Bob had just checked for the postman for the third time that morning. It had been nearly three weeks since his arrangement with Alice and he hoped that the pantie post would arrive with an sixth fragrant gift from her.
"Robert, can I speak to you for a moment?"
"Of course, Elizabeth. What is it?"
Bob had been so careful, so he thought, with Alice's knickers, so it was not possible Elizabeth suspected anything. Nevertheless, his guilty conscience pricked.
"Jo is coming back on Monday for a few weeks. You know their kitchen is being replaced and she can't really stay there with all the mess. The work can start earlier than she expected So she just has to see the contractors to ensure they know what she wants. I said it would be ok."
Now Jo was our daughter, a fairly normal teenager up to the age of eighteen when she somehow changed. She became obstreperous with me, very mouthy and sometimes quite nasty. I had no idea why. I tried my best to get along with her at first but in the end, it was too much hard work so just let her get on with it.
She got on quite well with Elizabeth though, which was odd as I was invariably the one she came to when she had fallen over, the one who read her bedtimes stories and tucked her in, took her to school and picked her up, whereas her mother seemed not to really notice her.
Jo married two years ago to a computer geek somewhere in the City. No kids as yet. A quite peace descended on our house much to my relief. It was about this time Elizabeth decided she would move into Jo's old room.
"I suppose that's ok, will Clive be coming?
Clive is Jo's husband. At 34, twelve years older than Jo. Jo stays at our house frequently when Clive is working away although Elizabeth stays with her as well. The last time I'd seen them together was at a barbecue at their house. Elizabeth and Jo soon got into a huddle on a bench at the far end of the garden, leaving myself and Clive to play a game of not making eye contact. He toyed with the barbecue and I studied the flowers. I didn't like him, never had. His only saving grace in my eyes was that he had married Jo, thus relieving me of sitting through more breakfasts with her sneering at me.
We didn't have anything in common, I knew next to nothing about computers, apart from how to switch one on and I doubted he would be interested in anything I had to say. I suppose I could have regaled him at length about the delights of pantyism - is that even a word? That might have just started a conversation.
"No, he's still away working up North, so it'll just be Jo."
"I suppose she'll want her room back?" I asked, really knowing she would be in with Elizabeth in the big double bed in her old room.
"No, Robert, you're quiet safe, Jo will share with me as usual."
Relief flooded through me. Jo had only just gone back to Guildford after staying here for nearly a month. Though it was a slim chance, wouldn't want Elizabeth finding any of Alice's knickers under a pillow.
The familiar squeak of the letterbox heralded a delivery. Would it come today? I'd been fooled before when what sounded like a whole trees worth of mail had crashed onto the floor turned out to be just a flyer for a pizza company. But yes, there was Alice's familiar brown A5 envelope sitting amongst the rest of the mail.
I eagerly grabbed it. "Amazon again, is it? You're getting a lot from them just lately." said Elizabeth.
"Yes, Elizabeth, they're some special edition stamps being released every few days and I've ordered the whole series." I lied, thinking fast.
"You boys and your stamp albums, I thought you might have outgrown that by now but I see you've started it up again."
I didn't comment, not wanting to dig myself a deeper hole. Luckily Elizabeth had wandered into the kitchen.
Making my way upstairs, I held the envelope to my nose. Was there a faint scent of Alice or was it my imagination? Locking my door which I've taken to doing lately although Elizabeth has never wanted to come in, I quickly opened the envelope and held it again to my nose. Alices delicious musky scents filled my nostrils. Closing the envelope around my nose I inhaled deeply. Such an infusion of different smells assailed my nostrils. I was expert now at detecting the subtle scents that combined to make the whole. Like a fine wine connoisseur, I could identify the earthy, astringent aroma of wee and the heady fruitiness of Alice's pussy juice.
They were pale lavender, what I suppose would be called hipsters. Material cotton. I love cotton knickers, they soak up so much more and hence I find them more flavoursome.
They were still damp to the touch. I held them to my face, my nose buried in the crotch inhaling Alice's latest gift. I laid my tongue in the centre where the smells were concentrated. Each pair, and I had a collection of six now, had slightly different smells and tastes, I suppose reflecting Alice's diet. I had purchased small clip-lok boxes and five pairs were safely tucked away in these, the more to keep their scents for longer.
My self indulgent hedonism was suddenly interrupted with Elizabeth calling me. Reluctantly stowing the knickers away in a new box and labelling it with the date, I put it with the others in an old Samsonite case in the bottom of my wardrobe.
Elizabeth was at the bottom of the stairs, dressed as I'd never seen her before. A short above the knee grey skirt and a white blouse with chiffon scarf around her neck. Though I say it myself, she looked good, better than I'd seen her in a long time. I even detected a hint of that Obsession perfume I'd bought for her a few birthdays ago. I had told Alice that she was skinny and I suppose compared to her, she was. But standing in front of me was a woman it seemed I hadn't seen in a long time. The tight skirt accentuated her taut bum and her breasts looked firm with just a hint of cleavage showing.
"I've decided to go and pick Jo up, so I'm going to drive to Guildford now, spend the weekend there and come back on Monday. Ok?" Not a question, a statement.
I waved Elizabeth off and quickly ran back upstairs. Getting Alice's latest gift from the case, I placed it on my bed and undressed. My mouth was dry, as always with a new gift. I had just opened the box when my mobile rang. Damn, I thought, it's probably Elizabeth forgotten something and on her way back.
"Hello, Elizabeth," I said, "what have you forgotten?"