I had been invited down for a Comic Con by a friend of mine. Cathy lived with her father, her mother having passed on. Isn't that a mealy mouthed way of saying someone is dead? It's like she's been handed down to someone else. I outgrew that dress and it was passed on to my little sister. Cathy's mother was dead and she lived with her father.
I lived in Bendigo, which was quite a distance away, and I pointed out to Cathy that I really didn't think I could make it because my car had been in an accident. The accident hadn't been my fault. Well, not really. I'm pretty sure I had the right of way, and I'm also positive that he must have been speeding or he would have had time to stop. Cops weren't involved so I guess we can't tell for sure who was at fault, no matter what that man said about women drivers. Statistically, women are safer drivers than men, and I told him so.
Anyway, like I was saying, I told Cathy I didn't think I could get down there to go, which was a pity as I really wanted to. I had a great outfit I could wear. Cathy said that it wasn't a problem. She wasn't working on the Friday so she could come and get me and I could stay the weekend, with her running me home on the Sunday. So I said OK.
Cathy picked me up as agreed and we arrived at her place late in the afternoon. Her father wasn't home yet and we just sort of settled in. It was a stinking hot day and the air conditioner in Cathy's car was a waste of space. We were both hot and sticky and I told Cathy that I was going to have a shower and wash the accumulated muck off. Did she want first shower?
She said no, as she'd just discovered that she didn't have any milk.
"You have your shower," she told me. "I'll just run down and grab some milk and a few nibbles. We don't keep much in the way of nibbles in the house because my father likes them too much. He reckons that if they're not there he can't eat them so he rarely buys them. I tend to buy things and hide them in my room. Have your shower and I'll be back shortly."
She took off and I went and had a leisurely shower. After the shower I was standing in front of the mirror with a towel wrapped loosely around me, tidying up my hair, when the bathroom door opened and a man walked in.
Talk about shock and horror. I squeaked and spun around to tell him to get out. I felt the towel start to slip and grabbed at it, felt my feet start to slip on the wet tiles and grabbed at the towel railing, and everything descended into catastrophe.
I missed the towel and it dropped away, leaving me in the nude. How lovely. I caught the towel railing but it didn't stop me falling, with the result that I landed on my bottom, on the floor, naked, in front of a strange man, with a towel rack in my hand. I'd managed to pull it down off the wall.
"I noticed that Cathy's car wasn't outside and assumed that she wasn't home yet. Am I to take it she's been and gone?"
The man, who I assumed was Cathy's father, was looking at me, his face blank, but I could see the laughter in his eyes.
"Ah, yes, She's gone down the street to get some milk," I said. "Will you please go away?"
"In a moment. You're not hurt are you? I saw the towel rail leap out and attack you. It was going too fast for you to avoid it. Most unfortunate."
What was he on about? I slipped was all.
"Ah, I'm OK," I muttered. "I slipped. Sorry about the towel rail."
"Oh, that's OK. If you move too fast on a wet floor I guess you're bound to have the odd accident. Maybe I should put up a stop sign."
Once again, what was he on about? Why the hell would anyone put up a stop sign in a bathroom? I let the towel rail drop and scrambled back onto my feet, clutching the towel in front of me, face burning.
"Um, I'm Irene," I told him. "Cathy's friend from Bendigo. I'm down here for the Comic Con."
"Ah, yes, I know. We have met before, but I hadn't realised that you knew my daughter."
We had? Come to think of it, he did look familiar, but I couldn't place him.
"We have?" I asked. "I can't seem to recall where we met."
"Oh, it was quite by accident," he said, reaching out and plucking the towel out of my hand. "Let me have that. It spoils my view."
My god. Just like that I was naked again and he was looking me over with appreciation in his eyes. He plainly liked what he was seeing.
"Why'd you do that?" I demanded, trying to grab for the towel and missing. "Give it to me, please."
"Actually, I had been hoping to run into you again sometime," he said thoughtfully. "Hmm. Bad choice of words. I should have said I'd been hoping to meet you again."
Something was nagging at the back of my mind. I knew this guy. Where had I run into him? Then it clicked. Running into him was the clue.
"I know you. You're the guy who ran into my car the other day."
"Who ran into whose car?" he asked.
"Well, technically I suppose I hit your car, but you were speeding."
"Keep telling yourself that. We both know I wasn't. We also both know who ignored the stop sign and failed to give way."
Hum. I'd sort of been hoping that he hadn't noticed the stop sign. I blushed.
"I slowed down," I pointed out. "And may I please have the towel?"
"No. I like having you at such a disadvantage. Slowing down is not stopping. How long before Cathy is due back? Do I have time to drag you down to my bedroom and play with you for a while?"
"What? No! She's due back anytime. She's just getting milk. I'm not playing any games with you in a bedroom," I said quickly and firmly. I knew what he meant by games.
"Pity. Still, it would be a shame to waste this quality time we have together. You were dreadfully rude to me after the accident. I think a little penalty is called for."