Making it in Chesterville - Chapter 7



Enrolling Annie in College

Things are settled (Kinda)

I had to get back to work so I left a note and some money for Annie and said I would meet her at a restaurant for lunch and told her how to get there. She met me and I took the afternoon off.

After lunch I showed her how to get to the college and back. While we were there we went over the buildings and she met her instructors.

I could see she was getting excited about finishing her formal education. I could also see she was still a little nervous about staying with me. I never made an issue of it to anyone but I owned the apartment house I lived in.

No one knew I own it and the same for another one I had bought.  I had a nice apartment set up in the second one for clients who came to town but after thinking about it I took Annie to the apartment and showed it to her.

I said, “If you still feel nervous about staying with me then I’ll set you up here in this one.”

She said, “It is gorgeous but I’d just as soon stay with you.  My being nervous was not caused by distrust in you but by everything coming on me at once; Living here in the big city, going to college, and not being able to pay for it.”

I just said, “Okay living with me it is, time to go shopping.”

Her clothes were getting somewhat out of date and I said I wanted her to look her best when she was out and about.  I wanted her to look good at every occasion so we spent more than I expected but that was alright. I could take her anywhere and she would fit in.

She was now going to school, I was back to work full time and I never once gave thought to what or why I was doing all this. Somewhere way back in the reaches of my mind something was urging me on, and I was at a loss…

She has a date

After two weeks at school Annie came home and said she had a date and hoped I didn’t object.

“No, no it’s okay but who is he?”

“He is one of the instructors, not one of mine but another one.”



She has a Date !

“Okay I’m glad you told me just make sure you have cab fare home in case you need it.”

When she started to leave she took some money from her hiding place and folded it up. She pulled up her dress and slipped it in the top of her stocking. She caught me staring at her leg and began to tease me.

Boy, that hurt being caught looking at her upper thigh like that. What was worse she was wearing some lace trimmed panties and going out with someone I didn’t know.

I knew there would be guys after her but this happened rather quickly and I wasn’t as prepared for it as I thought, I wish I hadn’t saw that thigh!

It was then I realized that I might have some feelings left over from the past at least enough to make me jealous of anyone who wanted her at any level. I determined not to sit and worry about her so I called a lady I had dated before and we went out for the evening.

She wanted to know if I wanted to come up for a while saying, “I make a very nice breakfast.”

“Thanks, but I have some work I have to finish so I better scoot.”

She said, “Oh well another wasted evening and closed her door.”

I got back in the cab and said, “Take me home.”

This cab driver knew me for I had used him many times. He said, “Looks like you missed your chance with her,” which I ignored.

I wanted to get home and check on Annie and didn’t want to talk. The cabbie, Joe talked incessantly but I was so deep in thought his palaver was just a drone sound in my ear.

I paid Joe and rushed upstairs to check on Annie. I looked in all the rooms but she wasn’t home yet.

My emotions ran the full gamut from rage to a calm understanding.  I wanted to kill the interloper who had projected himself into my Eden like the serpent of old.

It was an hour later when I saw them arrive.  I stiffened and watched.

He tried to kiss her but she turned her face and allowed a peck on her cheek only and came into the house.

I felt better when she came in seemingly unscathed. I looked up from a book I had grabbed and said, “How did the evening go?”

She said, “It went as you might expect. He had a few drinks, talked about himself, and asked me to move in with him.”

I wasn’t sure I heard her right so I repeated; “Asked you to move in with him?”

“Yes asked me to move in with him, does that seem farfetched to you?”

I said, “No but it is something I would have rather he didn’t say.”

With each of her dates, I went through much of the same thing.

She had begun giving me a good morning kiss on the cheek when she greeted me each day. It was something I was looking forward to. If she missed doing it my whole day was off kilter.

We went along like this for several months till she was almost ready to graduate.

Then it happened before I knew it.

TO BE CONTINUED