The tale of Regina

Regina Gerald was packing her son's bag for a three week basketball camp, and trying not to let her emotions get in the way. It was her first time letting her son go to a summer camp, and the distance made it impossible for a visit. Although he would spend time at his Grandparent's house, four days was not three weeks.

The unfinished bottle of wine she had the night before was calling her, but she knew her son would be home, and it would have to wait until dinner. Regina had four days off and she knew one of those days was going to be a cry night in front of the tv watching some girl movie about loss.

Packing for her son Landon was something Regina enjoyed doing, even though he was old enough to do it himself. As the clothes shifted from one hand to the other before being packed in the travel bag, Regina tried to remember when she was needed by him. Landon was thirteen now, and was trying to become his own person despite the silent pleas she had for him to stay young.

The three week long summer basketball camp was almost three hundred miles away. Regina was excited and terribly nervous about sending her son away for such a long time so far away. He was getting an opportunity to expand his skills, and wanted to go for over a year.

Most parents would be thrilled to have their child gone for so long, but Regina was a single parent that needed her child for the sanity of not being alone. She hated how she felt sometimes, but knew that her son was her world, and for three weeks she would be not needed. Regina got choked up just thinking about how less of a mother she would feel without her only son.

Regina was not one for dwelling on the past, but also never got over her husband's infidelity and their eventual breakup. Although Malcolm was a great father, he was only a parent every other weekend. Her work schedule was perfectly balanced, and yet busy at the same time. It was a mother's busy work that kept her momentum of life going, and Landon leaving was going to upset that balance.

The day passed quickly, and Regina heard the banging of doors, followed by cabinet doors closing. Knowing her son was home, the other voice she heard was his friend Josh. Walking down the stairs, she heard the commotion two teenage boys could cause.

Regina was downstairs, and it was too late, the kitchen looked ransacked and the two boys were already outside playing basketball. Like normal teenage boys their appetite was just as large as their need to expend energy they just got from pillaging the kitchen.

Looking outside Regina could see that Josh was there at Landon's side like he had been for years now. They have been friends ever since he was accepted into Landon's private school. Landon was accepted because his grades were high, and Regina had a checkbook to pay for it. Josh got in solely for his grades and his abilities on the court, yet some mothers protested a boy coming from such a poor area going to such a prestigious school.

Regina tried to act like a mother to both boys, knowing that Josh's mother had abandoned him a long ago. It was kind of awkward at times, seeing that Josh was pale white, and Landon was dark like his father. Regina never took skin color serious though, and was raised to judge people on their merits not the color of their skin. As the two boys were best of friends, it seemed their race was never a question to them either.

A feeling of guilt, and sorrow came over Regina as she knew Josh was not going to the camp, and deserved a spot more than any other child on the team. Regina hated to admit he was more talented than Landon, but it was the truth. Josh did not come from wealth, and the camp did not take charity cases. It did cross Regina's mind to pay for the camp for him, but felt it would be taken the wrong way by his Grandmother, and his father.

Although Josh attended the most expensive private school in the state, his Grandmother was dreadfully poor living in a trailer. Even when he was being admitted into the school, when some parents found out that he was getting a full scholarship, they protested to the board. Regina was happy to be in attendance that night, and got a chance to speak on Josh's behalf. It did alienate some parents, but Regina was more than happy to feel righteous once Josh earned his grades, and a spot on the team.

Regina was born with wealth, and becoming a doctor only increased that wealth. Malcolm had to pay dearly for his indiscretions, and Regina had even more money than before the marriage. Her father was still alive, and his considerable wealth only secured more of a lifestyle that she could ever image. This money did not affect her dreams, and staying a family practitioner gave her that sense of life rewards one needs to continue.

Regina stepped outside to the two boys playing. "You boys need anything?" Regina asked as Josh, and Landon were taking turns shooting from the foul line.

"No mom," Landon replied as he never turned his back.

"No thank you, Ms. Gerald," Josh answered as he turned to look Regina in the face.

