A Peony for Your Thoughts

"I'm going to change." I said. "I'll see you in the living room."

"Me too." Eleanor replied.

I changed into a pair of basketball shorts and a t-shirt and made my way back to the living room. Before I could even turn the TV on, Eleanor appeared in the hallway still dressed in her day clothes.

"Mr. Darling, I forgot to bring a nightgown." She said. "Do you have something I can sleep in?"

"Sure. Look in the top drawer of the big dresser. Claire's gowns are in there, you can wear any one you want."

"Thanks." She said looking sheepish. She turned and went back toward the bedrooms, Max still trailing along in her wake.

I turned on my 60" HD flat screen TV and satellite receiver and began surfing through the guide looking for something interesting. Now I don't splurge on many things, but my television is another matter. I spring for the full football and baseball packages and I've got all the major movie channels. I work hard all day on the farm, TV time is my reward to myself. I was debating between reruns of CSI and a special on the Nature Channel when Eleanor reappeared. I looked up and felt my jaw drop.

I had completely forgotten that Claire's taste in sleepwear had tended toward the sexy end of the spectrum. I'm sure that Eleanor had chosen the chastest gown she could find, but even so she was a vision. First of all she had let down and brushed out her hair. It fell over her shoulders and down to the middle of her ass in wavy cascades the color of sun-bleached wheat. The gown wasn't sheer, but I could still see just a hint of her dark areola where they pushed against the fine material of the gown. Her breasts, always hidden behind the loose blouses, were obviously large and shapely and even without the benefit of a bra rode high on her chest with nipples that I could tell were slightly upturned. In a nutshell she was a knockout.

"Is this gown okay?" She asked, looking down at herself. "It's not too revealing is it?"

"Um, no, it's fine." I stammered.

"The others were see-through." She replied with a pensive look on her face. "I wouldn't be comfortable wearing those.'

"I'm sorry Eleanor, I forgot that Claire's gowns were so thin. I think that she had a bathrobe if you want to cover up with that." I replied, secretly hoping she would say no.

"It's too hot for a robe." She replied (Yes!). "This will do. Did Claire sleep in those gowns?"

"Uhh, no. We actually always slept in the nude. The gowns were more for...um...erotic reasons." I replied. Eleanor turned bright red.

"Oh. I see." She replied.

"What do you want to watch?" I asked before the conversation could get any more strained. Eleanor settled herself on the other end of the couch and Max jumped up with her, laying his head in her lap. He knows he's not supposed to get on the furniture, but when I turned to look at him Max just raised his eyebrows at me, as if to say 'Really? I'm trying to comfort the poor girl and you're going to make me lay on the floor? Get real Scott.' I let it go and besides, Eleanor seemed to enjoy his company. She was absent-mindedly scratching his ears as she looked at the TV guide on the screen.

"I don't care Mr. Darling. I never really got to watch much television."

"Well, we have sitcoms, nature shows, movies, cartoons...whatever." I said.

"Really, you pick." She said.

I started to put CSI on but stopped, realizing that the whole dead people crime drama motif might not be the best option at this time. I went back to the Nature Channel and we watched a show on the Amazon rain forest.

I'll admit I'm somewhat of a jerk. I had a hard time paying attention to the show. My eyes kept wandering back to the young woman sitting at the other end of the couch. The fall of her blonde hair, the shape of her lips and the curves of her breasts behind the flimsy fabric of the gown made it hard not to stare. It was a relief when she announced that she was going to go to bed.

I stood and she came and gave me a hug. I could see that she had been crying again and I felt so bad for her. My own loss was still pretty fresh, but hers was still an open wound. Again, I had to balance my concern for this sweet woman with the urges that having her close to me were causing. Especially when she hugged me because I could feel her nipples pressing into my chest. My cock began to swell and I quickly separated myself from her before she could feel the evidence that this old man was getting turned on.

Eleanor leaned in and gave me a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you again for letting me stay here Mr. Darling."

"Scott" I said.

"What?"

"Call me Scott." I replied. "Mr. Darling is starting to make me feel old."

"You're not old, Scott." She said. She put a hand on my face as she looked into my eyes. "You're not old."

Eleanor turned and went to her room, Max following along at her heels. She went in and closed the door while I stood there, staring after her like a lost child. I could still feel the heat of her hand on my cheek. I could even feel the wet drop of a tear that had been on one of her fingers.

