Chapter 13: The Weekend Approaches

Kathy was fast becoming part of the office "family" the good natured teasing made her feel right at home. She was able to give and take with the best of them, but she was a little worried Tia was beginning to hit on her. Vicki put her at ease by telling her he was happily married and it was all an act. Vicki also said, if Kathy ever did act like she was going to take him up on anything he would probably run screaming in terror from the office afraid his wife would find him and remove parts of him he had grown very much attached to. Vicki had laughed as she related how the first time she had met Tia's wife; the pretty petite young woman had been carrying a basket of knives. She had told Vicki she was on her way to have them sharpened. Vicki said Tia's wife's eyes had narrowed when Shy had walked through the office and the Mrs. Tia had said in a loud voice she was an expert canner and could pickle almost anything. Vicki had tears in her eyes from laughing as she further explained how pale Tia had become when his wife uttered that statement.

Kathy was also a bit concerned about her relationship with John. Although there was nothing you could point to and say "See, this proves he is pulling away from me!" there seemed to be an invisible wall building between them.

Conversation between them had become strained. When she asked about the gate Thursday morning, his answer was not in the easy carefree tone and body language she had grown used to. It was almost as if he were walking through a crowded glass shop, afraid of brushing against a fragile and expensive knickknack.

In the evening as her lounge wear had become lighter and skimpier, his had become baggier and fuller. After dinner he had come into the den wearing a baggy tee-shirt and full length pajama bottoms, while she was in a loose tee and panties. When Kathy had "accidently" flashed him her panties he had only buried himself deeper into his newspaper. If she didn't know better he had gone so far as to completely hide behind it so that not only could she not see him, he couldn't see her. He soon went to bed with a barely audible "Goodnight."

Friday didn't begin any better. As soon as she entered the kitchen he had asked her "Ready?" and left the table heading towards the back door and his truck. At work it was more of the same, when they entered he immediately went to his office and she didn't hear from him all day. At the end of the work day she had to go to his office after everyone else had left for home. He jumped a foot when she stuck her head through the door and asked him if they were going to sleep at the office.

John was feeling like a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs. When Kathy had entered the den wearing her sleepwear, he had grabbed the first thing handy which happened to be a two day old newspaper. Despite his best intentions he found himself glancing over the paper at her and when he caught a flash of her pale green panties it had hit him like a bolt of lightning. He had to hide behind the paper to keep her from seeing his face turn beet red. He knew it was red because his face felt as if liquid fire had been thrown on it. His face was not the only thing to respond to the flash of green but thankfully the bottom of the paper hid that as well. His dreams had been tormented with visions of Morgan laughing at him for telling her he loved her and Kathy crying because he told her he couldn't love her, or Morgan having a shocked and embarrassed look on her face when he proclaimed his love. Only to be followed by a "but John I don't think of you that way." This in turn would be followed by a dream of hearing Kathy laughing with someone as she told of the stupid old fool that had told her he loved her. He was awake by 4am and had drank a whole pot of coffee so when Kathy had entered the kitchen his gut felt like it was full of battery acid and the pain in both his heart and back put him in a very grouchy mood.

Friday morning he had hidden in his office and berated himself for the hurt look on Kathy's face that was caused by his ill temper. Just before noon his cell rang and the person on the other end was either the person he most wanted to talk to or the last one he wanted to talk to, either way it was Morgan.

"Hi studly! Keeping the little sex kitten full of cream?" Morgan's voice was full of laughter.

"I think that is a totally inappropriate comment, Morgan. What do you need?"

"I was just calling my friend to see what you were going to be up to this weekend."

"You could have said something to that effect rather than make a thinly disguised crass statement."

Morgan was taken aback by John's curt tones, the last time he had been this way was just after Patty had found out she was ill. Morgan was not a stupid woman and it didn't take her more than a second to figure something was wrong.

"Okay, listen would it be alright if I borrowed Kathy tomorrow? I think it would be wonderful to have a girls' day out."

"I'll transfer you back to her," and John was gone.

Morgan was certain something was wrong now, and she knew she wouldn't get any more from John, but Kathy might be willing to talk.

"This is Kathy, may I help you?" Morgan could even hear the strain in Kathy's voice.

"Hi Kathy, it's Morgan, I was wondering if you would like to go shopping with me in the morning? I like to hit the local farmers market early on Saturday and I thought you might like to get some vegetables too."

Kathy quickly agreed and the two women soon had a plan to meet the next morning. Kathy was pleased Morgan had been so kind as to think of her and she really needed someone to talk to about how John was acting. She knew Morgan was more familiar with John's moods and maybe the older woman could help her figure out what she had done wrong.

Once again she didn't see John until after quitting time, then only after going to his office to remind him everyone else had gone home. The silence of the drive home finally got to her.

"What would you like for supper?" Kathy asked turning in her seat so she could look directly at John.

"It doesn't matter, if you don't want to cook we can either go get something or I can find something."

Kathy could tell John was trying to act as if nothing was wrong so she gave him the benefit of the doubt.

"It's nothing like that; I just wanted to know if you had a desire for anything in particular." Kathy's eyes widened with the realization of what she had said as the heat of a blush spread all the way down to the tops of her breasts.

The double meaning was not lost on John either and he could feel his own face heating.

"Nope, no desires whatsoever." John knew his comment could be taken two ways also and inwardly cringed.

Kathy was actually beginning to enjoy this. It was like the John she knew was back.

She could not hide the giggle when she quipped, "If I had more notice I could have found a leg of lamb, but I heard some guys are leg men so that wouldn't work. Then again there's a rack of lamb too, but you know how those boob men are, just mention a rack and they are filled with desires."

All John could do was grin and groan at the bad jokes.

Kathy continued, "Then there's chicken breast and thighs and chicken legs but I think the same guys would have desires for them too. So I guess that only leaves fish. That's pretty undesirable." Both John and Kathy were laughing now.

"Fish it is then, I think there are some frozen fillets and I saw some fries in there also, quick and easy."

"Speaking of chicken legs, do you think I have chicken legs?" Kathy asked as she stretched her right leg out toward John between the seat and dash of the truck.

Before John could catch himself he had already looked down at the offered leg whose foot was dangerously close to his own thigh. The skirt was bunched up at mid thigh showing a very long sexy leg. John had to swallow the lump in his throat before he could speak.

"No, that is most certainly not a chicken leg, what in the world gave you that idea?" John was afraid of where this conversation was heading.

"Some boys used to say I had chicken legs when we were growing up. I just wondered if they were still chicken legs." Kathy hoped she hadn't gone too far, but she was having fun and wanted it to continue. This was the only thing with chicken legs she could think of on short notice.

"Nope, those are definitely girl legs. Boys can be a bit stupid when their young." John told her the smile fading from his lips.