Getting By

Jerrod spent over an hour with the ladies visiting and to his surprise laughing occasionally at their stories. He also felt some angst when one or the other of them would spend some time talking about their departed loved ones and how the loss affected them. Not all the women were widows. Most were but some of them had lost either a child or another loved one and felt the need of the support group. One woman, in particular, seemed especially vulnerable to him. She was pale, mousy looking and seemed on her last legs physically and mentally.

After he had spent a little time with the women Jerrod finally managed to get away pleading exhaustion. He went to his room and tried to sleep. Finally at nearly eleven p.m. the noise either died down or he became so exhausted he drifted off to sleep in spite of it.

The next morning he and his mother were drinking coffee on the patio when he asked about Gail, the young woman who had caught his eye. "Son Gail is a really sad case there. That poor woman lost her little four year old girl and both her parents the same day in an accident. She had been working part time at McDonalds and living with her parents. She had left a pretty good job in town to move home and help care for her father. He was in the beginning stages of Alzheimer's and had become too much for her mother alone. They own their own home; or rather she does now on the south edge of town. Her parents had been trying to live on their social security and I'm afraid they let the house become really run down. Thankfully they had some life insurance and Gail got it but she still doesn't have a very good job. We've all been trying to help her but she refuses cash and a lot of our other donations. We're at our wits end.

A few mornings later Jerrod was in the local café for coffee and to catch up on his friends and neighbors. He was no different than many other people who lived in small town America. Jerrod frequented the local café many mornings for coffee with neighbors and a dose of gossip. He asked several of the men what they knew about Gail and where she lived. All knew of her but none knew anything very specific. She apparently kept to herself even before her family died. They did know an ambulance chaser had talked her into filing a lawsuit over the accident. Public opinion differed on the merits of the case however. Many thought she might win some settlement even if it was just to make the lawsuit go away. The accident had been caused by some of the local high school students driving recklessly after school ended. They had roared out of the parking lot as Gail's mother was approaching the driveway. The kids pulled out in front of her and she reflexively turned the wheel away from them as she slammed on the brakes. Gail's parents had been in a small subcompact car. Gail's mother lost control of the car and it went into a ditch then rolled and slammed into a tree. All three occupants died at the scene.

After coffee Jerrod drove past the old house Gail lived in. His mother was right. It was in terrible shape. There were a couple of broken windows with plywood nailed over the pane that was missing. The yard was tall and unkempt. Some shingles were missing also. Jerrod felt upset that someone was living like that. Oh, he knew intellectually that some people lived in worse but for some reason this case bothered him. He decided to see if he could help a little.

Jerrod remembered some old windows and other lumber stored in the back of the shop. He also thought there was some shingles there too. He turned his truck toward home and the shop to see what he could find that might help Gail. He loaded the shingles and returned to her house with his tools. No one was home when he arrived so he just decided to replace the missing shingles. The color didn't match but what he had was better than no shingle at all. The roof really needed to be replaced completely but his fix would take care of the worst of the problem for a year or two he hoped.

Jerrod was completing his work at dusk when Gail came driving up in her old beater mustang. It sounded like it was on its last legs and looked even worse. He did not see any body panel that did not have a dent in it. The way the Mustang sounded he was surprised it would even drive down the road. "Jerrod," she said. "What are you doing on my roof?"

"Well Gail I heard you were having some problem with your house. I had some old shingles and other material stored in the shop and I thought I could help you out a little."

"Did I give you permission to do anything with my house? NO! I don't think so. Why do you think you have the right to just begin messing with my house?"

"Look, I'm sorry if I upset you. I knocked on the door and you were gone. All I did was replace a few shingles. You need some help and I can provide it. Would you please get off your high horse and just let me help a little? I can also repair or replace some of the windows and maybe do some other repairs if you would let me. Look, this stuff was just lying around home. I don't intend to charge you anything if that is what is worrying you."