"What the fuck are you doing Scott?" I berated myself. "She's half your age you old dumbass. Get it together." I shut off the television and went to bed. That night before I fell asleep I did something I hadn't done in a long time. I masturbated. And for the first time in years I wasn't thinking about Claire when I did it.

**********

I woke to the smell of bacon frying and coffee brewing. I almost started to call out for Claire when I remembered that it couldn't be her, it must be Eleanor cooking. I got dressed and made my way out to the kitchen. Eleanor was standing at the stove, already dressed in her standard blouse and long skirt. The only difference was that today her hair was done up in a long, single braid that reached all the way down to the top of the skirt.

"Good morning!" I said as I made my way over to the coffee pot.

"Morning Scott." She said. "How do you want your eggs?"

"Scrambled is fine." I answered. I poured a cup of coffee and then offered to help. I was firmly shooed away from the stove. I chose to sit at the table and nurse my coffee while my guest cooked for me. She went about the business of cooking as though she had grown up in my kitchen. I swear she knew where everything was without asking or even hunting around for things. In no time breakfast was ready. She placed a plate in front of me and then took a seat.

"Delicious!" I announced after eating the first bite.

"Why thank you sir!" She replied.

I ate several more bites before speaking again. "How is it that you seem to already know where everything is in my kitchen?" I asked.

She thought about that for a minute before asking. "Have you changed anything in the kitchen since Claire passed?"

"Not really."

"Then that's how. A well run kitchen usually has things laid out in certain places. You don't put the pans too far away from the stove, for example." She told me. "I'll bet that Claire liked to cook."

"She sure did. Homemade bread, preserves, pasta, you name it." I said.

"That explains it." She said. "That, and the fact that I went through all the cupboards yesterday while making dinner. I have a pretty good memory."

"I guess so." I quipped.

Her face darkened. "Speaking of memory. You promised to help me take care of things." She said quietly. "I don't know where to start."

I stood up and got some paper and a pen. I sat back down and over breakfast I began to ask her all the important questions.

************

Most of the rest of the day was spent running around town asking questions and tracking down information. We found the Carter's lawyer and got him started on the issues relating to Bob and Carol's will. We went to the local funeral home, went to see the pastor at their church and went through the all the financial documents that we could find at Eleanor's house. Many of the final decisions were left until Eleanor's aunt Martha arrived from Florida, but we at least got started on getting Eleanor situated in regards to life insurance policies, bank accounts and the other requirements that need to be addressed when loved ones pass on.

We made it back to the farm just before dark. Eleanor helped me take care of the animals and then we collapsed in the living room.

"Let's just order pizza." I said. "It's too late to cook and you've got to be just as tired as I am."

"Nothing a good hot bath won't fix." Eleanor said, stretching her long legs out in front of her on the couch. "Besides, you live too far outside of town for pizza delivery."

"Au contraire!" I said in my best cheesy French accent. "I have a guy."

"A guy?" She said.

"Yep, a guy." I said. "Watch me work babe."

I pulled my cell phone out and dialed the local pizza joint.

"Is Ronny working?" I asked when they called.

"Yeah." The bored girl answering the phone said.

"May I speak to him?" I asked.

"Uh, I guess so." She said. I heard her begin yelling for him. Finally he picked up.

"Yo!"

"Ronny, it's Scott Darling."

"Hey, dude. How's it hangin'?"

"Low and to the left man." I said. "I need a delivery dude, you gonna be able to hook me up?"

"You got the stuff?" He asked.

"Yeah I've got it. It's last of the 2008 crop." I said. "It's primo man!"

"Right on bro." He said. "I gotcha covered. What do you need?" He asked. I put my hand over the receiver.

"What do you like on your pizza?" I asked Eleanor.

"Pepperoni and mushroom." She answered.

"One pepperoni and one pepperoni and mushroom." I told him.

"Sweet." He said. "I'll be there in about an hour dude."

"Thanks Ronny." I hung up.

"What was that about?" Eleanor said with a shocked look on her face. "Was that Ronny Wilson you were talking too?"

"Yeah, why?" I asked.

