The Good Neighbor Ch. 07

As Jack sat at his kitchen table and ate the remaining cake, he pondered the evening's surprise - the camera in the living room.

He wondered, 'Were we being watched? Who called Diane's cellphone so late? Was Diane so quickly aroused by thinking someone watched us... or by me?'

He walked to the counter and placed the empty plate in the sink, feeling less satisfied with tonight's happy ending.

'But... it was exciting,' he thought, as he raised his fingers to smell Diane's lingering fragrance. 'I'm not washing my hand for a while.'

Picking up his cellphone, Jack walked to his bedroom, lay down, and wondered if she was free to text.

Magically, his phone buzzed with a message from Diane, which simply read, 'I love you!'

Good to know, but he wanted more information. So, he sent back, 'I love you, too! By the way, when I left, I noticed the picture frame from your bedroom was now in the living room.'

It took a minute, before she answered with a question, 'You didn't see it until you left?'

'No. I didn't. Why does that matter?'

Again, there was a long delay, before he received a response. 'Well, I told Sharon she could see clearly what you looked like by checking the camera feed. I thought you must've seen the picture frame, and I wasn't about to stop you to find out. So sorry!

'So, Sharon watched us? Is that who called?'

'Yes. So did Lou. They're happy for me. For us.'

Jack didn't know how he felt about their performance. He wouldn't have done it if he knew they were on camera. But there was no denying it didn't bother Diane. In fact, being watched probably made it more thrilling for her.

Diane continued with another text. 'Sharon said it was nice to see that you could have your cake and eat me, too. Ha ha!'

'Funny,' wrote Jack, with less enthusiasm.

'They offered to reciprocate, if you were interested.'

It took a second for the message to sink in. Aloud and to himself, Jack said, "Reciprocate?" Then he wrote, 'What do you mean, reciprocate?' knowing in his heart what it meant, but needed confirmation.

Diane simply wrote, 'We turned them on. They'd do the same for us.'

He typed, 'What did you say?'

'Can't now. Grandchildren here,' was her quick response.

So, she left the door open for future performances.

Jack put down his phone in astonishment. Sharon and Lou were basically offering to start up with them where Diane and Larry left off.

His phone buzzed. After a while, Jack read the text, 'Sharon said you are very attractive, but wore too much.' It was followed by a wink emoji.

Jack shook his head, feeling embarrassed and a little titillated all at the same time. He answered, 'Okay, goodnight. See you tomorrow.'

'Goodnight, Lover!'

Lover. His heart leapt at the endearment. He was her lover and in love with her, but where would this relationship go from here?

Two hours later, Jack woke from a sound sleep. It took a few seconds to realize the cause of his disturbed slumber, but then it became clear as the nose on his face. Reaching down, his hand found an erection - a truly hard erection. Turning on the lamp, he slid down his briefs to see his first post-surgery hard-on. It looked different, more curved than before, but it worked! The doctor said it might take a year, and to be patient. The odds were good that he'd regain some sexual function over time.

'Why did this happen while asleep and not with Diane?'

As it began to shrink, the need to pee increased.

'So having to pee caused it? Or, was I dreaming about sex?' He couldn't remember, but he could still smell Diane on his fingers. Maybe he'd been sleeping with his hand near his face.

After a trip to the bathroom, he returned to bed and fell back to sleep with renewed optimism and his fingers at his nose.

Chirping birds at sunrise woke Jack early. Lying on his back, he brought his hand to his nose and savored the fading Diane scent. This was a happy moment to linger over. He thought love was done with him. Sex was a thing of the past - only meant for the young and virile. But today love was real, and sex a possibility. One more deep inhale, before a shower and shave. There were things to do today. Diane and the grandkids were camping at the pond overnight. Maybe he could invite himself to the party. Fireworks might work as an entrance fee. His love for Diane should extend to her family. Make her happy by making them happy. Not a devious ploy, but a natural one-thing-leads-to-another progression of intimacy.

Two hours later, Jack finished moving a picnic table, gas grill, and another tent to the pond. Sleeping in a separate place seemed the appropriate thing to do. Christmas lights, he'd only used in the winter during tree sales, were added for atmosphere. A small Honda generator gave enough power to provide at least one modern convenience. Given more time, a porta potty could've been on site. The guest arrangements were much easier in the summer when the temperature was above freezing and no snow on the ground.