Regina always knew Josh had more manners than anyone she had even known. She met his grandmother a few times, and knew that she was just as polite and sincere as Josh was. Josh's father was in the military and was stationed a considerable distance away which left Josh and his Grandmother sharing a small trailer between them.

Regina only heard a few stories about Josh's father, and still never had the pleasure of meeting him. Every time she asked him about his father, Josh would explain how he was off to some far away country or being moved from one base to another. Josh did say that they talked every night, and that he would move in with his father once he was out of the military.

Not being too noisy, Regina stopped asking questions about his father, and it did seem that he missed him terribly. Having met grandma at all the school functions, she just assumed she was raising him, and supporting the family. Regina even had the thought the story of his father being in the military was a story he made up to cope with abandonment. Not wanting to stir bad thoughts, Regina just continued to act like a mother to him whenever she could, although he seemed more independent than any boy she had ever known.

The afternoon quickly became night, and Regina called for the boys to have dinner. Feeding two boys was something that Regina never complained about, as she enjoyed having the mouths to feed. Josh was a regular at her table, and she loved the fact she could help him out any way she could.

Since Josh never asked for anything, Regina insisted that he eat over all the time. It was something she thought would be kind, but also felt it was stepping on his Grandmother's toes for trying to take care of a child that was not hers. This was the most evident during Christmas and his birthday. Spending large sums of money for the two events made her feel both guilt and pleasure. She knew she was spending more on him than his Grandmother and father, and had to hide it sometimes from them.

Josh was more than happy to eat whatever was put on his plate, but he insisted on helping cleanup. Regina never argued, and loved the idea of a boy with manners being her son's friend. To her the friendship was mutual as Landon was with someone who she never worried about getting into trouble. When some of the players of the basketball team were involved in a plot to steal equipment, Regina was more than happy her son and Josh were not involved. When Landon told about how Josh kept him out of trouble, Regina knew that he was a boy who would forever be welcome in her house. To Regina she felt he was a positive role model for her son, and poverty was just a motivating tool for him to become something great.

Josh was on his bike ready to head home when the sky erupted with fierce thunder, and a downpour that silenced everything. Regina was not about to send anyone off into the night with a storm coming down. Josh also biked further than a child should, and Regina often complained about the distance, as his house was in the trailer park across town.

Regina quickly had Josh call his Grandmother, and tell her that he was being driven home. He would have to leave his bike there, and could get it tomorrow afternoon. Landon was gone in the morning, and Josh was going to be out of a friend for three weeks, and his bike was going to be needed.

Driving to Josh's Grandmother's trailer was something Regina had done numerous times. She always offered to drive, and tried to hide his embarrassment from others about knowing where he lived. Regina never knew the plight of poverty, but was going to make sure that Josh would never feel the shame of its embarrassment to other classmates.

Regina pulled into the small driveway and noticed a beat up pickup parked in front. Josh lit up and announced his father was home. Regina was about to ask him a question, and he was already thanking her for the ride and dashed off inside his small trailer. Regina noticed the lights turn on, and her phone vibrate. Looking down it was Josh's Grandmother thanking her for driving him home.

Landon was home waiting for her, and Regina quickly tried to make the night memorable as she knew it was going to be his last for awhile. A simple quiet night was all she needed now.

She changed into some sweatpants, and a simple white tank top put on a movie and settled down. Regina put the storm out of her mind, and wondered if the leftover bottle of wine would get her tipsy before bed. She thought of Josh quickly and was happy he got to see his father.

The next day was hectic, as the drive was going to take up much of the day, and Regina woke up late. The camp had a strict arrival time, and Regina was going to miss it. Not changing from the night before, Regina quickly woke up her son and was out the door. Regina packed a few snacks from the night before, and would have to eat on the way home. It was a five hour drive with traffic, and she would be happy to get home at a decent time.

