Down

The week after Dave left, we fell into a routine; Madge busily cleaning the house, me outside doing the maintenance I had been ignoring. Using my tractor, I mowed the dry grass around the house, then switching to a blade filled in some holes in the drive way. After that I hooked on the trailer and hauled fire wood down from the trees behind the house. Madge meanwhile, went through every room in the house; cleaning, dusting, washing all the linens.When I would see her, she was all covered with dust. After a couple days she was running out of clothes, so she borrowed a t-shirt of mine, and I must admit it looked much better on her. Especially with her nipples poking through the cotton.

Dave left on Saturday, and by Wednesday night I realized Madge was washing the same clothes every other day. Considering the little we had brought up the hill, she didn't have much. Thursday morning I went out to the barn, pulled the dust cover off the '66 Mustang, checked all the fluids, made sure the tires were properly inflated, started her up, watched the gauges. She had been sitting a good seven months, but fired on the first try. After a minute she settled into a pleasant idle, as if waiting to go. I quietly pulled her up to the house just in time for lunch.

Madge had lunch on the table as I walked in, so I washed up and sat down. While we ate I coughed, then asked how she was doing for clothing.

"Oh, ok, I guess."

"Nonsense. I've noticed the same blouse every other day. How long would it take you to get ready for some shopping?"

With a happy squeal she shouted, "Really? Where will we go? I don't care, I can be ready in ten minutes."

And she was gone! (My sense of survival kicked in and I realized I had better eat now or forget it). I was still swallowing while she was standing at the door, tapping her foot. Slipping my wallet in my back pocket, I took my time ambling to her while she gave me a look that said 'Hurry up'. In less than ten minutes that woman had changed clothes, washed up, brushed her hair and applied make up. She was motivated.

We stepped onto the porch and when she saw the Mustang, she cooed , "Oooh, nice."

I held the passenger door open for her, and for my effort got a smile and, "Thank you sir".

As we drove she wanted to know where we were going, what could she get, why was I doing this, how much she could go, where did I get the car... I finally just called 'time'.

"Naomi spotted her sitting with a 'for sale' sign and just had to have her. I restored her, Naomi drove her everywhere. We'll cruise down to the South Hill Mall. They have good shops, and I'm sure we can find what you need. I'm doing this because you need clothes, and while it would be interesting watching you run around in next to nothing, that isn't why I offered you a place to stay. How much you get is open, we'll see what we find, but you'll probably want some shorts, tops, and how are you fixed for underware?"

Sigh,"You're right, I do need all of that and more. I didn't realize how little I had left until you brought it up."

"Ok, lets do this. We'll start at Sears for pants and tops, then go from there. I have to warn you though...I haven't been clothes shopping with a woman in years so I'm out of practice."

At the mall, I parked away from other cars as I've learned there are idiots out there that really don't care if they ding up someone else's car, but howl if a bird craps on theirs. We strolled into the mall, Madge holding my left arm lightly, but firmly. Our first stop was Sears, where she quickly picked out half a dozen tops, three or four shorts, several pants and some things in the underwear section, then led me to the changing rooms. There are no seats for men to wait on, so I was one of four men idling away, while their women tried things on. Women would come out, ask their husband's opinions, then disappear back into their cubicle.

Finally Madge appeared. And all the men perked up as she walked over to me. Now, she was just in tan jeans and a light top, but those guys couldn't take their eyes off her. One wife came out and had to nudge her husband.

"You know you have an audience, don't you?"

"Do you like this on me? Oh, I hadn't noticed them. What do you think, should we get this?"

"Turn around, slowly. Yes, it's perfect fit, and the top goes great with your hair and eyes."

"You just wanted to check out my butt, wait, you know my eye color?"

"From day one."

She gave a little spin and strolled back to the cubicles, looking over her shoulder at me. Then threw a little extra wiggle into her walk while looking me in the eye.

When she came back out she was dressed, with her selections over her arm, ready to check out. "Don't you need to try more on?"

"Nope. These will do. Can we go find some shoes, maybe a jacket next?"

