Prelude:
"I'll be back in about half an hour, Rod is here if you need anything."
I knew Erin's comment was meant more for her husband. Rod had suffered a stroke two years previous, and although he could get around, I had come to learn in the several weeks I worked for them he managed little more than pressing the garage door opener so I could get at their gardening tools. This summer I decided I would do what I loved for a change. We needed extra cash to pull ourselves out of debt, and I had done the shit jobs already, including overnight paper deliveries and scrubbing toilets. The money was steady but I hated it. This summer I planned to spend my extra time digging in dirt so to speak. I loved working outside, flower beds, veggie gardens, shrubs and trees... you name it I loved it, and living in an apartment complex for two years had taken that away from me. This summer I had some flyers and business cards printed, posted a couple free online ads, and quickly started getting odd jobs here and there.
I loved it but my wife hated it, "You need something permanent" she'd say. True enough if we were to pay down the debt we owed and get out of renting, I definitely needed a steady second income. My hope for the summer was to obtain a few steady clients who I could work for a couple nights each week after my regular day job, but by mid-August that hadn't yet happened. It was still the odd job here and there. I didn't care so much since I enjoyed doing it, 'do what you love' they say... well I was, but was resenting my wife more and more. Every week we would argue about the money I wasn't making. Fine for her since she wasn't the one doing the shit jobs due to a shoulder problem that kept her from anything beyond her daytime desk job. And I was looking for something else although half-heartedly, not wanting to lose out on the potential of a steady client for my fledgling summer business. Of course the arguments did little for our sex life, Mother's day and once the weekend after. Before that maybe five times in the previous year. I had no idea what she did for relief but I spent my time searching free porn sites and literature to masturbate to. That and I lived vicariously through a buddy who although was in a relationship was tapping everything he could, and mostly younger women he worked with... "The summer of Tom" he called it. Tom had even invited me to partake in one of his regular weekly nights out, seems one of his co-workers (almost 20 years his junior) had a younger sister into older guys as well and he thought I fit the bill. Flattered, curious, I have to say I definitely considered considering it. In the end I took the high road and opted not to partake...
Chapter 1:
Erin had replied to one of my online ads offering yard work and odd jobs in the evenings, telling me on the phone they had a large corner lot (in a fairly high end subdivision I would soon see) and had let it go recently but were looking for help getting it back up to what it was. I was to come by one night after my regular job and spend a few hours prepping a couple flower beds, moving some dirt and mulch, general stuff. "If it works out we have a lot of work for you" she had told me.
When I arrived that first night the attractive older woman met me at the front door and asked me to meet her around the side at the garage. As I walked around the corner I thought to myself she was probably in her early fifties, no older, and obviously a professional of some sort based on the business attire she was wearing. As I came to the side the garage door was opening and I had the opportunity to look a little more closely as she stood there waiting to greet me again. The door revealed red two inch pumps, fairly muscular looking bare legs to the knee, black skirt, black jacket and red satiny blouse, and then a stunning smile, glasses framed her twinkling eyes, and sandy light brown hair tied up in the back, not a bun but something like that. "It's great to meet you Eric" she said as she reached to take my hand in hers. Soft. "Sorry I didn't have time to change, traffic was bad and I just got in before you arrived. Let me show you around."
As she bent to take off her shoes "Can't walk around in these things" I took the few seconds to glance down her blouse. Nice cleavage for an older lady, and the fringe of a red lace bra. She led the way in bare feet across the driveway and down the short but fairly steep slope to the back yard, muscular calves indeed, possibly a runner I thought. She spoke as she walked, telling me about the numerous flower beds that needed to be spruced up, hedges to be trimmed and other general maintenance around the yard. I enjoyed the conversation, throwing in a few timely comments, showing I knew what I was talking about, and also enjoyed watching the sway of her hips as she walked from one area to the next. She gave me instructions for the three hours I had committed to and then explained about their situation briefly.
