1 comments/ 28768 views/ 7 favorites Old Man Eli By: thornapple Chapter One "Aaron, Paul Fanning is on the phone." "Thanks hon" and I picked up the extension. "Hi Paul." "Hi, listen I have a couple of new listings that you might be interested in." "What can you tell me about them?" "Well the downside is the first one is on the south side of town, but it meets all of your other preferences." "Okay put that aside, what about the other one?" "It's in the heart of the Heritage Hill district but it's going to need some work." "Let's just keep looking then since it isn't like I have to move immediately." "Okay I just wanted to run those by you." "Thanks for trying." "That's why I'm here." I hung up and Mark put down a box he had just packed and asked, "Prospects?" "Nah but he's trying." "So tell me again why we're packing now if you still don't have a house lined up?" "I just know one is coming soon and I want to be ready. Besides it's now that you and Charlie are available to help." "It's still gonna cost you." "Now you sound like Charlie." That's when Charlie entered the room and said, "What sounds like me?" "Mark just said helping me pack is going to cost me." "Damn right it is. We can't pack much more until you find a place though, assuming you ever do." "Oh I will." Sara came in and asked me, "Does Paul have something for you to look at?" "Not really, I told him to keep looking." As Charlie stacked his box on top of the one Mark sat down he said, "So he's confident he can find you a place closer to us and to work?" "That's what Paul promises." The four of them finished what little there was left to do and then gathered in the kitchen for lunch. Sara gathered the paper plates when they were done and asked me, "Are we still going to dinner tonight?" "That's the plan. Mark is Kay coming?" "She's coming." "Charlie?" "Nita can't, she's pulling a double." "Too bad." Mark and Charlie had to leave and as Sara and I walked them to the door both guys gave Sara a kiss and said, "That's partial payment for our labors." Sara smiled and responded with, "Now wait, you helped Aaron and I'm paying you with my affections." "Darlin' your affections are worth a lot more than dinner tonight." "Liar, but don't let me stop you from saying that again one day." After Kay, Mark and Charlie left, Sara and I dropped onto the couch and decided we'd worked long enough. Besides we needed to save what was left of us so we could take the others out for dinner and drinks at seven. It wasn't like I owned so much but I wanted to be certain things were packed securely so nothing was damaged by the movers when the big day finally came. Sara took my hand and asked me, "Are you really confident you'll move soon or are you just trying to be positive?" "No I really am confident. Real estate seems to be moving in our area right now so that means the market turnover is healthy." "So it's inevitable that your special place will magically appear." "I don't know how magic it will be but yes, and in fact I'd be willing to bet it will happen in the next thirty days or less." "And what are you betting?" "Let me think about that a minute." Sara raised her eyebrows and said, "I'll tell you what. This isn't an original idea but it's still a good wager. If it's more than thirty days you have to wash our cars in your underwear." "Okay that's no problem, but in the backyard." "Well yes I don't want you arrested. But Kay and Nita have to witness it." "Now wait a minute." "Otherwise what's the big deal? You wouldn't be risking anything." "Okay then if I'm right the same goes for you and Mark and Charlie get to watch." "No that won't work." "Oh and why not?" "Because..." "Oh so it's a double standard then." "No...but...in my panties and bra?" "In your underwear would be bra and panties yes." "You don't mind them seeing me like that?" "I wouldn't want to make a habit of it but for purposes of this bet yes." "And you're willing to let the women watch your boner bounce around while you wash the car." "How do you know I'd have a boner?" "I just think you would." "As long as I'm covered I'll take my chances." "Okay it's a bet. Thirty days from now and today counts as day one." "Deal." Sara and I met the other four at the Sundowner restaurant. It wasn't a fancy place at all but they had the best steaks in the area. The six of us almost arrived at the same time with Mark and Kay being first and claiming a table for us. Our first round of drinks were delivered and we all seemed in a festive mood. Conversation wandered between jobs, friends past and present and upcoming vacation plans. We made it through our steaks and were on our third round of drinks before Sara announced, "Aaron and I have a bet going." I saw Kay's smile break out so she had a suspicion it was going to be interesting. "Tell us more Sara." "Well I'm afraid Aaron has put his foot in it this time. If he doesn't find a house to buy within thirty days he has to wash our cars in his skivvies. And the best part is you me and Nita will be watching." Kay laughed loudly and looked at me saying, "Oh lover this is going to be fun." "Now wait," I told her. "If I do find a house to buy the same bet goes to Sara." Both guys looked at Sara and Charlie jumped in with, "Oh Sara honey I'm not so sure you made a good bet. It sounds to me like the realtor is working hard to find something for Aaron." "But he hasn't succeeded has he." "This is going to be interesting." Turning to me Mark asked, "Are cameras allowed?" "Of course, in fact I encourage them." Then Mark looked to Charlie saying, "I'll take one sector and you take another one and we'll spend tomorrow house hunting for Aaron." "That's a great idea. We could find him something I'll bet." Kay looked at Mark and said, "My God you act like a lusty teenager." "Well you have the first part right" and that's where she slapped his arm. "I can't take you anywhere," but she was smiling as she shook her head. Charlie looked at me and asked, "How did you get her to agree to this? I want to try something like this with Nita." "Actually it was something Sara came up with." Sara was quick to add, "But I wasn't thinking about me having to do it. I was suckered is all." "Oh no you just didn't think about it first." We had one last round of drinks and then called it a night. As we made our way outside and toward our cars Mark called out to Sara, "We expect and in fact demand that what you wear is thin, tiny and white." Kay slapped him again before going around to her side of the car. Everybody had a lot of fun with our bet and in spite of her protestations that included Sara. Chapter Two It was Thursday almost three weeks later when Paul came up with yet more houses for me to consider and called me at work. "Aaron I think one of these two just might be what you're looking for and I think would be worth your time to check them out." "Okay I'll be out of here in about an hour so what time?" "I'll pick you up in an hour and a half." "See you then." I was going to ask him to describe them to me just as before but he seemed pretty excited about those two prospects. Paul was right on time and twenty minutes later we were driving up to the first of the two houses he had in mind. From the outside it looked to be in nice condition with a modest front yard. "Aaron it's three bedrooms with the master on the ground floor." "Two bathrooms?" "Two and a half actually, the owners added the half bath a number of years ago." "How old is the house?" "Fifteen years." "That's not bad at all." "Home warranty?" "Not at this time but I'm sure one could be provided." He led me through the house and I kept getting distracted because the present owners had incredibly bad taste when it came to color and décor. It was hard to imagine what potential there was but I kept trying. Paul was right, it was less than two thousand square feet with a ground floor master bedroom, the price was right and for the most part I could see that it would work for me. I looked out back and was disappointed by the small backyard but I wasn't ready to say no deal either. We went on to the next one and as we drove Paul told me, "This place is on the very edge of the Historic District so the neighborhood is a mix of old and newer homes. I'm told it's a quiet neighborhood and it seems like a very stable area, no substandard houses or that sort of thing." "How old?" "This one is twenty years old." I was impressed with the appearance as we pulled up but I kept my silence and let Paul walk me through it as I opened doors and drawers. I looked for cracks in the plaster or stains on the ceiling kind of things, sort of a tire kicking approach actually. I had to remember Paul was really representing the sellers but I was finding nothing wrong of any significance and it was getting harder for me not to show Paul I was impressed. I made a second pass through the house and worked at finding the negatives and I managed to voice a couple. "This is really on the very fringe of the area I was hoping for." "I know but I just had to show it to you anyway because it just felt like something you might like." We talked about almost insignificant things like a home warranty and the amount of insulation in the ceiling, all things that could easily be dealt with either before or after the sale. When we were back near the front door I said, "I'd like to have my girlfriend see it as well as a couple of my friends and get their take on it." "That's not a problem at all. The owners are out of town for a few more days yet so whatever time is convenient for you and your friends." "I'll call you either later today or in the morning then." "Does it feel like something that might work for you?" "I don't know actually. Keep watching for something in closer and we'll see." "I won't give