At My Window Sad and Lonely

"More than anything! But I want to do it right! Not on the sly in your friend's dining room!"

"You romantic, you." Laurie reluctantly put her uniform shirt on.

"I just want it to be beautiful," Jerry said. "Nothing wrong with a quickie, but maybe not our very first time, you know?"

Laurie had to admit -- to herself at least -- that it was a good answer. She smiled and kissed him goodbye, and finished dressing for work.

Monday dinner shifts were always crazy -- lots of people's reward for making it through the first day back at work, Laurie always suspected -- but that meant lots of tips for her and not a lot of down time to get nervous about the interview. She did have just enough time on her break for a call to Brian to float her idea, and to her delight he agreed to it. "I'd put him up for free if I could, you know, Laurie," he said. "But you know what rents are like up here."

"Of course I know," Laurie said. That was one thing she didn't miss at all about her old life. "It's only until he finds a job anyway."

"Speaking of which..."

"It's tomorrow. We'll see."

"Good luck." And he hung up without putting Laurie in the awkward position of explaining anything about her own situation where the shift manager might overhear. She wanted out of this place so badly she could taste it, but that would just have to wait a little bit longer.

As Laurie approached Joanna's building and saw a dim light in the window -- her window -- probably indicating that Joanna had left the kitchen light on, she was prepared for almost anything she might find, including the extremely unlikely possibility that Joanna had caught Jerry. That, she told herself, would serve Joanna right, and just maybe she would understand that now that she'd finally come to her senses about Dan.

She was prepared for almost anything she might find, but not for what she did find.

The living room was empty and quiet, the kitchen light was on just as she had suspected, the dining room door was closed with no sign that Joanna had discovered her secret, and Joanna's bedroom door was also closed. It was closed, but Joanna's shrieking laughter was easily audible out in the living room, and so was Dan's voice spouting his usual bombastic something-or-other. Probably drunk, Laurie mused as she stood in disbelief just inside the door.

A moment later, Joanna opened the bedroom door and stumbled out, wearing a long t-shirt and probably nothing underneath, and confirmed Laurie's suspicions. "Laurie! Thought I heard you! Welcome home! Good news, huh!"

"What good news?" Laurie asked, though she had no doubt what her friend meant.

Behind Joanna, the bedroom door slammed. Joanna turned around to look at it and burst into giggles. "God, the way men can hold a grudge! No offense, Laurie, but he really doesn't like you anymore. I did tell him I'm not gonna kick you out, though!"

"How very noble," Laurie said, turning to hang her coat in the closet so Joanna wouldn't see how disgusted she was. "I thought you broke up?"

"We did, but, oh, Laurie, life's too short to let a fight over a friend come between us! I told him I was sorry and he forgave me!"

"He forgave you!? Joanna, he kicked his cousin out in the street and told you to do the same to me! What did you need to be forgiven for?!"

"For not listening when I told her you needed to stay the fuck away from Jerry, you bitch," said Dan, who had opened the bedroom door and had Joanna's bathrobe clutched around him like a towel. "But that's over and it's none of your fuckin' business."

"He's right, Laurie, can't you see that?!" Joanna asked with that same crooked smile and tilting of the head that she had always used back in college to tell guys ever-so-sweetly to go get bent. "I did tell him I wasn't going to kick you out and he'd just have to accept that, and he has. We're happy now, and I think you should be too."

"What about Jerry?" Laurie couldn't resist asking.

"Fucker probably got a Greyhound bus home," Dan snapped. "Pretty sure he had enough cash for that. I'll send his stuff home when I hear he got there, if he pays me for the shipping." He paused and sneered. "Unless you want it for a souvenir, bitch, to remember what you almost ruined."

"I would, thanks," Laurie said, barely holding back a smile.

Dan scoffed. "Fine, I'll bring it by next time and it can clutter up your space instead of mine. Joanna, get back in here."

"Sir, yes sir!" Joanna laughed, and turned on her heel to return to the bedroom. Dan dropped her robe just in time for Laurie to get another look at him naked before he slammed the door.

Laurie went to the kitchen to microwave the meatloaf sandwich she had bought with her tips for Jerry's dinner, and she heard Joanna's passionate screeches resuming before it was done heating up. Perfect, they'd never hear a thing from the dining room.

