All characters engaged in sexual activity are above the age of consent.
*****
"You really need to get out of here more often," Shane Fischer told Sam, The ten-year old looking at Sam bitterly.
Ahh, it felt good to win
, Sam thought.
Especially against a kid.
Sam grinned, relishing his victory, "You're just saying that because you suck." Jerking his thumb towards the screen.
"Best out of ten?" Shane challenged him again, controller in hand. The kid usually came to his place whenever he had finished his chores. They didn't have a PlayStation at their place. So when he first caught wind that their new neighbor Sam had a game console, he was one of the first to greet their new neighbor bearing gifts of jelly beans and gummy bears. That had been more than a year ago now.
Sam looked to his phone, and shook his head with a rueful grin, "Shouldn't you be, getting ready for school?"
"NOOO! Come on! The bus doesn't come till eight!" he pleaded in a high pitched voice. Sam remembered when he and his brothers did the same thing when they woke up early on a school day to play some games before school. And how the tables have turned, he's the one shutting the fun down and to drag a brat out to get ready for school.
How times flew by.
"Come on you little tyke, let's go. I'll shut this thing down." He got up and powered down the game console. Sam motioned Shane to get up from the sofa, "Dude, you haven't even taken a shower. Come on, now. You're mom's gonna kill me," He had to drag the kid by the feet when he wouldn't budge.
"Agghh! I hate school!" he yelled aloud while Sam dragged him.
"So study well and graduate fast, then get a job and you won't have to go to school anymore. Like me," Sam said with a smile. The little brat still wasn't feeling motivated, in which case Sam gripped his ankles and tickled his foot.
"HAHHAHAHAHAA! S-STOP! AHAHAHAH!" He kept laughing to the point that tears came out. Shane squirmed and wriggled. Sam grinned and let him go. Shane stood up but still lazily took each step inch by inch. Sam only rolled his eyes and herded the kid out of his apartment.
Shane's place was only across the hall from his. He didn't want to risk getting scolded by Shane's mother. Miss Fischer was a nice lady but best not risk it why her son had been late to school. He knocked on the door.
"Don't give me that look! You'll be late, and I'll be in trouble with your mom!" Sam reasoned with the kid when Shane gave him a stink eye. "Besides, it's Friday. You'll have the weekend to look forward to."
Miyuki Fischer opened the door. She tied her morning robe tighter as her eyes landed on Shane with a disapproving glance. She had a fair complexion, smooth as winter snow but Sam couldn't help but notice that lines appeared near her eyes. Her shoulder length jet-black hair had some frayed strands loose, the hair of someone who needed more sleep. She was of Japanese-American descent, had a way of looking somewhat younger than her actual age is, which was in her early thirties. Her eyes sharp and angular like that of a youth but her countenance, the way she carried herself, spoke of someone who had endured and persevered through life over the years.
Her curves were more pronounced the only way a woman who had gone through childbirth could have, evident as the way the robe clung to her waist tightly. Her breasts tested the fabric of her robe, stretching it. Childbearing gave her a voluptuous figure, accentuating her womanly figure. Full breasts and the curvature of her thighs.
Meat in all the right places, as it were.
What the hell was he thinking?
He shook those thoughts away.
Which was so wrong. So very, very wrong.
Sam had to look away, towards an interesting spot on the wall each time she turned her back to him, Sam couldn't help but just stare at her ass. It wasn't big but the way it was shaped made it...POP against her skirt. And the outline of her underwear poke through. And there was the time she took the stairs ahead of him while wearing jeans. Sam forced himself to look where he was stepping, afraid of a misstep and breaking his neck from ogling her behind.
He couldn't help but feel guilty. She was a devoted single mother, the nicest person he knew. The way she spoke, in a clear and endearing way, pulled whatever light out of your heart and into the world. That pure way a mother could. And he felt shame each time his thoughts turned astray to something base and sexual.
Crap, it's been so long and so lonely.
"Good morning, Miss Fischer." Sam greeted her with a smile, putting his resolve to bat away those dirty thoughts.
"Good morning Sam." She returned Sam's with her own, one that lit up and banished all deplorable thinking in his mind.
God forgive him,
he thought
,
to tarnish such an angel in his mind.
"I believe this one hasn't take a shower yet." Sam nudged an unmotivated Shane towards his mother. A brief flash of annoyance and fury passed in her eyes, the kind that sends a ten year old boy scurrying to school, hoping that it would save him from his mother's wrath.
Yeah, it was the best move not to test Miss Fischer
, Sam thought gladly. She smiled back at him as her son made haste to shower, as if there was not a she-demon hiding in that angelic smile she gave. Sam gulped.
"Anyway I have to get to work too," Sam said, heading back to his door.
"Thanks again Sam," she said tiredly. She had bags under her eyes as she leaned against the door and stifled a yawn. Raising a child is difficult and yet she still smile that smile of hers. Maybe he should buy her some food on his way home? That's a good idea, he nodded to himself. Everyone's got to have some time for themselves.
"It's nothing Miss Fischer."
"Oh! How many times do I have to tell you? Call me Miyu. My friends and family do." She friendly patted at his arms. Sam only smiled at the gesture.
"Oh...uhm...sure thanks...Miyu," It was strange, Sam could never get around from calling her with such familiarity. All he ever did was hang around her son .He was just being polite. And every now and then he helped her out with her groceries. And Shane was fun to be around with. Sam enjoyed playing with the kid.
"I appreciate it, really, looking after him."
"He's a fun kid to be around. Don't mention it."
Ask her something about herself
, Sam thought.
Something to keep the conversation going and not just to shut it immediately
! She had the air of someone that enjoyed conversation, being with people, in contrast to Sam who could go for hours without talking to anyone.
"Hey Miss Fisch - I mean Miyu," He grinned, "Are you alright? You look worn out."
"Heh, that's an understatement, I've been up around...five, I guess? Getting ready for the day and all that even though there's not much to do. I think my body has gotten used to waking up early. It happens when you have a kid," she finished with a tired smile. Sam felt sorry for her. She had invited Sam over for breakfast many times over the year since he moved to the building. She said it was thanks for watching over Shane when she was off to work at the bakery. He didn't mind, the kid was a blast to play games with.
Maybe it's time to treat them out to dinner. He owed them that for making him feel like family.
"Uhm...hey, Miyu...If you don't have plans for the weekend, we could go out to dinner? Maybe go to the carnival afterwards?" he asked, it was a good plan too, plenty of fun for Shane on the carnival and Miyu gets to spend quality time with her son there.