It was careless of me, I'll admit, but I'd managed to get myself double booked, neither appointment being one I could extract myself from easily. I decided that I'd see if there was some way I could combine the two things.
First and foremost, I had a babysitting gig with Peter and Michelle Bunjer. I couldn't miss that because it paid. The other appointment was with a couple of the girls from my class to finish up a group project. It would only take about an hour or so.
The obvious answer from my point of view was to have the girls meet me at the Bunjer's place and we could finish the assignment while I did my babysitting. Two birds with the one stone sort of thing.
Carol and Marie were quite happy to meet at the Bunjer's place so that was fine. All I had to do was to get Michelle Bunjer to agree. She could be a little sticky, not liking me having guests over while sitting.
I fronted up to Michelle a day early to explain the situation. It would just be the two girls from my class and they'd only be there for about an hour, I pointed out. We'd nearly finished the assignment and just needed the three of us to sit down together for a short time to pull it all together.
Michelle um'ed and ah'ed a bit, but finally conceded that yes, it would be OK. After all, we were all adults and there would only be the three girls so we probably wouldn't get up to much mischief, but Michelle was going to hold me personally responsible for everything that went on. Big deal. What mischief could three women doing an assignment get up to?
(Michelle's husband, Peter, had agreed as soon as asked, but that was to be expected and not taken as definitive. He'd agree to anything that involved nubile young women around the place. A born lecher, that man.)
The next evening I rolled up to start the babysitting. A dead easy job as the kids were in bed by the time I got there and probably wouldn't awaken until the next morning. I was only there as insurance. As per normal, as soon as I arrived Peter started to flirt outrageously.
I don't know what it is about that man but, even though I was wearing a jumper and a skirt that nearly reached my knees, he had this ability to make me feel as though I was walking around starkers. I'll swear his eyes looked right through my clothes and enjoyed what he could see. Once again I made a little mental note not to let him catch me alone.
Michelle and Peter hit the road and half an hour later Carol and Marie turned up. We settled down in the kitchen and started work. I hate doing projects and I was happy that this one was winding up successfully. It was the last major assignment of the semester and after this the rest of the year would be a doddle.
There was a bit more work involved in pulling it all together than we had expected, but we got it all done eventually. We saved it all (and backed it up) and breathed a sigh of relief to know it was complete.
Then Marie said she was going to have a smoke and whipped out this odd looking packet of cigarettes. Carol and I declined, but Marie went and lit up anyway, even though I suggested that she take it outside. Marie was sitting back, puffing away and blowing smoke rings, and it suddenly occurred to me that the tobacco had a very odd scent to it.
"What the hell brand is that you're smoking," I demanded. "It smells weird."
Marie giggled and showed me the pack. Would you believe that she had acquired a pack of marijuana cigarettes? I didn't even know you could get the stuff ready rolled. I hit the roof.
"Are you insane?" I shrieked. "You can't smoke that stuff here. Michelle would hit the roof if she knew. Put it out. Now."
"Oh, don't get you panties in a knot," Marie drawled. "Just air the kitchen out after we've gone. Michelle won't even notice."
The hell, she wouldn't. I'd be prepared that Michelle would notice if I even dared to fart somewhere around the place. No way was Marie smoking that shit here. If she wanted to smoke it she could do so on the way home.
Marie just laughed at me, but did condescend to take herself and her 'cigarette' elsewhere. Carol went with her, leaving me to try to air out the kitchen. I opened the windows and sprayed some air-conditioner around and hoped for the best. Sniffing, I couldn't really detect anything, so I figured I was clear.
I settled down and watched TV.
I was half dozing when Michelle and Peter returned. Peter stirred me fully awake while Michelle went off to the kitchen to make some coffee. I'd completely forgotten about Marie and her 'cigarette' until Michelle came storming back into the front room in high dudgeon.
It seems that my efforts to clear away the sweet smell of marijuana had failed dismally. Michelle had taken one whiff and known immediately. As far as I was concerned it hinted at a misspent youth, but I wasn't game enough to say so, not that Michelle gave me much of a chance to say anything. She was ropable.
I tried to explain that it wasn't me, but Marie. I said I'd chased Marie away as soon as she'd lit up. I explained I'd tried to clear the scent away. Michelle wasn't having a bar of it. I was in charge so it was my fault. She'd trusted me and I'd let her down. Yada, yada, yada. All I could do was hang my head, try to look repentant and make silent vows about what I was going to do to Marie.
Things took a turn for the worse when Michelle said she was ringing my parents to report my drug taking. Hell's bells. My mother would be even wilder than Michelle. She'd nag me for weeks about it and forbid me to ever speak to Marie again. Telling the parents was just not on.
"You can't tell my mother," I protested. "She'd go spare and I'd never hear the end of it. I told you it wasn't my fault."
Michelle didn't give a damn and was going to call my folks anyway, but Peter stepped in.
"Calm down a little, Michelle," he said quietly. "I'm sure we can work this out amongst ourselves."
I gave him a grateful look, and then tried to withdraw it when he went on.