Folding Newspapers

"Have a seat," she said, waving a hand towards the porch steps. "I was just weeding the flowerbed. Meaningless chore to take my mind off other things. You ever do stuff like that?"

"I sometimes live in a fantasy world." I smiled, sipped for the first time. "Hits the spot." I held the bottle up.

"My ex was a lazy son of a bitch. He couldn't keep a job to save his life. The best thing he ever did was after the divorce to get killed at work without changing beneficiaries on the company life insurance policy." She laughed. "He was worth something dead. We had a policy on the house that paid the mortgage off, too." She laughed again, sucked on the bottle.

"You manage well on crutches."

"Thanks. Not so bad having one leg. It's been a few years. After Ben got killed, I felt free to follow my own needs."

"The leg?"

"Hell yeah." She sucked on the beer. "Got my leg amputated. The best thing I ever did." She laughed. "I had something called BIID. Makes you believe you have a limb that should be there. Had that all my life. I remember being a little girl and believing it. That sucked."

"Is it a common problem?"

"I surely doubt it. No one knows. At first, I kept it all to myself. Now then when someone asks, I tell the God's honest truth...not ashamed, not anymore. No more than someone that had cancer and lost it that way."

"Thanks for sharing that with me."

"Why, you got the same problem?" She grabbed at her belly and held the roll of fat for a moment. "Wasn't always fat, but I love how it feels."

"Nah." I watched her playing with the belly. "I just like to look at amputee ladies. I know someone that might have BIID, at least she wants an amputation. I guess she'd need to see a shrink and get certified she has this BIID thing before the doctor would amputate."

"Not anymore. Just ask, and it's quite inexpensive...three grand a limb, if you can believe that." She laughed. "Hell, you could have all four for just twelve grand."

"Would you?"

"I've thought about it, but having just the one off is all I want. How about your friend?"

"Just a leg."

"Sweet." She sucked the bottle several times, then looked at me. "You say you are a devotee? You know, I sell pictures if you are interested."

"I think I've seen a few, but haven't had a chance to buy any."

"Come inside. I'll show you."

There was no way I would pass up the invitation, Harold or not. I followed, watching every detail of her movements. She might not be as pretty as Glenda, but she was an amputee and leading me inside her house.

She sat at her desk, moved the mouse, typed a password. I sat beside her and watched a glorious picture of her appear. In it, she wore a cropped tee shirt and thong underwear which revealed her legless hip in full detail. She seemed proud of her appearance, even the small roll of belly fat. Why not? If not for Harold, or Glenda, then I would be asking her for a date.

"Lovely," I said, looking back and forth between the screen and her.

"Thanks. The makeup artist did amazing things." She chuckled. She clicked on a second icon, and another picture appeared from a different set, this one in a one-piece thong-swimsuit beside a swimming pool. "I like these. That was a great day."

"Looks like a nice setting."

"A rich guy's house, all secluded."

"Was he there?"

"He and his wife put up the money to hire the photographer. A big chunk of change, too. I was their first older chubby woman and if they sell enough then they will do more."

"I've noticed their models all look like they are in their twenties."

"They have some younger, but don't openly sell those pictures."

"Younger?"

"Late teens, just barely legal...hot nubile stuff. Whew."

She clicked on a folder then opened a picture of a Russian blonde girl without legs, naked by the same swimming pool. Vera said she was nineteen, but it was hard to believe. A very suggestive pose, something that probably crossed many lines. Still healing scars suggested the amputations were recent. Why? Both legs were completely gone.

"They paid her to lose the legs. How would you like her for a girlfriend?" Vera grinned.

I gasped, sighed deeply, licked my lips. "Wow." I stared, knew I was growing erect, looked at Vera. "I like them older." I grinned. "Like you."

"I'm flattered. I can introduce you to someone your age. What kind of amputee turns you on?"

"You." I grinned.

She clicked on another folder, then opened a picture. The woman was probably thirty, quite pretty, and missing her left leg at the hip. She wore a similar thong to what Vera had worn, posed in a similar manner, looking alluring.

"Tina's a wonderful person, and currently single, between boyfriends."

"Probably lives overseas. I'd never have a chance with her regardless."

"I bet girls melt in your hand."

"I wish. I've never had much, any luck."

