Stupid Ch. 01

As he lay there, he knew he had done something really stupid. Not the normal, everyday stupid that people do. No, he had done the worst kind of stupid; male libido stupid. He thought back to how this whole affair had started and tried to figure out why he had done what he did. He couldn't believe it had only been four days since she had come into his life.

It had been Wednesday night. As was becoming the norm, he had left his office as the sun was disappearing behind the low hills which were all that remained of the Appalachin Mountains. The only good thing about leaving this late was he avoided a large portion of the traffic leaving Philadelphia for the suburbs in which the office complex was located. He still had a half hour of travel to complete before he arrived home, but the road ran practically to his front door so he drove on auto-pilot, not paying attention to most things around him.

The brake lights on the car in front of him lit up suddenly and it was only by sheer stroke of luck he didn't plow into the rear bumper. He silently thanked the German engineers of his BMW for their skill and took a few deep breaths to calm himself. Looking through the rear window of the car he had almost hit, he saw the brake lights on the vehicles further up the road were also lit, signifying they too weren't moving.

The line of traffic sat motionless for over five minutes before it began to creep forward. After another ten minutes of moving at a snail's pace he saw what was causing the backup. At least two vehicles had collided head on on the two-way road and their mangled carcasses were blocking the road in both directions. A large contingent of fire, rescue and police vehicles were swarming the accident scene and traffic was being rerouted.

Dutifully following the directions of the officer directing traffic, he turned right down a side road and followed in line with everyone else, not completely sure where the road was leading to. From time to time a car up front would turn left down a connector road but he stayed in line and kept driving. Darkness had settled itself upon the land and every car had its lights on.

He had no idea what town the procession came to and stopped at a gas station to get directions. Though he had lived in the area for nearly a decade, he rarely went off familiar roads. To him, the road either led to Philadelphia, the turnpike or 95. Aside from that, he was like a lost puppy.

He pulled his car along the side of the building, turned off the car lights and went to find out where he was and how to get home. The cashier was helpful and gave him precise directions on how to find his way out which he wrote down. He thanked the guy, giving a wave as he opened the door and walked back to his car. No sooner had the engine turned over than he flicked on the headlights and was in the process of backing up when he stopped, turned his head forward and took a good look. Something had caught his eye in that instant the lights illuminated the area in front of his car and he wanted to get another look.

There, between the building and the garbage dumpster, he saw movement. He stared intently, trying to figure out if it was just an animal moving among the pile of what looked like paper and other stuff or something more. He stepped out of his car and took a few steps forward, his shadow extending several feet in front of him as the lights of his car lit up the scene. He took a few more steps, then a few more. In short order he was standing over the moving pile and using the tip of his foot, dislodged a few pieces of newspaper. He stopped when he saw a dirty sneaker protruding out.

Not sure how to proceed, he did what people always did in the movies when confronted with such a situation. He spoke.

"Hello?"

Silence. Waiting a few moments, he spoke again.

"I'm not the police. You can come out."

Slowly, two small hands poked out the top of the pile and pushed down the mass revealing a scraggily mop of hair covering a face. Looking closely, he saw the face was feminine. A kid in fact.

Though unmarried and without children of his own, he had a soft spot for children and animals. He occasionally joked with people in the office that he was a cruel, coldhearted bastard which was the reason for him being single. In reality, he gave money to several animal shelters and on occasion spoke at halfway homes for troubled youths, trying to encourage them to move beyond their circumstances.

Now, as he looked into those dark brown eyes, he measured his next response.

"Would you like a softer, warmer place to spend the night?" he asked.

No response. The eyes merely stared back at him.

"Should I call the police and have them talk to you?" he continued.

The head shook from side to side, the eyes never leaving his.

"I'll tell you what, I'll get back in the car and leave the passenger door unlocked. I'll wait there five minutes. If you don't want to come, I'll drive away and that will be the end of the story. No police, no human services, no nothing. I'll just leave. The decision is yours."

His speech done, he turned and did as he said he would. He got into his seat and turned off the headlights. Looking at the clock, he began the five minute countdown.

