I sat behind my desk as the rays from the morning sun flooded my office. I swivelled my chair and looked morosely at the empty buildings decaying on the city square.
One of those blighted buildings was the site of my proposal fiasco. Six years had passed since the humiliation before the entire town. Six long years of being the butt of jokes throughout Washington County. Six long years of being laughed at behind my back.
The restaurant has moved on. Staci has moved on. David has moved on. The city moved on. The whole damn world has moved on. The only one who hasn’t moved on was me chained by heritage and necessity to the Camden Bank & Trust.
The intercom buzzed.
“Troy, Mrs. Fuller is here to see you.”
I felt a slight irritation before I said, “Send her in.”
Before the door began to open, I was out from behind the desk walking to the door as it opened.
“Let me get that, Mrs. Fuller,” I said with some alarm at the big box the woman was toting.
Damn it, Janet, you should have carried this in for her, I thought. I looked at the thin attractive brunette escorting the frail old lady. I took the box and quickly put it on my desk and then assisted Mrs. Fuller to her chair.
“How are you today, Mrs. Fuller? Is there something I can help you with?”
“Why no, child! I just wanted to bring you a lug of heirloom tomatoes from my garden. I still remember how much you love them!”
Despite all the worries I felt, my spirit lightened as I recalled all the trips in Mrs. Fuller’s garden as a child. Planting and digging up potatoes, onions, and peanuts. Setting stakes for tomatoes. Stakes for peas and bean crawlers to cling upon. Endlessly watering cantaloupes, honeydew melons and watermelons. Picking and shucking corn. Climbing apple, peach, and plum trees to gather their bounty.
It was amazing that what now I perceived as drudgery was once a joy as a child. Maybe civilization has it backwards, I speculated.
“Mrs. Fuller, can I get you something to drink?”
“Well, I wouldn’t say no to a glass of lemonade or sweet tea, if it isn’t too much trouble.”
“Of course not! Miss Temple, if you wouldn’t mind.”
Unseen by Mrs. Fuller, Janet Temple winked at me and said, “of course, Troy.” She left to complete the errand ignoring the subtle look of irritation on my face.
I sat in the chair next to Mrs. Fuller as befit her status of Very Favored Customer. “Are you sure I can’t help you with something today, Mrs. Fuller?”
I saw the hesitation. The kind old lady was struggling on how to approach the dilemma.
“Mr. Williams-”
“Troy, Mrs. Fuller, I’ll always be Troy to you,” I interrupted her softly. The lady smiled her gratification at my deferring to her status transcending mine.
“Thank you, Troy. I have a situation. I need a personal loan of $20, 000.”
At that point, Janet Temple entered the office with a tray with two glasses filled with ice cubes and a pitcher of lemonade. She poured the drinks and then excused herself.
“… I need the loan, but I don’t have anything to secure the loan,” said Mrs. Fuller shamefacedly.
Don’t do it, don’t do it, don’t do it, don’t do it, my brain commanded.
“Can I ask you why you need the money, Mrs. Fuller?”
“It’s my grandson, he’s finishing his last year in college but something happened to his paperwork for his student loan. I told him I would try to pay his tuition for him until the paperwork snafu is resolved.”
“How long would you need the money for?”
I mentally sighed as I realized that I was going to do it.
“I can pay it back in a year’s time, Troy. He will have the paperwork cleared up on his other loan and that will be applied against your loan. In addition, he will be getting money from a grant and he will reimburse me. Also, he should have a good job after he graduates, so payments will not be a problem.”
“This is for Paul? Your daughter’s eldest boy? They still live out in Seattle?” I enquired, trying to remember Donna’s son and the few times I met him when they came to visit Mrs. Fuller. Then, I remembered being in lust with Donna Fuller so many years ago. But, that was just a wayward adolescent fantasy. I smiled ruefully as I put the past to rest.
I mentally worked out the payments as we continued to talk and asked her if the monthly payments were in her range. She paused and asked what they would be for a year and a half. Not trusting myself 100%, I took out a calculator and told her the result. She agreed that was suitable and I dialed Tom Jenkins, in the Loan Department and told him the terms and to prepare the loan documents for Mrs. Fuller to sign.
We spent the next thirty minutes recalling past events and enjoying lemonade. Then I escorted Mrs. Fuller to the Loan Department and directed the very capable Tom Jenkins to take care of Mrs. Fuller.
Mrs. Fuller insisted on giving me a kiss on the cheek and said, “Thank you, Troy. You remind me of your father. Not too many bankers would give anyone an unsecured loan these days.”
“Mrs. Fuller, your family has always banked with us. I know your word is good enough,” I assured the old family friend. “You just keep sending me tomatoes… and maybe an apple pie?” I begged and Mrs. Fuller laughed and said I would have one tomorrow.
I walked back to my office only to find Janet Temple sorting through the tomatoes and separating the ripe reds from the greens.
“What are you doing with my tomatoes?” I asked.
“Troy, we’re going to have BLT sandwiches for supper tonight.”
“Who is this ‘we’ you’re talking about, Miss Temple?”
I walked up behind her and nudged myself against her. She smiled as I folded against her. I knew her mischievous brown eyes were twinkling as I gripped her hips and felt her push her derriere against me.
“By the way, it wouldn’t hurt to be a little more professional here at the office, Miss Temple.”
My penis was already stiffening and seeking to probe her ass when she dreamily sighed, “Yes, Mr. Williams.”
She turned around and faced me and brought her arms around my broad shoulders. “You’ve gave her an unsecured loan, didn’t you?” She gave me a soft kiss, “And you lowered the interest rate so we won’t actually make any money on the transaction.”
“Yes, I did, Janet.”
“That’s Ms. Temple to you, Troy,” she corrected her errant boss and gave me another kiss. “If you keep being a sucker for every hard luck story that comes along, you won’t be in business much longer.” She moved to nibble on my ear.
“If that happens, I’ll just take my tomatoes and find a job somewhere.” I kissed her cheek and neck and reached and gripped her tits.
“Our tomatoes,” Janet corrected as she put her hands over mine.
“My tomatoes,” I replied as I gently caressed her tits.
“Ours”
“Mine”
“Ours”
“Mine”
A soft giggle was heard coming from my office.
**********************************
It turned out that Bacon, Lettuce, and Tomato sandwiches were the fare du jour at my apartment that night. And Janet Temple was a much welcomed dessert.
As dawn was beginning to break, I woke up and bumped around getting ready for my morning jog. Once dressed in my running attire, I kissed Janet on the top of her head which brought a smile from her as she stretched herself awake. “Why don’t you come back to bed and get your exercise here?”
“Don’t tempt me. Are you going to shower here or back at your place?”
“Why are you asking?”
“Because I don’t want to start taking a shower and get hit with ice cold water because you used it all up,” I explained.
“I could wait on you and we could share a shower,” Janet suggested. I paused. “No?” She pouted sadly. “Well, I guess I better go home and get dressed for work,” she sighed and collected her bra and panties off the floor.
“When are you just going to start leaving some clothes here, Janet?” I asked.
“It would simplify things.”
“Oh Troy, let’s not get that started again. You go have a great run, I’ll take a quick shower and I’ll see you at work.” She kissed me and pushed me on my way to go jog as she prepared to clean up.