My head was throbbing; Manny had left abruptly apologizing for keeping me so late. He had forgotten to keep and eye on the time.
The parking lot was almost empty when I left the College. Not that that was so unusual, I generally kept late nights anyway. My life was devoid of anything better to do. My marriage had broken up about 10 years earlier. Arriving home one evening I found a totally empty house, empty that is except for my belongings strewn throughout the place. My wife Linda and all of our furniture had left me.
The note said that she was tired of living a lie, that she was in Love with an acquaintance of ours and that she had moved in with him. Oh yes, donât call me. My lawyer will call you. My life had been empty ever since. After the dust settled I bought a High Rise condo where I have lived quietly since the divorce.
The condo seemed that much more empty tonight. I poured myself a drink and sat for a while thinking about the young man and the story he told me. His life seemed so full whereas mine, well mine was filled with work. It stopped me from thinking. Tonight though the soul tearing loneliness and emptiness had returned with a dull thud. For the first time in many years I felt myself crying.
A few days later Manny showed up at my office door carrying a couple of coffees. He sat down and almost without skipping a beat, continued.
Manny awoke to the Dawn Chorus. The birds were in full voice, as his eyes slowly focused the mauve light of the new day was visible through the window. The smell of freshly brewed coffee and cooking bacon wafted in from the kitchen.
âDid last night really happen he wonderedâ? Still trying to focus his vision. âHad he made love to his sister and cousin, or was that just some deliciously erotic dreamâ? He looked down at his morning boner âSome dreamâ
He got out of bed and then he remembered that he was only wearing a towel the previous evening. He soon found it lying where Maria had discarded it. Wrapping it around his waist he went out into the kitchen area.
Maria was at the stove cooking bacon and eggs; she even had home fries going. He walked up behind her and nuzzled her neck. âMmmm, Good morning Sweetieâ She whispered moving her head back to rest against the side of his face. He put his arms around her and squeezed. He licked her ear seductively. âMmnâ She sighed her approval.
âWhatâs this poking me in the pack young sirâ? She giggled as she reached behind and grasped his stiff member. She turned to face him, put her arms around his neck and kissed him tenderly. âGood morning my Loveâ She whispered.
The bathroom door opened and Susan came out. âHey, put him down you donât know where heâs beenâ! She laughed. Walking over to Manny and Maria she first kidded her cousin and then her brother. Her tongue eased between his lips. âGood Morning Sweetheartâ She whispered.
âHungryâ? Asked Maria. Both Manny and Susan were famished so they eagerly helped her set out the food.
âMmmm, smells delicious as usualâ Susan commented as she kissed Maria on the cheek.
They sat down and started breakfast. âHoly Shit Iâm starving, I could eat a horseâ Manny said.
âAahem, talking about eatingâ, Susan looked at him âWhereâd you learn to eat pussy like thatâ? He paused, a forkful of food in suspended animation half way to his mouth.
âWhat do you meanâ? He asked.
âWhereâd you learn to eat pussy like that? Just answer the questionâ
âYea, whereâ? Maria piped in.
âNo goodâ? He asked.
âVery, very goodâ Maria grinned, raising her eyebrows.
âItâs just,â Susan said chewing on some bacon âItâs just we wanna know who to thankâ She smiled at him and raised her coffee cup to her mouth.
âBrenda Sykesâ He said. He caught Susan in mid swallow. She started coughing and spluttering. Coffee was dribbling out of her nose as she simultaneously reached for a napkin and scooted her chair back.
âBreâŚ.âCough splutter wheeze âBrendaâ! Cough splutter. She was dabbing at her nose and her eyes with the napkin. âThe Ministers daughter, that Brenda Sykes, Miss Butter wouldnât melt in my fucking mouth Brenda Sykesâ?
âThe sameâ Manny replied.
The girls scooted their chairs forward. Maria didnât have a clue who Brenda was but her cousinâs reaction had her fascinated. âOK, câmon buddy, tellâ Susan pushed him.
âThereâs really nothâŚ.â He started but Susan cut him off âTellâ!
âYea, tell everything, every last detail,â Piped in Maria.
âEverything, câmon Spillâ! Susan gave him the evil eye.
âWell I donât think Maria knows Brenda, do youâ? He asked. She just shook her head.
âDescribe herâ interjected Susan âYouâve obviously seen more of her than I haveâ She smirked.
Brenda always kept herself to herself. She was very shy, which gave her a sort of aloofness. Not one for making many friends, people only really saw her at school. Or if your family went to her fatherâs church, then youâd see her on Sundays.
Just after Manny had turned eighteen, the School went to the district track and field meet. The bus was full except for one seat, next to Manny. Brenda was the last one on the bus.
âIs anyone sitting here,â She asked. Manny just looked up shook his head and continued to look out of the window.
âShit Man, I hated track and field, but I was trapped. The whole frigginâ school was going I didnât have a choiceâ He took a sip from his coffee. âI wasnât trying to ignore her I was just sitting trying to figure out how to get out of goingâ
The bus started its journey and after a few moments Manny noticed that Brendaâs head was bowed. âFuckâ He thought âBad enough Iâm sitting next to a holy roller, now sheâs frigginâ prayingâ Her head seemed to be nodding around a bit too much so he glanced over at her.
âShe was asleepâ He chuckled.
âYouâre kidding,â commented Susan incredulously.
âShe was sound asleep,â He said.
He had his jacket folded up in his lap so he rolled it up, then nudged Brenda awake with his elbow. She looked at him not knowing where she was. Her eyes were the most beautifully green heâd ever see. âHereâ He said âYou better rest your head on thisâ
âI shouldnât have fallen asleep,â She whispered.
âSorryâ? Manny said not hearing her.
âI shouldnât have fallen asleepâ! She looked dazed.
He returned to looking out of the window, he remembered that as a kid the school buses were bedlam. Kids jumping all over, usually screaming at each other. Now though, people just chatted with their friends or called out occasionally to one another. The bus had a steady hum.
Brendaâs head was starting to droop forward again so he turned to look at her. She was asleep again. He took his rolled up jacket and put it on his left shoulder. Reached over and gently guided her head onto the pillow created by his shoulder and the jacket. He felt her relax into a deeper slumber.
âShe slept for about an hour until we reached the track meetâ He chuckled âThen I had to wake her up because I had to go piss so bad I could taste itâ
âShit was she embarrassed? We were just about the only ones left on the busâ Shaking his head.
The stadium was almost full to capacity, but he did notice some vacant seats in the nose bleed section. He started climbing the stairs and finally reached some empty seats right at the very top. Just as he was sitting down he noticed Brenda was not far behind him also looking for a seat. He signaled to her and pointed to the seat next to him. She looked around as if she was reluctant to sit there, as if she was looking for another seat.
She sat next to him and looked at him shyly. âIf I fall asleep, give me a poke in the armâ? She pleaded. âIf you fall asleep you can rest your head on your pillowâ He smiled pointing to his jacket now lying in his lap.
âSo why are you so sleepyâ? He asked.
âToo many late nights studying,â She almost whispered. âMy grades need to come up a bitâ
âYou going to collegeâ? She asked
âHavenât decided yetâ He yawned âBeen helping a friend out in his machine shop, heâs offered me an apprenticeship. I like working with my handsâ.
They watched the events on the field for a while. Eventually Brendaâs head started to nod. He just handed her the rolled up jacket and smiled.