The New Neighbor Ch. 01

I wrote this story about five years ago and never got around to writing the sequel. I now have, this will be published about a week after this one come on-line. I hope you'll enjoy it.

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Boxes in the hall and sweaty workmen moving them into the apartment across from mine. This is what I find on a Saturday morning when I go outside. A new neighbor. Hope he or she is better than the last one. An old hag who was always complaining about everything. Finally kicked the bucket. I turn to walk away.

"Hi, you must be my new neighbor."

Certainly doesn't sound like an old hag, sounds quite nice actually. I turn around and see that the voice is surpassed by the visual that greets me. A knock out blond with all the features that would launch a thousand ships. Before my brain can register every detail of her, it tells me that she looks a bit overdressed for moving day. High heel shoes, short black skirt and a frilly white blouse covering a substantial bust. Stupid brain, a gorgeous woman stands before you and you think about why she's not dressed for box moving.

Suddenly I snap back into reality and realize that I might have been standing there like an idiot.

"Uhm,. Yes, hi. "

Hoping the staring went unnoticed, I extend my hand.

"Nathan."

"Brenda."

I take her hand. It's soft and delicate. The smile that comes with the hand is enough to make a good dog break his leash. And before my mind wanders again I continue the conversation.

"Nice to meet you."

"You as well. Have you lived here long?"

"A couple of years now. It's nice, you picked a good place to live."

"Good to know. Nice neighbors?"

"You're replacing the one we all didn't like, so yes."

"I'll try to be an improvement then. I have to get back to it, before they put everything in the wrong place."

"Good luck with that. Knock on my door if there's anything I can do."

"I will."

With that, she strode off.

I'm not sure what I've done to deserve this, but I must have some good karma. The apartments in my building are on the small side, not really suited for couples, so there's a good chance the knockout is single.

That evening, there is a knock on the door. Thinking I'll never be that lucky, I walk over and open it. My heart skips a beat as standing there is the result of my, apparently great karma.

"Hallo again."

"Hi. Sorry to disturb you, but would you happen to have a hammer I could borrow?"

"Sure, are you tenderizing some steaks?"

Smiling she replies, "no I want to hang some pictures on the wall."

"With a hammer?"

"Yes."

"The walls are solid concrete, even with Thor's hammer, it be difficult."

"And you don't have Mjölnir? "

"Uhm, no. But I do have a drill you can borrow."

"Excellent!"

"It's in the basement, I'll get it for you."

I grab my keys and tell her that I'll be right back. On return to the floor with my toolbox, her apartment door is open. I knock and enter, closing the door behind me. Most of her stuff is unpacked already. There's a long black sofa that wraps into a corner, some designer coffee table and a small dinner table that would seat four. Other than that no decorations.

"The sweaty workmen did their jobs well, I see."

"Ah yes, their where very helpful."

"I see. Well here's the toolbox. Would you like me to?"

"If you don't mind, can I try myself? You know, girl power and all that."

"Absolutely, have at it. I'll let you get to it. I'm at home tomorrow, knock when you're done."

"Thank you so much."

"No problem."

We wish each other a good night and I beat a retreat.

The next morning, coming home from a run, I see that the door to my new neighbors apartment is open. When I approach I hear some cursing. Nothing major but a definite indicator that something's wrong. I knock on the door and ask, "are you oke?"

"Yes, come in."

Upon entering I'm greeted not only by my new neighbor, but by what I'm assuming is a friend. A woman almost the opposite of Brenda. Messy brown hair, thick rimmed glasses and build more, let say sturdy. Not ugly, but if you would have to use a word I guess, frumpy would be it. The denim coveralls she's wearing aren't helping matters.

"This is my friend, Nicole."

We shake hands and I ask, "so what seems to be the problem?"

I look at the wall and see several holes but not any of them deep enough to fit a plug.

"Your drill doesn't seem to work on this wall," Nicole says.

"May I?" I extend my hand to Nicole who is holding the drill.

Upon inspecting it, I see they've mounted a bit for drilling wood and the hammer setting is not engaged. I flip the switch to correct the second problem and handing the drill back to Nicole I tell her to mount the right drill bit.