Landon opened up about how he felt sorry that Josh would not be there with him, and how he deserved to go more than Seth who only got in because Josh could not afford to go. Regina listened and only offered advice when asked. She knew that giving money to Josh would only hurt the fragile relationship she had with his Grandmother. She was already acting like a parent and knew there had to be a line drawn.

Regina also was keen on listening to her son complain about his father not being able to take him, and how his stepmother was not a nice person. Regina smiled as her son held back calling this new woman a bitch. Regina listened to the complaints, and was overjoyed that her son at his age was still able to have a conversation with her, while other children his age would be face deep in a cell phone.

Knowing her son was right, Regina thought about how Malcolm left her. He was cheating on her with a girl who was still in college, while he was the professor. Regina could remember the feeling of loss, and the anger that went with it. The years of therapy did not help, and Regina tried hard to fight her depression of being alone.

Regina knew she was pretty, and made sure she kept her body in great shape. Her long hair black hair took hours to maintain, and it was a point of pride for her, as she had the time to have it. Although finding a man was something she wanted dearly, the fear of losing a man again would drive her over the edge. Regina wanted something she was afraid of and struggled with her therapist about it.

Regina stopped on the way home at a local restaurant and got a text from Josh's father. Regina's eyes lit up at the fact he was actually in the picture, and was not just a fictitious person made up by Josh. He asked if it was ok to stop by around six or seven to pick up Josh's bicycle.

With a quick response back of a yes, Regina solved a few problems at once. Josh would have his bike while not having to wait until the next night as Regina knew he was going to need it. She also would get a chance to meet Josh's father whom she was eager to see.

It was still lightly raining outside, and Regina just did not see the pothole and the curb until it was too late. With a loud earth shattering boom her tire went out. The car instantly pulled right, and Regina over steered and plowed right into her own chain link fence.

"Son of a bitch!" Regina screamed as she finally got the car to stop right on her front lawn.

Pulling it into the garage was not an option as her tire had a part of the metal pole bent around the rim. It looked like a twisted mess, and removing it was going to be difficult. Regina's heart was still racing from what happened, and she was confused on how to fix it.

Not wanting to be a helpless woman who needed help from a man, Regina was pulling her jack out of the trunk, and thinking of the tools she would need from her garage to fix it, or at least remove the tire. She had a spare so getting the car back on the road was not an issue, just getting the spare on the car. The rain began to fall harder as Regina walked to her house, but the rain still did not detract her from trying to get the job done.

Regina did her best to jack up the car and remove the bent piece of pole, but it was jammed right near the axle and bent just so it could not be extracted. Her father had shown her how to remove a tire, and Regina would be damned if her father's skill he taught her was going to go to waste.

The more Regina struggled to remove the pole, the more the rain and frustration mounted. Not even realizing the time, a flash of lights appeared as a pickup truck came into view. Regina looked back frantic as she realized that Josh's father had just pulled up.

Standing up in the rain as it poured down now she could see a lone man approach her. Josh was not with him as he came into view. Regina's eyes opened up as Josh's father came closer. He looked to be well built, and stood over six feet. His arms bulged with muscles as she looked up and down at his physic. His close shaved head, and muscular jaw line showed a man who could scare some people.

"You must be Ms. Gerald; I am Joe, Josh's father. I can see you're having some car problems; I can handle this for you."

Regina stared at this man as the rain was drenching the both of them. His face showing day old stubble as his dark blue eyes stared back at her. She saw this man as a rescue, as the cold rain hammered down on his face and hair. "Please. I have it jacked but the pole is bent."

Not even responding, Joe was already on his hands and knees trying to remove the piece of pipe. He looked back at her with a smile of hope. "It's bad out here. If you leave your keys, I can do the rest for you."

"You sure, I mean I can help." Regina commented as she saw this man quickly make easy work of the tools in front of him.

Joe turned to look at her, and she saw the face of a man determined to fix the problem. "Would be impolite of me to let you stay out here in the rain. I can have this done for you quick and have it back in your garage in no time."

"Oh, thank you, but I'm coming right back."

