Garret © Copyright, LdyJessika, 2000
LdyJessika@aol.com
All Rights Reserved – Copy/Duplication Prohibited

Garret watched her sitting at the diner counter drinking her usual cup of coffee. He watched her while she never looked to her right or to her left. She sat as if the world was not around her, as she sipped her coffee. The diner had opened at 4 am and per usual at 4:15 he heard the front door opening and she walked in. Her voice was always pleasant but distant, "Hi Garret, is it too early for a cup of coffee?" He would laugh, "Hasn’t been too early for the last six months that you’ve asked the same question, Kimberly."

Pouring her a cup of coffee Garret went over to the front door and checked the sign. He noticed her looking at his action and he explained, "Sign in the window says I’m closed today to take inventory. I close the diner once every six months." He saw her quickly getting up and apologizing. He quickly said, "NO! It’s okay, Kim. You can sit while I do all this counting of spoons and other utensils. Stay?"

Her eyes looked haunted and her voice said in a lower tone, "I can’t sleep. I have nightmares and getting out of the house helps. The walk to town across the field makes me relax."

Garret watched her holding the coffee cup in both hands as if warming her palms. He also noticed her shoulder length auburn hair and hazel eyes. He estimated her age to be late 40's. He had asked another customer and had found out she was divorced, inherited the house a year ago from an Aunt, moved to town from the city, and always stayed to herself. Garret had followed her a few times through the small town they lived in and she never seemed to stay at any store for a length of time, other than his diner. She was always pleasant to the other storeowners but very aloof when anyone asked her personal questions.

Walking back behind the counter he poured himself a cup of coffee and leaned on the counter in front of her. "Kim, if you’re not busy for the next few hours can you help me counting stock in the back room? But, if you’re busy I’ll understand."

Her haunted eyes looked outside at the dark sky where streaks of the morning were trying to break through, banishing the night. "Well, I don’t want to go back outside right now. It looks like it’s about to thunder and lightening."

"Well, the weather report said it’s going to rain this morning. Kim, how about helping? Want to bring your coffee, or else you can sit and just relax here if you prefer."

He had started toward the back stock room with two clipboards. He smiled because she picked up her coffee cup and followed him. Handing her a clipboard he put a box in front of her. Then, sitting cross-legged on the floor he pulled another box from a corner and dumped silverware in front of him onto the floor.

"Kim, I'll count the spoons and you can count forks. The knives are three different types but in another box. I'm not sure how much silverware I have. I'm kind of messy when it comes to keeping track, until customers complain I set the table with two spoons and no fork." He gazed at her looking down at the silverware and realized she was either very nervous or didn't think his stab at humor was funny. "Kim, look, if you'd rather not count this dusty stuff I'll understand."

Her hazel eyes looked up from the handful of spoons she picked up and she said, "These match the spoons and forks in a box in the attic of the house. There are quite a few of them at the house. Do you want them?"

Garret had always wanted to see the inside of the Vander farmhouse. He'd heard about it his entire life from tales his parents would tell him when they visited his Uncle. It had always belonged to the family since they had moved to the US. The front porch had a beautiful two-seater rocker-swing and he remembered watching an older couple at dusk sitting in it. Then he couldn't quite remember what had happened since he had gone into the military service. When he returned and moved to town the house was empty and boarded up, until last year when Kimberly Vander came to town.

His thoughts were interrupted when she repeated her question asking him if he wanted the silverware in her house and he stammered, "I'll pay you for them. It would nice to have sets again. Are you sure?"

She laughed and it sounded so unusual to hear her laugh, "Yes, quite sure! I only need one of each and I don't plan on having dinner parties of any type. I'll bring them over later if you want them."

Garret didn't look up and tried to sound indifferent when he answered, "Well, I have to go to the market later today so how about if I just swing by and throw the box in the back of the car ? You can leave them on the porch if you don't want to be bothered by someone stopping by." He counted the forks marking down the count of the good ones and throwing away the bent ones."

Finally he heard her voice but it was low and hesitant, "Well, the box is under quite a few others. When I moved here I had the moving company put mine on top of them because I didn't think I'd ever need them. Would you mind helping me move the other boxes in the attic?"

