There was a heavy sleet falling and the wind was whipping the treetops but it was warm in front of the fire. I had worked most of the day but had finally given up, as the weather got worse. By the time I got home, the roads were icy and the traffic slow and careful. I fixed an early supper and opened a bottle of wine.
With the kitchen cleaned up, I was relaxing in front of the fire when the lights went out. A few candles here and there solved that problem. I could go out and start the emergency generator but why bother, the fireplace kept my small house warm all by itself.
A little later, I dozed off in my recliner. I woke up to someone banging on my front door. As I went to open it, I called out, "Hold your horses, I'll be right there."
I opened the door to find an older woman dressed for a party, not freezing weather. She had on a light jacket but it was more a windbreaker than a true coat. Her dress ended a few inches above her knees and was whipping around in the wind.
"I was beginning to think no one was home," she said with chattering teeth.
"Please, come inside and get warm, you look frozen. I was napping and the power is off. What happened?"
"My car slid off the road and I can't get it out of the ditch," she said as she came in.
I closed the door and told her, "Come sit by the fire and warm up. Let me get the comforter off the couch."
"Thank you. I don't think I would have lasted much longer out there."
"Didn't the heater in your car work?" I asked as I watched her rub her bare hands together and then hold them close to the fire. My mind noted her nice legs and fine ass as she bent at the waist. I'm such a dirty old man at times. Well, all of the time actually.
I handed her the comforter. As she wrapped it around her shoulders, she said, "My car stalled when I slipped off the road and I couldn't get it started again. There was a lot of water in the ditch and I'm afraid something got wet that shouldn't have. My shoes are soaked."
"Let me get you a towel and a pair of heavy socks. Cold wet feet are a sure way to get a cold, my Grandmother always told me."
"Smart woman, your Grandmother," the woman said as I left the room carrying one of the candles.
When I returned, she had her shoes off and her pantyhose in her hand. "Is there someplace I could hang these to dry?" She asked shyly.
I handed her the towel and the socks, and took the pantyhose. "I have just the place for them. My wife always dried hers by hanging them on the shower rod. It's been a long time but I think I can remember how she used to hang them."
"Your wife doesn't wear pantyhose anymore?"
"I doubt it, she passed away about ten years ago. She probably doesn't need them in heaven," I said as I headed back to the bathroom.
"Oh!" I heard her say after a second or two.
When I returned, she had folded the blanket up and removed her jacket. She had the socks on, and was backed up to the fire. She wiggled her toes and smiled when she saw me looking at the socks. They were large on her, almost like short knee socks. What can I say; I have big feet.
The dress was your basic little black number. Every woman has one and most look good in them. This lady was no exception. The square cut neckline showed a good bit of cleavage, the waist was snug and trim, and the slightly flared skirt showed off her hips and legs. Not bad at all.
"If you're hungry, I just finished supper and there are some leftovers." I told her.
"No, I'm fine, I ate before I left home. I had an idea that I should have stayed home but I wanted to meet my brother's fiancé. They are leaving for England shortly and this will be my one and only chance for a while. That's where I was headed when I ran off the road."
"Does he live close by, I have a four wheel drive truck. I could take you there."
She shook her head. "No, he's another two hours south of here and I'd rather not impose on you anymore than I have. There's no need for two people to be in the ditch on my account."
"It's no problem and you're welcome to stay here, if you'd rather. I have an extra bedroom and it will be easier to get your car unstuck in the daylight. The phone is over there, if you want to call your brother and let him know where you are."
"Thank you, I probably should do that. He'll worry if I don't."
I went into the kitchen to give her a little space and privacy. I refilled my wine glass when I did. I filled a second glass for her.
*****
She was hanging the phone up when I returned. I held the glass out to her saying, "Here, this will help warm you up."
She looked at the glass and hesitated a second before she took it. "I don't drink much," she told me with a shy smile.
"One glass won't hurt you. If it did, I'd have been dead a long time ago."
I sat down in my chair and said, "I'm Mike, Mike Reed."
"Betty, Betty Smith. I'm glad to meet you Mr. Reed and I sure appreciate your hospitality."
"It's Mike to my friends, Mr. Reed was my daddy and he died a long while back."
Betty smiled and sat down on the hearth with her back to the fire. "You live kind of out in the middle of nowhere, don't you. This was the only house I'd seen for a while."
"North of me there ain't much but there's a town about a mile or so on down the road," I told her.
"Is there a motel there, I hate to impose myself on anyone."
"Like I said, you aren't imposing, the company is appreciated and no, there's no motel in the town or the next one for that matter. Not many travelers stop around here, there's nothing to do or for them to see," I said softly.
Betty sipped her wine and then sipped it again. "This is very good. Blackberry, isn't it?"
"Yes, I make it myself. It's got a little more kick than the store bought stuff and a lot better taste. My Grandmother taught me how to make it when I was just a little kid. The blackberries grow wild down in the creek bottom behind the house. It would be a shame to let them go to waste."
She took another sip of the wine and then sighed softly. "It does warm the insides."
I nodded and took a sip of my own. "They say its good for the blood and digestion also," I said just to make conversation. It had been a while since I had entertained a woman and I was a little nervous and a lot rusty.
Glancing up at the clock over the mantle, it was nearly ten. I shook my head. "It can't be that late."
Betty looked at her watch and nodded. "I'm afraid it can be. I left home around five and expected to be in Houston before now. If I was home, I'd be in bed by now."
"It's well past my bedtime also."
The conversation lagged and I stood up. "I guess I should show you to your room. It's at the end of the hall. I don't have any of my wife's nightgowns left, my daughter confiscated them all, but I do have a rather large t-shirt."
"I have an overnight bag in the car...." She started and then sighed. "But it's much too late to try and retrieve it."
"No problem. Where are your keys?" I said turning toward the front door and my coat.
"The t-shirt will be fine. Tomorrow is good enough to worry about my bag."
"My daughter uses that bedroom and bathroom so there's at least a hair brush and I think there's a new toothbrush in the medicine cabinet." I told her as I turned toward my bedroom to get the t-shirt.
I came back with a black t-shirt a minute or so later. I picked up a candle and turned toward the hallway. "I can go turn on the generator if you want a shower," I said as she followed me down the hall.