up." I told a half truth and said, "I have a couple of friends from the area and they and their girlfriends are going on a hunt for me tomorrow and see if they can find anything. I have a bet with them and if I find what I want within the next week I have to pay up because I told them it would be another month at least." "So if you succeed you lose?" "Yeah but if I can find a house it will be worth buying them a steak dinner and listen to them crow." "Well if you do find this works for you I'll buy that dinner for everybody but you'll have to deal with their crowing." I laughed and nodded saying, "I'll keep that in mind." Actually I'd told a bold faced lie except for the part about a bet but if it ended up with him buying all of us dinner I could live with that very nicely. We had to wait until two o'clock Saturday for all of us to get together and go see the house. Sara, Kay and Nita were thorough in their inspection and considered the kitchen cabinets, the floor plan and on and on. Mark and Charlie on the other hand wandered through, considered where I could have my office, where the television would go and how big the refrigerator was. Within ten minutes the two guys were by my side and saying, "Yeah this is great buy it." "Look you two I'm going to be out about twenty grand if I buy this and that's just from the commission, the filing fees and the moving costs so I want to be sure." "Yeah but you're running out of time and we don't want to watch you wash cars in your underwear." "So I'm supposed to buy this just so you can watch Sara in her panties." "Well yeah hell what did you expect?" "I was kind of hoping for an honest opinion." "Oh...well okay." All I could do was walk away shaking my head in disbelief. Paul was smart enough to stay out of the way and let us pour over the house. He was also smart enough to linger closer to the women for awhile knowing I would listen to what they had to say more than anything from the guys. When we were done we thanked Paul and the six of us headed back to my place to discuss it. Grand Rapids, Michigan isn't the place to hang around outside in early May as a rule and that Saturday was no exception so we settled for coffee in the living room. While the women were involved with their discussion Mark stood with his back to them and looked at me. In a stage whisper he frantically tapped his watch and said, "Come on man you're running out of time here." "I know, I know. Let's see what the women say." "Remember, you only have four days left." "Okay I hear you now sit down." Hell I wasn't eager to wash cars in my underwear that was for sure. It would be far more fun watching Sara do it. I looked toward the three women and asked, "Okay, what do you three think?" "We like it. We don't like how it's painted or decorated but that could be changed." "Okay I agree with that. What about things like the kitchen and bathroom and so forth?" "Pretty nice. Not perfect but then who can afford perfection?" "Not me that's for sure." I didn't even bother to ask Mark or Charlie. "Okay Sara start picking out your car washing outfit." "Not so fast Aaron, first you have to give an offer and then wait to see if it will be accepted and then you have to give them a deposit. Until you do that it isn't yours and the bet isn't decided. Remember you have four days is all." Shit I knew she was right. I might have cut this just a little too fine after all. "Not a problem" I said with a show of false bravery. Chapter Three As soon as his office was open on Monday I gave Paul an offer and tried to act nonchalant. If they came back with a counter offer I was screwed and Sara would have the last laugh plus Charlie and Mark would never let me hear the end of it. Paul didn't know the exact time frame so I figured at the very least we were getting a free steak dinner out of the deal when all was said and done. I didn't hear from Paul all of Monday and again Tuesday until the middle of the afternoon. "Aaron they're making a counter offer of five up from yours." My offer wasn't all that far from their asking price and by now I figured I was screwed as far as our bet was concerned so I said, "Paul that puts it within two grand of their asking price and I'm not interested in that. If they can't see their way clear to accept my offer then I guess we'll just keep looking." "Let me get back with them and see what we can work out." "Will that be today yet?" "I'll see what I can do so stay close to the phone." "Call me on my cell phone." "Give me an hour or two." After I'd hung up I felt kind of silly. I was standing firm over a few grand and stood to lose out on a house that I had decided I really liked. I could sometimes show an amazing lack of intelligence. I was seriously considering calling back and telling Paul that I would accept their counter offer when he called me. "Aaron it looks like you've bought a house." "Excellent, I'll get a deposit to you within the hour." "No need to hurry we can handle it tomorrow sometime." "I'd rather do it now in case something comes up tomorrow." It surprised me how quickly I could come up with lame excuses and lies when I needed to but I had a lot at stake, like my pride or ego for example. Besides there was still the issue of having to tolerate Mark and Charlie if I screwed up. "Okay Aaron I'll wait for you." "I'll give you three grand so you can start the paper work as I drive your way." "See you soon." I made it to the real estate office in just under an hour and had my dated receipt. Now Sara had to pick out her bra and panties and I could relax and strut around her like a proud peacock with his tail spread wide. When I got home I stood in the middle of the living room and looked at the boxes that were stacked in the corner. I was so ready to move that about all I'd have to worry about were my clothes, the kitchen and a few linens. I shook myself out of my reverie and called Sara. "Hi. Do you have your car washing outfit selected?" "You didn't." "Oh yes I did." "I want proof." "Of course you do and I have a dated receipt in my hand." "You shit you're just loving this aren't you." "I'm feeling pretty good." "I suppose you've already told Mark and Charlie." "No that will be my second call." "So when can you move?" "I don't know yet but I suspect it will be a few weeks." "Okay go ahead and gloat lover I admit I was wrong." "See you tomorrow?" "No Sunday, I have to work tomorrow." "Oh that's right. See you Sunday then." I hung up, grabbed a beer from the fridge and called Charlie first. When Nita answered I told her, "Hi. You can plan on watching Sara wash cars in her panties as soon as the weather permits." "You bought the house?" "I did and before the deadline." "You won't make her do that will you?" "Of course I will it was her idea after all." "You are cruel." "Nah I'm gentle as they come but..." "But you have to show off for Mark and Charlie." "Well that does enter into it." "You're terrible. Hold on, I'll put him on." Charlie had heard Nita's end of the conversation and laughed. "Damn it man you did it." "Yes I did but it was so close." "I thought sure it was going to be you that we'd have to watch. So what's the time table for the house?" "I don't know yet but it will be awhile." "It will be good to have you living closer to all of us." "I agree." Mark was next and when I told him he let out a loud whoop. "You did it man." "I was within minutes of failing though." "Close enough. So when do we have the show?" "As soon as it's mild enough to make it tolerable." "We needed a little excitement in our lives." "I have to agree." "So what about the house?" "I'll guess a month but I don't know." "Well congrats man." "Thanks. I'll be glad when it's over though." "Let the movers do their thing and then the six of us will do the rest." "Thanks I'll take you up on it. Oh by the way I think I have a free steak dinner coming for the six of us." "Fantastic, did you win it?" "Nope I negotiated it with my realtor." "Too sweet." "Talk to ya later." "Yeah." The next three weeks went slowly for me and the weather stayed cool and unreliable so we couldn't have our car wash. It looked like it would have to happen at the new house. Just shy of the four week mark we had the closing and I now had my new house and that just left me with the fear of being stuck with my old one and having two mortgage payments that I couldn't afford. Once that was taken care of I would be able to relax and really enjoy my new house. Moving day was exciting and tiring at the same time. I had scheduled it to happen on Friday and I took that day off and by the time the movers were gone I had an hour or so alone until the other five arrived to help me settle in. The women volunteered to handle the kitchen and us guys rearranged the furniture until I was satisfied. When he had the chance Mark gave Sara a hug and said, "You've noticed I'm sure that the weather is getting very nice now." Kay slapped his arm again and Sara just smiled at him. Mark was right though, the day was near for our bet settling car wash. We were done getting me settled or at least the basics were done but the picture hanging and the new window treatments would have to wait a week or two because we had reservations for a free steak dinner. All of us changed and we drove into town to Judson's steak house. I had to admit my real estate agent knew his restaurants. After the big move in day I picked at hanging pictures and then with a lot of help from a window treatment company I solved my curtain and drape problem as well. The weather was no longer an obstacle so when I saw that the weekend was sure to be warm and nice I told Sara that it would be show time come Saturday and then invited the others to join us around four o'clock. Old Man Eli Chapter Four I was a