All Characters In This Story Are 18+ Years Old.
*****
When the alarm buzzed Claude found himself alone in the sofa-bed. He wondered if anything since his arrival in Denver had truly occurred. Had it all been hallucinations, induced by grief and 18 long hours on the road driving alone? He rolled to his right to get out of bed and he picked up the unmistakable, unforgettable scent of Nel and knew the blowjob and snuggle had been no dream. "OK, Claude," he said aloud, "So a new day dawns... how are you going to handle last night's event?"
He found his shorts on the floor near a lamp and pulled them on in the nick of time. The den door opened and Sally poked her head in. "OOPS!" she apologized, "Sorry about that, Claude, I guess I should have knocked..."
"No worries, Sis," he replied blandly, "My backside in skivvies is hardly worse than a pair of swim trunks at the beach. No harm done." He finished pulling his T-shirt over his head and stepped into his chinos before turning around. Stepping to the door, he gave Sally a warm hug and a peck on the cheek. "How are you doing this morning?"
Sally gave her brother a wan half-smile. "I've been better, I guess, but I've had worse days than yesterday." She laid her head against his left shoulder and Claude felt her stiffen as she clutched his back before falling limp against him. He held her securely wrapped and firmly folded against his broad chest, keeping her upright.
Claude rubbed her back, lightly patting it periodically, in no hurry to take away any support she needed. Stifling a sob, Sally straightened up and said, "Thanks, Claude, I guess I'm a bigger mess than I thought." She tried to laugh but it came out wrong and sounded like a hollow croak.
Claude regretted he had not seen his daughter since she made her final brave decision to walk out on her abusive lay-about husband six years ago. When Chuck broke her arm, Sally saw an opportunity to save herself and Nel from his increasingly frequent drunken violent rages. Carla had already had her stroke and was living in an adult care community in Arvada. Sally packed two bags, loaded them and her daughter into a Dodge Caravan, and headed for Denver where they could be near her mother.
Claude had nothing but admiration for the guts that took. He had helped her financially a little during her first year but it was Sally who worked three jobs, then two and then landed a great career position with a national company doing specialized market research. She wasn't rich but she was secure and her own person.
Over the years one thing or another had prevented Claude from getting to Denver, but now he planned on making up for his failure somehow. "Oh, sweetie," he said soothingly, "Don't even think about it. We're supposed to feel our way through grief."
He pulled her in close to him again, pressing her warm roundness through the layers of her quilted housecoat. Once more she clutched onto him, finding security in his arms, unconsciously digging her fingers into his firm buttocks and back. He moved his hands to her shoulders and squeezed. "I think I smell coffee. Buy me a cup in the kitchen?"
Sally laughed. "Sure thing. C'mon." She pushed back, turned and pulled him by his hand toward the door.
Walking down the hall barefoot behind Sally, Claude again thought how much she resembled Carla at that same age. She exuded an inescapable mature sexiness, even wearing a simple robe, long flannel nightgown and terrycloth scuffs. "How come she hasn't re-married," he asked himself as his hand subconsciously drifted to his groin and briefly caressed his joint.
Nel was in the kitchen and had everything under control. "Hey you guys! Timing's everything... coffee's done, the bacon is drying, juice is poured and the eggs are frying! Sit down and get served!" She sang out her little patter with gusto as her mom and uncle entered.
"Geez, YOU'RE chipper this morning, Hon'!" Sally said with a grin. "That's just the sort of contagious attitude I need today. How did you catch it?"
"I don't know, Mom," Nel fibbed, winking at Claude with her offside eye so Sally couldn't see. "I just woke up with a really great feeling. I know we're supposed to be sad but I am totally stoked and can't help it!" Nel's good spirits were obvious as she bounced around the tiled room from counter to counter and stove to table.
Claude was transfixed by Nel's get-up. She was braless under a spaghetti-strap white terry crop top which only fully covered her breasts when she was motionless and upright. Since she was not motionless and was constantly either stretching up or reaching down, she might just as well have been naked above the waist. He legs seemed to be encased in denim colored shrink-wrap from just above her hip points to just below her ankle bones. Her feet were tucked into well-worn soft-soled deerskin moccasins.
To cover up for his unabashed staring, Claude coughed and asked, "Don't you have school today? And don't they have a dress code?"
"No and Yes!" Nel bubbled with laughter. "No way either Mom or the principal would let me wear my skinny Hollisters and this crop top to class! But since grandma died, they agreed I don't have to go back to school until Monday!" She pirouetted and bowed low enough for Claude to get a quick dead ahead view of her breasts before she stood straight and stopped. "So... You like?" she asked impertinently.
Before Claude could answer, Sally jumped in. "Well, I don't like, young lady! It's... slutty! Go change right now, please. You're embarrassing your uncle and me."
"Oh, Mom!" Nel protested, "I'm 18 years old. I can pick my own clothes for my own personal time! You act like I have a... a... a TATTOO on my ass or something!" Angry tears welled up in her eyes as she argued.