"GREAT!" Garret had blurted it out so quickly he shocked both of them. For a moment they just looked at each other. Then he quickly looked down saying, "I meant that's great that you'll let me have them, and I can stop over and get them later, and get this all finished up."

She didn't say anything else and within an hour they'd finished things up. They'd continued small talk about the diner and Garret explained he'd inherited the diner from his Uncle who had lived alone. At first he'd intended to sell it but then there was something about it that made him want to open it again. At first no one in town came to eat there and he'd thought he'd have to close it. Then one by one people had started coming in and now he didn't travel back to New York during the week. He explained that for a while after returning to town he'd work part time in the city taking the train two hours round-trip. Now, he just ran the diner and it was enough for him. He'd tried to ask her a few questions but she didn't give him any personal information other than she'd lived in NY and had decided to move. The only personal thing she said was she missed her dog in the city but didn't elaborate when asked about her dog.

He wanted to scream, move from doing what? Move, why? What did you do in NY? What happened to your dog? But, he just listened and didn't ask any more questions. One thing this town frowned on was asking too many questions about each other. Gossip was plenty without having to ask anyone anything. He figured he' wait until 3:00 when Walt would come in for his afternoon grilled-cheese and French-fries. Walt was in his 80's and knew everyone that had come and gone in this town.

As they finished their counting he walked her to the front door and smiled saying, "Well, I guess I better turn this sign around and earn some money. I’ll stop by later today about 6:00 or will that interfere with your dinner hour?"

Kimberly chuckled, "Oh sure that will interfere with the dinner party I was planning. That will be fine and I only have sandwiches for dinner. I personally hate cooking but guess that’s good for your business – especially those triple-decker sandwiches you serve." She walked out the door and when she walked across the street she turned. She saw him waving to her and laughing she waved back. Then, she turned and jogged across the field back to her house.

Once inside her house she started to relax. It was the only place in the past year that she felt truly safe. The house was old but in excellent condition and only needed a few windows replaced and a new hot water heater. All in all she felt she inherited the perfect house and kept the furniture and style the same as the day she first entered it. The only room she had changed was her aunt’s sewing room into an office for her computer. She'd moved into her aunt’s bedroom keeping the oak, four-poster bed. The house had linens, heavy quilts and everything she'd need. The items she'd moved from New York were her books and office equipment. The rest of her furniture and linens in her house she couldn't take and left them. Walking into the bathroom off her bedroom she started the water into the old, tub. One thing she loved was the way the tub was deep and large. Only old tubs had the depth you could sit in with water up to your shoulders. Running the hot water into the tub Kimberly poured in her favorite scented bubble bath – Lilac. As the fragrance filled the air she pulled off her jeans and shirt. Facing the mirror she slowly unhooked her bra and let it slide slowly over her breasts. The only extravagance she allowed herself was her lingerie. The soft or silky feel against her body made her feel special – even if she was the only one that ever knew about those feelings. Sitting on the side of the tub she slid her black lace panties down her legs and then stood in front of the mirror naked. Smiling at her reflection she thought not bad for a woman her age and then slid into the tub. The warm water caressed her body and the lilac scent titillated her senses. Closing her eyes she let her mind and body relax to the warmth that enveloped her.

The water was soothing and her thoughts for some unknown reason focused on Garret. She imagined him kneeling at the side of the bathtub and his voice in that deep tone that he had saying – spread your thighs for me Kimberly.

She imagined his strong hands reaching into the water and pushing her thighs open. His slender fingers reached for her pussy. She listened to someone moan in pleasure and as she realized it was her moaning in pleasure imagining his fingers sliding over her secret flesh. She heard him telling her how he’d always wanted to sink his fingers into her depths. To finger fuck her until her body was his. His eyes burned into hers as her body pushed onto his fingers, feeling them start to move within her. Looking down at her own body she knew it was her own fingers inside her, but she still imagined him fingering her. His fingers now moved faster and her nipples were hard and pointed. She opened her legs flinging one over the side of the tub to spread them wider. She was open. She was in need as she felt sensations tightening within her. Closer and closer she climbed to that special feeling - her pussy being stretched by three fingers. Her body arched on the feel of fingers fucking her. The water sloshed against the sides of the tub as her movements gyrated under the water. Higher…closer. Finally shifting her hips in provocative rhythm ecstasy burst through her body. She heard herself cry his name as a shattering orgasm raced through her system, leaving her breathless and satisfied. Her eyes were closed as she felt the water still lapping at her breasts and she realized the water was cooling. Standing up in the tub she reached for the thick terry cloth towel wrapping it around her body. Stepping from the tub she dried off. Having been awake the previous night from nightmares she rested on her bed falling into a peaceful sleep for the rest of the day.