little surprised when Mark and Charlie more or less behaved themselves as we gathered on my little patio for the first time. Sara's car was parked in my backyard and mine was right in front of it. We were actually a little sedate as we had a drink and talked about our week or about some piece of gossip. But the coming event was working on Sara's mind so she stood up and said, "Okay damn it let's get this over with" and stripped to her bra and panties while all of us stared at her and Mark and Charlie took her picture and cheered. I had a moment where I was feeling sorry for her but then I saw her smiling so I had to believe there was some part of her that was enjoying the attention and the flattering comments from us guys. I had to admit she looked very sexy and to watch her wiggle her barely covered ass as she moved around the cars got me a little excited. Had I thought about it I could have seen it coming. As Charlie took pictures with his digital camera rapid fire, Mark quickly got the hose and sprayed Sara making her panties all but disappear and her bra cling to her like a second skin. She had very few secrets from everybody now. Sara squealed and tried to evade the spray from the hose but there again I don't think she tried all that hard. My girlfriend the fairly modest and conservative miss Sara was acting like a fourteen year old with half the football team paying attention to her. I was having a great time as I sat there and watched it all unfold. Even Nita and Kay were smiling and laughing. Sara's close friends were sharing camp with the enemy in a way. At the very least everybody now knew that Sara shaved between her legs except for a thin strip of hair that showed through her almost transparent panties and they all knew that she had nice sized nipples that stood out proudly when the mild air drifted across her soaked bra. I waited until she was completely done with the cars and was standing there with her hands on her hips in a defiant posture before I took a large beach towel to her and she wrapped herself in it to warm up. The grand show was over but it would be talked about for some time to come especially when we all gathered around to look at the photos. I was as curious to hear what Sara, Kay and Nita had to say as well as the guys. Mark and Charlie could pretty well be predicted but what the women would say was more of an unknown. Of course what they said in front of us guys and what they would say away from us might be two different things. In comparison the rest of the day was pretty quiet. We played cards for a little while and then talked and gossiped more. Sara changed the subject by asking me, "Have you met any of your neighbors?" "Not yet. The couple to my south appears to be a little older than my thirty one but not by a lot but I just saw them from a distance too. I haven't seen anybody on the other side or around that old three story home next to that one. I'm just assuming somebody lives in that old place." "Well at least they don't bother you or make a lot of noise." "No I think the nearest family with kids is about four houses to the south. I thought I heard loud voices coming from that house" and I pointed to the north and continued, "But I guess it was a loud television or something because it got quiet after that like maybe they hit the wrong button and cranked up the volume or something. Other than that it's been quiet as a cemetery around here." We all got together for dinner the next Friday night and talked about Sara's show and the photos were passed around the table. Sara's cheeks flushed when she saw herself in just her bra and panties but when she saw how much she was displaying after being sprayed with the hose she really blushed. "My God why didn't somebody tell me I was naked?" Charlie looked at her and smiled. "You're kidding right? Tell you and have you stop? I don't think so." Sara looked first at Kay and then at Nina and asked with a smile, "Why didn't one of you say something." "We just assumed you knew you were naked." "Thanks a lot." It put me in mind of a quote from Shakespeare, "The lady doth protest too much me thinks," as I watched Sara smile coquettishly and complain at the same time. I had Saturday to myself so I went out front about mid day to study what little landscaping there was around my simple front steps. I wasn't a gardener and wasn't interested in becoming one but I did want to plant something to fill in the gaps in the plain areas. As I stood there I thought I saw smoke come from a window of the old three story house two doors down. If I did it wasn't much but I was worried enough to go investigate. I still didn't even know if somebody lived there but if there was smoke then somebody most likely did. I studied the wind closely as I followed the sidewalk in that direction. I saw another wisp of smoke then so I moved a little quicker. Once again I saw smoke so I went to the front door and knocked loudly and waited and the knocked again. I couldn't decide just how persistent to be. Should I barge in if the door wasn't locked? Should I go home and call the fire department? I was ready to go home and do just that when the door opened and an old man looked at me and asked, "What do you want?" "Sorry to bother you but I saw smoke coming from one of your back windows." "Yeah everything is okay." "Okay then sorry to bother you." I turned to go and got about two steps when he said, "Hey." I turned and he said, "Thanks." "You're welcome." "You the new one?" "Yes, two doors down." "Yeah I saw the moving van." He was brusque to the point of being rude and yet even though he was using a sharp tone he seemed willing to talk. "What's your name?" "Aaron. Aaron Paxton, what's yours?" "Eli." "Nice to meet you Eli. Well I don't want to keep you from something, glad it's nothing serious." "You in a hurry are you?" "No, not particularly." "Come have coffee then" and without waiting for me went back inside. If nothing else he had me very curious so I followed him in. I stopped just beyond the foyer area and looked around. It was like I had been transported back in time. I wasn't knowledgeable about the different periods but I was guessing the mid thirties or so. Everything seemed frozen in time. The fabrics seemed sharp and of bright color and yet of a very old style with dangling fringe on a lamp shade, an old fainting couch that looked straight out of an old movie and no modern things like a television or modern lighting. The wallpaper seemed a little old and the flower pattern faded but that didn't surprise me at all. He had electricity it seemed but the room seemed a little dark and heavy. "You coming?" I snapped back and continued to follow him to the kitchen where he poured coffee from an old dull percolator that he'd removed from an old gas stove. I was so tempted to ask him questions but that would have been very rude so I bit my tongue. I tasted the hot coffee and he waited for me to indicate approval so I smiled and said, "Very good, I haven't had percolated coffee in a very long time." "It's the best way to make coffee." He sat down across from me and just looked at me until I was getting uncomfortable so I asked him, "You lived here a long time?" "Seems so sometimes and other times not at all." "Your home is spotless and in such perfect condition." "It doesn't see much wear." There was no thank you for the compliment, just the explanation. "I do a lot of reading" was the last part of his offering regarding his house. I drank my coffee quickly so I could get out of there and a few minutes later I stood to go and said, "Thanks for the coffee." "Sure." I could only hope that if I were to ever return he'd be just a little more verbose. "I don't much encourage people to come here, I'm kind of private." All I could think of to say was, "We all have to find what works for us." "There are many forces that affect our lives, some good and some not so good. Something made you notice the smoke and brought you here. Something made me answer the door when normally I might not. You know people think they choose who they meet in life when in truth life chooses who we meet most times." I made it as far as the living room and saw the old radio. "Eli does that radio work?" "Of course, wouldn't be much point in having it if it didn't." "No I guess that's right. Thanks again Eli and it's good to meet you." "Come back sometime." "I'll do that." I didn't invite him to my house because I had no doubt that he'd say no. Chapter Five I walked back home thinking about our strange stop and start conversation and how philosophical he became at the end. I couldn't decide if I went along with what he said but that didn't matter. The fact that that old man would suddenly become chatty enough to utter those particular words had me thinking about what he said. My mind was no longer on landscaping so I just went inside and abandoned that project for a little while. I put the thoughts of old Eli out of my mind and considered working on my computer but felt restless so I went out the backdoor and wandered around my unimpressive yard. I had raked it and made as much of it as I could some days earlier but it was pretty unimpressive. To this day I have no idea what happened but as I walked across that freshly raked and clean part of my yard I tripped and went down hard. Being young and fairly resilient it should have been of no consequence but somehow I had my left elbow under me and I had the wind knocked out of me so badly that I was afraid I'd pass out for a minute. Her voice filtered into my thought processes and I realized she was standing over me. "Are you okay?" I tried to talk but it wasn't coming easily so I slowly nodded my head yes. "Are you sure, you went down so hard and I was certain you'd hit