My name is Marcus Veovin. The story I want to tell is about an expedition into the unknown that I never could’ve seen coming. Had I even fathomed what was about to happen to me before I climbed into my old, black pickup and placed the keys in the ignition…well, perhaps I should just get to it instead of starting with a bunch of nonsensical vernacular.
I could go into a bunch of backstory about what brought me to this point in my life, but I’m sure everyone out there would just prefer to hear me cut right to the action. I think I’ll entertain the latter because this tale is a legendary part of my life that I’ve been looking forward to telling for quite some time.
I was in my late thirties. At that time in my life, I was kind of all over the place without a home to call my own. Instead, I bounced around quite a bit since I had picked up a career in “journalism.” I emphasize that because sometimes I felt more like a detective due to some of the assignments I accepted, and with my motley background of everything I had lived through in the last decade and a half, I was the perfect candidate to take some of the more “unsavory” jobs. But again, I don’t want to get into the details of all that right now. I would rather get to the story involving an amazing brunette by the name of Bridget Harper.
Ah, Bridget. An incredible woman with an unbelievable body and an even more extraordinary personality. She was just one of the many women I have fallen for over the years and would do absolutely anything for if she needed me to. If you asked me to name the sweetest woman I had ever met, this remarkable brunette would certainly be ranked amongst the top five…hell, probably even the top three.
So now I’m getting ahead of myself. There is a little context needed in order to introduce the star of this story. As much as I would love to just jump to the action – and boy, there is certainly some action in this story – I should probably explain a little bit about the situation that led to this chance meeting.
Summer was drawing to a close and I was quite literally driving all across the continent in search of clues for a story I was engrossed in. I was on the road eighteen hours a day trying to dig up some dirt on a guy known only as “Nick.” I’m not sure if that was his real name or an alias. Hell, for all I knew, that could have been a crude nickname. Har, har, right? Anyway, I was given the responsibility to unearth as much information as I could on this shady character and had the bare minimum to go on while doing so. All I knew for certain was that he had committed some fiendish atrocities and that was about the extent of it. I was given no description, no location, and no real leads…and it goes without saying that the world is a pretty large place. I shouldn’t have to say that I spent more time digging up any intelligence I could find on this guy for a longer period of time than most people spend in college. I’m sure I don’t have to reiterate how much that sucked.
Thanks to my faithful old pickup, I traveled across the continent as I did everything in my power to dredge up any information I could find on the elusive Nick. I won’t go into detail about how I discovered his possible whereabouts since that knowledge is classified, but I had received word that a small village secluded in a valley out west of my current location might hold a few of the answers I had been so vehemently searching for. Without further delay, my trusty vehicle chugged along to the little hamlet out in the middle of nowhere special. A lengthy drive next to some defunct train tracks and through a massive forest led me to my destination, and when I arrived, I could instantly see that the dreary setting looked like a community time had left behind.
The tires of my steadfast pickup crunched to a halt on the gravel as I pulled off a cobblestone road and parked next to what looked like a saloon. I’m sure the place had been quite lively at one time…probably more so during the previous century. I turned my vehicle off and pushed my door open as I placed the keys in my right pocket since I had more important items in my left. I then slammed the door shut while looking around and studying my surroundings. I have to admit that even though I was dumbfounded by what met my eyes, I was also somewhat happy when I came to the realization that this small community lived a simpler lifestyle like one from a bygone era. Anyone who’s ever heard any of my past stories has probably noted how many times I’ve bitched about technology in the past…so I’m sure it comes as no surprise that I was delighted by everything surrounding me.
If I had to guess, I’d say that the village probably consisted of no more than thirty or forty buildings. Other than the saloon I had parked next to, I spotted a church, a restaurant, a sheriff’s office, and even what I assumed to be a strip club. I can say that with confidence because the name of it was “the Treasure Chest.” Since I had arrived after dark, the neon sign above was blazing in such a way that it would glow for about two seconds before some of the lights would dim in order for others to light up for another two seconds. When it did so, it would switch from an image of a closed treasure chest…and then it would open to reveal two boobs in it. Quite clever.
I was so lost in thought that a warning shout finally snapped me back to reality when I realized I was standing right in the middle of the cobblestone road as a horse-drawn carriage made its way right toward me. I sprang back toward my pickup and watched in awe as the wagon rumbled by. The coachman who had the reins in his hands simply scowled at me as the couple seated behind him gave me befuddled looks.
Since I was again out of the way, I began gawking like a true tourist as I started examining everything around me anew. I saw barrels, troughs, and even a few empty carts sitting on the sides and in front of wooden buildings. Even the plethora of scents in the air felt like they were straight out of history as I took in untainted oxygen that I wasn’t accustomed to. Doing so much of my recent work in clustered cities made me realize just how nice it was to be out in what some people might refer to as “the sticks.”
I swatted at a mosquito as my stomach growled at the exact same time. I realized I had been driving for hours without so much as a snack, so I turned my attention to the building I believed to be a restaurant and was relieved to see that it had a small neon sign in the window to the left of the entrance that was blinking “open.” Well, I assumed it was open even though the “P” and “E” appeared to be out of order.
