Change of Life

"Peggy Elliot," Artie said, the touch of annoyance in his voice saying a lot of what he thought of the sales associate. "She calls in late last night and says she'll be out all weekend. Why your husband puts up with all her crap I'll never know. She has the lowest sales record of anyone in the store and she's constantly late or calling in sick. If it was up to me, she'd have been out on her ass a long time ago."

The assistant store manager realized that he might have gone over the line in questioning his boss's judgment, especially to his wife. He quickly apologized and asked her not to repeat what he had just said.

"How could I repeat anything that I wasn't here to hear in the first place?" Miranda smiled as she bid him a good night, thinking that she had taken too long on her break as well.

-=-=-=-

Retracing the streets back to the Office Barn, Miranda conjured up the image of Peggy Elliot in her mind. A long haired brunette in her early thirties, Miranda had gotten the impression from their few brief meetings in the store that her intelligence was greatly overshadowed by her bust size. Something that seemed to be an asset when dealing with some customers, but not enough to satisfy Artie Davis evidently. The thought made Miranda wonder how she managed to satisfy Ralph's own strict standards.

Finally, after parking Josh's car back in the employee section of the parking lot, Miranda decided that she now had to know. Pulling her cell phone from her pack, she dialed the number for Ralph's cell.

"Hi honey," she heard him say after recognizing her voice, "what's up? Nothings wrong is it?"

"No, everything's fine," she lied, "I just wanted to see how you were doing, that's all. Catch any fish?"

"Actually, I did pretty good," she heard him say, "caught two beautiful trout but we fried them up for dinner. Sorry I couldn't save you some"

"That's okay," Miranda said, "as long as you enjoyed them."

"We did."

"Well I have to go," she said, thinking that now she was very late. "Don't let Jim and Gary take all of your money this time." she said in closing.

"Not a chance," Ralph laughed, "both of them are playing like shit. This time, I'm going to be winning the big pots."

The connection broke as she heard him hit the call end button. Miranda sat there for a few more minutes, just staring at the phone and thinking about the conversation that she'd just had.

"Fucking lying bastard!" she finally said as she tossed it back into her bag.

-=-=-=-

Seeking out Josh to return his keys and again thank him, Miranda was surprised to discover that not only wasn't he angry about her being late, he had worked through his own break and had nearly completed both of their tasks. Feeling a little guilty, the older woman suggested that maybe Josh take off early and she would stay and finish up whatever was left. Without even considering it, he said he'd rather stay and wait until they were both done. Miranda promised herself to at least carry her own weight the rest of the evening, despite her problems.

Ninety minutes later, the last box had been counted and they could call it a night. As the senior employee, it was Miranda's responsibility to make sure that everything was locked up tight, so she was the last to leave.

Checking the side door from which she'd exited one last time, Miranda turned around to find Josh waiting in the parking lot. She was sure he had left with the others ten minutes before.

"I remember you saying you came in on the bus," Josh said in way of explanation, "so I figured you might need a ride home."

"You didn't have to do that," Miranda replied, "but I do really appreciate it. As long as it's not out of your way that is."

"It's not," Josh answered, even though it was in the opposite direction.

-=-=-=-

It didn't take more then ten minutes for them to reach Miranda's house, even with the heavy Saturday night traffic. Josh pulled right into the empty driveway and waited until his co-worker reached the front door. Keys in hand, Miranda paused at the door for a second, then walked back to the driver's side of the car.

"Josh, could you do me another favor?" she asked as she leaned forward against the open window. "I know I've already probably used up my quota for the month. My husband is away for the weekend and even though the timers turned the lights on, I really feel funny walking into an empty house and ..."

"Sure, no problem," the nineteen year old said as he opened the car and stepped out. "My mom feels the same way."

The analogy made Miranda suddenly feel her age. For all she knew, she was possibly even older than Josh's mother.

Taking the keys from her hand, he opened the door and stepped inside the semi-lit house. It only took a few minutes for him to check out the two floors and the basement, declaring them to be empty. When he came back into the living room where Miranda had waited, she asked him if he would like something to drink.

"After the day I've had, I really need a drink," Miranda said, "would you like to join me? I have soda too if you'd like something softer?"

