Chapter 2

Bob had a one bedroom apartment. He lived frugally and truly didn't have much except a heart. When they got into his place Bob told her to go sit down at the kitchen table saying he'd get out some cold beer for them to drink with their pizza.

She sat down rapidly opening the box to pull out another slice. Bob reached for a couple of plates, got two cans of beer from the fridge and set everything down on the table.

She immediately took the beer, popped it open and took a healthy swig. In moments she let out a very unfeminine five second beer-belch and laughed, "I needed that."

Bob laughed too and that helped them both relax a little.

Introductions came as the last two pieces of pizza were being devoured. He started it saying, "By the way, my name is Bob. Bob Milton. Yours?"

She laughed, "Yeah. I knew that.

"Remember, you ordered the Pizza." Then she told him, "My name's Casey Smith." The usual handshakes were followed by a cordial, "Nice to meet you."

Finally getting to the point Bob asked her if she had a place to sleep.

"Well, not really," Casey told him. "My father died about five years ago from cancer. My mom's had a string of horrible live-in boyfriends. Her latest one letched on me something fierce.

"At night after my mom was asleep in bed, many times he would come into my room and feel me up. He even fingered me a couple of times. He was always very rough and loved to hurt me.

"Last week he told me we were going to have sex. I told him no. He grabbed my shirt right below my neck and twisted hard choking me a little. He told me either I was going to be nice little girl for him or he'd rape me.

"I told my mom about it. She said I was lying, trying to wreck her relationship and threw me out. That was a week ago. I've been on the street ever since.

"I'm not a virgin. But telling me he was going to rape me made my stomach turn inside out. I couldn't have lived there a day longer either. Living on the street is real tough."

"Look Casey," Bob started. "You said you would do anything for a bottle. I can understand your saying that but I don't want you to do anything here, with me, that you don't want to do.

Pointing to the nearby counter he continued, "First, if you just want to drink that whole bottle of Rum in one gulp and crash, that's up to you.

"If you want to give me sexual favors, which is what I interpreted you meant when you said 'Anything, ' then that's OK. Just as if you don't want to do anything with me either, that's OK too.

"As you can see," Bob said as he waived his arm slowly around his sparsely furnished apartment. "I don't have much and the only thing I ask is that you don't take anything I have. Don't steal from me.

"That's the only thing I ask. Don't steal from me."

He paused for a moment then told her, "So, I'm guessing you don't have a place to stay. You're welcome to stay here but you'll need to earn your keep by not making a mess.

"Basically what I have, I'm willing to share, as long as you need it. I don't eat fancy but I do ask that if you share what little I have that you also share with the work it takes to keep up this place.

"That means, washing dishes, laundry, maybe even cooking. Not all of everything. Just a share. Oh, and of course, personal hygiene.

"OK?" he asked and got the "OK," response from her he wanted.

Continuing he said, "I don't think you've had a bath in more than a week. Yeah, I can tell. So you'll need to bathe and wash, regularly.

"Remember I'm not expecting any payment from you or anything like sexual favors either.

"Companionship would be nice but it's not required. More than that would be nice too but nothing of a personal nature is required except, civility.

"We do have a small problem though," he pointed out to her. "I don't have any female clothing here but I do have a washer and dryer. At least the clothes you have on your back can get a cleaning.

"While that's being done, I can loan you some of my clothes. Obviously they will not fit you too well. But at least for tonight it'll have to do while your stuff's being washed and dried.

"If you can stand me and you're still here tomorrow we can get you a few things that'll make you feel better. My treat. Sorry, it won't be much, but at least it will be something.

"One more thing," Bob added. "If you're going to stay here for any length of time, it's common courtesy for you to tell me how long you're going to be out. You know, like where you're going and when you expect to return. It's not fair to me for you to just disappear because I'll worry.

"I'll do the same for you.

"So ... Does that sound OK to you," he asked.

Casey wrinkled a little smile at Bob and said, "So far. So good!" as she finished the last bite of pizza.

Strange, Bob thought to himself. She didn't finish her beer. Trying to think back, he didn't remember her taking any after her initial belch. And then he realized, he hadn't taken a drink at all. His beer can was open but still was full. "Maybe there is hope," he thought.

Being able to concentrate on someone else's problems had done the trick. Silently he thanked her. Tomorrow he wouldn't have a raging hangover.

"Look," Bob finally told her, "I think a bath is in order."

Nodding toward the bathroom he added, "I'll put out a wash cloth and towel in there for you. I'll also lend you a pair of my boxers and a t-shirt. I'll put them in there too for you to wear afterward."

"Thanks," she said. "I'd like that."

Then he added, "There's an extra tooth brush in the bathroom you can use too. It's the red one. Mine is blue. Brush your teeth first. You have a wicked case of Tiger Breath."

Bob gathered up one of his paisley adorned boxers and a plain lavender t-shirt. He knew that girls loved to wear boy's boxers and t-shirts so he figured they were a good choice and could double as sleepwear. He laid them on the hamper in the bathroom topping them with a bath towel and wash cloth.

Bob returned to the kitchen and told Casey it was all set up and he'd turned on the bath water for her. He'd even found an old box of bath salts intended as a gift for his ex before she became such a bitch. He'd opened it, added some to her bath water to make the water silky for her and add a nice floral aroma. Bob hoped it would be a nice little surprise for her.

Casey got up and went into the bathroom. Soon he heard her start to brush her teeth.

Bob put away the leavings from dinner and poured the unused beer down the drain. Boilermakers could come later. With the beer cold in the fridge and the bottles sitting on the counter there would be no fumbling. What was going to happen would happen.

He piled a satin sheet, blanket and a pillow on the couch where he assumed she would want to sleep. Then he went into his bedroom got out of his dungarees, shirt and underwear then slipped on his usual nighttime attire; fleece pajama bottoms.

He hadn't noticed that Casey didn't close the bathroom door. Nor had she pulled the shower curtain across the bathtub. He was thirsty and as he walked by the bathroom doorway to get some juice from the fridge, Casey called out to him.