Jerrod and Gail argued back and forth for several minutes. She was still adamant that she would not take his charity. Finally he said, "OK, OK. I get it. Look, I had a part time helper but he quit the other day. How about if you help me in the cabinet shop and I will make some of the repairs here on your house for you? If you work in the shop with me we will sort of trade help with each other."

"OK, Jerrod. I do need some help here. If I can pay my way by helping you I suppose it would be OK but I want to make sure my labor covers all the cost of materials and your labor. That's the only way we will do this."

Over the next three weeks Gail worked part time with Jerrod. She kept her job at McDonalds and worked with Jerrod around her other work schedule. There wasn't much time for her to help with the repairs to her house because she was working 30 hours a week at the Mickey D's and another 20 plus with Jerrod. Many times Jerrod would go to her house and do some of the work without her. When his mother's Support Group found out what he was doing for Gail many of them showed up occasionally to help him. They repaired outside woodwork, replaced window glass and in one case the entire window. They repaired damage inside, redid some of the plumbing and fixtures then they painted. Gail's house was painted inside and out. Their last work was to clean up and mow the yard.

On the day the projects were all completed Gail came home to find the entire Support Group at her home. Many local businessmen who had donated either time or materials to help with the project were there too. When she saw her friends there and walked through the house with them she couldn't help it. She broke out in tears and to his surprise threw herself into Jerrod's arms. She hugged him tightly and buried her head in his chest as her whole body shook with her tears.

Finally the party wound down, her friends left. Jerrod was the last to leave. As he was going out the door Gail grabbed his arm and turned him back to her. She wrapped her arms around him and gave him a deep soul searing kiss. Jerrod felt himself get hard then Gail was grinding her belly against his cock. She pushed back from him and looked him in the eyes. Her eyes were glistening with unshed tears. "Thank you so much Jerrod. At least now I have a house I can live in safely. I'm sorry I gave you so much trouble at first. I really do appreciate your help."

Gail smiled and continued, "I have kept track of the time you spent here and some of your personal material you have donated. I intend to work with you at least until I repay every penny you took out of your own pockets." She gave him another quick kiss then pushed him toward the door. "Now get your butt home. We have work to do tomorrow."

Over the next two months Gail became indispensable to Jerrod. She was a natural at woodworking. He could see the time when she would be as good as or better than he was. Additionally he found her to be an intriguing and sexy woman. At first they began giving each other a hello and good bye kiss occasionally then when they finished a piece they would hug and kiss. The kisses became longer and longer. Jerrod began taking Gail out for meals on weekends then they began going to some of the local clubs for a beer and dancing.

Jerrod began spending some nights at Gail's home with her. The first time Jerrod stayed with Gail he slept on the couch because he was too drunk to drive home. One night after a big job was completed they took the next step. Their drinking and friendly kissing morphed into more, much more. They slept together for the first time.

Over the course of the next several weeks Jerrod began spending all his nights with Gail. They became lovers and he was beginning to wonder if they were in love. Gail was only 7 years older than he was. That would work wouldn't it? He told Gail he loved her. She smiled and cupped his cheek with her hand then gave him a gentle kiss. "Jerrod Honey. You know it would never work. I feel a lot of affection for you. It might even turn into love sometime but it would just never work. I could never give you children. I had female problems after my first child and had a partial hysterectomy. A man needs children to carry on for him."

Jerrod was hurt. He was hurt deeply and vowed to himself he WOULD NOT lose another woman. Three was plenty. He didn't count the two girlfriends he had and lost in high school. He vowed to keep up the pressure and win her heart completely this time. He backed off. Slowly Gail began to warm to Jerrod again but she quit letting him spend every night at her house. They were now just friends with benefits. Sometimes she seemed a little distant to Jerrod but he persevered.

