I was glad it was Friday and my last meeting at 4.00 PM was cancelled. When I just about to head into a sport bar to have few drinks before heading to my empty house, I received a call from my niece Jenny telling me that she was on her way clean the house my house and she would like to talk to me when I got home that evening. Jenny had just completed her freshmen year at the university and was home for the summer. When she couldn't find a summer job, my wife Nora hired her to come and clean our house and do the laundry as she was out of the house most of the time, as her job as an airline stewardess took her between Detroit and Narita, Japan. By employing Jenny, Nora thought we could spend our time together without worrying about household chores.
As my sister's only daughter, we adored Jenny and supported her whenever we could. Jenny also knew that we loved her and therefore, she always seek and found warmth with us. Besides being gorgeous, she was very outgoing, funny and blessed with a sharp tongue that never lacked of words, which made her popular among her friends as well with our relatives.
I pulled into the driveway around 5 pm and Jenny's car was already there. When I walked inside the house, she was in the kitchen cleaning dirty dishes that I had piled up in the sink for few days, my first glance over her back found something different about her appearance, and then immediately I noticed she was dressed in tight skirt down to her knees with a somewhat formal looking blouse. Running my eyes below her well-rounded buttocks, I noticed she was wearing high heels that were at least four inches high. It was not funny, but I broke into a laugh, as I have not seen her dressed as such previously.
"Hi Uncle Jim, I am glad you were able to make it home early today" Jenny greeted me with a warm smile as she grabbed the end of her apron to dry her hand, and then she came over and gave me a warm hug.
"What was that laugh for?" she asked rolling her eyes.
"I wasn't laughing at you Jenny. But I thought it was funny to see you dress so formal to clean the house." I replied and patted her back.
"I know, Uncle Jim that's what I want to talk to you about" Jenny left my arms and returned to the kitchen sink "Can I talk to you after I am done with this?"
"Of course" I said "Let me take a quick shower and hear all you got to say, sweetheart. I am little tired this evening" I hung my car keys and headed to the bathroom.
The warm water did have a soothing effect. I jumped into my comfortable shorts and a T-shirt, poured myself a nice scotch on the rocks and landed on the sofa while Jenny was arraigning plates and glasses in cabinets. No sooner she was done, she rushed to the family room and stood in front of me wanting to discuss whatever she had in her mind.
"You know Uncle Jim, Brenda's wedding is coming up in two weeks and that's what I want to talk to you about" I laughed and asked her what is Brenda's wedding got to do with me.
"Well for starters, that's why I am wearing mom's old heels today. You know, mom gave my $100.00 for the dress, but I couldn't buy a dress and matching shoe's for that. I tried wearing her old heels, you know, they match the dress but they are too tight for my feet" Jenny stopped and looked at me as a little girl trying to plead her case, but I wasn't sure where the conversation was going, so I waited to hear the rest of it.
"There is a nice matching pair of shoes at the Nordstrom's, but they cost $200.00"
"$200.00 for a pair of shoes? I hope they massage your toes and make you coffee while you walk" I said jokingly.
"Well Uncle Jim, good pair of shoes cost about that" Then Jenny paused for a moment and then wrap her index finger her necklace and toyed with it looking for an encouragement from me to continue.
"See how my feet don't even fit into these old shoes." She displayed her right foot by raising it. She wasn't lying. Her toes and heels visibly stuck out of my sister's old shoes she wore.
"Is there anything that I can do to earn $200.00?" Jenny asked with a smile. I guess she knew that I would just give her the money, but I didn't want to commit to it at the time. Instead, I thought I would wait to her to plea her case more.
"Uncle Jim.... I'll do anything, I mean anything to earn $200.00" she pleaded and I couldn't hold back my laugh the way she said "Anything"
"Oh sweetie, that's sounds like a proposition. You better check your words before you use them next time," I said, once I was able to control my laughter. Then Jenny shocked the hell out of me by saying;
"I meant it, Uncle Jim"
"Well sweetie, the words you used are used by call girls and you are my only niece, so you should be careful next time," I warned her, jokingly of course.