Chapter 8

I've always considered myself a pretty gutsy guy. I mean, there's not many guys I wouldn't stand up to in a fight and I've done a lot of brave things in my time. But now I had a new problem and for the week following the action with Lois and Tony I grew more and more uncertain.

It was just that I didn't know how to approach her with the pictures and scheme. What I mean is, I knew what I was doing was a rotten thing. I could never have even thought of it if I wasn't so unhappy and desperate to better myself.

I knew that nothing could happen; the most she would do would be to scream and cry and hate me. But that was what I dreaded: the look she was gonna give me and the disgust she'd feel for me. I mean, I may have been doing a lousy thing, but I got a conscience just the same.

So for the next week I brooded and tried to figure how I'd work it. I thought of mailing one of the pics to her with a note, but decided not to. I didn't want to take the chance of having it fall into the wrong hands--like Herb's, for instance. Then I thought of stopping by her place when Herb was at work, leaving the picture and note with her in an envelope to open after I was gone. But I dropped that; it was too chickenshit. I still had to live with myself.

After a full week of brooding and thinking and not sleeping, I called Lois and set up a meeting at her place on Tuesday afternoon. Nothing could be worse than what I had been putting myself through.

On Tuesday morning, before leaving for work, I took one of the pictures--a good, clear one of her face--and carefully cut my own face out of the shot. In case she figured I wouldn't go through with it for fear of getting myself mixed up in anything, this would let her know I meant business.

Then I slipped the photo into my wallet and went out. The morning was a total loss. I didn't get much of anything done and was glad Tony and I were on separate jobs. For the whole week, he had been pestering me about when I would set him up and so on. This morning I just wanted to be alone. When I finished up the work on this lady's stopped kitchen sink, it was twelve-fifteen and time to head for Lois'. She was probably fixing me lunch and everything. I hoped not, because her being nice would only make it harder, but knowing Lois, she was probably fixing me lunch.

When I stepped out of the truck in front of her house the sun was directly overhead, beating down like a bastard. I squashed my butt under my heel on the drive and walked slowly toward the front door. Before I was halfway there, she opened it and smiled out at me.

"You're really dragging," she said. "It's hot out, isn't it?"

"Yeah," I said.

"Well, come on in. I've got the air conditioning on and I've fixed us a nice salad and ice tea."

I almost winced at the words. She was so damn nice!

"Great," I said, half-heartedly. I went into the house.

As soon as the door was closed behind me, Lois threw her arms around my neck and started licking my ear. "Ummmm," she sighed. "We're gonna have a good lunch, aren't we?"

She pushed her big tits into my chest and writhed around against me. I took her by the shoulders and pushed her back from me.

"I, uh--I don't feel too good today," I mumbled, avoiding her eyes.

She stepped back and looked at me closely. She was wearing a pair of tight white shorts and a green halter, and was looking sexy as hell. But that was the last thing on my mind.

She ran a hand through her black hair. "What's wrong?" she asked.

"Nothing, nothing," I said. "I've been working my ass off all morning, that's all."

Then she laughed and skipped her arm through mine. "Sure," she said, leading me toward the kitchen. "And it's hot, isn't it? You'll feel better after you eat."

The kitchen was a bright, modern room filled with shining chrome and green plants. I sat down at the counter on a high stool. The Formica table already had two servings of salad and two tall glasses filled with ice.

"Just start," Lois said, "and I'll get the tea."

I didn't have any appetite but I managed to fork up a mouthful of greens as I watched her take the teapot from the stove.

"Good?" She smiled at me, flashing those big, perfect teeth, as she sat down across from where I was and poured out the tea'

"Huh? Oh, yeah, real good," I said. I forced myself to fork up a big bunch of lettuce and sliced ham and an anchovy. All I could think of was that picture in my pocket.

Lois, still smiling, dug into her bowl with the fork. "I feel great today," she said. "In fact, I've been feeling great all week, ever since we got together. Sex is wonderful, isn't it? I wish I could get Herb into shape. Then I wouldn't have to rely on you so much." She opened her mouth and chomped down on her fork.

I guess I must have had a funny look on my face, because she looked at me and quickly continued, "Not that I mind, of course. You're always welcome around these parts, honey." She winked at me and I tried to smile.

"Pete, what is the matter? You're acting very funny today."

I took a deep breath and put my fork down. "Lois," I said, this time looking her right in the eye, "let's say you were trapped somehow. I mean, in a situation you couldn't stand and there didn't seem to be any way out. Wouldn't you do anything you had to, to get out of it?"

She raised her eyebrows and looked at me closely. "I don't understand," she said. "Are you in trouble of some kind?"

"Yes, in a way," I said. "But, look, answer my question. If you were in a bad situation that was driving you nuts, wouldn't you do just about anything to escape?"

"I guess so. Pete, what is it?" She had an expression of such genuine concern that it took all I had to keep looking into her eyes.

"Well," I said. "I don't know how to explain exactly, but I feel trapped. I mean, I hate working for my boss--there's no future in it and I don't want to wind up like all the town jerks down at Ed's with years of work and boredom with nothing to show for it. Hell, I'm already pushing twenty-five and where am I? Nowhere."

She was all sympathy as she looked across the table at me. "I never knew you felt that way," she said. "You always seemed so happy and content with your lot, just another..."

The words trailed off. "Just another town jerk, with no ambition or interests other than drinking and screwing," I said.

"Pete, I--"

"No, no, it's all right, Lois. It's not your fault, thinking like that. Hell, if I were you I'd think the same thing. What am I, anyway, judging from my job and the guys I hang around with? No, it's OK, I understand. But can you understand that even though I seem like one kind of guy, deep down I'm another and this life is beginning to get to me?"

"Yes." Oh, was she ever solemn and serious and understanding. I was beginning to feel a bit better. Maybe she would understand and not mind so much after all. Right at the moment, she was stroking my forearm with her fingers.

"What do you want to do about it, Pete?"

"Well, like I was saying, wouldn't you do just about anything to get out of a situation like that?"

"Well, I don't know about anything," she said. "But, well, yes, I'd do an awful lot."

Then I had a brainstorm. "Like sleeping with me all the time," I said. "Like cheating on Herb." This was a bit strong, but it would drive home my point and maybe she wouldn't feel so used and betrayed if she realized she had used her husband in the same way, in a way. I mean, my blackmailing her was no worse than her cheating on poor Herb, was it?

At my last remark she flushed slightly and her hand froze on my arm. Then she resumed stroking. "I guess I understand what you mean," she said slowly. "But you're leading up to something, aren't you? What is it, Pete? What are you going to do?"

My heart began beating faster and I felt my skin begin to tingle all over. "Well, I want to save up enough money to go into the plumbing business myself. But it'll take too long getting the money I need through normal means. I mean, I can't save enough in less than a couple years time and then it'll be too late. The town's growing like crazy now and I want to get in on it."