I was snapped out of a perfectly good night’s sleep to the sound of someone knocking on my front door – far too early in the morning for anyone with common sense to be awake. At first, I stayed in my bed hoping that they would leave, but the knocking continued to go on until I reluctantly got up to see who would have such audacity. I yelled out over the loud knocking that I was coming and I stumbled, bleery-eyed, to the door. I opened the door and standing in front of me was my next door neighbor Victoria Clarke.

“Hi Taylor. I am so sorry, I know its early, but Tom and I just had a huge fight and I left. I didn’t know where else to go, so I came here,” Victoria said between sobs.

Tom and Victoria lived one apartment down and across the hall from me. They had been married for five or six years now, and I thought they were pretty happy. Tom was a truck driver and was gone a lot, but they seemed to be dealing with it.

“Come on in Vicky, I will make us some coffee and you can tell me what happened,” I told her.

I held the door for her and helped her come inside. She was still on shaky legs, so I steadied her as she walked. We went into the kitchen and I helped her sit down at the small table. I could see that she was pretty shaken up from whatever had happened. Once the coffee was ready, I poured us both a cup and brought them to the table. As I prepared her coffee for her, I didn’t say anything, waiting for her to initiate the conversation. We sat there in silence for some time while Victoria calmed down and got herself together.

“Can ... can I borrow your phone, Taylor? I need to find someplace to stay for a few days,” Victoria asked, practically whispering.

“Of course,” I said. I got up and went in the bedroom to get my cell phone. I handed her my phone and she walked into the bathroom to make her call. A few minutes later she came back into the kitchen and handed me back my phone.

“You look better. Did you find a place to stay?” I asked.

“No, not yet, but I left messages with a couple of the girls I work with and when they call back, I can ask them. I left your number with them – I hope that’s okay. I’m afraid I threw Tom’s cell phone against the wall when I saw what he had been doing and broke it. So he took my phone with him on one of his runs. And we don’t have a home phone anymore, since we both had cells.

“That’s fine, Vicky. So ... what happened anyway, if you don’t mind my asking,” I said, tentatively.

“I found out Tom has been cheating on me,” Victoria said, looking down at her hands. “I went to make a phone call but the battery on my cell phone was dead. So without asking Tom, I borrowed his. That’s when I saw all the phone calls that he had been making and getting from her.”

“Oh honey, I’m sorry. Damn,” I said, not knowing what else to say.

“What am I going to do Taylor? Where am I going to go? I can’t go back to the apartment, not yet...” she said, starting to cry all over again.

“Well Vicky, I am so sorry that you and Tom are having troubles. But if you need a place to stay for a couple days you can stay here. Let’s see what your coworkers have to say, but if that doesn’t pan out, you are welcome here,” I told her.

“Thank you, Taylor. I appreciate it very much,” she said with a little smile.

“It’s quite all right. We are neighbors, we are supposed to help each other if we can,” I said.

“True, but usually that entails borrowing a cup of sugar or the lawnmower or getting a ride to work or something. This is a lot bigger than that,” she said.

“Well, a need is a need. Anyway, you can stay here today if you want – I need to get ready for work. Just make yourself at home and try not to worry about things. Tom probably just needs some time to think about what he is doing and he’ll come around. You are too good a catch to let get away!” I said, getting up.

“Awww Taylor, you are too sweet!” she said. And I went to get ready for work.

About 4:00 that afternoon I called the house. “Hello?” I heard her answer the phone.

“Hi Vicky, it’s Taylor. I just wanted to call and let you know I’m about ready to get off work. I was wondering if you needed anything before I came home.”

“Oh hi, Taylor. No, I’m okay, but thank you for calling. I’ll see you when you get home then,” she said with a giggle “Gee, that sounded just like a wife, didn’t it?” I hung up the phone and got back to work, but her last statement stuck in my head.

After work, I came straight home ... it had been a long day and I was tired. I pulled up in front of the apartment building and made my way to my 4th floor apartment. I have to admit, when I opened the door that afternoon, I was not prepared for the surprise that awaited me inside.

Victoria had been busy. As I opened the door the first thing that hit me was the delicious smell of food cooking. I heard some noise in the kitchen, so after I set my briefcase down and took off my coat, I went in to see what was going on.

“Hi Vicky, whatcha doing?” I asked. She whirled around startled, and then smiled broadly.

“Oh hi Taylor! I didn’t hear you come in. I’m just making some dinner for us. Now you go into the living room and relax, I have everything under control here. Dinner will be ready in a few minutes,” she said, pushing me back out of the kitchen.

I went into the bedroom to change out of my suit and into more comfortable clothes while she finished up with dinner. After I changed, I went and sat in my recliner until dinner. I had just about finished the paper when I heard her call me in to dinner.

“It smells wonderful Vicky,” I said, sitting down at the table.

“I do hope you like it. I wasn’t sure what your favorite food was or what you kept here, so I brought some things from my place over,” she said.

“Yeah, I normally don’t keep much here. I kinda shop for what I’m hungry for that evening. Plus I’m not much of a chef, it seems!” I said, grinning sheepishly.

“Tom was that way too when I first met him. What is it with you guys and cooking? It seems the only way you can cook is to put something on the grill!” she giggled.

“I guess it goes back to caveman days ... you know us Neanderthals don’t go in for all that fancy cooking stuff!” I laughed.