your head on that big rock." I didn't even remember a rock being there but sure as hell when I turned to look that rock was within an inch of my head. I managed to move enough to get my elbow out from under my side and I got enough breath to manage a 'damn it' before looking up at her. "Hi I'm Kelli Palino." I nodded my head and managed, "Aaron." "Nice to meet you Aaron. Let me help you up." It took a minute but I was finally standing and breathing and gaining some semblance of control. "God Aaron you almost cracked your head on that rock." "I guess I did." "Are you sure you're okay?" "I think so. I can't believe that all I did was fall down on the grass and I thought I was going to die for a second." "I've never seen anybody fall so fast before." I moved my left elbow and let out with an ouch and tried to step and almost fell down again. "This is crazy." "You're just shook up, let me help you inside." I was able to make it but she stayed close to me just in case I stumbled yet again. I sat down at the kitchen table with a grunt and lay my sore elbow on the table. "You said Kelli right?" "Yes, Kelli Palino." "Did I tell you I'm glad to meet you?" "No but you kind of had your hands full." "Thanks for coming to my aid. You'd never know I'm only thirty and right now I'm not even sure of that. How the hell could I trip over nothing and knock myself silly like that?" "I don't know but it sure scared me." "Sorry to interrupt your day." "Don't worry about that I'm just glad you're not hurt." "I'm fine now but I'll probably be sore tomorrow." "Aaron I'm sorry I haven't been over to introduce myself." "That's okay. If nothing else we got to meet each other because of my clumsiness." "The bright side of an unfortunate event." "Sounds like you've been talking to the old man next door to you." "Are you kidding, he's about as anti social as any human can be. Don't tell me you've met him." "Yes I had coffee with him earlier." "That's not possible." "Why?" "I've lived next door to him for months and we haven't spoken six words to each other." "Maybe he hates women." "He sure is a strange one." "I can't argue with you on that one." "So what's he like?" "Curt, almost rude and yet comes up with thought provoking things. I was uncomfortable being there and yet I wasn't. It was a short and very weird visit. His name is Eli but I guess you knew that." Oh so that's his name, no I didn't know it." "That is weird. I'm sorry Kelli I'm being rude myself how about some coffee?" "I don't want to bother you." "You aren't, it's nice to get to know my neighbor." I got up and had coffee making in the Bunn quickly and she said, "Vince, my husband, and I watched as the moving van pulled up that Friday and that's the first we knew we were getting a new neighbor." "Well I'll try not to be as weird as your neighbor on the other side." "You're a refreshing change. The couple that lived here before was strange in their own way too. Civil but aloof is the only way I can describe them." "I'll try not to be that way either." "Were you doing something in the backyard that I can help you with?" "Thanks but no. I was just walking around and thinking about planting a tree or something one of these days. I'm not much of a gardener at all though." "I like that sort of thing at least to some degree." "The only thing I'm good at is ruining perfectly good clothes. I've managed to ruin this shirt with grass stains and I've torn my jeans." "I wonder how you tore your jeans by falling in the grass?" "I don't even know how I could fall in the grass so I can't help with the tearing part." "I can get that grass stain out for you but your jeans are beyond help." "They sure are. Do you think this shirt is salvageable?" "Oh sure I'll take it home with me and get it back to you good as new." "Thank you that would be nice." The two of us talked over coffee for the next two hours or so as we learned about each other, the neighborhood, her husband Vince and I told her about Sara. She suddenly jumped up and said, "Oh I have to get home. I didn't realize what time it is." "I hope we can get together again one of these days it's been nice talking to you." "Thank you I've enjoyed it too. Peel your shirt off and I'll get it back to you in the next day or two." With my sore elbow she had to help me a little and I said, "It's a good thing you were here or I would have had to sleep in it tonight." She just smiled warmly and headed for my backdoor. "Kelli it really is good to meet you and thanks again for coming to my aid." "I'm glad I could help. Step carefully Aaron." "I will." With one little wave and my shirt in her hand she was gone. Chapter Six It was late Saturday morning before I saw Kelli again when she came knocking on my backdoor. I let her in and we shared smiles and warm greetings. Handing me my shirt she says, "I'm sorry I didn't get it back to you sooner." "That's fine thanks again for saving it." "It's no problem." "Have time for coffee?" She looked at her watch and nodded saying, "Yes but I can't stay too long." Once again we sat across from each other and talked about the simple things in life. We talked about me working in a design and research department for after market auto supplies and she told me about her part time job with an insurance company. She asked me about Sara and I found myself telling her things about our relationship both good and bad that when I thought about it later surprised me. I even told her about our bet and what Sara had to do when she lost. She was watching me closely as I told the tale and with a happy lilt to her voice said, "Aaron remind me to never lose a bet with you." I just smiled and took a sip of coffee. She told me a little bit about her husband Vince but not much. Kelli seemed to get nervous then and checked her watch a couple of times before getting up and after saying thanks for the coffee went home. I went over to Sara's in the evening and then we went to dinner from there. I told her about my near disaster and meeting Kelli and the shirt incident. "What's she like?" "Very nice actually. Dresses pretty frumpy but she's attractive in spite of that. We had coffee and talked for quite awhile." "So you haven't met her husband yet?" "Not yet. I told her about you and I even told her about you losing our bet." "You didn't." "Sure, she thought it was pretty funny actually." "She must be pretty easy to talk to." "Yes actually she is." I changed the subject and asked her, "What did Kay and Nita think of the car washing stunt?" "They didn't think I'd go through with it." "Did Mark get into trouble for spraying you?" "She didn't act like it. Did Mark or Charlie comment later?" "Oh yes, you now have two very devoted fans." "Oh I'm sure." "They were very impressed with what they saw and with how gutsy you were." "It was fun and once I relaxed I enjoyed teasing you guys." She paused a second and then asked me, "Has it seemed to you like there is something going on with Nita and Charlie?" "Yeah but I'm not sure what." "It's like there is a distance between them lately." "That's a good way to put it." "I hope it's nothing serious, I think Charlie is such a nice guy." "He is and I like Nita too." "I do too but she has a coolness about her. It's like she keeps a defensive distance from the world." "That is a perfect description of Nita." After dinner we went back to Sara's and as we got comfortable she asked me, "Have you seen or talked to...you know the old man?" "You mean Eli." "Yes Eli." "No. I can never tell if he's even home. Some kid keeps his lawn mowed but that's the only sign of life from over there." "He sure sounds like an intriguing old man." "He really is, I've never met anybody quite like him. I get the feeling there is a wealth of knowledge and wisdom in him but I'm not sure he'd ever open up enough to ever share it with anybody." "What a waste then. Knowledge is most valuable when it is shared." "You're sounding pretty wise yourself today." We spent what remained of the evening together on the couch and talked until she started to nod off. I gave her one last kiss and told her I was going home to bed. About the middle of the morning Sunday I went out front again for another try at assessing my landscape needs. I finally decided what I wanted to do and happened to glance toward Eli's and was surprised to see him standing on his front porch so I headed toward him. When he saw me he just stood there until I was close and then he said, "Thought you might be around." "Morning Eli." "You might as well come in for coffee Aaron." "Thanks I will." We were soon seated in the same chairs as before and he had coffee made almost like he was expecting somebody to come by. "How have you been Eli?" "The same." I didn't know if that meant he was good or bad but he didn't offer more either. "Have you met your neighbor Aaron?" "You mean Kelli?" "I don't know her name." "The pretty one?" "I guess you could call her pretty." "Yes I did meet her. She came to my aid when I tripped over nothing in my backyard." "Like I said before Aaron, life chooses who we meet." "It certainly did that time. She seems very nice." "You fell over nothing you say." "Yes it was the strangest thing. I'd just raked the yard so I know there was nothing but smooth lawn in that area and yet I managed to fall and about crack my head on a rock that I didn't even know was there. Managed to knock the wind out of myself in the process too. That whole incident still puzzles me." "I have a theory about things like that. I call them life forces. I believe there are many forces in this place we call our world. I believe some if not all of those forces have a great influence on us." Old Man Eli "So does that mean you believe in pre destiny?" "By no means, I believe that the concept of pre destiny