Chapter 31

I slept in Saturday morning, finally waking up after ten when the sun breached my partially closed curtains. I stretched my arms over my head, clearing the last remaining cobwebs from my sleepy brain. Kicking off the sheets, I listened for the sound of my parents milling about the kitchen and living room, but it seemed quiet. Maybe they were out? That would work out well. I tossed on my robe, tying it tight so I could creep out and check.

I walked into the hall, hoping not to see the tell-tale signs my parents were still home. The coffee in the pot was still warm, but there were mugs in the sink, so they couldn’t have left too long ago. Poking my head into the living room, I found it deserted. They’d gone out somewhere, but for how long? I didn’t have time to find out.

Quickly, I scurried back to my room; tossing on a pair of shorts and a T-shirt I found laying around on the floor. I didn’t bother with underwear; I didn’t need it at the moment anyway. I grabbed the bag I’d prepared last night, flung it over my shoulder, and headed to the front door. I picked up my keys from the table as well as the small set with a purple key tag on it marked, ‘Beauchamp’. I was out the door in less than five minutes. I wasn’t even wearing shoes.

I flew down the steps, leaping two at a time until I hit the second floor, then turned the corner. I unlocked the door to the other apartment and shut it quickly, but quietly behind me. I’d made it. I looked around. The place was still in great shape from my tidying last night. I didn’t see any sign of cat barf or any other pet-related messes. I whisked my bag into the bedroom, which did unfortunately look like it belonged to an elderly lady.

The room smelled musty and of cat dander. A multicolored knitted quilt lay overtop of the wooden, four-post bed, while a solid wood dresser sat against a wall. On top, there were a few scattered pill bottles, blood pressure machines, and various other medical implements. The walls had framed collections of pictures with smiling family members I’d never met. I’d decided last night that this wasn’t the right place for Brian’s first time. It just didn’t give the right vibe.

We’d have to use the living room, which, while not as comfortable, didn’t look like you were screwing at your Nan’s place. I stashed my bag under the bed, which burst out in a loud ‘meow’.

“Sorry, Zoey!” I said apologetically, as an upset calico cat scurried out from beneath the bed. I’d forgotten to check where the cats were. They usually were sleeping on the bed or couch, but my sudden appearance likely spooked them into hiding. I took a peek under the bed to see if I could find Chester, the usually playful orange cat, but he wasn’t there.

“Hi, kitties, sorry I didn’t say hello when I came in,” I said out loud, peeking around the room. Usually I’d say hello to them when I walked into the unit, and at least one of them would greet me with a friendly meow.

I heard a meow from the hall as Zoey poked her head around the doorway. Having done what I needed to do - dropped off my stuff for later - I walked over and gave her a few pets, and was rewarded with a light purr. Chester still hadn’t appeared, though, so I went looking.

I checked the living room; looking on and around the couch, under tables, and other places he could hide. I found nothing. A look in the kitchen was fruitless, too, which made me start to worry. Did he get out somehow? Maybe I didn’t notice him scramble under my feet when I left last night?

The only room I hadn’t checked yet was the washroom. It seemed unlikely he was in there, but I figured I should check anyway. I turned on the light and checked the tub and the covered litter box placed in a corner near the towel rack, but both were empty.

I sighed and stood in front of the sink, staring at myself in the mirror. I looked like a mess, my hair unwashed and messy, my clothes just thrown on. I still had time to clean myself up before Brian arrived at 2:00. A sudden movement drew my eyes down to the sink. There in the basin was a fuzzy orange and white ball of fur and paws. Its head twisted to an unnatural angle, and two bright eyes looked up at me.

‘Meow’, I heard Chester say; his way of saying ‘you found me’. I reached down to pet his soft belly, but he grabbed me with his two front paws, claws extended, and bit me.

“Ouch!” I cried, pulling my hand away. It wasn’t a very hard bite, more playful than anything, but it still hurt. Orange cats are crazy.

“Thanks for that, furball,” I grumbled, checking my hand for damage. In my brief bout of anger, I thought about turning on the tap ... but that would just cause a wet cat to run around, and I didn’t want to deal with that. At least I found both of them. I checked their food bowl, adding a little more to keep it topped up and their water. They are self-feeding, so they just eat whenever they’re hungry.