Jerrod was hurt when the rumor mill let him know Gail had been seen in town with another man. He asked her about him and she blushed. "I'm sorry you had to find out that way Jerrod. A really great friend of mine moved back to town a while back. He looked me up and I have been seeing him off and on. He's just a friend Jerrod but at one time we were pretty close. I really like him Jerrod and I want to keep seeing him like I do you. I have been looking for a way to tell you for the last three weeks but I have been afraid to. I was afraid I would hurt you like those other women did and that would just kill me."

Jerrod was hurt when Gail verified the rumors. He still held out some hope though because Gail was still seeing him several nights a week and they still had sex occasionally. He felt he still had a chance with her even though she had told him she didn't think they would work as a couple. Gail seemed happy with the arrangement and Jerrod decided to accept it for a while longer before he tried again to become exclusive with Gail.

One evening after work Gail asked if they could just sit and talk in the break area before she left. She seemed nervous and looked scared. Jerrod wondered what she meant by wanting to talk before SHE left. He had offered to take her out to eat because it was Friday and they went out together a lot of Fridays. They were visiting about the day's work when Jerrod heard a car door close then the door into the shop opened. A man he had seen visiting with Gail occasionally walked into the room. Gail glanced at Jerrod then rose and rushed to the man. She wrapped him in a tight hug then gave him a quick kiss.

Gail turned to Jerrod and wrapped her arm around the man. She looked really scared this time. She took a deep breath and said, "Jerrod Perry and I have to talk to you Honey. I know you think you love me but, for me, that feeling just isn't there for you. I like you a lot and have loved our nights together but I need more and so do you. Perry and I have been seeing each other off and on for several years. He had been out of town for the whole time after you moved back. I would talk to him on the phone occasionally but we weren't together then. He came back to town about three months ago and we got back together. Jerrod he asked me to marry him and I said yes. I love him more than any man I have ever known and he says he loves me too. I couldn't just walk out on you. We had to face you with this in person.

Jerrod I know you may feel like I have dumped on you like the other women in your life did but I had to do this. I had to follow my heart. Everyone deserves happiness and love in their life and Perry does that for me. I will quit and you will never have to see me again if that's what you want but I, we would really like it if I could keep working here with you and be friends."

Gail smiled and looked up at Perry. She placed her hand on his chest and turned to Jerrod once more. "I just don't want the benefits with the friendship any longer. I'm sorry Jerrod."

Jerrod sank back into his chair. He felt empty, hurt but for some reason the anger he had felt when his prior relationships failed didn't come. He wondered about that for a moment then the thought hit him. He knew Gail was not for him. He had never been romantically attracted to her. He had felt sympathy for her at first then love but not the deep soul searing love one should feel for a wife. It was more the love one had for a sister—no for a good friend. They had been drawn to each other because they were lonesome. They used each other to satisfy their need for closeness and sex but there was no real connection in the other ways that counted.

Jerrod looked up at Perry and Gail. He gave her a sickly smile and said, "I know Gail. I'm sorry too. I think deep down I knew we weren't meant to be. I do love you and I know you love me but not that way. I would like it if you would keep working for me and I'll try not to be a pest about the other." Jerrod smiled a little more pleasantly and continued, "I would be lying if I said I wasn't just a little hurt and I will admit I will really miss the benefits but I understand."

Jerrod turned his head to Perry and said, "Perry I hope you realize what a special person you are getting here. I hope you can overlook our past and let Gail keep working here with me. She has a real talent for this kind of work. I think she can become a big name in the business if she keeps at it. Please take care of her for me now."

Within the week it became common knowledge that Jerrod and Gail were no more and she and Perry were. Jerrod took some ribbing around the town but for the most part it was minor especially when he seemed so happy for the couple.

One morning Doris walked up and sat at his table with him. She was in her early 60's as far as he knew. Jerrod had visited with her some because she was a regular at the café but he didn't know her well. She sat and they gossiped for a while then she said, "Jerrod I know you build new cabinets and some furniture but I have a problem I would like you to help me with. I have some cabinets your father made me years ago that need to be repaired. I know I could buy new ones but I really like these because my husband cut and cured the walnut lumber they are made out of. Could you help me out and make the repairs?"

