This is just about done - this story is really just a short interlude.

Chapter 4

Til Next Time

Elena released Ted's arm when they reached her seat. She found her bag and pulled out her coat check tag. "Can you gather my wrap please?"

Ted accepted the tag and strode quickly to the coat check area. He tried to avoid looking at his mother and grandmother who were now sitting together, neither speaking but both looking quite disturbed. He noticed that his father had followed them to Elena's table and as he left the ballroom, he glanced over his shoulder and saw his father standing over Elena. He looked very angry but Elena looked…amused. What was this about?

Ted handed the coat check tag to one of the sophomore girls manning this area. She brought back a soft, heavy fur. As she handed it to Ted, she commented, "How do these old women live with themselves? The animals that had to die for one coat…it's disgusting."

"You probably should be in the kitchen next year, Tonya," Ted recommended. "Everyone's eating the animals in there; I know you're OK with that." He accepted the coat and headed back to the ballroom. His father was still standing next to Elena's chair and he was clearly lecturing her but she was just as clearly ignoring him. As he neared the table, he saw his father's angry glance sweep up to note his approach. His father's final words to Elena were quite clear as Ted reached the table.

"You watch yourself, Elena. I mean it." He turned to walk away but Ted reached out and grabbed his arm.

"Dad, tell Mom I'll be back in a few minutes and will dance with her then. OK?" His earlier defiance was gone and he mostly wanted his dad to lose the black, murderous look that he was wearing.

Christian looked at him closely and Ted thought his scary demeanor softened slightly. "I'll tell her, Son." He turned to walk away.

Elena stood again and called after him, "It was lovely to see you again, Christian. Give Grace and Anastasia my best." She smiled brightly as Christian turned to glare back at her. She moved with her back towards Ted and glanced over her shoulder to him, prompting him to hold her coat while she shrugged into it. She handed her valet tag to him and then latched back onto Ted's arm, moving in close to him and Ted felt himself being propelled back towards the entry hall.

"Do I want to know what this is all about?" he asked.

"Oh, I'm sure you would find the whole sordid tale quite interesting but I think this is a story for another time." Her manicured hand was now stroking his arm in a small circle and he was suddenly feeling almost queasy with a strange dread and anticipation. They stepped out into the chilly Seattle night and she moved in closer to him. "Ooh, I had forgotten how cold it can be here." Ted led her to the valet stand and handed the tag to the attendant, Ted's friend, Duncan. Duncan's eyebrows raised slightly at the sight of Elena pressed against Ted's side but he took the tag without a word and walked into the lot of cars.

"Well, Ted, it has certainly been wonderful to meet you again."

"Sorry, I didn't have a pink egg for you this time."

Elena laughed and pressed closer against him. "I think this evening has been even more rewarding than that lovely gift. It has been so very energizing to see how much like Christian you are; it's like seeing him again when he was 15. He and I were very good friends back then and I still miss that time."

Her proximity was now making him a little dizzy. He was so aware that she must be the same age as his grandmother but there was something there between them that he could feel but did not understand. The only rationale thought in his head at that point was, "Duncan, please hurry." The other thoughts were a jumble that didn't seem to follow any particular path but they were giving him odd shivers down his spine and parts of his body were feeling tingly. He saw headlights pull into the traffic aisle and felt a rush of relief. Duncan pulled Elena's rental sedan up to them and came to a stop. Elena released his arm and turned to him. She moved in front of him, as if walking towards her car, but she paused before him, standing sideways with her shoulder now pressed into his chest and, to his shock, her hip pressed into his groin. He was embarrassed to feel himself quickly grow hard against her - let's face it, he had already been going that direction – and the arm pressed into him bent up to capture his chin. She grasped him much more firmly that he had anticipated, and she pulled his face down towards him. She tipped her face up to him and he thought she was going to kiss him on the mouth but at the last moment, she pulled his chin down and to the right slightly and kissed him on the cheek, just barely missing his lips. He knew he had to look like a total idiot as she tilted her head back and looked into his eyes. She seemed amused by his shocked face and he was certain that her hip flexed against him, grinding lightly into his erection.

"Til next time, Ted."

Duncan was holding the door open for her but he was staring openly at what was transpiring between Elena and Ted. She smiled at him as she slid into the car, her skirt riding up, exposing legs that belied her age. Duncan flushed red and quickly closed the car door. Elena took a moment to adjust the car's seat, started the car, and was gone.

"Holy crap, Ted, who was that?" Duncan was practically breathless.

"An old friend of my grandmother's."

"Whoa. Not too grandmotherly, I'd say. Hot cougar is more like it. You looked like you were going to pass out. Actually, you still look like that. Breathe man."

"Shut up, I'm breathing. I've got to get in and dance with my mom. I'll see you later."