Thank you so much for reading my story, I hope that you enjoy it, Mica xxx Yorkshire England.
All comments good or bad welcomed. I will try and reply to each and every one but please note that all anonymous comments will be deleted immediately and will not be read.
This story follows on from My New Lodger although that could be read first, this story should stand alone if you don't.
In the evening as we prepared for bed, I wondered if John would expect to sleep with me overnight. I rather hoped not, I do like my own bed for sleeping. Shenanigans are fine of course, and in fact may even be welcomed, but when the time comes, I want to be in my own bed.
He didn't seem to expect it, we said goodnight, and he went to his own room. Excellent. My dreams were full of the moments we had, as well as the one we didn't. There was a whole term ahead to think about the missing moment, there was time aplenty.
No awkwardness in the morning, which was good to see, I did momentarily wonder if he thought that was 'it', or if he just wasn't interested enough to take things further. I couldn't read him, basically, I didn't know him well enough. I dressed in bra, white knickers and pale blue mid length dress, and went down to the day room.
I made him a bacon sandwich for breakfast and then he headed off to Uni.
Just after he left, I had a phone call from the nice people at the Uni. One of their students had been let down at the last minute and had nowhere to live. I had said I had two more rooms, could I possibly help out in the short term whilst they find somewhere else for the student to Lodge.
Difficult to say no really. Might make things difficult for John, but, well life can be like that. They said they would be bringing him at around lunchtime if that was okay. I scooted upstairs and rushed around the second spare bedroom, tidying, putting fresh clean linen on the bed, ensuring drawers and wardrobes were empty, moving everything I could into the third bedroom, which was now quite full. Satisfied that the room was acceptable, I rushed around with the vacuum and duster, opened the windows for air, and went down to make myself a much-needed cup of tea.
I had just finished my tea when the door bell rang. I put my cup and saucer in the sink and went to the front door. A ginger haired woman with a rather large satchel type handbag stood there with a young nervous looking man, possibly West African, I have no way of knowing, to me a person is a person, it is what they are, rather than what skin they wear, that matters to me. There was a small pile of bags at their feet.
"Hello," she said, "I am Morag from Uni Lodgings and Hostings. This is Samual."
"Hello Samual, I hear you have had a bit of an upset, come on in and let's at least get you a cup of tea. Morag would you like one too?" Well, you have to be welcoming, don't you?
"Thank you miss," he said.
"Oh we don't need formalities here if this is to be your home for the next year, I am Mica, okay? That is all you have to call me. Now, you bring the bags in and dump them in the hall. We can go to your room when we have had a relaxing cup of tea. Morag, if you could just pull the door to when you are done, I shall make us some tea." I am not a porter.
I topped the kettle up and put it on to boil, rinsed my cup, and retrieved another two out of the cupboard. Tea bags, for simplicity. Three teas made and brewing in their cups and then they came in.
"Sit anywhere, now milk, sugar?"
Both sat to the table, they both had milk, neither had sugar, so that was easy. Bags out, milk in, done, I put a cup of tea before them both and sat on my sofa holding my tea.
"Samual has had some issues then Morag?"
"Yes, sadly an unexpected death in the family he was going to stay with, so obviously, well, he can't go there."
"Oh bless. That must have been quite a shock for you Samual. Hopefully no traumas here. Let me take you and show you the room that I have that can be your home for the next term if you want it. Come on."
I got up and led the way upstairs and opened the door to his room and ushered him in.
"All the spaces are empty, the drawers, the wardrobe so you can store all your stuff away in them. There is a desk you can use for your laptop or computer whatever you have. I have another student with me, John, he is in the room next door. I will leave you look around and I will go down with Morag, just come down when you are ready."
He just nodded, perhaps a little shell shocked, must be odd going somewhere and then someone dies on your first day. Back in the day room I faced Morag.
"What happened?"
"The dad of the house he was going to live in had a heart attack over night. Deceased. Obviously his wife has more than enough to deal with than a student."
"Yes. So. He can stay here under the same conditions as John. I will prepare food, if they want it, it is included. They cannot prepare food in their bedrooms, no illegal content on the WiFi. Come and go as he pleases, presume he has his bus pass and stuff sorted?"
"Yes, all that is done. I am sorry that it is short notice, but, well, you were an obvious person to ask."
"Oh? Well I didn't know why that would be, however, can't let a young lad down when I can help."
"Here is the paperwork," she said opening her folio and sliding paperwork that looked remarkably similar to what I had signed for John previously.
I did the signing and passed the papers back, keeping one copy for myself. That will go in my paperwork tin, next to Johns.
"I'll go and help Samual with his luggage," Morag said and went from the day room. I sat back and thought. In a short space of time, I have gone living by myself to having two eighteen plus year olds residing under my roof. This would be interesting. There was the sound of cases being carried upstairs, and then Morag came down.
"That is him sorted. Any issues, you have our number. Hopefully he isn't too traumatised by the events of last night."
"Well, I'll look out for him."
And then she was gone. I wandered upstairs and Samual was surrounded by clothes and stuff on his bed, busy trying to find the right home for them in his drawers and wardrobe.
"When you're done, pop back down, we'll have a drink, and you can tell me about yourself."
"Okay Mrs..." I stopped him.
"Just Mica Samual, just Mica. Oh, and the only door that needs to be knocked on is my Bedroom Door." Again, I said it wrong.
"This is your home now, so wander around as you like. I am sure you will get to meet John later and you and he can work out your own boundaries between you."
"Thank you Mica," and he went back to homing his clothes. I did not really look at his clothes, they were his concern, not mine. Back in the day room I made myself a glass of Elderflower pressé and sat on my sofa. Interesting how life changes, I wondered how Samual will cope, it must be unnerving for him. I heard him walking down the stairs.
