The Transplants

She almost whispered as she said, "Yes there really is a difference. I think we better keep our kisses on the friendly side and you better get back to...back home."

"Just to remind you, you're still my very best friend and I'm not about to abandon you."

"Thank you Ken. Good luck with your chapter."

"Thanks. Wait you said earlier something about one thing you can tell me. What's the other thing?"

"That's something that only I can work out Ken. Now go home and think about what you'll write."

"Good night Sandy."

"Night Ken."

When I got home Carol asked me, "Do any good?"

"I think so."

'What's going on?"

"I still don't know," I lied. "But we talked for a few minutes and she seemed to work out whatever was bothering her."

"Is she homesick?"

"Maybe that's some of it, because when I reminded her that her surrogate family was here for her it seemed to help."

"You charmed her out of her blues."

"Now that sounds like a line to be used in the story."

"I just may use it then. Speaking of your story, are you going to have Jennifer and Oran do the dance?"

"I'm not telling you."

"Now that's cruel." I just smiled, blew her a kiss and went to the kitchen. She followed me out and said, "Our story has the potential to have too many characters."

"I know. I'm going to make a list of the characters before I even start my chapter."

"Let me know if I can help."

"You just want to see what I'll come up with."

"You'll have the guy hanging around in his underwear."

"Or less."

"Right, or less. Or should I say out of his underwear and into hers."

"She probably doesn't wear any because of the cast."

"Hmmm, I hadn't thought of that. There is one thing I did think about though."

"What's that?"

"Nobody even mentioned the fact that I'm staying here."

"Damn that's right. I guess we should have mentioned me in my underwear."

"Oh no."

"Then we'll mention you in your underwear."

"But you haven't seen me in my underwear."

"But that's not my fault, and besides they wouldn't know that."

"God you are crazy."

We were settled in and watching a bad movie when I said, "If you don't mind I'm going to your bedroom."

"Oh?"

"I'm going to use my computer and work on my chapter."

"Oh, okay." I spent the next hour listing the characters and who they were, and then how I saw their role in the story. Then I tried a couple of quick outlines to see if any of them could work, and then chose one to try. I decided that was enough for one night and shut my computer down. As I turned to leave the room I saw a pair of Carol's panties on the bed and on pure impulse pulled them over my head and walked out. When she looked up at me she laughed and said, "My god Ken how do you know I didn't have those on all..." and then she realized that with the crotch of her panties near my nose how I would know if she'd had them on all day. "Oh I can't believe I said that." I left her panties on my head for another second and then realized how embarrassed she was.

I pulled them off then and knelt down next to her. I couldn't help but smile but I said, ""I'm sorry Carol."

Ken I can't believe I just said that." I was still smiling when she swatted my arm and said, "Damn you."

I touched her face and kissing her cheek said, "I'm sorry but I couldn't resist."

She smiled then and said, "I don't know if I'm going to survive another week with you."

"You'll miss me."

She got serious then and said, "You know I really think I will miss living with you."

"I know that this place is going to feel pretty empty and boring once your back in your own place."

"My God listen to us, it sounds like we're both ready to end our single years."

"You know, maybe we are."

Chapter Eight

Carol and I had a pretty consistent routine even on the weekend. I was in my briefs getting the coffee started and as usual she came out and joined me, but this time she came over to me and gave me a hug. "We don't have many days left of our little routine."

"I'm afraid that's true." I looked at her in her robe and said, "I'm always going to feel a little cheated though."

"Why?'

"Because I haven't seen you in your underwear." She teased me like she was going to open her robe and then stopped.

"Sorry lover but no. You see I don't have anything on under this robe."

My eyes were just dancing as I said, "Then let me hold you again."

She just smiled at me and said, "I don't think so."

"You are a cruel tease and...so tempting."

"Thank you. I'll just take my coffee and hit the shower."

Tom called and talked to Carol just before lunch and then she said, "I'm going over to my apartment and see how it's coming."

"Okay, I may not be here so I'll leave the door unlocked." Then I called Sandy and said, "Hey want some company for awhile?"

"Sure, is Carol coming too?"

"Nope you're stuck with just me."

"Great."

