My phone went off just before 6:30 with Jenni's little text trill. I was sound asleep, but I answered her text, "Hey Jenni! Have fun today?"
She launched into all the things she saw and got to do and told me she was going back again tomorrow. Jenni did most of the texting, describing in great detail what she'd done, and what she loved most about her day.
I thought she sounded happier than I'd known her to be. She was like a little girl describing what she had gotten for Christmas. I didn't get to say much, which is just as well because I was feeling a bit grumpy from lack of sleep.
Finally, she said, "I've gotta get some sleep. It's an early day tomorrow. Night!"
Blink. Just like that she was gone. It was the "butterfly" aspect of her personality.
The phone went off again, but not Jenni's text tone. It was Bobbi.
"How you doing? Get any sleep?"
"Not enough." I knew, that even over text, I sounded grumpy.
"Sorry."
I felt bad. I wrote back, "Not your fault. Lots going on right now."
"Tell me."
I told her about work, and my growing concern about Jenni thinking our relationship was something it was not.
What Bobbi wrote back didn't help, "Yea. She thinks of you as her boyfriend. She really wants you."
"Yea, she probably does. But I don't know."
"You don't like her?"
I was tiring of this whole line of questioning, "I like her a lot. But having sex is a whole different thing."
Bobbi persisted, "But what about the weekend before you left?"
Blunt as I could be I wrote, "It stopped before it went too far."
"She made it sound like it was all hot and heavy."
I sighed, "It was all hot and heavy. Her Mom had bad timing."
"That's what she said. She was pissed. So then, you aren't going to be dating?"
I thought
'Oh my Gawd Bobbi, just let it go!'
I wrote, "Jenni is a sweet girl. I like her a lot, only because we've gotten to know each other pretty well. Our relationship is pretty much Platonic, except for that very last night."
Bobbi wrote back, "It's weird. We've never met but I feel like I know you almost as well as Jenni does. Probably from her talking to me every day about you. She's pretty crazy about you."
It seemed as though Bobbi needed to work things out.
I just went with it, "Yeah. I get that. I've tried to be so careful. I didn't want to just reject her advances outright. I figured that might do more harm than good."
"You've really helped her that way. She is a lot less shy now. She's even gone braless a couple of times this trip. She'd never have done that before this trip."
I thought of her sexy dress, the one I liked so much that was impossible to wear with a bra.
"She's got this backless, teal-colored dress that looks really nice on her."
"I helped her pick that one out! I convinced her she'd look hot in that dress! She does too."
Bobbi sounded excited.
I agreed, "Yeah, she does. It fits her body size and type."
"And you still don't want to, you know?"
I actually laughed out loud. Bobbi was not going to let it go.
"Yes I do, kind of. She's soft and cuddly, and really sweet. I just don't see us a couple though."
"Why?"
The big question. Again. So, I repeated the same answer. Again.
"I just don't feel that way about her Bobbi."
"OK. OK. You've said that. Sorry."
"No need to apologize."
I felt grumpy and even a little irritated. This is where the age and experience differences showed up. Bobbi was feeling insecure.
There was a lengthy pause. A very dim photo of Bobbi showed up. It was from the waist up, and she was smiling a big smile, hair all mussy on her pillow.
"You have a very sweet smile, Bobbi."
I didn't comment on the fact she was not wearing a top.
"That's all? Not a word about my titties?"
Bobbi had insecurity about her body, especially about her small breasts. I needed to remember that.
"And it goes without saying Bobbi that you have a very sexy body."
"Really?"
"Yes. Really. You're hot."
She is. Very hot. Bobbi is amazingly sexy.
"Thanks."
There was another long pause.
"Garry?"
I was smiling now. "Bobbi?"
"I think I know one of the reasons why Jenni likes you so much."
"Yeah? Tell me."
"I know we've never met, but it's really easy to talk to you. I like that a lot."
A wave of affection washed over me. "You're so sweet Bobbi. And so much fun. And so sexy."
"Please believe me. I've never sent naked pictures to anyone before."
I tried to reassure her. "If you tell me that I believe it. You seem like you are a very forthright and honest person."
"You do too. I think that's why I'm..."
There was a long pause.
It got too long, so I asked, "Why you're what?"
