"Homework," is the only word Taylor mutters one word upon entering the house. She disappears into her room, leaving me bewildered as I stand in the front room. I decide to finish the cleaning she started before I got up and end up doing a deep cleaning, much deeper than I had expected. I needed something to keep my mind from what happened earlier in the truck, and to try to figure out what is going on in her mind.
I try to think back to those day when I was just starting college, but the world was much different then. Cell phones and social media were not as prevalent then, and smart phones were not even thought of. The things we take for granted today in modern society were in their infancy, and communications, although better than a decade earlier, was still a toy for the rich, not everyone.
I am not sure I could have been as comfortable with everyone knowing everything about anyone, and how people are so willing to share the mundane details of their lives. I guess they also share their aspirations too. But I am not sure if having an affair with a family member is something girls, or even boys, share with the world.
I don't want to say something stupid to her which will ruin our familial relationship while at the same time crushing her dreams and fantasies. And fantasies are all this is. Nothing concrete that could be built upon. We are and always will be family, irregardless of what happens. I know I have had a rough time with the others in the family due to me moving so far from home, but this is the life I chose, and it seems like she has chosen me to be a part of hers.
I finish cleaning up and decide to make something special for dinner. Spaghetti is one of the staples of my diet and I am pretty good at making the sauce, if I say so myself. I haven't seen Taylor all day and I would have expected her to at least come down to have something for lunch, but she did not show. With dinner almost ready to serve, I knock on her door.
I hear something in response, but I am not sure if it was more of a 'go away, or a 'come in.' I crack the door and peek in. The lights are all off, except for her laptop on the desk. She is on the bed, and turns towards the door as I open it. Without an invitations, I walk in and head across the room. She buries her face in the covers and tries to ignore me as I sit lightly on the edge of the bed.
I wait five, ten, fifteen minutes before she looks at me. "You're not going away, are you?" she asks.
I reach out and touch her hair. Dragging my fingers through her curly locks, I reply, "No. I'm here until you get tired of me." She raises her head enough that I can see her tear streaked cheeks and puffy eyes. "Do you want me to leave?"
She shakes her head and I lean towards her. My hand strokes her hair for a few moments until I lay down next to her and wrap my arm around her prone body. She shudders as a sob wracks her lithe frame. She holds any more back and asks, "Do you want me to leave?"
"No," I reply quickly. "You are family and I love you."
"I love you too," she states. "But I think it is more than just being family." She looks at me and her upper lip wavers. "Don't make me leave." I can see she is frightened by the conflicting emotions she is experiencing.
"Let's pretend this never happened," I suggest.
"I, ah," she starts and stops. Thinking for a moment, she continues, "I am not sure I can, but I will try."
"Okay, that's a start," I say. "Now let's go get some dinner. You must be starving. I made spaghetti." A forced smile graces her lovely facade and I drape her up, out of bed and push her towards the kitchen.
She seems to be okay after two helpings and as she rinses the dishes before stuffing them into the dishwasher. "Do you want to watch some movies?" I ask. "It is the night before Halloween and I want to watch some scary movies tonight." She agrees and we end up on the couch sitting next to each other, the new norm around here, covered up with a blanket and all the lights are out, with the only source of illumination being the TV set.
She pulls my arm around her and cuddles up against my side, hiding her eyes during the scary scenes, and generally enjoying the closeness we have developed in the last day or so. Although it is probably not the best idea to be catering to her desires, it feels good to have someone by my side. I don't want to loose her over a misunderstanding between us.
We finish the movies at a reasonable hour, and we both retire for the evening. Lying in bed, I hear her taking a shower before bedtime and doze off the staccato beat of the water against her skin, only to be woken up maybe a few hours later as I feel the bed move. I turn and she whispers, "I am scared." I lift the covers and she crawls up in front of me, curling up into the fetal position. I warp my arm around her, noticing her hair is still damp and she is wearing a nightshirt which is her normal sleep wear. Of course, I have the reaction of most men and start to rise at the contact with so much female flesh, but she sighs contentedly and snuggles back against my rising erection and leaves it at that.
I wake with the sun and she is still in my arms. Her hair is in my face and I have not behaved as well as she did last night because my hand is on her breast, gripping it snugly through her shirt. I want to stay in this warm caccoon, snuggling against her, but something is not right. I look at the clock and I am late. The alarm did not go off and work started nearly 20 minutes ago. She is late too for her first class of the day. We had been leaving at the same time each morning and it looks like we will be doing so again.
I wake her up and she is as frantic as I am. She runs from my room, shedding her nightshirt as she crosses to her bedroom. I get a nice look at her bare bum and try to ignore it because I have other things to do.
I am dressed in five minutes and making coffee when Taylor appears in the kitchen. One look at her, and I almost drop the mug in my hand. She is wearing her Halloween costume, although this time she has a leotard beneath it and she looks at me. "It is required for the sorority," she states and I stare into the Cat's eyes contacts beneath her mask.
"You were Cat woman?" I ask. She shakes her head as she pours her own cup of coffee. "So, we, ah..."
"Yeah," she replies. "That is what started it all." I look at her dumbfounded. "I thought you knew."
"Shit!" I utter in disbelief. "We'll discuss this tonight," I manage to say. She wraps an arm around my neck and kisses me deeply.