Neighbors

"You must come in and cool off Jerrod, we made fresh lemonade mixed with fresh squeezed orange juice, I think you'll like it. Please, don't disappoint the boys, they worked so hard to get it made before you left."

Why would I want to disappoint those little boys? I wouldn't, therefore I followed her into the house and sidled up to the breakfast bar where the older boys were sitting. The home was well furnished, appliances appeared to be fairly new and the overall feel of the place was that it was well taken care of, she saw me looking around and commented.

"Curt makes a lot of money which allows me to take care of the home front and have nice things, but it comes with a heavy price, the boys don't have a daddy and I don't have any adult male company for six weeks at a time. I wash little clothes, hear little voices and make little meals every day, it would be nice to have an adult conversation at the end of the day. Does that make sense?"

I nodded, "Sure does, when does Curt come home again?"

A look of disappointment came over her, leaning on the counter she sighed deeply, "It was supposed to be in four weeks but during facetime earlier he told me he'd be home next week and then was being sent to one of the companies rigs in the North Sea off of England for two months. He'll only be home a week, sometimes I hate his job. He gets a full month off after that, but it's a long time to be alone."

I touched her hand with mine, "If it helps I don't mind doing the lawn for you each week, you can pay me with more of this delicious lemonade and homemade cookies, they're my weakness. AND, I'll put the full trash bins out if you'll take them back when they're empty, does that sound okay?"

With my hand slightly over hers she put her other hand on top of mine thanking me over and over. She talked me into staying for grilled cheese sandwiches with the boys for lunch, as I excused myself after eliminating two cookies for dessert she was getting the boys down for their naps. That idea sounded so good I took one myself, waking just before three, crap, now I'd be up half the night, maybe I'd luck out and this would be the night I could watch the Tellers fucking on my front lawn. They didn't disappoint, shortly after midnight I heard their voices, three minutes later he had her on the grass plunging his cock deep within and then eating her, she reciprocated by sucking him clean.

In spite of my nap I was tired enough to not sit on the porch much past one, maybe feeling better relieving the pressure on my blue balls after the Jeffords left and having a purpose, (helping a lady with 3 kids) is what I needed. I determined I would behave myself and not see her as a lovely roll in the hay, even if that's what I wanted, I would be a friend to her instead of an aggravation. Curt was due home the following Friday, I walked to the house and knocked on the door late Thursday afternoon.

"Hi Julie, got anything else you need to put in the bins, if not I'll take them out then drag mine back across the road."

A big smile on her face, it was obvious she didn't have a bra on beneath the t-shirt, I was treated to a pair of protruding nipples even though I could tell she was embarrassed as she folded her arms to cover her chest. I made an effort not to stare and succeeded until she turned to look at the full waste basket, moving her arms those beauties swung and jiggled in a delicious manner, my mouth watered, by the time she looked back I had averted my eyes to her face.

"Um, just the one, I took out the recyclables this morning."

I walked past her, removed the bag and told her I'd see her soon. I needed to get out of there before my pants were tented. Sitting on the porch that evening I watched her walk down the driveway and across the road toward my house.

I was a bit concerned, "Hi, where are the boys?"

Smiling she replied, "Oh, they're with my mom, they'll be home in the morning, I needed a break and mom was sweet enough to take them."

I chuckled, making sure I didn't sound flirtatious I asked, "Did you stop by for some of that *adult* conversation you talked about? Would you like something to drink, pop, juice, a beer?"

Another smile, "A beer sounds good, I don't drink when it's just me and the boys, so a beer sounds just right."

We talked well into the night, it was going on eleven before we bid one another ado. She talked a lot about her husband, where they'd met, how long they'd dated, that at times she wondered if he didn't work the rigs because he didn't want to be home with three little boys. I could see sadness in her eyes at times, they had been separated after their first child, he was supposed to be on a rig in the North Sea for six weeks. She found out he'd been on the rig three weeks and had been shacked up with some red headed Irish babe in Belfast for the other three.

She wondered what I did that I could afford to not work. I explained that I was a service tech for the Caterpillar Company heavy equipment division, when a local dealership couldn't find an answer they contacted someone like me, the reason I wasn't working was because of my surgery and the fact that if I didn't use at least four weeks of the comp time by September I would lose it.