She turned, her lips now near mine. Her hand reached out and touched the back of my head, then pulled my lips against hers. Of course, I did not resist. Her tongue slipped between my lips, explored just as Glenda's had the first time we kissed. I responded with my tongue, trading tongues and kisses for several minutes.

"Bruce, I don't see why? That was one of the best kisses I've had in a very long time. If you set up a kissing booth at the fair, you'd be rich." She stood and pulled me up by the shoulders, then hugged me while kissing me again. Her body rubbed against me. I touched a breast, rubbed some, gripped, fondled, then let my hand slip down her back to a hip. "Oh, my-y," she moaned.

"Sorry." I tried to pull away.

"No, that's not the problem." She leaned her forehead against mine. I felt her deep breaths against my face. "I want more. You want more."

"And the problem is?"

I knew what the problem was, but I wanted to hear it from her. Maybe the stories were not true about Vera and Harold. I would still have to resolve issues with Glenda. Would Vera and Glenda share me?

"God, this is awkward. Right now, I don't care. Maybe we can figure it all out later." She reached into my pants and held me. "Do you mind?" Her hand stroked. "No, you don't." She laughed, picked up the crutches, and walked away.

She was undressing when I caught up in the bedroom. Harold was to be away the rest of the night. I did not expect him to return finding us wrapped in bliss. I hoped not. It almost seemed Vera did not care either.

If Glenda was a ten, and she was not, then Vera was a six. For their age, both women were exciting, at least to me. Maybe it was the missing leg, or that they both were willing to have sex. It could have been many things. They were the only women that had offered me what they did, other than my own mother. I was still sorting that one out, as was Mother. Where that might go I had no idea.

Her breasts were small, her chest nearly flat, compared to Glenda's. My only reference was Glenda's and Mother's body. The rest was similar. Glenda's stump was short. Vera's was off at the hip. I liked Vera's more.

We started by lying along side each other, lips locked for minutes, hands roaming about, finding different places to explore, some briefly, others for longer. I loved the hip without a thigh, and my hand ended there, rubbing all over.

"Yeah-h," she whispered, sucking my mouth harder.

With some reluctance, I pulled my lips away and began a slow journey down her body. She was pleased with each pause, especially her nipples, but her excitement grew as I continued lower. She was my third I had kissed down there, and they all tasted different, and not in a bad way. Maybe Vera was now my favorite, and I worshiped there for the longest time. Her foot raised, the leg straight. There was ample space for my whole face. Then, the knee pulled up to her chest. Both hips appeared equally without thighs. It reminded me of the picture of the naked girl without legs.

"That's so nice," she cooed, rubbing my head while I licked and sucked and nibbled. "Oh, God-d, God," she moaned, quivering, shaking against my mouth. "Very, very nice."

I knew just enough to know she had climaxed. Glenda's were similar. Mother had not, probably too nervous still.

I massaged both hips with both hands, pecking teasing kisses here and there. "Maybe you should have the other off."

"With such attention to detail like you offer, I might be willing." She snickered.

She rudely forced me onto my back and gently began letting her lips slip down my shaft, her tongue rimming the ridge while she could. She did not gag or choke or have a need to pull back off, even as her lips reached the bottom. I loved the feel. I could enjoy this a lot.

"I love to suck," she said during the brief moment her lips were free.

I watched her head rise and fall in long, slow movements, each matching the prior. She was at ease, relaxed, and in no hurry to finish me. It felt good. I did not sense a need to climax. It was as if she could control such matters, and saving it all for when I was inside her. She moved so the legless hip was over my face, and I moved my head enough to kiss her where I had before, a hand massaging the stump.

I had lost track of time. It could have been a week later. I did not care. When we stopped I happen to notice the clock. It had only been an hour, and we had not had intercourse. Maybe she did not want that.

She hopped to the bathroom, peed with the door open so I could see, then hopped back. She rolled me onto my back and lowered herself until I was fully inside.

"Oh, Bruce...you fill me nicely."

She began to slide up and down, taking longer strokes. I still did not sense a need to climax and was enjoying all we did. She sat upright, hands rubbing her breasts, face looking up, and still riding me.

"Damn, that's good," she moaned.

She rolled us over without losing me. I knew what to do, and did. Her foot fell onto my back, hips rising and falling to match my movements.

