Anne couldn't believe her bad luck. This was the third date in the last month and this one was the worst. None of them had been her choosing. They were set up by friends and family. It had been a year and half since she had lost Jim. Her husband Jim was killed in a car wreck. Although, they had been married only seven years, Anne knew that there were few men out there that could measure up to Jim.
Jim had been such a great provider, father, and husband. They met in college while Jim was in Law School and she was finishing up her undergrad. Jim waited until she finished Law School herself before launching his career. It didn't take long though because Jim was a brilliant lawyer. It wasn't his courtroom presence that made him stand out; it was the little things like how he treated his clients. Jim made partner just 3 years into his practice in a very up and coming firm. Soon, they both decided to start a family and nine months later Johnny was born and then two years later Gracie came along. Gracie was only 18 months old when Jim died. Both kids missed their Daddy immensely.
Anne seemed lost for almost the first eight months. She missed Jim so much. All around her were memories of him. Jim had worked hard but he always made time for her and the kids. Jim had also been a great provider. He made an awesome salary and he had made sure that Anne and the kids were taken care of. He had taken out 2 life insurance policies, one when they first got married, and another when Johnny was born. Combined the policies paid out two million dollars to her and the kids. He also took out a policy that would pay off the house should something happen to him. Anne had no worries in that area, but all of that did not replace Jim in her life and she would just as easily trade all that money and the trappings for his presence. She missed the warmth of his body next to hers when they slept; his strong hands when they held her; his lips on hers and on her body.
Anne snapped out of the day dream in time to pull up in her driveway. The rain was still coming down. It had rained for six straight days and the city and surrounding areas were showing the marks of impending floods. Anne ran up to her door under her umbrella and overcoat. As she walked in she immediately saw Jen sitting at the kitchen counter with her books open and pencil in hand. Jen looked up surprised to see Anne walk through the door at 8:45.
"Wow that was a short date!" Jen said with a tone of surprise. "Don't ask." Anne replied rolling her eyes. "Kids in bed already," asked Anne. "Yes, I think the rain made them sleepy."
Anne smiled at Jen and for the first time noticed how cute and sweet she was. Jen had babysat for Anne several times through the years since Johnny was about 2. They had met Jen and her family in church. Johnny simply adored her and he would through a fit anytime Anne or Jim would have someone else babysit him. Gracie, now three, also loved Jen and always asked when "Jin" (as she called her) was coming back. Jen had not babysat for Anne for almost year. She did some right after the funeral when Anne had some affairs to take care of but nothing for last 11 months.
"I can't believe how miserable it is out there. Between the cold and the rain I'm chilled through and through." Anne said as she took off her heels and hung her overcoat.
"I think I'm going to make some hot tea, would you like some?" she asked Jen.
"I think I better get going before I get rained in and you will have to babysit me." Jen said noticing the disappointment in Anne's face. But she really needed to go home and finish her school work. Her senior year was harder than she had anticipated.
"Let me call my Dad and let him know that I'm heading out just in case." Jen picked up her cell phone as Anne went into the kitchen and filled her tea kettle with water and turned on the burner.
"Hey, Dad, I'm heading out in few minutes, just wanted to let you know." Jen looked up and smiled at Anne as her Dad spoke to her on the other side of the line. "Really? That Bad?" Jen replied. "So what do I think I ought to do?" Jen put her hand over the receiver and whisper to Anne, "Dad says the bridge heading out of town is out and he's not sure about the long way around."
"I was afraid of that," said Anne, "I heard it on the news in the car on the way over here."
"Do you think I can stay here over tonight?" Jen asked.
Anne motioned for Jen to hand her the cell phone and held it up to her ear. "Mr. Clark, this is Anne Morris, how are you? I'm fine thank you. No don't mind at all, in fact, I welcome the company. She can stay as long as she needs to. No problem at all. Good night."
"Well, it's settled you are my guest for the night. So will you have some tea with me now?" asked Anne with a smile.
"Sure, that will be great." said Jen.
"Well, you watch the kettle while I head upstairs and get out of these soaked clothes," Anne said as she walked up the stairs starting to undo buttons on her way to the top.
Jen stared at her as she walked up the stairs admiring her walk. Jen had always been impressed with Anne. Even as a housewife and mom, Anne had that air of composure and confidence that Jen admired so much. She had always been impressed with how Anne and Jim had gotten along and how good they were together. She was absolutely heartbroken when she heard about Jim's death. Jen had missed the kids the past year and was so glad when Anne called her up last month to babysit.
The whistle of the tea kettle woke Jen up of her daydream and she walked over and put two tea bags in two mugs and poured the water into them. She picked them up and headed for the kitchen counter just in time to see Anne come down the stairs.
Anne was wearing a half sleeve night shirt that came halfway down to her thigh a with slit on the end. The first thing that caught Jen's attention as she walked down the stairs was Anne's legs. They were slender but muscular and well toned. She couldn't remember ever seeing Anne's legs before except under a skirt or dress and in high heels.
Jen stared at them as Anne made her way down and then looked up to notice Anne smiling at her. Jen blushed a little in embarrassment for being caught looking. She hoped that Anne hadn't really noticed. They sipped their tea for few minutes in silence until Jen realized that she didn't have a change of clothes. Anne must have noticed the perplex look on Jen's face or read her mind because she said almost in the same instant, "I guess we need to find you something to wear if you are going to spend the night."
"I was thinking the same thing." Jen said with a surprised look on her face.
"What size are you a four or six?" Anne asked trying to size Jen up.
"It depends on the clothes. I can wear a four in dresses but I can't get a four past my hips in jeans, so I wear a six in jeans."
"Well, you are in luck. I wear a four to six also depending on what items of clothing. However, to sleep in it really doesn't matter as much as long as it is comfy. Tell you what why don't you go upstairs and look in the top drawers of my mirrored dresser and find something to wear and I will pop us some popcorn and see what's on the TV. Maybe we will get lucky and find a good chick flick to watch."
"Ok," said Jen as she headed up the stairs to Jen's room. She hated to admit that a few times she had looked in Jen's drawers and closet to see some of the nice things that Anne had stored in them. Now she was going to be able to pick out one to wear. She remember seeing a silk purple two piece nightie (shorts and short-leeve top) and thought it was the prettiest thing she had ever seen. She walked into the spacious master bedroom and wet to the large cherry dresser and opened up the top drawers. She picked up a few items and held them up to the mirror to see how they would look. As she opened the third drawer she saw it. The purple nightie was there unmoved. To Jen it was the prettied thing she had ever seen. She held up the top put it next her body as she looked into the mirror. Her strawberry blonde hair and her pale skin seemed to match it perfectly. She wondered if Anne would let her actually wear something so nice. There was no harm in trying it on though even if she wasn't going to actually wear it. She took off her grey sweat shirt and held the nightie up again to her body. The silk felt so good on her skin. She reached around and undid her bra and her 34b breast with nickel size areolas and small nipples stared back at her from the mirror. She put the nightie top on and it felt just as good as it looked. She quickly took off her tennis shoes, socks, and jeans, and was about to put on the nightie shorts when Jen heard Anne's voice.
"Those would feel better if you didn't have anything on underneath them," said Anne standing at the door looking at Jen. Jen froze for a moment and then turned red in embarrassment. "I...I... was... just trying them on. I hope you don't mind," Jen shuddered.
"I told you to find something to wear. It appears you have and it looks great on you. But if you really want to feel the full affect of the silk on your skin you might want to lose the panties." Anne said with a smile. "Here let me have your clothes and I will put them in the wash for you and that way they will be clean for you to wear tomorrow."