Elaine shoved open the door and heard a shriek from behind it, followed by a thud. She looked inside the door and saw an older gentleman on the floor. "Oh, God, I'm so sorry," she said. "Are you okay?"
"No, I'm not okay. Do I look okay?" He lay there on his side, propped up on one elbow, staring at a bunch of papers strewn around him.
Elaine glanced at her watch. It was almost 5:00 PM, and she needed to get to the business office before it closed or she'd be late with her rent. She couldn't afford to keep paying the fifty-dollar late payment fee. "I'm so sorry," she said, adding in a pleading tone: "Will you be okay? Eventually?"
"Don't worry about me," he snarled. "Just an old man. Go do what you have to do."
"Thank you," she said, running down the hallway a few steps. Then she stopped and observed him struggling to his feet and frowned. She looked again at her watch and sighed before going back to him and helping him pick up his papers. "I shouldn't have been in such a rush, but the traffic was ridiculous and I couldn't get a parking spot near the building andβ"
"Why is everyone always in such a hurry?" he said, getting to his knees.
After she collated his papers into the folder, she helped him up. "I have to pay my rent today orβ"
"Or you pay that stupid late fee."
"Yeah," she said, brushing the dust off his coat sleeve.
"Well, what are you still here for? They close in one minute! I'm fine. Go!"
She gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you," she said, and ran the length of the hall to the office. As she entered, she sighed when she saw the line and glanced at her watch to check the time. Where she parked her car, she only had fifteen minutes before she'd get a ticket that would cost twice as much as the late fee. She felt a scream building inside her and tried to decide whether she should risk the parking fine. She might even get back before she got a ticket if she got lucky and the line moved fast.
Then she remembered all the talk from her friends about the new girl working there and looked past the line to the girl in the cashier's stall. She was definitely as hot as her friend's had said. She looked quite a bit younger than Elaine, who was 27. This girl was probably 21. She was a few inches taller, about 5'5", had long straight dark-brown hair past her shoulders, with a tiny waist, and stunning blue eyes you'd get lost in.
Over the next fifteen minutes or so, Elaine tried to make out her reflection in the glass to see how she looked, and straightened her hair. As she got to second in line, she looked at her blue shirt, straightened it, and smoothed her navy skirt.
Finally, it was her turn. She said hello and smiled her friendliest smile. "I know I'm not technically here at five, but I was inside the doorsβ"
The girl held up her hand to stop Elaine as she finished writing something, then looked up at Elaine and smiled. Her name tag said Abby. "You're my last customer," she said and blew a whistle of relief. "I'm not going to charge you a late fee. To be honest, it's more work for me, and I want to get out of here."
"Thank you," Elaine said, pushing her check forward along with her papers. She enjoyed the view as she watched Abby work. She saw the top of her white lace bra under the white blouse, and she looked about the same size as Elaine, a 34C. "Long day?"
"Not too bad, but I am looking forward to getting home and changing out of these clothes and starting my weekend."
"You're new, right?"
"Yes," Abby said. "We just moved here."
"Oh?" Elaine said and spontaneously looked at the ring finger of her left hand.
Abby caught her looking and laughed. "No, I'm not married. My dad and my mom split up, so I'm living with him at the moment."
After Elaine finished her business, Abby continued making small talk, and neither of them seemed in a rush anymore to leave. She was so easy to talk with - not just easy on the eyes. "I get why you're so popular around here," Elaine said.
"Me? I don't have a single friend yet."
"I mean among the tenants. I heard so many comments about how cute you are. You'll make friends here."
"Really?" Abby said, "You think I'm cute?"
"Oh, please!" Elaine replied, looking her up and down, and they both laughed.
"You're so fun," Abby said, "But I do have to get home. I told dad I'd have dinner ready. Hey, do you ever use the pool here?"
Elaine shrugged and smiled. "You think I get this tan sitting home and watching TV?"
Abby smiled back and said good.
The next day, Elaine went to the pool in the afternoon and spotted Abby laying on one of the chaises. She looked even more amazing in her sky blue bikini. She was blessed with the naturally flat tummy of a 21-year-old that made you want to spill your yogurt on it just to lick it off. Elaine was in great shape, but had to work hard to keep that way.
"Is this one taken?" Elaine asked.
Abby had a great smile, but it really seemed to light up when she saw Elaine. "I sure hope not," she said.
They lay together for a while making chit chat and had so much fun, it became regular thing. Somehow, despite having a ton of admirers, Abby didn't make any friends before meeting Elaine, so they ended up lying together by the pool often, and sometimes going back to Elaine's apartment for coolers when it got too hot.
A couple of weeks later, they were half-watching a movie together when Abby looked Elaine up and down and asked, "How are you still single?"
Elaine smiled at the compliment. "I was engaged a few years back."
"And?"