"So, do you have to travel a lot then?" She asked.

I shook my head, "Not as much as I used to when I first started, I work mostly in the states, Canada and a little bit in South America, a lot of mining stuff. I'm usually not gone more than a few days when I travel, a lot of things I can solve via the phone and inter-facing."

Just before she left she confided in me more than I think she intended, "He hasn't been back to the North Sea since the affair, but I'm not sure if I can trust him, he really hurt me."

Ten minutes later we parted. Lying in bed that night I couldn't get what she'd told me out of my head. Why would someone married to a gal as pretty as her have an affair? I'm sure he thought she'd never find out, what the idiot didn't consider is that they always do. A wife knows, just like a husband knows. Knowing he would be home the next evening I made myself scarce throughout the day, spending most of my time in the workshop or house.

I watched him walk with the oldest boy to the mailbox on Saturday, I have those one way blinds where I can see out but no one can see in which allows me to watch a good portion of the street from the comfort of my desk. The windows in my office are butted together so it's almost as wide as a bay window, I have a panoramic view of our street, I see it all. Taking the mail from the box he turned and stared at my house, I could see him, but he couldn't see me.

He was tall and burly to a degree, it looked as though him working on the rigs kept him in good shape, even though he was a mechanical engineer/plant manager according to Julie and wasn't a part of most of the physical labor. His hair was longish pulled up into one of those ridiculous looking man-buns, I felt sorry for his kids seeing him look like that. He was unshaven, not a beard, a three- or four-day growth of prickly stubble, why would he come home to be with his wife and kids looking like a bum, it was beyond me. How hard is it to drag a razor across your face once a day? If you're gonna have a beard then have one, but not a face full of scruffy looking stubble.

Julie must have told him to bring the bins back with him, I watched as he sorted through the mail tossing the junk into the recyclable bin and handing the few remaining pieces to the boy, he grabbed the handle of a bin in each hand and pulled them to the house. I had contemplated walking over to introduce myself and then thought better of it, he'd be home for a week, there would be plenty of time to meet him.

It was Tuesday before I met him, I was working in the flower bed around the flagpole not paying much attention to my surroundings when I heard cough, looking up there stood Curt.

"Mornin, names Curt, you must be Jerrod. Wanted to thank you for helpin with the trash and mowin my lawn, you probly won't need to do that no more, gonna get the rider fixed before I leave. Won't need to take the trash out neither, Julie can do that."

I found myself thinking, *he may have a college degree but he talks like a hick*.

I stood to shake his hand, he wanted to play the old, 'I'll squeeze your hand hard to show you how tough I am and put you in your place'. Suffice it to say I didn't play along, I matched his pressure every step of the way and when I sensed he'd maxed out I squeezed a little harder, just enough to let him know I wasn't his bitch. I let go of his hand without so much as a smile and addressed what he'd said.

"Good morning, yes, the name is Jerrod, nice to meet you, As for the trash and lawn I didn't mind at all, she needed help and I was more than happy to offer, it wasn't a problem for me at all."

I could see he wasn't pleased with my answer, "Yeah, well, she don't need yer help no more, she don't do nuthin but watch the boys and take care of the house."

I wanted to drop that stupid fuck on the spot but held my anger, what an ignoramus, I didn't have kids of my own but my sisters did and I saw how busy their kids kept them even with help from the spouses. What he said next left me wondering if he was all there.

"I'll be leavin this Friday, I'd appreciate it if you could help her if she has an emergency."

On the one hand you don't want me to help your wife and on the other hand you do. Talk about a convoluted state of mind, I had to wonder where on earth he'd received his degree from, wherever it was I wanted to make sure I never went there for my continuing ed classes. I watched from my office as they said goodbye mid-morning on Friday, the kids hugged and tugged at him, I noticed only the littlest one cried, the other two were almost stoic about the whole thing, as if to say adios, when are you leaving already.

