Chapter 11

Sunday started just as most Sunday's start, with me sound asleep until the dog decides that he needs to go out. I get up, let him out and then return to the master bathroom and relieve myself.

I consider going back to bed as I leave the bathroom but decide that coffee is a much better idea.

I stand at the back door watching my dog in the backyard checking out his territory while the coffee runs, I think back to the wonderful days of noise and activity that have happened in this kitchen. I would always get up in the morning to get the coffee started and either go back to get Samantha out of bed or start getting the kids up and moving. I guess Caesar and I will be bachelors for a while.

Caesar comes in and I head for a shower and get dressed. Caesar heads downstairs thinking that it is time to eat, but "not quite yet buddy. I need to get showered then I'll feed you." He looks at me, but stays downstairs and probably goes to the couch and gets comfortable in his favorite spot.

Shower, shave, dressed and then back to the kitchen for breakfast for me and Caesar.

Church was good for me. I sat with Greg and his family again. Their adult daughter, 20-something fresh out of college, was with them today and somehow we managed to be seated together. I doubt that Greg did this on purpose, it just happened.

The preacher walked in down the same aisle but didn't see me and didn't stop to shake my hand. That was fine; I tend to shy away from that much attention.

After church as I am walking out of the building Julie again finds me. I have no idea how she does it, but she tracked me down again. "Paul!" She hollers. I look for the person who had yelled out my name, and found Julie moving toward me. I didn't mind looking at her, she was pretty after all, but she tended to be a bit pushy.

"Paul, so glad to have caught up with you. The kids in my class want to come over and do something for you, something nice. When can we get this scheduled?"

I just looked at her. I didn't have anything scheduled and had no idea what to say. "I work Monday through Thursday but I am off the other days. I have a meeting on Friday with a lawyer but other than that, I am free. What did your kids have in mind?"

Smiling, "they want to help clean up your yard and maybe help clean out your garage. How does that sound?"

"Sounds fine. Cleaning up my yard they can do anytime. I don't have to be there for that. My garage is another matter. It is not messy and doesn't need any attention. I had a whole crew of people in last week to clean out my house. That doesn't need any help at all. But thank you for the offer."

"Ok. Good. Then we will be over next week to help clean up your yard. Thanks for allowing us to do this for you. The kids all miss David and just had to do something to honor their friend."

"You are welcome and please let the kids know how much I appreciate their effort." Julie stepped up to me and gave me a hug. Her smaller frame pressed against me, different than my wife's body. She was full figured. Almost heavy, but still very sexy. Julie was so slender, she was totally different.

She stepped back, patted my arms, then said good-bye and left with her family.

I walked to my Jeep and got in, with a smile on my face. It still has that new car smell.

Back at home, I pulled a few leftovers out of the fridge and warmed them up. I ate standing over the kitchen sink. I was day dreaming looking out into the back yard; it did need some clean up. Caesar has dragged branches all over the yard and the leaves from last fall never got picked up completely. I just left them to decompose on their own. I didn't care. With kids coming over to the house, my yard will finally look good. A smile spread across my face.

While I was lounging at home watching TV, Tessa from across the street came over. My brain knows that she is only 17, but if you were to look at her, she doesn't look 17. She looks like she's 19 or 20. I tried not to think of her like this before; she is like a daughter to me. I have known her family for years. She and her brother and sister have come over to my house more than I can count, played and grown up with my boys over the years and are closer than family in my mind and heart. Problem is that the young child I have known for the past many years finally gets done growing up, you kind of notice. All of sudden BAM beautiful woman. One day growing teen then BAM curvy woman; and today was one of those days where she was all woman.

knock knock

That set the dog alarm off. woof woof bark bark woof

I look through the little window at the top of the door and check to see who it is. Tessa's here.

"Tessa, come on in. How are you doing honey?" I open the door and then open my arms for a hug. She steps right up and presses her body against mine. I hug her back and it feels really good to squeeze her.

"What brings over to my house?" I let go, but still stand close enough to her to continue to inhale her perfume. She smells nice.

"Oh, just to hang out. Mom and dad thought that you might be lonely and sent me over here to hang out and make sure you are ok. They worry about you and all." Is she flirting with me?

"Cool. I was hanging out downstairs watching TV. You are welcome to join me." I turn to go back downstairs and she follows along with me.

As is her habit, she is wearing her comfy pants and a loose fitting t-shirt with her hair pulled back in a ponytail down her back no makeup but someone had put perfume on her. Clean and fresh and in my house alone. This won't end well.

We go downstairs and I offer her the couch while I grab the rocking chair which is facing the TV and the end table. I kick back and put my feet up while she lounges on the couch. Legs stretched out and on her back. "What are you watching?"

"Sports Center. Have to catch up on the local sports scene. You know how it is."

We both sit quietly and I happen to look over and notice that it is cold downstairs, Tessa's headlights are on and her shirt is pulled tight across her chest. That's nice.

I try and somehow manage to turn back to watching TV. "Paul, do you have a blanket? I'm a bit chilly down here."

