While Her Daughter Was Away
A Ladies In Love Romance in Three Parts
By Magda McKune
The characters in this story are fictional. Any similarities between these characters and real people, living or dead, are purely coincidental.
Part One
CHAPTER 1
Hair stylist Melissa Dees snipped away at Sharon Stokes' short dark hair as her friend sat in the styling chair of her salon. Melissa was a petite lady of five feet four inches with a slender figure and huge fake tits. The woman had her breasts enhanced nearly ten years ago when she was in her early twenties and never regretted it. If anything, she wished she had opted for even larger than 38 double D's. She always longed for bigger boobs, having seen the boys in high school slobbering over the bustier girls, so when she graduated from styling school, Melissa treated herself to a style makeover of her own. The woman's mane of wavy blood red hair cascaded over her shoulders and hung almost to her big phony breasts. Miss Dees was pretty in face and had a lilt in her voice as she spoke. "So has your daughter Kim gone off to college yet?" she asked.
"Yes," Sharon sighed dolefully. "Now it's just me, all alone. Empty nest syndrome, I guess."
"I should imagine you'd be more excited about it. Now you can concentrate on getting yourself a man."
Sharon expelled a humorless grunt. "Not hardly. I'm too old to play the dating game again."
"Hush! You are not too old. What are you, thirty-two?"
"Thirty-six. But then again, you knew that already."
"I only know that because I've been your friend since grade school. You still look young and have a terrific body. Hell, you look like a supermodel."
"Melissa, my dear, you and I have known each other far too long for me to buy your line of bull."
The petite stylist trimmed along the back of Sharon's neck. "I mean it. You know who you remind me of? Audrey Hepburn. Remember her in Sabrina with Humphrey Bogart? That's definitely you, girl; tall and slender with perfect cheekbones and dark seductive bedroom eyes. Let me style your hair that way and you'd be a dead ringer for that glamorous movie star."
"All right. If you insist."
"A hot sexy gal like you and my styling magic... you'll be much too fabulous for any lucky fellow to resist."
Sharon chuckled with amusement. "I don't think I need a man in my life right now. Paul has been gone for more than six years and I don't miss the dirty laundry and empty beer cans scattered about the house."
"What about the sex?"
"It wasn't all that great, even when he was with me."
"See? All the more reason to find yourself a hot young stud, preferably one who gets off on older ladies."
"Older ladies? Your words of encouragement are not making me feel like a spring chicken, Mel."
"I'm just saying..."
"A divorced medical transcriptionist on the downslide towards forty isn't exactly the most highly sought-after prize, regardless of who is doing the looking."
"Don't sell yourself short, sweetie. Most women in their twenties would kill to have a sleek and slender runway model figure like yours."
"Thanks. But you're right; I do need a change in my life now that Kim is out of the house. She's only been gone a week and already the deafening quiet is getting to me. Maybe I should rent her room out to someone?"
Melissa snipped around the woman's right ear. "A horny young stud, perhaps?"
Sharon laughed. "You'd like that, wouldn't you?"
"I'm thinking that you would like it much more than I would."
The both fell silent for a long moment. "Maybe a young lady would be nice to have as a housemate," Sharon mused. "I won't have to clean up after her like a man and we could pal around and have girl talk and lots of fun together."
"Now you're dreaming, girl. A young lady who is fun to be with and cleans up after herself? Hell, it's only been a week and already you are looking to have another daughter in the house, but this time one that will be everything that Kim was not."
"Is that such a bad thing?"
"No. Only don't get your hopes up too high. Perfect housemates are not so easy to come by."
Sharon smiled at her reflection in the stylist's wall mirror. "I don't know about that. I have a feeling this arrangement will work out very well for the both of us."
It was another quiet evening at home. Sharon peeled off her clothes and turned to fetch a robe from the bedroom closet. She paused at her reflection in the full-length mirror. The woman was genuinely surprised at how attractive she still was. Even in her mid-thirties her boobs were still full and firm and not sagging. Her tummy was flat without any after-baby flab. Sharon turned sideways to check out her rear. The woman still had a great butt, too. Sharon usually wasn't this egocentric about her appearance. This was merely an exercise in clinical examination and unbiased observation. She confirmed Melissa Dees' earlier assertion; the gal still had one fabulous bod!
Sharon could easily get another man interested in her if that was what she really wanted, but she hated getting into that awkward bar scene or joining a lonely singles group. She certainly wasn't looking forward to acting out those stupid and embarrassing dating rituals again. Still, it would be nice to have a friendly face to come home to and another person sitting across the dinner table once in a while. A fun and interesting person to share in some lively conversation would be nice.
Sharon thought about the possibility of having a lady housemate. A fun gal to spend the evening with, maybe go for walks together or catch a movie now and then. Of course, a female houseguest would not satisfy her sexual needs like a man could, but that wasn't as important as having a friendly companion to dispel some of the loneliness in her life.
