The middle-aged woman paid for her purchase and took the change with a smile and a nod as the man at the register thanked her for stopping. The widow had almost reached the door when she heard the cashier ask her if the cat had her tongue
"That's not fair. You know I love your accent," the older gentleman said as she reached the door.
"Good day to you sir," Emily Jameson said in her English accent while departing and laughed as she saw how delighted the fellow was.
"Odd duck," the 51 year old woman mumbled to herself as she started walking towards the house she shared with Marian, but her gait slowed as her mind raced.
It was Wednesday and for Emily that meant that the card shop down at the other end of the little town's main street would only have one employee on duty. The principal owner of the quaint little store, Warren Milton took Wednesdays off, leaving his son and part owner Tom in charge for the day.
"Tom Milton," Emily heard herself mumble as she slowed to a near stop and then looked back while mentally berating herself for her weakness.
Keep going home, Emily kept thinking. Nothing for you down there, but that wasn't correct because while Marian meant everything to her, there was one thing she couldn't provide. How Tom Milton had figured that out about her when she first moved to the United States six months ago was a mystery. Could she be that obvious - that transparent - and what of the audacity of the young scallywag to come on to her like he had? Must be an American thing, Emily concluded.
Yet she didn't have to do what the lad wanted. It wasn't like Tom had forced he to do what she did. Just the opposite. The rascal had charmed her knickers off, simple as that, but that was just one time. There was no need for Emily to ever return to that card shop again, but sadly she had. Every bloody Wednesday without fail for months but not this time, she vowed. Emily Jameson was a strong willed woman and nobody's fool.
Then why was she doing this little dance on the sidewalk, taking a couple of steps forward and then back as if she was walking into a windstorm? If anybody saw her they would think she was daft but fortunately the street was quiet.
"I'll just walk by," Emily announced to no one. That would show Tom.
So Emily walked back in the direction of the shop she had patronized, past that and further down to where the Wit's End stationary store. Emily stared straight ahead as she walked slowly past the window where the cashier was, and out of the corner of her eye she could see the shop was empty except for Tom who might not have seen her. Emily kept walking and after she was well past she glanced back and saw that the sign on the door that read OPEN had been turned around.
"OUT TO LUNCH" the sign read as it moved a little back and forth, and as in her heart she suspected all along she would in the end, after looking up and down the sidewalk to make sure nobody was watching the widow ducked into the path between the buildings. Emily raised her hand to knock but the door swung open and there stood Tom with a toothy grin on his face.
"Emily my dear," Tom declared as he stepped aside to let his visitor into the back room of the shop. "So happy to see you. What brings you to my establishment on this lovely morning?"
"Little early for lunch, isn't it Tom?" Emily said as she set her small parcel down on a table and added, "Be a dear and don't permit me to walk out without that."
"When you own the place, lunch is whenever you want it to be, and might I add that you look lovely today?"
"You might and you might be right," Emily quipped as she removed her light jacket.
"What's this? No brassiere today?" Tom said with a salacious grin as she looked at the unsupported breasts under the frumpy blouse, and when the widow offered no response Tom noted while reaching over to cup the globes, "that wasn't a complaint mind you. So what did bring you here?"
"You know bloody well what brought me here," Emily snapped, and as her eyes strayed down there was no missing the obscene bulge in the lad's baggy trousers. Is that thing always hard?"
"When you're in the neighborhood it just happens," Tom said with a shrug as he stopped kneading the older woman's breasts long enough to unbutton the top almost to the bottom, and after he slipped his hands in to cup the flesh directly he continued. "I saw you walk past the window slowly, trying to be sly with that sideways glance of yours, and right away my cock got hard. What do you make of that?"
"A bit crude."
"I bet your pussy was getting wet too," Tom suggested, and he moved a bit back when Mrs. Jameson reached for his belt. "What's the rush?"
"You have a business to run and I have things to attend to."
"But I love our interactions, getting to know each other better," Tom said as the plump nipples throbbed in his palms. "I have to say that I was a bit hurt at church last Sunday. I saw you at your - what is that lovely lady to you? Your sister I've heard."
"Marian is none of your concern. We are friends above all if you must know. We're co-authors of literature. Satisfied?"
"Anyway, when we passed your and your lady friend sitting in the pew I slowed but you looked straight ahead like we didn't know each other. I was hoping we could all meet each other."
"You were going to introduce me to your daughter?
"Chloe isn't my daughter."
"Sorry. I figured her for that being so young. Your wife then?"
"No, Chloe is my - friend. Much like Marian is your friend."