Valeria is my wife Vix' mother, Vix is short for Victoria. Divorced, lives about 2 miles from us and she had asked Vix if we could go and help her move some furniture.
"Vix, sweetie," I said when she asked me, "I only have today when I am mostly free and can clear the day or it is going to be the weekend. When are you free?"
"Not this week. It'll have to be the weekend."
"Unless I go over today and see what I can get done?"
"Ok, I'll text mother."
I spent about thirty minutes online, sorting out the items that couldn't wait until tomorrow, and then I went and showered ready to go to Valeria's. I sent her a text to say I was on my way. The journey was without event and only took a few minutes before I was pulling up at her house, a small detached brick and pebbledash in a side street.
"Come in Ted, thank you for coming over. Victoria couldn't get away her text said." As I walked in, she gave me a nice welcoming hug, her bosom pressed to my chest, her arms loosely around me.
"No, Vix is in the final stages of a project and needs to be in the office all week, I managed to make some time today, so I thought I would see what we can get done, and if we need an extra pair of hands, then we can both come back over at the weekend."
"Let's have a cup of tea. Come on." She headed off into the kitchen and put the kettle on. It didn't take long to boil so I assumed she had already got it ready after I sent my text. I sat at the table as she made the tea. Pot warmed, tea added, and then two cups and saucers readied, and the strainer out of the drawer. She knows how I have my tea, well brewed and just a splash of milk. No sugar or sweetener.
"Shall we sit here or in the lounge Ted?" She asked as she was pouring the tea.
"Here is fine for now Valeria, then we can go and look at what needs moving." I answered.
"Good, okay, only I never seem to get chance to chat with people these days, and some days I don't even use my voice, like yesterday, not one word did I say.
"Crumbs Valeria, of course, if you don't go out, then who is there to talk to?"
"Exactly and these days people seem to prefer to text and don't even use their phones. It can get so lonely."
"Why don't you try some of them dating sites, you know the 'swipe right' type?"
"Oh goodness, no."
"Why not, what have you got to lose, you might even get a bit of added friendliness thrown in," I said with a wink.
"That's probably all they would want, and I am not sure about that. I am a bit old, a bit wrinkled, you know, and well, probably past all that."
"What fucking rubbish Valeria." She started at my obscenity, "you absolutely are not too old, you look stunning and would turn many a head. You don't need me to tell you that, you can look in the mirror and see for yourself."
"I just see a tired old lady."
"Oh Valeria you must be looking through cracked lenses. The woman I see is beautiful, has great stature, wears gorgeous outfits and is always beautifully made up."
"But the men would only be after one thing."
"So what? You are not a heady teenager trying to find Mr Right, these days you just want some company and some sex, no strings, no fumbling because nowadays you know what you like, and what you don't. Just go out, have a good time and then have an even better time in bed. If you don't see him again, as I said, so what?"
"That is very promiscuous, I have never slept around Ted. Victoria's dad on the other hand, well, least said."
"That was then, this is now, and Vix' dad is a fucking idiot cheating on you and then leaving. She is what twenty years younger than him? When he ages a bit more, she'll swap him for another and he will be left high, dry and alone. Idiot."
"Well, he was the last one I went with, I've probably healed over," she laughed, not a joyous laugh, more sad and resigned.
"I don't think they grow back Valeria," I said, "and good job they don't, whoever wants to go through that 'first time' again, no."
"True, I remember it to this day and no, fumbling, pain, no, you're right."
I thought it worth changing the subject, things were a little maudlin. "What furniture do you want to move, now I am here, let's go and have a look." I put my empty cup on the saucer and stood. Valeria led the way to her bedroom upstairs.
"I want to move this chest of drawers to that wall over there, only it is oak, and I just can't move it."
"Do the drawers come out?"
"I suppose so, I have never thought about that, but they are heavy too."
"Right, let me have a look." I went across and opened the top drawer and pulled it forwards, it caught on something. I ran my fingers around the edge and found a small springy piece of metal that stopped the drawer coming fully out.
"Have you got a knife, or a spatula, or something thin and flat I could use?" I asked.
"Wait a minute," she said and went out of the room, going downstairs to the kitchen. Whilst she was gone, I looked at what was in the drawer, it was set after set of beautifully co-ordinated underwear, the old fashioned yet elegant underwear, not the flimsy things of nowadays, all neatly arranged in their sets.