Chapter 2

Garret drove home before going to Kimberly's house. Before leaving he called a friend of his in the city, "Jim? This is Garret. No I'm not selling the diner and moving back but I have a friend I need some information on." After hanging up he drove to Kimberly's and knocked on the door.

It only took a moment and there she was. He'd expected her to answer wearing a dress but she was in sweatpants and a large well-worn sweatshirt. He smiled thinking of how he'd envisioned her coming to the door in a white summer dress with her hair flowing around her shoulders.

"Uh, Garret, hello?" She'd waved her hand in front of his face.

"Oh, sorry Kimberly I was thinking of something. Still okay for me to come in and get the silverware?"

Smiling she opened the door wider and stepped to the side as he walked past her. She closed the door and asked, "Would you like a cup of coffee? Not as good as the diner but maybe you can show me how to make it a close second?" He followed her past the living room noticing a rocking chair with a pile of books next to it in front of a fireplace. The living room had old furniture in it and he thought that perhaps she didn't have the money to purchase new things. But, as he walked into the kitchen and saw the original surroundings he realized she liked the things the way they'd been when she first moved into the house.

He asked, "Kimberly, are you planning on updating things or keeping the house the way it is?"

He saw her bristle when she replied, "Why, is it too old for your taste?"

Garret chuckled, "Down, woman! I didn't mean any harm. I like the house the way it is. I was wondering if you did. Here, let me grind that coffee - you don't have enough beans in the grinder to come close to my coffee."

Laughing she handed him the grinder and sat down at the kitchen table. "Garret, would you ever move back to the city?"

Garret looked over his shoulder at her. He liked how relaxed she seemed sitting at her kitchen table with her chin resting on the palm of her hand. He noticed she'd her hair pulled back in a pony-tail, and wearing the extra large sweatshirt she looked very vulnerable. He smiled and answered, "No, Kimberly, that’s that last place I’ll move. In fact, I like it here and I'm not going anyplace. How about you?"

She just smirked, "Well, life has its way of changing things that you think will never change. But, I like this house and it's mine so I'm not planning on moving."

Putting a fresh cup of coffee in front of her he said, "Then I'll have to make sure things don't change. You're my only early coffee customer. I can't have my customers leaving town. Bad for the business."

They laughed and began to talk about the town. Suddenly Garret stood up, "Darn, I have our sandwiches in the car . Be right back."

She waited and sipped her coffee admitting to herself that she liked his company. When he came back into the kitchen she liked that he didn’t ask but went to the kitchen cabinet and took out two dishes putting the sandwiches on them. Laughing she said, "Hey, make yourself at home. The dishes are over the sink."

He grinned, "Sorry, guess I should have asked, but this is your favorite triple-decker sandwich?" Holding the plate out as a peace offering he smiled when she took it and eagerly started eating the sandwich.

She explained, "I know I look like I’m starving but I took a bath and then fell asleep until fifteen minutes before you knocked on the door. I didn’t eat all day and I'm just famished."

Garret grinned, "And here I thought it's the way I made a triple decker! Well, then, eat up and if you’re still tired we can go get the silverware another day." He grinned even wider when she said she wanted him to stay and that it was nice to finally have someone in the kitchen to share a sandwich.