"How long have they been here?" she asked Jerry a moment later as she presented the sandwich to him.

"About two hours," Jerry said. "Thanks." He picked up the sandwich and nearly inhaled it -- the poor thing must have been ravenous. "I shut off the light as soon as I heard them come in, but there was no chance of falling asleep with all the noise they were making. I think maybe they went at it on your couch once before they even made it to the bedroom. I heard Dan say something about 'screw that bitch in her own bed' or something like that.

"And Joanna thought it was hilarious, no doubt," Laurie said.

"I'm afraid so," Jerry acknowledged. "Those two deserve each other."

"Did you hear what he said about your clothes and stuff?"

Jerry nodded, his mouth full of the sandwich. "Thanks," he said once he'd swallowed. "That was brilliant. You working breakfast tomorrow?"

"I took the whole day off, just in case," Laurie said. "But I'll have to get you out of here as soon as Joanna's gone."

"Oh, that reminds me," Jerry said, patting his makeshift pillow. "You need to take these suits to iron for tomorrow?"

"No," Laurie said. "I've got my outfit picked out for that, and it's not those."

"What is it?"

"You'll see."

He didn't see in the morning, though, for Laurie was still in her nightgown when she came to the dining room to tell him the coast was clear. "Go ahead and shower, and then get out of here," she said. "Call me at three o'clock." Only after he had done as she ordered did Laurie retrieve the Valentine's Day dress from the closet and lay it out on the couch. It was an awful risk to wear something like that on a second interview, she mused. But, she concluded, it would get her point across.

It did indeed to that, she saw a few hours later when Mr. Cavanagh introduced the two partners, not a roomful of old men as she had imagined but one older man and one slightly less-older looking woman. "Laurie, meet Mr. Watts and Ms. Bergstrom," he said.

"Pleased to meet you, Mr. Watts," Laurie said, extending her hand.

"Call me Martin, please," said Mr. Watts.

"And Valerie," followed Ms. Bergstrom as she sook Laurie's hand. "Lovely dress, by the way."

"Thank you!" Laurie said. "Sorry, I know it's not traditional interview material, but it is Valentine's Day, after all."

"Don't be sorry," said Martin. "Clayton here said your idiosyncratic style was one of the things he liked best about you in your last interview. We could use a bit of that around here, I've got to confess. It would appear you agree, Laurie?"

"I suppose I do," Laurie said. "Honestly Mr....I mean Martin, I guess Mr. Cavanagh told you I got laid off from the bank, and I've decided for my next job I'd like something that allows for a little less button-down style. I mean, no offense, but..."

"None taken," Valerie assured her, looking down at her own paisley skirt and cardigan sweater that looked more like a librarian's outfit than anyone's boss' boss. "I'm guessing you've been through enough second interviews to know at this point it mostly comes down to getting to know one another a little better. You've certainly opened the door wider for that than most applicants do. If you don't mind my saying so, is that why you wore that dress?"

"It's one reason," Laurie confessed. "I mean, usually, these things seem to revolve mostly around 'Who's your favorite baseball team?' and that sort of thing, nothing to do with job qualifications, so it seemed best to just be myself, warts and all. It's the dead of winter and I've been out of work, and who wouldn't need some cheering up? So it's a good day to wear a cheerful outfit."

"I'd have to agree," Martin said. "Quite frankly, you've hit the nail on the head. Your resume speaks for itself, and Clayton's recommendation was great. These final round interviews are usually just as awkward for us as for the applicant, to tell you the truth."

"I think you know you've found a match when it feels more like a conversation than an interview," Laurie said, reflecting privately that she had never actually experienced that in her life, not quite even now. But it was a good answer, she reasoned.

"Well said," Valerie said. "But I might as well ask, what is your favorite baseball team?"

"Kansas City, because I love that shade of blue," Laurie said. "But blue wouldn't do on Valentine's Day, would it?"

"I've had my share of Valentine's Days when it would," Mr. Cavanagh said. "Delighted to see it's not the case for you, though."

"It almost was," Laurie said. "But one thing the past year has taught me is, never give up."

"I like your attitude," Martin said. "And your pluck." Then, turning to the others in turn, he asked, "Well?"