Regina rushed off to her house, and quickly grabbed her umbrella by the front closet. With only a few minutes wasted, she was off to give Joe any help he needed and to have an umbrella blocking any more rain coming down on his already soaked body.

Just as she got to Joe, he was already putting the spare tire on the car. She pulled out the flashlight and shined the light on what he was doing. To Regina it was the least she could do, as she refused to cower in her house like a weak girl while someone fixed her mistake.

As much as Regina told herself that a woman could do everything a man could do, the sight of Joe working on her car in the rain caused her to feel like a woman. This hot guy stressing his muscles and working on her car caused something to stir deep within her. A feeling she had never felt before. Like a rescue unfolding before her eyes, Regina had an overwhelming sense of giddiness about watching him work.

The tire was fixed, and Regina got in the car to pull it into her garage. Joe followed her and put the flat tire in the back. Regina stepped out of the car and noticed the Joe was soaking wet, and his green shirt was clinging to his chest. It gave her a small thrill as she could see the outline of his muscular chest. Like a schoolgirl looking at her crush. Regina could not stop giving him a sensual smile.

"Come inside, and let me offer you a towel and some hot food," Regina offered with her hand extended towards the door that led to the inside.

"Thank you, but I must decline your offer Ma'am. I just come for Josh's bike, and can't impose anymore," Joe replied looking down at the floor to the garage.

Regina could not get over the fact Joe was looking right at the floor instead of at her. It was extremely rude she thought. She almost thought to say something as she looked at the ground to see if there was something on the floor to explain his redness. Regina felt her heart about to burst as she looked down, her breasts and nipples were clearly showing through her white rain soaked tank top. A simple day of going without a bra was now giving Joe a perfect look at her brown breasts.

Covering her chest with her one free hand. "Oh, my god," Regina called out in fright and embarrassment. "I am sorry, I totally forgot."

With a soft shy tone, Joe answered. "Totally understandable. I did not mean to impose or stare."

Regina smiled and thought to herself that this hunk of a man was just as much a gentleman like his son. It explained everything about how Josh was.

Regina still noticed Joe looked away even as her hand was covering her chest. "It's ok, I just forgot what I was wearing. But anyway, come inside and let me get you something to dry off."

It also made Regina wonder why any man would turn away. She knew that her body was perfect for her age. She was only thirty-four, and spent more hours in the gym than anyone else she knew. To make it all worse, was the fact she thought her C cup breasts were the best part of her body. Why would any man turn away?

Joe slowly looked up, and Regina smiled at his embarrassment, and his reluctance to be like most men. Regina had to break the ice, and calm him down and thought a joke would ease the small amount of tension of this embarrassing moment. "You know some people pay to stare at a girl with a wet t-shirt."

Regina walked into the house first right after making her comment to see if Joe would react. She turned around once in the kitchen to see his reaction. She noticed he was still looking down, and wondered if he liked her ass.

Joe looked into Regina's eyes as she felt a connection. It was like he was interested in her but not saying anything. "Some people do pay, but you were unaware of the show you were giving me."

Still covering her wet chest with one hand and looking at Joe. "You are such a gentleman. I really was not expecting this rain, and I was rushing in the morning trying to drop Landon off at camp."

"To your defense, it does not look like you rushed at all getting ready this morning."

Regina felt her skin go flush and her body tremble as the compliment resonated throughout her body. Like tingles of electricity, she felt his words bring out a girlish feeling of energy in her. Here was a man that symbolized what a man should be, complimenting her right after saving the day for her. Regina felt helpless to his charming words.

With a blushing smile, Regina blurted out her thoughts. Like her filter just had a glitch. "I am glad you like looking at me. Thought you didn't think I was good looking in a wet t-shirt at first. Made me feel like I was not attractive."

Thoughts of being too forward came crashing into her brain like a runaway train as she realized just what she said, and how she sounded. Like an awkward teenager at a dance, the embarrassment came back and she tried to correct her last question. "Oh, I mean...oh I did not mean to say that. Shit can we start over?"