They had been neighbors for nearly three years, Tom was nearly 50 and widowed before Tara moved in next door. Tara at 25 had separated from her long-term boyfriend three months ago. It was a week after she was discharged from hospital and Tom had gone in each day just to check she was managing.
The district nurse was coming in each day to give her an injection and change her dressings. On this day Tom found Tara in a state of distress. The district nurse had telephoned to say that she was ill and would not be able to attend to Tara for at least three days. Tara was sure that she could do the dressing herself but the injections were a different thing. Tara had always been petrified of injections. Tom said that it was no problem he would do the dressings and give Tara the injections.
"I would not feel comfortable about you giving me the injection."
"I am not sure you have much option. I didn't notice a queue of people lining up outside to take on the task and you need the injection. I am quite used to giving injections."
"You may be but this one is injected into my bottom."
"All the better, you have the most gorgeous arse, sorry bottom. I definitely will not take no for an answer now."
She knew he was at least partly teasing her but she went bright red and couldn't hold his smiling eyes.
"I am serious I am scared silly of injections and the added embarrassment of you see my, seeing my...."
"There are many words for it but bottom will do right now. I am old enough to be you father and you are old enough to not behave like a child. I can understand your phobia about needles and will do whatever it takes to make it as stress free as possible. Now shall we do the dressing or the injection first?"
"Well if you would do the dressing that might give me the chance to prepare myself for the injection. Everything is set up in my bedroom shall I go and bring it down?"