All characters are fictional and over the age of 18.
Life can be crazy indeed. I finished my workweek with the most boring meeting one could imagine, and less than an hour later, my neighbor's 18 year-old daughter is waiting for me in my bed.....
The storm fooled everyone, especially the weather experts. What was supposed to be a passing clipper that would come and go and leave nothing but a dusting dumped nearly 2 feet of snow in a matter of several hours.
Everyone listened to the forecasters, so schools did not close. It was the last day before Holiday break, and the school officials must have been hell bent on not giving anyone, students or teachers, even a minute of extra vacation.
Such was the genesis of a weekend that I could have never in a million lifetimes imagined. The weather didn't affect me, since I work from home. It was around 2:00 p.m. when the heavy, water-laden snow brought countless power lines down and shut off the electricity to thousands--not me though. I had the forethought to install a whole-house generator, which until the stroke of 2:00 p.m. had sat idle since its installation years ago.
I cursed myself initially when my computer suddenly shut down, only to re-boot itself quickly after the generator kicked on. If I had not installed it, I could have taken the afternoon off. Oh well.
It was not long after the power went out that my fried and neighbor, Jim Palmer, called me in a bit of a panic.
"Marty, so sorry for the bother. I was wondering if you could help us--well, Elise out?" he asked.
Elise Palmer was the daughter of Jim and Erica. We had been friends of the Palmer's for years. Their house was a stone's throw from mine. Elise was nearly 19 and a senior at the local high school. I had known her essentially her whole life.
"Of course. Everything ok?" I asked, fearing that Elise was in danger somehow.
"She's fine. She's just locked out of the house. She does not have a key--only the code to the garage door, which is useless since the power is out. I don't want her to drive to her friend's house. The roads are too bad, and Erica and I won't be home until tomorrow."
I didn't realize they were out of town. Poor Elise was stuck out in the cold.
"Jim, anything you need. Does she want to come over until power is restored? My generator is running so all is good over here."
He answered, sounding relieved, "Yes, that's awesome. Thank you, Marty!"
"It's no problem. Just tell her to come in the side door. It's unlocked. I am about to sign into a meeting so she can grab something to eat and just relax and get warm. I'll be down as soon as this dreadful meeting is over."
"Marty, that's great. Thank you so much!"
"My pleasure," I answered, happy to help my friend. I wondered if they would even be able to get back tomorrow, though I didn't say anything so as to not induce more panic.
My wife, Leslie, was away on a business trip and was scheduled to come home tonight but her flight was cancelled, leaving her stranded at the airport and scrambling to find a flight home, hopefully tomorrow afternoon.
A few moments later, I heard the side door of my house open. I peeked my head out of my office door as Elise walked into the kitchen. She was about 5'6" with shoulder length blonde hair. She was wearing a cute scarlet plaid miniskirt with a ruffled hem that went down to her mid thighs and an ivory cable knit sweater with an off-the-shoulder neckline. I saw that she kicked off her black high boots by the door.
"Hi, Elise! I have to get on a call, but make yourself home."
"Thank you so much, Mr. Graham. So sorry to interrupt. I guess I should carry a key to my own house," she said shaking her head.
"Nah, no worries. No one carries keys these days. Just relax. You're fine."
I found myself staring at her, so I quickly cast my eyes to the floor and without thinking blurted out, "You look lovely. Very festive!" I couldn't believe I said that. I must have sounded like the awkward middle aged adult that I am.
"Thank you! Everyone dressed up a bit today since it was the last day before winter break!"
"Awesome. I'll be back in a bit." I disappeared into my office and got on my call, trying to get the image of Elise in that outfit out of my head.
I signed off my meeting promptly at 5:00 p.m. as the snow continued to accumulate outside. Elise was sitting on the loveseat in my great room scrolling on her phone. She had made herself a cup of tea, having been at our home many times before for social gatherings and family events, so she knew her way around our kitchen.
"Hey, did you warm up?" I asked, coming down the stairs.
"I did! Thank you! You're a lifesaver, Mr. Graham!"
"It's my pleasure, Elise. You're welcome anytime. I just hope your folks can get home tomorrow. Mrs. Graham was supposed to be home tonight, but her flight got canceled. Hopefully, she'll be back tomorrow--maybe on your parents' flight."
I saw Elise's eyes light up for a brief moment when I told her my wife was away.
"I'm just glad that everyone is safe," I said sitting down on the couch opposite Elise.
"I don't think we can order out since everything is closed. But I am happy to make us some dinner."
"That would be great," she answered. But you just finished work, and I'm good so please there's no hurry. Plus, I can help!"
"Thank you!" I answered. "But you are my guest, so please relax."
Elise and I chatted for the better part of an hour. We never really talked much before since we would typically just say "hi" to each other at family and neighborhood gatherings. She was near the top of her class, captain of the cheerleading squad, and hoped to attend a large university next year as a biology major. She seems to have things figured out.
She had been dating a guy named Brian for several months. I knew his family and they seemed very nice. Brian didn't quite have the same college aspirations as Elise, but he put her on a pedestal and maybe was even husband material, though it was far too early to have any serious conversations about that, she admitted.
"Mr. Graham, can I ask you something a bit personal?" she asked, her tone becoming serious.
"Sure, Elise. Absolutely," I replied, having no idea where this was about to go.
"Brian is great. We have a blast together. He's kind and loving and attentive and soooo attracted to me, but......" She hesitated and looked at the floor.
"There's just something we....well....I have trouble with." I could see her cheeks flush. She ran her fingers through her straight blonde hair nervously before laying it over her bare left shoulder. Then she looked at me with her blue eyes and lowered her voice.
"He likes a certain thing.....you know...." She stammered, trying to find words. I was still lost but was getting an inkling about where she was going.
"Elise, is everything ok? Do you feel safe with Brian?" I asked.
"Oh yes! It's not like that.....It's more of an intimate thing. I am not sure how to say it."
"Well, I am glad it's not a safety thing, and that you are comfortable with him."
"Yes, absolutely. He just....well....he likes to use his......tongue. I don't believe I am saying this...."
"Elise, you don't have to say anything you don't want. I am happy to help in any way but don't want you to feel uncomfortable." I was trying to reassure her.
"It just doesn't feel like it's supposed to...I don't think it is, anyway. He kinda goes crazy down there and I pretend it's good but it really isn't. I haven't seen a lot of porn, but maybe he thinks he has to do all these acrobatics with this tongue to, you know, get me off. But it just doesn't happen. I really want it to, but it just doesn't."
"I see," I answered. I didn't know where this was going so I just started to ask questions.
"Have you discussed this with him? Have you told him that he's not, you know, getting the job done for you.....satisfying you in that way?"
"I've tried," she replied. "It never goes anywhere. He thinks he's really good at it, I think, because he's doing what the guys in his pornos are doing. I think his ego is getting in the way." She seemed frustrated and disappointed.