Sandy greeted me with a hug and I followed her to the kitchen where we sat next to each other at the counter again. "How are you and Carol getting along?"

"Great. She's over at her apartment now to see about how much longer it will be before she can move back to her place."

"Have you had a chance to work on your story?"

"A little bit, I have an outline that I'm kind of testing."

"That's pretty fast."

"I want to get it over with."

"So now we have another character to keep track of."

"I know, I'm starting to get confused."

"So it sounds like Paul isn't such a nice guy."

"I think his hands are dirty, but I'm not coming up with what he's into."

"Then there's Caleb. He's not just a bum or a hobo, there's a lot more to him than that."

"I think he's somebody who is or was successful and just dropped out of society."

"I agree, he didn't just poke around until he found Jennifer at the hospital. That just doesn't feel right. Security would have taken one look at him and probably given him the boot. No, he's a pretty smart guy in his own way."

"What about this good Samaritan Seth?"

"I don't know what to make of him, but he has to be more than just a nice guy too."

"I guess there are no innocents in this story."

"What about Jennifer?"

"I haven't decided if she's just going to be a pawn or if she's more than that."

Sandy topped off my cup and sat back down before asking me, "So tell me what you'll do about Jennifer and Oran. She has a leg in a cast so they can't make love."\

"Sure they can."

"How can...I mean that thing has to weigh many pounds."

"True but it could be done."

"How?'

"Well...let's see how can I explain it. Well for one thing we don't know if it's a long cast or a short one."

"Well if she had that much surgery and so forth I have to think it's a long one."

"That complicates it but I still say it can happen."

"But you're not saying how."

"I'll embarrass you if I try to describe it."

"Um...try anyway."

'Well of course there's the missionary position."

"If the cast goes up to...well all the way up it could get in the way unless the guy was really...you know, built."

"I don't know, maybe. There's always the legs up thing."

"What?"

"You know."

"I'm not following you."

"Let's go to the living room and I'll show you."

"I don't think so."

"No I mean with our clothes on."

"But still." She hesitated and then said, "Oh, okay show me."

I followed her to the living room and said, "Lie on the floor on your back." Then I got down with her and said, "Now put your legs over my shoulders."

"Oh I see, but that won't work either will it?"

"Try and stiffen one leg like it's in a cast." With her legs on my shoulders her butt was lifted well off of the floor and then I moved forward until my pelvis was bumping hers. I looked at her and she was flushed and I was getting hard.

I didn't move for a second and then she nearly panicked and said, "Move, get out of the way Ken." She was flustered and jumped to her feet and left me standing there.

I followed her to the kitchen and turned her around. "I'm sorry that was a really bad idea." She wouldn't look at me or even put her arms around me. "Sandy look at me please, I'm sorry."

"No it's not your fault."

"It is, that was my idea." I put my hands on her hips and just stood there while she settled down. She took a deep breath and brushed her hair back with her hand and I watched her until I said, "It's not that big of a deal Sandy."

"Damn it yes it is."

"But..."

"Please can we just drop it?"

"Sure if you say so."

Damn it we were having fun, a nice time just like we used to until that happened. "Sandy you are fighting some kind of demon or something. You are tense and fragile and I'm afraid to say or do anything around you." One minute you're like your old self and then you seem to lose control for some reason."

"I'm sorry Ken."

"Can't we talk about it?"

"No. I'll deal with it myself."

"I'm not so sure that you can Sandy. You were almost vibrating after you jumped up."

"I know it damn it."

"Okay I'm going home."

"No wait."

"Sandy you're jumpy and scared of something. I don't know what or why and I don't know if I could help you even if I did know. If you settle down and want to get together just come down to my place, I'll be there working on the story." Then I stopped and pulled her close. "I miss the old you, I miss our times together and I miss your vibrant smile and positive influence. I don't just want the old Sandy back, I really need the old Sandy back. Come down later okay?"

I worked on the story for three hours after I got home, and then Sandy called me. "Ken I'm so sorry I'm jumpy."

"You doing okay now?"

"I'm okay. I'm working on it I really am."

"You're not coming down?"

"Could I take a rain check, say about Wednesday night?"