As I walked across the cobblestone road, I could hear a few shouts from the saloon behind me and recognized the drunken hoots and hollers of a bunch of middle-aged men having fun. Personally, I’ve never been one for drinking. I had seen alcohol ruin a few lives, so booze had never appealed to me.
When I was closer to the restaurant, I could hear some music coming from within it. Upon reaching for the handle and pulling the glass door open, a bell directly above me sounded as the old melodies became even more apparent. There was a jukebox playing on the far end of the room that had three of its walls lined with booths. There were also a few tables scattered throughout the middle of the room, and to my right was a long counter with stools in front of it. Behind that counter, there was a gruff woman probably in her fifties who had a cigarette hanging out of her mouth as she flipped a few burgers.
I wasn’t used to such a setup since the woman’s behavior would’ve been shunned back in normal society, but I can honestly say I wasn’t bothered. Instead, I glanced at the burly cook and asked her, “When do you guys close?”
“You can order for another hour,” was all I received.
I nodded my thanks and followed up my first query with, “Just sit anywhere?”
The woman answered with a nod since she couldn’t be bothered to speak.
I turned back around and saw that I had my pick of pretty much anywhere. One booth on the far end of the small diner was taken by a rather large man and what I assumed to be his wife or girlfriend, so I seated myself further away in order to give them their privacy. Upon making myself comfortable, I realized that the tune playing on the jukebox had changed. It sounded like a hoedown that was suitable for this hillbilly village…and I don’t mean that in a negative way since the track was rather catchy.
“Well, I’ve never seen you around here before, stranger.”
I spun around and was stunned by the fact that my waitress had seemingly appeared out of nowhere. Imagine my shock when I laid eyes on one of the most charming brunettes I had ever seen.
The woman standing before me was about five feet, four inches tall, and she had long brown locks that went down most of her back. Her eyes were an incredible glow of amber that bordered on orange, and her lips were a sultry red. She looked like she wasn’t quite thirty years old yet, and she appeared light enough to easily lift with one arm. She was wearing a tight pair of bisque-colored leggings, and the t-shirt she wore was tied down below in such a way to reveal part of her trim tummy. The sleeves were also rolled up and left her shoulders visible. I noticed it was probably due to the fact that it was slightly warm in the small establishment…or it could have just been her.
I probably sound like a real palooka for saying that, but I failed to mention that this waitress had the most breathtaking figure I had ever seen. She appeared to be very lithe and fit, but was also carrying around a sizable pair of breasts. I’ve always said that I love boobs of all sizes…but the two to my immediate right were two of the most marvelous knockers I had ever espied. Even though they were covered by a shirt, they were no less remarkable.
The stunner who had on a necklace that was tucked into her top set a menu in front of me on the table and then pulled out a little pad of paper that she had in the brownish waitress apron tied around her waist. She also procured a pen from another pocket on it as she asked, “What can I get you to drink, handsome?”
Shaking my head in order to come out of my self-induced trance, I glanced directly above the friendly female’s left breast to the name tag pinned to her shirt. I cleared my throat and finally responded, “Bridget is a beautiful name.”
The brunette had the most alluring smile as she cocked her head and said, “Aw, thanks, stranger! Handsome and courteous! I like that!”
I’ll be the first to admit that it had been quite some time since I had relished the company of a good woman…and if I could’ve invited Bridget to have a seat across from me on the other side of that booth, I wouldn’t have hesitated for a second. Not only was she drop-dead gorgeous with a very agreeable accent, but she had an energy about her that made me want to get to know her better. There was nothing in that moment that I would’ve enjoyed more than shooting the shit with her for as long as she would’ve allowed a conversation to last. However, I knew she had a job to do, so I finally responded, “I’ll be good with water.”
“You want a lemon in that, stranger?”
I know it was her job to ask such questions, but it felt like she was reading my mind. “Yeah. I think I do, Bridget.”
The stunning brunette flashed me another one of her phenomenal smiles. She obviously didn’t need to write my request down, so she put the pen and pad of paper away as she pointed out, “I feel it’s only fair since you know mine, so can I ask your name, stranger?”
“Marcus,” I responded. “Marcus Veovin.”
“My, that’s a good, strong name. I like that, Mister Veovin.”
“You can call me Marcus. Or Veovin. Mister Veovin was my old man.”
Bridget let out a laugh since she apparently enjoyed my retort. She then gave me a pat on my right shoulder as she told me, “I’ll be right back with that ice water, handsome!”
I watched my overly-attractive waitress make her way across the small room and toward the counter. I realized I had a huge grin on my face and did my best to wipe it away before I came off as a creeper. I tried to convince myself that Bridget was just doing her job by being nice to me, but I felt that there was some kind of chemistry between us. I don’t think I was the only one who thought so because even though the other couple in the small establishment was a good twenty feet away from me, I noticed both of them gazing in my direction and shaking their heads as if they were ashamed of me. I discounted the erratic behavior since Bridget was already back with my beverage.
“Here you go, Marcus!” she exclaimed as she set the glass of ice water in front of me. There were three lemon slices placed on the rim. “I don’t suppose you’ve even had a chance to look at the menu yet, have you?”
