Over 50

Copyright © 2015 by Maureen McIntyre.

ISBN:   Softcover   978-1-5144-2391-2

   eBook   978-1-5144-2389-9

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Rev. date: 11/09/2015

Xlibris

1-888-795-4274

www.Xlibris.com

650615

Contents

Dedication

Prologue

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

DEDICATION

This book is dedicated to my family and friends.

A special thank you to Sandra for her editing skills.

Prologue

Joseph and I have been married for thirty-two years. We’re both fifty-nine years young. I work as a receptionist in a doctor’s office and Joe is an accountant for a large manufacturing company. I feel so lucky to have Joe in my life. When I was in university and running around with lots of different guys, I always hoped I would find a kind, thoughtful man. Of course at that age my priority was handsome and well built. I used to swoon over the football players and their tight bottoms. My thoughts are interrupted when Joe calls:

Hey Maggie! Can you please help me hang the new picture we bought yesterday?

Sure Joe, be right there.

Joe and I had been to an auction sale the previous day and we both fell in love with a relaxing beach scene done in pastel shades. This picture reminds me of the time, just before we were married, when we stayed in a little, white cottage on Rice Lake. I remember the feelings of excitement just looking at my Joe and loving his arms around me. Of course the nights together were intoxicating and I couldn’t imagine my life without him in it.

I just have to have that picture in our bedroom so we see it first when we wake up, I said.

I agree it’s very beautiful and reminds me of our first trip to the cottage.

Is this straight? asked Joe as he held the picture up to the wall.

A little to the left, Dear, and it will be perfect, I said.

After the picture was in its place on the wall and giving a very tranquil look to our room, Joe took me in his arms and gave me a big hug and then a kiss on the cheek. I still feel a tingle when Joe kisses me. We are still very much in love after all this time and three children later.

Joe and I have two sons, Peter and William and a daughter, Patricia. The boys are still single and in their twenties. Pat is thirty, married with a son, Robert, and a daughter, Marcia. Pat’s husband, James, is thirty-two years old and a paediatrician. I am so happy our children are so successful. Guess we did something right.

Later this evening, Joe and I are supposed to go to visit friends to have a drink and play euchre. I just learned to play euchre two years ago. I figured since I’m getting older I should learn how to play cards because soon the active sports will be too difficult for this aging body. I love the game of euchre because it’s easy and we can visit while we’re playing it.

After dinner, we each got showered and dressed to go out.

How does this outfit look? I asked as I modelled my new black stretch pants (leggings) and royal blue sweater. I am so glad tight pants are in style right now. They are comfortable and I see men taking a second look when I am wearing them. I must say my tush isn’t too bad at all. I exercise and walk a lot and I am quite proud of my body.

You look beautiful, as always, Babe, Joe said.

I must admit I do look good in almost anything I wear as I am five foot five inches tall with a slim build. I have been blessed with dark curly hair and green eyes. I confess I do colour my hair now as there seems to be some grey in it. I have let my hair grow to shoulder length so I am able to put it up if I want to look more sophisticated. But tonight I will leave it down.

Okay, Dear, I’ll meet you downstairs, I called.

Joe and I live in a lovely, but very large, two-storey red brick house near the city limits. It was a perfect place to bring up a family but is starting to feel too big for two people. Several of our friends have down-sized and I’m starting to think this might be the answer for us. I feel tired just going up and down the stairs so many times each day.

The gardening and housework are starting to feel overwhelming even though I have a cleaning lady every two weeks. I still have to do the bathrooms and kitchen in between her visits. I can’t stand to see a dirty kitchen. Too fussy maybe, but that’s just the way I am. Can’t teach an old dog new tricks so they say.

At nearly sixty years of age, both Joe and I are starting to notice the stairs becoming a bit of a challenge. Joe’s left hip bothers him, on occasion, as he suffers from osteoarthritis. The stairs certainly don’t help his condition.

In about twenty minutes Joe and I are on our way to our good friends’ house to play cards.

Chapter 1

Please come in, said Joan as she answered the door. How are you both tonight?

Just fine Joan, I said. And how are you and Ian? I asked as Ian arrived at the door.

Good evening Joe and Maggie, Ian said while extending his arm to shake Joe’s hand. He then gave me a kiss on the cheek. We’re so happy you could join us for euchre tonight. We’ve been busy all day and it will be nice to relax for a while.

Joan and Ian have been our good friends since our university days. We married around the same time and started our families shortly after. I feel that Joan is more like a sister. I can tell her anything and she will listen. Joan shares everything with me as well, like last year when she found a lump in her right breast. She was terrified to tell Ian. We kept it to ourselves for a few days and I took Joan to the doctor. Thank God she was okay; no cancer, just a small cyst.

We played cards for about two hours when Joan said, what is trump for this hand? I’ve forgotten. I must be getting tired. I think it’s time to stop and have a coffee and some of the banana bread I made this afternoon.

Sounds good to me.

I was starting to feel a little peckish as well and Joan makes the best banana bread I have ever tasted. She’s an excellent cook.

Everyone moved to the kitchen and I helped Joan with the coffee and goodies while the men made themselves comfortable at the table. Soon we joined our husbands.

You know, we are thinking about taking a holiday for a couple of weeks, to Cuba. Why don’t you two join us? said Ian.

That could be fun. When are you planning to go? I asked, rather excitedly. Joan said in a couple of weeks if we can find a good trip. I looked at Joe and he agreed that we could also use a holiday.

We usually go away once or twice a year but this year we have both been busy at work and what with Joe’s arthritis acting up through the winter, we have been at home. I love to travel. Now that we are getting older I think it’s important to travel as much as possible. You never know when one of us could come down with a health problem preventing us from travelling, or raising the insurance to an unacceptable level. So I’m quite excited to be able to travel with our very good friends. This could be a lot of fun and God knows I need some fun. I have been feeling a little depressed from not getting away for a while. I really hope this trip works out.

Two weeks later we were all in Cayo Santa Maria, Cuba. We enjoyed the sea, the beach and the pool. Joan and I were talking one afternoon as we sat by the pool.

"We are booked for the specialty Italian