"Sure thing Hun. I'll get you one." Under the table that I have had my feet on there is a stash of blankets. I get up and pull one out and carried over to her. She got a playful smile on her face and got even more comfortable on the couch while I draped the blanket over her. She looked like a kid being tucked in by her father. So, I played along and tucked her in some more. "Now you are all snug. Is that better?"

"So much better." She moved around and managed to get even more covered up by the blanket pulled up to her chin. She looked so cute that I bent over and kissed her on the forehead, just like a father would do.

I went back to my chair. We were both quiet for a while and I looked over at her again. She was awake, but had a faraway look in her eye, like she was thinking about something. "Tessa." I said trying to get her attention. "Are you awake?"

"Hmm. What did you say?" She said coming out of her little mental vacation.

"I asked if you were alright. You looked a bit far away. Did you have a nice trip?"

"HA HA! Yes I had a lovely trip thank you very much." Wow, the sarcasm gene in her is working just fine. She sounded just like every other woman I have known. BAM Woman!

"What were you thinking about for so long?"

"I was thinking about Christmas last year. When we went to the Big Wolf Lodge as two families and had so much fun all together. Remember?"

I leaned back in my chair and started to think about that trip. It was a staycation but the time together with all of us there was great. We all spent quality time in the lodge's pool and then went out to eat. It was just great. My youngest had so much fun; he actually fell asleep in the restaurant while eating. All three of the kids were just worn out by the end of the day and sleep all the way home at the end of the day. I had to carry them to bed and they didn't even wake up. It was a great day.

"I remember that day. We all had so much fun. You kids were in constant motion and I don't think any of you sat still for more than a minute that entire day. You know, David and Josh both fell asleep in the car and I carried them up to bed when we got home. They didn't wake up until late the next day."

"Neither did we." Tessa said as she sat up on the couch. "After you all left, Jonnie, Jenna and I went back to the room and were asleep as soon as we got into bed. Nobody had to say anything to us, we just went to bed." She dramatically flopped back on the couch. "That was a great day."

"Yes, it was."

I guess our trip down memory lane came up short. We both realized that those days were over. I think I saw a tear run down her cheek. I got up and went to her kneeling at the side of the couch and touched her cheek. "Don't cry Tessa. Don't cry. It is going to be alright. I miss them also, but there is no need to cry." I pulled her to me and held her close with her head on my shoulder while I rubbed her back trying to get her to calm down.

"I miss picking on David or playing with Josh. They were like brothers to me. Now who am I going to grow up with?" She wrapped her arms around me and continued to cry into my shirt. I continued to rub her back, which was smooth. The dirty old man in me rose up and shouted to my libido 'She ain't wearing a bra!!!'

Be quiet you dirty old man. Can't you see she is hurting inside?

Dirty old man said 'oh ya, I know how to make her feel all better on the inside'

I continued to comfort her. She finally sat up, wiped her face and excused herself to the bathroom. I watched her go upstairs. I hope she doesn't leave. It is nice having her around.

I change to sit on the couch instead of the rocking chair. I stretched out on the couch and switched around the station to find something else that everyone may enjoy. Not the news. Not the weather. Disney had teenager shows on and tended to be funny. No, didn't seem right. I switched over to Netflix on the Wii. That works. I start moving through the comedies when Tessa comes down the stairs. Her eyes are bit puffy from crying, but at least she stayed. "Can you hold me?"

I look at her face. She looks at me like she is pleading with me to let her get close and be held. I can't say no. I open my arms and she sits right down on my lap sideways and throws her arms around me. I pull the blanket over us just as the movie starts. "Have you ever seen Airplane?"

"No. What is it about?"

"It's just a goofy comedy that I think you will enjoy. It has a lot of sight gags and one liners that if you don't pay attention to, you will miss entirely. So pay attention."

As the movie starts, the dirty old man in me pipes up, 'she still ain't got no bra on. I bet her boobs are firm. No sag on those babies.'

I push him aside. I do realize that my right arm is behind her and my left is across her abdomen inches away from her breasts and her treasure. I gaze upon her face with a smile on my face and ask, "Are you comfortable?"

She stretched her arms above her head and sighs "Oh yes. This is a wonderful spot right here." Her arms go around my neck and I get an unexpected surprise, her shirt had come up and now my hand was on her bare skin of her stomach. She was warm and her skin was so soft and supple. Everything that a young healthy woman is supposed to have. "I like it with your hand on me, I feel so protected and loved."

She snuggled closer to me with her breasts pressed against my chest. "I really enjoy holding you as well. I hope that I don't make you upset with my hand on your stomach like this. It just sort of happened when you stretched. And..."

"It's ok Uncle Paul. I came here dressed like this on purpose. I just can't stand to see you all alone and I thought that if I were to 'be' with you that it would cheer you up and you wouldn't feel so alone. I really miss Samantha and the boys. It makes me cry every time I think about them." I could see her eyes tearing up. I pulled my hand out from under the covers to hold her face, using my thumb to try and wipe away the tear that was forming.