Chapter Ten
MRS. CLAYTON LOSES A HOUSE GUEST
It was Thursday morning and Carly had just come downstairs to join her grandmother for the final breakfast of their shared summer. Carly was leaving for home as soon as breakfast was cleared away and her car was loaded with suitcases.
Mrs. Clayton had never liked goodbyes, but seeing Carly leave was particularly hard to take. Each summer for the past several years, she'd come from the city as soon as school was out for summer break. Carly was a high school history teacher who reveled in the time spent away from the city while sharing the house with her grandmother in Springfield.
"Well, this is my least favorite day of the year", Mrs. Clayton looks sadly at Carly. "You know how much I always hate to see you leave."
"I know, Granny. But, school starts in two weeks, and I have so much to do before then. I'll miss you so much!" Carly sighed. "But, you'll still have your friends. And Jake is here a couple of times a week. He'll be good for you. Lean on him!"
"Sit down and let's enjoy breakfast." Her grandmother reflected on Carly's last words. "Yes, Carol and Mary are always fun to spend time with. But, you know, since your grandpa passed away, I miss that special closeness."
"You need a man in your life, Granny!" Carly chuckled at the thought, although she knew her grandmother was an attractive woman whom many men would enjoy spending time with. Take your friendship with Jake to a new level!" But, as soon as the words were out of her mouth, she knew she'd made a mistake in judgment.
"Carly! Jake is probably 20 or 25 years younger than me!" Mrs. Clayton was surprised even that Carly would make such a suggestion. "Plus, he has Ann!" she went on.
"Oh, come on, Granny! Let me tell you a few reasons why that is nonsense!" Carly started to count the reasons, "You know as well as I do that Ann isn't taking care of Jake! And don't play innocent with me. I've seen you checking him out! Don't try to say you haven't! A few years is not that important, because I've also seen the way Jake looks at you! Let's be honest. Jake's a man with needs! He needs someone who will talk with him, understand him, tease him, and know when to go beyond teasing!"
Mrs. Clayton sat quietly as she absorbed the surprising words her granddaughter had just rapid-fired at her. She took a sip of coffee before responding. "I will grant you that everything you said about Jake is likely true, but I think it's absurd that he would be interested in me,"
"Granny! I'm not saying to marry him! But, you and I are a lot alike. I know you still have needs and desires. Just start by trying a little innocent teasing and see where that takes you." Carly pushed her empty plate away before encouraging her grandmother a bit further. "Unless I sorely miss my guess, you'll have Jake following you around the house in no time. But, since I've gone this far, let me say that at that point, you'd better be ready to see it through. Granny, I'm saying this for your sake as well as Jake's!"
"Carly, it's different for you. You're younger than Jake, and you're just as sexy as can be. You may think I'm an old woman who doesn't pick up on things, but I saw you with Jake. Don't you think for a minute that I don't know what went on between the two of you all summer while I was gone!" Seeing that Carly wasn't shocked, she went on. "I have no problem with that! You both needed it. You're both sexual beings. But, I'm still having trouble seeing him with me."
"Trust me, Granny! But, that's all I'll say for now. I have to get busy. The day is slipping away!"
"Tell me you didn't broach this idea to Jake?" Mrs Clayton looked horrified.
"Of course not, Granny!" Carly knew that her talk had hit the mark when she saw her grandmother's hardened nipples pushing against her silk nightgown and robe. Now, she only hoped that she wouldn't lose her nerve. She'd so like to think her grandmother could enjoy sex again.
After she had helped with the dishes and loaded her suitcases in the car, Carly and Mrs. Clayton hugged and held each other tight while shedding a few tears.
"Drive safely, Sweetheart! Call me when you get home!"
"Thank you, Granny. I love you!"
"I love you, too, Carly"
After watching Carly drive away, Mrs. Clayton walked inside to make a cup of tea and ponder all that had been said in her morning talk with Carly.
Her thoughts soon turned to Jake and the suggestion made by Carly that she should amp up their relationship. She liked Jake as a person, and since he lived a few doors down the street, she certainly didn't want to risk damaging their relationship, good as it was. But, it had been a long time since her husband had died, and she was sorely in need of being with a man sexually.
"Hello, Jake. How are you today?" the phone conversation began. "Carly just left, so I thought, if you're free on Saturday, maybe you'd be available to help with a few things around the house?"
"Sure! I'm always available for you. What time?"
"How about we start with breakfast at 8:30?"
Jake loved Mrs. Clayton's breakfasts, so he happily agreed. "That sounds great! I'll be there. See you then!"
"Bye, Jake." And with that call, the anticipation began.
Chapter Eleven
JAKE'S WORKDAY
On Saturday morning, at the invitation of Mrs. Clayton, Jake knocked on her door at 8:30 a.m., arriving as expected for breakfast.