Julie kissed him, and that's exactly what happened, she kissed him, he didn't pull her into his arms and kiss her goodbye passionately or show any affection, hell, his hands were on her waist and not on her ass puling her against himself one last time before departing. Things were not right, it was plain as day, it didn't even look like he wanted to be there, and ten minutes later he wasn't. The lazy ass couldn't be bothered to take the bins in for her before he left, I walked across the street grabbed them and pulled them to the house, as I turned to go I noticed the mower hadn't moved, it obviously hadn't been repaired either.

I turned as I heard Julie call to me, "Thank you, I could have gotten them later."

My ire got the best of me momentarily as I walked toward her, "Why didn't Curt bring them in, he could have easily done it last night, and what about the mower, did he even look at it?"

The moment those words left my mouth I regretted them and immediately apologized. "Julie, I'm so sorry, those things are none of my business."

She softly touched my forearm, "It's okay, you aren't wrong, Curt can be a real ass at times, he doesn't realize he's teaching his boys to act the same way. They watch, then they try to act the same way and get their little butts spanked but can't figure out why daddy gets away with the same shenanigans. My mom is right, he's setting them up for failure, in the end they'll pay the price, not him."

Profound words indeed. I sauntered home, it rained a few days in a row so I didn't see she or the boys outside, mid-week it had cleared and the sun was shining bright. I grabbed my tool bag and went to her house in my truck, when I knocked on the door she was wrapped in a robe, I had obviously caught her getting out of the shower.

"Hi, sorry if I caught you at a bad moment, if you don't mind, I'm going to look at the mower. Maybe it's something simple."

"Curt says the engine is seized and I should buy a new one, but I won't have enough extra to do that until next month. If you want to look at it go ahead, a second pair of eyes can't hurt."

I tried the key, the engine turned over but didn't fire, the engine was obviously not seized. I shut the gas petcock and removed the sediment bowl on the carburetor, it was about half water and half fuel, step number one was to get some clean fuel in the tank. I grabbed the empty gas can from her garage, jumped in truck and went for fuel, I'd disconnected the fuel line from the carburetor when I left and had it draining into a bucket. Upon returning the tank was empty, there was a half-gallon of water laden fuel in the bucket.

After flushing the line with fresh gas I reconnected it to the carburetor, replaced the now clean sediment bowl, opened the petcock and turned the key. With it choked fully it popped off in less than ten seconds, I reduced the amount of choke until the engine had smoothed out, put it in gear and moved forward, I engaged the blades and all worked well. I figured the blades needed to be replaced but that was a cheap fix as well. Julie and the boys came bounding out of the house all smiles and laughter, Julie gave me one of those *what did you do* looks.

"The carburetor had water in it along with the tank. I drained both, put in fresh fuel and turned the key, see, it was something simple after all. No need to spend a couple grand on a new one, 42" riders don't come cheap anymore. I've got some sta-bil at home, I'll add some to the tank in case there's a drop or two still in it."

Tossing my tool bag in the truck I walked to her with the keys for the mower, as I put them in her hand she closed her fingers around mine.

"Thank you Jerrod, you're a kind man. The boys and I will be baking cookies this afternoon, can you come by tonight for cookies and milk? Say seven, just before they go to bed."

I nodded and held up seven digits, she smiled and gave me a thumbs up as I walked to the truck. I found myself thinking I really liked this lady, why couldn't I have met her first? Too bad she was married with kids. Oh well, we'll just be friends then, I had no desire to break up a marriage like mine had been by causing her to cheat, and I could have, she was vulnerable, with a bit of attention and kindness I could have her naked and me thrusting into her hungry neglected pussy.

The boys were happy to see me walking up the driveway, the two older ones standing on the patio in jammies and bare feet, the littlest in her arms as she stood in the doorway smiling. Dammit, she was making it hard for me to just see her as a friend, she looked too inviting. The boys and I polished off a cookie each before it was their bedtime, the older one asked if I could help him brush his teeth, new territory for me.

I looked at Julie, "I don't know anything about helping kids brush their teeth, maybe you should do that."

She laughed, "It isn't rocket science Jerrod, up and down, back and forth, spit, rinse, and away we go."

She made a shooing kind of motion with her hand and I was being led to the bathroom by two little boys. We probably made more of a mess than when mom helped but it was done. When the middle one asked if I would tuck them in I looked at Julie in fright, once more her answer soothed my mixed emotions.

