The River

"Yeah we were; but I don't see the problem.

"Can I suggest that maybe you invite Bethany and Loretta to move in with you; you'll even get a free housekeeper out of it. And besides you've never experienced having a baby in the house!" Josette grinned at me.

"From what I recall that's an experience that some fathers would have preferred to miss!" I quipped back at her. "But there's a big problem to that idea, Josette; and the reason I didn't suggest it in the first place. Did you see how folks reacted to Beth and I being together at the wedding? Christ, some people might get the idea that I'm the baby's father. And Bethany... Well, I'm afraid that she might get the wrong idea."

"I do believe that you might have misread things a little, Bill. Bethany has adopted you as a father figure for herself, not for Loretta. Every man she's known has let her down and she's looking to you to guide her through life. I hope that clears that up for you."

"Thanks, Josette I was beginning to worry just a little. But there's still the problem of what other people think. An old man, and a slip of a girl who has a baby living in the same house together."

"Who's the old man, there's plenty of life left in you yet, Bill! But I understand your concerns, and have a further suggestion to make." A strange expression came over Josette's face.

"And that is?" I asked.

"Well, you said that it's a big house. Why don't I move in as well for the time being? I could do the housekeeping for you and advise Bethany about Loretta. Then the kids can have my place until they find something of their own." A wry smile came over Josette's face."

I sat and stared back at Josette while I ran my mind back over exactly what Josette had said. She didn't break eye contact and never flinched, she just kept smiling back at me waiting for my reply.

"Can't come up with a reasonable excuse for us not doing as you suggest. But by Christ Josie, we've got some work to do. Most of the house is closed up; I use the kitchen, lounge and one of the bedrooms, that's all."

"Then we'd better get started as soon we can then, hadn't we? They kick mothers and newborns out as soon as they can nowadays; I was in for a week when I had Carrie." The smile on Josette's face had turned into a massive grin as she spoke.

After checking in on Bethany and informing her of Josette's plan -- the information bringing an even bigger grin to her face than it had Josette's -- we headed to my house.

-------------------------------------------------

"Oh bugger reinforcements are called for here." Josette had said when she'd surveyed my domain. "I know you said you lived in just a couple of rooms Bill, but did you ever open the doors or windows to air the place out?"

"No Josie, I never had cause to until now." I replied.

I think it was then that I noticed that every time I absent-mindedly called Josette, Josie; she would give a little smile. I'm not sure what I made of it, but she surely wasn't upset that I'd abbreviated her name; but I had also noticed that when other people did the same thing, she rapidly corrected them.

Josette's two sisters were called in by way of back up; and I called into work and told them that I was taking a few days off. No I didn't ask for the time off, I told them I was taking it. My boss didn't ask why, he just told me to take all the time I needed.

Of course, it didn't cross my mind that I hadn't had time off work for so long that most of my fellow employees thought that I had shares in the place. Or, that my boss had shown great interest in my buying a new suit for the wedding a couple of weeks before. He'd been full of questions about whose wedding it was, when I brought the suit into the office after the lunchtime I'd purchased.

Josette and I got into a little wrangle when I suggested that she used the master bedroom. I insisting that I stayed in the room I'd been using.

"Okay Bill, if that's the way you want it, but really you should be in that room." She'd said when finally giving up the argument. But then, sort-of half under her breath she added the words. "For the time being!" and grinned at her younger sister. Who gave me a very strange look.

I'm afraid to say that I didn't place any significance of those three words at the time. Nor the look that Josette's sister gave me.

The nursery needed very little doing to it except - of course - a good dust and airing out. Josette's other sister disappeared with a carload of bedding, curtains, etcetera that needed washing. All the girls noting with some surprise that moths seemed to have avoided the house.

Josette insisted that I was with her in the master bedroom, when she packed away all of Mary's things. It was a painful experience for me; but something I should really have done many years before. To be completely honest I was pleased that Josette did it for me; I'd never had the heart.

I must admit that I felt a little better as I watched Josette unpacking her stuff the following day. The room didn't look right without all of those female things around.

