Author's note:
Please let me know in the comments if this installment is too long. These were originally much shorter blog posts that were written from my journal a day or two after they happened. I'm trying to consolidate them into fewer chapters.
A Train Encounter - Part 5
I didn't see Tracy for a few days, but that was normal. She had a staggered schedule and sometimes had weekdays off to make up for working weekends. The next time she hopped on the train she was her old happy, carefree self, looking like a pseudo punk in an army style jacket, black skirt, black stockings with a diamond pattern, and Steve Madden combat style boots. I made a comment that she looked dangerous today, and she answered "you know it" before breaking into a good laugh.
We started talking about work and other normal stuff, until she thanked me for waiting for her the other night. She said that it was a long, stressful day and she was really looking forward to getting together but was worried that I wouldn't be there when she got out so late. I told her it was my pleasure, and that after seeing the state she was in by the time we got to her car I was glad I waited. Tracy replied that she had been exhausted and half out of it, and apologized for everything. I was a little surprised, so asked what she was sorry for. She had been feeling guilty about putting her boots on my chest, smushing my face around to give herself a massage on my cheekbones, (even though it really felt good), and just how sweaty her feet were. I told her to stop, that I loved every second of it, and would have stayed longer if she wasn't too wiped out to drive.
Tracy smiled and thanked me again, then went quiet for a couple of minutes before saying "umm... did I stick my toes in your mouth?"
I laughed louder than I should have, then quieted down fast. When I got control of my laughter I said "no, why?"
She said she didn't think so but wasn't sure, and would have been mortified if she did. I told her not to worry, it didn't happen, but why did she think she had done that. She blushed a bit and said "I don't know, I guess I was thinking about doing it when I was pushing on your mouth towards the end there. My feet were pretty nasty though so I'm glad I didn't."
I told her that yes, her feet were really sweaty, but I wouldn't have minded; in fact I would have enjoyed it. She looked at me and just said "Good to know. Anyway, thank you".
The next few weeks were fun, we met most days to go into work, and matinee Wednesdays pretty much turned into massage Wednesdays. One week I suggested that we move to the back seat so she didn't have to maneuver around the center console. She pulled an amazing array of random junk out of the back seat and moved it into the trunk, and from then on we sat in the back seat for her massages. Around the middle of July she told me that her lease was up and she was moving back in with her folks for a little while to save money. I was kind of bummed until she told me it would just put her two stops past me on the train line so she would be getting on before me in the mornings and staying on past my stop in the evening.
The next Wednesday Tracy was on the train in the morning, but not at night. I waited through the next few trains and finally went home alone. The following day she explained that she wasn't feeling well at work and left early. I told her I was sorry to hear that, and I missed our Wednesday massage. She said "me too" but I could tell something was wrong. We met a few times over the next few days on the way to work. Everything was pleasant, just different.
The following Wednesday I had to go in early but met her on the way home. I was kind of excited because she had on that punk outfit again and I really liked the black pattern stockings and her combat boots. They were worn out, mid-calf, lace up boots with a thick, treaded sole and chunky heel that was about 2" high. I asked if she was ready for her massage and she answered "I guess", so I asked her what was wrong. If she was feeling uncomfortable we could stop, she just had to let me know. She said "it isn't that, but can I ask you something?" The tone of her voice and look on her face worried me, but I said of course.