“Well this isn’t five-star cooking, but it’s not raw dinosaur meat either,” she said.

“Hey, don’t knock a good brontosaurus steak!” I quipped.

The meal was good ... spaghetti with meat sauce, garlic bread, and a nice fresh salad beat what I normally would have had. And the dinner company made the meal all the better. It had been awhile since I had a guest for dinner. We had a very nice time. I poured us a couple glasses of wine that I had around waiting for an occasion to open and we enjoyed a very nice meal.

After dinner, I helped her clear the table, putting all the dishes in the sink to soak for a bit. I poured us another glass of wine and we went into the living room to get more comfortable. She went to sit on the sofa, so to be courteous, I sat next to her instead of in my recliner where I usually sat.

We sat and talked for awhile, just chit-chat to pass the time while we enjoyed the wine. After a couple glasses, Victoria began to feel the effects and she loosened up and began to talk more seriously.

“Taylor, we have been neighbors for a few years and have talked many times ... do you think I’m a bad person? I mean do I seem like a bitch or a nag to you?” she asked.

“No, Vicky. I think you are a good neighbor and I have never seen that from you. I mean I don’t know you all that well, but you have always had a smile and a pleasant word when I have seen you,” I replied.

“Well that’s what Tom said. He said that all I do is bitch at him and nag him about everything. He said he is tired of never being able to do anything right. That’s why he went to this other woman – because she makes him feel good about himself,” she said, looking down at her hands again as she finished.

“I don’t believe that. You seem like a perfectly nice and pleasant person. I enjoy talking to you whenever we can,” I told her.

“And I enjoy talking with you. I really appreciate your help and your letting me stay here. I don’t have many friends – Tom and I don’t do much socializing – so I didn’t have a lot of options,” she said.

“Did any of your coworkers call today?” I asked.

“Sarah called and said she has her parents visiting and couldn’t put me up. Becky and her husband are out of town and I couldn’t reach them. So if the offer still stands, I will take you up on it. Tom will be back in a week and then we will talk over what we will do then. I am hoping the time apart will cool things down,” Victoria said.

“Of course you can stay, hon. You can take the bed, and I will make up the couch,” I said.

“Oh, I don’t want to put you out! I can sleep on the couch Taylor!” she said.

“That’s okay, sweetheart, the couch is fine. It’s actually quite comfortable – I have fallen asleep on it many times. Besides, you are the guest here!” I insisted.

Victoria turned in her seat and looked at me at that moment. She looked into my eyes and I saw her searching, her eyes flicking back and forth. Then she threw her arms around my neck and kissed me. And not just a friendly, “thank you” kiss. She crushed her lips to mine as if her life depended on it. Her kiss was so intense and passionate it surprised me.

“Wow, that was some kiss, Vicky! You all right?” I asked when she finally came up for air.

“Sorry, I don’t know what came over me. I just really needed to kiss you,” she said.

“Well you certainly did that!” I said, smiling.

There was a long, uncomfortable silence before Victoria spoke again. “So ... umm ... did you ... like it?” she said looking down and fidgeting with her hands. She always wrung her hands when she was nervous. And she was nervous now.

I hooked my index finger under her lowered chin and raised her face to mine. “Victoria, your kiss was just fine. It was wonderful. I’m sorry that Tom cheated on you but frankly, he’s a fool. He’s a fool to let someone as sweet and as beautiful as you even think for a moment that you weren’t the most important thing in the world to him,” I told her.

“Taylor, you are sweet. Thank you,” she said. Then she noticed something. A certain part of me enjoyed the kiss a bit more than others!

“Oh my! Did I do that?” she said, looking down. Yes, there was quite a bulge growing in my trousers!

“See, I told you that was a good kiss,” I said, smiling at her mischievously.

“Well, thank you for the compliment. I ... I needed it,” she admitted.

I saw a need. Victoria needed validation. She needed to be wanted. I took the woman by the hand and helped her to stand. As she stood up, I wrapped her in my arms holding her close to me tightly. I leaned forward and kissed her, passionately, deeply, and with all that I had.

Victoria melted into my arms. Her lips parted, inviting my tongue to explore her, and a soft moan escaped her. I pressed myself into her, letting her feel the hardness she was causing, showing her that she was responsible for my state and proving to her that she still had appeal.

We kissed for several moments, and afterwards I held her for a few more. I felt her relax in my arms and she laid her head on my shoulder. I felt the wetness of her tears as they fell onto my shoulder and soaked through my shirt. She raised her head after a bit and I saw her tear-streaked face.

“Thank you, Taylor. Thank you for everything,” she whispered.

We sat back down and she leaned into me as we sat and watched some TV before going to bed. She enjoyed the closeness. I was to find out later that her and Tom would often watch TV in separate rooms since they could never agree on what to watch. So the simple act of watching TV with someone else was a real treat for her.

But it was getting late and since I had been woke up earlier than usual that morning, I was getting tired. Victoria had also had a rough day. So I went into the hallway closet and got some extra blankets and a pillow and put them on the sofa.

“Okay, Vicky, you can take the bed. I’ll be out here on the sofa. You know your way around so just make yourself at home and relax. We’ll work all this out, don’t worry,” I said. She smiled and kissed me on the cheek and then turned to go into the bedroom closing the door behind her. I turned and made the couch up and got ready for bed myself. I had brought a small alarm clock from the bedroom out so I would wake up for work without waking her and settled in for the night.