-------------------------------------------------

We brought Bethany and Loretta home to what seemed to me like a new house three days after the birth. Bethany stood in the middle of the Nursery and cried for some time before she composed herself. Actually if Loretta hadn't decided that she was hungry, Beth might have stood there crying all day.

I'll admit that as I watched Beth breast-feeding Loretta for the first time, that lump formed in my throat again; I'd never got the chance to see Mary do the same thing to our baby. I think I might have cried myself, had not I suddenly felt the pressure of someone squeezing my right arm again. I looked down and there was Josette smiling back up at me.

-------------------------------------------------

Somewhat surprisingly, I settled in to my new way of life very quickly. Suddenly having two other people and a baby sharing the house you've lived alone in for so many years is a major change for anyone. But I was definitely not expecting the change it made in my work life.

Every morning someone in the office would enquire how the baby was. And some of the guys would laugh when I told them that Loretta had made everyone in the house aware that she was hungry - or needed changing - several times during the night.

Then one day, when I was leaving for lunch, one of the guys invited me to join them in the pub for a change. I accepted and from then on, it became my routine to have lunch with numerous different collections of staff. For years I'd always eaten alone and suddenly I was one of the crowd again, I really hadn't missed being one of the gang, but I wondered how I'd become a loner for so long.

Carrie and Ben came back from their honeymoon and had themselves a pink fit when they discovered that not only wasn't Josette home, but all her belongings were missing as well. They very quickly tracked her down though and spent most of the night telling us of their adventures and cooing over Loretta. Well not all of their adventures, they had been on honeymoon after all. Ben was looking just a little bit flaked out though.

-------------------------------------------------

I can't really say how long it took for Bethany to start calling me dad and referring to me as granddad to Loretta. Actually, I'm not sure what came first, the dad or the granddad. I just remember Bethany saying something like "You like it when granddad cuddles you, don't you Loretta." Then another day - maybe before or maybe after, I can't recall which - I realised that Bethany had asked "Cup of tea, dad?"

"Yeah, Beth's been calling me mum for weeks now. I think we've replaced her real parents in her heart; do you mind?" Josette had asked when I mentioned it to her.

"No, quite the opposite, I find it extremely flattering!" I replied.

"And it takes that other worry off your mind." Josette smiled.

"What? Oh yeah, what I mentioned at the hospital that day. Yeah you could say that!" I grinned back at her.

"Well don't, relax too much old man, there're plenty of other fish in the sea, you know?" Josette replied, with an expression on her face that I'd seen before, but never really been able to make head nor tale of.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked.

Josette didn't answer; she just went into the kitchen and put the kettle on. I seemed to recall that Mary had used to do the same thing when she wanted to avoid answering a question.

-------------------------------------------------

I don't know for sure, maybe eight or nine months had gone by and home life had settled into a routine. I do recall that there'd never been any more discussion about Carrie and Ben looking for another house or flat to live in. There had even been a couple of hints that possibly they could buy Josette's house off of her; but maybe because I never entered into those discussions they always stopped at the hints.

I also don't know for sure when a lot of the other changes crept in. Oh, I'd pretty soon got used to having Bethany hanging on one arm and Josette hanging on the other whilst I pushed Loretta along in her pram when we went for our walks or to the supermarket to do the weekly shopping.

And I'd quickly got used to both women giving me a kiss on the cheek when I left the house to go to work in the morning and arrived home again in the evening. What I have no idea about, is exactly when Josette's greeting changed from "Bye Bill!" to "Bye Darlin'!"

Damn it, it was so subtle that I never realised that she'd been doing it until after her birthday.

Oh yeah, Josette's birthday, the day that everything changed.

I arrived home from work that evening to find Josette in the house alone. Much to my confusion, Josette explained that Ben had taken Carrie, Bethany and Loretta off somewhere. I thought this odd because it was Josette's birthday, but Josette herself seemed to think nothing of it. And I also didn't realise that it was for the night!

"Here's your birthday present, Josie!" I said handing over the carefully wrapped package containing an expensive perfume that the assistant in the store had convinced me would have any wife convulsing in raptures. The assistant had given me a very funny look when I explained that it was for my friend and sort-of live in housekeeper.