I realized that I hadn’t bothered opening it since I had been so caught up in watching the dazzling waitress. Feeling a bit dopey, I fumbled about with it while stammering, “Um, no…I haven’t looked at it yet.”
Bridget laughed in that charming manner she had about her as she asked, “Well, depending on what you’re in the mood for, I could make a few different suggestions.”
Honestly, I was up for whatever was on the brunette’s mind.
“We have a mean burger with some fried onions and pepper jack cheese on it,” Bridget informed me. She then leaned in a little closer and whispered, “It’s even better with an over-easy egg with it.”
I hoped the astonishing woman didn’t hear my stomach rumbling as she told me about the mouthwatering burger that sounded absolutely delightful. I also prayed that she didn’t notice me taking a whiff of her long brown locks. I know I mentioned before that I didn’t want to come off as a creeper, but there’s no denying a simple fact of life: Women generally smell fantastic and each have their own distinctive scents. I just had to know what Bridget smelled like…and let me distill the mystery by saying it was a mix of maple syrup with that of a hike through the woods. It was divine.
“That burger sounds delicious,” I responded since I thought it would please Bridget to know that I trusted her recommendation. “I don’t suppose I could get some fries with that, could I?”
“Of course!” she replied as she gave me a playful swat in the right bicep. “Wouldn’t be much of a burger if you didn’t get some fries with it!”
I was about to make some kind of witty response when the burly man on the other side of the diner raised his voice and asked, “Are you going to keep fawning over the stranger, or are you going to bring me that ketchup I asked for five minutes ago?”
Bridget was still looking in my direction and made her face cringe a bit as if to tell me, “Oops.” She then used her playful energy as she spun around and jogged toward the counter while telling the large man, “Sorry about that! I got a little sidetracked!”
The man did nothing but grumble as the lithe form of the prettiest waitress I’ve ever seen made her way over to his table. She put the bottle down in front of him and asked if he needed anything else. He responded with a grunt.
Bridget then started making her way back to my booth. Since her back was to the gruff man, she rolled her eyes so only I could see the action. I smiled to inform her that I understood. She was certainly a better person than I was because I could never handle such a job. I’m not much of a people person.
When Bridget was back with me, she decided to actually have a seat on the booth across from me. I could tell just by looking into those amber eyes of hers that she was excited about something, and she could hardly contain herself as she asked, “So, where are you from, Marcus?”
I shook my head as I truthfully answered, “I’m originally from south of here, but currently, I don’t really have a place to call home.”
The beauteous brunette frowned as if saddened by the news. “Oh…why not?”
“My job keeps me on the road,” I told her before taking a sip of water. “I actually live out of my pickup more than anything.”
“That sounds uncomfortable!” Bridget responded in her energetic manner. She looked like she had a follow-up question for me, but instead of asking, she turned to look in the direction of the cook behind the counter as she shouted, “Marcus will take one of your world-famous burgers, Cathy!”
The brusque woman behind the counter just waved her spatula in response while keeping her eyes on what she was doing.
When Bridget turned her attention back to me, she apologized, “Sorry about that.”
At first, I thought she was referring to the fact that she had forgotten to give the cook my order. I was about to tell her it was no big deal, but she was already going on.
“I know some people don’t like the fact that Cathy smokes while doing the cooking, but once you’ve had one of her burgers, you’ll realize just how good they truly are!”
I nodded my understanding as I jokingly pointed out, “Probably adds some extra flavor, right?”
Bridget seemed to find humor in my words and let out a hearty laugh. As she did so, I felt one of her feet brush up against my right leg…and I must admit that it sent a chill through my entire body. It certainly wasn’t a bad one.
From where I sat on the opposite side of the booth from the sprightly brunette, every now and again my eyes went to the only other couple in the diner. I kept noticing that they were giving me dirty looks. At least, I thought they were directed at me at first until I realized they were probably actually meant for Bridget. It was becoming a little irritating since I was enjoying the woman’s company so much, so I did my best to ignore them in order to listen to the spirited waitress.
Bridget abruptly placed an elbow on the table and leaned against one of her hands as she continued to stare directly at me while asking, “So, what kind of job keeps you away from having a home and family…or do you have a family somewhere?”
I took another sip of my water and appreciated the lemon flavor that accompanied the soothing liquid. As I set the glass back down, I shook my head and told the inquisitive female, “Not one of my own, anyway.”
“That’s a shame,” the sorrowful brunette said in a faraway-sounding voice.
When I first started getting serious with women, I was absolutely horrible at reading them. I’m not kidding when I say that if a gorgeous female walked right up to me and stood an inch away from my face while telling me, “I like you,” I wouldn’t have believed her. As I started getting older and had my share of memorable encounters with some of the most wonderful women to ever live, I can honestly say that I was beginning to understand the fairer sex a lot better. It had taken nearly forty years, but at least I was learning. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say that in that moment, the lively brunette across from me was possibly hitting on me.
“Are you gonna want fries with that burger?” A cackle from behind the counter suddenly interrupted our bonding session. I would’ve answered, but Bridget took it upon herself to tell Cathy over the sizzling of the grill about twenty feet away that I indeed did…and then she apologized to me again.
I responded with a chuckle as I took note of the upset couple on the other side of the diner for what felt like the hundredth time. I ignored them and promptly focused on the woman across from me.