Her husband Rod was a retired navy officer, they had purchased the home three years ago mainly for the property and grounds. Shortly after he had suffered a stroke and had spent the last two years in rehabilitation. At this point he could manage to mow the front expanse of their lawns on the ride-on ( pretty much a big square, no intricate turns) and they had been looking for someone who they could trust to do what was needed and not ruin what they hoped Rod could get back to in time. She asked a bit about my situation so I explained this was an 'on the side' thing as I tried to pay down some debt. The bonus was I loved to play in the dirt, and living in an apartment with my wife and two kids didn't give me much opportunity any more. "Hence the name" I said as I handed her a card "Digging in the Dirt, Yard Work and Odd Jobs"
"I like that" she said taking it from my hand chuckling "Cute! Well I'll let you get started, I'm off to start dinner."
I spent the next three hours doing my best to be sure I impressed her. I figured if they had money to spend it might as well be on me! As I was chopping up some of the dead lilac branches I had removed Erin came out to inspect my work, still in her skirt and red blouse, no jacked and a pair of ugly garden clogs or something. "It's certainly cooling off in the evenings" she commented as she folded her arms across her chest.
I showed her my handiwork, how I cut the dead branches and trunks at an angle to stop rain water from pooling to avoid rot. (she was impressed) The main flower bed I had worked on was neatly edged and mulched (further impressed) and I mentioned a problem I had spotted with her Virginia Creeper overtaking her water and electric meters that would need to be cut back to avoid complaints from the two utilities. As I spoke she glanced around at the things I mentioned and I took those opportunities to quickly steal looks at her nipples which were jutting out through the shiny red material of her top. Her smile said it all, "It all looks great Eric, I'm very pleased. Just knock once you've cleaned up and we can discuss what's next." What's next I fantasized, letting my mind wonder what was under the skirt as I watched her walk back to the house.
We agreed I would come over two to three nights each week when I didn't or they didn't have other commitments, mainly working in their yard but also I would do the odd job inside as well, finally giving me the some of the regular hours I was looking for. So over the weeks that followed I did just that, and mainly worked outside. Rod had made a list of things he wanted done, which had new things added each day as I crossed things out it seemed. Fine by me as they paid well and were great people to work for. I started to do the odd thing inside as well. Moving heavy things that she couldn't, including livingroom furniture one day, and putting together a shelving unit in their basement rec room which took almost four hours one night. This was this night we got to know each a little better. Rod couldn't make it down to the rec room, and after guiding me down with the two large boxes with the shelving materials from some box store, Erin promised she'd be back in a minute to help.
Help meant she stood over me for a few minutes as I read through the instructions and laid the pieces out and then slumping in a big comfy chair with a drink she made at the bar. As I worked we chatted about nothing at first, then about gardening and the new things she wanted to do with the back. I made sure to pause to look at her while she talked ever so often, both to be polite and to check out her shapely legs in the baggy shorts she was wearing (like cut off sweats that were probably Rod's at one point) and braless tits in her clingy tee. Although she didn't have the perky ones of a twenty something hotty, for a fifty-three year old they looked great! This no doubt from the two half marathons she trained for and ran each of the past twenty plus years. This was where our conversation changed.
She told me of how she and Rod had moved here after his retirement, a relief for her after living all over the country following his Navy career. They had hoped to live quietly until Erin retired at fifty-five as a legal consultant. Something she had done for the past eight years after struggling as a lawyer hopping firms and cities. Everything changed of course with Rod's stroke. They needed a live in assistant for him so Erin could pursue her career, "And although I'm grateful for the nearly two years he stayed with us, we lost all privacy in our lives."
Curious I questioned this. "Oh well, you know...." Erin paused, looked at me and bit her lip. Then she downed the remaining drink in her hand, "Let's just say it's like living with an unwanted house guest who always seems to be under your feet, but needs to be under your feet and your thankful they are... do you know what I mean?" I shook my head. Then she blurted out all at once, "I needed to close and lock the bathroom door when I went in to use it, to shower, lock the bedroom door when I changed, I bought new less 'flattering' night clothes, things like that... would you like a beer? I'm having another drink..."
"Sure I'd love one." That was a vision, Erin in the shower, changing, I wondered what she used to wear to bed... what she wears now!!! "So was this guy always barging in on you or something?" I asked.
"No not at all" she was at the bar again, her back to me. "A perfect gentleman actually" she said as she walked back handing me my beer. "I was just self conscious mostly."
"About what???" I probably sounded a little too incredulous, still thinking about her naked in the shower. She gave me a quizzical look, pausing as she sat down. "Take a break, have a seat." She gestured to the sofa next to her chair.