We moved down the mall, first hitting a shoe store for some new training shoes, a pair of dressy boots, sandals, and a couple other shoes I can only call stylish. Then another shop where she found 'just the right jacket'. I have to say it looked perfect on her, snug around her waist, shapely over her breasts. Across from them was a lingerie shop, and she pulled me to the display in the window, "Can we go in? Just to look around? Please?"

Now I have to tell you, I hadn't been in one of these shops in many years, and it had been a form of agony back then. Well, I was breaking out in a cold sweat, stammering I'd wait in the mall. But Madge would have none of that, "Don't be silly, you'll be fine. We're just going to look anyway."

As we stepped in a clerk asked if she could be of help, then suddenly said, "

Madge

?"

"Jeannie! When did you start here? How have you been? "

"Well, let's see, you and I were at Macy's for Christmas, we were let go after New Years, and I lost track of you. One day at Macy's I had a conversation with a lady I was helping. Mrs. Patrick. She was the owner of this shop, and wasn't happy with the girl she had in here. She asked me to stop in when I had a chance, and when the Christmas rush was over, I had a lot of time so I dropped in. The girl that was working here was slovenly and rude, and I knew why sales were way down. When Mrs. Patrick came out of the office, she took a look at me, then the other girl and asked me to step into the office. Girl, that had to be the fastest interview I've ever had. Within five minutes she asked me when I could start, and five minutes after that she had me signed up and the other girl fired."

"Wow, that worked well for you. Oh, by the way, This is my boss, Josh Murphy. He's helping me out some."

Madge filled her in about the last seven months, and where she had met me. Jeannie's brows went up when she heard I was buying clothes for Madge, "Well, if I had known there was such a knight out there, I might have tried my luck."

"Easy girl, this knight is taken."

With that, they broke into gleeful laughter and strolled further into the shop. I just tagged along, looking at the two of them. What a contrast...Madge, with her feminine shape, and flowing auburn hair and Jeannie, a few years younger, slim, almost boyish in shape, although you would never mistake her shapely butt for a boy's. Her hair was a light brown, tending towards blonde, cut close to her face. As they moved from rack to rack, they were catching up with each other, and from the way they rubbed against each other I sensed just how comfortable they were together. Jeannie would remove a set here and a set there, handing them to Madge, and after tweny or thirty minutes, led her back to a changing room, then showed me a bench I could wait on, "Can I get you something...water, maybe?"

"Not right now, but thanks. Shouldn't you be doing something?"

"Oh, I am," She said with a smile, "I'm helping you spend money."

"And what makes you think I'm spending?"

Again she smiled, "Two things; one, I've seen how you look at her, and two, wait until she shows you what she's trying on. I've been here long enough to know what effect she will have. She's already a beauty, wait 'til you see the icing.'

That's when Madge stepped out from behind the curtain. I audible caught my breath.

"Told you."

Madge strode to me, did a slow turn looking over her shoulder. If I hadn't known how gorgeous she was, I did now. She was wearing a light green set. It just covered the tips of her breasts, the pink of her nipples peeking through the material. The panties barely covered any more, riding high on her hips, sweeping gracefully over her cheeks and between her legs. When she faced me again, the material came to just above her pussy, leaving some auburn hair exposed over the top.

"Oh honey," Said Jeannie, "we're going to have to mow that lawn if you're going to wear something like this."

"Josh, what do you think? Do you like this on me...should we trim the lawn...can you speak?"

"Don't laugh at me. I'm an old man, so much beauty in one minute like this could kill me. You look marvelous, and Jeannie, you're right-it is icing."

"What else do you have back there?"

Madge spun, strolled back behind the curtain, Jeannie following with offers of help. They didn't close the curtain all the way, I could watch them in the wall mounted mirror. Madge quickly removed the set, while Jeannie selected another. I could see Madge clearly. She bent forward, sliding the next panties up her legs, her breasts swinging freely, the nipples standing out. As she stood, Jeannie slid another bra over Madge's breasts, her hands lingering in a gentle caress. Madge leaned back, her cheek brushing Jeannie's. They exchange whispers, then looked at me in the mirror. Slowly, Jeannie's hands brought the back straps together, hooking them, then she held the curtain open for Madge.

Again, I was looking at a vision of loveliness. She was breathing rapidly, and her eyes had a lidded, smoky look, "Do you like what you see? Shall we get it?"