Just over a minute later, he saw a form rise up and make its way to his car. The lights of the gas station provided enough light for him to see that she carried a backpack close to her chest and nothing else. She came to the passenger door, opened it, and without a word, climbed in.

He hadn't noticed it before when he was near the dumpster but now, in the confines of the car, the smell of dirt, grime and body odor filled the air. Trying not to be too obvious, he turned the fan on and adjusted the temperature controls before flicking on his headlights and leaving the station.

During the ride to his place, neither said one word. It was eerily quiet. He couldn't even hear her breathe. Occasionally he would glance over at her but her eyes stared straight ahead. He did see that she still clutched the backpack to her chest in a deathgrip.

Another half hour passed before he finally pulled into his garage. Getting out, he walked to the passenger side and opened the door. Without a word, she got out and stood there, waiting for him to tell her what to do. He opened the door which led into his house and held it open for her. Understanding his intentions, she walked in a few feet and again waited for him, the lights of the room turning on automatically when they detected her movement and revealing a small utility/mud room which had his washer and dryer.

Locking the door behind him, he faced her and looked her up and down. He guessed her to be just over five feet in height and maybe one hundred pounds, including the dirt under her nails. Her face had a slight roundness to it with a few freckles dotting her cheeks.

"Follow me," he told her and opened a door at the end of the room which led to the kitchen area. Entering the kitchen, he paused and watched her expression as she looked around.

"If you go down that hallway, the last door on the left is a second bedroom. You can sleep there tonight. It has its own bathroom and shower if you want to get cleaned up. You can lock the door if it will make you feel more comfortable. I'll have dinner ready in about half an hour. Sorry, nothing fancy. Just leftovers."

Turning her head, she looked down the indicated hallway and made her way to room. He heard the click of the lock as she closed the door.

After changing into shorts and a tee shirt, he rummaged in his refrigerator for the leftovers and began heating them in the microwave. While dinner was reheating, he took a few moments to gather his thoughts. He contemplated calling one of his contacts from the homes but decided that since it was so late, he'd hold off until the morning.

The ding of the microwave signified he could finally eat. He laid out the two meals on the table and walked to the bedroom door. Gently knocking, he let her know that dinner was ready if she wanted something to eat.

He had just put the first bite of food into his mouth when he heard the door open and the sound of feet moving over the carpet in the hallway. Glancing at her before she sat down, he saw she had taken a shower and now looked fairly presentable though her clothes needed the same treatment.

Sitting across from him at the table, she dug into the leftover pot roast which comprised dinner. He saw she held her fork in the proper manner, not clutching it like she was going to shovel food into her mouth. He let her swallow a few mouthfuls before trying to strike up a conversation.

"Now might be a good time to introduce oursevles," he began. "My name is Ken."

Silence. She looked at him, her mouth caught in mid bite before she resumed chewing. Grabbing the glass of water, she washed down the food before blurting out, "Kate", and taking another mouthful of food.

"Ok, Kate. I'm not going to ask you how you got to where you were, where you came from or anything else along those same lines. In fact, if you want to leave after you've eaten, you're free to do so. However, so long as you're here I have three rules that need to be followed."

Again, she stopped in mid bite and looked at him. He could see the defiance in her eyes and knew what was she was thinking.

"First, no drugs or smoking. Second..."

"I can't afford that shit," she interrupted.

"Fine. Second, no stealing. If you want or need something, just ask. I'll get it for you. Third, be honest. I've been upfront with you the whole time and I expect you to do the same for me. Are we clear?"

"Yeah, whatever," Kate said, shoving another glob of food into her mouth.

"Tomorrow we'll go shopping and other things. Is that ok with you?"

"Yeah, sure, whatever."

Ken finished his meal and put the dishes in the dishwasher after which he waited for Kate to finish her meal. He asked if she wanted more and was rewarded with a grunted "No" after which she left the table and went back to the bedroom, locking the door behind her.

Ken was tired and knew tomorrow was going to be a trying day so rather than watching tv, he cleaned himself up and went straight to bed.