When Nicole applies the drill to the wall this time it goes in like through butter. A cheer erupts from the two ladies and they high five. Nicole then takes a screw from a case and applies it to the wall. I stop her with,

"uhm,.. what are you doing now?"

"Putting the screw in the wall," she snarks back.

"Shouldn't you put in a plug first?"

"Why would I plug the hole up?"

I explain the plug, screw function, all the while Nicole is staring at me with a look, that might say I'm offending her, "I am woman, hear me roar," outlook on the world. In the end I volunteer my services again and this time Brenda, looking at all the failed attempts in her wall, accepts. To add insult to injury I ask if they can get the vacuum cleaner. I replace the drill bit for a larger one to make room for the plug and ask Nicole to put the nozzle of the vacuum under the drill.

Working as a team we have Brenda's pictures up, in no time at all. While I'm packing up my toolbox I'm invited to dinner. I accept on the condition, that no power tools will be used in the preparation of the meal. This is met with laughter from Brenda and a snarky chuckle from her friend.

I go home to clean up and on my return the table is set and Brenda brings out a pasta dish.

"For my hard workers," Brenda exclaims.

"I'm so happing everything is hung!"

We sit down to eat. During dinner I find out that the two women know each other from work. They work at a retirement home where Brenda is a nurse and Nicole works as an administrative assistant. This is also where they met and became friends, some seven years ago. Nicole lives with her parents across town and, so they tell me, regularly stays over.

My mind makes, a probably incorrect, assumption about a thirty something, still living at home with her parents, "virgin, Jesus freak."

The conversation is light, focusing mostly on our backgrounds and history, parents, jobs, vacations, that sort of stuff. Under the table though a different tale is told. Brenda, who is sitting across from me, has placed the top of her foot against my calf muscle and is ever so slightly moving it up and down. Every once in a while our eyes meet and she gives me the slightest of smiles.

"She's flirting with me," I conclude to my excitement.

When Nicole is deep into a story about some youth group she coaches, Brenda's foot travels all the way up to my knee. While biting her lip she throws me a bigger smile then all the other ones before. I'm staring at her now, which becomes a problem when Nicole asks, "what do you think, Nathan?"

Fuck, I missed her entire story, so the best I can manage is, "huh?"

"What do you think about the absence of faith in our culture?"

Thinking I was right about the Jesus freak thing, I answer, "I'm not very religious. So...."

"Another one. You two will get along famously," Nicole gestures to Brenda an me.

"God, I hope so," I think.

"I'm sure we will," Brenda says.

This breaks up dinner and Nicole informs us she's going home. The two women hug and say their goodbyes. When it's just the two of us, I offer to help out with the dishes. She will not hear of it, saying I've helped enough today. We spend a little time chatting on the couch. I ask about Nicole and get told that she's been raised in a very strict household, was never allowed to date and still lives at home because her father will not allow her to live on her own.

"That's a little fucked up"

"No sweetie, that's a lot fucked up. So tell me about you, any girls in your life?"

"Not at the moment. Broke up with the last one a few months ago. You?"

"No no, where still on you. What happened? Couldn't get it up anymore?"

Her frank an humorous style of communicating is quite enjoyable and very relaxing.

"The equipment is working fine, thank you. It's just I wasn't willing to use it, the way she wanted it."

"Anal?"

"No, I would have been fine with that. She wanted kids. I don't. So, you?"

"Alas I too am alone. I lived together with my last guy. When we broke up, I moved here. Ironically he broke it off for the same reason."

"Breeders, it's not like the world isn't already full enough. No, we need to create some more."

"Right, and we're the outsiders because we're not interested in adding to the population."

This amuses us to the point of laughter. I'm thinking to myself that it's going great and I might have a good

chance of. Before I can finish that thought I'm interrupted, "I've got an early shift tomorrow, so I'm kicking you out."

Disappointed, I get up from the couch. I however do realize that because I live across the hall, this interruption is minor and we'll be able to pick this up soon. At the door Brenda kisses my cheek and whispers, "thank you," in my ear. "If you hadn't stepped in, I would have a wall full of holes and no hanging pictures."

"You're welcome and thank you for dinner. Next time I'll cook."