All I could do was nod. Words just couldn't get past my dry lips.

Madge looked at me again then stepped into the dressing room. She came back out a few minutes later, dressed, with several items in her hand. As we stepped to the register, Jeannie commented what good choices Madge had made, and only wished she could afford them. Madge looked at me with a raised eyebrow, so, I turned to Jeannie telling her to pick something, and add it to my account.

"Josh, can we invite Jeannie up to the cabin? I'd like to catch up with her more, and she could model her choice for you."

"Sure. When are you off next Jeannie?"

"I have to be here over the weekend, but I'm off Monday and Tuesday, so I can do it either day."

"Josh, do you mind if she's there both days?'

"No, not at all. I'm sure we'll enjoy having her up there."

After we finished the business part of our conversation, I wrote out directions to the cabin, including my phone number in case she got lost. Madge and I were headed in the direction of the Mustang, when once again she was tugging on my arm, this time pulling me into a cafe. We sat at a table away from others. She insisted I sit next to her, then moved right against me. In a low voice she said, "I really want to thank you for all this, but I also want to ask you something."

"Sure, what is it?

She was interrupted by the waitress, asking if we would like to order. "Two coffees, please. And a couple Danish."

I could see Madge mulling her question, then she asked when I had felt the 'tingle' with my wife. As I thought back to when we had met, the hum of the cafe receded into the background.

"It was while I was in the Navy. I was staying with a shipmate, Earl, and his wife at their apartment in Long Beach. One day I was working on my car-well under it actually-and this great pair of legs slowly walked by. All I could see was high heels, legs and shorts. I tried getting a better look, but by the time I scooted out, she was walking away from me.

Later that night we were playing cards when a friend of theirs came in; she was about my height, very nicely curved, still in shorts and heels. She was wearing a light, tight sweater, her hair was platinum blonde. Madge, right then my heart stopped. If anyone ever felt a 'tingle', I did then. Earl's wife, Cathy, introduced us; her name was Naomi. I picked up a British term in Hong Kong, 'gobsmacked'. I never understood it, but right then I did, and I was.

She joined us at cards, but I wasn't following them. If we had been playing for money, I'd have lost everything. She kept watching me then asked if I were the legs she saw under the car? Before I could even answer she just nodded to herself, and smiled.

Well, long story shortened, we started dating, and within a few months were engaged.

I was off on another WesPac cruise the rest of that year. Naomi and I wrote while I was gone, strengthening our ties. I got back to the States in April,left the Navy in August, we married in September. I moved around in a few jobs in Southern California, eventually we moved up here. In among all that we had the two kids."

"Wow...you're telling me all that happened because the two of you just saw each other's legs?"

"When I got back from that last cruise, she told me about her 'tingle', and how she knew we were going to marry."

Madge sat quietly for several minutes, then asked if we could go home. All the way back she looked to be in deep thought, just staring out the side window. I felt it best to leave her to her thoughts. Stopping at Jerry's Pizza in town, I picked up one to go , then headed up the hill towards the house. Madge took dinner and her bags in while I put the Mustang in the barn, recovering it.

***

Back in the house, the pizza was on plates and a pair of beers were opened. We took them out to the deck in time for sunset.

The summer sunsets in the Pacific Northwest are drawn out affairs, the sky slowly losing color long after the sun passes behind the Olympics on the western horizon. The stars take just as long to appear, often not showing until 10 pm or later. It was only as the last light faded away that Madge finally started talking, and then in a low voice that I had to strain to hear at first.

"You were so lucky. You found your love, and she found hers...and it worked for you."

I sat quietly. She was looking for words to match her thoughts, my sense was to wait.

" I have been in three relationships that might have been considered serious. None had that feeling. I missed that."

"Marjorie...don't give up on yourself, or on life, or the fates, or the gods if you will. We never know what may be around the next turn in our lives. You can go down the same road a hundred times and nothing happens. And on one hundred and one, you go around a bend and

BINGO

, there's a unicorn. I don't have some magic power that let's me see the future, but I'm sure your life has a major change in it. Let it come to you."

"Will you hold me? I feel cold."

"Come sit on my lap, I'll keep you warm."

She slid into my lap, putting her arms around my neck and her head on my shoulder. I wrapped her in my arms, whispering into her ear, "You're safe with me."

