This is a work of fiction, written for enjoyment and amusement; hopefully yours as well as mine. Comment and constructive criticism welcomed.
* * * * *
Matt's my nephew; my sister Alice's boy. Alice is the oldest and I'm the youngest of mom's seven children, so I'm only five years older than Matt, twenty-three to his eighteen. I'd been away to college, had just graduated, had a big split with my boyfriend, my ex-boss, who had a wife he'd forgotten to tell me about and had come trailing home to lick my wounds.
So there I was; home, broke, unemployed and miserable. Matt's more like a younger brother than a nephew. It had been nearly four years since I'd seen him last, and the gangly young teenager I'd left behind was turning into a good-looking young man. Tall, lithe, well-built; quite a head-turner. He'd cheered me up quite a bit with his affectionate, but shy, welcome home and it was Matt who found me somewhere to stay while I got myself turned around.
Matt's friend Paul and his folks were going off to Europe for a six week jaunt. They had a ranch-style house with a parcel of land on the Lake Chance road. They also had two dogs. Now they could have just put the dogs into a boarding kennel while they were away, but they were fond of the mutts. They were also wary about leaving the house empty for so long. Paul and Matt were pretty good friends and they had been discussing this, when Matt had his brainwave. What happened next was that Jack Elsman, Paul's dad, telephoned me and asked me if I would call on him, 'to discuss a proposition'. Curious, I'd agreed and Matt drove me over in his pickup.
An hour later, I had somewhere to stay and a few dollars to help me look for a job. I had agreed to stay at the Elsman house and look after the house and dogs while the family took itself off to Europe. Jack Elsman told me it had been Matt's suggestion and I thanked him as we drove over to mom's, where I'd been staying since I got back.
"Matt, I'm really grateful. I have time to find myself a job and somewhere to stay now, without being under mom's feet all the time. I love mom, but I've gotten used to having somewhere of my own." I leaned over and kissed his cheek.
Matt went bright pink. "Heck, Ellen," he said. He always called me Ellen, not Aunt Ellen, since I was ten and he was five, when I had decided that it was silly being called 'Aunty' when I was so young. So, "Heck, Ellen. When Paul told me they were worried about leaving the house empty and putting the dogs into kennels, it just seemed obvious that somebody had to stay and look after the place."
"And you thought of me." Now that is really sweet, I thought.
"Well, yeah. You told me you wanted somewhere to stay. I know it's only for six weeks." He shrugged.
"Six weeks without having to pay rent. Six weeks in a luxury home with a swimming pool. Six weeks and a hundred dollars a week just to stay. Matt, my boy, you're a genius."
He grinned. "Tell that to my teachers. Or Kathy Evans."
"Ah! And who is Kathy Evans?" I asked, my feminine curiosity antennae quivering.
Matt went pink again. "A girl at school."
"You sweet on her?" I asked, curious suddenly about my good-looking nephew's love life.
He shrugged. "I guess I am. I like her, I think she likes me."
"Have you dated her?"
"Not yet. I was going to ask her next Saturday."
"Go for it!" I grinned at him, yet I wasn't sure that I really meant it. Strange. "Matt," I said, "I owe you one for getting me into this. The Elsmans are leaving next Thursday. They've asked me to go over on Tuesday, learn the routine. It'll take me a couple of days to settle in. Next Saturday, come over for a swim, then I'll cook dinner for you. Sort of a 'thank-you' meal. Bring Kathy."
His face lit up. "That'd be great! I'll ask her at school tomorrow."
He was disappointed. I didn't see him until the Tuesday. "Still on for Saturday?" I asked. He made a face.
"I asked Kathy, but she's going away for the weekend with her mom." His face brightened. "She said OK for the following Saturday, if it's OK with you."
"Fine, I'll look forward to meeting her. But Matt?"
"Yeah?"
"You still come over on Saturday. I'll still cook you dinner, just for the two of us."
"You sure, Ellen?" He was pleased, I was glad to see.
"Certain, Matt. Come over about two." I grinned at him.
OK, something to look forward to on Saturday. In the meantime, I had to get myself to the Elsman house. They made me welcome, showed me the guest room where I'd be sleeping. Impressive. Double bed and its own bathroom. I loved the dogs, an ageing German shepherd called Prince and a black poodle called, for some reason, Amber. Jack Elsman was an architect and he'd designed the house himself. It was designed to be looked after easily and I could see no problems with looking after it by myself. I would still have plenty of time to look for a job and a place of my own. When he found out I didn't have a car, Jack took a set of keys from a drawer.
"Use the Honda, Ellen," he said. "It's in the garage."
"Well, thank you, Mr Elsman, that's very kind."
"You're welcome, Ellen." He laughed. "I know your family; did some work for your brother Ben last year. I wouldn't have asked you to do this if I hadn't already known the family. So anyway, let's change the subject. What sort of job are you looking for?"
"Computer programmer, if I can get it, or analyst-programmer." I enjoy programming. OK, I use a lot of the popular packages, but there's an extra zing in getting a computer to do just as you want.
He mused for a moment, then took a business card from his pocket and scribbled something on the back. He handed me the card. "Go and see Sol Levy at Levy Investments, corner of Cedar and 3rd. He might have something. Tell him I sent you. But don't go until Monday, he's away. I'll ring his secretary and fix you an appointment. In fact, sit down for a moment, Ellen. I'll do it now." He disappeared into his office and I looked at the card. He'd written, 'Sol, Ellen's a friend. Have you anything in her line?'. Well, nice of him. He came back.
"Ten on Tuesday, not Monday. OK?"
"Marvellous, thank you Mr Elsman."