They finished dinner with small talk about their houses - what he was fixing at his house and what repairs were needed to hers. Then, standing up Kimberly took the plates and placed them in the kitchen sink. Turning to him she said, "I’ll do these later. Let’s get up to the attic before it gets too dark." They proceeded up the first flight of stairs and walking down the hallway Garret quickly glanced into the rooms. When he past one particular room he stopped and stared into it. He knew it had to be Kimberly’s bedroom. The old oak posts on the bed and the feminine cover and pillows reminded him of her.

He heard her whisper close to him, "Not very impressive but it was my Aunt’s and I love the room."

His thoughts were that it was very impressive. Not wanting to make an issue and having the urge to pull her into her bedroom he continued walking. When they came to the middle of the hall she turned to him and asked if he could reach the trap door that pulled down the staircase to the attic.

Glancing at the ceiling he reached the handle and in a moment they were climbing the stairs into the attic. The attic seemed like a portal into the past. All the original extra furniture was still there and trunks of clothing. He noticed at one end was a window and there were stacks of boxes from floor to rafter. He asked, "Is the silverware over at that end?" When she nodded he walked to the back corner of the attic and started lifting the boxes until he found one marked "Diner." He wondered why it was labeled diner when to his knowledge her Aunt and Uncle had never owned a diner. Dragging the box to the middle of the floor he opened it finding everything neatly wrapped and in sets. He asked, "Kimberly, did your Aunt and her husband ever own a diner?"

Her reply surprised him when she explained that he wasn’t her Aunt’s husband but her Aunt’s brother that had always lived at the house. Her Aunt and Uncle used to laugh that the town had thought they were married, but it kept the town from bothering them with eligible men and women so they never told anyone. Plus having the same last name had made the town think they were married rather than brother and sister. Kimberly knew that her Aunt had loved someone because of entries her Aunt had made in a diary she'd kept but she never mentioned a name in it.

As they sat on the attic floor going through the boxes marked "diner" it was clear that the boxes belonged to Garret’s diner. Kimberly remarked, "I guess my Aunt was storing all of this for your Uncle and he never came to get any of it and then things happened and it stayed here in the attic. I’m glad you’re taking them so they go to their rightful place."

The sun was setting and Garret knew he’d have to leave soon. There was something about Kimberly that made him want to stay in this house. There was something about the house that felt familiar and comfortable. "Well, Kimberly, I guess I should take this box downstairs to the car ."

She was startled, "I didn’t mean to keep you. I’m so sorry, I forget time when I come up here to the attic." Quickly standing up she headed for the stairs before Garret could explain. She’d already gone down the stairs into the living room when he came in carrying the carton.

"Kimberly, can I come back in if I take this out to the car and talk more with you?"

She looked up from the couch, "Why?"

Garret stood there and for once in his life wouldn’t back down, "Because I find you interesting, I’d like to talk more and I like your company. So, how about it?"

He stood there shuffling from foot to foot waiting for her answer. He could see she was thinking over what he’d said - she finally said okay.

He walked over to the chair by the fireplace and looked up at the mantle. He noticed pictures of her aunt and uncle and then he noticed the dual frames that were heart shaped. Standing up he walked over and looked at a picture of his uncle looking back from one heart and the other had his uncle with his arm around a woman. Turning to her he said, "Do you know who this man is?"

Kimberly stood up and looking at the small pictures in the frame had no idea who the man was, but since it was there she hadn’t removed it.

Garret said, "That’s my uncle. The owner of the diner!"

Kimberly looked at him with an astonished look on her face then said, "That's my Aunt. Come with me. In my aunt’s bedroom is another picture."

He followed her into the bedroom and sat down on her bed as she rummaged under it coming up with a shoebox full of mementos and pictures. "Here, Garret, look through this and see if it refers to your Uncle."

Garret opened the shoebox and immediately recognized his uncle with his arm around a woman as they stood on the porch. It was this house. "Kimberly, is that your aunt in this picture too?"

They began to go through the letters and realized that her aunt and his uncle had been lovers for years. What they couldn’t figure out was why they'd kept it a secret. Neither of them had been married and they couldn’t think of a reason that they’d have to meet in secret. Garret said he’d ask a few discreet questions in town but that he’d make sure not to raise any suspicions. As they were studying the contents of the shoebox their shoulders touched - neither moved away. Garret was reading a letter when he said, "This is interesting what this letter says. I’m very attracted to her and know that we’d make a wonderful couple. I only need her to realize that I want her."

