Free Point, Click, Love by Molly Shapiro Page A

Katie. “I just want to have sex. I mean, it’s been over two years, you know.”
    “Wow,” said Claudia. “I hope you remember how.”
    “Claudia!” said Maxine. “Don’t freak her out.”
    “I’m kidding! Of course she’ll know how. It’s like riding a bike.”
    “I think I might have forgotten how,” said Annie. “So much so that I don’t even want to do it anymore.”
    “Really?” asked Claudia. “I mean, I can barely stand my husband and I still want to do it with him.”
    “I know what you mean, Annie,” said Katie. “After a while, I forgot what it was like, and I didn’t miss it at all. Then, all of a sudden …”
    “What?” asked Maxine.
    “I don’t know. I started wanting it again,” said Katie. “It was like I remembered.”
    “What reminded you?” asked Claudia. “Did you find a sex tape that you and Rob made or something?”
    “Ha! No, it wasn’t Rob. I definitely don’t think about that. I think it was a movie I saw.”
    “Which one?” asked Maxine.
    “ Little Children . With Kate Winslet,” said Katie.
    “Yes!” said Claudia.
    “You know, when she’s sitting on top of the washing machine and he’s just banging her, and you can see his cute little tushy going back and forth.”
    “Oh, my,” said Claudia.
    “I guess I could relate to that,” said Katie.
    “Have you done it on top of a washing machine?” asked Maxine.
    “No, but I do a lot of laundry,” said Katie.
    “Maybe you could lure Ed down to your basement and reenact the scene,” said Annie.
    “This is so exciting, Katie!” said Maxine. More than anything, she was happy that Katie was finally getting out, no matter who the lucky guy might be.
    “Or pathetic?” said Katie.
    “Are you kidding?” said Claudia. “We’re all jealous of you. You’re going to be doing it in the laundry room with some hot—”
    “Forty-six-year-old,” said Maxine. “Oh. Sorry.”
    “Yeah, well, don’t be jealous yet,” said Katie. “Anyway, I’m not the one you should be jealous of. Look at Maxine over here. Miss Perfect Marriage.”
    “Oh, come on,” said Maxine. “Don’t start with that.”
    “It’s true,” said Katie. “I’d be jealous of you if I wasn’t so happy for you.”
    “Thanks, Katie,” said Maxine, feeling a little uncomfortable.
    “Man, I want to meet your husband,” said Annie. “He sounds amazing.”
    “He is,” said Claudia, with a touch of wistfulness. “There aren’t a lot of guys like Jake out there.”
    Annie didn’t have to be told that. She knew there weren’t any perfect guys. In fact, she had her doubts about this Jake she’d heard so much about. She was skeptical that anyone could really be that wonderful, just as she was skeptical that Steve could really be that bad.
    “Excuse me?” came a voice from the kitchen entryway. It was Lilly Weilander, one of the newer recruits to the book club. “People want to know if there are any more drinks left.”
    “Of course,” said Katie. “They’re almost ready. Can I give you a refill?”
    “Yes, please!” said Lilly, holding out her glass. “I know it’s wrong, but after a long day with the kids, sometimes a drink or two does take the edge off.”
    “Whatever it takes, Lilly,” said Claudia. “Whatever it takes.”

Chapter Six
    B esides the fact that she hadn’t gone out on a date in almost two decades, over the past two years Katie hadn’t been to a wedding, a fancy dinner, or any other occasion that required her to wear a dress and makeup. So when her five-year-old daughter, Maggie, watched as Katie stood in front of the bathroom mirror in a tight-fitting black dress, her hair freshly curled and sprayed, carefully applying mascara, she asked, “What’s happening, Mama?” as if something momentous and terrible was about to take place.
    “Nothing, sweetie,” said Katie. “Mama’s just going out to dinner with some friends.”
    “Are we coming?”
    “No, you’re going to Grandma’s