It is Spring.
Vast mists cover the Five Lakes.
My dear, let me buy a red painted boat
And carry you away.
-Wu Tsao
I really liked having my sister-in-law Cristy at the house even though I wasn’t sure it was such a good idea at the beginning. But Jack assured me she was a good girl. Having an 18 year old running around could have been a nightmare, and I did not want to become some kind of wretched disciplinarian. But from the moment she came into the house I changed my mind, she reminded me of myself when I was her age - fifteen years ago. Utterly. In fact I looked almost exactly like her when I was twenty, I wonder if Jack remembers that? I remembered being so depressed when I had realized that my wonderful blonde locks faded to this dishwater blonde, and then my hips grew, my belly expanded, and . . . here I am - even though everyone tells me I still look 21. Fact is, I’m 33 pushing middle age. But we’re the same height, same torso, and I bet we are even close to the same weight, though she’s got to be lighter than me, AND I know she doesn’t have to work out to be where she’s at like I do.
Cristy has this wonderful combination of diligence and care free. Pleasant, no attitude. Having grown up in a family of three brothers I’ve always known how to handle men, but I’ve never had a sister. Her situation is also the same as mine, with two brothers. At the beginning Jack dominated the time with her (as men do), with their ‘catching up.’ But I’ve really been picking my opportunities with Cristy lately. And we’ve found time in the afternoons to go for walks or play Scrabble. She just takes me back, to my younger, my wild years - but I definitely know she’s not wilder than I was. No one was.
On a sunny warm Saturday morning, Jack had left for a meeting with a number of his investors and I knew he wouldn’t be home until nine or ten that evening, and Cristy was sitting in the kitchen with a cup of coffee having just gotten up. I really wanted to do some shopping and I thought this would be a perfect opportunity.
“Cristy, you want to do a little shopping with me this afternoon?”
She looked up from her cup, “I’d love to Sam. It’ll just take me a minute to go get ready.”
We were out the door and in the car in no time, deciding on the indoor mall because that’s where the best clothes shops in the area are. And we were definitely focused on clothes. I wanted a treat for myself and Cristy mentioned that she wouldn’t mind looking at lingerie, which I haven’t thought about for years. After ten years of marriage I come ‘unwrapped’ now. Lingerie shopping would be fun so we decided to do that first.
As we were driving along Cristy had her hand up by her face holding her hair back and I kept glancing at her with a sideways glance and could not get the image of myself-in-her out of my head. Her breasts were definitely smaller than mine, no sag at all. Mine were gradually sinking down now year by year - but I had more to begin with. She had these wonderful little girl hips, and she always wore dresses (just like I once had).
“You like staying with us?”
“Oh yeah, it’s great - Jack and you are wonderful.”
“I really appreciate everything you do around the house. You’re certainly more responsible than I was when I was your age.”
“Thanks.”
“I was actually a lot like you when I was eighteen. I even looked like you.”
Cristy turned and looked at me, “Really! Thanks! I think you are so beautiful.”
I drank in the compliment. “Thanks. I used to have blonde hair like you, almost the same. But now its turned this dishwater blonde, almost brown . . “
“You can always color your hair! I love your hair, the way it hangs at your shoulders mine is so thin.”
“Thin? I would give anything to have hair like you again.” I looked in the mirror. “I could color couldn’t I? Wouldn’t Jack be surprised!”
And we bantered like that on our way to the store. We decided to go into the lingerie shop first.
“I haven’t bought anything like this for myself in a long time. Jack and I are way past this. I come unwrapped now.”
Cristy looked up at me and smiled, “Well it’s time you had a treat for yourself.” She was looking at baby doll nighties, which I remembered seeing her wear.
I went and picked up a nice panty and camisole top set - red my favorite color - almost exactly what I used to wear and held it out to her. “What do you think of this?”
She felt the material, “Mmm, nice.” And she took the panties in her hand and looked at them front then back.
“We can get you some panties too.” Cristy looked at me, “Panties, uh.”
I continued, “My treat.” I figured she had a budget.
“You’re going to get this for me? No, really. I have money.”
No for all you do, let me treat you - indulge you today.”