"It's for my friend!" I'd explained when she'd said that my wife would love it.

"Oh your girlfriend, she'll love it as well." The girl had said, but then her facial expression suddenly changed.

I followed her eye line and realised that she was staring down at my wedding ring.

"Oh no, she's sort of my housekeeper and a very good friend at the same time."

"I see!" The girl had said still carefully wrapping the expensive packet.

Then I thought of what I should really have said in the first place. "I've been a widower for over ten years!"

"Oh, then she is your girlfriend then." The assistant said, a broad smile returning to her face.

Josette unwrapped the package and as promised by the shop assistant swooned over its contents. I thought that she overdid the enthusiasm a little when she threw her arms around my neck and planted a real humdinger of a kiss on my lips. Maybe just a little over the top, not that I was going to complain or anything. There is nothing in this world -- well almost nothing - as pleasant as kissing a beautiful woman. Well maybe, being kissed by the woman in question comes out top on points.

"I'd better go up and get changed." I'd said when Josette let me come up for air.

"No you can't!" Josette snapped back at me, taking me completely by surprise by the sharpness of her tone. "Er, what I meant to say was that your dinner is all ready to serve and it will get cold; you can change later." Then she dragged me into the dining room where I received a real surprise. The curtains were drawn -- it was still light outside - and the room lit by candles.

Josette pushed me into my usual chair and handed me a bottle of wine. "Open that and pour while I get the food!" She'd said planting a kiss on my forehead.

The meal was very romantic, but I'm afraid that Josette's efforts were completely wasted on me. Honestly, I had no idea whatsoever what she was up to. Although the light did begin to glow a little when we adjourned to the lounge after eating and Josette put on a film of the type that I believe is commonly referred to as a "Chick Flick"; then snuggled up close beside me.

All right I'll admit it; Josette seduced me!

Exactly what time it was when we started making out on the couch, I have no idea. But it sure felt like the right thing to do at the time. And I'm willing to admit that I have no idea whether I had my hands on her breasts first, or she had her hand on my rampant member. I do know that I was nursing on those magnificent nipples, well before her head disappeared into my lap. And the noise Josette made as I sucked and kissed them, spurred me to even greater efforts.

I can remember warning her that I was about to lose control and her brushing my hand away as she renewed her efforts. Then after I'd lost my erection, she'd raised her head and smiled at me. "Don't you think we'd better take this to the bedroom, Bill?"

"What if we fall asleep and the kids bring Bethany home and find us in bed together?"

"Christ Bill, haven't you got it yet? The children asked me what I wanted for my birthday. I told them and... well, Bethany and Loretta are staying over at Carrie and Ben's tonight. The girls said that the rest is up to me."

"Hmm..." I replied, after thinking for a few moments.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well to be honest Josie, I wish I was as brave as you."

"Brave?"

"Yeah, look, Josie, I realise that you've given me more subtle hints than I could wave a stick at. But I never had the nerve to risk losing what we had. Well... to be honest, to risk what I had; I've been alone for so long you know."

"Bill, now I'm going to be honest with you. I had a crush on you way back when we were at school; but you had Mary then and she made sure no bugger got a shot at you. I loved Tony, but he was always my second choice. When I discovered your name after you saved Bethany I thought all my Christmases had come at once. Oh and it was my idea to ask you to give Carrie away, although she did jump at the idea. All I've been doing since is scheming to get you into bed."

"Oh, that's some admission, girl!"

"I know, but I didn't want you to suddenly realise that I laid a trap for you, in the future sometime. I want you now, just as much as I did when we were at school. But only if you want me the same way, Bill? It's up to you; you can take me this evening and then we can return to how we've been living for the last few months. Or... if you'd prefer it, I'll move out of the house and leave you in peace; it is really your decision!

"Oh, I can see some moving getting done alright. But I think that it'll be my gear into the master bedroom. Maybe we'd better get started on it right now?" I suggested.