"Doris if it was any wood except for walnut I would tell you not to bother with them. That wood is so expensive I expect it would be cost effective to make the repairs. I don't normally do things like that but I suppose I can see what it will take at least."

Jerrod made an appointment to visit Doris's house and see what was necessary to repair her cabinets. She lived in another of the old houses near Gail's. Her house needed painting and some outside work also but the yard was neat and she had some pretty flowers in appropriate places.

When Jerrod entered her house he stopped in amazement. It was neat as a pin and filled with what he instantly saw was solid wood furniture. The paint was faded and the carpets threadbare but everything was clean and well cared for. All her furniture was old but it glistened. Her kitchen was filled with old appliances and was spotless. He did notice the faucets were dripping in the sink. The back screen door sagged slightly and the screen wire was rusty. He stood looking at the cabinets though with sorrow. Some of the doors were gouged and much of the finish was worn off. They needed new counter tops. The old Formica was worn through to the black undercoat over much of the work area. A couple of the doors had come unglued.

"Doris I think I can fix it all but I really can't give you a good estimate on the cost. All I can do is charge you by the hour and add the cost of materials. I can give you the exact cost for new hardware and a new counter top if that would help."

"I don't care Jerrod. These cabinets mean the world to me. I'll find the money somewhere but I have to fix them. My husband gave them to me when we didn't have enough money to hardly get by on and I don't intend to lose them. They are one of the few things of his I have left now. I don't have a lot of money but I will pay whatever it takes honey. If you would be willing could I do some of the work on them myself? I would need you to tell me how to do the work but I would really like to do it myself to save money if you think I can."

Doris gave Jerrod a small smile as she stared into the distance of time gone by. She continued, "I helped him you know. We went out into the woods and cut the timber for them ourselves. I helped him load it and haul it to the saw mill too. We had to cut three times the amount we needed because the mill took a third of the lumber to cut it for us. Your Daddy took another third of the lumber for making the cabinets for us. I always thought he should have taken more but that is what he wanted. My Samuel helped him some and he said that was enough. I surely did love that man. Sometimes he would do without so I could have something he knew I wanted. I sure miss him sometimes."

Jerrod felt his heart cry for Doris. Just looking at her and listening to her he knew she and her husband had been perfect for each other. He was sure now the three women he had thought were "the one" had not been. He hoped he could eventually find someone like Doris and his mother had. He looked more closely at the cabinets and told Doris what she needed to do to get started. He helped her take off the doors and told her the stripper she needed to purchase to clean the old finish off them. He told her how to do the job and advised her strongly to keep windows open to let the fumes out when she began working on the installed portion of the cabinets. He even suggested she use a fan to pull the fumes out of her house. After she had stripped the doors that needed repair he picked them up and took them to his shop for the work.

Several times when Jerrod stopped over to see how the work was coming Doris was 'friendly' with him. He didn't know how to handle her. He didn't want to say anything to her for fear it would hurt her feelings but he was sure she was rubbing her big ole boobies on him on purpose. He had heard she was a real hot item with the older men in town. Several times when he left she would grab him and hug him. He felt her belly press into his crotch. She never wore a bra and kept her blouse open way lower than most women would. She was acting like what his friends in the city had called a cougar.

One evening Jerrod came over with the new counter top. It took him almost three hours to remove the old top and install the new one. Doris tried to help and seemed to spend more time rubbing her body on his than actually helping with the work. He was lying on his back partly under the sink fastening it to the counter top when Doris walked up and stood straddle him. She grabbed the sink and said, "Let me hold the sink steady for you Jerrod. Will that help?"

Actually her help centering the sink while he made the first couple of attachments would be a help and he looked upward at her to answer. What he saw surprised him. He knew she was wearing a skirt when he got there that evening. What he hadn't known was she was not wearing underwear. When he looked up he saw her bare pussy winking at him.