Chapter 6

After dropping the girls – Reese and Olivia, off at their apartment complex, I headed back to my place, and with nothing major to do, decided to delve into the storage area on the lower level.

My boss, Joan Biddle had told me I could rummage through the cartons labeled with a large X on them. I found several useful items, which if workable might save me a few bucks; a coffee maker and a hair dryer being the two most useful, along with a set of glasses.

As I was nearing my unit I encountered another tenant, a very attractive woman holding a basket. Stylish clothes hugged her soft curves suggestively outlining what appeared to be ample sized breasts, shapely legs, and a firm, heart shaped ass. Her dark auburn hair fell in waves loosely around a classic face, with smooth skin, high cheek bones and an elegant nose. But it was her bright hazel eyes and broad, friendly smile that riveted my attention.

“Hi, I’m 36C.” She said cheerily.

I blinked and said “You certainly are!”

She giggled, “Oh, you’re being silly. You know, building 3, apartment 6C. Just across the way...”

“Yes, of course. And I am 110, no alpha attached, but I am the new building manager, Jim Grabowski.”

She laughed, “Oh, that’s right, I’d heard there would be someone new hired.” She held out her hand while using an elbow to secure the basket to her hip. “Well I’m pleased to meet you, Mr. Grabowski.”

I held out my hand and we shook. There was an electrical spark when we touched and she gasped and quickly pulled the hand away.

I laughed and said, “An auspicious beginning.

She joined in the laughter and added, “I’m Irene Jablonski, but everyone calls me Rene.”

“A fellow Pole are you?”

“Yes I’m Polish; my grandparents came over from Warsaw just after the war.

“So I know it sounds brash, but would you like to come in? I have a cold bottle of Russian Vodka on ice, and I’ve been salivating for a good drink for about an hour now. Would you care to join me?” I asked hopefully.

Irene stepped inside the door and said, “All right, but I can only stay a minute.” She glanced around at the mess and said, “It doesn’t look too bad. At least most of it is in boxes. You should have seen my place when I moved in.”

“Well, thanks ... most of it is new. I am sort of starting over.”

I headed for the fridge, opened the freezer and took out the vodka then placed it on the table and went for some glasses before recalling the glasses were in the box I’d just brought up from the basement.

Laughing nervously, I said, “Maybe I’d better rinse these glasses off first. I know the vodka will kill any germs, but seeing as you are my first guest I’ll clean them for you.”

Irene was laughing at me as I rinsed and dried the glasses, then filled them with ice and finally opened the vodka and poured out two generous amounts into the glasses.

“Thank you,” Irene said as she took a sip. “I won’t be finishing this. I have some work to do and if I finish this I’d be sleeping in an hour’s time.”

I took a second sip and sighed as the vodka lit up my stomach.

“You live alone?” Irene said, getting right to the heart of things.

“Yeah, I’m divorced,” I admitted.

“I’m sorry to hear that. I know how you feel. I’m divorced too,” she said quietly. Then she brightened, “Well, enough of that depressing stuff. If you are anything like me, you probably don’t have a thing in your fridge other than the vodka. Please take this,” She reached into her basket and handed me one of two deli wrapped sandwiches and a small bag of potato chips.

“Oh, I can’t...”

Irene just shrugged, “Don’t give it another thought! I bought one for tonight and one for tomorrow. I can always get another tomorrow.”

With a wide, toothy smile I said “This is fantastic. How can I ever thank you?”

“You’re Polish, you’ll think of a way.” She giggled, sounding like a little girl, then picked up the basket and turned to the door. “I have to go. Thanks so much for the drink and conversation. I’m sure we’ll see more of one another. Ciao!”

I admired her nicely shaped ass as she walked down the hall to the elevator and pressed the up button.

She glanced back, saw me looking and winked at me mischievously. I had a hardon by the time I picked my vodka up to finish it off. Could things get any better women wise?

I was out by the pool, testing the water, one of the better parts of the job as it gave me a ring-side view of the women in their swimwear as they tanned or swam laps to stay in shape. As I was placing the last samples in my testing kit I heard a familiar yet strange voice call out, “Good morning Mr. Grabowski!”

The familiar part was the sexy tone that came with the ‘Mister’ part. I turned my head to acknowledge her greeting and saw that it was no other than the newlywed, Lorna Smith.

“Oh, hey ... Miss Lorna. How are you doing this beautiful day?”

“Me? Well I’m doing just fine,” she bestowed a lovely smile on me and leaned over providing

Me a Playboy reader’s POV of her chest and inquired, “Is the water safe?”

“Safe as can be,” I replied, trying not to get caught staring at her lovelies.

She looked out at the blue water in the pool, (we know the water isn’t blue but merely reflects the color of the interior of the pool) then glanced at me and nailed me checking her ta-ta’s out.

“Busted,” I said and laughed.

She laughed too then said, “I’m used to being stared at. Guys have done that since I first sprouted these babies in Jr. High.”

“They are worth looking at,” I said just to keep her there.

“Yeah, but you know I thought Eddie would think so too, but...” Lorna stopped and frowned.

“Still on the honeymoon without the honey, Lorna?”

“What?”

“Oh, I’m sorry, I was thinking about our previous conversation. Remember? You said something about your actual honeymoon being delayed for some reason.”

“Oh ... yeah, that.”

“Why don’t you sit down here,” I gestured at the lounge chair a foot or so away from me. She did, and I pulled another chair over and sat next to her.

“Is this as serious as I’m beginning to think it is?” I asked, getting to the point as quickly as possible.

“I really don’t know,” Lorna said and wiped away a tear.

“Look, I’m not an advice specialist, but I’ve been around. I’m divorced for good reason, but my ex and I are on good terms. I’m telling you this to give you some idea of what I’m about.”