“So, what do you do for a living, Marcus?”
Before I could answer, I observed that Bridget was about to reach for my glass of water…until it dawned on her that the glass was mine and not hers. I pretended to not notice as I answered her question without giving away too much. “I’m actually something of a journalist.”
“Really? You don’t look like one!”
I laughed in response and shot back, “And how does a journalist typically look?”
Bridget also laughed in a sweet manner as she reached across the table and touched one of my hands. The feel of her fingers was something else, and I had yet another chill course through my body. I know she was going to have a cute response for me once she regained her composure, but we were abruptly interrupted in the most obnoxious manner possible.
Both Bridget and I suddenly noticed a shadow looming over us as the bulky man from the other side of the diner was standing right before our table. His wife/girlfriend stood behind him with an unsure look on her face as he glared directly at Bridget and told her, “Don’t you have a job to be doing, whore?” He then took a coin out of his pocket and tossed it in her face. “I’m sure that’s not the only tip you’ll be getting tonight.”
I’m pretty sure the large lout meant to leave after barking his words, but he didn’t make it that far. He may have had a good foot and a hundred pounds on me, but I had learned a good many things during my enigmatic lifetime…and I had also taught myself a few moves to be utilized in only the most desperate of circumstances. This bastard was about to find out that treating a woman the way he just had wasn’t going to fly with me. It was time to take this jerkoff to school since I had a lesson to teach.
I flew off the booth faster than a bolt of lightning and threw myself into my oversized target. Catching him off guard, I managed to knock him into a nearby table as he flailed about and hit his head on a nearby chair. I heard the woman with him call out in alarm as she dove out of the way.
Bridget stood up in front of the booth and placed her hands over her mouth as even Cathy stopped what she was doing long enough to watch the brawl play out. Since my larger opponent was down on his back, I threw a few quick punches directly into his face before clipping him hard with my right forearm. Had we both been upright, I would’ve moved constantly back and forth on the balls of my feet so I could easily change directions if I needed to…but this thickheaded dumbass looked far too slow for me to even show such concerns. I’ll probably come off as a conceited jerk for saying it this way, but this country bumpkin was the kind of imbecile I could’ve outsmarted with one hand tied behind my back.
“Stop!” The woman who had been with the large man called out. “He has a bad heart!”
After one more quick jab, I did indeed climb off my larger rival…but I wasn’t done yet. Once I was on my feet, I noticed a salt shaker on the table we had fallen toward, so I grabbed it and sprinkled some grains into my right hand. I clamped the granules tightly as I looked down at my victim and sternly told him, “You have two choices: Apologize to Bridget and leave, or I can have this salt in your eyes within two seconds flat…and if you think I’m lying, please give me a reason to prove it to you.”
Almost a full minute passed as the frantic woman helped her man up. The bulky man stumbled about as he staggered to his feet, and when he was once again mobile, the first step he took was backward. As he took a second one back, he lifted a shaky hand and told me, “You watch yourself around her, boy. She’s nothing but a no good, dirty…”
Before the large lout could finish his sentence, his better half cut him off and started pulling him toward the exit of the diner. After the sound of the bell, the couple disappeared into the night.
I brushed my hands together in order to get the salt off them and could clearly see that Cathy was staring directly at me. I had been expecting her to be upset and possibly kick me out, but she genuinely looked impressed. She then realized my burger was still cooking and made sure to focus on it so it didn’t burn.
Unable to predict how Bridget would react to what I had just done, I slowly turned to face her and tried to prepare a hasty explanation. If there was one thing I had learned in all my years, it was that women typically don’t tend to like it when men lash out on their behalf. Sure, there are some who love it when a man stands up for them and acts like a macho barbarian to defend their honor, but I find that most are completely turned off by such a savage display of violence. I always did my best to not resort to my fists, but when that bastard had called Bridget a whore…
“Holy shit, Marcus!” The brunette called out as she finally moved her hands away from her mouth. “What kind of journalist takes out grubs who are the same size as a bull while making it look easy?!”
I scratched the back of my head as I told the marvelous woman, “I may have picked up a thing or two about self-defense when I was out on the road a few years ago.”
“You don’t say?” she followed up in an incredulous voice. She gave herself a few more seconds to calm down before she glanced past me at her co-worker and called out, “Did you see that, Cathy?”
“I’d take him home tonight if I were you, hon.”
I would’ve laughed in response if I had known what was going through Bridget’s head at that very moment. I still wasn’t sure if she was thankful for what I had done, or if she had become a little leery of me.
The well-endowed brunette took a step forward and pulled out one of the chairs at the table the large bastard and I had nearly knocked over. She took a seat and appeared to be thinking things over as she replayed everything in her mind that had just gone down.
I didn’t want to be a burden to the beautiful waitress, so I gently placed a hand on her right shoulder while standing a couple of feet away from her. “I’m really sorry about that. I’m not a violent person at heart…I just didn’t like what he said about you.” I then looked toward where Cathy was going about her job before placing my eyes on Bridget again and telling her, “If the two of you would like me to leave so you can close down early…”
Without looking at me, Bridget motioned with a hand for me to pick up the chair that had been knocked over and have a seat with her at the table. I did as I was told and remained eerily calm while I waited for her to say something. In that moment, I was sure that I had terrified her with how I had reacted even though I had done so for her. To my surprise, the distance she seemed to be suddenly displaying had nothing to do with what I had done.
