Homeless

"No, I don't have a problem talking about it. It still hurts a bit, but she's been gone for almost a year now. Eva and I grew up together here in this town, went to the same school from kindergarten up through high school when we became sweethearts. We even went to the same college together, but after graduation and I got the job that would bring me back here, that put a strain on our relationship."

"She had gotten a taste of the city life where we went to college and did not want to go back to small town life. Well, my heart was here, and I hoped that she would change her mind, but after moving back here and living with me for a few months, she up and left one day while I was at work, leaving just a letter saying how sorry she was, but she just could not live this life."

"I was devastated and tried in vain to call her, but she would not answer my calls or text messages. I called her friends that she had made in Bozeman, but none of them knew where she was, or just did not want to tell me. I even drove down there but was not able to find her."

"When I went to her parents' house, they said they were very sorry but out of respect for Eva's wishes, they couldn't' tell me where she went even though both were heartbroken as much as I was. They had always loved me and had looked forward to Eva and I getting married."

"So, I gradually recovered, with the help of little Lucy here," I said as I reached down to pat her on the head. Of course, she immediately got up and put her face in my lap, whipping her tail off Maggie's chair. I fluffed her up a bit, gave her some love and she sat back down.

Maggie smiled and said, "Dogs have a way of doing that." Then she got serious and said, "I'm sorry that happened to you, Sebastian, I guess sometimes fate can be a dirty bastard."

"Indeed," I said in agreement.

We were quiet for a few moments, while the birds around us carried on, filling the spring air with their songs.

Then the door opened, and Maggie let it all out, "I grew up in a suburb of Minneapolis, and just after I graduated high school, my mom died from some infection she got after getting minor surgery, leaving me and my stepdad alone. I never knew my real dad, since he took off on my mom when she told him she was pregnant with me. Her and my stepdad met and got married just a few years ago, and I got along great with him, until after mom died."

"Then he changed, started drinking a lot and getting verbally abusive with me, and I had nowhere else to go with no family anywhere within a thousand miles. Well one night, after he came home drunk, he slapped me hard across the mouth, when I told him to stop yelling at me, knocking me down on the floor. I had a skirt on, and it came up when I fell, and he started calling me a little whore and a slut. I was crying, too scared to move. Well then, he got on top of me and started pulling at my underwear, telling me if I dressed like a slut, he would treat me like one."

"He is a big guy, you know, and easily overpowered me. When he pinned my arms after ripping my underwear off, I got really scared and started screaming. He then reared up and punched me in the face. I almost blacked out and was barely able to move for several minutes. Well, when I finally got my wits back, he had already gotten his disgusting dick inside me and was raping me."

"Well, at that point, I was too scared to even fight him, so I just went numb as he pounded away inside me. After he was done, he got up and spit on me and told me that I was a worthless fuck just like my mother. He then went into his bedroom and passed out after that."

"I laid there on the floor for several minutes, in a puddle of his cum and my blood, crying and asking God why this happened to me. I managed to get up after a while, went into the bathroom and took a shower, then a bath to try and rid myself of his disgusting fluids. I was in so much pain down there, too."

"The hardest part other than him assaulting and raping me like that was that I had been a virgin up until then. I wanted to save myself for the man I loved, and that fucking bastard took that away from me. Well, the next day, he got up and left like nothing happened. I hadn't slept all night and my heart quickly hardened as I made a plan to leave."

"So, I went out to the garage and got an old back pack, that mom said belonged to my dad back in the day, took it to my bedroom and filled it with as much stuff as I could, grabbed a water bottle and some food to take and left him a note reminding him of what he did to me, and I never wanted to see him again, if I did see him, I would tell the police."

"I stayed with friends here and there for a while, but he kept trying to find me. He called my phone and left hundreds of messages saying how sorry he was and how he had blacked out that night. I managed to stay hidden from him but wore out my welcome with friends, so I hit the road."

"I was lucky to hook up with another homeless woman for a while and she taught me how to survive the streets. She had been on the road for several years and knew how to keep herself safe and how to keep warm. She took me to a place that gave out winter camping gear and food to homeless people and we loaded up."