“Oh, Mr. Grabowski, I can already tell that you’re a gentleman and only want to help me.”

“Well talking about the problem here at the pool isn’t my idea of reaching an ideal conclusion to your problem. Why don’t you drop by my unit a little later? Say an hour or so? I’m in 110, which is...”

“I know where it is, Jim,” she said calmly, “I’ll be there ... in an hour or so. Well thanks; you’ve already made me feel better.” She put a quick friendly smile on, reached over to squeeze my arm. “I had better let you get back to work,” she said, standing.

“Give me your phone number, Lorna. I’ll call if you can’t make it.” I brought out my pen and poised it over a scrap of paper. She provided it willingly and then left.

An hour or so later, Lorna sat quietly on my little couch, not focused, but looking in the general direction of my kitchen, very much inside of herself.

“I think I did the right thing,” she said, almost to herself, her lips pinching tightly together, nodding her head, satisfied with her choice.

“Tea?” I asked. She didn’t respond. I poured tea into two mugs, and held one out to her, resting my forearm on her bare knee. She took the mug in both hands, held it up to her lips, breathing in the steam.

“Smells spicy,” she said with more strength, straightening her back, pulling her shoulders back. “I um, did a lot of thinking, you know?”

“You mean since we talked a little while ago?” I said.

“Oh no, I--I’ve been thinking about Eddie and me, us ... for quite a while. Mmmm, almost non-stop, you know?”

“I can imagine,” I said, trying not to break her talkative mood. What came next almost floored me.

Looking into her steaming tea, Lorna said, “I’m going to miss him,” turning to look me full face for the first time. “Not for too long, but...”

I waited for her to finish her thought then realized she wouldn’t.

“Why?”

“Mmm, the sex, I guess. He was pretty good in bed.”

She paused for a long moment, a small smile playing over her lips.” He was lousy company otherwise though.”

She looked over at me imploringly and said, “And, he kept insisting I swallow when I gave him a blowjob. I just couldn’t do it. Isn’t that sad?” She dropped her head. “It seems as far as Eddie was concerned I was only good for sex and breakfast.”

I tried to put the vision of her swallowing Eddie’s sperm from my mind and said, “I only saw you and him two or three times. He did seem kind of self-centered.”

Her eyes flashed a sad smile as she sipped her tea.

I couldn’t help but focus my attention to her mouth and those full, wet lickable lips, but managed to croak, “How did you feel about him?”

I scooted closer; close enough to enjoy her faint perfume. “Early on, I mean.”

Lorna shrugged, sipped her tea, and stared into the kitchen again. “I’d only been in town a few weeks when I met him in a Wendy’s. He came up to me and asked what I thought of their salad.”

Lorna’s chin dropped to her chest. After a moment she raised her head and took a deep breath, I saw a glint of tears in her eyes. “Then in the sweetest voice he asked me what I was doing that night.” She laughed softly, shaking her head. “Such a simple line, but he spoke to me as if we were friends, as if he knew me, had known me for years.” She shook her head again, her long silky hair waving as if puffed by a gentle breeze.

“I felt suddenly bold. I’d been so intimidated by this town, maybe I still am, but I said I’d no plans. Did he have any suggestions?”

I watched her pretty face change from softness to pain, her eyes scrunched tight, her lips clenching as she fought back tears. In a blink, I had her in my arms, holding her tight to me. Her arms clutched around my waist and shoulder as she pressed her face to my chest, muffling wracking sobs.

I held her, rocked her and pressed my lips to her neck, trying to suck out her pain as if she’d been snake bit. Her sobs slowly changed to occasional snuffles. She sat up and fumbled a tissue from her jacket pocket.

“Sorry I’m such a mess,” she whined, blowing her nose.

“You look very beautiful to me.”

She gave me a ‘Yeah, right!’ look, stuffing the tissue back into the pocket. With a big sigh, she arched her back, throwing her shoulders back, scanning my place as if seeing it for the first time.

I fumbled in my shirt pocket, pulling out an ocher plastic bottle. “Here, take half of one of these.” I held out my hand.

“What is it?” She focused on the pill in my fingers, slightly wary.

“Quaalude. A half will take the edge off, but not mess up your head.”

She seemed hesitant, so I pressed it into her hand.

“Here, take it. Break it, I’ll take half, you take half.” I spoke with a strong voice, not giving her the option of rejecting the offer. I tossed the bottle back into my backpack, watching her stare at the large, white tablet in the palm of her small hand.

“You sure?”

“Oh yeah, I’m sure. Half a ‘lude will just smooth you out. Nothing to worry about. You won’t be tripping.”

We popped our pills, washing them down with cold tea.

“More tea?” I asked her, dumping my cup.

“Sure,” she said, handing over hers.

We sat in silence for long comfortable minutes. She sipped and occasionally sighed.

“How long does it take?”

“Mm?”

“For the ‘lude to kick in?”

“I’ve never felt a ‘kick in’. In fifteen minutes or so, I just notice I’m sort of mellow. Lasts for a few hours.”

“Mmm,” she sighed.

“Do you have a job?” I asked.

“Yeah, he insisted on it. Now it seems it might have been the only thing he had right.”

I had to agree but just said, “Well under the circumstances. Am I correct in that he’s no longer sharing the unit with you?”

“Oh, you got that right! He had me ... stupid me, sign the lease; and then he takes off without giving me any money. Left me flat, saying I was a poor choice that he thought he’d better rectify ASAP.”

“Eddie’s what I’d call a piece of shit,” I said.

That brought a smile to her face. “A piece of shit, huh?”

“Sound right to you?”

I’d say you nailed it. That’s Eddie, a piece of shit all right. Oh, I teach first graders at the Public school a half mile down Loomis Avenue.”