That ended the sister's discussion of Alan. They went on to talk about their mother's arthritis and what should be done about it.
During the following couple of months nothing further was said about the state of Alan's libido. Del continued to find sticky handkerchiefs and tissues in Alan's bedroom, and this consoled her to some extent.
Then during one of their Thursday confabs Anna complained about the number of house break-ins that were taking place.
"I'm doing this evening course on computer graphics and I really don't like leaving the place unoccupied."
"Aren't there people who do house sitting?"
"Yes, I suppose I could get on to one of the agencies and see what they have to offer; I might do that."
"Anna," said Del thoughtfully, "What about Alan?"
"What about him?"
"Well, he could house sit for you. He only stays home and studies in the evening except when he goes to the gym. If you wouldn't mind paying him something it'd help him out financially. He's only got his study allowance and what Dan and I can spare."
"Good idea Del, I think I'd trust Alan more than a stranger. Will you ask him or shall I."
"I'll ask him," replied Del.
On being asked Alan agreed readily enough. Of all his aunts Anna was his favourite. He admired her for her independence, her free spirit, and despite the doubts concerning his sexuality, he was sufficiently aware of females to note that Anna was rather pretty. "Besides," he said, "she's got a computer I can work on."
So began Alan's weekly task of guarding Anna's house from the depredations of the criminal classes. I add that it would have been a sad day for any housebreaker who tried to gain entry while Alan was there. He is a sturdy lad and well versed in martial arts.
He took with him to Anna's house any work he had to complete, together with a couple of CD's of classical music. Thus Anna's house reverberated to the sound of Bach and Mozart while Alan plugged away on the computer.
All continued in orderly fashion as arranged for four weeks. Alan arrived at 7 p.m., Anna departed some fifteen minutes later. Several Bach Chorales or Mozart Symphonies later, say around 10 p.m., Anna returned and Alan departed, slightly wealthier than when he arrived.
It was in the fifth week that things changed a little. Being a reliable fellow Alan arrived at the usual time. Anna departed at her usual time. The change came about when, only half way through a second Mozart Symphony, Anna arrived home.
"Lecturer's off sick," she announced. "That's sexy music," she went on.
"Ah...yes...well, I'd better go then," said Alan, and he went to remove the CD, but Anna stopped him.
"No leave it, sweetheart. I don't usually listen to that sort of stuff, but it sounds good, it makes me feel sort of tender inside. You can stay a bit longer can't you? We can have a drink."
Not averse to being in Aunt Anna's presence Alan agreed he could stay for a while.
"I'll just go and change then," said Anna, and departed in the direction of her bedroom.
Alan returned to the computer and continued working. He was tapping away on the keyboard when he heard Anna say just behind him, "Vodka and orange be all right?"
Along with the lack of exchanging bodily fluids with females, Alan's experience was also limited when it came to experiencing alcoholic fluids. Vodka and orange sounded okay to him, so he grunted, "Fine."
Now here we should examine Alan and his lifestyle a little more closely. It is true he was much enamoured of his studies in archaeology and anthropology, but this alone does not account for his lack of social, not to say sexual, contact. It was also true he was inclined to be shy and this did not help, but the real cause of his problem, if it was a problem, lay in a slightly different direction.
To put it briefly, Alan was a voyeur. Now here I must be careful to define what I mean. He was not a voyeur in the sense of wanting to peep at people's sexual activities and sex organs. Perhaps I should say he was an observer. He was somewhat like people who viewed a stage play, seeing and hearing the actors move and speak, but not themselves participating.
He watched the people and world move around him as if he was watching people act out their lives. He noted and even made notes on what he saw, yet never him self stepped on to the stage to play a role. That might well account for his interest in anthropology.
If I might be permitted another piece of imagery, Alan was like one who stood in a doorway looking out at the world as it passed by. Behind him were the old safeties and securities of childhood. He could turn back to those things of the past and hide himself from the passing parade with all its good and evil, all its loyalties and betrayals. On the other hand he could fling himself into the cavalcade that is life.
Some will fling themselves into the parade and be carried with it for good or ill. Others will make tentative moves, testing out the experience and often fleeing back to safety for a while, until one day they join the throng never to flee again.
There are others like our young man who needs someone in the passing throng to extend a hand and say, "Come with me, join us in this dance of existence." So far no such hand had been extended, or at least, Alan had not seen such a hand.
Now he sat at the computer, and after all, can that not be an escape in itself?
Anna said, "Here's your drink, Alan."
Alan turned to take the drink and his eyes nearly shot out of his head. Anna stood there holding the glasses of drink clad in what I suppose is called a "negligee". It was of black material that was to say the least pellucid. Beneath this flimsy attire Anna was still wearing panties and bra, but even these were somewhat translucent and one might have thought it something of a miracle that the bras could support the ripe fruits that resided within the fragile cups.
It was not that Alan had never seen a woman dressed like this before. His mother tended to wear similar garments during times of relaxation. It was seeing Aunt Anna dressed like this that shocked him. He had always thought her pretty, but in typical Alan style, it was an objective view of her having little or nothing to do with carnal thoughts.
For once he was shaken out of objectivity and into subjectivity. Not, of course, that the objective reality before him lacked any of the female enchantments, far from it. Her breasts as I have implied, were succulent examples of female mammary glands, with nipples ripe for tasting. Her sexual organ was of course not visible, but viewing the long shapely legs one might fantasise what delights might lie at the top of those thighs.
Facially Alan's view that she was pretty was about correct. She was no great beauty but neither was she ugly. A face perhaps a trifle too long and nose inclined to the Roman style. Her eyes green and hair black, naturally curly and worn short; her lips might have been described as soft and giving the impression of warmth, except that they tended to be a trifle serious. This in fact might describe her overall facial appearance, she had a serious aspect.
Perhaps I have been too critical for her face might not have been devastatingly beautiful, but what was beneath that face fully compensated for any defect the more critical males might have detected. In short, she had a body that would harden the penis of even the most world and sex weary man.
This was what Alan was seeing and was now experiencing those subjective thoughts and feelings that he had hitherto been a stranger to.
With a shaking hand he took his drink from Anna. He tried to turn back to the computer but Anna said, "For goodness sake Alan, stop playing with that computer and come and sit with me. We can enjoy our drinks and listen to the music."
"Er...ah...awright," gasped our confused and discomforted youth.
Not quite knowing how he got there Alan found himself sitting on the divan with Anna's thigh pressed up against his and her hand laid over laid over his.
They sat for a while like that listening to the music and sipping their drinks. Well, Anna was sipping hers, but Alan, unfamiliar as he was with the subtle ways of vodka and tasting only the orange juice, tended to gulp rather than sip.
Seeing his empty glass Anna refilled it for him. Alan got about half way through this refill when he felt glowing warmth spreading throughout his body. Anna had re-seated herself beside him and the thigh pressure was even firmer. He felt tender little pressures on his hand that sent via his brain urgent messages to his genital region. These messages were translated into physical responses that embarrassed him somewhat, but as the vodka did its evil work he relaxed a trifle.
Anna was on the sharp lookout for any signs of a response to her mild stimulation, and emboldened by the sight of a lump in Alan's groin, she began to stroke his hair and placed a soft kiss on his lips, briefly flicking her tongue over his lips.
She could feel Alan trembling so took the further step of addressing him.
