That Old House

Bev asked to take a break under the tree and we parked her there, while we sat on the ground nearby. We talked about her past, her childhood, what the country was like in the thirties and forties.

She had been in love, married young, and her husband of eight months joined the nascent Army Air Forces after Pearl Harbor. He'd died over the skies of Europe, and she'd never married again.

"It wasn't for lack of trying. I met some wonderful men, but they always dimmed in comparison to my Bill. I led an exciting life, but it was often lonely. I wouldn't wish that on anyone."

I understood her feelings. I'd grown up alone, and figured it was a part of life. Even the few relationships I'd shared did little to ameliorate my feelings of isolation. In truth, the odd relationship I had with Beverly was the one thing in the last 1/2 dozen years that had kept my loneliness at bay.

I reached my hand over and placed it on her knee. "I hope you're not feeling too lonely. I'd like to think that we'll be friends for a long time."

She smiled, patting my hand. "I'd like that. The last several months have been very nice, and this weekend has been wonderful. I'm so glad I let you talk me into coming."

Karen added her $.02. "Ditto to that. This has been a great break. I can't tell you how happy I am you decided to share it with me."

We broke up our little party, as the day slipped away. We rolled Beverly back in The House, and cranked up the fireplaces. Karen took over in the kitchen.

"Anything in the refrigerator off limits?" she asked.

"Hardly. Everything's fair game. If you need anything that's not in there, it's about 40 minutes round trip to hit the store."

"I think I can manage with what you've stocked. You've got enough food in here to feed an army. Any special requests, Bev?"

Beverly shook her head. "Surprise me, and don't hold back - no diet tonight."

I was happy enough to sit back and chat with Bev while Karen took care of the dinner. I felt decadent, letting her do the work while I took it easy. It was a feeling I could get used to.

The aroma of meat cooking in olive oil and garlic was combating the fresh smell of the outdoors, where it was doing some serious ass-kicking, and even putting up a decent defense against the fragrant fires burning freely in all four fireplaces. So different from my antiseptic work place, and the stench of the city.

Beverly was watching me, as I inhaled deeply. "I know." She closed her eyes and breathed as deeply as she could. "It's great to be able to draw a line between yourself and the rat-race."

Amen to that.

I was asking her about her extended family, which she had casually mentioned earlier. "No, nobody very close. Some distant children and grandchildren of my cousins, haven't heard from any of them in years. My cousin Angela was the last to stay in touch. I've left a little something for all of them in my will, kind of spiteful. Just enough to let them know I was there, and if they look into it, they'll see a bunch of charities getting what might have been theirs, if they'd cared enough. A phone call or even a Christmas card would have been nice. I guess I shouldn't expect so much. Nobody writes anymore. It's email this, facebook that, and twittle notes, just blabbing your life and personal affairs to the world, and never really connecting. I sometimes think I've lived just a little too long."

I shook my head. "I know it might sound selfish, but I hope you live many more years, and come and visit as often as possible. You bring The House alive."

She laughed softly. "It's sweet of you to say so, Jack. But it's the young girl in the kitchen livening this place up."

"Hardly. She's a guest, and nice to have around, but as far as I'm concerned, you're family. At least the closest I've ever had."

She reached out and held my hand, squeezing it softly. I was getting all mushy. Too much time away from the big tools. I needed to go out and fell a tree, get my testosterone going again.

Before it could get too maudlin, Karen called to me from the kitchen. "Alright, slacker. Why don't you drag your cute butt in here and set the table? Dinner's only a few minutes away."

Cute butt? The woman was delusional.

I set about getting the table ready, peeking at Karen's culinary effort. A simple Italian dinner, she had meatballs, meat sauce, spaghetti, bruschetta, and was browning some Italian sausage. I hope she'd cooked a lot. It smelled divine.

Dinner tasted even better than it smelled, and I stuffed myself to the point of bursting. Beverly couldn't praise Karen enough on all she'd pulled together, and I think she was getting embarrassed from all the compliments.

"C'mon Bev, it's just spaghetti and meatballs. No big deal."

"Best I've eaten in ages," I managed to blurt out between bites of sausage.

"That I believe. You eat like a starving lumberjack," Karen laughed. Hers was a strong, throaty laugh, and I liked the sound of it. A lot. I'd have to see what I could do to make her laugh more often.

