THE SWORD AND SICKLE

PART ONE

CHAPTER THREE 

LAIDA

A few months before calling Levi on behalf of his wife, Jim found out he was sterile, and Laida wanted children. She wanted a passel of them, but it was not to be. She tried to comfort her husband, but nothing seemed to work. He lost interest in sex, and he looked like a neutered dog curled up, weary of anyone touching him. Emotionally, he did not heal and became distant. She adjusted to the situation by busying herself with other things. She missed the flesh-on-flesh contact with her husband, and after a while, she selected a photographer as a lover. He was not as good as Jim, but he satisfied the itch. Jim began to notice a change in his wife. Her affection returned to him, and she became more passionate. Realizing it was not her fault, she became more understanding. She convinced him to seek help from a doctor. At first, he felt embarrassed to talk about it to his doctor, but finally he gathered enough courage to make an appointment.

"Doctor, I have a problem. Ever since you told me that I was sterile. I am unable to make love to my wife."

The doctor replied, "This is not unusual, Jim. This is an emotional issue for you and others in your condition. They feel that their purpose in life is to reproduce, and when this natural feeling of manhood suddenly disappears, impotence may be the resulting symptom. Jim, I have a good friend who is a sex counselor, and believe me, she is extremely good, if you know what I mean. If you would like, I will make a referral."

Jim was not sure he could talk to a strange woman about his condition. "Thank you. I will talk to my wife about it." He did not go directly home, he headed to the nearest bar for a drink. After a few beers, he headed home and confided in Laida, "Laida, the doctor wants me to see a sex therapist, but I am not sure it is the right thing for me."

Laida reached out with her left arm and embraced him as they sat on the couch. "Jim, I love you. I'll tell you the truth...I am not able to live in a sexless marriage." Jim's countenance turned into a saddened expression. He lowered his head and placed his chin on his chest. She saw his look and said, "You need help, and believe me, but this is something you can overcome. You need to go see this woman. What did the doctor say about her?"

The doctor said, "She is extremely good at her job."

"I don't have a problem with you seeing a sexual surrogate?"

"Well, I am afraid of what she will do to make me erect. Honey, I haven't had sex with anyone else since we became a couple."

"Jim, you have my permission to do what you need to do in order to get that lovely penis to pay attention to me. This is medical, and you need help."

"You are saying I can have sex with her?"

"Honey, this is her profession; she is a sexual surrogate, and she is not going to form any feelings for you."

"I am not worried about her, I am worried about me. What if I can easily get over my fears of having sex with her and am still unable to satisfy you.... Then what?"

"I am not afraid of that happening, because her job is to get you to satisfy me, and honestly, I need that in my life. Go to her, if she requires you to have sex with her, then have sex with her. It is not cheating. It is like going to a doctor for help. Did you know that in the old days, a woman would go to the doctor to get relief? That's right, when a woman becomes frustrated, the doctors would call it 'suffering from hysteria'. They would go to the doctor's office, and he could get her off, either with manual manipulation or by using an old type of vibrator. Ever wonder why women love doctors?"

"That's sick," Jim said in response.

"They do not practice that anymore, but what I am getting at is that you are ill and there is nothing wrong with seeking help from a certified sex therapist. And besides--she probably will not have sex with you."

"From the doctor's intonation, I am pretty sure that is what she will do."

"Do you trust your doctor?"

"Yes."

"Then I do, too. In fact, let me set up the appointment for you. So the doctor knows you have my permission."

Would you do that for me?"

Laida replied, "I would be happy to, just remember, someday I may want you to do me a favor."

"You're the best wife in the world, Hun!" as he gave her a passionate hug.

Laida reached down and felt his groin area, and felt a placid penis underneath his clothes. The man needed help, and it was obvious that she was not the answer.

The next day, Laida called the doctor's office and told the receptionists to set up an appointment with the sex therapist for her husband. She already had an idea for that favor she wanted from her husband. Two weeks ago in Flint Rock, she watched a good-looking artist demonstrate his skills in portrait painting, as he painted a woman's portrait live at the annual art show. Watching him paint made her wet, and she looked down to see a damp spot on her jeans. Nothing made her hotter than seeing a man demonstrate his skills in public. She knew the name Levi Jackson, but she did not introduce herself to him, and she was quite certain he had not noticed her as he astutely trained his eye on his model, but Levi had noticed her in the crowd. A few weeks later, she noticed his ad in the paper for his portrait painting class, and nothing made her hotter than having her husband call Levi, her former lover, in hopes she could take his class.

