This is an unfolding story that, if you are patient, will I hope, please you more than a quickie. All characters are over 18.
*****
ALLY
He swung his feet over the edge of the bed and set them down on the cold tile floor. The light streaming into the room, blinding, and insufferable, took advantage of the un-shielded bedroom window. He had yet to hang the curtains. With eyes stinging from the bright assault he quickly tossed his blanket over the curtain rod and pulled downward, sealing off the brutal intrusion. Then he sat on the edge of the bed and ran his fingers aimlessly through his hair.
"What now?" Jeremy thought. The apartment was small but affordable, and found quickly, with some ease. That was explained by the fact that it was in a less than desireable neighborhood. That didn't bother him, nor did the fact that this was not a place to bring a woman back to. For now though, that thought was far from his mind.
He had left his wife of twelve years after coming home early to surprise his her with a romantic weekend on Mackinaw Island. But that was ruined as he opened the front door to find his wife on her knees with a cock in her mouth and a dick in her ass. What made it all the more painful, was that the cocks belonged to his two best friends.
It made the leaving of that life behind to die and suffocate in the ashes of its demise easier. But the hurt he felt was surreal, painful, and nearly unending. Now, in this place he would begin again. How he did not know. In fact all his mind could think of was the basic bodily needs; Piss, Shit, and Eat. He was hungry and there was no food in this foreign fridge.
He found himself in the parking lot passing by his car and continuing to walk down the street. Ahead was a local market that was also a liquor store. Both were conviennent, and needed. He entered the store warily and noticed a Sikh man behind the counter. His grey turban worn, but for him a thing of pride. He nodded to the man who returned his smile a wide teeth baring grin that revealed browned and missing teeth. Moving to the liquor aisle he headed straight for the Jim Beam, and then to the frozen food section. Despite its meager size, the selection was broad. He grabbed a few Hungry Man dinners and a couple of Totinos pizzas.
After paying for the food and booze he headed back to his new abode.
Once there he pulled the new Microwave from it's carton. He had brought it in just before dawn along with other valuables to keep prying eyes from seeing this purchase. After setting it up he opened one of the TV dinners. Noting how small they had gotten, he opened a second as well.
While waiting for the ding of the Microwave he poured himself a large glass of Jim Beam then sat the bottle atop the fridge. For him, the first drink went down smoothly. It was one of the things that made him like it more than most everyone's favorite Jack D.. The microwave dinged and he set the dinners on a towel and balanced them carefully to the living room and his recliner, which other than his large screen HDTV from the den and his clothes, it was the only things he brought from his past.
He sat quietly and ate his meal. Tomorrow he'd pick up other things like an alarm clock, an antenna, silverware, and a box of plates, saucers, cups and bowls. He reasoned other than finding a new job he didn't need much at this point.
After tossing the remains of the meals in the trash and setting his lone fork, which he found in the trunk when he unloaded the car, in the sink. He looked at it absently and laughed.
Back in his chair he tried to stop thinking about what had gone wrong, and why he hadn't noticed anything amiss. Nothing, not his two best friends recent absences from work which they had founded together, nor the now apparent change in his wife's demeanor. She had been growing distant for some time. Unfortunately, he thought it was because of his absence from home due to long hours he had been working in preparation for the launch of their new online site. It was his baby and he had worried himself to death. It was why he had been absent, and why he had made plans for the weekend that never came. That his friends would . . . NO! He had to stop thinking about it. It was done, and in a past he no longer wanted. He struggled but turned his thoughts to lawyers and how many he might need.
He had been lost in thought for some time before noticing it had gotten dark outside Absently he set down his empty glass and headed for bed.
___________________________________
It had been a couple of weeks since he had left Joanne and his job and he was waiting for several phone calls. The first from Geoffrey his business lawyer who was negotiating terms of the sale for his portion of the company and the rights to use his programing and the new site. All programing and internet developments were his intellectual property. At least he had been smart in demanding that before entering into the partnership. The others were from prospective employers.
He stood up and pulled open the thick curtains he had bought and opened the screenless window. Looking out over the U-shaped court with brown grass, dirt, weeds, and rusting playground equipment he sighed and turned to pick up his car keys and head to the nearest Wal-Mart. He needed to keep his expenses down. Although he was not hurting for cash he still needed to conserve until the sale of his share of the company was completed. Just then his cell phone chimed.
"Hello?" he asked, "Yes, this is he. Sure I'll wait for Geoff."
"Jeremy! How the hell are you?"
He chuckled, "Fine, I guess. So do you have news for me?"
