Heidi Wagner hurried back to her bedroom, swinging the door almost closed behind herself and did her best to get herself together as she sat back at her desk, the book she had been reading still open. Ironically the text was from her "Morals and Society" class, one of the meandering steps the teen had taken towards her Philosophy degree, and the way Heidi's life was going she thought that by the time she graduated, she might be able to teach the course, such was the education she had been getting at home of late.
Heidi was looking at the pages of the text but her mind was wandering, partly because of what she had just seen when she peeked into her parents bedroom as well as her fears that she might have gotten caught. Those squeaking floorboards in the hall had given away a lot over the years, but up until a couple minutes ago Heidi had thought she knew the safe spots to step.
Heidi knew that she was not home alone but when after she woke up and heard the shower on, she figured that her Mom was the one that didn't go to work since she had a flexible schedule. When she looked in the bedroom and saw that it was her "Uncle Graham" she was a bit shocked. Heidi was startled to see him because while he often stayed over he had never been left alone with Heidi before. Whether it was just happenstance or by design, Heidi had noticed it, but was unsure that if it had been because of a lack of trust by her parents, and if it was, then who was it they didn't trust? Such was life in the Wagner household these days.
Whatever level of concentration Heidi had dissolved when Heidi heard the squeak of the floorboards along the long hallway coming towards her room, and she was holding her breath when the sounds stopped outside of her door. Eyes down she heard the light tapping on the door and sensed the door swinging open, and while she tried hard not to look up she failed, seeing her "Uncle" Graham standing in the doorway wearing her father's bathrobe.
"There's my favorite Great Dane," Graham declared, referring to Heidi's school mascot. "Thought I heard you up and about."
"Yup."
"Enjoying your last days of being a teenager?" he asked in reference to her being close to turning 20, but Heidi merely shrugged in response..
"Hey, how about that Lacrosse team?" Graham continued, only getting a shrug in response from the teen. "Kicking butt again."
"I guess," Heidi replied, glancing up at the man who she once thought looked a lot like Harrison Ford, although wearing a soggy bathrobe wasn't all that flattering. "Does Dad know you wear his bathrobe, Graham?"
"Hey, what happened to calling me Uncle Graham?" he chided.
"That ship sailed I'm afraid Graham," Heidi answered. "I know they just had me call you that all this time. I suppose they thought it saved a lot of explanations."
"I guess. The bathrobe? I know your father won't mind," Graham said as he brushed a strand of his salt and pepper hair from his face. "We're like family because we share."
"So I've noticed," Heidi said. "You notice a lot of things around here if you keep your eyes open."
"Is that so? What, pray tell, have your noticed?" Graham asked with a grin, moving slowly into the teen's room towards her study desk.
"Well, for one thing when I thought I saw you sneaking out of my parents bedroom I figured you were having an affair with Mom, but then when I saw that Dad was still in there?" Heidi responded with a raised eyebrow. "Who knows?"
"You're very inquisitive. You should have majored in Criminal Justice."
"So I've been told."
"It's fun to observe - try and figure out how the pieces of the puzzle fit in," Graham opined. "I do that as well - as a matter of fact I've been observing you for years."
"That so? I'm sorry I don't lead a more interesting life,"
"Quite the contrary. I find you incredibly fascinating. It's been like watching a caterpillar evolve into a beautiful butterfly."
"Beautiful?" Heidi snorted, well aware that while she was moderately attractive the term beautiful had never and probably would never fit her.
"To me you are," Graham said, and if he noticed the knot in the robe beginning to give way he neither noticed nor made an effort to secure it. "I notice that recently you've evolved from an A cup to a B. You realize that 34 B is the most common bra size in this country?"
"You're going through my drawers now?" Heidi snapped.
"No, not at all, but I do admit to peeking in the clothes hamper," Graham confessed. "I knew it wasn't your mother's so I assumed it was yours."
"Amusing. How many other ways have you been spying on me?" Heidi asked, unsure whether she was mad or not.
"Let's see, I haven't seen your friend lately, the one that used to stay over - what was her name? Leslie?" Graham asked, and after Heidi nodded he continued. "She was very interesting. For a time I couldn't tell whether she was a boy or a girl."
"If that was another attempt at humor..."
"No, not at all. I find androgynous people very erotic," Graham noted. "Although I confess that when I found out she was a she, I thought the possibilities of what went on in your room much more interesting."
"Guys," Heidi sniffed. "Is that all you all think about? Ever hear of people studying and just enjoying each others company?"
"Sure, it's very possible," Graham conceded. "Did you give us the same consideration when you thought you saw me emerging from your parents room?"
"Touche," Heidi said as she looked down at her book.
"Am I disturbing your studies? Since you make Dean's List without breaking a sweat I doubt it."