"She also taught me how to give blowjobs for money and how to use a condom while doing it, so not to get any STDs in my mouth. It wasn't the best way to earn money, but when you are desperate, you do what you have to."

"After a few months, I wanted to get away from that area completely because I was tired of living in fear of that asshole finding me, so her and I went our separate ways. I was really scared at first, especially camping out by myself in the woods, but I got used to it, and I got used to earning money here and there at truck stops along the way. Truck drivers can't afford trouble, so they never treated me bad. They got a blowjob, and I made money doing it. So, Sebastian, that's my story and now I am here."

I sat there and listened to every word she said and felt guilty for ever feeling sorry for myself and my heartbreak. It all paled in comparison to what Maggie had endured and my heart hurt for her. I had to look away for a moment because I felt all the emotions that I had kept pent up for months now, trying to get out as I felt the tears begin to well up.

I half choked on my words at first but managed to say, "Maggie, I don't quite know what to say right now, and all I can is that I am rightfully sorry that you had to go through all that. I feel a bit guilty for feeling bad for myself."

"Sebastian, you're the first man that has been honest with me about his feelings for a long time, and I appreciate that more than you know."

"Thanks, Maggie, I have always tried to be honest and straight forward. So, can I ask where are you headed? You mentioned not having family anywhere close to Minneapolis, so where are they?"

"Well, I have some cousins that live near Seattle, and I thought about going there, but the last time I talked to them, they didn't seem too enthused about me coming there. They are struggling like a lot of people these days, so they probably think I am coming to freeload."

Not thinking before I said it, I just blurted out, "You could stay here."

Maggie looked at me grinned then said, "You're just being nice, and I definitely don't want to be a burden on you."

That gave me time to think more on it and I said, "You wouldn't be a burden, Maggie. I know the folks in this town, and I could get you some work, then you can help pay your way by helping with the groceries at first and go from there. You don't sound like you have a whole lot of options and I'd hate for you to keep having to give blowjobs to make a few bucks."

Maggie looked down at the ground and said, "Why do you care?"

"Because I do, and because I don't want to see a young pretty girl like you become another statistic!" I was getting emotional at that point and the tears were starting to fall as I looked away to fight them back.

There were a few moments of awkward silence before she looked at me and grinned then said, "You think I'm pretty?"

I saw that she was trying to lighten the mood, and very successful at it. I smiled and said, "Yes, I do, Maggie, and I can tell that you are very smart young woman. You deserve to have some peace in your life, and I am offering that to you here."

She was quiet again for a minute then said, "Can I think about it overnight?"

I half laughed and said, "Good lord, yes! Take as much time as you need because it's not like I am going to kick you to the streets for not making up your mind."

Maggie smiled and said, "Well, it's a tough decision to leave good pancakes, and a good pup, you know?"

She reached down and scratched Lucy's back, getting an immediately lick across the hand from her. This girl had a sense of humor, and I was really happy that she was feeling comfortable enough to show it. I could not help but laugh and admire the strong woman Maggie was.

"Well, speaking of food, what should we plan for dinner? I could run down to the market and get some steaks or something like that?"

Maggie looked at me and said, "Can I go with you?"

"Sure, let's go."

We got up and headed into the house to change but then Maggie said, "I need to shower again, Sebastian. I feel like I have a month's worth of dirt on me that one bath did not get off. You don't have to wait for me if you don't want to."

"Of course, I'll wait for you."

"Cool, I'll be out in a little bit," as she turned and headed quickly into her room.

I sat down in the kitchen at the table and grabbed another cup of coffee while I waited and read some news on my phone.

Maggie was in there for about ten minutes or so when I heard her call out for me. I went to the door to the bathroom and asked what she needed.

"Sebastian, I forgot to grab my towel off the hook on the bedroom door, can you get if for me?"

"Sure thing, be right back."

I grabbed the towel off the back of the door then opened the door to the bathroom. Maggie was still in the shower behind the curtain, so looped the towel over it.