Kimberly grabbed the letter from his hand, "I’ve never read that – wow, that’s interesting that she'd never realized it?" As she read the letter it was about moving from the city and didn’t mention anything of what Garret had just read. Looking up from the letter at him he turned his face away from her.

He said, "Sorry, that wasn’t fair of me but I just wanted you to know how much I like you." He could see that was the wrong thing to say and that she suddenly got very distant. Standing up she grabbed the shoebox and put it back under the bed and said in a formal tone, "This is being snoopy into the past and we shouldn’t be doing it. We’d better go back to the living room and I think it would be a good idea if we called it a night."

Garret said fine and instead of following her into the living room walked out the front door getting into his car without saying goodnight. He drove back to his diner and called his friend Jim to see if he ran a check on Kimberly. Luckily it turned out she wasn’t a wanted felon or anything just a messy divorce case. What his friend did find out was that she had a dog that her ex-husband refused to let her take with her and the veterinarian recalled that the dog had been a gift to her from her Aunt. Garret was amazed Jim could find this all out in a few hours but then found out it was all in Court records and Jim’s girlfriend worked at the Court. The only reason Jim’s girlfriend remembered the case without looking it up was because of the dog and how a woman named Kimberly broke down crying and only wanted the dog and nothing else. Her husband's attorney used her only wanting the dog to prove she was unstable and unrealistic. She'd also known the woman had a nervous breakdown but that was all she had remembered other than she was so mad she could hardly do the stenography for the case..

Garret hung up the phone and drove back to Kimberly’s. Banging on the door she finally opened it up. She thought he looked like a crazed person and asked, "Garret, what happened? You look mad enough to punch someone!"

Garret looked into her eyes and said, "I might just punch someone if I have to but not you. I need to know only one thing – Do you like me at all? Even the smallest bit?"

Kimberly thought maybe he was ill with fever and she hadn’t realized it before, "Garret, come in and sit down! I’ll get you a glass of water or tea or something!"

"I’m fine, Kimberly, just answer the question. Please, a lot rides on your answer!"

They were standing on the dark porch and he took a step closer placing his hand on her shoulder, "Please, Kim, it's really important that I know the answer."

Kimberly was shocked but could see how urgent it was to him, "Well, we've known each other about a year but you don't know very much about me. You may not like me after this but before I moved here I had a nervous breakdown and my husband left me. I was hospitalized and not very much of a wife. Also he kept my dog and I was so upset that I took my car and ran it through the front gate of the house when he wouldn't let me in and then I got arrested."

Garret only said, "Do you like me and whose dog is it?"

Kimberly laughed, "Yes, and mine."

Garret pulled her against him, "Kimberly, I love dogs. I love all kinds of animals and no one takes a dog away from its rightful owner. Come on we're going to get your dog first and then we'll talk about us!"

Grabbing her by the hand he pulled her toward the car . She tripped down a stair and stammered, "You can't get onto the property and it’s over an hour to get there, what about the diner?"

Starting the car he grinned, "Diner has a sign that says be back later - went to get a dog."

As the first hour of driving went by so did her reluctance to be with him. They talked about her Aunt and Kimberly explained she'd found more letters and that it seemed her Aunt and his Uncle had been very much in love but liked their own lives.

Garret laughed and said that he thought their relative's lives were very much entwined since the bedroom at the back of the diner was very obviously for two people. He'd noticed that when he'd first moved in and still had, in a box, the feminine brush and clothing that had hung in the closet. Now he realized that it all belonged to Kimberly's Aunt.

Pulling the car off the road to grab a cup of coffee they sat in the car drinking it. They had only about fifteen minutes left of driving and Kimberly wanted to stop and think about what they were doing. Sitting in the car she began to get nervous about what they were about to do and said, "Garret we don't even know if he still has my dog or he gave her away. He didn't really like her so I don't know why he made it impossible for me to keep her."

Garret answered, "I had someone check - he still has her. They're both at the house. You said he lets her out every night in about a half hour?"

