Wendy Ch. 04

There was a light mist that begun during the night and would continue throughout the day. Mrs. P wore a twill jacket and matching slacks.

"You haven't told anyone about our," she paused and looked away. Her children were waiting in the car, the girl was about 13 and the boy was probably 11. I recognized the station wagon with the imitation wood paneling. The children were watching us. She looked back at me. Two wrinkles were cluttering her otherwise flawless brow. Mrs. P bit one side of her lower lip with her two front teeth and moisture was collecting in her hair. She added, "Encounter?"

By 'encounter', I took it to mean our little escapade on the freezer.

Ellen's advice, 'never fuck and tell' came to mind. Slowly and solemnly I shook my head and mouthed, 'No'.

Her shoulders relaxed and a drop from the moisture in her hair slid down her cheek, like a teardrop. "Good," she said, nodding. Then she was gone.

Marcie had said nothing about the night I had gone to Mrs. P's to pick up the display but I could tell she had her suspicions, especially after she had seen Mrs. P usher me out the door for our private talk.

I busied myself and kept out of her way for the rest of the day. Marcie was pleased when I volunteered to take care of closing the shop because she had a date with Tad that night. I was at the dining room table catching up on the ledgers when they left.

"Don't stay up too late," she said. Tad gave me a wave and a knowing look as the went out the door. I translated the wave to mean that he would bring her home well after midnight.

By nine o'clock I was pacing the floor. I had showered and shaved and carefully placed a condom in each sock.

It took about fifteen minutes to walk to Mrs. P's house. I didn't dare take the van or Marcie's car. The mist had continued throughout the day but was not bothersome to me.

Lights were on in what I knew to be the living room. There was also a dim light upstairs. The streetlight, prevented me from going too close, for fear that a neighbor would see me. I took a seat on a low wall across the street and two doors away. I could watch the house from there, but if a car came along, there would be no place to hide. I wondered what time her kids went to bed on a Saturday night.

'What time is it?' I thought. My habit of never wearing a watch was backfiring. My mind churned. 'What if a car approached? What if it were the police? How could I explain why I was sitting here?' I decided I could say I was taking a walk and was just taking a rest.

'Do you often go for a walk on Saturday nights?' The police would ask.

'It's April the 15th, income tax day, I was worrying about making errors on the tax forms and decided to take a walk to clear my head,' I would respond.

'How old are you kid?'

I would be found out. The police would take me to the station in the squad car. They would threaten to call my parents and I would confess. 'Officers, I was there waiting for the lights to go out in the house across the street so that I could sneak over there and have sex with Mrs. P.

Oh, how they would laugh.

A light turned on. I decided it was in the front hallway where I had seen the stairs. Good, the kids are going to bed, I thought. The lights in the living room went out and I stood up to get a better look at what was taking place. An upstairs light went on in what I thought to be a front bedroom. Another upstairs light appeared. Trying to get a better view, I stood on the wall, anticipating what would happen next. After several minutes the first upstairs light went out and a few minutes later the second light faded. Only the hallway light remained lit. Then, it to went out.

Damn! What time is it?, I wondered. What time does this women go to bed? I stood there on the wall, thinking of those firm thighs, the feel of them gripping my chest, thinking of their power, the way they lifted her butt, the feeling I had when the house went dark. I was feeling stupid. I shook my head to rid my hair of the moisture that had collected there.

A soft glow appeared at the back of the house. It could be a light from the kitchen at the far side of the house. I ran across the street to the driveway and stopped when I reached the dark side of the house. I stood with my back to the house and tried to adjust my eyes to the shadows. A car was coming up the street and I froze, holding my breath. My back was pressed against the house. The car lights cast a wide beam on both sides of the street. It was a cop car and its windshield wipers were moving from side to side. If they spotted me there would be no explanation.

'Out for a walk are we?' The car passed.

I tapped at the porch door. Nobody stirred, so I tried the door but it was latched. I tapped again, louder this time. Even if she was in the kitchen she wouldn't hear my knock, it was too far away.

I walked to where the light was streaming out from the kitchen windows and across the porch. The house was elevated and I had to stand back some distance in order to peer in. Mrs. P was standing at a center work area. I couldn't see into to the kitchen to see what she was doing. I waved my arms. She didn't look up from her work, so I walked up to a porch window, jumped and tapped on it. I ran back to where I could see her. She still had not looked up.

I jumped to tap on the porch window once more then jumped again so I could look in. There was a startled look on her face. I jumped again. If looks could kill I would have been dead.

I ran back to where I had been standing. Mrs. P is beautiful, I thought, really mad but beautiful. I waved and motioned to the porch door. She shook her head and motioned for me to leave. I motioned again and began to walk in the direction of the door.

After what seemed like an eternity I heard footsteps on the porch floor.

"Go away," she whispered through the darkened screen door.

I didn't move. I was on the top step, just inches from where she stood. We were only separated by the screen wire and a latch. I recognized the aroma of her hair.

"My children are asleep and it's late," she whispered again.

I placed my hand against the screen, just inches from where her hand rested on the latch to hold it in the locked position.

"Look, we, I did a terrible thing, something I will regret for a long time," Mrs. P was reasoning with me, trying to make me understand.

"Open the door," I pleaded.

"What do you want?" she hissed.

What the hell did she think that I wanted, I thought. The mist increased.

The women moved back from the screen door and the from the spray the rain was now making, and said, "Please. You should go, you'll be soaked."

"I want to help you get a roast out of the freezer," my voice was reasonably confident.

What sounded like a series of short snorts was really guarded laughter. The latch was lifted and I stepped onto the porch and out of the rain.

{to be continued}

{thank you Patrick}