The befuddled waitress finally looked up and met my eyes as she confessed, “He called me a whore because there’s a strip club next door called the Treasure Chest.”
I pretended like I hadn’t noticed it as I let the gorgeous brunette speak.
“I work both here and there for tips.” There was a short pause before she went on, “I was one of those girls who grew up with big dreams…but when the time came to leave for the big city, I was too scared to do so. When I was twenty years old, the best I could do was start working here as a waitress for tips…and since that wasn’t enough money, I also started dancing topless next door for a little extra coin. It’s the only thing I could do around here to earn any money.” Her eyes started to grow misty.
Seeing that there was a napkin dispenser sitting at the middle of the table, I pulled a few out and handed them to the saddened female. She thanked me while accepting them and used the first one to blow her nose. It broke my heart to see her go from the spirited woman I had been talking to only moments earlier to nothing more than a defeated waitress who felt like she hadn’t accomplished anything meaningful in life.
Acting like Cathy wasn’t even in the room, Bridget went on, “It’s not like I want to shake my tits for the hicks around here…but what else am I supposed to do? I can’t afford to live on a waitress’s wage, and I’m not qualified to do anything else in this dead-end town! Rutger always gives me shit because he gets mad that I won’t do anything other than dance topless! He approached me one night and tried to get me to perform some ‘favors’ for him, but since I wouldn’t, he treats me like shit…just like all of the other horned-up hillbillies around here!”
From the beautiful brunette’s explanation, I assumed the man I had taken down was this Rutger fellow she spoke of…and I wondered what the woman who had been with the bastard would’ve thought to hear Bridget’s words. I let her continue on as I warmly placed a hand on one of hers that sat atop the table.
“Oh, Marcus! I’m sorry to sound like such a crybaby! You came in here for a meal…not to hear some uneducated waitress go on about her woes in some backwoods village in the middle of nowhere!”
Completely oblivious to Bridget’s pain, Cathy suddenly walked over and set a plate in front of me. “Here ya go,” she bluntly said, and then returned to her place behind the counter. As she did so, I heard her mumbling something about how she should be the one receiving the tip I would be leaving since she was doing Bridget’s job.
Wondering what kind of relationship the two of them had, I thanked Cathy for the food before turning my attention completely back to the beautiful brunette. I didn’t even realize I was doing it, but I was running my thumb over the back of her hand in a soothing fashion as I told her, “Honest work is hard to come by no matter where you go. You shouldn’t be so down on yourself for what a bunch of dumb slobs say about you because you have something they’ll never have: Morals. Pardon my language, but they’re just dicks to you because you won’t touch theirs. It seems pretty hypocritical, but they place labels on you that should actually be on them…well, at least the male equivalents of those labels.”
Bridget actually let out a slight laugh through her bouts of snivels. She wiped at her nose with one of the napkins I had given her as she pulled away from my hold so she could reach over and grip my left wrist. Her other hand pulled the necklace she wore out of her shirt so she could grip the amethyst stone I now saw on it. “Do…do you really think that, Marcus?”
“Absolutely,” I told the stunning woman. “I’ve met a lot of people like ol’ Rutger in my time, Bridget. He talks a big talk and tries to bring other people around him down because he has nothing better in his life. He’s a dimwitted brute who speaks ill of others if he doesn’t get his way. I’m sure if you had done what he asked, he’d still treat you poorly because he probably feels more trapped here than you do.”
Bridget thought about my words for a minute. I could tell that she appreciated my explanation for more reasons than one.
I looked down at the burger on my plate. It smelled delicious, but it didn’t feel right to eat in front of my new friend. She may have been working, but that didn’t stop me from grabbing the knife from the set of silverware off to the side and cutting the burger in half. I took part of it and then slid the plate across the table toward Bridget. When she met my eyes, I smiled at her while saying, “You said it yourself that Cathy makes a mean burger, so why don’t you have a bite? When I’m upset, I find that food usually cheers me up.”
“Oh, Marcus! I can’t eat your dinner!”
“Go ahead,” I told her as I took my first bite. I was so hungry that it didn’t take me long to chew what was in my mouth and swallow it. “I’m telling you, you’ll feel ten times better if you eat.” I glanced back in Cathy’s direction and noticed her rolling her eyes as she went about her work and pretended like I wasn’t even there. I think she thought I was coddling her co-worker too much.
Bridget finally accepted my offer and we sat there enjoying our burger together. I tried to slow down a bit, but I was ravenous since I was so hungry. I devoured my half before the beautiful brunette even had three bites down, and then I did my best to share my fries with her. She motioned with a hand that the burger was enough as she chewed some of the meat. I couldn’t bring myself to mention that the over-easy egg she had mentioned had obviously been forgotten.
When we were finally done, I placed my hands on my thighs and let out a loud sigh before raising my voice and saying, “Cathy, you make a helluva mean burger. That was by far one of the best I’ve ever had.” I then reached into my pocket and placed enough money to pay for the burger thrice over on the table. “I appreciate the food and company, ladies.”
