Sintown Chronicles II: Through Bedroom Windows (33 page)

“I went by your house this morning after Tim pointed it out to me. It looks nice and homey. You sure you don't mind?"

“I wouldn't have it any other way,” Maggie said, handing him a key to her house. “Look, Big Brother, I've got to get back to work. We have a lot more catching up to do, but it looks like we're going to have plenty of time to swap lies. Why don't you go out to the house and get settled in?"

“I'll do it,” he said as they slipped out of the booth. “I met Sewana this morning too. I probably should let her tell you this, but while I was there, she received a call from a real estate agent. A furnished apartment is available and she took it. I believe she plans to move next Monday."

“That settles it, then. You are now officially my new roommate."

They embraced and Frank whispered, “Do you think June will go out with me?"

“If you want a meaningful answer, ask her, not me."

He smiled and watched his sister disappear through the kitchen door. If her hidden chest doesn't keep guys from hitting on her, he thought, those sloppy jeans she wears should do the trick. He approached the counter where June stood transfixed.

“June, where does a couple on a date go in Dot?” he asked.

She smiled nervously. “There's not much happening in Dot after dark,” she replied, fiddling with the top button on her uniform.

“Do you live close by?"

She nodded. “I have a little apartment in the Dollar Building next door."

“Dollar Building? Maggie must be right—the man does seem to own half of Dot."

“It used to be a hotel. He remodeled it. The ground floor is now the Dot Clinic. The second floor is something like a shopping mall with a few businesses and some offices. The next floor has apartments and the top two floors aren't used for anything, but I think Mr. Dollar plans to eventually convert them to apartments too."

“You have a TV?"

She nodded.

“Cable?"

“There's no cable service in Dot, but Mr. Dollar has a dish antenna on the roof. I get over a hundred channels."

“Ah, lots of dirty stuff?"

“I ... I don't watch those."

Frank grinned. “What time do you get off work?"

“Eight o'clock."

“Well, we could go to your place, have sex and watch TV, but you might prefer to go to a movie in Charlotte."

Her eyes locked with his and her chin quivered as she said, “I'll do whatever you like. I'm a virgin. You'll have to teach me."

His eyes widened. “I can't believe that you've never..."

She picked up a damp cloth and rubbed furiously on a nonexistent spot on the counter. “I had a bad case of acne from my early teens until just a few months ago. Boys made fun of me. I haven't dated much. Truth is,” she continued as she dropped her voice, “I've never been on a real date."

“I know what you mean,” he said. “My face was covered with pimples as a teenager too.” He reached out and cupped her chin with his strong, rough right hand, turned her head from one side to the other and said, “Yeah, I see the tiny scars when I look closely, but you still have the face of a goddess. Check this out,” he said as he turned his cheek and touched it with his forefinger. “I have the same kind of scars."

She gently touched his face, first with one hand and then both. “You have such a dark tan I see nothing but a perfect face.” She jerked her hands away. She felt as if they were on fire.

“I'll see you tonight about eight if that is okay,” he said.

“Frank?"

“Yes?"

“I ... I'm not on the pill. You'll need to bring, uh, something."

He gently held her head with both of his hands and drew her close to his lips across the counter. “June,” he said quietly, “one day I'm going to teach you the joys of being a woman, but not until you change your name.” He nibbled on her lower lip.

She felt weak and propped her hands on the counter for support. “I don't understand,” she said.

“Mrs. Frank Skinner,” he explained. He kissed her tenderly on the lips, nose and forehead. “Tonight we'll just enjoy each other's company and start getting acquainted."

She watched his hard buttocks tightly encased in his jeans as he strode to the door. He turned and flashed the smile that turned her knees to putty. “Whatever you do, Dreamy Doll, don't believe anything Maggie tells you about me."

June watched him walk through the door. He paused at the plate glass window and looked at her. He wore only a tee shirt and the muscles in his chest rippled as he waved a parting greeting. She blushed when he pursed his lips and kissed the air in her honor. A trickle of perspiration puddled between her breasts as she returned both gestures. She knew the diner's air conditioner was not broken but her entire body seemed on fire.