Just as Jack prepared to leave for the fireworks store, he heard what sounded like a dog fight coming from the direction of Diane's house. The snarling and yelping were quickly followed by a little girl's screams of terror.

Running toward the sounds of yelling and fighting, Jack crossed the street and into the backyard. He rounded the back corner to see Diane standing with her arms around her grandchildren and Rascal shaking a fox by its neck like a ragdoll.

"He's killing it! He's killing it!" Emily screamed, and buried her face against Diane's leg.

Rascal finally dropped it and stood panting over the unmoving body.

Jack moved between Rascal and the kids, and asked, "What happened?"

"I don't know. The kids were out on the patio, eating breakfast. I was inside, cleaning up."

Jack turned to her grandson who looked shaken, but under control. "Did you see what happened, Jason?"

"Yeah. Rascal was lying next to us when the fox came out of the woods. It was acting weird. It kept pacing back and forth, getting closer and closer. Rascal got up and started growling, but the fox kept coming. Then Rascal just attacked it."

"Did anyone touch the fox or touch Rascal after they started fighting?"

"No."

"What are you thinking, Jack?" asked Diane.

"I'm going to take the fox and have it checked for rabies. Rascal is going to the Vet's. They'll want to quarantine him for a while."

"Has he been vaccinated?"

"Yes, but they'll give him a booster shot for added immunity."

Diane pried Emily from her leg and knelt down to her eye level. "Everything is okay, Honey. Rascal was protecting you. The fox was sick and dangerous."

Emily looked over at Rascal, considering this new explanation. "Will he be all right? I saw the fox bite him. He's bleeding."

"Rascal will be fine. The Vet will take good care of him."

"Can I hug him?"

Diane looked up at Jack with tears welling up in her eyes.

He knelt down, too. "I'm afraid not, Emily. He might have the germs that cause rabies on his fur. So, he needs to go to the doctor's first."

Jack stood back up. "Jason, run over to my barn and grab my leather gloves from the workbench, one of the empty plastic garbage cans, and Rascal's leash that's hanging by door."

Glad to have something to do, Jason took off at a run.

"Diane, do you have some rubber gloves that would fit me? I want to check Rascals wounds and rinse them off." He took out his cellphone, "I'm calling Dr. Emery and let him know what happened."

Emily pointed, and said, "Look! Rascal is limping."

His vigilance complete, Rascal limped toward them, unwilling to put weight on his left front paw.

"Come in the house with me, Emily, and help me get some things for Mr. Spalding."

"I want to stay with Rascal!"

"You can help Rascal by helping me. Come on, Sweetheart."

Diane led the reluctant girl away.

When Rascal was two feet away, Jack said, "Rascal, sit!"

With a guttural groan, Rascal sat and then lay down on his side. He'd had enough.

"Good boy." Jack sat near the dog's nose and petted a dry spot on top of his head. "You're my hero, Buddy. You're going to be fine. Rest now."

The dog's tail thumped against the earth in answer.

Jack called the emergency vet number and notified the answering service what happened. They said to bring the fox in for testing right away.

Diane returned with gloves, a bucket of warm water, and medical supplies. Jack cleaned several nasty bite marks on Rascal's leg and wrapped them in gauze. Any spot of fur that looked wet, he washed and rinsed with soap and water. He did his best to clean away any evidence of the fight that might contain the rabies virus.

Jason returned with everything requested. Jack put the leash on Rascal and handed it to Diane. "Hold onto this, but don't touch him."

After slipping on the leather gloves, Jack took the trashcan over to the fox carcass, lifted it by the tail, and dropped it in.

"Okay, time to take Rascal to the vet's. Everyone say goodbye." After Jack coaxed Rascal to his feet, they all said their goodbyes.

With one hand carrying the trash can and the other leading the limping dog, he walked home. The trashcan went into the back of the pickup truck. He lifted Rascal into the bed, as well. When he drove down the driveway, Diane, Emily, and Jason stood at the side of the road and waved.

Four hours later, Jack returned home alone. Rascal had to be quarantined after his wounds were taken care of. Now it was a matter of waiting for the laboratory test results. The vet didn't know how long before they would be done. Worst case scenario, Racal would be a ward of the state for 90 days to make sure he was rabies free.

Diane's driveway was empty. She'd sent a text to tell him the kids were going to visit their grandfather, and then going to their home after.

So much for his big campout plans.

