idiot about sex and I never said a thing to him. I’d never marry anyone for sex.”