All characters engaged in sex acts are 18 years old or older.
—
Being back was a shock, even just in the airport. The weather, the people, the carpet, it all looked different. I had never been away from home for so long as this first year of college. Dad had insisted that I go to the same "prestigious New England school" as he and Grandpa had. There it had been all snow and rain and wind. Being back in California was a nice change, and it would be even better when I got back into town.
The flight had been exciting. I had been on airplanes plenty of times. Miss Claudia and I had been on tons of trips when I was younger, dad even came along for a few. But I had never been on one alone and something about it made me almost feel grown up. I didn't have much baggage. The biggest thing was my laptop which I carried with me on the plane. All the rest was just clothes.
I waited at the pick-up area. It was an odd feeling, since I had always traveled with someone before. Miss Claudia had passed away four years ago. Dad figured I could take care of myself at home, and he was right, but that meant no more trips. I still missed her quite a bit, though it embarrassed me to admit. She had been there ever since mom left. I had vague memories of mom in the house. Lots of shouting, the smell of liquor, and one of the only times I had heard dad cry.
I spotted Dad's car, the black Mercedes-Benz that cost almost as much as my college tuition would. He never shut up about it. As the car got closer, I knew I was mistaken. There was a lady at the wheel, not dad. No, wait. Dad was in Prague doing press work for his latest movie. This was Alice. Dad had told me a little about Alice. She was local and he had met her online earlier this year. She was an elementary teacher, so like me, she had the summer off. She had moved in quickly, but that was Dad for you. Other than that, I didn't know anything else, didn't care.
She pulled up and leaned down, so I could see her through the passenger window. "Gene?" she asked. The first thing that struck me were her blue eyes. She didn't seem like dad's type at all. Dad was almost always with blondes, usually not natural ones. Alice had short brown hair down to just below her chin. There were even streaks of gray in it.
"Hi Alice," I said and she got out of the car to help me with my bags. I truly didn't need it and started to tell her so until she was around the car in front of me. She was just a little shorter than me. Then she really didn't seem like dad's type. She wore jeans and a modest, button up shirt. She was full-figured. Wide hips, big, round breasts. I could even see she had a little bit of a belly. She even looked not that far from Dad's age. Dad usually went for skinny fitness instructor types. And he liked them young. One girlfriend had been young enough to be my sister.
When Alice smiled, she had subtle crow's feet at the sides of her blue eyes, "It's nice to meet you Gene. Let's get your bags put away." We went around to the trunk.
I said, "You don't have to," even as she picked my rolling bag up. She bent over and placed it in the trunk. I held my breath when I saw her butt. It was so round and thick like the rest of her.
We made small talk on the way home. She taught fourth grade. She grew up in Michigan and moved here decades ago. She had a daughter a few years older than me. I told her I hadn't declared a major, but was leaning toward science of some kind. New England was cold and windy. My flight was fine. Dad's girlfriends were usually not like this. In the past they had had no interest in me. But Alice was definitely different.
Then she dropped another question on me "So do you have a girlfriend? Do you date?" I felt a flash of anger. This was a sore subject with me. I had always struggled with the opposite sex and had never even kissed a girl. She should have known. Dad should have known, if he cared.
All I could muster was a flat, "No." She got the point. There had been something there though. Curiosity? Care?
We drove the rest of the way home in silence.
—
The place was just as I had remembered it. I hadn't even been gone for a year so it wasn't a surprise. An old Gold Rush town. It struggled to bring in tourists and made its livelihood from the farms circling it. Our house was a big one at the outskirts. I thought at one point Dad had built this lavish lifestyle as almost an apology for his lack of effort in other areas. But I had been disabused of that idea a long time ago.
We came inside and the house was also just as I remembered. Clean tile floors, air conditioning almost chilly in the summer. My room was a converted attic over the garage and was like my own little house, large and isolated.
"I'll have dinner ready in a couple of hours, Gene," Alice said. Dinner would be nice. I had spent most of my days heating up frozen meals since Miss Claudia had passed. Even when dad was home it was pizza or Chinese delivery. I could barely even remember what a home cooked meal was like. "Oh, and Gene," she continued. I looked toward her, standing there. Her face was concerned, almost sad. The subtle crows' feet at the corners of her eyes gave her a sweet expression. Her dark stylish hair shined in the light. She was prettier than most of the girls half her age at school. "It's nice to meet you. Let me know if you need anything."
I nodded and said "Thanks," and she awkwardly left.
—
I settled in and began to unpack. My bedroom was large and had its own bathroom. I liked this because it meant I rarely had to go downstairs. I had my own world up here, and with a TV, computer, game console, and queen sized bed, it was enough. Or so it seemed.
I didn't know what to make of Alice. She was down there cooking. I would have expected one of Dad's girlfriends to be watching TV, or drinking, or fucking him if he were home. I shuddered. What was her angle? I guess she wanted to get on my good side and thought that would help her with Dad. Joke was on her. Dad didn't even know what I thought of his girlfriends, let alone care.
