Some Changes in Erin

All of my writing is fiction, and the stories and characters are products of my imagination. They were created for my fun and, hopefully, your enjoyment. Some of the events in the stories are not particularly condoned nor encouraged by the author but are there to create and enhance the story of the imaginary characters and their lives. Comments are always encouraged and carefully reviewed. All characters within the story that need to be are 18 years of age or older. I hope you enjoy! And take a second to vote and comment.

~~~

"Dawkins, you're late," Dale Justice said, his finger pointed accusingly at me as I came through the front door of Preschetti's Pizza.

"I'm sorry, Dale. I had to help my sister with some chores, and then my truck wouldn't start, so I had to ride my bicycle."

"Well, it's up to you to get here on time."

I looked around -- we were standing away from the others.

"Any chance of getting paid today?" It had happened before, and I was praying for a repeat today.

"Again, Bryan?" Dale sighed. "I'll figure it out and give it to you when you leave. Pay me back on Saturday. There are two orders ready to go, and the car is full of gas."

I grabbed the pizza boxes, actually insulated bags, and hurried to the car. If tips were good, they'd be combined with what Dale would give me, and hopefully, I'd have enough money to buy a new battery. That would leave me short of food money, so going fishing tomorrow would be in order. That was my go-to last resort.

I hated being poor, but there didn't seem to be any end in sight. I couldn't afford school or training, and without that, it was tough to get ahead. Regular school had been difficult. I had a few guy friends, but the girls stayed away from me. I knew that if I ever wanted to have a girlfriend or a wife, I needed to make some money, somehow.

A five-dollar tip at the first house and ten dollars at the second had me feeling optimistic. Back to the shop, and there was a large box filled with fifteen pizzas to be delivered to a house in Bronson Heights, a place where someone of my background was seldom seen. Tonight was different, though.

The house was huge, and there were several cars in the long and very wide driveway. There were also cars parked along the street. I hauled the box to the front door and rang the bell.

The guy who answered was casually dressed and drunk.

"Hey man, what's in your box," he asked with a big grin and slurred words.

"It's the pizza you ordered." I hoped that not everyone at the party was this drunk.

"Callie, the pizza's here," he shouted over his shoulder.

An attractive blond appeared. "Are there fifteen pizzas in that box?"

"Yes, ma'am," I said, hoping I'd gotten the correct information.

"I'm not going to check. Give him a tip, Eddie."

I watched the guy dig out his wallet.

"All I've got," he said as he handed me a fifty-dollar bill.

"Thank you very much," I answered, picturing the new battery I'd be getting for my dilapidated truck.

I ended the evening with one hundred and twenty dollars in tips, and when Dale handed me the envelope he'd agreed to, I had enough for the new battery.

I had a free day with no handyman jobs scheduled and was going to use the time to advantage by going fishing. I know that some fished for recreation and relaxation, but I fished for food. I could usually catch enough fish to provide several days of meals. I'd found a new spot and gotten permission from the owner to use the unoccupied land as much as I wanted

First, I got the new battery and pulled it home in the little wagon someone had discarded, and I had confiscated. I loaded my gear, drove to the parking spot that I'd discovered, and headed for the lakeshore. I found a near-perfect spot and was just setting up when I heard a nearby bird singing brightly. I grabbed my duffle and dug out a prize that I had gotten from one of my handyman customers. It was a very small but very nice telescope that I had already used a couple of times.

I spotted the bird, a beautiful red male cardinal, and could nearly count his feathers. It was fascinating to see. When the bird took to flight, I tried to follow him with the scope, but it was hopeless. Just for fun, I scanned the woods on the far shore, not seeing any birds or animals but spotting a small clearing with a couple of Adirondack chairs. It was the only sign of habitation I'd seen on this end of the lake.

I quickly had my lines in the water and almost as quickly had a bite, but no fish. A second bite, and this time, I had a meal. Another ten minutes, and I had a second. This seemed to be a great place, and I knew I'd be back as soon as I had another free day, but I still needed to finish what I was doing.

As I was pulling in fish number four, I glanced across the lake when I thought I saw some movement on the far shore. I could see a woman standing by one of the chairs and gazing out over the water. The underbrush was hiding me, but I was able to through one of the bushes and see her very clearly. In a few moments, she sat down in one of the chairs and began to read.

It didn't take much thought before I had the telescope in my hand again. Focusing through the greenery, I saw a dark-haired lady who appeared to be somewhat attractive. She was reading one of those electronic book devices and had a drink of some kind.

I watched for a few moments, wondering what she might be like. There had to be a house over there unless she was sort of mimicking what I was doing. But, as much fun as it was to watch the girl/lady, I needed to catch more fish while they were biting.

I'd added two more beauties to my line when I caught movement from the corner of my eye. She was standing now and beginning to.... I couldn't grab the telescope quickly enough. When I focused on her, she had tossed the T-shirt aside and was sliding her shorts down her legs. Those two items seemed to be the extent of her wardrobe. If I'd thought she was attractive before, she was even more so now -- totally naked.

She turned back toward the lake and, on her tiptoes, stretched her arms above her head. That was innocently erotic, and I knew that if she did much more of that, my telescope's lenses would be too steamed to be useful. But she was perfectly in focus for a moment, and I decided she had to be Emma Watson's twin sister. She made her way down the short slope and stepped into the water, disappearing from sight almost immediately.

She surfaced further out into the lake and rolled onto her back, creating a wonderful picture of two pointed mounds floating on the water that I was sure I'd hold onto for some time. When she swam back to the shore, a second memory was lodged solidly in my brain. She stepped out of the water and moved back to the Adirondack, where she sat down, drying herself casually with the T-shirt. As much as I needed to fish, I wasn't able to pry myself away from what I was seeing.

I hadn't noticed it before, but she picked up a cell phone from beside the chair, appeared to be talking to someone, then stood, picked up the shorts, and disappeared into the woods.

I have to admit that I was disappointed when her very cute butt disappeared into the trees, but I'd had a very enjoyable morning with all the fish I had caught, but mostly I had to admit, from the vision I'd seen through my telescope.

It was four days before I had enough time to return to my fishing spot. The fishing was good, but the telescope stayed in the duffle except for the few moments I watched a woodpecker who disrupted the quiet of the afternoon with his incessant hammering on a nearby tree.

The following week, on the only day I was free, I was beside the lake and had my second view of "Emma" as I'd begun calling her in my mind. She appeared only briefly in a flowing spring-like dress and was quickly gone, much to my consternation. I still had a couple of months of warm weather, and hopefully, I'd get another enchanting view of my Emma.