“June,” Maggie called from the kitchen. “If you're through flirting with my brother, I could use some help back here."

June hurried to the kitchen and drew on a pair of long, rubber gloves. She moved a rack of dishes from the dryer and replaced it with a rack of clean dishes from the washer. She picked up a stack of dirty plates from the blue cart and set it beside the sink. As she began the process of preparing the dishes for the washer she said, “Your brother's nice."

“He's my favorite. I have five brothers. I'm the baby in the family but Frank is the youngest boy. We were very close when we were growing up."

“What's he like?” June asked timidly.

“Your juices flowing, June?"

June blushed and did not respond.

“You've never been with a man, have you June?"

She shook her head.

“If you want to change that, Frank's your man. You turn him on. He loves big-breasted women. But sweetheart, if you are interested in a long term relationship, forget him. Since he was sixteen years old, he's bedded most of the women he's met. With Frank, it's always a short-term affair. Once the woman is madly in love with him, he goes in search of new conquests."

“He ... he said he wants to marry me."

Maggie wiped her hands on her apron, turned and hugged the younger woman. “It's just a line, June. It doesn't mean anything."

“It meant something to me. I told him I am not experienced. He said he would teach me, but not until we are married."

Maggie shook her head and suppressed a giggle. “Did you agree to date him?"

June nodded. “Tonight, after work."

“It's your life, June, but if you are not very, very careful you will wake up in the morning no longer a virgin."

“Would that be so bad?"

“That's for you to decide."

Maggie returned to her cooking chores and June continued to wash dishes. They heard a customer come in and June left the kitchen to wait on him.

“You could be wrong about Frank,” she said when she returned to the kitchen. “People change."

“I wouldn't count on it, June."

“Would you do me a favor?"

“If I can."

“I told Frank I get off work at eight. That's when he's coming over, but I'll need a little time to shower and straighten up my apartment. Do you think you could cover for me and let me off at seven?"

“I'm not familiar with the business activity at Dot's Diner. At the Korner Kafe, we were fairly busy until after eight o'clock. I can't cook and wait on tables at the same time."

“Things usually get quiet here by 6:30."

“Just don't leave me stranded with a diner full of customers."

“Thanks, Maggie. I appreciate it."

June left the diner promptly at seven. There were only two customers and they were nearing the completion of their meals. She crossed the street to the Dot Pharmacy and wished she were invisible as she made her way to the rear of the store. She looked with dismay at the wide variety of condoms displayed on the shelf. She did not know what to buy.

“Need help?"

She wheeled around and saw the elderly pharmacist peering at her over his spectacles.

Tears welled up in her eyes.

“You need ready wets? What size is the guy?"

Oh, God, she thought. They come in sizes?

He pulled a box of a dozen from the shelf. “These are our most popular,” he said, handing the box to her. “First time, June?"

He's humiliating me and enjoying it, she fretted. She grabbed the box from his hand. “Put it on my account,” she said and she fled his evil leer.

She stuffed the box in the handbag slung over her shoulder and walked the two blocks to the Dot Grocery. She placed a six pack of Pepsi-Colas and a large bag of corn chips on the counter. What if he likes beer? she thought. She went to the cooler and pulled out a six pack of Budweiser, choosing blindly.

As the clerk rang up the sale, she dug in her handbag for her wallet.

“Never knew you to buy beer before, June. You have a hot date tonight?"

She looked up at the smiling man and followed his gaze. Oh, God. He's looking at the condoms. “It's none of your business, Buzz Adams,” she said, “but if you must know, I do have a date tonight."

As she walked back to her apartment, she thought of the many times she fantasized about romantic encounters with Buzz Adams. He was two years her senior, captain of the football team in his junior year, escort of the prettiest high school cheerleaders and now, having flunked out of college, was working in his parents’ grocery store. She wondered why he did not play football his senior year and if he liked big-breasted women too?