"Damn straight Skippy. They buckled. Once they saw the numbers on how much it would cost to change in mid stream and the problems that they would have to struggle with by having a hostile partner and the potential buyout in 2 or three years, their combined low IQ's agreed to your demands once they found a monetary backer."
"Nice, Okay when will it be finalized?"
"Well, I'll be having dinner at Dom's Steakhouse at 6. Meet me there and we'll have a few beers and steaks and you can sign the papers then and I'll give you the check. They are wanting to solve this as soon as possible."
"Sure, I'll be there," he replied, hung up, and looked at the red led clock. He had time to shower, shave, and drive crosstown.
_________________________________
He pulled up in front of Dom's and handed the keys to his '96 Volvo to the young valet who turned up his nose at having to get into the well used old car. He smiled at the acne challenged youth as he thought, "If he only knew that a car didn't make the man." In fact he could think of two who had the finest rides in town and were the most childish little pricks he . . .
He shrugged off finishing the thought and opened the dark heavy wood door to Dom's. Geoff spotted him as he entered and waved him over. As he finished weaving through the growing patrons Geoff stood up and shook his hand.
"Damn nice to see that you look like you are handling all of this well."
"Yes, well. I am for the most part. I guess I didn't realize how loveless the marriage had gotten for the both of us," he replied, then asked, "So how are Melanie and the girls?"
"Ah, Melanie is doing very well with her bakery. It seems to have become a neighborhood delight. Beth Ann is engaged and getting ready to move to San Francisco -"
"Damn, I have missed alot. What of Ally?"
"Yes, you have but then you have had your own concerns. As for Ally, well -"
"Uncle Jeremy! Dad didn't tell me you were coming too!"
"Ally," Geoff continued, "Just started working here last week."
His head snapped up upon hearing her voice and quickly turned to see her lovely smile. He had known Ally since she was three and watched her blossom from a freckle faced inquisitive child with a perpetual smile into a bright, athletic young girl. But now, Jeremy was looking up into the dazzling bright blue eyes of a woman. He was startled at how beautiful she had become. It had been some time since he had visited and spent time with their family, and Ally had changed dramatically since then.
He was speechless.
"Uncle Jeremy? You okay?" she giggled.
"Ally Hon, I think it is safe to say he has been away from us for far too long."
"Umm . . ." He stammered, "Yes, apparently I have," he said as he took her hand and kissed the back. "Such a pleasure to meet you."
"Oh jeeze," she giggled harder as her chest delightfully jiggled before his eyes.
He struggled not to stare and to remember this young woman deserved his respect and that he could not think of her that way.
"Jer, what will you have." Geoff said as he changed the subject. He had seen these two all too often begin their antics and have calm flee the room, besides he was damn hungry.
Jeremy was not related to him or his wife, but over the years he had spent a lot of time with Geoff's family, and in that time he had bonded with the girls and they had begun calling him Uncle so many years ago. They loved him more like an older brother who played with them effortlessly and teased them endlessly. With Jeremy around, the house never seemed to be quiet, calm, or ordered. He knew Jeremy could not have children with Joanne and he seemed to have adopted his girls as his and it seemed to do him good to spend time with them.
Jeremy turned to his friend and thought for a moment before setting down the menu he knew by heart. "I guess," began, "I'll have the sirloin, baked potato with butter and sour cream and the mixed vegetables, and the house dark"
"Okay, Sir, bpb w/sc, mv, and hd. Dad?"
"Well, that sound excellent. I'll Have the same."
"Okay," she chimed and smiled at Jeremy just before she slugged him in the arm then darted off to the kitchen giggling.
Nearing the end of the meal Geoff received a call and excused himself as he needed to head back to the office. Alone Jeremy's eyes searched the restaurant for Ally. He watched as she moved effortlessly about the room clearing plates, taking orders, delivering food, and getting refills. There was an ever present smile on her face and an ease to her movements. He tried not to stare, but made eye contact with Ally enough for her to know it wasn't accidental. He could not help it but he was mesmerized. Ally had changed so much.
He was enraptured by legs that emerged from the knee length skirt that were long and shapely despite her diminutive size. Ally had always had a pixie like quality about her but hated short jokes.
As he finished his dinner Ally hurriedly approached the table, "Unc, can we get together after you finish, I told my boss about you and that we haven't seen each other in quite some time? He is letting me off early," she paused for a slight moment to judge his reaction. She didn't know how he would feel about company, but felt it might help him ease back into the world.
Jeremy's jaw almost hit the floor, but he caught himself in time to prevent making an ass of himself. After all this was his neice, well sort of and he shouldn't, correction, no couldn't think of her that way.