vitiates human free will. But some force may have caused you to fall. Why you might ask. Perhaps you were meant to meet this young woman...Kelli you said?" "Yes Kelli. But why do you think?" "I have no idea but do you perceive that experience as being a negative one?" "Not at all, I found her very pleasant to be with, very attractive and to my simple mind at least quite intelligent. So why do you suppose it was important for us to meet?" "I'm not a fortune teller so I don't know but time will answer that without a doubt." "I'll say one thing about you Eli, you never answer my questions but you sure give me a lot to think about." He smiled for a second and then sobered up and drank his coffee before topping off our cups. "So Eli do you think those forces determine the general course of our lives?" "Perhaps, perhaps not. But almost certainly they influence us but it's up to us to take advantage of the opportunities they open up to us." I just nodded my head as though I understood what the hell he was talking about. We did talk a little longer and then I emptied my cup and stood up to go. "Eli I really enjoy talking with you, I hope you don't mind my stopping in." "I find your open mind and your curiosity very refreshing and those traits will allow you to grow and experience all that life has to offer you. Your life will be full of mystery and wonder. Question the mysteries always but never fail to appreciate them or embrace the wonder." As I walked toward his front door I once again paused at a painting hanging on the wall. It was a soft pastel of a young couple facing out and he stood behind her, his arms around her waist in a soft embrace. It would catch my eye because even though I was looking at their faces I couldn't tell what they looked like. "You seem intrigued by that painting." "Yes I am. Who are they?" "The painter intends for you to decide that. His intent was to create curiosity and wonder...such as what you're experiencing now." "Yes. Do you know the painter?" "I did yes." I knew I had other questions about it but at the moment they escaped me. "Thanks again Eli." "Come back." He no more than had said that and the door was closed behind me. Eccentric didn't cover Eli. He was a major curiosity to me...a wonder. Chapter Seven Wednesday after work I took advantage of a very warm afternoon and after changing my clothes went to a small shady area of my patio and enjoyed a glass of iced tea. I had been there about ten minutes when I saw Kelli coming toward me with a man next to her that I assumed was her husband. When they neared I stood up and Kelli said, "Aaron this is my husband Vince." I extended my hand and we shook as I said, "Nice to meet you Vince would you two like some iced tea?" "No thanks we can't stay I just wanted you and Vince to meet." "Vince, your wife was a life saver for me." "Yes she told me about you falling and hitting your head." That caught me since I hadn't hit my head but I let it pass and smiled. "No serious injury but it sure got my attention." Kelli just stood there with a small smile as he continued. "So you're all settled in?" "Yes I think so. I still want to do something with this backyard but I can't decide what it seems." "Well we better get home. Nice to meet you Aaron." "And you Vince come back when you two have time." "We'll do that." As they walked away I sat back down and thought about him. It was like he was appraising me or at least that's the feeling I got. He was okay but was short of being personable. I was slightly stockier than he was but other than that we were built about the same. He had very dark hair and Mediterranean features but with the name of Palino I wasn't surprised by that. Judging from his hands I had to guess he worked in an office or at least at a trade that didn't require a lot of physical effort. Of course the same could be said of me at least to some extent. I did have good genes that allowed me to be fairly physically fit without having to spend time in gyms working out. Just don't ask me to do laps around a track because I'd likely die. Late on Thursday Mark called and asked me, "Have you talked to Charlie in the last few days?" "No I haven't why?" "He and Nita have split up." "Damn I was afraid of that." "That's what Kay said too." "So you've talked to him?" "Just briefly." "He doing okay?" "Yeah I think so, in fact I got the impression it was his choice." "What was your take on Nita?" "Oh I always liked her. I couldn't live with her but I liked her." "That's about the same with me. He doesn't have somebody else on the string does he?" "Not that I'm aware of." "Maybe I'll give Charlie a call in a few days just to say hi." "Don't be surprised if he says he's seeing somebody by then." "The ladies do seem to like him." "I should have his troubles in that area." "I heard that." "How you doing Aaron?" "Fine. I met one of my neighbors." "Nice?" "She's a looker." "Oh?" "She's really nice but her husband leaves a little to be desired." "Husband you say?" "Yeah I'm afraid so." "Is this where I'm supposed to ask how Sara's doing?" "Yeah okay smart ass she's doing fine and so are we." "Sorry I couldn't resist. Okay gotta go, I just wanted to let you know about Charlie." "Thanks Mark." After I hung up I called Sara and gave her the news and her response was, "I guess both of us saw that coming." "It looks like it." "So you haven't talked to him?" "No." "Maybe I'll give him a call." "If you talk to him tell him I'll call him tomorrow." "Okay. How are you doing?" "Fine, I had coffee with Eli again." "Really how was it?" "Just as strange as before with more words of wisdom for me to think about. But at least he was more talkative this time." Sara and I talked for another minute and then said our goodbyes and I went to fix some dinner. I had just assumed that once I had moved closer to my friends and Sara she and I would see more of each other but that hadn't happened. We were together most Friday nights and she would stay through Saturday sometimes but that wasn't much different than before. I was seeing Mark and Charlie more often but now with Charlie and Nita breaking up that would likely change too. At least I had a nicer house, I was closer to work and I had a very attractive and nice neighbor. I finally bought the tree for the backyard and started to dig a hole for it. It must have been a couple of minutes before I noticed Kelli in her yard so I stopped and as I walked in her direction I called out to her. "Hey Kelli hi." She looked over at me and paused but then made her way toward me. "Hi Aaron." When we were close to each other I noticed it. "Kelli what happened to you?" "I fell in the living room and hit the coffee table." "Damn that's a nasty bruise on your cheek." "I know but it doesn't hurt much." "Maybe my clumsiness is rubbing off on you." "Maybe that's it." "You doing okay otherwise?" "I'm okay. So you got your tree." "I did. I still need a bush or two for the front though. Do you have time for coffee or something?" "I better not but thanks." "Sure. I had coffee with Eli again." "Really, that's so odd that he's befriended you." "So is he but for some reason I really like him. He must spend all of his days reading and thinking philosophical thoughts because he always has one or two to share with me." "It's nice to talk to you Aaron but I better get back." "Okay. I hope we can get together again soon over coffee." She just smiled at me and headed for her backdoor. My tree planting went so well that the following Sunday I planted two bushes in the front yard near my steps. When I was done I dusted my hands off and stepped back to admire the new look. I felt him before I saw him and when I looked in that direction Eli was on his front step cautiously waving at me. I tossed my shovel down and waved back as I headed over to join him. "Hi Eli." "Aaron." As I reached him he asked, "Done with your work?" "Just done." "Coffee's on." "Great your timing is perfect as always." Eli was getting down right friendly it seemed. As always we sat at the kitchen table and talked. "Eli you said that life chooses who you meet. Do you think it happens for a reason or is it blind chance that dictates who becomes important to you." "I don't believe it is blind chance. It is opportunity that you are presented with. For example you and I met. There is a reason for that and time will make it clear what that reason is. You met Kelli, your pretty neighbor as you put it. There is a reason that you two met. Again time will make it clear why. Now you still have the freedom of choice about what you make of her acquaintance. You have already made the choice regarding me, we have become friends." "There you go again with no answers but more for me to think about." He just smiled and focused on his coffee cup. "Aaron have you ever considered that to ask questions and to ponder answers elevates us above lesser creatures?" "I never thought about that I guess." We talked about lighter things for a few minutes and then he changed subjects and said, "You will be presented with choices in the future. Remember that choices can't always be made by cold logical thought or measured with a yardstick. You must use your heart or trust your instincts. You may be forced to act quickly and decisively. Do what you believe to be right for you and the one you love and you will do well in life." I emptied my cup and he knew I was going to leave so he said, "Come see me again in a few days. Just come over, I'll be here and the coffee will be ready." "I'll do that Eli." I looked at that pastel painting again as I passed it and went home. I did go back a few days later for a short visit and shared coffee and conversation for a short time. Eli seemed somewhat quieter and seemed more reflective or meditative