Valeria is my wife Vix' mother, Vix is short for Victoria. Divorced, lives about 2 miles from us and she had asked Vix if we could go and help her move some furniture.
"Vix, sweetie," I said when she asked me, "I only have today when I am mostly free and can clear the day or it is going to be the weekend. When are you free?"
"Not this week. It'll have to be the weekend."
"Unless I go over today and see what I can get done?"
"Ok, I'll text mother."
I spent about thirty minutes online, sorting out the items that couldn't wait until tomorrow, and then I went and showered ready to go to Valeria's. I sent her a text to say I was on my way. The journey was without event and only took a few minutes before I was pulling up at her house, a small detached brick and pebbledash in a side street.
"Come in Ted, thank you for coming over. Victoria couldn't get away her text said." As I walked in, she gave me a nice welcoming hug, her bosom pressed to my chest, her arms loosely around me.
"No, Vix is in the final stages of a project and needs to be in the office all week, I managed to make some time today, so I thought I would see what we can get done, and if we need an extra pair of hands, then we can both come back over at the weekend."
"Let's have a cup of tea. Come on." She headed off into the kitchen and put the kettle on. It didn't take long to boil so I assumed she had already got it ready after I sent my text. I sat at the table as she made the tea. Pot warmed, tea added, and then two cups and saucers readied, and the strainer out of the drawer. She knows how I have my tea, well brewed and just a splash of milk. No sugar or sweetener.
"Shall we sit here or in the lounge Ted?" She asked as she was pouring the tea.
"Here is fine for now Valeria, then we can go and look at what needs moving." I answered.
"Good, okay, only I never seem to get chance to chat with people these days, and some days I don't even use my voice, like yesterday, not one word did I say.
"Crumbs Valeria, of course, if you don't go out, then who is there to talk to?"
"Exactly and these days people seem to prefer to text and don't even use their phones. It can get so lonely."
"Why don't you try some of them dating sites, you know the 'swipe right' type?"
"Oh goodness, no."
"Why not, what have you got to lose, you might even get a bit of added friendliness thrown in," I said with a wink.
"That's probably all they would want, and I am not sure about that. I am a bit old, a bit wrinkled, you know, and well, probably past all that."
"What fucking rubbish Valeria." She started at my obscenity, "you absolutely are not too old, you look stunning and would turn many a head. You don't need me to tell you that, you can look in the mirror and see for yourself."
"I just see a tired old lady."
"Oh Valeria you must be looking through cracked lenses. The woman I see is beautiful, has great stature, wears gorgeous outfits and is always beautifully made up."
"But the men would only be after one thing."
"So what? You are not a heady teenager trying to find Mr Right, these days you just want some company and some sex, no strings, no fumbling because nowadays you know what you like, and what you don't. Just go out, have a good time and then have an even better time in bed. If you don't see him again, as I said, so what?"