The present story is a follow-up of my previous one "Playing with Fire".
Just as the before story is to some extent based on my own experience, many details are made up by friends and others, however as usual, my fantasy has added a lot. It will be a mere coincidence only if anybody thinks it is she or he being the one mentioned.
Owing to the excellent work done by my editor ScarlettKisses the story has got a more complete and genuine form.
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My husband, Thomas, and I are looking forward to start new. Though having a fabulous life we long to get away from the rush of the city.
Well, it will of course be sad to leave our friends. Especially we find it hard not to see Ruth and Arne, our neighbors next door. Ruth and I have got to know each other more intimately for every time we are together, and the times are more and more frequent. True to say, we have our best moments when Arne and Thomas are absent! Our bodies just seem to belong together.
Thomas and I have found our dream place far away from the city. Just a few miles outside a small town southwards we were lucky to obtain some acres of land just in front of a small lake. It implied that we got our own undisturbed bathing beach. The only trace of civilization was a small simple cottage just by the edge of the water. It housed a kitchen and a small bedroom.
Now we have started to get a larger house to be built. It will be ready to move into this summer. But still the cottage is there. From time to time we stay over night just to see how our new home is growing.
In short it is an L-shaped house in one plane. The main building is parallel with the edge of the lake just some hundred yards away at the edge of the woods. The smaller wing part of the house is aimed for guests.
Oh, I really look forward to the summer day when we will move to our new house.
Still it's January. An awful snowy day! The streets are covered with grey slush and my state of mind isn't any better. Contributing to my sadness is that Thomas is away at a conference for a couple of days leaving me alone at home.
One of the days I decided to go downtown for buying some new clothes. I went to my lady shop where my favorite sales clerk took care of me. Just as usual I left the shop having bought more than I had planned to. There were a great number of parcels and bags to carry home.
I struggled along the street in the direction of the subway.
In the row of people walking against me I saw Oscar! He was the one that I least of all wanted to meet. However I had no chance to keep away from him. He had already locked out gazes.
We stopped and talked about gone times. Now he was on his way to leave the country for a new life abroad. He would be happy for having some words with me before he left.
He knew that Thomas was participating in the conference. It had been some articles in the paper that Oscar found out.
I treated him in a distant manner but agreed to spend a short time at the teashop around corner. Wise of what had happened before I placed myself opposite him at the table. As usual he was very polite and friendly, and even went as far to say that he missed me as his salutary. His flattery of my intelligence was only dropped when he asked why I disappeared so suddenly. My answers become vague after that.
The time ran away, until at last I found it necessary to interrupt our interesting talk about books.
I had to go home.
He looked at my parcels and bags with my new clothes. "I have my car just down the street. If you want, I can give you a lift back home. Going by subway with all that seems to me as an impossible task."
He was right! I had some trouble and in fact I was thankful to his offer.
"Wait here and I will be back in a moment" he said and disappeared out the teashop door. He returned a minute later with the car.
Having stowed all the things in the car trunk he went to the passenger door. He kept the door open for me and I took place at the side of the driver's seat. I discreetly pressed myself towards the door. I thought it embarrassing to be so close to Oscar. But he sat down and nothing improper happened.
True to my instructions he stopped the car at the driveway. Then he lends a hand in carrying my luggage to the front of the main entrance.
"Well," he said, "it was nice to catch up, perhaps we will see each other again sometime in the future."
I looked at him. Against my better judgment I offered him dinner.
What in hell was I thinking of? It was as if he hypnotized me.
He answered somewhat hesitant, "if you dare to invite me I will try to conduct myself well."
I laughed at his comment, "My dog will protect me! Oh, that reminds me, I have to take her out for a walk. Do you want to join us?"
"It would be nice," he said. And we took a short walk with the dog. Oscar slipped his hand in mine as we strolled. We must have looked as a love couple.
I noticed that one of our neighbors, Arne, looked astonished when he saw us.
Having satisfied the dog we went inside. Oscar followed me to the kitchen.
"What do you offer?" he asked with a smile. Then he opened the refrigerator and glanced at the various food. "If you don't mind I will cook the food tonight," he needed no prompting before making himself familiar with the kitchen.
I was astonished to how well he handled the different things. Thomas had never tried cooking, though he often assisted me with easier matters in the kitchen.