"Hey! I'm only trying to make you feel appreciated. Wouldn't want any of this to go to waste."

"If I ate like that, you'd have to roll me away from the table, without the benefit of a fancy chair like Bev has. More like Violet in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory."

"So if I squeezed you, I'd get blueberry juice?" I teased.

"Well I guess you'll just have to try it and see what you get," she shot back. She had a devilish look in her eye that had me blushing.

"Karen, don't tease the boy. I don't think he's been around this much womanhood in a month of Sundays."

"I hear it, but I don't believe it. I bet he's a heart-breaker in disguise. A wolf in lumberjack's clothing."

After dinner I cleaned up, fair's fair, while the ladies enjoyed their coffee and tea. We tried our hand at Hearts for a while, and I got to hear a little about Karen's past. She'd married young, no kids, and it had fallen apart early. She'd gone back to school for her RN, and worked for a couple of years in a large hospital before she got tired of the long hours and lousy shifts.

She'd then spent another couple of years as a traveling nurse, seeing the world before she got tired of the frequent travel, and turned to the upscale nursing home where Beverly was.

"She's the best in our place, no doubt about it," Beverly said. "It took some real finagling on my part to get her away from there for this trip."

"Hell, Bev. You and Weird John are the only things that keep me in that place."

I got to hear about Weird John, the conspiracy nut, and his dealings with aliens and UFOs, as well as his secret government background, which gave him an encyclopedic knowledge of the world, at least the Post WWII, pre-80's version.

They had me almost rolling on the floor, hearing some of his escapades, but I should have been paying more attention to the cards. The ladies were teaming up against me, and I was getting whipped. We were playing for pennies, and I was already six bucks in the hole.

We bundled up Beverly in a blanket and retreated to the porch, where I indulged in a small Scotch and a cigar, with the ladies' permission.

"I wouldn't have taken you for a cigar smoker," Bev observed.

"It's pretty rare. Maybe a half-dozen a year. But this seems as good an occasion as any, breaking in my new porch."

We enjoyed the crisp, cool evening air. I don't think I'd ever opened up to anyone as much as I did with those two. It was just so easy, so comfortable, like I'd known them for years.

My childhood had not been a happy one, and it wasn't something I ever talked about, but between the two of them, they managed to squeeze most of my past out of me.

"It's hard to picture you as a delinquent," Karen remarked.

"Yeah, my counselors told me I was just trying to get attention. Luckily I got tired of the schooling, and detention, and joined the Army at 17. Four years as a Ranger straightened me up, and Uncle Sam paid for me to get a degree. Took less than 3 years, turned out I wasn't quite as dumb as I'd been led to believe."

Bev looked at me like I'd grown a second head. "Army? You are full of surprises, aren't you?"

"It's not for everybody, but it was good for me. I loved being a Ranger, belonging to something where my past didn't matter beans. Do your job, keep your nose clean, be willing to take a lot of crap the first year, and it's not a bad gig. I made some real friends for the first time in my life. Thought about making a career of it, but I still felt I was missing out on something."

I took a long puff, playing at blowing smoke rings. "I always felt like an outsider, a transient, never fitting in. Until I stood in front of The House. From that moment I knew, absolutely, without a doubt knew where I belonged, and what my purpose was. I'm lucky. I doubt one in a thousand people get to follow their dream and live with purpose."

Turning to Bev, I took her cool hand in mine. "I...I'll never be able to thank you enough for giving me this chance. It would have killed me if I hadn't been able to do this. You need to know this is the kindest, most generous thing anyone's ever done for me. Ever could do. I'll never be able to repay you."

Bev squeezed my hand, smiling gently. "Don't be foolish, Jack. You gave me my life back. Finish restoring the old girl, and we'll call it even."

We chatted a bit more about nothing much. It didn't matter. Sitting on that porch, with them, was about as good as it gets. Nearly 30 years old, and I finally understood what it was to be content, to have family, and to belong.

Bev reminded us it was getting late, and I gave her a hug and a kiss on the cheek, while Karen settled her in. I moved to the swinging bench I'd installed, taking the blanket and the last couple of inches of cigar with me. I told myself it was just getting more comfortable, but down deep I hoped that Karen would respond to the invitation.