"Cause he's a dope head." She said, fury written on her face. "And apparently you're his dealer. What's your game Scott? You growing marijuana out back or cooking meth in the barn?"

I held up both my hands, "Whoa Eleanor, hold up!" I said. "You are jumping to some major wrong conclusions. Let me show you something, all right?"

She nodded her head but she still looked wary and pissed. I led her to a doorway next to the kitchen and opened it. It led down into the basement of the house.

"Come on." I said, turning on the basement light. We descended into the unfinished cellar of the old farmhouse. Shelves lined the walls all the way around and on the shelves were hundreds of jars of canned vegetables and preserves. All put up by Claire and myself. Some of it we ate and some we sold at the market. Along one wall were packages tightly wrapped in butcher paper. It was to this shelf that I went. I selected one of the packages and wiped the dust off the top of the paper. I handed it to Eleanor.

"Read it." I said.

"Goat cheese. 2008." She read softly. She looked up at me. "Goat cheese?"

"Yep. You don't think I keep them smelly varmints around for their company did you?" I said.

She shook her head to clear the cobwebs. "Ronny Wilson is going bring you pizza for goat cheese."

"You got it." I said with a smile. "Ronny might be a hop head, but when he gets the munchies he cooks gourmet meals. Did you know that he's leaving for cooking school in France this fall?"

"Really? Ronnie Wilson." She said. "Skinny kid with dreadlocks and an old VW bus? That Ronnie Wilson?"

"That's him. And believe me, that boy can cook. I'm thinking about investing in a restaurant with him when he gets his degree."

"Wow. I never would have guessed." She said. Then she looked embarrassed. "I guess I was too quick to judge. That's my upbringing coming out in me." I could see that she was getting mad at herself.

"Let's get cleaned up before dinner gets here." I said, steering her toward the stairs by her elbow. She walked up the steps ahead of me and I got a good look at her ass swaying back and forth beneath her skirt as she moved. 'Down boy' I reminded myself.

When we got back upstairs I shooed Eleanor off to the bathroom and sat back down on the couch. I must have been more exhausted that I thought because before I knew it Eleanor was waking me up.

"Scott...Scott...Wake up." I heard through the haze. I felt someone shake my leg. I opened my eyes and was treated to an amazing sight. Eleanor was bent over shaking my leg and I had a perfect view down the neck of her night gown. The breasts that I had only dreamed about were now fully exposed to view. I could only guess, but I'd bet they were a large C cup or maybe D cups with surprisingly dark areola given how light her skin was. Her nipples stood out proud from the puffy mounds of her areola and they capped off a pair of wonderfully rounded, obviously firm young tits. I blinked my eyes and looked up at her hovering over me.

"Huh." I managed to croak out.

"Showers yours." She said, straightening up.

"Okay, thanks." I said, levering myself up off the couch. I grabbed a quick shower that went a long way toward waking me up. I threw on some shorts and a t-shirt again and was finished just in time to catch Ronnie when he dropped off the pizza.

Ronnie thanked me for the cheese and I smiled as I watched him walking back to his old VW van sniffing the butcher paper. By the time I made it back to the living room, Eleanor was already putting slices of pizza on plates while Max stood close by hoping that something would drop on the floor. I got us both sodas and then took my seat. Eleanor brought me my plate and damn if she didn't lean over me again. If I didn't know how straight-laced this girl was I would swear she must have been doing it on purpose. Despite myself, I took another good look at her sweet tits.

"What should we watch tonight?" She asked as she took her place on the couch. Max looked at me and gave him the sign. He settled on the ground at her feet with and audible huff.

"You pick tonight." I said. I tossed her the remote for the satellite. She paged through channels until she got to the pay per view. One of the first movies was a new horror flick that I hadn't seen.

"How about this?" She asked.

"Fine with me, but it might be scary." I said.

She shrugged her shoulders. "I'm a big girl, besides, I've got you here to keep me safe."

"Okay, start it then."

She pressed play and we were soon into the development of a flimsy plot that involved teenagers, a deserted cabin, a local legend and some sort of as-yet unseen monster. We finished the pizza before the first disappearances. For all her bravado, I could see her begin to fidget when the scary music started to play and she jumped when the 'surprises' happened on screen. The tension was building and I could tell by her body language that she was nervous. I would have bet that this was probably one of the first movies she had ever been allowed to see, and it was a horror movie to boot.