He stepped into the kitchen and, out of habit, immediately looked to see if Rascal's water bowl needed to be filled. Sadness settled on him like a nagging ache, realizing that the one constant comfort in his life was gone. No goofy Rascal to care for, to feed, water, and love. The one thing that needed him and gave him a purpose to get up every day sat alone in a cage. How could a stupid dog mean so much?

Emotionally drained, Jack didn't have any ambition to work. Instead, he decided to pack up some essential nourishment and move to the abandoned campsite for the night. He wandered out to the pond and sat at the shady picnic table to brood over a beer. Depression, a relentless specter lurking over his shoulder, entered his conscious thoughts. The once energetic, positive man became morose and uncertain. He was just another old man wandering through the end of his life, gradually deteriorating until death, his past full of regrets, and nothing to look forward to. He'd failed as a husband when he'd been a whole man. Why would any woman want him now that he was less than whole? Friend with benefits? What benefits did he have to offer? He could be a friend, a friend that had fun stuff, like a pond. After his third beer, it occurred to him that Diane might be just after his stuff. Was she devious enough to seduce him into marriage so she could steal his land? How much was it worth? To him, it was priceless. Land values were rising. The farm itself was not a great value, but the undeveloped land was worth a fortune for building lots. He'd been approached by developers and offered outrageous sums of money for just a few acres.

The sun dropped below the tree line as he downed his fourth beer. The air, still hot and sticky, Jack decided it was time to cool off. He stripped bare, peed against the oak, and then stumbled to the shore. Too tired to swim, he flopped onto a raft. The cold water, seeping in against his back, felt instantly refreshing. He paddled his arms gently, floated out to the center, and dozed.

Gradually, Jack realized the sensation he felt was not a dream, and he opened his eyes.

"There he is!"

Jack turned his head in the direction of the voice. Diane floated beside him in an inner tube, naked from all appearances. Her hand rested on his turgescent cock.

She grabbed hold of it, and said, "I think he likes me."

He pushed her hand away, and grumpily said, "Yeah, but he's a prick."

As Diane's inner tube spun away, she replied, "That doesn't mean you have to be one too."

Paddling back around to face him, she pointed at the picnic table with the lineup of empty bottles. "I see you've been drowning your sorrows again."

Jack frowned, but made no comment.

"You didn't answer my texts. How come?"

His brow wrinkled in thought. "I left it at the house."

"Didn't want to be disturbed?"

No answer.

"Well, I'm here to disturb you anyway," she said, grabbing the edge of his raft instead of him. "How's Rascal?"

Sarcastically, he answered, "I'm sure he's very happy."

"I know he's not. But he wasn't seriously hurt, was he?"

Jack mumbled, "No, not unless he becomes rabid. Won't know for a while."

"I'm sorry it happened. But, I'm glad he was there. If he wasn't, I hate to think what might have happed to Emily and Jason."

"Yeah, he's a good dog."

"Yes, he is. Now Emily is begging her parents to get a dog; a Labrador, like Rascal." Diane grinned, and said, "I think she wants her own four legged guardian angel."

This made Jack smile. "I'm glad. Kids should have dogs, and dogs should have kids."

Diane splashed him, and said, "And you should have me."

"Hey! Knock it off!"

"Okay," she said, and rolled off her inner tube onto his chest, flipping them into the water.

They surfaced and tread close together, Jack suddenly felt less inebriated.

While using her arms to stay afloat, Diane reached out with her feet and pulled him in between her legs, their naked bodies slippery and warm where they touched in the cool liquid.

"You feel good between my legs, Lover."

There was no argument from Jack. She felt good to him, too. Whatever ulterior motives she might have, Diane brightened his world like a bonfire. Was sincerity really important at this time in his life? Shouldn't he take what's offered and be thankful?

"I have to pee."

"So?"

"Let go."

"Why?"

"I don't want to piss on you."

Diane shook her head. "You're not pissing on me. You're pissing in the pond. It'll just wash away."

"Okay. If you don't care, I don't care." Jack released his bladder. The water temperature didn't change, because her body blocked the stream. Then he felt a warm gush against his stomach.

Diane grinned wickedly, and said, "Women like to have company when they go to the bathroom. You knew that, right?"

"Gross!" But Jack couldn't help but laugh. "I thought that was only in restaurants, and with other women."

He spun around between her legs and began a breast stroke toward shore. She clung to his back and rode him like a dolphin until he touched bottom. She wrapped her legs around him once again, piggyback style, and pressed against his back. "Carry me?"