"Thank you and sorry about that."

"No worries, see you when you get out."

When I went to close the door, Maggie opened the curtain a little too fast and I saw her through the mirror reflection over the sink.

It had been a long time since I had last seen a naked woman in my house, well since before Eva left to be exact and if I thought Maggie was pretty before, she was even more beautiful naked, dripping wet from head to toe, small breasts with pale areolas that nearly blended in with her skin, flat toned tummy and fiery red pubic hair that matched the hair on her head.

I quickly closed the door and headed back out into the kitchen, where I sat down and processed what I had just seen, purely on accident. Yes, maybe I paused longer than I should have when she opened that curtain. I had to quickly get my thoughts back to the right place, so I called Lucy over and gave her some good puppy love to help me clear my mind.

It was about five minutes later when Maggie came out, and I could not help but get a little red in the face from seeing her in the nude. So, I pretended to be busy with something on my phone.

"I'm ready," she said happily.

"Okay, then, let's head out. Lucy we'll be right back, sweetie," I said as I bent down to pet her again, feeling my face cooling down.

Maggie followed up with some more pets, making Lucy very happy as she followed us to the door, sitting down on her favorite cushion near the entry way to wait for our return as we exited the house.

I started down the steps and Maggie said, "Aren't you going to lock the door?"

I laughed a little and said, "No, no one will bother the place. We all watch out for each other's places and haven't had an issue as long as I can remember."

Maggie raised her eyebrows and said, "Wow, that's unheard of in the city."

I smiled and motioned for her to follow, "Shall we?"

Maggie smiled and caught up beside me, as we walked down the street to the market.

She stayed close by while we shopped, and I could tell that she was feeling a bit uncomfortable as she looked around the market. All she got from the clerks working there were smiles, nods and a few happy hellos, so by the time we were done getting what we needed for dinner, I could tell that she was a lot more relaxed. She even picked out the pot roast that we would have.

As we were heading back to my house, she said, "Wow, that's a first time in a long time that I wasn't followed around a store like a criminal. When you are homeless, and go into a store, they watch you like a hawk thinking you are going to steal something."

"Yeah, you won't get that here, unless of course you gave them good reason, to do so," I said as we walked along carrying the bags.

When we got back to the house, you would have thought we had been gone for a month, because as usual, we got love attacks from Lucy as we came in the door. I swear that dog has separation anxiety. Maggie got down on the floor and played with her while I took the bags into the kitchen.

"Do you want anything to eat or snack on right now, because it's going to be a couple of hours before dinner is ready?"

"Naw, I'm good until then, thanks anyway," she called back to me.

I sent a quick text to Rose, to let her know how things were going and she sent back asking if I wanted her to bring us dinner. I said that I had dinner cooking but thanked her anyway and she sent back that she would drop off some dessert.

"Rose is going to drop by later and bring us dessert. She didn't say what she was bringing but I am hoping it's her cherry pie. She knows it's my favorite."

Maggie came into the kitchen with Lucy right by her, and said, "I like just about anything when it comes to sweets."

Maggie sat down at the table for a little bit while I was still putting stuff away, but then got up and said, "Sebastian, do you care if I go back and lay down for a bit? That bed felt so good and so relaxing."

I turned to look at her and said, "Maggie, you don't have to ask, okay? You are free to come and go here as you like."

"I know, it's just...."

"Everything is going to be okay. When you get up, we'll have dinner."

She smiled and nodded, then went into her room, with Lucy following right behind her and left the door slightly ajar.

I called into her, "You can close the door, Lucy will let me know if she wants out."

She must not have cared, because the door remained as it was. I put the finishing touches on the pot roast preparation and put it in the pressure cooker, then went back out and sat on the porch.

About an hour later, Rose stopped by and as I had hoped, brought us a cherry pie and a container of her homemade whipped cream. I put the whipped cream in the fridge while Rose looked in on Maggie again, then the two of us went back out onto the porch.