Martin's hearty "Congratulations" was still ringing in Laurie's ears half an hour later as she skipped down the street like a schoolgirl, feeling like the weight of the world had just been lifted off her shoulders. So many things to do now -- a call to the realtor about the loft, notice at the restaurant, a new bed and whatever other furniture she could afford on her savings -- but first things first. She went to the Birchmere Hotel, the most prestigious hotel in Old Downtown, and set her credit card down on the desk with a triumphant little thud.

"I want a room with a king-sized bed and a view of the street," she declared.

"No luggage?" asked the young woman behind the counter as she ran Laurie's credit card and programmed the key cards.

"I'll be back with the luggage later," Laurie said. "And with my date," she added with a salacious grin. "Right now is just for me. Happy Valentine's Day!"

"To you as well," said the bemused looking woman as she handed Laurie the key and pointed to the elevator.

A few minutes later -- still less than an hour after her nine-month nightmare had come to an end -- Laurie locked the room door behind her and turned on the light, and pulled back the curtains to reveal the brilliant February sun over the rooftops of Old Downtown. With a whoop of joy, she flopped down on her back on the bed and sank into the thick comforter. With a few hours yet until Jerry was set to call, she thought of taking a nap, but it was too early and she was feeling much too energetic. After savoring the embrace of the soft bed along with her immense victory for a few minutes, Laurie got up and looked into the bathroom. Her new greatest hope was rewarded with the sight of a bathtub easily big enough for two, and she lost no time in taking her dress off and hanging it carefully in the closet.

Before removing her underwear, she went to draw the curtains...and then changed her mind. Standing brazenly before the window, Laurie pulled off her bra and panties and stood enjoying the view for a few minutes, utterly uninhibited and unafraid and enjoying the rush nearly as much as she always had in her window at home.

At home? At Joanna's place, which with any luck she would never have to visit again after the weekend. On that happy thought, she turned and padded off to the bathroom to enjoy her first bath since she'd lost her old apartment.

"I feel naked next to you in these old rags," Jerry confessed hours later over dinner in the hotel restaurant. He was wearing jeans and a thrift-shop pullover, clean but clearly not new.

"Well, we could have ordered room service and then you could be naked if you want," Laurie quipped.

"Maybe for breakfast?" Jerry replied.

"I like the way you think!" And they clinked glasses.

"What did Joanna say when you told her you got the job?" Jerry asked.

"She wasn't home yet when I went back to pack our stuff," Laurie said. "I don't think Dan's come by with your stuff yet either. I brought all your clothes that were there, and I left Joanna a note saying I was off for the night."

"Just like that? 'Off for the night'?"

"I don't want her to know anything until I've got my new place lined up," Laurie said. "Especially not with Dan back in the apartment. Who knows what he might try to pull if he knows I'll never have to see him again?"

"Oh, God, that reminds me, Laurie, where am I supposed to sleep now?!"

"Here, for tonight and maybe tomorrow, and then my friend Brian has a room you can move into. I could see about getting you a job at the restaurant, too, if you want."

"Wow..." Jerry couldn't think of anything more to say.

"Now, with that out of the way, let's forget about the real world for tonight, shall we?" Laurie topped up both their wine glasses and ran her foot up his leg under the table.

They skipped dessert but ordered another bottle of wine to be delivered to their room. While Jerry poured two glasses, Laurie fiddled with the radio and found an easy listening station that was perfect for the moment. "May I have this dance?" she asked with an exaggerated curtsey fueled by the wine she'd already had with dinner.

"Oh, that's adorable," Jerry chuckled. But he did slip his arms around her and lead her in an awkward waltz that was almost in time with the music.

As they whirled around the room, Laurie felt herself melting into an odd mix of relief and elation and melancholy. Finally she felt compelled to throw her arms around Jerry, bringing the dance to a pleasant halt. "Oh, God," she sighed into his shoulder. "I just can't believe it's really over."

"Can't keep a good woman down," Jerry said, rubbing her back.

"They did, for nine months," Laurie mused.

"Like you said, Laurie, it's over." Jerry pulled back so he could look her in the eye. "You won!"

"We won, Jerry. Let's celebrate that." She closed her eyes and leaned in, and their lips met.

She squeezed him tightly as the kiss intensified and lasted, each and every frustration of her months in limbo melting away with his taste on her tongue and his arms around her. Laurie expected him to take his sweet time with next steps, but he surprised her with a playful brush on the sides of both breasts just as soon as the kiss ended. Welcoming the sensation with a joyful sigh, she pulled back a bit to give him more access, and looked down to watch as he cupped them in his hands.