and he didn't share any of his usual tidbits of wisdom or advice until I was leaving. "Aaron keep an eye out for your pretty neighbor's well being." "She has her husband and he seems to be watching over her." "Just mark my words the day will come when it will be very important to heed my advice. Important for both of you." That was the most direct and understandable thing he had ever said to me and I replayed what he said in my mind several times as I went home. Chapter Eight The next week wasn't going well for me. Starting Sunday night the weather went to hell with the sky heavy with clouds and there was a persistent drizzle that just seemed to hang in the air. Stress at work was at an all time high through Wednesday and I was getting on edge. Late Thursday afternoon just before I went home the drizzling rain stopped but the clouds persisted. I still wasn't in the best of moods when I got home so I changed into jeans and went out back to dabble in yard cleaning for something to keep my mind occupied while I tried to shake off whatever was chewing on me. Kelli came out soon after and said hi and came toward me and I felt like everything would be okay now. "Hi Kelli how are you?" "I'm okay, you?" "I'll be glad when this week is over." "One of those bad ones?" "It has been." I saw Vince come toward us and I waited until he was near before I said hi. He came over to me then and before I could react he gave me a sucker punch in the face and knocked me on my ass. I sat there stunned while he told me to leave his fucking wife alone and then as I sat there he backhanded her and knocked her to the ground as well. I got up and as I stepped close to him I dusted myself off like it was over and then hit him with everything I possessed before he could defend himself. I had returned his sucker punch with interest. I'm sure it wasn't stylish but it was effective enough as he reeled back and tried to get his breath. I didn't wait for that to happen. I grabbed his head between my hands and rammed my upper forehead into his nose and cheekbone. I wasn't exactly aiming for anything but after it was over I could tell that's where I hit him. I learned later that the force of my hard head was sufficient to break his cheekbone and move his nose sideways. When I straightened up after the blow he was on the ground on his side and his nose was bleeding profusely. I couldn't tell if he was conscious or not but it was more important for me to see to Kelli than him at the moment. I helped her to her feet and looked at her face asking her, "Are you okay?" She didn't respond for some time as she stood there looking down on her husband as he moaned and bled. I asked her again, "Are you okay?" She looked at me and just nodded then. "I have to call the police but you better come with me while I do that." I didn't wait for her to decide but rather pulled her along to my house and placed the call. Kelli still had a bruise on her face from before that I now knew was compliments of Vince and on the other side of her face was a fresh bruise forming from him backhanding her. My face was somewhat the worse for wear from his fist and Vince was down for the count and they hauled him away in an ambulance. By the end of the day Kelli and I had given statements and been photographed, Both Kelli and I had declined medical treatment and there was an emergency restraining order against Vince so he couldn't come within two hundred feet of Kelli. I had driven her down to the police station for the restraining order and we were riding home in silence when Eli came to my mind. He had said I would have to make some quick decisions and to trust my instincts. I had definitely made a quick decision when I head butted Vince and I did that on instinct. I didn't have time to think it through. Had I though about it I might not of had the nerve or strength to do what I did. I looked over at Kelli sitting there in silence and I asked her, "Are you going to be okay?" She just shrugged her shoulders and looked straight ahead. "Kelli how long has this been going on?" There was no sound from her for a full minute and I was going to let it drop but she finally said, "A few months." "This bad?" She shook her head no so I pressed ahead and said, "So he's getting worse." "Yes." We were almost home when she asked me, "Are you okay?" "I'm okay Kelli. I won't look very pretty come tomorrow but I'm okay." "I still can't believe he did that." "He sure caught me off guard." "That's what he's best at." "You can bet that will never happen again." I had a choice of taking her to her door or to my place so I chose my place and said, "You need a drink before I take you home." She didn't argue and we were soon in my kitchen. I fixed us each a double of scotch with just a splash of water and handed it to her. I tapped her glass with mine and said, "To better days." She didn't comment but tipped the glass up and took a big sip of it and closed her eyes as the warmth of the scotch slipped down her throat. We stood there in silence and had a few more sips and then I put my hand up to her face and gently touched her. She closed her eyes again and started to cry. I just took her glass and set them both down and pulled her close and put my arms around her. She held on to me and cried for some time and I didn't talk but just held her close hoping she might feel safe at least for the moment. That was how we stayed for awhile, standing in the kitchen with my back against the counter and our arms around each other. Kelli had settled down and eased her hold on me a little and we looked at each other. "Aaron where did you ever learn to do that?" "Do what?" "That ramming thing with your head." "I have no idea. I mean I have heard of it but that's all." "Really?" "I'm not a fighter and had I stopped to think about it I wouldn't have had the nerve to do that. I operated on instinct just as Eli said." "What do you mean?" I told her about my latest conversation with him and she just shook her head. "He may be weird but he had that part right anyway." "He sure did." I still had my arms around her and was absentmindedly softly rubbing her back and she just leaned into me and put her cheek against me. "Thank you Aaron for...well for everything." "I couldn't stand by and watch him hit you and not do something. I like you and I know you deserve far better than that." "Would you do one more thing for me?" "Of course." "Would you walk me home?" "Whenever you're ready." She took one more sip of scotch and said, "I'm ready. I just hope I can sleep tonight." "Let me show you something" and I led her to my bedroom door. If you find you don't want to be in that house alone come back over here. My backdoor will be unlocked so just come in and sing out." "I don't want to ruin your sleep too on top of everything else." "I'm serious. Come back over and I'll see that you're safe and comfortable." "Thank you it helps just knowing I can do that." I walked her home and when we reached her door I stopped and said, "Call me in the morning or just come over okay?" "You have to work tomorrow." "The world won't stop turning if I'm late or don't show up." "Okay." I tried to pick a spot that wasn't likely to be tender and kissed her cheek and stepped back. "Remember, if you can't sleep come over." "I will. Goodnight." "Night Kelli" and I went home to bed. Chapter Nine I had little trouble sleeping and woke just after seven. I got my shower out of the way and then dressed and went to make coffee. I was just nicely into my second cup when my backdoor opened and she slipped in. "Good morning." "Oh hi I didn't know if you'd be up yet." "More or less how are you this morning?" "I'm okay how about you?" "I'm fine." "You're bruise is bigger." "Yeah he got me pretty good. Are you hungry?" "Not very but you go ahead." I made some quick eggs as we tried to talk about anything but the altercation and I kept her coffee cup full. Before I could get any farther than standing up to put my dirty dishes in the dishwasher she was up and did it for me. "You don't have to do that, I'm supposed to be taking care of you." "Oh and why is that?" "Because I want to." She stepped forward and kissed me lightly and said, "You've already done more for me than you realize." I didn't know what to say to that other than, "Have you decided what you'll do now?" "Yes." "Please tell me it isn't forgiving him and letting him come home and hit you yet again." "No that isn't an option." It wasn't my business what she was going to do but I wanted to make sure she wasn't going to fall into that battered spouse that keeps going back for more abuse. Kelli actually smiled and asked me, "How will you explain your bruise at work?" "I'll tell them I fell in the yard." She gave me another embrace and said, "I'm okay Aaron I really am. I have an errand to run so I better get going." I quickly wrote down my phone numbers and told her, "Call me if you need anything or if I can help you in any way or better yet just come over." "Thanks I will but I'm stronger than you think." "I'm sure you are." After she was gone I had a few more sips of coffee and then changed and went to work. I went over to Sara's Friday night and we were to meet Mark and Kay for dinner. I hadn't said anything about my encounter with Vince to anybody so when Sara saw me her eyes went wide and she asked me, "What did you do?" "I didn't duck." "Duck away from what?" Old Man Eli "Vince's fist." "Vince who and...what the hell happened?" I shared every detail of my encounter with Vince and the police and of helping Kelli as best I could. "So she's okay?" "She looks a little like me right now but she seems okay." "What will she do?" "She didn't share any details with me but I got the feeling that she was going to make some changes in