"A drink would be fine," Josh replied, hiding the fact that his experience with alcohol was extremely limited.

Miranda led him into the kitchen were she took a fifth of Johnny Walker Blue Label from the back of one of the cabinets, then two tumblers from another. The bottle belonged to Ralph and was usually saved for only the most special of occasions. That she was going to share it with this kid who wouldn't know good scotch from lemonade would surely send her husband into a rage. That was the least of her concerns right now.

Filling both glasses a quarter of the way, she handed one to Josh. He looked at the amber liquid for a moment, then brought it up to his lips. Miranda was about to warn him to take it easy when in one quick motion he downed the contents.

The results were predictable, especially with someone who, it quickly became obvious, had never tasted scotch in his life. Josh gagged on the liquid and his face turned a bright shade of red.

"Are you okay?" Miranda asked, her concern hiding the amusement she felt at the same time.

"I'm fine," Josh replied after taking a deep breath, looking at the empty glass in his hand.

"This is pretty strong stuff," Miranda smiled as she brought her own glass up, "it helps if you just sip it, at least at first."

"I'll remember that next time," Josh answered as he put the empty glass down on the counter.

Picking up the bottle, Miranda refilled both glasses and watched with interest as the young man picked it up and again brought it to his mouth. This time, he was a little more cautious and only took a little taste.

"That's better," she said as she watched him bring the glass back down, and then took a longer sample of her own.

Josh tried the drink again, this time he handled it even better. "It's pretty good," he offered.

"For what it costs a bottle it had better be," Miranda thought as she again refilled both glasses.

With the bottle still in her hand, Miranda led Josh to the kitchen table and directed him to an empty seat. After he had sat down, she took the other one next to him.

"So what's the deal between you and Jennifer?" Miranda asked after they had again drained their glasses, only to see them fill up once more.

"I don't understand," Josh replied.

"Why do you waste your time with a tramp like that?" the salt and pepper haired woman expanded as she remembered the gossip Mandy and Lois had shared with her. "A nice looking boy like you could do a lot better."

"It's kind of complicated," he answered, hiding what he considered an embarrassing secret.

"Things are only complicated if you let them be," Miranda commented. "Whatever it is, I wouldn't hold it against you."

"She and I, what I mean she once ..." he started to say, his tongue loosened by the alcohol.

"The two of you went out?" Miranda asked.

"Well, not really went out."

"Then, what did ..." she started to ask, then realized what he was talking about. Or at least she thought she did. "Did the two of you sleep together?"

"Not exactly."

"She blew you?" Miranda asked, her own tongue also loosened a bit.

"She used her hand," Josh finally admitted.

"She gave you a hand-job," she blurted out, trying hard not to laugh.

Josh went on to explain that one night last month, Jennifer had cornered him in the break room one night and asked him to cover for her after she made a mistake on a major supply order. She had read the stock numbers wrong and undercharged the client almost a thousand dollars. She was afraid that if the manager found out it was her, especially after a few other mistakes, he would have to get rid of her.

What she didn't tell him, Miranda supposed, was that she was already doing a lot more for Bob Carpenter than just jerking him off. It was that she wasn't yet sure enough of her ability to get him to overlook such a costly mistake. Once Josh had taken the fall, and she no longer worried about being fired, she'd rather forget the incident in the break room had ever happened.

"Was Jennifer the only girl you've ever been with?" Miranda asked, surprised at how personal this conversation was becoming.

"I've dated other girls," Josh admitted, "but I've never ... gone all the way."

"And you figure that Jennifer would be the one who would want to go all the way."

The look on his face said that Miranda had hit the truth right on the mark. It was a look of confirmation, mixed with discomfort at having been revealed as a horny teenager just looking to get laid.

"That's nothing to be ashamed about," Miranda smiled as she reached across the table and laid her hand on top of his. "I would think that almost every boy your age thinks pretty much the same way at one time or another."

"Really?" Josh said.

"You should meet my sister," Miranda laughed, thinking that this was probably exactly the kind of young man she specialized in.

"Your sister?" Josh asked in confusion.