Jack put his arms under her knees and waded out. She held tighter as her weight increased. Her head rested on his shoulder, and her tongue teased his ear. Stumbling a little from the alcohol and tickling distraction, he carried her to the picnic table where their cloths lay in piles.

She dropped off. "Thanks for the lift, Sexy." She smacked his bare bottom as he moved away.

Jack pulled a towel from his duffle bag, and dried his face. He looked at Diane. Water ran in rivulets from her hair down her chest. Drops sparkled where they clung to nipples. His gaze wandered back to her eyes. "Where's your towel?"

"I don't have one," she said. "I didn't plan on swimming when I came looking for you."

Opportunity knocked. "Allow me," he said, throwing the towel over her head to massage her hair dry.

"Mmm, that's nice," she said, blindly moving forward to press against Jack's wet body and wrapping her arms around his waist. "I really like being naked outdoors."

Lowering the towel to dry her back, he said, "That makes two of us. I really like you being naked outdoors."

Her laugh felt wonderful against his skin, and her hands, squeezing his ass, tightened their connection.

"Okay, time to do the front."

"Yes sir," she said, backing away. "Take your time. Do a good job."

While the towel wiped her shoulder, he said, "Any job worth doing is worth doing well, and you are worth doing."

"You say the sweetest things."

"You inspire me," he said, while thinking, 'I wish I really could do you well, like a whole man.'

Jack took his time. After drying each breast he bent down and sucked the nipple, then dried it again, explaining, "I had to make it hard so I was sure to get the whole surface."

"I appreciate your thoroughness."

"And I appreciate your cooperation." He took Diane's hand, and led her to the picnic table. "Sit up on the top, so I can do your legs."

"You mean like this?" said Diane, sitting down with her feet on the bench and legs spread wide.

Jack grinned, and said, "Exactly."

He sat between her legs and dried each foot, then each calf, then each knee.

Diane leaned back on her hands when the towel slid up her left thigh. "Mm, that feels good, Jack. I'm going to have a wet spot that that you won't be able to dry."

Moving to the right leg, Jack said, "All I can do is try." He reached the top, and after fluffing her pubic hair with the towel, he slipped it down to wipe between her pussy lips. Diane's head fell back and her hips bucked.

He pulled the towel away and spread her with his fingers. "You're right! This is a difficult area to dry," he said.

Covering his fingertip with the towel, Jack applied a seesaw motion to the trouble spot. "If at first you don't succeed..."

Groaning, Diane fell flat onto her back, and said, "Yes! Yes! Don't give up!"

But Jack did give up. He gave up all pretense of drying her and instead focused on making her wet. As two fingers slid inside, he grabbed her hand and pulled her up to a seated position. He ran his free hand up her spine and pressed her torso to his hungry mouth. Her stomach trembled as he kissed upwards to a proud nipple. As much as this was a repeat of last night, being outdoors with no one around, Diane felt uninhibited and her peak came quickly.

She gripped Jack's head and pressed it to her breast. "Jack! Yes! Don't stop!" Her hips pulsed against his hand in frenzied release. A gush of liquid surprised him. Warm, it ran down his arm onto his lap.

Jack kept his hands and mouth busy until she released his head. Gently, he lowered her down onto the tabletop and stood between her splayed legs. God, he wanted to fuck her to another orgasm and mingle their bodily fluids. Looking down at his dick, coated with Diane's discharge, it would've been perfect timing a few years ago. Now, he had no fluids to share and his manhood failed to respond to his heart's desire. Why did he have an erection when asleep, but couldn't perform now?

Diane lifted her head and looked at his failure to launch. A flash of disappointment appeared, before her eyes met his with a smile. She held out her arms. "Kiss me."

He placed his hands on either side and bent over. Diane wrapped her legs over his back and pulled him tight with her arms. She kissed him feverishly and he returned the passion in kind. Her hips ground against him, rubbing in the right place without the wanted result. It felt good, but Jack's frustration grew hard instead. He pushed away and she let him go.

Standing, Jack said, "I have steaks. Let's eat before the mosquitos come out." He held out his hand and helped her sit up. He quickly dressed and started the grill. Silently, Diane dressed and watched him work. She seemed subdued, either from the satisfaction of sex or the lack of it. Jack tried not to dwell on disappointing her, but his mind wandered back to the look of sadness on her face.