"That poor girl must be exhausted, Sebastian, and I can't imagine what she has been through."

I then proceeded to tell Rose what Maggie told me and by the time I finished, tears were streaming down her face.

"Oh, dear God, why do bad things like that happen," Rose asked as she looked up.

"I don't think God always hears, Rose," I said shaking my head.

"I think you're right. Well, give her my love and I will talk to you later, Sebastian," Rose said as she stood up to leave.

I got up and hugged her and said, "Thanks for bringing my favorite pie."

"You're welcome, sweetie, see you later," Rose said.

The pressure cooker timer went off and I went in to check on the pot roast. As I was making sure it was good and tender, Maggie came out with Lucy.

"Wow, that smells REALLY good," she said rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"It sure does, are you getting hungry?"

"Oh my God, I'm starving,"

I put the pot roast and the veggies that I cooked with it on a platter, then quickly set the table, while Maggie watched with a little smile on her face. As soon as I put the food on the table, she dug in, and started eating. I buttered up some bread and put her a couple of pieces close to her plate. She gave me a muffled "thanks" with her mouth full and I grinned at her.

It warmed my heart to watch her eat like that and I only hoped that she would decide to stay. It had only been a short time since I stopped by to ask her if she needed help, but I was quickly becoming very attached to having her around.

That evening after we had both enjoyed a generous slice of cherry pie with whipped cream, I asked her if she wanted to watch a movie, and she nodded but then asked, "You don't have a TV, though."

I smiled and said, "I don't, but let me show you."

We went into the living room, and I grabbed a remote, pushed a button on it and a screen came sliding down from a slot door in the ceiling. Across the room, there was a projector mounted on a shelf hidden behind a faux stack of books that I removed and then turned on.

I looked at Maggie and she was looking at the setup in awe, then said, "Wow, aren't you just the techie"

"Naw, not really, I just didn't want to clutter up the place with a big TV since I don't watch a lot of it."

We sat down on the sofa on opposite ends, got comfortable while Lucy laid on the floor between us. The movie we watched was a romantic comedy and I could tell that Maggie really enjoyed it as she was all smiles when it was over.

"Well, I need to head to bed, Maggie. I have to work in the morning, so it's bright and early for me. Goodnight and see you in the morning if you are up."

"Okay, I think I will go in and do the same. Goodnight, Sebastian," she said with smile and headed into her room.

For the next several days, I could tell that Maggie was getting more and more comfortable with staying and I honestly thought that was her decision without actually saying it. She was enjoying some peace and quiet, getting plenty of needed rest to help rejuvenate her, along with eating steady meals.

Since I normally did not cook during the week, I would come home every day, and take her to the diner to get dinner. Rose would make sure we had something great to eat, sit and talk with us for a while then send us home with dessert.

This became our little routine that week, and I really looked forward to seeing her when I came in the door as she greeted me with a sweet smile, then spending the evening with her until it was time to go to bed. The longer she stayed, the longer we stayed up, neither of us really wanting to part company but eventually bowing down to the sandman.

That weekend, we spent the day Saturday exploring one of the lakes close by, and even attempted to take a dip in the water, but it was way too cold. We laughed and splashed at the water's edge, then built a fire and sat together on a blanket to get warm.

Sunday, Maggie seemed a little distant and when I asked if she was okay, she just smiled and nodded her head yes, saying she was just thinking about a lot of stuff.

That evening we had a nice dinner together, sharing the task of making lasagna. We had a good time and it turned out great for the first time making it. We ate half the pan, along with bread and salad, then retired to the living room to watch another movie. As we watched another funny romantic comedy, I thought about how nice it would be to have a lot more movie nights like this.

As usual, we stayed up longer than we should have but finally said our goodnights and headed to our bedrooms. Getting ready for bed was a simple task for me since all I did was strip down and dive under the blankets after I brushed my teeth. I laid there for a bit, not quite ready to sleep and thought about Maggie as I did nearly every minute of the day now.

A short time later, I heard a soft knock on my door and the voice behind it say, "Sebastian, are you still awake?"