"Forget it, my mind was wandering," she replied as she put the cap back on the bottle, realizing that she'd had enough. As it was, her mind was further drifting in a much more dangerous direction.

If Alice were here in her place, Miranda was certain, the young man sitting across the table from her would never have to wonder again what it was like to be with a woman. In fact, he'd probably have lost his virginity not long after stepping over the threshold.

But of course she wasn't Alice, or so she'd reminded herself many times over the last two weeks. She couldn't imagine cheating on her husband, or at least she couldn't until today.

"Miranda?" Josh asked, then repeated when he got no response. "Miranda?"

"What?"

"You looked like you zoned out for a minute," he said with concern. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine," she smiled as her thoughts shifted to a different, yet adjacent track.

"Maybe I should be going," Josh suggested as he looked at the clock on the wall, noting that it was almost half past nine.

"Do you have to?" Miranda asked. "It's still pretty early."

Josh seemed to hesitate on the answer.

"Of course if I'm boring you, or you have someplace more important to go, I understand," Miranda said.

"No, I don't have anyplace to go."

"Then why not stay a little longer then," Miranda replied, "at least until you let some of the scotch work its way out of your system. We wouldn't want you to get stopped at one of those checkpoints they put up on weekends."

The comment reminded Josh that he really wasn't old enough to legally drink, even though his father let him have a beer or two at family functions. If the police, however unlikely, stopped him, it could cost him his drivers license. They were pretty strict about DWI around here, especially with teenagers.

"Okay, I'll stay a while longer."

"Excellent," Miranda smiled, "because I am so enjoying our little talk."

"I guess I am too," Josh replied, realizing that he really didn't want to leave after all.

"Why Jennifer?" Miranda asked as she went on, "I mean aside from her obvious looks and the fact that she groped you. Why not take a chance on one of the other girls in the store, say Tina Maxwell? She's pretty too and I know she likes you enough as a co-worker. Why not ask her or one of the other girls out?"

"Tina is really nice," Josh answered, "and if I was going to be staying in town I would want to date her. But since I'm not, I doubt a relationship would go very far. I don't think any of the girls are going to want to sleep with a guy who's leaving in two months."

"You're leaving?"

"My family can't afford college, and my grades aren't enough for a scholarship, so I'm going in the Air Force," he explained. "It's a delayed enlistment, so I don't leave for another six weeks."

"And you didn't want to go in the military a virgin." Miranda said, again hitting the nail right on the head. "Well I can understand that."

"I know it's stupid but ..."

"It's not stupid," Miranda interrupted him. "At least not all of it. I think the only stupid part of it all would be for you to spend your first time with Jennifer. For all she cares about you, it might as well as be with a prostitute, and that wouldn't be a very happy memory I'm sure."

"Well I didn't see myself as having many other options."

"What about the other women in the store, some of the older ones," Miranda asked, thinking that she might be going out on a limb here, "do you find any of them attractive?"

"Sure."

"Like who?"

Josh again seemed a little embarrassed to answer.

"Come on, I won't tell them if that's what you're worried about."

"Actually, I was afraid that you'd laugh," he replied.

"Not a chance," Miranda promised.

"Well, I think Lois Parker is nice looking, and Sally Sullivan too," he admitted.

"Did you ever think that one of them might feel the same way about you?" Miranda asked, picturing both women in her mind.

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because I don't think women like that want someone like me?" he said.

"Just because you're cute, young and have a nice body," Miranda noted.

"Because they'd be with someone who really wasn't sure what they were doing," Josh said, putting forth a line of reasoning that he was suddenly beginning to wonder if it might be flawed.

"Some might have a problem with that," Miranda answered, "then again, some women might consider it a challenge as well."

Josh's expression said that was a possibility he'd never considered before. Miranda gave him a minute or two to think about it, then asked him a question that she'd been considering for the last few minutes.

"Josh, when you look at the other women at work," she asked, "have you ever looked at me in that way?"

Josh hesitated before answering.

"If the answer is no, I won't be offended," Miranda added, "and if it's yes, well I wouldn't be offended either. In fact, I'd be flattered."

"Yes," he said in a very low voice.