With all my little tasks done, it was time to go back home. Making sure to take both sets of keys, I locked the door on my way out before heading to the stairs. On my way up, I crossed paths with Brad on his way down.

“Where are you coming from?” he asked with a curious glint in his eye.

“Just checking on Mrs. Beauchamp’s cats. She’s out of town visiting her family,” I replied, eyeing him up as well.

It had been almost a week since the last time I’d snuck up to meet him, and a lot had happened, yet little to service my needs. I’d spent several nights and days thinking about what occurred that night with Brad and Tucker. It seemingly occupied a permanent place in my brain of late. Maybe it was the reason I was constantly aroused and on edge. Looking at him there on the stairwell, dressed down to jeans and a tight T-shirt, I wanted nothing more than for him to take me upstairs and use me for all that he had. But I knew Brian would be over later, and I didn’t want his first time to be sullied from being second that day. I had to control myself, even though my nether region was leaking like a sieve.

“Dressed like that?” Brad asked, a wry grin on his handsome face.

“Yeah,” I answered flirtatiously, “ ... what’s wrong with the way I’m dressed?” I did a little spin on the stairs.

“Nothing, nothing...” he said, undressing me with his eyes. I wanted him to undress me with his hands. “It’s just that...” he leaned in close, his voice soft in my ear, “ ... I can tell you aren’t wearing a bra. I’ll bet you aren’t wearing anything under those shorts, either.”

“Mr. Sheen!” I put my hand to my mouth in mock disapproval. “What kind of girl do you take me for?”

“The best kind.”

We both smiled a knowing smile at each other. Unfortunately, it couldn’t go beyond simple, quiet, flirting, standing there in the open of the building’s main staircase. While the building was generally quiet and neighbors mostly kept to themselves, every door was a potential spy ready to spread rumors that could reach my parent’s ears. We had to play it cool.

“What have you been up to lately?” I asked. It was a slightly loaded but seemingly innocuous question to outside observers.

“Busy with work, mostly. Big accounts want to work you to the bone, but the compensation is worth it. You now know what that’s like, I bet.”

I nodded, “Yeah, I get my first real paycheck next week. I’m really excited.”

“Congrats! If you ever want to invest it in something and make your money work for you, you know where to find me.”

I don’t know why, but that caught my attention, “What would that mean?”

“Well, if you are saving the money for something down the line, you give me some of your paycheck and I put it into stocks, bonds, mutual funds, or various other ventures to help grow it. You get a better return than languishing in a savings account.”

“Are there risks? Could I lose my money?” I wondered out loud. I remember Crystal saying she’d gotten the money for the store from investing her remaining video money.

“There are always risks, Jane. The bigger the risks, though, the higher the potential returns ... like many things in life.” He winked, and my dirty mind knew immediately what he meant.

“You’ve given me something to think about.”

Brad moved closer again, “Maybe we could discuss it further. Perhaps on a day you aren’t working ... like a Wednesday or something?”

I caught on quickly and played along. “That could work, though I’ve been promised a thorough explanation before, and I haven’t received it.”

“I always ensure my clients are satisfied with my services.”

I placed my hand under my chin, like I was thinking. “I don’t know. I feel I would need a long, detailed review. It would need to be several hours since I’m just a girl and all. My blonde brain will likely forget it if it isn’t drilled in repeatedly.”

I had a hard time not laughing as I said it.

“Don’t you worry. Girls are my favorite clients, and I always go the extra mile. I could go all night, if needed. I think the best solution for you, though, would be to record the session ... for archival purposes.”

I thought for a moment, then nodded my head professionally, “That sounds amenable to me.”

“Wonderful. I’ll be in touch then.”

“I look forward to it.”

Brad stepped down to my step and then stopped briefly. His right hand, concealed by both our bodies, slid down my loose shorts. I felt his fingers brush up against my bare pussy lips, dragging a small trail of moisture from my lips back up my stomach and back out. He smiled at me and winked, descending another step towards the door.

“I knew it,” he said quietly, as he turned and walked away. Before he walked out of sight, I watched him place his sticky fingers into his mouth to suck off my juices.