She returned to masturbating with great enthusiasm as she thought of having passionate sex with Levi. She felt like a mischievous sprite for tricking her husband, and she considered herself a whore. She justified her actions because her husband was now in his second week of therapy and had sex sessions with his therapist, Maggie. He came home after the sessions feeling better about his decision to have therapy, but she felt anger toward him for his inability to perform for her. He told Laida how skilled Maggie was and how good she was at getting a flaccid phallus erect, and yet he still failed to perform for her when she needed it.

Finally, after about fifteen minutes, she pulled her hand out and touched her engorged clitoris. She came immediately. She kept touching herself, and she kept popping, one orgasm after another. Finally, she calmed down and cleaned up the bed, not wanting her man to find the wet spot.

When Jim came home, she showed him the ad in the paper about the painting class.

He said, "Hun, he is asking for experienced painters, and you have no experience."

"You owe me. I am sure you will figure a way to get him to allow me to take his course." God, that made Laida hot, having her husband beg Levi to accept her in his class. He called Levi, and he denied his request. Jim relayed the news and told her, "It's a no-go. He will not let you take his class."

She replied while drying her hair, "Call him in a few days, Honey, and call him by his first name."

Jim replied, "I'm not sure that will work. He seemed quite adamant."

Laida said, "I am sure you will figure it out, anyway." She smiled, turned, and walked to the bathroom to finish drying her hair.

Poor Jim, he still couldn't get it up for his wife. She tried everything to make him hard and nothing helped. He told Laida that Maggie said it might take another five weeks before he became better for her at home. Laida said, "I'm not worried, yet. I am sure she is going to help us. I want you to be healthy as long as the insurance covers it." Jim didn't mind making love to Maggie, but she was a very good sex partner. She taught him many new tricks, like how to use sex toys on women, so they received true pleasure, but he wondered why his wife was so tolerant. Maybe she was telling the truth, and she wanted him back to his old self, but something seemed amiss.

Jim went to his next session and told Maggie it was okay with his wife to continue as long as the insurance covers it. Maggie said, "Jim, you are an attractive man, and you have a great and understanding wife. If your insurance will not cover the extra hours, I will continue with your therapy until you are capable of having sex with your wife. I don't like failure, and you are not going to be my first. This afternoon I have a surprise for you. I feel it is becoming too easy for you to have an erection with me, so I have brought in a friend to join us. She is a born therapist, and she will help you move your attachment to another woman. I want you to start with her first, and then I will join you to see how you are doing. Her name is Sherrill, and she is your age. So, take it easy, okay. If she works out, then I have another friend I want you to work with on Wednesday. We will keep this up until you are comfortable and get a hard-on whenever you see a woman's flesh. Once this happens, I am sure you will have an erection when you see your wife."

Jim responded, "And this will not cost me any more money?"

Maggie said, "No, I ran your insurance, and you are good. I only use this technique as long as it is doing the job. Hell, I use many clients, and it is a turning point for them. These women are professionals, and as long as you use protection, you will not take anything home with you to share with Laida."

"I know that. But Judy wants babies, and I can't give them to her."

We will do a little role playing, and believe me, Sherrill is a great role player."

After a few sessions with Sherrill and Maggie, he felt very good, but he lost the feeling when he tried to perform with Laida. This is hopeless, he thought, and Laida began to think Maggie might not be the solution to their marital problems.

Levi watched as the lovely Judy V. Polanski walked in late into the classroom late. He would recognize Laida anywhere at any age. Funny, she never told him her first name those many years ago. He wondered if she would pose a problem for his class, though he certainly felt she would lighten the room with her smile and grace. Levi said, "Mrs. Polanski, I believe. I have saved a space for you to work. Please, go set up, and I will be with you in a moment." She was quiet and respectful as she set up her easel and paints. When he had finished with the other student, he turned to see that Judy had already set up her equipment. He was pleased and smiled at her. He taught the class with professionalism and was surprised at how well Judy had learned to paint, and in fact, she became his star student. When the semester was finished, she waited until after all the other students had left and asked him if he would be willing to give her private lessons at her home. Levi said, "Is your husband okay with this?"

"Oh, he is fine with it."

"Well, sure, I would be glad to come by and give you lessons."

"How much will it cost?"

"For once a week, I charge fifty dollars, is that too much?"

"No, that is not a problem at all. I was thinking twice a week."

"I will give you a break for two times a week and reduce the fee to eighty-five dollars."

"It's a deal. I will see you at one p.m. on Monday."

"Good. I will see you then."