Mandy Mischief
Chapter 2

Copyright© 2014 by The Heartbreak Kid

Kat’s car was parked outside her house when we arrived, so I let Mandy out and then looked for somewhere to leave mine. When I got back, the door—a side entrance—was ajar so I let myself in. it was one of those houses where you open the front door into a small entrance hall with rooms on both sides, I looked to my right into the sitting room where I’d been before and it was empty. Just then a voice called from the other side: “I’m in the kitchen, Steve—come on through!”

I had to pass through the dining room to get to the kitchen; there was a table with place settings for three. Something smelled good, so I followed my nose into the kitchen, where Kat was preparing vegetables.

“Hi, Steve! Do you want tea or coffee, or there’s some beer in the fridge?”

“I’m driving, so no beer, and you’re busy so I can wait for a drink, but thanks.”

Kat looked good again: she was wearing a pair of those sweat-shorts, but not the grey, baggy kind; these where pale-yellow, quite close fitting, and had a printed design on them. She was also wearing a figure-hugging cropped vest in a matching-colour which highlighted her bra underneath that was also intended to leave a gap of several inches to show off her belly button—very cute! And when she turned away from me there was no VPL that I could see under her shorts: maybe a thong, or maybe even ... But I couldn’t just stand there gawking at her fine body: “So what do you do at work Kat?”

“Oh, nothing very exciting I’m afraid! Do you know Macauley’s? Well, I work in their finance office. I had ten quite good GCSE passes at 16 and I did take a couple of A-levels, but I was married and eight months pregnant by the time I took the last exam. Then Mandy was born so I couldn’t really work for about three years until I could get her into a day nursery. I found a job and started off as just a basic admin assistant and I’ve been slowly working my way up. I don’t think that I’m going to get much higher, though, because there are too many people coming out of college with degrees in things like Accountancy, Business Studies, and Management.”

“Would you like to get higher, though?”

“Well, to be honest I’m not sure Steve. The money would be nice, of course, but I don’t find the work terribly stimulating and I’m not going to do anything that affects Mandy too much—it’s bad enough that I’m not here when she gets in from school most of the week, that’s why I’m glad that she has been getting extra time after school this last week and I know she enjoys it and she likes you.”

“Well, I don’t mind either and I’d be there anyway, but I’m not sure how long we can legitimately keep her doing it. Maybe another week, then we’ll have to have a rethink about it.” Kat nodded.

“There’s nothing more I can do here, except wait. Would you like some orange juice, Steve; we can take them through to the sitting room while the meal’s finishing off?” So we did that. “A personal question, Steve: why isn’t a nice looking guy like you married?” I liked her directness.

“A bit like yourself, Kat: I was once but it didn’t last. I met Cheryl when I was at Leeds. She was more into the design aspect than the art, like me, but we had quite a lot in common otherwise and we shared a flat together for most of the three years I was there. She is actually a Yorkshire lass from Pontefract, which isn’t that far from Leeds, while I’m from Cambridgeshire—Peterborough.

“By the time we’d both finished our degrees I’d decided on teaching art as a career—the only trouble was, in order to get a teaching qualifiKation in the subject I’d have to travel north, way north. I’d looked on the Universities Admissions website and my choices were very limited, and of the few I saw only Glasgow really appealed to me. Well, Cheryl wasn’t thrilled about it, but she decided to go with me and while we were there we tied the knot. I don’t know if you’ve ever been there, but apart from the Scottish winters, Glasgow is a great place and there have been some fantastic artists who lived and trained there.

“Anyway, I got my PGDE qualifiKation from Glasgow and then I had to find a job. I spent another year or so doing supply teaching—a horrible experience, I don’t recommend it—and then my present job came along. I moved here and I was happy and I thought Cheryl was happy, too. Then one day she just told me that it wasn’t working for her and that she wanted a separation. What I didn’t know, of course, was that she was still in touch with a guy we both knew in Glasgow, who it turned out was more her friend than he was mine, if you know what I mean! I knew that I didn’t want to be in a relationship that only I was committed to, so we agreed to untie the knot again, and as far as I know she’s still up there now. So how about you, Kat? I know things are different when there are children involved, but if you don’t mind me saying so, you are a very attractive woman; have there been no suitors?” She smiled, then reached across and put her hand on my arm:

“Shall we leave that one until later, Steve; the food must be ready by now and I’d rather talk about it without—” she pointed towards the ceiling. “I love her to pieces, but there are some things that I’d rather she didn’t overhear!” I smiled and nodded. She took my hand and pulled me up from sofa and led me back to the dining room. “Mmm, that felt nice!” she said with a grin, releasing my hand. “—Mandy, I’m dishing up now, Love!” she called up the stairs. “Okay, Mum—coming!”


It was a very nice meal. Just sitting with Kat and Mandy while they sat and ate, chatting as well as eating, I could see how close they were. Mandy was probably a bit reluctant to ask me anything, but she happily answered my questions. Kat had said that her daughter was usually in bed by 9:30 and I wondered if she would stay downstairs until then, but it wasn’t long after we’d finished eating and the washing up had been done and put away that she said goodnight to her mother and me. She also very politely thanked me for bringing her home from school every afternoon and for staying to eat that evening. She hugged and kissed Kat, but seemed uncertain about me, so she just smiled before heading back upstairs to her room. She did come down for a drink later and I heard her moving around, but she never interrupted us. Kat made coffee and brought them over and sat beside me on the sofa.

“You know, Mandy’s had male teachers before but she never got close to them. She really likes you, Steve, that’s why she doesn’t quite know how to act around you. I suppose that, professionally, you have to be detached, but you talk to her like I do. She never really knew Clive, but even when he was around he never really bonded with her. I suppose that I should answer your question now.”

“You really don’t have to Kat.” She smiled: “But I’d like to!”

“Okay—if you’re sure!”

“I am—make yourself comfortable. Sure, there are always suitors, as you call them, as I’m sure you know. Also, being a man, you know that there are basically two types: the smaller percentage are nice, genuine guys like yourself, I think, who like women as people and who are interested in relationships and the long haul. Then there are the majority, the opportunistic predators, and we all know what they’re after!

“Over the years since Mandy was born I’ve met some nice guys, but however nice they are she’s always in the back of my mind and I start asking myself if I’m really interested in a man for me or as a father for her. The answer of course should be both, but somehow that never seems to work out. I’ve dated men when I can find a babysitter, but I never took any of them home to meet her. I’ve even been to bed with a few of them, but however good the sex was, something has always told me that they aren’t good dad material.” She laughed. “In fact one of them already was a dad but I didn’t find that one out until after we’d done the deed and he let that piece of information slip out by mistake. Oh yes, and there was already another mummy in the equation, too! So after a while I pulled the metaphorical plug, Steve: Mandy’s had my undivided attention for some time now, and in order to tame the savage beast that lurks inside me I still keep an old friend in my bedside drawer that I hope my daughter knows nothing about, and for which I’ve found it’s cheaper to use rechargeable batteries!

 
There is more of this chapter...
The source of this story is Storiesonline

To read the complete story you need to be logged in:
Log In or
Register for a Free account (Why register?)

Get No-Registration Temporary Access*

* Allows you 3 stories to read in 24 hours.

Close
 

WARNING! ADULT CONTENT...

Storiesonline is for adult entertainment only. By accessing this site you declare that you are of legal age and that you agree with our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.