"So many times I wanted to do this while you had them on display in the window," he whispered reverently.

"Worth the wait, huh?"

"Absolutely. Thanks for that, by the way."

"Thanks for what?" Laurie reached back and unclasped and unzipped her dress, but left it for him to take off at his leisure.

"The shows. In the window. That took guts."

"Nah, it just took months of pent-up sexual frustration!"

"And created plenty of it for me when all I could do was look and not touch!" Jerry said. "But it was beautiful."

"Thank you." She kissed him again, and at last enjoyed the longed-for sensation of him lifting her skirt up slowly. When he had it up around her breasts, she pulled back and raised her arms, and soon Jerry was treated to an up-close view of the red underwear she had modeled for him in the window.

"Looks even better close up," he cooed, running one hand over her panties, which he found a bit wet.

"They match the dress," she noted.

Without another word she unfastened his belt buckle and made short work of his jeans. While she was busy with them, Jerry pulled his shirt off. He then reached around Laurie to undo her bra, but lost his balance and pulled her down on top of him on the bed. They were still laughing together when he did succeed in unhooking her bra. Laurie eagerly pulled it off and then propped herself up on her elbows with her breasts hanging enticingly in his face, itching for his attention.

Jerry admired them with a grin for a barely-tolerable moment, and then took the right one in his hand and kissed the left tenderly, drawing a cathartic groan of joy from Laurie.

"Feels so good!" she exhaled.

"Mthbh bnnn." It was the best Jerry could say with his mouth full of her nipple, and the vibrations intensified her pleasure more still.

"Oh, do that again!" Laurie said.

Jerry let go. "Do what?"

"Talk with my boob in your mouth. Feels amazing!"

For the next few minutes, he did, taking turns on both breasts and keeping his hands busy with whichever one he wasn't kissing. Laurie was humping his leg before she even realized it, thrilling to the sensations she hadn't even let herself think about for all those months. She was close to an orgasm when Jerry finally lay back on the pillow, and didn't stop grazing his thigh.

Not, at least, until he put his hands on her hips and slid them inside her panties, which were now sopping. "Let's get these out of the way, hmm?" he suggested.

Without a word, Laurie nodded and backed off him and stood at the foot of the bed, and pulled the panties down. Wearing nothing but a smile, she drank in his admiration as she waited for him to finish undressing as well. That didn't take long, as Jerry was fairly bursting out of his boxers by then. Triumphantly he tossed them on the pile of their other clothes, and beckoned to Laurie to return.

"So your time is finally right, huh?" she teased, taking his hard cock in both hands and rubbing it gently.

Jerry set his hand over hers. "Tonight is for your pleasure!"

"This is pleasurable for me, silly!" She resumed her rubbing, and enjoyed the lovely sight and sound of him writhing about in sensation. "You think that's nice?" She spread her legs wide and pulled him just a bit inside her...then out again...then in again...then out again...

"Oh God, Laurie! Please!"

"My thoughts exactly, dear." She drew him all the way inside, and then sat still for a moment to savor the longed-for feeling that was there at last.

Jerry made no complaint. "So good," was all he said.

Laurie expressed her agreement silently with her first gentle rocking, and with her first whimpers of pleasure as she did. As she picked up the pace, those whimpers grew to moans and Jerry's own responses blended in with them. She grazed her hands playfully up and down his sides and chest, while again enjoying his hands on her breasts. Just how carefully had he imagined caressing them from outside the window on those nights? It tickled her further still to wonder as she enjoyed his loving touches now while squeezing him so eagerly down below.

"Oh, Laurie..." She felt him thrusting upward as best he could under her weight. It wasn't much change, but it was a lovely thrill for her as she continued to ride him into oblivion. "Gonna come," he warned.

"Not yet!"

"Can't help it!" he protested.

But then Laurie felt his fingers searching for her clit, and in the nick of time they found it. "Oh yeah!" Laurie shrieked, tossing her head back to enjoy the intense sensation. "Just like that!" With his fingers tickling her in the most wonderful way, she ground away harder than ever and brought him off just seconds before she felt her own orgasm washing over her. When it hit, she collapsed triumphantly on top of him and gazed into his eyes as she came.