~~~

I had caught way more fish than I could eat, or at least cared to eat, and I had given a good portion of it to my sister, Connie, who'd raised me when our parents had died when I was fifteen, and she was nineteen. She was a server at a small diner but had applied at one of the more expensive steak houses where the tips would earn her two or three times what they were now. She certainly deserved it, as she'd never been able to go to school or get any special training. She was simply a kind-hearted, personable, and very sweet lady who was loved by everyone who knew her. She'd be an excellent addition to the steak house.

I stopped off at the diner to see her on my way to the pizza shop.

"Hey, sis. Any leftovers for me?"

"There'll be soup, I'm sure. You game for some chicken noodle?"

"Sure. I'll stop by after the pizza deliveries. Any word on the new job yet?"

A huge smile lit her face. "I start a week from next Monday."

I hugged her. "Sis, that's wonderful."

"I know. I'm so happy. But I have something for you as well." She motioned for me to follow her.

"Mrs. Neff, this is my brother, Bryan. I'm sure he can take care of all of those things you were telling me about."

"Thanks, honey. I surely need some help." She turned to me. "Your sister says you're an excellent handyman, and if anyone else told me that, I'd want references. But she's special, and I believe her."

"She's a perfect sister," I replied, "and I'd be happy to help out if you have things you need done."

"I certainly need that, and I'll pay well for a job that's done correctly."

"I'm on my way to work right now, but I can come to your place tomorrow to see what you need."

"Perfect. Here's my address and phone number. Just call so I'll be sure to be there."

I had an average tip night since there were no drunk fifty-dollar tippers around, but that was fine with me. I hated the nights when the non-tippers were ordering. But I was excited to see what Mrs. Neff might have for me to do at her house. She'd said she would pay well, and I was looking forward to that since I always did a good job and wasn't worried about that aspect of the deal.

She lived about ten miles from my place, so that wasn't too bad. It was an older house, but very large and interesting looking. When I pushed the doorbell button, she opened the door almost immediately.