her life." "God I hope so." "You know it's really weird. I had talked to Eli a couple of times not long ago and he told me to as he put it 'keep an eye on your pretty neighbor' and something about her needing my help or something like that. How could he have known to say that?" "That is strange. You and Eli are becoming pretty good friends." "He's so strange but I do enjoy talking with him." "So you saved your pretty neighbor, she must see you as her hero." "I seriously doubt that." "Well you really were." "I just happened to be there when Vince went nuts is all. It was kind of frightening in a way because when I saw him backhand her I wanted to beat the crap out of him." "Had you seen what's her name a lot or anything like that?" "Kelli. We'd had coffee a couple of times and I'd talked to her in the backyard a time or two but that's all." "I guess he objected to that." "How would he even know unless he was spying on her." "Maybe she told him." "Why would she do that and ask for trouble?" "I don't have answers just questions." "I've been getting a lot of that." We met Kay and Mark at the restaurant and as soon as they saw me Mark smiled and jokingly said, "I told you to leave that woman alone." "Very funny." Sara added, "Actually it really was over a woman." I shook my head and defended myself saying, "It wasn't over a woman but it did involve a woman. I'll give you two the unpleasant details inside." I went through my tale once again and they were as mystified by Eli's comments as I was. Once I was done Sara said, "We should have invited Charlie to join us." Kay agreed and Mark tried to stir things up by smiling at me and adding, "Maybe we should invite your neighbor too." I gave him a crooked smile and said, "Charlie doesn't need our help." "I wasn't thinking about Charlie, I want to meet this woman that got you into that fight." Then Sara added, "Yes maybe I should meet her too." I wanted to get away from that subject and asked, "So what's the latest with Charlie?" There was a short pause and then my Sara came back with, "I went to see him the other day after work. He seems in good spirits actually." "No more info about Nita?" "He just said it was time for him to move on. We talked for a long time but that was all he said." Kay then finished it with, "Okay then the next time we get together we invite Charlie and your neighbor Kelli." I was glad when the conversation finally moved on to other things but I was having trouble keeping my attention with our little group. I didn't see or hear from Kelli for almost two weeks and my one attempt to go see Eli ended in failure when he didn't answer his door. I talked to Charlie and he mentioned that Sara had stopped in to see him again and that didn't surprise me a whole lot because she had said she thought he was a nice guy. I was home from work no more than ten minutes when I heard a knock on my backdoor and then Kelli poked her head in asking, "Mind if I come in?" I gave her my best smile and went to her saying, "Hi it's good to see you" and we shared an embrace. I held her at arms length and surveyed her before pronouncing, "You look great, even better than before." "Thanks. I'm sorry I've been neglecting you." "I'm sure you have had your hands full." "I have." "But you look so radiant things must be coming together for you." "They really are and I feel better than I have in a long time." "What can I get you?" "How about something cold and another hug." I took her in my arms and softly told her, "I've missed you and worried about you." She held me close and said, "I've missed you too and thought about you every day." Chapter Ten Kelli seemed more relaxed than I had ever seen her. She hadn't mentioned what was happening regarding Vince and technically it was none of my business but I asked her anyway. "Feel free to tell me to mind my own business but...how are things between you and Vince?" "I have a full restraining order against him and I've filed for divorce. He's out on bail of course and there is no trial date set yet but I suspect the lawyers will work out some kind of plea and he'll get a reduced charge." "I'm sorry for what you've had to go through but I'm glad you're safe now." "I feel like a great weight has been taken off of me. Vince was such a great guy in the beginning and we had a lot of fun together. What caused him to change I'll never know. Maybe he was hiding who he really was all along." "You seem almost like a different person." "I can be myself now and not have to worry about him catching me buying something he thinks I shouldn't or that I'm talking to my special neighbor." "He didn't seem to like me very much." She laughed and confirmed that with, "No he was sure you were out to take me away from him." I gave her a light kiss and said, "It's a good thing he couldn't read my mind." She looked at me for several seconds and then stepped back a little and asked me, "Have you seen Eli?" "I tried but he wasn't home but I'll try again, maybe this weekend yet. Oh speaking of weekends I'm inviting you to join us for dinner this Saturday night." "Really?" "Yes, there will be six of us if you'll consent to joining us." "Your girlfriend will be there?" "Yes." "How does she feel about this?" "She seems fine with it." "It's obviously a good thing she can't read my mind" and she laughed. "But you will come won't you?" "Do you really want me to or are you feeling sorry for me?" "You don't need my sympathy I really want you to." "I'd end up feeling like a fifth wheel." "I'll see that doesn't happen." "Be careful or you'll get hit again but by your girlfriend the next time." "You're worth the risk." We talked a while longer and before she left I told her I'd pick her up Saturday at six for dinner. Saturday morning about ten I went over to Eli's and knocked on his door. I found I was relieved when he answered and even smiled. "Morning Aaron the coffee is just done." "How do you manage to always have fresh coffee when I see you?" "Another mystery or another wonder?" There he went again with no answers just more questions. I had many questions but for most of them at least I knew I'd never get a straight answer. He always had an unshaved look and yet his facial hair never got longer. It was a short stubbly dark gray for the most part and just added to his aura. His slight build and strong penetrating eyes completed his look along with his slightly forward slant when he walked. Somehow I knew I could know him for years and still never really know him. Was he eccentric? At the least. Odd? By most standards yes. Unbalanced? Perhaps to some but not to me. He was a harmless old man with a very sharp mind that just didn't work quite like mine or most likely most other people and I always looked forward to our short visits. As was so often the case, as I was saying goodbye to Eli he had one more thing to tell me. "Come over tomorrow morning at nine. No sooner and no later." Simple as that, no explanation or any more information. I just looked at him and nodded in assent, glanced at the painting by the door and went home. What could he possibly want precisely at nine Sunday morning? We both knew I'd be there. I went to get Kelli right at six and when I saw her I rudely stared at her. It wasn't because of her beauty so much, though she certainly was very attractive, it was just her pure and simple. The way she had dressed, her makeup and hair, her smile and her sparkling eyes. She was sexy and yet had a demure quality. I was under her spell instantly. I silently took her hand in mine and stepped back as I held her hand up and looked at her in an appraising way. My eyes went over her and I smiled like a happy drunk. Earlier I had mentioned how she dressed kind of frumpy but that look was long gone. "You are so awesome, so perfect." "Thank you Aaron. You are sober aren't you?" "Completely sober but totally overwhelmed by you." "You better not let your Sara hear you say things like that but I' glad you approve. I'm not over dressed am I?" "Not at all. I can't wait for the others to meet you." She stepped close to me and brushed my face gently with her hand and gave me a light kiss. "Aaron I'm so flattered and happy that you find me attractive but be careful okay? I don't want you to spoil your evening just to please me." "We'll be fine but as long as I'm alone with you I am compelled to tell you what I feel about you." She smiled and paused and then said, "Maybe we better go." "Maybe we better." When we picked up Sara, Kelli dutifully got into the back seat and we headed for Sanders Glen Steakhouse. Charlie was there ahead of everybody and had a table large enough for the six of us. I was going to watch and see how long it would be before he started to hit on Kelli because I had a bet with Mark it would be under half an hour. The introductions were made and Charlie and Mark in turn complimented Kelli on how nice she looked. Sara sat to my left and Kelli was at the end to my right with Kay and Mark across from us and Charlie at the other end next to Sara. Our first round of drinks was delivered and conversation went on continually and Kelli didn't have to feel like a fifth wheel. Between Mark and me she had no time to feel left out. After half an hour I had lost the bet with Mark because Charlie and Sara were having a great time. I behaved myself but my thoughts were never far from Kelli and I found seemingly innocent reasons to touch her arm and even put my hand around her once for a moment as we shared something funny. Kelli and Kay seemed to really hit it off and Mark all but forgot about Sara, Charlie and me. Kelli's magic was working on him too. Her hand would touch mine as she made a point or to seemingly get my attention as though she really needed to do that. I did pay attention