I walked up the stairs to the third floor and made my way home. My legs rubbery and body overheating, I knew I needed to take a shower. I needed to cool off and clean up before my date, and I wanted to be thorough. I’d have to make sure everything was shaved and clean and that would take time. I still didn’t have an exact excuse for what I’d tell my parents about where I was going, and hoped they’d just be gone till I was done. I wasn’t so lucky.

They came home at some point while I was in the shower. I was scared by a knock on the bathroom door, mid-shave of a tender area; I nearly nicked myself. Apparently, they’d gone out to buy some groceries and needed to use the washroom. I had to finish up quicker than I’d like, but I made sure I didn’t miss any nasty hairs. Then all I had left to do was snack and wait while the clock slowly ticked towards 2:00.

It was a little after 1:00, when I heard it through the walls of my room. The now all too familiar sound of arguing coming from my parents in the living room. I couldn’t tell what it was about. It was rarely about anything specific anymore, but I knew the root cause; me. They’d been like this ever since the incident where I made the biggest mistake of my life. I hated it, and I hated myself for causing all this undue stress on my family.

Before that night, my parents were the warmest, kindest people I’d ever met. They were fun and spirited, always laughing and goofing off together. It felt like a lifetime ago when they were excited to go camping at the spot they’d gone to when they were younger. A place that had changed me forever.

Of course, I didn’t know everything about my parents’ past, having only recently learned about their meeting at and then attending wild sex parties. If my Mom hadn’t told me herself, I never would have believed it in a million years, but I know it’s true. They even had an open relationship. Neither of them bothered to partake, that I knew of, until my teasing pushed my Dad too far, and he screwed Riley on our living room couch.

It felt like the consequences of that night just wouldn’t go away, and I was constantly being reminded of my foolishness. I felt like crying as I heard the elevated voices going back and forth. It certainly wasn’t the right mindset to be in when I was planning on having a special day with someone who deserved some fun. I picked up my phone, a charger, and a book and left my room. I didn’t stop to hear what the fight was about. It didn’t really matter. I put on my shoes and took both sets of keys, slamming the door as I left. I don’t even know if they noticed me pass by.

I descended the flight of stairs and went to the empty apartment, unlocked it, and hid away inside. I don’t think I had even closed the door before the tears rolled down my face. By the time I sat on the couch, I was bawling. My only solace in that moment was the soft fur and gentle purr of a kitty that nuzzled up under my arm. It was Zoey. I guess she’d forgiven me for hitting her with my backpack. I stroked her from her head down to her tail and she purred louder. It was calming, but I cried all the same.

I’d lost track of time when my phone suddenly buzzed. I looked down to see a text from Brian saying he was only a couple minutes away. I freaked out. I ran to the bathroom and tried to fix my face, as my eyes were red and watery. I washed my face, desperately hoping it would wash away the tears and redness, and I checked my hair and clothes. Everything was a mess and so was I, but there was no way I was going to cancel. I was about to get the bag of clothes I’d stashed earlier when my phone buzzed again.

B – I’m here, how do I get in?

J – Be right down

There wasn’t time to get dressed, I’d have to improvise when he got up here. I wiped my eyes again, more out of nerves than necessity, plastered on a happy smile, and left to go get Brian at the front door.

I saw him as I descended the stairs, his face wracked with fear and nerves I couldn’t help but relate. I remember that anxious energy in the pit of my stomach before several of my intimate encounters. The gnawing worry about what I was about to do, what might happen, and worst of all, would I be any good? It helped comfort me a bit, pushing my own issues to the back-burner for a little while. This was for Brian after all.

“Hi Brian, come on in.” Greeting him warmly I beckoned him into the building with a curl of my index finger.

“H-hi Jane,” he stuttered nervously. It seemed he was back to his old self as the reality of what he was about to do had spooked him. It was kind of endearing.

“Why are you nervous, it’s only me. You were fine talking to me the other day,” I said. I led him up the stairs, taking his shaking and sweaty hand in mine.

“It’s just ... I just ... I can’t believe this is real ... A girl like you...”

“A girl like me?” I asked curiously, as we turned the corner towards the apartment door.