Bridget looked at the payment and informed me, “That’s way too much, Marcus!”
I played dumb by looking down at the money and saying, “No it’s not. There’s the cost of the meal, and the rest is for you. If you want, maybe give a coin or two to Cathy.” I then leaned closer to the dazzling waitress and playfully put a hand up to hide my mouth from the woman behind the counter as I whispered loud enough for her to hear, “Contrary to what we may believe, she does do decent work.”
Bridget placed her hands over her mouth and giggled. Without looking in my direction, Cathy just raised a hand and waved me off.
I turned to take Bridget in one last time. It felt good to do something nice for such a wonderful woman. I had known her for no more than twenty minutes, but I felt some kind of connection with her. I didn’t want to leave, but I needed to find a hotel or something so I could crash for the night. I had plenty of work to do in the morning…even though my job was the furthest thing from my mind. All I could think about was the woman I’d be leaving behind.
Ignoring the money I had left on the table, Bridget bolted past it and grabbed one of my hands in order to stop me from leaving. “Marcus!”
I turned and met the radiant woman’s amber eyes. I was caught in them momentarily before finally finding the words and asking, “What is it, Bridget?”
“Where will you be staying tonight?”
“I don’t know. Is there a hotel around here?”
“The All the Way Inn is on the other side of town,” Bridget answered with a straight face. I wasn’t sure how she was able to do so since the play on words had me fighting the desire to crack up. “But if you’d like to save some money, you could always…come and crash at my place.”
I was taken off guard by the offer. Not only was it unexpected, but it was extremely kind. I hardly knew this woman, but she was going to allow me to stay in her home if I so desired. I was honored…and I couldn’t find the words to answer.
“There ya go,” Cathy spoke up as she continued to go about her work behind the counter with her back to us. In her own bizarre way, I think the old bat was happy to see Bridget ask me. Maybe she could tell that the brunette had something for me…and that I had something for her as well.
Since I hadn’t said anything right away, I could tell that Bridget assumed she had crossed a line. “I just thought that if you didn’t want to waste money on a dingy little room…”
“I would love to crash at your place, Bridget,” I finally found my voice. “I really appreciate the offer. Are you sure, though? I mean, you hardly know me! Maybe I’m nothing more than a crazy…”
“Oh, you’re crazy all right!” The splendid brunette spoke up as she latched onto one of my arms and leaned her head against my left shoulder. “You’d have to be crazy to drive all the way out here for a story and to eat at a diner like this!” With her energy returning, Bridget let out her beauteous laugh. I was glad to hear it again.
Laughing with the marvelous woman, I couldn’t help but think, Oh, I feel like I’m crazy all right…crazy for you, Bridget! How have you enchanted me so fast? The last time this happened, it was due to…
“Would you mind maybe hanging out here for a little bit while Cathy and I close down?” Bridget’s voice interrupted my thoughts. “Unless you had something to do in the village for a bit and wanted to kill some time out there, of course. It’s totally up to you.”
There was nothing I could do at this time of night, and even if I could be working on my investigation, I wasn’t about to let Bridget out of my sight. “Naw. I’ll stick around here with you ladies if Cathy doesn’t mind. Hell, I can help close down shop if you want to give me something to do. Do you want to put a mop or broom in my hands…?”
Cathy let out a single sigh that I could’ve mistaken for some kind of laugh. “It’s about time somebody wants to do something for me!”
Bridget and I had a good laugh thanks to the grouchy old cook.
*
I stepped through the entryway after Bridget unlocked the door and led the way into her home. Upon walking in, I instantly started looking around and was surprised by what met my eyes. The house was rather small, but it was immaculately decorated.
For whatever reason, I hadn’t been expecting such a fancy setup. I was standing in the living room and could see the dining room directly beyond since it was a wide-open area, and directly to my right was a staircase that turned and followed the wall up to the second floor. The wallpaper in the living room was a pine color with vertical, intertwined designs running up the wall, and there were landscape paintings hanging all over the room that matched the green theme that was prevalent throughout the area.
There was a couch along the wall directly to my left under the front window, and a coffee table sat in front of it with a few books and small knickknacks on it. Pink curtains were drawn in front of the window that actually complemented the greens throughout the room quite well, and a recliner sat against the far wall with a two-foot statue of a mermaid next to it. There were a few other statues sitting throughout the living quarters, but before I could look them over, Bridget turned to me and sarcastically asked, “Are you ready for the grand tour?” The sarcasm was obviously due to the fact that she found her home to be insultingly tiny.
I removed my shoes and kindly replied, “I would love to see the place, Bridget. This living room is amazing…so I can only imagine how nice the rest of the house is.”
The brunette set her purse down on the coffee table and led me into the dining room. From there, we turned to the right and there was a little kitchen that was basically a hallway. It led to a door that went back outside, but hidden off to the side was another door that I couldn’t see until getting closer to it. It was basically a closet for a washer and dryer combination.
“That’s pretty much the first floor!” Bridget tried to sound cheerful as she turned around and skimmed past me. “Hope you’re ready for the upstairs!” As the brunette walked by me, I felt her breasts brush up against me, but I remained mature as I followed her.