-oOOo-

We showered together, washing each other. Little was different from with Glenda Drake. I doubted all women were this way. Would I ever find out?

"Listen, Bruce." She sucked me twice. "I want to do this again."

"Me too."

"That's the thing." She stood, pushed me inside, held me close. "Man. I love having you in me. There's another guy. I'm trying to break if off. The relationship is unhealthy, wrong."

"And?"

"I'm not having much luck. I just happened to be alone today. He's away tonight. I might not be able to see much of you...unless...I can succeed freeing myself. It's going to hurt."

"How can I help?"

"You can't."

We stood under the falling water having wonderful sex. I knew she was talking about Harold. How long had the relationship had been going on, or what was her motivation for ending it? I was sure Mother was going through the same thought process. I had Glenda to fall back on, but even she had acted as if it was only for short-term pleasure.

"Let me introduce you to Tina." She kissed my lips, and I remained deep inside. "She'll do everything I've done. You'll get along with her just fine."

"I'm happy with you."

"Likewise, darling. But, the guy I'm seeing won't give me up easily...maybe ever...and I don't know if I can stop."

-oOOo-

Vera and Harold Sullivan's house receded in my rearview mirror. A thumb-drive filled with all of her pictures plus all of Tina's warmed my pocket. I had been offered all of the legless girl's, but knew I should never have such pictures on my computer. I had looked at most of them. She was very nice looking, but of questionable age. Vera told me her legs had been amputated after they paid her a large sum of money. Had they filmed the surgery as well? I was surprised anyone would do that at her age. I did not ask more about it.

Father stopped me in the driveway. He wanted to get the lawnmower working. He hasn't used it in weeks, and the lawn showed it. The rain had stopped. All I could think about were my hours in bed with Vera. Did he even remember times like that with Mother, or any woman?

We were behind the house in the workshop filled with power tools he never used. He collected them because he liked the look, the heft, and maybe what they are made to do. Some still had the price tag dangling from a lever or a dial.

"Had me that wrench," he said, not saying which one.

I hand a half-inch box wrench plus one with a spark plug socket. "Did you check the plug?"

He didn't know what that was, I'm sure. "Good idea." It takes a minute before he pulled the wire from the plug. Finally, the plug came lose.

"How was golf?"

"Golf?" He paused. "Yeah, golf. It was good until the damned rain started."

Now, I wonder if he was playing the famous single hole course on a secretary from work. His clubs are leaning against the wall, and look very clean, nothing looks like it has been in the rain. I know he wipes them off after each use. He takes better care of his clubs than anything else.

"Maybe we could play one weekend," I said, watching him look at both ends of the spark plug, clueless about what he is looking at.

"Looks okay," he said.

I take the plug and look. The end of the electrode is burnt off. "Nah. See?" I point at the electrode. There is a new plug in a package on the workbench. I hand it to him, and the mower starts like it was brand-new. "Now what?"

"Maybe you can mow the lawn." He laughed, but I knew he was serious.

"I've got a ton of homework."

He turned it off and wiped the top surfaces with a clean rag. "What'cha doing this summer with all your free time...seeing any girls?"

Free time? I almost laughed aloud. "Paper route keeps me busy plus classes."

"Are you really going to classes? Man, my summers in college were spent at the beach looking at chicks in bikinis...back before I met your mother. Those were the days."

"Was she your first?"

"Hell no. Kim in the twelfth grade was my first. She'd been putting out, and I figured she'd teach me something. We went out for several months. What a babe. Wow."

"How'd you and Mother meet?"

"Big party. I saw her across the room, and knew I had to meet her. Things moved quickly after that."

"You saw her exclusively?"

He blushed. I had asked a question he could not answer honestly. "Sure." He lied, and I knew it. "You getting any?"

"What?"

"You know, are you having sex with anyone?"

"Father!"

"Don't be shy. I just figured a handsome young man like you would be, you know, plowing the back forty with some lady. I'm jealous if you are." He slapped me on the back. "Good for you."

"One of the guys that throws papers, is dating an amputee." I neglected to mention chubby and older. I just wanted his reaction to amputee ladies.

"Gross. Can't he get a real lady? What is she missing?"

"A leg. What's wrong with that?"

"Maybe it's his thing, but you'd never catch me with one."

"What if something happened to Mother?"

"I'd be out of here on the next plane. No way would I stay."