"Not much point really Bill, Bethany and I moved it all in there this afternoon." Josette replied with a grin.

"Wow, confident weren't we?" I commented laughing.

"Not as confident as Bethany was; it was her idea."

"Nice kid that Bethany!" I replied.

"Well, if you're happy with the arrangements, then I'll get back to where I was, shall I?"

"Sorry?" I asked, Josette had lost me again.

But Josette couldn't reply, her mouth was full!

-------------------------------------------------

Epilogue

It was funny how quickly Josie and I kind of settled in as if we'd been married for years. Mind you, I was pleased that my daily walks had kept me reasonably fit. Although I soon found that Josie had me using some muscles, that don't really normally get used when walking and I hadn't used since I lost Mary. Still after a few weeks, I suppose you could say I was in fine physical shape for a man my age. Probably fitter than most, because Josie had been doing without since Tony had passed away and I do believe that she has been making up for lost time.

We aren't exactly planning to get married in a hurry, although Beth and Carrie have been making comments about it not being a good idea that the children ever find out their grandparents aren't actually man and wife. Mind you, I do appear to have assumed the title of Gramps and I'm not too sure that I'm happy about that. Look suddenly becoming granddad to two little girls is a bit of shock for the old psyche.

Ah, you spotted that did you? Yeah, Carrie dropped her little girl three days after Loretta's first birthday. Beth had a great time playing the old experienced mother to her friend and fussing over Carrie and her baby, even more than Josie did.

Josie and me? Well, we kind-a play the unpaid baby sitters bit most of the time, whilst the youngsters go out and live it up.

Oh yeah, Beth has taken up with one of Ben's mate's. Phil is nice lad, and to my mind, it looks like he's in for the long haul. Phil certainly dotes over Loretta, almost as much as -- if not more than -- he does over Beth.

Once he'd learnt the details, I did have to stop young Phil from looking up and sorting out, one particular office wolf though. The so and so had played hard to get with the CSA. Well those tosser's are pretty good at coming down hard - financially - on absent fathers who admit parentage. They don't seem -- well they didn't in Bethany's case -- to be too enthusiastic about bringing paternity suits against men who deny that they are the father.

Young Phil had decided that a little friendly persuasion might be called for; that is until, by lucky coincidence, I ran into the SOB in a pub one night.

One of the guys in my office's wife, had presented him with twins that week and just about everyone was in the local pub with him on the Friday evening wetting the babies' head. Well, I'll admit that I'd had maybe a few more than I should have that night. But Beth -- who I'd got through her driving test by then, Josie positively refused to try again - was picking me up; so I wasn't worried about driving home that night or anything. Anyway, when I was up at the bar getting a refill, I spotted Loretta's father in the other bar with some little slip of a girl about the same age Beth would have been when he seduced her.

"Christ, the bugger was up to his tricks again!" I thought, and maybe said out loud.

Pissed, yeah you bet I was pissed with the a-hole. I'm not sure whether I told any of the crowd who he was or not; but they were all aware that Josie and I had a young unmarried mother living with us. And, they also knew that the baby's father was denying parenthood. To my knowledge no one had made the connection between Bethany and the young woman pulled from the river a couple of years before, though.

Anyway, where was I? Oh yeah, well, as I said I'd had a few and I was pissed off with the guy, so without really thinking about what I was going to do; I headed into the other bar and confronted the sod, rather loudly. Actually loud enough and explicitly enough for the slip of a young girl to realise that safely at home with mum and dad might possibly be the best place to be at the time and she left "tout-de-suite".

It took me completely by surprise when the wanker very suddenly changed his tune and admitted publicly to me that he was Loretta's father. Although it did strike me at the time that without plenty of reliable witnesses, that admission wouldn't be much use to us in a court of law.

It was only when I turned around; that I discovered that almost the whole of my office had followed me into the other bar. Some of them, taking the opportunity to demonstrate to how useful their technical toys were to everyone, by recording the whole encounter on their mobile phones. I wondered afterwards whether it was me personally who'd scared the guy into accepting his responsibilities, or if it could possibly have been the horde of angry looking faces standing behind me.