We made our way up the staircase that had a bay window off to the right about halfway up. The steps were covered in a burgundy-colored carpet, and there were more paintings placed impeccably around the window on the wall that was a pale salmon color. I complimented the brunette’s decorating abilities but only received a laugh in return. I hoped she didn’t think I was joking since I was actually being quite serious.
At the top of the stairs, there was a room immediately to the left, and then a hallway led down to a closet and one other smaller room. The larger of the two rooms was obviously Bridget’s bedroom, and the other was a frilly bathroom. I did have to joke around with my new friend as I pointed out that she might’ve gone overboard with the pink colors.
Bridget responded by playfully sticking her tongue out at me and then blowing a raspberry. The action made me laugh. I was finding that it was a lot of fun to be around the fantastic brunette.
After receiving the tour of the modest residence that I was extremely jealous of, I thought about everything I had seen and told Bridget, “I’ll go get comfortable on your couch. I think I noticed a few pillows and a blanket down there, so if it’s okay with you, I’ll just use those.”
The brunette nodded that it was indeed okay and then told me, “I’m going to jump in the shower real quick and wash the ick from the diner off me.”
The plan sounded good to me, but I had another sudden thought when I asked, “Do you work tomorrow? I certainly don’t want to keep you up or wake you in the morning if I leave while you’re still sleeping…”
Bridget was quiet for a moment and her eyes went to the floor as she answered in shame, “I work at the strip club tomorrow night.”
I know it sounds very piggish of me to say since the mere mention of her other job upset her, but just thinking about Bridget swinging those abundant breasts around made my heart rate quicken. I wondered if I would be out of line by asking if she’d be okay with me stopping by her other job while she was working…
“Did you want to go to sleep right away?” Her voice then interrupted my thoughts.
I shrugged since I kept strange hours and it didn’t really matter to me when I went down for the night. Midnight was roughly forty minutes away, but I wasn’t exactly tired. I decided to counter her question with one of my own by asking, “Did you have something in mind?”
“I guess I was kind of wondering if you could tell me a few stories about some of the places you’ve been to and some of the reports you’ve written for your job.”
I ran a hand over my chin as I thought about the many strange and exotic locales I had witnessed over my time. I knew compared to most men my age, I had seen and done a great many more things than a lot of people saw in a lifetime. I finally nodded and told the pretty brunette, “I think I could tell you a few things that would keep you on the edge of your seat.”
Bridget smiled and clapped her hands together. The action made her appear like she had regressed back a decade in time to her teenage years as she let out a small yip of joy and then took off back down the hallway. She was certainly looking forward to the tales I had for her.
After she disappeared into the bathroom, I let out a small chuckle since I enjoyed her company so very much. I then started making my way down the stairs and closely examined a few of the paintings while doing so. One looked like a ziggurat sitting in a caldera of high, encircling mountains, and another was of a monastery at the end of a winding trail…a trail that looked more like a twisting and turning bridge of rock. There was absolute blackness on both sides of the chaotic pathway, and I could only imagine trying to walk such a dangerous path. I was glad it was only a painting.
When I was back downstairs, I glanced around and noticed for the first time that Bridget apparently didn’t own a TV. Most people kept one in their living room, but there was no such device in the brunette’s. I didn’t think that was a bad thing, though. Maybe she was more into reading than killing time with a television.
I picked up the top book on the stack and read the title. Fundamentals of Nature. I could certainly approve of the fantastic female’s taste in literature. I set the book down and picked up the next one to see that it was titled, The Forthcoming Foundation. Wondering what the hardcover edition could be about, I began paging through it a bit until I was abruptly struck by a sensation I had been hit by during our walk to Bridget’s home…and I suddenly remembered just how long it had been since I last urinated.
Damn it! I chided myself as I realized I should’ve asked Bridget if I could use her lavatory before she had jumped in her shower. I had been driving for hours until I reached this small town, and then after finding the restaurant and having my burger and drink, I didn’t even think about using the can. As we had walked the short distance between the diner and the house I now stood in, I realized just how bad I had to go…but upon entering her home, I had forgot all about it due to the fact that Bridget was excited to give me a tour. And I hope it doesn’t make me sound like a jerk, but I really thought her house would have at least two bathrooms since most homes had one on each floor.
Crap, I thought as I considered exiting the house through the side door in the kitchen and going outside in the bushes. With how late it had become and how small the community was, I doubted anyone would catch me in the middle of the act, but at the same time, I was in unfamiliar territory. This seemingly insignificant settlement had a sheriff’s office nearby…and with my dumb luck, some deputy trying to make a name for himself would be wandering the lonely streets at midnight and would catch me in an act of indecency that the town in the sticks would find punishable by death.
Okay, I was being a little overdramatic. It probably wouldn’t be a big deal, but going outside like an animal didn’t appeal to me. Even when I was on the road out in the middle of nowhere, it always felt weird pulling over and whipping it out to go wherever I pleased. I was a big fan of cleanliness, and not being able to wash my hands after the fact always bothered me. I knew I could always come in and use her kitchen sink, but I nixed the outdoor idea. Why is it that a person doesn’t realize he or she has to use the bathroom until the most inconvenient of times…?