We watched the summer constellations come out, and when the Moon's light started washing them out, moved into the house.

"It's late, we should get some sleep."

"Josh...can I sleep with you tonight? Please..."

"Of course. Join me when you're ready."

I went to my room, and contrary to my usual practice, put on t-shirt and shorts, then slid between the sheets. Minutes later Madge came in, spooning into me so I could hold her in my arms.

"Thank you...I need this."

"Why so sad?"

" I don't have anyone loving me the way you and Naomi loved each other."

"Darlin' don't count yourself short. I watched Jeannie with you today. There is real affection there."

She rolled in my arms, her breasts pressing into my chest, her belly and legs against mine. My cock firmly against her and slowly getting hard. Her sweet breathe brushed my cheek, "What about Jeannie? Do you think she's into women?"

"That I don't know, but she was genuinely happy to see you, and couldn't stop touching you. And she really got into caressing you. Remember?"

"Emm, yes, that did feel sooo good. And you enjoyed watching. I saw you in the mirror."

"You two were beautiful together. Haven't you been lovers?"

"No. Could you accept me having a woman lover?"

"I accept you the way you are.I don't want you changing to please me."

"You know I felt the 'tingle', don't you."

"When did you feel it?"

"Down by the lake. I thought so the first time we met. I was sure when you came back and we sat and talked. You were polite and respectful and willing to listen to me. And I knew. And today, at Jeannie's shop, I knew you felt it too. Jeannie spotted it on me, and as we left the shop she told me she saw it on you also."

"It was much like that for me too. That first day all I could see were your hair and your eyes, oh, and your freckles. But the next time? I was happy you were alone, and more than willing to sit and listen and look and just take in your essence. Yes, I felt it also. And right now, this is where you should be. In my arms.Can we talk more tomorrow? As much as I want this conversation, my eyes just won't stay open."

***

Friday, the bed was empty when I woke.

It was after eight, much later than I normally slept, the house still. Quickly dressing in sweat pants and slippers I went down to the kitchen. There was fresh coffee in the maker and my cup sitting next to it. Pouring coffee, I looked around. Madge's bags from yesterday were still on the table. Looking further I could see the doors to the deck were open. Sitting on a chaise, her feet drawn up, and cup to her lips, Madge was looking out over the lake and trees. Bogart was curled next to the chaise, chin on paws.

"Good morning. Are you all right?"

"Yes, thank you. I was just thinking...Last night, when you held me as we sat out here, you said a couple things that have me confused. You said I would always be safe with you. And last night in bed, I felt your cock pressing against me. But you didn't try anything. Why?"

"I'll answer in reverse order...By that time it was Oh Dark Thirty. Naomi wouldn't have gotten action out of me then. I'm an old man, I need my sleep. Its what keeps my wrinkles smooth.Now part two. As long as you stay with me, no one will harm you. You are safe. "

"That's it? I'm physically safe, that's what you meant?"

"Not just physically. Look, it's early and I may not say this just the way I mean it, but I'll try."

I sipped at my coffee as I gathered my thoughts, "I feel a connection with you. The last person I felt something this strongly with was Naomi. But I don't know where we are going. Not yet any way. I don't have sex randomly, I don't just fuck for the sake of fucking. If, or when, we join it will be an act of love. That is how I am. But you said there were two things you wondered about. What's the other?"

"Wow, that's a deeper answer than I expected, and yet, no less than I expect from you. Ok...we were talking about me and Jeannie, ...you said if we were lovers, you could accept that. That you wouldn't expect me to change?"

"Let's go make some breakfast. This is going to be a long convo."

While she made breakfast, I fed Bogart, then poured us more coffee, carrying the cups out to the deck. Just as Madge stepped out, a herd of deer moved out of the tree line to the south. Holding up a hand, I pointed them out. Putting the plates down, she backed against me so I could hold her as we watched them move to the east.

Once they had disappeared back into the trees she turned around, gave me a light kiss, and sat . We ate in silence, simply enjoying each others presence.

Breakfast finished, Madge cleared the dishes and brought out more coffee. Bogart worked his way around the yard, sniffing, finally tracking the deer a bit before coming back up on the deck and flopping at Madges feet.