"Does she know?"

"It's not like I could just ease that into a conversation, you know." He laughed. "Darling, you lose a leg, and I'm divorcing you. Shit no, I haven't told her."

"Doesn't seem very nice to think that way."

"Cripples...I can't imagine having to see that crap when we have sex. Give me a big pair of hooters, nice ass, a pair of great legs. Now that's what I like."

"Mother's not big in the chest."

"Yeah, I know, but I love her anyway. What do you find sexy in a woman...blondes, redheads, long legs, big butt?"

"Yeah, seventy, three-hundred pounds, and huge thighs."

"You've got to be kidding me. Really?"

"No Father, just jerking your chain." I started towards the door. "Need to start my homework." The thumb-drive was burning a hole in my pocket. I was thinking about Tina.

-oOOo-

My door was closed, and I looked at each picture of Tina. They were all stunning. Some were provocative. Others just enticing. Was there really a way to meet this woman, much less date her? I would gladly give up my three women for Tina. Wow. She could have been on the pages of any men's magazine if she was not an amputee. How had she lost the leg? Had she gone to the surgeon that worked on Vera? Vera had not said much about Tina other than she was single and between boyfriends. I did not know where she lived. Maybe local, probably not. Just my luck to have a chance to meet someone and have them live halfway around the world.

There was a knock on my door. I quickly closed all the computer windows filled with Tina's pictures, closed the folders, and walked to the door.

"Hey, Mother." I probably gave off signals about what I was doing. "Working on my homework." Of course, my textbooks were still closed, even still in my book bag.

"Thanks for helping your father with the mower. He gets so frustrated about stuff like that. Not a mechanical bone in his body. I know more about it than he does, but he won't let me help. That's a man's job." She laughed.

"Sure. It was a bonding millisecond." I laughed. "He asked if I was getting any." I grinned. She blushed. "Asked what kind of lady I was after. Told him old and huge with thick thighs. I thought he would puke."

"Should have mentioned having one leg," she whispered.

"I told him about a friend that's dating an amputee. Father said he'd never be seen with one."

"I suspected so. Nice to have it confirmed."

"I asked what he'd do if you lost a leg. He said he'd divorce you."

"Bastard. At least I know."

"What will you do?"

"Even if there were a surgeon, if Dr. Ruiz was still doing the amputations, and that reference was several years old, I can't go, not now. Maybe someday I'll be able to accept what I need to do."

"I hope so."

"I know you do. Maybe you can find a lady missing a leg if that's what you want."

"I'd rather have you."

"Bruce, darling. As nice as that might sound, it would never work. I wish I could resist you."

"Don't try."

She kissed me on the mouth for a long moment then walked away. I thought I understood.

-oOOo-

Harold was already folding newspapers when I picked up my first bundle. No others were there. I had no idea what Vera had told him, if anything. Some mornings he was civil and even said hello. Usually he kept to himself. I never knew what to expect.

"Bruce, hello," Harold said.

I was surprised. "How was your weekend?"

"Good. Went to see a lady I've been writing. She lives over in Redlands."

"That's great." Based upon what Vera had told me, it might be Tina. "Been seeing her for long?"

"Nah, this was the second visit in person. We've talked on the phone, swapped email, used FaceTime a bunch."

"Must be a hot lady to make you drive that far for a date."

"Yeah. She's special."

"How, if you don't mind me asking."

"Guess it's no secret that my mother is missing a leg. Well, she introduced me to Brenda who is missing both hers."

I had panicked a little for fear it would be Tina. Why hadn't she hooked him up with Tina?

"Both?"

"If you saw this lady, you'd understand how it wouldn't matter. Geez. She's probably the most beautiful woman I've ever seen." He pulled his phone out of a pocket and showed me a picture.

She was ten, maybe twenty years older, and as advertised, drop dead gorgeous, melt in you mouth beauty. It appeared both that legs had been amputated at the hip, although I could not tell because she wore short pants.

"Lucky you." I handed the phone back. "You think it will last?"

"I hope so. Does that light a fire for you? If so, I can get Mother to find you someone. She knows this great lady, our age...Tina, missing one leg. I've heard nothing but great things about her. She supposedly will rock you world, if you get my drift. That's from a guy she used to date, until his wife caught him and her. A real wild child, you know. Can't get enough."