Kimberly's voice was low, "Garret - isn't this stealing? I don't want to get arrested."

He pulled her into a hug, "Don't worry - for me this is a walk in the park. I used to be a private investigator." Hugging her his lips found hers and she felt warm and soft in his arms. He kissed her slowly but when her hand gripped his arm pulling him tighter to her he kissed her with the need in him. His hand tentatively rested on the swell of her breast and then gently squeezed. When she sighed he knew he wanted her to come. He wanted to hear her whisper his name. He lifted his head and whispered, "Kim, no one can see us, please let me touch you?"

He felt her answer in her body as she kissed him and pushed against him. His hand cupped her breast and his other hand slid under her skirt. In the back of his mind he knew they were on a mission and he didn't want to rush, but there was no time. His hand found the leg of her panties and his fingers slid under them to find her wet. Her whimper letting him know it was okay filled him with pleasure. He massaged her clit and then pushed his finger into her moist pussy. He felt her pushing onto his fingers as she whispered to him that she had imagined his fingers in her. In a few minutes she was whimpering his name and he whispered, "Come for me Kimberly. Come on my fingers like I was fucking you with my cock." He felt her arch her back and push onto his fingers, then felt her coming…he continued to pump his fingers in and out until her body quieted. Continuing to kiss and hold her he looked into her eyes and said, "I've imagined doing this in your attic, in my diner and in your bedroom but I sure didn't imagine my car. I loved every minute…I hope you're not very upset that it was the car."

She smiled at him and answered, "I beat your imagination. I imagined us in the bathtub."

He chuckled, "The bathtub? Now that sounds interesting!"

Fixing her skirt she laughed, "It was rather interesting and I'm not sorry we just did that in the car. Sometimes things are best not being planned."

He smiled and starting the car they drove to the back gates of the house where she used to live. He noticed she got very quiet and he could tell she was afraid to even be back in the area. He tried to reassure her and said, "Kim, don't worry, this won't be hard at all. Give me your blouse so the dog recognizes the scent and put on this sweatshirt and just wait here. You did say your dog was friendly and not a watch dog?"

Kimberly laughed, "Dixie will even tell you where the safe is if you give her a cookie. Make it ice cream and she'll open it."

He quickly kissed her and disappeared into the surrounding bushes on the property. Minutes passed and just as she was going to get out of the car to go look for him she saw that the back gates were opening. She ducked down onto the front seat when she saw two men walking out through the gate and look down toward the car. Her mind was in a panic when she heard the back door open. It was Garret! "Thanks, Jim. I couldn't have pulled this off without you. Go on girl get in the car with the blouse and look in the front seat!"

Kimberly jerked upright just as the dog picked up her scent and jumped over to the front seat. Garret quickly got back in, started the car and pulling out onto the street sped to the highway. He only said, "I don't think she'll be missed for about a half hour and then we should be a good way out of town. We made it look like she got out where there was a break in the fence so he may just think she got out and went roaming."

Kimberly was kissing the dog and hugging her, "That would be about right. She was always getting out of the yard and heading all directions. Sometimes she'd be missing for days before coming home."

The drive back to town seemed faster then it had been to get the dog but Garret figured that it was just their nerves now calming down. They pulled up in front of her house and she got out with the dog. He sat in the car not wanting to intrude but she leaned back in the car and said, "Garret aren't you coming inside?"

"Kimberly, I don't want you to feel obligated or anything because I helped get your dog back. I want you to be with me because you want to be with me."

Kimberly for once felt secure and said, "Wait a minute." She ran up the stairs and put the dog in the house then ran back and got into the passenger seat. Smiling at him she said, "I want to be with you because you're the only one up early enough to make me a cup of coffee. I want to be with you because something about this house and your diner seem to want to be together. But more I want to be with you because for once I'm not afraid to be with someone and it feels right being with you."

He pulled her into his arms and after a long satisfying kiss they walked into the house together. The last conversation heard before the door closed?

"Kimberly, coming to the diner with the dog in the morning for coffee?"

"Yes, what time do we have to open it up?"

"Well, the customer I used to have that early in the morning I'll be serving her coffee in bed so we can sleep late."