"I heard you pull into the driveway, and that bell is one of the things I need repaired. It hasn't worked for several years." She waved a hand at me. "Come along, and I'll show you some of the things I'd like to get taken care of."

She led me out of the entryway and into a formal living room.

"That window leaks something terrible, and I'd like to get it replaced along with three or four others. Do you do windows? I know those big stores will do it, but I'd rather you get the money than them."

"Yes, ma'am, I've done windows." I'd done two, so that made the plural appropriate.

"Perfect. You measure them or whatever you need to do, and I'll give you my credit card so you can pay for them."

I smiled that she would trust me with her credit card. Sis had evidently done a good PR job ahead of me. She led me through most of the house, detailing all the work she wanted done, including the windows, painting several rooms, replacing trim, refinishing several pieces of furniture, and putting in some new carpet if I was game for that. I would be busy for a long time taking care of all of the things she'd mentioned.

"I'm not in a huge hurry for these things to be done," she added. "I just finally decided that they'd never be done if I didn't get them started, and your sister gave me the perfect incentive to get started."

"I should have time, Mrs. Neff."

"Listen, just call me Liz if we're going to be working together like this."

I chuckled. "I'll try, but I may slip a few times." That brought a laugh from Liz.

"Now, I'll pay you twenty dollars an hour if that's acceptable, and I want you to keep track of every bit of time you work. If you go to a store to pick up something for the house, keep track of all that time."

"You don't need to do all of that, Mrs., er, Liz. And the twenty an hour is more than fair. I don't want to take advantage of you."

She looked left and right as if making sure we were alone.

"Listen, Bryan, this house is paid for, and my dear sweet husband surprised me. I didn't know until he passed that he had a very large life insurance policy, and I have more money than I'll ever be able to spend. Your sister and I have become friends, and if I'm able to help you get established in life, I want to do it."

"I don't know quite what to say."

"Try, thank you, Liz," she said with a chuckle.

"Thank you, Liz," I parroted.

There was a loud knock on the front door. Liz jumped up and disappeared into the entryway.

I heard voices speaking softly.

"Yes, you're lucky that he's here now. I'll introduce you."

Liz came back into the room hand-in-hand with another lady.

"Erin, this is Bryan Dawkins. Bryan, my niece, Erin Crystal."

I nearly swallowed my Adam's apple. It may have been Erin, but it was also Emma.

"Hi," Erin said, extending her hand. "Aunt Liz told me you'd be doing work for her and that, if I were nice to you, you might do some for me as well."

Her hand was soft and warm, and I realized that I was holding it a little too long.

"Sorry," I said. "There have just been so many surprises today."

Dark eyes sparked gloriously, short hair neatly parted on the left side, sparkling teeth as she smiled at me, and a band of tiny freckles across the bridge of her nose and both cheeks made her fascinatingly attractive.

"Do you think you'll be able to help out at my cottage, too?"

So there was a cottage beyond those trees.

"I'm sure we can work something out," I said, and I was sure she wasn't aware that I'd drop everything in my meager life to do some work for her.

"See, Erin. I told you he wouldn't be able to refuse a cutie like you."

"Aunt Liz," she exclaimed, and we both were blushing now.

Liz laughed. "Have both of you had lunch?"

"No, but you don't need to -- "

" -- Shush," Liz interrupted. "I'll fix something for all of us, and we can talk more about the work that Bryan will be doing. And you keep track of this, Bryan. It's officially work time."

"Liz, I... "

She was pointing a finger at me and faux-frowning. I got the point. I was double lucky and needed to enjoy it. Liz shuffled off to the kitchen."

"I apologize for my aunt," Erin said.

I was going to have to get used to her being Erin.

"No problem. She seems to be a wonderful lady."

"Oh, she is, and you'll love working for her. She'll feed you, bring you water or a bandaid if you need either, and be helpful in as many ways as she can."

"Is your mother like your aunt?"

"She was," Erin replied, a sad look crossing her face as she looked away.

"I'm sorry, I didn't... "

"No, that's fine. She and my aunt were a lot alike. She died when I was fifteen of breast cancer."

"Fifteen?"

"Yes, that's too young to lose a mother."

"My parents were killed when I was fifteen, so I know."

"Oh, Bryan, no."

