Joan nodded and got out of the car, but then I realized something, quickly got out myself, and moved closer to her so Mia wouldn’t hear me talk.
“Joan! What I said about inexperienced girls not being any fun? Please don’t think that was about Jenny. I’d never make fun of someone for something like that. And if anyone suggests I was talking about Jenny, I’ll gladly tell them otherwise.”
She looked at me for a long moment, then simply nodded and moved inside. I sat back in the car and continued the silent drive to Mia’s home.
“Why are you coming in?” Mia asked after we had parked in front of her house and I got out of the car with her.
“Gotta make sure you get home safe, Mia. That means inside. Can’t leave unless I make sure one of the others is ready to take over.”
She rolled her eyes but led me into the house with one of her famous “Hmph”-sounds, and, while she greeted her parents, I stood behind her.
“Ah! Hello, Timothy. Thank you for watching over her.” Nora greeted me with a smile.
“No problem, Mrs. Mill...” I stopped when I saw her raise a single eyebrow to look at me scoldingly. “Nora. I see the shutters are all installed. I hope I didn’t oversell them?”
“Oh, no, not at all. I pictured these huge boxes over my doors and windows, but they are surprisingly small, to be honest.” she said, as she led Mia and me into the kitchen. “Please, help yourself to something to drink. I’ll never understand how you and the other guys from your Firm can just stand around the whole day. I’d go crazy with boredom after an hour!”
“Oh, he finds entertainment.” Mia commented.
“He does?” Nora inquired, possibly thinking I bailed on guard duty.
“When Joan and I left the school, we caught him making a move on Mrs. Jenkins!” she gossiped with a chuckle, causing Nora to look at us in surprise.
“Let me guess.” I replied. “You’re one of those girls who say ‘I have a boyfriend’ when some guy tries to ask you for directions.”
“What?”
“Men and women can have friendly conversations without flirting, you know? She was just offering to help me with the online assignments while I’m out of class and can’t ask anyone for explanations.” I grinned.
“Yeah, sure!” she grinned back. Somehow, someway, this had become friendly banter with the Queen-Bitch to be. “That’s why she told you not to worry about her husband. Because he could have a problem with his teacher-wife innocently teaching a student.”
I noticed Nora regarding me with a calculating look that was accompanied by a slight smirk, before she turned to leave the kitchen. Mia waited until Nora was out of sight before speaking up again.
“So ... how big are you, really?”
Unbeknownst to Mia, Nora hadn’t completely left yet. She may have been out of sight, but certainly not out of hearing range. As soon as Mia had closed her mouth, I could faintly hear someone stumble in the hallway.
“Are you asking what I think you’re asking?”
“Oh, come on! After what we talked about in the car, answering that question is suddenly a problem for you?” She shot me a taunting look. “Or are the rumors about you being small true after all?”
“You know those rumors were spread by my sister, right?”
“So?”
“What does Jack’s dick look like?” I asked dryly, throwing her off.
“Eww! He’s my brother! How the hell would I know!?”
“Really? Then why do you think it makes sense for my sister to know what mine looks like?” I had only said it to deflect, but somehow it caused her to actually think about it. “You know, I read that people believe rumors for one of two reasons. Either because they want them to be true and confirm their belief, or because they’re afraid they could be true and want to be prepared when the truth comes out.”
“What are you getting at?” Mia asked suspiciously, and I smirked.
“Well, which type are you? I mean, I could believe that you want the rumor to be true so you can keep calling me ‘Tiny’. But, on the other hand,...” I said in a conspiratorial tone, leaning a little bit in her direction. “ ... just this morning, you declared there was no way in hell you’d ever fall for someone like me. And yet, here we are, just a few hours later alone in your kitchen, and you already want to know what I look like naked.”
I heard Nora in the hallway unsuccessfully suppress a snorting laugh while Mia looked at me in utter horror. Who would have thought that the usual taunting the guys at work did, could enable me to put Mia Miller in her place? I left the kitchen and walked towards Nora, who gave me a mischievous smile after hearing my exchange with her daughter.
“Is one of the other guys in the house? Otherwise I’m not exactly encouraged to leave.” I asked her.
“Yes, he’s in the living room. You can go home and enjoy the rest of your evening. Once again, thank you for your diligence. It’s quite comforting to know that you and your colleagues take our safety so seriously.” she said, though when I nodded and turned, she placed her hand on my arm to stop me. I looked back at her and she whispered. “You know, if I may be so bold, most teenage boys would throw a fit when a girl questions their ... size. Where’s that confidence coming from?”
She had a glint in her eyes as she asked, as well as a smile on her lips that seemed to be halfway between amused and sultry.
“Well...” I stalled, somehow doubting that I should tell her about my earlier realization of simply not being interested in her bitch of a daughter. “Maybe I was just told the opposite often enough. And especially in situations where a statement like that held a little more weight than Mia’s casual speculation.”
“You don’t have to answer this one.” she kept whispering, as she led me towards the door and away from Mia’s ears in the kitchen. “But ... older women?”
“Yes.”
“How much older?” she asked with mirth in her voice, surprising me.
I had to think about that. I knew Claire’s birthdate by heart, but not her current age, since I never got anyone birthday presents that had the number written on it.
“The oldest one was... 40. I think. I just like women who know what they’re doing, how they want it, and are no longer ashamed about it.” I finally told her, before she rewarded me with a now clearly sensuous look.
“Alright then. Thanks for indulging me. Until tomorrow morning, Timothy.” she finally said and I left.
The next morning showed the first change in Mia’s behavior towards me. There were no expressions of annoyance, no complaining, and not a single mean joke. She just accepted me being around and even used words like “Please” and “Thank you”, which left me hard pressed for answers as to what could have happened over night. When we arrived at school, she absolutely stunned me with a single question.
“Tim ... were you flirting with me, yesterday?”
What stunned me was not the question itself. It was how she had asked it. Especially if she thought I was making a move on her, I would have expected her, of all people, to throw a temper tantrum as she loudly expressed her disgust about the idea! But the tone of her voice when she asked was simply ... thoughtful. Like she really didn’t know how to handle my behavior. I calculated my answer before I dared to open my mouth.
“No. I stand by what I said about having friendly conversations without undertones. Sure, the topics were ... suggestive. But that just somehow happened. It wasn’t really what I had intended.”
She gave me a long look, and then spoke in an equally thoughtful and calm tone.
“Were you flirting with my Mom?”
“Yes.” I answered immediately without even a hint of hesitation, because I wasn’t thinking about it.