I needn't have worried. When she walked out to the porch, she glanced at my empty chair, then looked over and found me on the porch swing. She smiled as she walked over and I lifted the blanket in invitation. Karen settled in next to me, nuzzling up close, as I pulled the blanket over her.

"How is she?"

"Exhausted but ridiculously happy. She looks better then she has in ages. I suspect the fresh air and good company has a lot to do with it."

"I imagine the meals aren't hurting. I haven't eaten this well in, heck, I can't remember how long it's been. Maybe ever."

"Good," she said softly resting her head on my shoulder. "I feel a little like a squatter here, and it's nice to think I can contribute in some small way."

I maneuvered an arm around her shoulders and hugged her close. "Don't think that way. Your presence here is a delightful surprise. I can't believe how easy you are to be around. It's like I've known you for years."

She giggled. "It seems like I've known you for months. You know you're all she talks about. If I had to sit through that video of 'The House' one more time, I think I'd have done something rash. And yet all I knew of you was that voice of yours, your words, and your work on the place. In the future you might want to figure out a way to get yourself into some of the pictures. You are nothing like I'd pictured."

"Oh really? And how did you imagine me?"

"Shorter. Rounder. Older. Balder."

"Ouch! Is that what I sound like? I guess old Bev didn't paint a very flattering portrait of me."

"But she did! I mean, according to her you were some Greek God, fallen to earth, or maybe a Hercules, half God, half man, able to undertake any task, no matter how impossible. I figured it for hyperbole. I mean, really? Tall dark and handsome, keeps his promises to an old woman half a country away, and restoring a mansion from scratch, with little more than desire and a Swiss-army knife? Come on!"

I had to laugh. "I'll have you know my Swiss-army knife is the deluxe edition."

She giggled along with me, and we settled into a comfortable silence for a while.

"Jack?"

"Hmmm?" I answered quietly, realizing I'd been halfway to falling asleep.

"I know I was a little silly on our hike today, maybe even a bit brazen. I didn't mean anything by it. I'm not trying to come on strong, but it's just been such a delightful couple of days."

I gave her another hug, or tried to, realizing my arm was falling asleep. "I loved every minute of it. It's been nothing but work for me for too long now. Your attitude is contagious. I haven't been this happy in a long, long time." I struggled to move my arm a little to restore the circulation, but she made it easy for me by turning sideways and lying down in my lap.

"I'm glad. I know our time is short, and I may never see you again, but as silly as it seems, I'm having the time of my life here with you." She surprised me by taking my hand, which was resting on her belly, and moving it up to her breast. It filled my hand nicely, and I gave it a gentle squeeze.

She closed her eyes, and I stroked her hair while I caressed her. I felt myself hardening, embarrassed that my erection would be pushing against her head. She just smiled a little, and turned her face toward my stomach, rubbing her cheek against my hardness. "Mmmm," she whispered, "Is that for me?"

"You're driving me crazy," I confessed.

"Li'l ole me? Why? I'm just lyin' here, doing nothin'." Her exaggerated southern drawl was fuel to the fire.

"And you're doing it incredibly well."

She finally opened her eyes, and I could see I'd lit a fire inside her. "I think it's time for bed. Shall we?"

* * *

I closed the door to my room quietly, nervously. She was sitting on the bed, observing.

"I have to admit, I feel a little awkward with Bev right next door," I said.

She gave me a knowing smile. "I understand. But believe me, she'd approve. Hell, she'd eagerly take my place if the excitement wouldn't kill her."

We undressed each other quietly, slowly, taking the time to get acquainted with each other's bodies. When I had her naked I pulled her into my arms and gave her the kiss I'd been thinking about all afternoon. She molded herself to me, and kissed me deeply, completely. I was mesmerized.

We climbed into my bed and it was like we were old lovers. The awkwardness was gone, and we spent an eternity just getting comfortable with each other. When she went down on me, I had to pull the covers back to watch, carefully ensuring they still covered her, keeping her warm.

It was a delightful, intimate act. She wasn't working to get me off, she was just enjoying herself, playfully familiarizing herself with my most private part, occasionally looking up to bask in my adoration.

Then she was climbing on top of me, sliding my hardness inside of her. She sighed as she settled onto it, taking my full length. "God, it's so nice, so hard, so smooth, so perfect. Like its owner in so many ways."