"I'd like that."

Our last words for the evening spoken, her door closes and I open mine. Sitting on my own couch I loosen my belt and jeans so to give some room to the raging hard on I'd been sporting ever since her foot started caressing my leg. While fantasizing about her mouth around my cock or her tits bouncing while she rides me, I help myself until, cum bursts from me and onto my shirt.

After dumping a load in the washing machine I head off to bed. During the night I wake to dreams of fucking Brenda. Once again I need release. This girl is really going to mess with my head.

During the next week or so we start a courtship. We spend most evenings at either her place, or mine. We cook, watch movies, talk and flirt. There is however an obstacle to this going further and that's Nicole. She's always there, like a constant cock block. I understand why and I don't blame or resent her for it. Her home life is so fucked up. During the course of a few weeks, bits of information spill out. Her overbearing and controlling father, who disapproves of everything she does. And a mother who stands idly by and tells Nicole just to pray about it.

Nicole and Brenda however, have formed a better plan than just praying. They've been funneling parts of her salary into a new bank account. The one Nicole had, is under control of dad. Over the past months they've almost accumulated enough money for Nicole to leave. After I tell Nicole that I've got some spare furniture from a previous relationship in storage, she's most welcome to, they come to the conclusion that one month from now, she'll be ready to move out.

During the next month Nicole smuggles out clothes and other items and stashes them at Brenda's place. Then the day comes. Nicole signs the lease for an apartment in our building and the next Saturday I get my old things out of storage. By the end of the day, her apartment is furnished in a Spartan fashion. No luxuries but the essentials are there. I install a heavy burglar lock on the door, incase Nicole's father gets any fancy ideas. Both Brenda and I promise to keep our phones on at night, just in case.

This turns out to be prudent, because one night after Nicole tells her parents she's moved out, dad shows up. It starts out somewhat civil. He's there with a representative of the church. Nicole waits for me to arrive before opening the door. Both father and priest tell me I have to wait outside because I'm an unmarried man and can't be in her apartment. I ignore both of them and walk in anyway. After making clear that I'm not leaving, until they do, they start in on Nicole. With one bible quote after the other, trying to make her feel guilty over the shame she's bringing on her family. How god will forgive her if she comes back now and that her mother hasn't stopped crying.

They don't let up and give Nicole no chance to retort. After what seems like an hour I step in. I move my body in-between the two men and Nicole who is sitting quietly in one of my old chairs. Both men stop talking. I kneel in front of her.

"Remember what you told me? Don't lose sight of what you want and where you were."

The mousy expression on her face begins to leave.

"They can't make you do anything. You have the power here. This is YOUR house. Say what you want."

When I see fight in her eyes, I get up and out of the way. Nicole begins to address the priest. And in a fiery voice tells him about the years of emotional abuse, the desire for freedom and theft of her money. When the men try to regain leverage over the conversation again, she stands and tells them she will no longer be lectured to, especially not in her own house. Her father gets angry, stands up and makes a threatening gesture toward Nicole. The new found confidence in her waivers, just for a second but then comes back.

"Go ahead! Show your church lackey what kind of a monster you are."

My immediate instinct to step in and stop the oncoming violence is tempered by this response. When the priest holds him back, he backs off.

I look at Nicole, who is ready for a fight and her father who has a mixture of anger and misunderstanding on his face. He's probably never been talked to in this manner.

"I think it's time for you gentlemen to leave."

Nicole adds, "and the next time you want to come by, you make an appointment and don't show up unannounced!"

The priest makes an attempt to restart the conversation but I squash this by moving toward them both and pointing toward the exit.

This is when Brenda shows up.

"I'm sorry sweetie, I was stuck in traffic," Brenda says while rushing towards her friend.

"Are these two being polite?"

"They were just about to leave," I say.

With that, both father and priest beat a retreat. When the door is closed Nicole breaks down. She cries while having a big smile on her face. This is the first time she's confronted her father and won. We spend the rest of the night together in her apartment. Brenda brings down an iPod dock and I get a spare mattress. We talk, order pizza and listen to Brenda's horrible music collection. Nicole tells us she feels free for the first time in her life. When it's time for bed Brenda and Nicole sleep in her bed and get the mattress in the living room. How I wish that arrangement was different.

