Author's Note: This is a work of fiction.
"Please wait!"
Sam heard a feminine voice as he entered the elevator. He turned and saw his neighbor Kaye, carrying a bag of groceries on one hand, and on the other, a baby girl. He knew her casually; they sometimes exchanged hellos and small talk. He lived across the hall from her; they occupied apartments on the 4th floor of their building.
"Had a good day?" Sam asked, as the elevator door closed and they started to ascend. No other person was with them.
"Oh, the usual," Kaye replied. "A bit tired, I guess. You?" She laid the bag of groceries on the floor, and shifted the baby to the other arm.
"Yeah, I guess I'm tired too. Got the usual crap from work."
"Still working on those programs, huh?" Kaye knew that he was a computer programmer in a small firm downtown.
"Yeah, just one of the boys," he said. As the elevator stopped, he took her grocery bag and carried it for her. "I'll walk you to your door."
"Oh, you needn't," Kaye said.
"It's nothing. What's a bag of groceries? Besides, you're carrying the baby," he added.
"Alright. Thanks." She smiled, and they walked towards her unit.
Boy, she sure is cute when she smiles,
he thought. They reached her apartment, then she searched in her purse for her keys. "Where are my darned keys," she muttered. "Ah, there they are!"
They entered the apartment and she invited him in. "Could you put the groceries in the kitchen table, please?"
Sam went to the kitchen and laid the grocery bag down. It was the first time he entered her apartment, and he noticed that it was slightly larger than his place.
And it sure looks a lot prettier,
he thought. This was a two bedroom unit, while his had only one bedroom. He wasn't a slob, but he was a bachelor and just needed the bare necessities, namely a bed, computer and TV. He was making a modest income as a programmer and wasn't fussy about clothes or food.
"Are you alright there?" Kaye asked. "You can grab a drink from the fridge if you want. There's juice, and some beer."
My, is she full of surprises,
he thought.
I thought new mothers weren't supposed to drink alcohol. Or is only pregnant women?
He grabbed a can of Bud, opened it, and took a long sip. Then he went to the living room to continue the conversation with Kaye.
As he approached the sofa, he saw that Kaye was breastfeeding the baby on the sofa armchair. Her white blouse was partially open, and the baby was sucking on her left tit.
"Oh, sorry," he said. "I didn't know that you were..."
"It's ok. I don't mind if you don't," she said mischievously, dimples showing. "Have a seat. It's nice to have company."
Sam sat down on the couch, watching Kaye feed the baby. His eyes took in everything - pouting lips and auburn hair; the graceful curve of her neck was exposed since her hair was in a bun. He found that he liked everything that he saw, he even liked the small double chin. Her full, milk-laden breasts were white and from that distance, a few freckles were scattered on the upper portion of her chest.
I wonder where else she has them?
he mused.
Stop thinking of that, you perv!
his conscience added.
"How've you been doing? I haven't seen you for quite some time," she said.
"Yeah, I've been working overtime the past few weeks. We had problems with the new system we were setting up, and our client wanted it done before the end of the month. We finished the installation today and I was able to leave at 5, for the first time in a long time."
"Must be tough being a genius, huh?"
"Not really. I'm just a small fish in a big pond of geeks," he quipped.
They continued talking, with Sam on the couch and Kaye on the single chair. Sam's breath stopped momentarily when he saw Kaye shift the baby from one nipple to another. He stared lustfully as Kaye adjusted the left detachable cup back in place, then freed her right breast from its constraints. The baby latched upon the new teat hungrily.
Kaye knew that she was putting on quite a show for Sam; it was actually the first time that she fed baby Micki in front of a man. Since she lived alone, no one observed her breastfeeding activities; when she fed Micki at her parents' house, she did it in the privacy of a bedroom. She felt deliciously naughty since she knew that Sam's eyes were on her.
Her conscience bothered her; she was recently widowed, but she set it aside since she had been without a man for more a year, and it has been a while since she felt attractive. She gained 20 pounds after her pregnancy, and she hadn't shed most of them yet. She longed for the days when she had her svelte figure, but she wouldn't exchange that for Micki. Her baby was all she had of Mike, her high school sweetheart who died in the recent "war against terror".
"Are you busy tonight? Would you like to have dinner here?" she asked Sam.
"No, I'm not busy. I was just going to hang-out at home. Are you sure it won't be a bother?" he inquired.
"No, you're not a bother. Besides, it would be nice to have company. I'm often alone with the baby and I'd love to have some adult conversation," she replied. "Nothing fancy, though. Just mac and cheese and a salad."
"Hell, that sounds good to me. I was planning to order a pizza. Do you mind if I go to my place for a bit? I need to drop off my things. Do you need anything else?"
"No, I don't. Everything's fine. Come back in an hour. I need to do a few things too. I'll leave the door unlocked for you."
As Sam left the apartment, she finished feeding Micki, burped her, then went to the smaller bedroom to place her in the crib. She then went to the kitchen to put away the groceries. She took a brief shower, taking care not to wet her hair, then put on a pair of navy blue shorts and a white tank top. Underneath it was her nursing bra. She thanked the heavens that it was spring already; no need to wear all those layers of clothing. It was difficult last winter since she was in her third trimester. Thankfully her delivery was normal and her labor was relatively short.
She released her wavy hair from its bun, brushed it, then let it tumble on her shoulders. She liked keeping her hair long, but usually arranged it in a bun when she reported for work. She applied gloss on her lips, then set out to prepare their meal. It was just leftovers from last night. Since she lived alone, she tended to cook in bulk and store the rest in the fridge.
As she was preparing, she became misty-eyed when she remembered Micki's birth. Her parents and her younger sister Jackie were with her at the hospital, but Mike was not. He died overseas when she was just five months pregnant. Fortunately her parents and Mike's were very supportive and comforted her during those difficult times. She almost lost the baby when she received the news that Mike was not coming back from his tour of duty. Her friends and family helped her recover, and reminded her that a new life was growing within her.
"I'm back!" Sam's voice broke her out of her reverie.
"I'm in the kitchen," she answered.