MARRIED... Spring(ing) into the future (Part 50d)

The guy at the body shop had promised that he’d have my car finished so that I’d have it to drive back to school on Monday. After Dee and Art left I spent the afternoon reading the assignment that “The Hook” had given the Contemporary Literature course to read over the break. I was upset at the amount of reading but more upset that he’d threatened a quiz at Monday’s class. It was hard to concentrate on the material as I was worried about getting the car back. It was just before Elle was going to start cooking (it was her turn with Josh and Beth due over around 6pm) when the phone rang. The car was finished and I quickly ran over to ask Josh to give me a ride to go pick it up. When we pulled into the place there was the car right out in front looking all spic and span. The door looked perfect. It wasn’t until I got out of Josh's car that the realization came to me that I’d delivered the car to him without taking my tools and, almost more importantly, my panty “stash” including the new Gotham Gold Stripe ones I’d bought only a few weeks earlier. If Josh had been studying my face at that moment he would have seen it as red as a stop light. I couldn’t believe that I’d been that stupid. As much as I wanted to check the trunk of the car I didn’t want to do it in front of the body shop guy or Josh and, reluctantly, had to wait until I got home. The body shop guy opened the drivers door to show that it did work and that the window went up and down. I thanked him and took off, wondering what I’d find, if anything at all when I got to look in the trunk.

I was holding my breath when I put the key in the trunk lock. As the trunk lid opened I could see the tool box was not where it usually was. My heart dropped because the panties had been stuffed in the left rear corner and were hidden by the tool box. Josh, thankfully, had gone to get Beth for dinner as I almost dove into the trunk itself. I reached in and found both my “stash” box as well as the bag with the new panties. As I relaxed and started to breathe normally again I saw Josh and Beth headed my way. I shut the trunk and went inside with them, relieved.

With all that had been going on I had pretty much forgotten that it was my birthday. As we all walked into the trailer I could see that Elle had made some decorations and that I was in store for a party. I thought It was a nice end for the week and weekend. But, I had one more thing to deal with. Elle had been after me to start thinking about coming home each night. Even though she had a relatively easy pregnancy it had been a long lonely Winter with me gone four nights each week. She just wanted company as well as to have someone right there in case of a problem. She was quite persuasive and I told her that this would be my last week staying with the T’s. I wanted to give them some advance notice and not just walk out on them. She agreed and that made her quite happy. Happy enough that she let me have some “fun” that night.

I can’t say that Mrs T was all that surprised when I told her my plans. What it did do was put some added pressure on all of them as Joanne was spending all her free time getting her seedling plants started for her business. As much of a “greenhorn” as I’d been at the start I’d adapted fairly well even though I didn’t really like what I was doing. When I told Joanne it was a lot different. I don’t think she was ready to cry but she was obviously surprised. It wasn’t that I wouldn’t see her anymore because I’d still see her at the mentoring program I was involved in as part of Dr F’s educable program. That made her feel a bit better and I told Mrs T that I’d still drive her home after class and that way I’d be able to see her as well. It didn’t take long for me to start feeling bad as well. These people had taken me in and made me a part of their family and I was going to miss them... a lot!

The last night I stayed there they had a combination birthday/good bye party. I was the one who should have been giving them, especially Mrs T, a gift but I got a shirt that Joanne had picked out at the B’s store. (The B’s were the people who went to the races each and every night during the season and with whom I’d visit in the grandstands whenever I could) There was a cake and even ice cream (home made) but the best part was that after all the chores were done we all ended up in the living room and reminisced about the preceding months. Mr T conceded that even though it had taken a bit longer than it should’ve that I was now a competent “hand” and would be welcome at just about any dairy farm. From him that was glowing praise. It was way past the time that Mr and Mrs T would head for bed before they went upstairs. Joannne stayed with me but didn’t say much. She tried to say something but had trouble getting the words out. She soon followed them and I remained just wanting to relax before going to bed.

I could see the hall lights go out and figured that Joanne was now in her room. I turned out the table lamp beside me and just sat there telling myself to get up. My eyes had become accustomed to the almost darkness (there was always a low wattage light on in the kitchen that drifted into the living room) when I saw something in the opening at the foot of the stairs. There was no mistaking that it was Joanne with her long blond hair. She had on a long bathrobe and when I called to her she responded with a “Shhhhhsh” and started towards me. She made it about halfway from the foot of the stairs to where I was when she stopped. Of course I had no idea what she had on her mind so just sat there looking at her visage.

I was about to speak when she, ever so slowly, took hold of each side of the front of her bathrobe and, continuing to move her arms slowly, spread them out exposing her body clad in just a bra and panties. I didn’t know what to expect but I knew that it wasn’t right, especially with her parents upstairs. Again, I was about to speak when she quickly closed her arms across her chest covering her body with the robe and turning and headed back upstairs. The shock of what had just happened didn’t allow me to really enjoy the sight that I’d been allowed to see. In all honesty I was thinking of all the good things that the T’s had given to me and I didn’t want to do anything, in thought or deed, to go against the trust that they had shown in me. When I finally went upstairs I couldn’t sleep.

The next morning I was told by Mrs T that Joanne didn’t feel well and wouldn’t be going to school that day. I was relieved, to say the least. I still hadn’t come up with even the faintest idea of what Joanne had in mind the night before. As curious as I was I also knew that it wouldn’t be smart to pursue it with her. I chalked it up as another mystery of life.

To be continued...