Somewhere during the night I am woken by someone poking my shoulder. It's Brenda. She kisses me on the mouth and whispers, "thank you for being here for her."

Before I can react, she's already on her feet and heading back to the bedroom, leaving me at full mast, damning and blessing her at the same time. In the morning we head back home and off to work.

The next few weeks pass by, fairly uneventful. Nicole and her mom communicate by passing letters in-between a mutual friend who hands the letters to her mom in church. The law department of her work has send a scary letter to her father who has since given Nicole access to her original bank account, which, save for a few hundred dollars is empty. Bank statement show that most of the money has recently been transferred to a church charity. Nicole, valuing her clean break more than the money decides not to take further action. Even though Brenda an I strongly disagree.

"Just imagine his face when he has to ask for the money back."

It falls on deaf or more likely, compassionate ears. Even through all the shit she's gone through, she's still a good person.

Things between Brenda an me have diminished. We don't flirt as much as we used to and Brenda is often distant. Plus there is always the ever present Nicole. Preventing any sort of intimate contact. She has been getting into her own of late. Far more cheerful, she's ditched the coveralls for clothes, better suited to a woman. Also her hair is no longer formed into a mom-cut, but styled.

A meal for the three of us is setup for tonight, however when I get home I find Brenda with a bag full of shopping, stumbling through the hall. Propping herself up with her free hand, barely being able to walk. I rush up and grab the bag out of her hand.

"Oh my god, what happened to you?"

"Fell down some stairs."

For a minute I think that Nicole's father has done this, but her face is unmarked.

"Let me help you out," I say while trying to put my arm around her.

She motions away from me, "please don't, I'm bruised all over."

Holding her other hand we make it to the door. I follow her inside and offer my assistance. Brenda tells me Nicole is coming and to just leave. She's quite adamant about it. She lies down on the couch as Nicole walks in.

"I got it from here." And I'm pushed out of the apartment.

Bewildered I go home. Was it something I did? I get a text saying, "thanx for your offer of help, but it's a lady thing. I'm in good hands now."

"I'm glad to hear it."

I text Nicole and let her know it there's anything I can do, to knock on my door. She sends back that it'll all be fine. That's the last I hear from them for a week. When communication is restored, I get invited over to dinner at Nicole's place. Brenda still has trouble moving around but we are back to our usual courtship. She's flirty again. Winking, smiling, touching and after dinner while walking her back to her apartment, she holds on to me tight. When we get to the door she kisses my cheek and says, "good night, tiger."

During dinner Nicole told us she'd be going to Paris for a week. She was going on her own, simply to experience that freedom. For her this was great, for me even better. I immediately asked Brenda over for dinner. Cock block will be in Paris and I will have a straight shot.

Nicole left on Wednesday and dinner was set for Friday night. When Friday rolled around I had done all the shopping, setup some candles, mood lighting and set the right music. I was ready to make my move. During the cooking process I realize I forgot the cilantro, so cursing I rush out to the shops. On my way back I see a group of teenage punks hassling a woman. I run over to stop it. Realizing upon getting closer they're attacking Brenda, I'm ready to kill. I push the one, who looks like their leader, to the ground, hard. Then grabbing the closest one to me, by his throat, I roared, "didn't any of you punks ever learn any manners?"

Brenda is now at my back telling me it's all right and to let it go.

"This is not all right! This is not how to treat a lady, you motherfucking inbred pigs!"

With that, I throw the one I had by the throat, towards one of his friends. They both topple over.

"That's no lady! That's a guy. A fucking disgusting man! Are you a gay boy or something?" This is coming from a kid standing the furthest away from me.

I stand there for a second, not knowing what to do or say next. Deciding not to give a shit what some punk says, I grab the group leader, who was struggling to get up, by his hair and twist his arm behind him, "you and your fuckwit little friends better start running!"

Throwing him towards his friends, they do, and when they think they're save, the yelling starts. Foul and disgusting language, making me wish I'd never let him go and just beaten the crap out of him. I turn to find Brenda. She'd already run towards our building. I follow. Just before I can catch up with her, she gets into her apartment.