She put the beverages into her nearly empty refrigerator, dumped the chips in a bowl, and quickly picked up the living area. Time was running out. She pulled off her clothes and dumped them in the dirty clothes hamper. She stepped into the shower and lathered up. The aroma of the lightly scented soap brought a smile to her lips. The warm water made her skin feel alive. When she ran her hands over her body, she tingled with excitement.

She toweled off and stepped into her sexiest pair of panties. She strapped on her heavy brassiere, paused, and took it off. After struggling into a tightly fitting red jersey, she wiggled into a crotch hugging pair of white short shorts. She slipped her tiny feet into brilliantly white socks and pulled on her cleanest pair of sneakers.

She went back to the bathroom and admired herself in the mirror. She ran a comb through her short sandy blond hair and plastered her face with pancake makeup in an attempt to hide the facial blemishes. Mascara followed a heavy application of eye shadow and she selected the brightest red lipstick she owned. She smiled into the mirror. If that doesn't turn him on, she thought, nothing will.

June straightened up the bathroom and put out fresh towels. She went to her bedroom and, as she started to make the bed, realized he might spend the night there. She tore off the sheets and replaced them with clean ones. Her alarm clock on the bedside table told her it was seven fifty. She glanced at the full-length mirror on her closet door and froze.

You look like a whore on one of those TV channels you told Frank you don't watch, she fretted. She pulled off the jersey and pushed down the shorts, replacing them with her heavy brassiere and a simple blue housedress, highlighted at the waist with a white plastic belt. She kicked off the sneakers and put on a pair of black loafers, wishing there were time to polish them.

She glanced at the clock. Seven fifty-five. Oh, God, she thought. I didn't brush my teeth. She rushed to the bathroom, squeezed toothpaste onto the white bristles and scrubbed both her teeth and tongue. She rinsed and again checked her image in the mirror.

There was a knock at the front door. Her heart pounded as she rushed to the bathroom door and shouted, “Just a minute."

June hurried to the sink, turned on the water faucets and scrubbed the makeup from her face.

“Wow!” Frank said when she opened the door. “What a vision of loveliness you are.” He pushed forward a handful of daisies.

She beamed. “You brought me flowers? That's so ... nobody ever gave me flowers.” Her eyes sparkled as they became moist.

“It's not that big a deal. I swiped them out of Maggie's flower garden. May I come in?"

“Of course,” she said, stepping aside and taking the daisies from him. “What else do you have?” she asked as she closed the door.

He laughed. “Something else I swiped from Maggie.” He held out the Scrabble box for her to see.

“Uh, oh. I'm not very good at word games. I thought you would want to watch one of the adult channels on television."

He followed her to the kitchen. “I admit I sometimes enjoy the nudity and sex scenes in those movies, but tonight I prefer to just look at you and talk with you. You are far more beautiful than the actresses in those flicks."

June felt her neck turning red as she put the flowers in a vase. She turned to him and said, “Frank, I am flattered that you are interested in me, but I have a mirror. I know what I look like."

He placed the board game on the kitchen table, put his hands on her hips and drew her close. “June, there are many kinds of beauty. Most women have to paint themselves like harlots to be attractive. Your natural beauty is so wonderful that even a hint of lipstick would ruin it."

She looked at his broad chest and wished that he would pull her to it. The short sleeves of his pale green shirt seemed molded to the muscles in his arms and the bulge in the crotch of his brown slacks held her attention a moment too long. “Maggie says it's my monstrous chest that attracts you."

“It does. Does that offend you?"

She shook her head. “You don't think they're too big?"

“No way,” he laughed. “What are their names?"

She giggled.

“Maggie calls hers the Bobbsey Twins."

She felt herself blushing. “I didn't know anybody else did that."

“Come on, June. What are their names?"

“Why don't you name them?"

“Okay.” He lightly touched her left breast. “Let's call this one Desire and the other we'll call Magic."

“Okay, but why?” She leaned into his touch.

He laughed. “Because your breasts are like magic, filling me with desire.” He pulled her close and stroked her back. “I think you're perfect from head to toe."

She rested her cheek on his chest and wished that his hands would roam lower. “Maggie was right. You do have quite a line."