The woman exhaled a doleful sigh and withdrew a robe from the closet. Now that Kim was off at college, the big house seemed so quiet and empty. A lady housemate may not be the perfect resolution, but it might make the place feel not so lonely and Sharon would not feel so all alone. And maybe she and this woman would become great friends. They could be pals and do fun things together. You never know, Sharon mused silently as she shrugged into the robe. Maybe having a young woman in her life would be the best thing that ever happened to her.
Sharon carefully worded her advertisement for a housemate to find someone she could live with, not attract a bunch of crazies.
"Mature woman seeks female to rent available room in single level house. Utilities and groceries included in rent. For more information call number listed below."
She frowned at the mature woman part. It made her sound like a spinster old crone, but it might help deter inquiries by young kids looking for a place to party every night. She wanted a housemate who was a responsible adult, but not so old she wouldn't want to do fun things together.
Sharon sighed dolefully as she submitted her advertisement online to the local newspaper. She may not get any response to her ad at all, and those that did might turn out to be elderly do-nothing duds wanting her to wait on them hand and foot. Sharon crossed her fingers and hoped for the best.
A week went by with nothing so much as a nibble. Sharon forced herself to believe that it wasn't because of her, or that she worded her advertisement too strongly. The universe was merely taking its own sweet time in sending the perfect housemate her way.
At just over 2200 square feet, her house was not so large that Sharon couldn't manage it on her own. But it was much too quiet now that Kim was away at college. Sharon knew she didn't want someone merely to share a roof with. She hoped she could find a person who wanted to do fun things with her like watch old movies, take long walks, and share meaningful conversations together. Sharon didn't want a body to simply take up space in her vacant room. She wanted a friend. She knew that the perfect housemate was out there somewhere. She had to have faith and believe that the universe would eventually send her a companion to share a home with.
Shortly before ten o'clock on Thursday morning, Sharon got a call from a young woman who read the advertisement and wanted to see the house. Would that morning be okay? Sharon said of course, and asked what time would be good for her. The woman said right away, if that was acceptable. Sharon gave her directions and the girl rang off. Sharon smiled to herself, thinking that she might just find herself a housemate after all.
Around ten thirty the lady arrived and Sharon opened the door to find a lovely young woman in her mid-twenties standing on the stoop. She was extremely handsome with long wavy blonde hair to the middle of her back. She wore a stylish red blazer and skirt ensemble over a cream silk blouse and string of pearls around her neck. Professional but with a dash of sweet wholesomeness and innocence. Sharon took an immediate liking to the girl.
"Sharon Stokes?" the blonde chirped prettily.
"Yes! You must be Amy Andrews! Please come in!" She held the door open for the girl to enter. "I'm glad you wanted to come over to see me on such short notice."
"I'm anxious to see the room you have for rent. A friend at work knew I was looking and gave me your ad. I was thrilled to learn it was still available." Amy smiled sweetly as Sharon closed the door behind her. "The apartment building I'm in now is absolutely horrendous and your place is so much closer to my work."
Sharon gestured for her to come into the living room. "Where is it that you work?"
"I'm a loan officer at the Security Bank. I've been there for three years. I can provide references for you if you like."
"I don't think that will be necessary." She smiled warmly at her companion. "How old are you, Amy, if I may ask?"
"Twenty-six."
"You're very pretty."
"Thank you. I think you look mighty hot yourself. You kind of remind me of that movie star Audrey Hepburn in Sabrina."
Sharon laughed. "That was the illusion my hairstylist was aiming for."
They sat on the sofa together. "This is a very nice home you have here, Mrs. Stokes."
"Call me Sharon, please."
Amy smiled warmly. "Okay... Sharon."
"My daughter went off to college a few weeks ago and it feels rather lonely here all by myself."
The girl gave her hostess a curious look. "You can't possibly be old enough to have a daughter in college."
Sharon laughed and rested her hand on the girl's knee. "You are much too kind!"
Her guest didn't laugh. "I mean it. You look so young. Pardon me for asking but are you 28? Maybe 30?"
The woman offered an amused smile. "You are my newest best friend! Actually, I'm 36."
"You don't look it. In fact, you look gorgeous for a woman over thirty."
"You are too sweet. Anyway, I was hoping to find someone to take Kim's vacant room. I didn't want to rent it to an older woman or a man. I wanted to find someone I can chat with and hang out with sometimes. I don't simply want a tenant, but a friendly person I can watch old movies with and maybe have dinner with on occasion. You know what I mean?"
The young girl beamed brightly. "I understand exactly what you mean! I don't have a lot of friends at the bank. There are a few girls who like to go out once in a while for drinks after work, but that's about it. They all have husbands or boyfriends so I always feel like a fifth wheel. I'm not looking for a relationship at this stage in my life, but I would love to have someone to come home to after a long day and hang out with, maybe go for walks in the park and make homemade fudge on a cold evening together."
"Exactly!" Sharon suddenly realized she still had her hand on the girl's knee. "This would be a much nicer home if we were friends and not simply cohabitating under the same roof."
Amy rested her hand on top of Sharon's. "My sentiments exactly."
Sharon smiled warmly at the girl. She realized she had already made her decision. "Do you want to see the room?"