Now it was it was Miranda who hesitated, as she considered the line in front of her and if she was really prepared to cross it. Then she realized that deep in her thoughts, she already had. She wasn't sure when she had really made the decision, but she knew that before the night was over she was going to end her sexual dry spell.

"Josh, do you trust me?" Miranda abruptly asked.

"Of course," he replied, wondering if he done something wrong for her to ask such a question.

"And you know I wouldn't do anything to hurt you, right?"

He nodded his head in agreement, still wondering what she was talking about.

"Then just close your eyes for a minute and trust me."

Totally bewildered, Josh did as she asked, keeping them closed even as he felt her hands come to rest on his shoulders. Even as he felt her move closer to him and the softness of her lips pressed against his own.

For a heartbeat, the nineteen year old was too stunned to respond. Then, as he felt the wetness of her tongue pressing against his mouth, he opened his lips to admit it. It was hardly the first time he'd had a girl's tongue against his own, but he'd never been so excited about it before.

The kiss seemed to go on forever as Miranda dropped her arms and wrapped them around his body. As she ran her hands across his back, she was surprised to find that beneath his loose fitting shirt was a rather solid build.

"You really are a very handsome young man," she said as she pulled him even closer, her lips finding his once more.

This time he was quick to respond as he felt Miranda's tongue press past his lips and into his mouth, his own arms now wrapping around her. He held her tight as she reached down below the table and laid her hand on his manhood, which due to the conversation they'd been having was now fully erect.

"Oh!" he gasped as he felt her fingers press against him.

Miranda let it rest there for a few long moments, then reality reasserted itself.

"But aren't you married?" Josh said as they broke their embrace and he felt a sense of guilt at what they were doing.

"You let me worry about that," Miranda whispered into his ear as she moved to kiss him again, taking his hand and placing it on her left mound. "I'm beginning to realize that word doesn't mean as much as I once thought it did."

The feel of her breast in his hand, even through the layers of clothing, was enough to drive any vestige of concern from Josh. It wasn't the head on his shoulders that now controlled his actions.

-=-=-=-

Rising from her seat, Miranda shifted over to Josh's chair and still standing, began to undo his shirt. He didn't have an undershirt beneath the long sleeved denim top and after she reached the last button, she pushed it back across his shoulders. As the shirt fell to the floor, Miranda let out a small sigh of appreciation at the young man's exposed torso. Her earlier assessment by touch had been right on the money. Josh certainly took care of what nature had given him.

The forty-eight year old found herself filled with a curiosity as to what else nature had given him, but calmed herself with the knowledge that there was no need to rush. She was certain that Josh wasn't going anywhere, and they had all the time in the world. Some things were worth waiting for, and as she remembered from her own younger days, getting there was sometimes half the fun.

She spread her fingers out across his chest, caressing the sparsely haired muscles and playing with his small, pink nipples. Impulsively, Miranda bent down and kissed each of them, using her tongue to tickle them just a little. The wet touch filled Josh with a surge of excitement.

Moving closer, so that she was standing right on top of him between his legs, Miranda pulled up her sweatshirt so that Josh could get a look at her bra encased mounds. His eyes opened up in wonder as she pulled her shirt as high up as it would go and held it there.

"Can I touch them?" Josh asked innocently.

"Baby, you can do whatever you want with them," Miranda replied, sharing the excitement she saw in his eyes. It had been years since a man had looked at her with such lust in his eyes.

Josh reached out with two of his fingers and pulled down the left cup of her bra, exposing the large nipple beneath it. He brought his other hand up as well and using both of them, cupped the ample flesh. He looked up into Miranda's eyes as if to ask once more for permission, only to see that none was needed at all.

Miranda moaned softly as Josh brought his mouth to her nipple and kissed it softly. Then, as his lips closed around it, he used his tongue to copy what she had done to him a few minutes before, causing the older woman to moan even louder.

"That feels very nice," she said as encouragement, spurring him to try some more.

His hands massaged the soft flesh, even as his mouth and tongue continued to play with the harder center. Pulling down her other cup, Josh shifted to her other globe, leaving one hand on the first to continue to squeeze it. Repeating his actions, he soon had Miranda purring like a kitten.