"Sure. I'm going to try to have my chapter done in time for Saturday night."

"Really."

"Yeah."

"Do you need Wednesday night to work on it?

"No I'll be fine."

"Okay."

Carol came back and we went to the laundry room and did laundry together. I watched our clothes fight it out through the window in the dryer and I said, "You know my underwear is having a lot more exciting life right now that I ever have."

She laughed and said, "It's sad but I'd have to say that applies to mine too."

"I told Sandy that I plan to have my chapter ready for this next weekend."

"Great. You know if you'd leave my unmentionables alone when you went into my bedroom you might be done by now."

"But it wouldn't be nearly as much fun."

"You going to tell me what you wrote?"

"Nope."

She just smiled and said, "You're just mad because I won't open my robe for you." "That's right."

"I didn't tell you, I might be able to get into my apartment by the end of the weekend."

"Really, how does it look?"

"Pretty nice, but of course it's still the cheap stuff that they always use in these rentals."

"But new cheap stuff."

"True." As we pulled our still hot things from the dryer she grabbed a pair of my briefs and held it in her hand saying, "Wow, hot stuff."

"You better believe it sister."

She kissed my cheek and said, "I do believe it."

Chapter Eight

Monday morning we were back to our routine. I had the coffee done but Carol was slow coming out. I poured two cups and then she suddenly appeared in just her bra and panties. I stood there like a kid seeing his first naked woman. "Oh my God."

She moved close to me and said, "It's only fair that you see me in my underwear too." I wasn't bashful about staring at her and a moment later we had our arms around each other. I held her close and managed to say in a very soft voice, "Thank you." She didn't move and I gloried in the feeling of her warm softness under my hands. I could feel her chest rise and fall as she would take a breath and I knew I was growing between my legs and could do nothing about it. "God Carol it feels so good to hold you." She felt my manhood press against her and she tried to ignore it.

"Oh God Ken this isn't a good idea at all."

"I disagree, it's a wonderful idea." We looked at each other and were soon sharing a long and deep kiss as our bodies stayed glued together.

Then she suddenly pushed back and taking a quick breath said, "Oh God I'm sorry Ken but if I don't escape right now both of us are going to be very late for work." I tried to settle down but my desires were in control. We were still close and she looked down between my legs. "I'm so sorry. I...oh god." Her hand moved toward my crotch and then retreated and she ran for her bedroom. It took me a minute to regain my senses, but I was far from recovered when she returned fully dressed. She came over to me and took me in her arms again. "Please forgive me Ken, I just did that on impulse and yet in the back of my mind I thought about us making love."

I looked down at my slowly receding problem and said, "Well I was ready to do my part."

She smiled and said, "Yes I could tell, believe me. I feel so bad about teasing you."

"Tease us you mean, you were affected too."

"Oh god I still am. Can you forgive me?"

"You are forgiven, but I can promise you will never be forgotten."

"I'm going to put on some make up and get out of here while I have a shred of control."

"I guess I better get ready for work too, but I liked your idea about being very late for work a lot better." She took her now barely warm cup of coffee and went back to her room and I got ready for work. Now all I had to do was try to forget about almost making love to Carol.

By the end of the day I had my head on straight, and when I got home I waited for Carol and poured her a glass of wine. I handed it to her and she asked me, "Are you trying to seduce me?'

"Unfortunately, no I'm not. I just wanted to tell you that you had and have such an effect on me. I also wanted to tell you that I'm glad we didn't make love this morning."

She tasted her wine and asked me, "Why is that?"

"Because I think you would have been sorry for it later, and if you're sorry it happened then I would be too. It's important to me that we can continue to look at each other and be close friends without trying to forget that we enjoyed that one very nice indiscretion. Carol I really did want you so much this morning. It took me all day to come back to earth."

She smiled and said, "I'm sure you know just how close we came to making love."

"I think I do."

"I said it was just an impulse and it was, but it didn't just happen in the blink of an eye. I fought the urge for several days before weakening this morning. It's a damn good thing I'm going home soon."

"I'm still going to miss you."

"I know I'm going to miss you too Ken."

I tapped my glass to hers and said, "To very close and understanding friends."

