I sat in the recliner waiting for the air conditioner to cool the room as I assured my niece that I would be okay until the home health aide arrived.
"Are you sure?" she asked. "Do you need to use the bathroom?" she inquired uneasily.
"And what," I looked incredulously at her, "ask you for help?"
Both of my hands were in casts that ended about two inches below my elbows and at the tips of my fingers.
"Thanks . . . but, no," I continued, "that would be the furthest thing from possible."
"Well, I had to ask, and thank God you said no!' she laughed as she leaned over and hugged my head. "I'll stop by every now and then to check on ya."
"Not necessary, I'll be fine."
With that she smiled, turned and hesitated before heading out in the glaring August sun and the oppressive humidity that blurred the day with a dense blue haze.
I was relieved to be back home, but worried about whether or not I'd have a job when I returned to the mill. While engineers were in short supply in our city, my company, as I had seen in the past was not one to wait on the needs of its workers. I was lost in thought when a knock on the door snapped me back into the chair and the room.
Thinking it was the health aide I shouted, "It's unlocked, please let yourself in."
I swiveled the recliner around and was surprised to see the young daydream that had been the cause of my situation.
"Oh, um, hello," I stammered as I tried to avoid eye contact. "What, um, I mean how are you Emma?" Emma I thought, I loved the name.
She tried to keep a serious face but I knew she was aware of my unease as she slightly giggled, and then said, "I was just checking on you. I feel so bad for what happened. I know you said it wasn't my fault, but -"
"Oh, no. Stop right there young lady. I told you as we waited for the ambulance that I should not have been on the roof. I should have let the satellite company fix the problem with the dish," I explained again hoping to ease her conscience.
"I know, but, it's just, well," she looked away, "you fell, because I was, well, you know sunbat -"
Oh God she was aware I had been ogling her. She must think I am some old pervert, which I am, and for God's sake how could I not be. This beautiful little minx was simply a small piece of heaven here on earth. She had dark brown hair, nearly black, silky, and down to her waist and almost always in a top knotted ponytail. Her skin, was seemingly flawless and had a light slightly olive complexion. Barely reaching five foot nothing her slim body, pert breasts and small beautiful heart shaped ass screamed for attention. What is more, is that in the three times I had talked to her since I moved in a month ago I could not help but notice her intelligence, and her compassion for others in her volunteer work. Had I been ten years younger I would have fallen in love . . . in fact I had.
"I, um, I am sorry about that," I said as I awkwardly cut her off. I looked at her and said, "I assure you I will not do so again. It was improper, and you seem too nice a person to be treated so."
She giggled again this time audibly and said, "Oh jeeze, you're a guy, DUH! thats what guys do." She smiled as she said this but I also thought I saw evidence of blushing.
I shifted that thought quickly out of my mind and tried to change the conversation, "So have you decided on which college you are going to? I know you enrolled at two, Drake and the U of I right?" She had enrolled at both, having received full rides to both, Iowa for its Creative Writing Program, and Drake for a B.A. and their Law Program. However, she had not yet told one that the other would be her choice.
"I don't know, I was still trying to find the reason I should choose one or the other."
I was about to answer when her phone kicked in and started playing "Uptown Funk." She looked at me, then down to her phone as she said, "Sorry."
"Hello?' she asked as her eyes rolled, "Yes Ma, I know I have to be at the Church in fifteen, yes, I know they need the help for the food pantry in the morning, Yes I already signed up, Mom, I am ahead of you as usual. I am just about to leave Mr. Flint's. Yes," again her eyes rolled. She looked at me helpless from the onslaught of her mother's concern. "Mom, Mom, jeeze Mom, Okay I'll be right there." She hung up, sighed heavily (I was mesmerised as her diminutive chest rose and fell Straining her now noticeably tight shirt.) She looked plaintively at me and excused herself and left abruptly.
Well.
I sat speechless for a few silent moments and then noticed my penis had started to deflate. I laughed uneasily. I had not been aware I had gotten an erection. I had been so lost in the moment. Oh god I thought. I hope she had not seen that. I can not imagine how I could apologize for that.
Another knock on the door. This time it was the home service, and thankfully it was a nice matronly woman with whom I felt immediately at ease with.
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