to Sara too though and she seemed comfortable and was having a good time so I wasn't worried that I had overdone it with Kelli. It was a bit of a tightrope walk for me but the evening went well and our dinner turned into cocktails at the bar for awhile before I took Sara home and then headed to Kelli's house. Chapter Eleven I walked Kelli to her door and we stood there for several minutes and talked. "Aaron I really like your friends and I had a wonderful time tonight." "I'm glad you like them because they certainly like you." "I hope so and I hope it wasn't to terribly uncomfortable for you." "Sara and Charlie were having so much fun that it was easy." "They do like each other that's for sure." "They always have." We looked at each other for a second and then came together in a warm kiss that went on for some time. "I was going to ask you in but I don't think that would be a good idea at the moment." "Thank you for going tonight." She kissed me once more and then slipped inside. I felt like an old fashioned teenager left on the doorstep of his girlfriends house while her father waited inside tapping his toe impatiently. I managed to get up Sunday morning in time to shower and wake up a little bit before I was to go see Eli. He said right at nine so with less than two minutes to go I went out the front door and headed toward his house. I made it as far as Kelli's house when she came out the front door too. "Well good morning Aaron where are you headed?" "Good morning I was on my way to see Eli." "I was going to get my Sunday paper." "Come with me, it's time you two at least met." "Are you sure he won't slam the door on me?" "I don't think so." "Okay let's see what happens." We slipped our arms around each other and made our way to his front door. I rapped on the door firmly and it slowly eased open. I looked at Kelli and then through the door into the semi darkness of his living room. "Eli," I called out, "Eli it's Aaron." Still no sound or signs of life. Kelli and I let our arms drop and I went through the door first. The whole house seemed dark after being out in the sunlight but as my eyes adjusted I started to notice how dusty and dirty the place was. "Aaron is it okay?" "Yes you can come in." She stood next to me and her eyes slowly adjusted too and she said, "I thought you said the place was immaculate." "I don't get it, it's never looked like this." I took a few more steps taking me deeper into the house and I called out again. "Eli it's Aaron." Still nothing so with Kelli hanging onto my hand we eased through the kitchen and then through the rest of the house. I tried to turn a light on but it didn't work and I looked at Kelli again. "This is weird beyond words." We ended up back in the living room and then Kelli said, "Aaron here's a note to you." I don't know how we missed it when we came in but I picked it up and even before reading it I said, "Kelli look. There is dust on the note and no dust under the note, just a rectangle of polished wood in the middle of all that dust." I started to read aloud. "Aaron. I'm sorry I couldn't be here to receive you and Kelli. I know you must have so many questions now especially as curious as you are by nature. All that I have told you I believe to be true and I have enjoyed your company over those many pots of freshly brewed coffee. I know how the two of you feel about each other and you have no more need of the ramblings of an old man. Kelli I admire your strength and resilience. Aaron has mentioned his very pretty neighbor on many occasions and I must agree with him on that point. My apologies for not being more sociable but I felt I was here for a reason and that precluded my desire to make your acquaintance. Aaron you have long admired that painting by the door so please take it as a token of our friendship. Here is one last bit of interesting information. Did you know that Eli was the fourth son of Aaron in the Bible? Of no real significance I'm sure but interesting none the less. Good bye from your friend and mentor, Eli." I looked at Kelli and asked, "How is it that he could make me feel so enlightened and yet I'm still in the dark. None of this makes sense, it's...it's all impossible and illogical." "What is that painting he mentioned?" "Oh just a small thing that caught my eye the very first time I was here. It isn't even all that impressive. Here I'll show you." We stepped over to the wall and I pointed at the little painting and my knees almost buckled. Kelli reached up and gently removed it from the wall and whispered, "It's you and me and you have your arms around me. That's not possible." She looked at me and then back at the painting again and then we just wrapped ourselves in each other and stood there like that in silence. I finally looked around once more and said, "Let's go home." We stepped out into the bright sunlight and looked at our painting once more to make sure it was real and smiled at each other as the door closed behind us with a click. I turned the knob but the door was locked tight. It was just one more of the many mysteries surrounding Old Man Eli. With our arms around each other again we walked slowly home and Kelli kept looking at the painting in wonder and then would look up and me and smile. I still had his note in my hand as the only other evidence that he had ever entered my life. That and Kelli. Somehow I knew that without him I would not have my arms around her at that moment. I couldn't explain it, I couldn't diagram it and I couldn't measure it with a yardstick but I knew he was in that house to bring Kelli and me together and keep us safe. When we got back to Kelli's she put the painting down on the table and I laid the note next to it before we embraced each other so hard it was difficult to breathe, but that led to a hard kiss which led to more. For some time then I didn't even consider Eli. Kelli and I were making love and just sharing love for quite a while. I felt so overwhelmed by my love for her it was like nothing I had ever experienced before. We proclaimed our love for each other many times over the next few hours and looked at our painting again and again. He was right, life is full of wonder and mystery but I wouldn't want it any other way. Chapter Twelve I left Kelli's about three o'clock because I had to talk to Sara and I wasn't looking forward to that at all. I called her and told her I wanted to come over and talk to her. She sounded guarded so I had a feeling she knew what was coming. When I got to her place she let me in and we went straight to the living room and sat on the couch. There was no way to sugar coat it or make it easy for either of us. We had been together for quite a few months and I thought the world of her. We'd had a lot of fun together and I had assumed we would end up falling in love and getting married. But it didn't happen. "Sara...I'm...we...I'm seeing Kelli." She didn't cry exactly but tears were appearing and it was killing me to see her hurt. "I'm sorry Sara I really am. I didn't mean for this to happen." She swallowed a couple of times and looked down as she said, "I talked to Kay this morning for quite a while and she had a feeling there was something between you two." "I've never meant to deceive you and I never planned any of this." "Kay apologized because it was her idea to have Kelli join us for dinner. If I hadn't been so involved with Charlie I might have noticed myself." "Sara it was already too late by then but I just hadn't accepted it yet. Sara I hope you don't hate me. I think the world of you and I treasure our memories." She didn't say anything so I stood up and kissed her cheek before leaving. Even though I loved Kelli I went home with a heavy heart and it was still hard to realize that it was over between Sara and me. In the coming weeks Kelli and I were together almost all of the time. Either she was at my house or I was at hers. We were getting together with Mark and Kay fairly frequently and as time passed Kelli seemed to get happier and become more carefree and I loved her all the more for it. One afternoon Mark was teasing her and he said, "I'll bet you'd never strip to your underwear and wash cars for losing a bet." "I'll take that bet. And just what makes you think I wouldn't?" "I...I just know it." "The only trick there is to get me into the position of losing a bet. Now would you have the nerve to wash cars in women's panties to settle a bet?" "In women's panties? No way." "Oh so you're chicken." "No but...why women's panties?" "Because they are a lot smaller and skimpier than your skivvies. For you to wash cars in your underwear would be about the same as a bathing suit." "Yeah well I'd do it. But like you I'd have to lose a bet first." "You just did." "What?" "You bet me I wouldn't do it but I called your bluff. So...you lose and Kay and I watch you wash cars in a pair of her panties." "Now wait a second." Kay laughed and said, "I have the perfect pair for you honey." "No...I...Aaron don't you have something to say?" "I think you've been had buddy." Kay kissed him and said, "I think next weekend is open for us." The only one not to laugh was Mark. We were still laughing when my phone rang so I picked it up and it was Sara. "Um...hi Sara how are you?" "I'm okay. Do you have a minute? I have a question." Old Man Eli "Sure how can I help?" "Tell me about Eli. I mean really tell me the details." "Sure okay, hold on a second." I covered the mouthpiece and told Kelli what was going on and she broke out in a large grin. "Sara why do you ask?" "I'm just curious. I have been seeing Charlie and well...then I met this guy. Well based on what you told me before about amazing things happening and somebody suddenly coming into my life...I'm sure I've met Old Man Eli. The End.