WHAT ARE FRIENDS FOR?
Mel Blake and his wife Carla have lived on Pleasant Street for a long time. Mel's best friend, Bert Hicks, doesn't live on Pleasant Street, but he's there a lot, visiting Mel. In fact, it looks like he's just pulled into Mel's driveway.
Bert forgot that Mel is away for the weekend. His wife isn't home and he's at loose ends. Sometimes when people are at loose ends, they wind up doing things they don't usually do. Is it possible something's going to happen here? I know what I think might happen, don't you? I think the following story tells the tale.
"IS MEL AROUND?"
I.
An insistent knocking sound awakened Carla Morris. She sat up in bed and as she did, the covers slid down, exposing a pair of breasts that would have caused envy in girls many years younger than Carla. She got up, slipped on a fluffy robe and headed to the kitchen to answer the door. She glanced at the clock as she left the bedroom, startled to find it was ten o'clock. She hardly ever slept that late.
Bert Hicks watched his best friend's wife approach through the window in the back door. Judging from her disheveled appearance, he guessed she'd just gotten out of bed. The way her breasts bobbed under the robe as she walked, he was sure she wore nothing under it and that realization caused feelings in him he hadn't expected.
"Is Mel around?" he asked when Carla opened the door. He tried to force the lascivious thoughts he was having from his mind. After all, Carla's husband was his best friend.
"No," Carla replied. "He's gone out to the coast for a seminar. Didn't you know?"
"I guess I forgot," Bert replied sheepishly. "I think I remember his saying something about it. I'm sorry I woke you up."
"That's OK," Carla said. "I should have been up long ago. Want some coffee?"
"Sounds good," Bert said. He found himself not wanting to leave.
Carla started for the counter to put the coffee on and Bert walked into the house and sat down at the kitchen table.
"What's Laura up to today?" Carla asked as she measured coffee into the pot.
"She's visiting her folks for the weekend," Bert told her. "That's why I stopped by. I thought Mel might have time to give me a hand with some stuff."
"Sorry," Carla said.
"Not your fault," he said. "I'm the one forgot he was going to the coast."
It didn't take long for the coffee to perk. Carla poured two cups and looked at Bert. "Cream and sugar?" she asked.
"Black," he replied.
"Want a donut or something to go with it?" Carla asked.
"Sure," Bert replied.
Carla got some donuts out of her bread saver and the two of them sat at the table, drinking coffee and munching. They both were aware of a tension between them neither of them had felt before and didn't understand it.
"What are you going to do all week with Mel gone?" he asked.
"I don't know, mostly get some chores done, I guess," Carla replied.
"Yeah, me, too," Bert said, aware that, for some reason, their conversation stiff and formal.