The next morning he woke at his normal time but rather than getting ready for work, took his time getting breakfast before calling his office. His secretary answered and he told her he would be working from home the next two days and that he would see her on Monday. Fortunately for him, because of what he did and his position in the company, he had more leeway than most employees and if he wanted to work from home, there was never a question.

After putting the phone down, he knocked on Kate's door and let her know she could have breakfast when she wanted it. He went back to his home office next to the kitchen and opened some reports on his laptop. It wasn't long before he heard the click of the lock and the sound of movement.

Getting up from his chair, he entered the kitchen and had to stop himself from laughing. Kate stood next to the table wearing a tee shirt which was three sizes too big for her, her dark hair a tangled mess around her face. She gave him the look which let him know she was not amused at his enjoyment.

"Eggs ok?" he asked.

Kate nodded her head, plopped herself down at the table and waited for the food to arrive. Ken deftly made scrambled eggs and a side of toast which he laid before her. He got her a glass of grapefruit juice and poured himself another small glass and sat down as well.

Waiting for her to down a few mouthfuls, he tried again to start a conversation.

"Mind telling me how old you are?"

"Nineteen," was the short answer.

Ken's eyes grew wide as he digested the answer. Nineteen? There was no way that was possible.

"Nineteen?" he inquired. "Are you sure?"

Kate stopped eating, put her fork down and looked him straight in the eyes.

"Yeah, I'm sure. Yeah, I'm short and look like a little girl. Anything else?" she retorted.

"No," Ken replied, not sure what else to say. He had figured her to be fifteen or sixteen. Maybe he needed his eyes checked.

"You?" Kate asked before finishing her juice.

"Forty one" Ken told her.

"Not married?"

"No."

"How come?"

"Just one of those things. Haven't found the right woman."

Kate looked around the kitchen and then anywhere else she could see.

"You gay?"

"What?" Ken laughed. "No, not gay. Why?"

"You have a nice place, you keep it clean and you can cook. I just figured if a woman didn't want that it must be because you're gay."

Kate stared at him, that defiant look again in her eyes though now Ken saw she had a sliver of a smile on her face. She was enjoying this.

"You ready to go shopping?" Ken asked, diverting the conversation.

"Sure, why not" Kate said and got up from the table.

"Um, how about I wash your clothes before we go. Would that be okay?"

Kate looked at him for a moment, seeing his clean clothes and decided that she should go along with the suggestion. She went back to her room and returned moments later with her clothes in her hands.

"If you want to watch some tv while I take care of this, you're free to do so," Ken told her, indicating with a nod of his head the living room which abutted the kitchen. Without a word, Kate went to the sofa, picked up the remote control and started watching random channels. Ken went to the laundry room where he found some of his clothes which needed washing and mixed hers in with his. Two loads and an hour later, her clothes were as clean and dry as they were going to be. While he was folding his clothes, he saw her bra was damaged beyond recovery and hoped she wouldn't be too upset seeing how he was going to buy her new clothes.

"Ready!" Ken called. He laid her clothes on the corner of the table in a neat pile. When she picked them up he told her about the bra and apologized. She shrugged it off and told him not to worry about it as it had been like that for a while. When she went to her room and closed the door to change her clothes, Ken noted she didn't lock the door this time.

It wasn't long before Kate returned wearing her newly washed clothes. Her shirt was untucked and hung down to the top of her thighs though her hair was in slightly better shape than it had been. Ken looked at her and still couldn't believe she was nineteen. She looked like a young girl; no curves, no figure, no nothing.

Ken put on a pair of sneakers before grabbing his car keys and with Kate in tow, went to the car. Upon opening her door, the smell from last night came back.

"Um, sorry about that," Kate apologized.

Ken smiled. "Don't worry about it. It was time to get cleaned anyway. We'll just air it out on the way to the mall."

Fortunately, the weather was cooperating during this middle part of spring and they drove with the windows down while the sun beat down through the windows. Kate's unkempt hair blew wildly about before she grew tired of moving it off her face and tucked it into the neck of her shirt.

As before, the two rode in silence. Neither said a word even when they were in the mall. Kate stopped in front of a Victoria's Secret store, her eyes looking at the pictures of the models in the window displays who wore various pieces of lingerie and undergarments, their sexual appeal evident to both man and woman. She looked at Ken who merely nodded and the two went shopping. He stayed with her for a few moments before wandering away and looking on his own while Kate collected various items.