I spent most of Monday evening working on my chapter so I could be ready for Saturday. But it also gave me a reason to stay away from Carol and any possible temptation. After having been intimate with my girlfriend in Chicago for six months or so, it had been eight or nine months since I had made love to a woman, and that had to be affecting my judgment. I finally gave up and went out to see what Carol was doing and I found her reading.

"Done writing?"

"For tonight I am."

"Done?"

"I wish."

"Will you be ready for Saturday?"

"I think so."

"Well if you're done I think I'll go to bed."

"You should have told me."

"I'm fine. Nobody said I couldn't just come to bed and let you write."

"You wouldn't have been safe."

"Gee that thought never occurred to me." She stood up and kissed my cheek and said, "Night lover."

"Night sexy."

Wednesday night Sandy came down, and the three of us talked for a few minutes. Then Carol said, "If you'll excuse me I'm going to go see my apartment." Sandy and I settled in and sipped wine and talked for quite awhile.

"Carol seems eager to get back to her own place."

I put my glass down and said, "I'm sure she is. You know what?"

"What?"

"I'll be glad when our story is done."

"Oh why?"

"It would have been easier had she not put so much suspense in the first chapter. It would be easier to deal with if it was something a little simpler."

"You mean like a love story?"

"I don't know but something like that I guess. I worked my ass off last night trying to sort out the good guys from the bad guys and so forth. It would be more fun if we could laugh or joke about what we're writing. We're all too serious about this thing."

"Maybe you're right. Carol did a great job setting it up and leaving it wide open, but like you said it's far too serious."

"Right. It would be fun to write about, oh, say a guy that's trying to impress his girlfriend and ends up getting in trouble with the police for some silly misunderstanding or something, or the girl tries to be cute and ends up hurting the guy and has to take care of him. Anything but murder, mystery and mayhem."

"You are just a romantic."

"I'm lazy is what I am."

"Are you going to leave me an easy way to go?"

"I don't know if it will be or not, but I can tell you that if I introduce any more characters it won't be before I've killed off a couple of the others."

"You could all but solve the mystery and then build up a love scene." I just smiled at her.

"You did that?"

"I'm not saying." When Sandy got ready to go I walked home with her just because I wanted to, not because she needed me to.

Saturday morning I finished my chapter, printed it off and carried it out to the kitchen and tossed it down. Carol handed me a cup of coffee and poured herself another one and said, "Ready I take it."

"It's ready. I'm not saying it's good but it's ready. That was too much like work."

"Tell me about it."

"I told Sandy that if we do this again we need to make it a simple love story."

"Love isn't necessarily easy."

"That is true, but writing about it must be a little easier than what I just wrote. Even porn would be easier."

"That's what I said right from the beginning remember?"

"Well I won't argue with you now."

"If we do another one you start it okay?"

"Okay, I'll start it with two people drawn to each other so strongly but still so determined not to make love to preserve their friendship."

"No that would be as close to a love story as a porn story."

I put my arms around her and said, "You're right. Besides I could never put on paper how much that woman affected the man and changed him." She gave me a warm hug and said, "Now don't get me going again, I'm not strong enough to run from you two times in the same week."

"I think this would be a good time for me to go take my shower."

Chapter Nine

When I came out in my briefs Carol was sitting at the counter and said, "Damn you."

"What did I do?"

"You killed the man I had great plans for."

"You weren't supposed to read that," and I took it away from her. "Damn it you were supposed to wait until tonight."

"I didn't read it all...well most of it. Why did you have to kill him anyway?"

"Because it fits what I wanted to have happen."

"But he was going to be a love interest."

"How could he be when he was so corrupt."

"He wasn't."

"He was the way I wrote it."

"Damn."

"Carol you can't think that you're plan would likely survive three other peoples versions of what happens."

"But he was rich and powerful and Jennifer really liked him."

"I didn't see it that way."

"Well she would have in my next chapter."

"Oh well."

"Oh well? God you can be so insensitive."

"I'm very sensitive. I'm so sensitive that I'm hurt that you read my chapter ahead of time."

"Well it was right there in front of me."

"You had something else right there in front of you too but you resisted that."

"Oh you're so clever."

"And I'm right."