'I must say, you're looking well,' Ray's visitor complimented.
'No more than usual, Katlyn,' Ray said, brushing off the compliment.
'No, really, I mean it, there's a glow to you, something I've not seen since before . . .' she trailed off. 'You look really well, I mean it.'
'Before Elinor passed, you mean. It's okay, Katlyn. You can say her name.'
Katlyn smiled a tinge of sadness in her eyes. She reached across and rested her hand on his knee - a gesture between old friends. They were sitting in Ray's living room; Katlyn sitting on the comfy two-seater sofa, while Ray sat on a chair opposite.
A movement from the kitchen drew their attention.
'Ah, tea. Good girl, Shelly,' Ray beamed.
Shelly walked carefully, balancing the tray that was crowded with teacups, sugar bowl, milk jug teapot and a saucer with biscuits. She set the tray down noisily on a nearby coffee table. As she did so she noticed the motion of the other woman as she pulled her hand away from Ray's knee.
'Let me move the table closer,' Shelly offered.
'It's fine where it is,' Ray said, reaching for the teapot.
'No grandpa, it's no trouble,' Shelly insisted, lifting the coffee table awkwardly and moving over so it was right in between Ray and Katlyn.
Katlyn smiled sweetly at her, 'Thank you, dear.'
'You're welcome,' Shelly said, a little more tartly than she wanted to.
'Don't you want to join us?' Ray asked.
'You can sit right here,' Katlyn said, shifting her big bulk over to make space on the two-seater. She patted the empty space.
'No, thank you,' Shelly said curtly, avoiding eye contact with the older woman.
'Shelly?' Ray said, taken aback at his granddaughter's behaviour.
'I have to finish tidying the kitchen,' Shelly said, already on her way out of the room. She tossed her hair as she left.
'I'm sorry, Katlyn, I don't know what's gotten into that granddaughter of mine.'
Katlyn smiled mischievously as she reached for the teapot on the coffee table. 'I think I do.'
'What?' Ray asked, mystified.
'Well, I'd say she's got a touch of the green-eyed monster about her.'
'What, jealous?'
'Yep,' Katlyn poured the tea in her cup, then Ray's.
'What nonsense.'
Katlyn laughed. Then lowering her voice. 'She wants you all to herself.'
'Well, she's been very rude to you. I've a mind to have her to apologise to you this instant.'
'Oh, Ray, leave it be. She's just like Elinor, quite the little spitfire.'
'She certainly takes after her grandmother,' Ray admitted.
Katlyn laughed, 'That's what worries me.'
In the kitchen, Shelly grimaced as she heard her grandfather's friend laughing. The old bag, Shelly thought as she plunged her hands into the warm soapy dishwater. Although she had to admit that Katlyn was less of an old bag than she would have liked. Age was kinder to some women more than others and it certainly seemed kind to Katlyn. There was no question that the older woman had the markings of age in some respects; laughter lines around her eyes, her hands not wrinkled, but lacking the smoothness of youth like Shelly's. Her bust was more of a problem though - big pillow sized tits that practically dwarfed Shelly's - and Shelly's boobs at E-cup were hardly small. Shelly's only consolation was that the older woman's tits must be soft and saggy from age - her nipples were probably wrinkled too. Damn. Why did she have to visit today?
The woman was one of her grandmother's closest friends and lived quite far away but had made the journey specially to see Ray. Shelly was hoping to spend the afternoon in her grandfather's bed, having him ravish her body. Shelly had even bought some new lacey underwear to show off - instead, her grandfather had sprung the unwelcome news this friend of Shelly's grandmother was coming to visit. So now, instead of playing the role of insatiable whore, Shelly was playing at being tea lady. Shelly scrubbed another plate clean and shoved it on the dish holder to dry and reached for the cutlery still in the washbasin.
'Shelly.'
She almost jumped in surprise. Turning she saw her grandfather in the doorway. His coat was on and for a moment her heart leapt at the possibility that he was seeing Katlyn out to her car. Shelly's hopes were swiftly dashed.
'I'm just popping to the shops for wine and quiche. I forgot Katlyn was vegetarian,' he said.
'I can go, grandpa,' Shelly offered.
'No. I won't be long. I want you to stay here and keep Katlyn company,' there was a no-nonsense sternness in her grandfather's tone that Shelly did not like.
'But I haven't finished tidying the kitchen,' Shelly protested.
'The kitchen can wait,' her grandfather shot back. 'I want you to chat with Katlyn, and don't think I didn't notice your attitude earlier young lady. I think an apology is in order.'
Shelly hung her head. 'Sorry, grandfather,' she said humbly.
'Not to me. To Katlyn.'
'But . . . .'
'No buts, Shelly. I'm going now and I expect you to be on your best behaviour. Katlyn was a close friend of your grandmother, God rest her soul, and I won't stand for any nonsense.'
'Yes, grandfather,' Shelly said miserably.
When she looked up, her grandfather had gone. A second later she heard the door close as he left the house.
Shelly dried her hands on a tea-towel and reluctantly sauntered into the living room. She felt like a Christian going into an arena with a particularly big and hungry waiting lion - or in this case, lioness.
Katlyn smiled warmly at Shelly as she entered the room, a gesture that made Shelly feel even more nervous. Katlyn sat at a slight angle her legs partly drawn up under her on the sofa, one elbow on the sofa's armrest propping her up. Her shoes were off too. It was both a relaxed and commanding position. Despite the older woman's bulky form and large breasts, there was something catlike about her, Shelly decided.
'Sit down, honey,' Katlyn said, on seeing Shelly hover nervously by the chair her grandfather had been sitting on.
Shelly sat, her knees together hands on her lap like a schoolgirl sitting before her headmistress.
Katlyn laughed, 'Why, you look like you've just seen a ghost. I don't bite, you know.'