"My sister raised me until I was eighteen. She's been fantastic and given up so much of her life for me. I still live with her."

"My father died two years ago. So, we're both orphans at a very young age.

Erin stood and walked to where I was sitting and extended her arms. When I stood, she embraced me, and I hugged her back. When we parted, she returned to her chair.

"We have things in common that we both wish weren't there."

I nodded, still enthralled by the fresh, clean aroma that had surrounded me when we'd hugged.

"Tell me about your cottage," I ventured.

She smiled. "I love it. When Dad died, I inherited everything, of course. There was a wonderful insurance settlement, the house, and the cottage. The house was too big, and I'd always loved the cottage and the time we'd spent there. I sold the house and moved into the cottage. It has two bedrooms, a bathroom, and a large room that serves as a living room, dining room, and kitchen. It's perfect for me."

"It sounds like it. What kind of work do you want to have done?"

She smiled. "Once we finish lunch, you can follow me there, and I can show you what I need. If you have the time, that is."

"I'm free until five, when I have to be at work."

"What kind of work is that?"

"I deliver pizzas several evenings a week." This was not my proudest moment, but she surprised me with her reply.

"So, if I order a pizza from the right place, you might deliver it?"

"There's a good chance of that."

She smiled that fascinating smile once more. "I'm sure I'll make that happen one of these days."

"Grilled cheese sandwiches are ready," came a call from the kitchen.

We had our sandwiches along with a glass of V-8, the latter for our health, Liz informed us. Then came a little more talk about what Liz was looking for with the repairs before I followed Erin to her cottage. We pulled off the road and followed a twisting gravel driveway for probably fifty yards before I could see the cottage. Per Erin's description, it looked very inviting.

I followed Erin inside.

"This is it," she said, a mixture of pride and nostalgia in her voice.

"What a neat place."

"I'm glad you like it."

"I don't see much that needs repaired," I volunteered.

Erin laughed. "It's there, and I'll show you most of it today. Some of it is me wanting to make the cottage my own. So, I'll have you mount the new curtain rods rather than me doing it and then calling you to repair what I'd done."

"I'll be more than happy to help," I assured her, anxious to be around her as much as possible. I'd done a fair job of blocking remembered images, but being alone with her was hopeless.

"Want to see my favorite spot?"

"I sure do," I said, hoping I wasn't sounding too enthusiastic.

She beckoned, and I followed her out the back and onto a path that led into the woods, knowing exactly where we were headed.

"I've fished in this lake," I confessed as we stood by the Adirondacks.

"I'm not a fisherman," she replied, which was very obvious to me and had been for some time. "I do love to swim here, though," she added, "and it's supposed to be hot tomorrow."

My body was reacting to what she had just said, and I knew I'd be fishing tomorrow.

We chatted a while longer, and then I had to leave.

"Before you go, give me the name of the pizza place and the phone number."

I wrote it out and then added my cell number.

"Don't call on a night when I'm not there," I teased.

"I see that you included your cell number, so that won't happen."

"I'm looking forward to getting these jobs done for you. I told Liz I'd be there tomorrow to begin measuring and seeing what else I might need to order. Hopefully, for both of you, we can find most of what you'll need locally."

"When will you be at Liz's tomorrow?"

"I told her a little after noon."

"I'll give you my cell number, and maybe you can come here when you're finished with her."

"I'm not delivering pizzas tomorrow night, so that might work."

I took out my phone, Erin recited her number, and I entered it. "

I'd better run now, but I'm sure looking forward to getting this work done for you."

"No more than I am, and thanks for coming out. Hopefully, I'll see you tomorrow."

~~~

I was at my spot, with my fishing equipment, at a little after nine o'clock. I wasn't really sure when Erin might feel the need to cool off. I did plan to fish since I had discovered that a couple of my neighbors enjoyed fresh fish and were happy to pay for it. But if all of this work for Liz and Erin comes to pass, I may be able to get my food at the grocery store.

.

They weren't biting so well this morning, and I only had two fish at about ten when I saw Erin come out of the woods. The telescope told me that she was dressed much like she'd been the other day. She had a towel slung over her shoulder this time, along with the bag she'd carried before. Today, though, there was no preparatory reading as she simply stripped off her shirt and shorts, took a few steps into the water, and disappeared below the surface.