She had me blushing. Surprising for the intimate position we were in. "Believe me, whatever you're feeling can't hold a candle next to what I've got going on here. You are amazing."

She ceased her rocking and laid down on my body, while my hand caressed her bare back down to her delightfully full ass. "That's nice to hear. I was worried I might not even remember how to do this. It's been a while."

"You needn't have worried," I assured her, holding her butt while I thrust up into her slowly and steadily. "You are incredible. God's truth. I can't believe how wonderful I feel here with you."

She gasped when I thrust into her harder. "Jesus, and to think I almost turned the old biddy down! Fuck me, Jack."

The eternity of foreplay, and the leisurely suck had me nearly on edge. Being inside of her, and having her so completely was just too much to bear. I pounded into her as hard as I could from our position. "I'm so close," I groaned.

"Come in me. Let me feel it, come for me Jack. I want to feel you come inside of me," she whispered into my ear.

It set me off, and I filled her, erupting powerfully, thrusting up hard and lifting her hips with each needful burst.

Gasping, I slowed to a halt, holding her tightly in my arms. "Amazing," I told her, turning her chin up so I could kiss her softly.

She slid off of my body to the side, holding me close, her leg over mine, her wetness pressing into my thigh. I felt a breeze, and pulled the covers over us. They'd somehow ended up almost completely off, barely covering us from the knees down.

I looked over at the open doorway. Damn. I'd have to fix that. What if Bev had been up and about?

In the middle of the night, I found myself half-awake, and fully aroused. Her hands were cool and soft, barely touching me, but my response was anything but cool. I felt a burning fire in my loins, and groaned while she got me off. So intense, so powerful, after what we'd been through earlier. I moaned my pleasure, and thanked her softly, before drifting back asleep.

* * *

I awoke with a start, hard again. I reached for her, but the bed was cold and empty. Again, the covers were completely astrewn. I looked toward the doorway, but it was firmly shut. I could hear movement outside, and smelled fresh coffee.

I half wondered if the night before had only been a dream.

I put on a pair of boxers and my robe, and answered the call of coffee.

Bev was already seated at the table, enjoying her morning tea, and nibbling on a piece of toast. She was dressed nicely, her hair coiffed immaculately, always so proper. Made me feel like a bit of a lout, wearing only a robe. I went over and gave her a kiss on the cheek good morning, then went and got a cup of the coffee, peeking at Karen parked over a pan of pancakes in the making.

"Good morning," I said hesitantly.

She turned and gave me a big smile and a wink.

I was confused and hesitant. I had no idea what to do next. It wasn't like it was a situation I was used to. So I just stood drinking my coffee, taking sidelong looks at the little vixen who'd rocked my world.

"Please!" Bev sighed. "In my day, when a boy and girl did what you guys did in the night, he'd at least give her a kiss in the morning."

I felt myself blushing hard, but it gave me the excuse I wanted. I gave Karen a hug, and a short sweet kiss. "She's right you know."

Karen pulled me back down for a more thorough kiss, before turning back to her task at hand. "Clean up a bit, breakfast's almost ready."

I obeyed, beating a retreat. I imagined my breath was nowhere near as fresh as hers had been.

I was closing the door, when I heard Karen address Bev. "Yes we did, and yes it was incredible. Satisfied, nosy?"

I couldn't hear the reply from behind the door, and tried to block it out as I washed my face, brushed my teeth, swiped a razor across my face, and ran a brush through my unruly hair.

I sat down next to Bev, and helped myself to a stack of pancakes, while Karen took a seat across from me.

"Next time, could you at least leave my door open? Do you know how hard it is to listen through these walls? Jack, I think you might have done too good a job there."

I almost choked on that first bite.

"Wouldn't you prefer a front row view? We could park you right beside the bed if you'd like," Karen asked sweetly, finishing the job Bev had started, leaving me choking and coughing and grabbing for my juice.

Bev took it in stride. "I'm not sure if this old ticker could handle it, but I dare say it might be worth it. Of course I wouldn't want to cramp your style."

Karen abruptly looked serious. She reached out and took Bev's free hand in hers. "Seriously. Anything you want. I owe you for this one."

That finally got to her and Bev blushed. "I'm just teasing, you little hussy!" She turned her attention to me. "I really am glad that you guys found some comfort in each other." She put her tea down, reached out for my hand, and placed Karen's hand in mine.