"You okay over there?" I asked. She nodded nervously.

"Do you want to sit over here?"

Eleanor scooted over next to me faster than a scared rabbit. She snuggled up against me and I put my arm around her shoulders. I felt her physically relax as I did. Her body seemed to melt into mine and I was suddenly reminded of all the times I had sat just like this with Claire. But for a change I didn't feel regret, I felt like things were finally okay.

We made it through a few grisly (ie. Ridiculous) slayings before we got to the obligatory sex scene. I was surprised at the amount of nudity, this flick must have been pushing the limits of what the censors would allow in an R-rated movie. There were several full-frontals of the girl, a couple of ass shots of the guy, simulated sex and even a quick peek at 'Mr. Johnson'. It was pretty blasé to me, but I could feel a change in Eleanor. Her breathing changed and she pressed herself closer to me. I glanced down and immediately noticed that her nipples were rock hard and pushing the silky white fabric of her nightgown out into tiny hillocks. I watched as her left hand unconsciously moved up her side toward her breast, eventually gliding softly over its rounded curves, her nipple expanding even more in response to her caress. Her other hand was pressed tightly into the V of her crotch and I could almost feel how tightly she was squeezing her thighs together. Just the thought of the wetness that was no doubt forming in her pussy made my cock stiffen and throb. Regretfully, the sex scene was soon over but Eleanor had questions.

"Scott, do all the TV channels show that kind of thing?" She asked quietly.

"No, just the premium channels like HBO and CineMax and the pay-per-view channels." I replied. "But what you just watched is as far as they normally go. There are a few X-rated channels that show more explicit sex but you have to order them special."

"Oh. Do you have any of them?" She asked. I couldn't tell from her voice if she was interested in watching them or trying to gauge whether I was some sort of pervert.

"No. I haven't watched anything like that in a long time." I replied trying to answer her truthfully but at the same time let her know that I had, just in case.

She made no reply.

"You haven't watched all that much TV, have you?" I asked.

"No. Only a little bit at friends houses. Every once in a while mom would take me to a Disney movie when I was little." She replied sadly. "My dad thought that TV was a tool of Satan sent to corrupt the Earth."

"Oh. I'm sorry I guess." I said. "That's a shame that you would have been so cut off like that, although you did manage to miss a lot of the 'reality TV' craze so you should count your lucky stars."

She laughed. "I did see Big Brother one time. It was awful. But I want to catch up now. I don't believe in all the things my dad did."

"I think that's a good thing Eleanor." I told her. "But be careful, there are a lot bad people out there who would take advantage of you."

"I'm not worried." She said. "You'll watch out for me, won't you?"

"If I can." I replied. She tilted her head up and kissed my cheek.

We watched the rest of the movie in silence. When it was over, Eleanor got up and turned around once again giving me the heavenly view down the front of her gown.

"Thanks for watching the movie with me Scott." She said. She leaned in and this time she kissed me on the lips. It was just a peck, but it seemed to signify a jump in our relationship to each other. I sat, slightly stunned, and watched her and Max walk down the hall to the bedroom. Had something just happened, or was it the over-active imagination of a forty-something widower?

**********

The next week was a whirlwind of activity. Aunt Martha arrived and she turned out to be a bubbly spinster of about 60 years who had a penchant for telling dirty jokes and drinking wine. I liked her immediately. Martha helped a lot and I was able to get back to my farm and get a couple of Market days in while she and Eleanor took care of family details. The service for Bob and Carol was on a Friday and I attended, along with Bert and a few other people from the Market. The rest of the crowd were mostly people that I knew went to church with the Carter's. Their pastor presided over the service and it was nice for a funeral, if that can even be said of a funeral. He shook my hand after the service and thanked me for helping Eleanor, as though he were her guardian or something. I didn't like him at all and I was soon to find out my dislike had merit.

Martha agreed to stay for two more weeks and help Eleanor with the flowers. Carol had a few pending orders that Eleanor wanted to fill and it would give her the chance to dig in and see if she wanted to keep the business going. I helped out as much as I could. The day before Martha was to return to Florida, Eleanor called and asked me if I would meet them that afternoon at the attorney's office. He was going to read her parents will and she wanted me to be there. I told her that I would.