"May I help you?" a young, lilting voice asked Ken as he was looking at some robes.

Turning, he saw one of the sales associates standing there, looking at him as if he was lost.

"No, just looking. I'm with my niece." He nodded in the direction of Kate who was at a display table across the room.

"OK! If there's anything I can help you with, let me know. My name is Jenni." With that, Jenni turned smartly on her toes and left Ken alone. He watched her walk away, the way her young hips swayed side-to-side, the graceful shape of her legs showing beneath her skirt. He inwardly sighed at the reminder of his middle age and went back to looking at the clothes on display.

When he looked around a few minutes later, he saw Kate adding more pieces to her now larger pile of clothes and wended his way through the displays. Standing behind Kate, he took a peek at what she had accumulated. She had the usual assortment of bras and matching panties in a variety of colors. Nothing too revealing. More functional than anything else.

As she didn't realize he was behind her, Kate stepped on Ken's foot when she stepped back from the table.

"Sorry," she apologized and went about her way.

A short while later Kate came up to him and told him she was done. With that, the two went to the counter and the same store employee who had talked to him earlier rang up their bill. When the total was announced and Ken handed over his credit card, she gave him the biggest smile possible and told him to come back again.

Ken went to grab a few of the bags but Kate got to them first and carried them herself. Back into the mall they went with their next stop at a store to get some clothes. Almost two hours later, Kate had a few more bags to add to her collection which she also carried. Ken wasn't sure how such a petite person could carry so much but Kate did.

Their final stop was at a drugstore where they picked up a large bag of personal items. Again, Kate carried the bag, though by now she had to sway side-to-side when she walked.

"You know, I can carry a few of those if you'd like," Ken offered.

"I'm fine," Kate told him and continued walking.

After stowing the bags in the trunk of his car, the two left, in silence, for the return trip. However, instead of going straight home, Ken stopped where he got his hair cut and asked one of the ladies if she could fit Kate in, giving just a brief explanation of why he didn't have an appointment. Fortunately, there were almost no customers being tended to and Kate was able to be slotted in without any trouble.

Ken left the decision to Kate as to how she wanted her hair cut and grabbed a magazine from the rack while waiting for her return. Forty five minutes later he saw movement out of the corner of his eye and looked up. For a moment he wasn't sure if the person before him was the same one he had brought in, but he recognized those deep brown eyes and was amazed at the transformation. Whereas before Kate's hair was an unruly mess of dried out, wavy and bent hair, it had been lopped into a short, silky smooth bob with the ends following her jaw and swept forward, pointing towards her lips. She looked completely different. She now looked like the attractive young woman she was.

Ken didn't say aword. He simply smiled and paid the bill, thanking the stylist for the wonderful job she did.

During the ride home, he saw Kate several times run her fingers through her shorn hair as if she wasn't sure it was as short as it was. He didn't say a word, instead letting her find her own way.

Once home, Kate again refused all help to carry the bags and in one trip, carried the entire mass to her room. She emerged moments later and asked if Ken had a pair of scissors. Ken pulled out a pair and handed them to her, watching as she closed the door to her room. Figuring she would be a while, Ken checked in with work after which he got back to work on the reports he had looked at in the morning.

He hadn't realized how long he had been working until his stomach growled. When he looked at the clock, it was just after three in the afternoon. For whatever reason, he remembered he had forgotten to do something and made a quick call before going to the kitchen for a late lunch.

"Kate," he called down the hallway, "if you want lunch, come out." Ken pulled out lunch meat and made himself a sandwich as well as grabbing a bag of chips and settled in. Kate appeared moments later wearing the new clothes she had picked out. Just a pair of shorts and a tee shirt but now that she was cleaned up, her true age began to show through. Ken could see she did have some curves and what appeared to be a nice pair of breasts beneath her shirt. Her legs, previously hidden beneath her pants, were slim but had that young, athletic tone to them. For the briefest of moments, he wished he were significantly younger before pushing the thoughts from his head.