I glanced upward and could hear the shower running. There was no way Bridget would be in there for very long. She probably just needed a good rinse and would be done in five minutes. As long as I could hold it in and not think about rushing rapids for five more minutes…
I started pacing back and forth in her living room as the only thing I could think about became the fact that I had to pee. I tried to ponder anything but the urge to urinate. The thought about why I was in this tiny village to begin with crossed my mind, but when that didn’t work, I tried to think about tackling Rutger to the ground and giving him what he deserved. When that failed, I started to think about Bridget…
I was a guest in the brunette’s home due to the fact that she had such a big heart, and here I was, standing in her living room and suddenly having dirty thoughts about her prancing about on a stage and ripping her top open. I could only imagine how incredible those two tits on her chest were when in full view, and the very image of her brandishing those boobs in such a naughty fashion…
What the fuck are you doing? I asked myself as I placed a hand on my head. This sweet woman trusts you enough to invite you into her home, and this is how you repay her: By picturing her shaking her ta-tas in your face?
After criticizing myself for being an insensitive pig, I realized there was a grandfather clock in a corner of the room, so I started watching as the long hand followed its course to the next two numerals. As time elapsed, I knew I wasn’t going to last much longer.
After another two minutes, I thought my bladder was going to rightfully explode. I knew it wasn’t the best idea I had ever had, but I made my way back up the staircase as quickly as a guy who felt like he was holding in five pounds of urine could and flew down the hallway toward the bathroom door. Standing in front of it for about three seconds, I felt like a real creeper as I placed my right ear to the wooden barrier and listened. I could hear the shower still going and an angelic voice humming a tune.
Taking a deep breath, I whispered a few words to myself before finally lifting a fist to the door and knocking. As I did so, I raised my voice so my new friend could hopefully hear it as I spoke her name. “Bridget?”
The humming momentarily ceased and I heard her respond, “Marcus?”
“It’s me,” I said in the same loud tone. “Hey, I’m so sorry about this, but I have to pee like you wouldn’t believe. I’ve been holding it for a while and should’ve asked if I could go before you jumped in the shower, but for whatever reason, the thought didn’t occur to me until you were in.” I paused for a moment and realized Bridget must’ve been waiting for me to say more since she wasn’t speaking. I finally came out with it and asked, “Would it be okay if I snuck in real quick and relieved myself? I promise I’ll be in and out!” I gritted my teeth while awaiting an answer.
It was quiet for all of two seconds until she finally responded, “That would be fine! I apologize that it’s kind of steamy in here!”
I silently thanked any deities listening and then turned the knob of the door so I could enter the room. Upon doing so, I found that the pretty brunette hadn’t been kidding…the room was like a sauna. I also took note of how she apparently trusted me enough to not lock the door. That made me feel good.
Trying to keep my head down since I was already invading the woman’s privacy, I made my way past the sink and to the toilet. I lifted the lid, unbuttoned my pants, and then unzipped. I pulled my penis out and instantly started to relive myself. As I stood there going, I heard Bridget once again begin humming from the opposite side of the flamingo-colored shower curtain. Looking back at it, I truly think she didn’t feel the least bit inconvenienced by my untimely intervention.
While standing there peeing, I cursed myself in silence for not taking care of things sooner. What made matters worse was that I had plenty of time to chide myself since I was seemingly going forever. I must’ve stood there for a good minute or longer relieving myself, and had Bridget not been gingerly singing, it would’ve been downright embarrassing that she would’ve been listening to my stream hit the water in the bowl for as long as it did. After what felt like a miniature eternity, I finally finished up and began tucking my manhood back into my trousers after shaking it a few times. I then quickly grabbed a square of toilet paper and wiped the rim of the bowl since that was something I always did when I used someone else’s toilet, and then I flushed before lowering the lid. As I stopped in front of the sink to wash my hands, I was caught off guard when the shower curtain opened ever so slightly and Bridget’s smiling face poked out. She still had her necklace on and I could see the amethyst stone dangling from it.
“Hey, Marcus! Could you do me a favor?”
I shut the water off and couldn’t believe what was happening. It wasn’t like I was seeing the woman naked, and it’s not like she was going to ask me to get in the shower with her, but just seeing her long, wet locks as her left hand gripped that curtain…
“You actually had pretty good timing! I guess I got so excited just thinking about having you over for a sleepover, I totally forgot to grab my towel to dry off with! Could you grab one from the closet for me?”
Bridget’s upbeat attitude and the way she approached life so positively was something I could get used to. I hadn’t heard anyone refer to staying at someone else’s home as a “sleepover” since I was a kid, and as I made my way to the closet and fetched a maroon towel for the wet woman, I realized that the more I was around her, the younger I felt. That was definitely a good thing considering how the last decade made me feel like I had aged almost thirty years.
I returned to the bathroom and did my best to keep my eyes averted as I handed the towel to the bountiful brunette. She snatched it from my grasp and thanked me upon letting go of the shower curtain. The pig in me was hoping the flimsy cloth would move in such a way that I would maybe catch a sneak peek of a boob, but the gentleman in me quickly looked away…even though my peripherals told me that there was no such luck of stealing a gander.
END OF PART ONE OF NINE