"That isn't rocket science either, get them under the covers, tuck the covers around them, kiss them on the forehead and tell them goodnight. Turn on the nightlight, turn off the overhead light and close the door."

I looked at her, "You make it sound so easy."

She once again shooed me on, "That's because it is easy, all they want Jerrod is to feel safe and be loved."

An entirely new realm of life opened up to me that night, one I'd seen from a distance but never firsthand. One of tender innocent love from little beings who saw you as someone who would never hurt them, at least not intentionally. An unconditional love we lose sight of as we age.

Over the next few week's I was taking out her bins and when she would mow I would take my mower over and mow with her, two machines one in front of the other made her big yard look easy. It was also when something very strange happened, strange because I wasn't expecting anything like it to occur, I had a few more weeks of comp time before I had to go back to work, on a sunny afternoon I happened to be at my mailbox the same time Mrs. Brady was at hers across the street, I wasn't aware she was behind me until she spoke.

"Hello Jerrod, I haven't seen you outside very much. Are you still recuperating from your surgery?"

"Nope, I'm right as rain, all healed up and raring to go, a few more weeks and I'll be back to work."

She looked at me intently, I knew our conversation wasn't over, "I've noticed you watching me at night."

Uh oh, caught. "Mrs. Brady what are you referring to?"

She motioned for us to get off the road, "Let's not be coy Jerrod, you know exactly what I'm referring to, I suspected you were watching from your porch but wasn't sure, that is until I saw the binoculars on your table. Did you notice I spiced it up a bit that night? What you didn't realize is that from the direction of my bedroom and the streetlight the lenses on your binoculars flash at just the right angle."

I looked at her and muttered, "Busted. Now what, are you going to call the cops?"

"Oh heavens no, I have another idea. I'll be moving to what is politely referred to as a *retirement community* in two weeks, the house is already sold, a couple at church bought it without ever having to list it. Nice people, late forties, empty nesters."

She shuffled her feet in the gravel, then spoke, "What I want Jerrod is for you to have sex with me this week and next before I move to the land of blue pills and no stamina. I don't need to be wined and dined, I'm sixty-six, I know what I want. Come over for coffee at seven tonight, we'll go over the details."

As I stood with my mouth hanging open she turned and walked to her house. What the hell was that all about, wait, she told me what it was about, she'd caught me looking and now she wanted me to have sex with her. The thought didn't repulse me in any way, I could see myself buried balls deep in her hairy old beaver, a little KY to get things started and then her body would likely take over, yeah, I could do her. Who knows, maybe I'll have a chance to suck on those 30 caliber sized nipples.

Entering the house I decided to do this right, at five I showered and shaved, put on a nicer short sleeved shirt, some jeans and a pair of leather sandals. I looked presentable, at least I felt I did, walking down her driveway at six forty five I was ready and primed, I figured a quick fifteen minute fuck and she'd be ready for bed. She'd be happy, I'd get rid of blue balls and still have time to watch a movie before bed. She greeted me at the door as though I was a traveling salesman getting ready to demonstrate the latest and greatest in vacuum cleaners.

"Good evening Jerrod, how would you like your coffee?"

Thinking I was being cute I replied, "Hot and black."

Once again the old girl bowled me over, "Oh, you should join the Jeffords, they've been doing the multi-race thing for a few years now, this latest couple have been stopping in for over a year. Before these folks it was a Spanish couple and before that an Asian couple. They have a web-cam site you know, I don't know how all that stuff works but I guess they market mostly in Asia and Europe. They do it all, with each other's spouse, sometimes the girls are together, other times it's a three-some either way, as far as I know there's never any guy on guy stuff. Close your mouth the flies will get in."

I'm sure she was right, my mouth was hanging open like a gaping canyon, I couldn't believe my ears.

"And Ellen, she's been having an affair with that woman for years, then there are the Tellers. Supposedly a pair of little goodie two shoes screwing on your front lawn, amazing what you find out when you can't sleep, when my late husband passed I did the same thing you've been doing, I would sit in my entryway watching the world while the others supposedly slept."