Written by: TVM (mrtvm@mrtvm.com)

Archive: www.asstr.org/~TheVertManArchive/Stories/SayWhat/Index.html

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"Are you gonna be OK riding all the way across town by yourself?" I asked Annie as we stood at the bus stop a block or so from our apartment building on this rather cold Philadelphia morning.

"I'll be fine," Annie said. "I need to do more things like this."

"I just worry about you," I said as she touched her head to mine. "You're sister is gonna love seeing you."

"I know," Annie said. "She's 5 now and probably confused why I left so suddenly."

"Ask your Mom if you can bring her home for a night," I suggested.

"She won't let me," Annie said. "Mom thinks I'm borderline retarded, I think."

"Then tell her I'll take care of Jilly (her little sister)," I said as Annie grunted at me in protest and made me laugh.

"I might not come back tonight," Annie said as I laughed as the bus came to a stop in front of us.

"Yes you will," I said as I tried to kiss her cheek and found her turn a bit and my lips landed square on hers. Both of us gave each other a rather strange look at that development. But then Annie simply grinned and leaned in and kissed me again for a long moment. "Bye?"

"Good bye too," she giggled as she climbed the steps on the bus and waved one last time from her seat as she rode away.

"That was weird," I said to myself as I turned to head for work. "But really nice at the same time."

It was kinda eerie being at work at the break of dawn all by my lonesome. The place can be really creepy late at night and I think it's even more so early of a morning. So to occupy myself I went about doing the tasks we do every morning before opening. Turning on the computers, turning on the coffee maker and setting out the fresh made sandwiches/hoagies (the ones that have sold out every single day we've had them) out on the main counter. Then logging onto the main computer and making sure the internet was up and working. By the time I settled in with the days first cup of coffee, and a snack from the bagel shop down the block, the sun was up nice and bright and was slowly warming the day up.

A tapping came at the door and was Mr. Campbell from down the block (the new manager of VideoPlus) wanting one of our hoagies. This was the fourth morning in a row that he'd come by to get one for breakfast. He says he eats half for breakfast and half for lunch. He's so much nicer than that bigot Mr. Simpkins whom he replaced. He also told me as we chatted over coffee that Mr. Simpkins wife found out about his philandering and filed for divorce. Such a nice ending for a repulsive human being.

Mr. Campbell said his goodbyes a few minutes later as I looked up at the clock and wondered seriously if Alex was coming in this morning as she was usually here by now. So with 15 minutes left to open I started collecting the magazines and placing them back in their holders along the wall.

"Let me in already it's cold out here," Alex said from outside the main door of the 'The Coffee Table'. I sat down the books I was moving from one side of the store to the other and quickly unlocked the main door and let her in, only to find myself wrapped in Alex's arms and kissed on the lips as I happily sighed and we made out for the next ten minutes or so. I could have honestly stayed there all day kissing her. Especially after last night and what we did on the couch. Sooo good. "I think we should take the day off and go back to your place."

"Why?" I asked with an innocent grin.

"GRRRRRR," Alex growled as I giggled before she kissed me again. "I can't stop thinking about you after last night."

"Me either," I said honestly. "Maybe next time you can take the time to get me out of my clothes?"

"You can bet your money I'm gonna try," Alex said. "You do wanna see me naked, right?"

"Yes," I said as she picked me up off the floor in a hug and made me squeal. A loud tapping came at the front door and Clinton was the source of that as I looked. Alex kissed me one more time before she unlocked the door and turned over the 'open/closed' sign and let him inside.

"Sorry to interrupt the lesbians," Clinton cracked before I smacked his arm in protest. I immediately felt sorry, but seeing the knowing smile he was giving me made me laugh at the stupidity of the situation. "Love taps I hope?"

"No it wasn't," Alex said as she walked by. "She's my girl."

"Excuse me but I am no one's girl," I said as I took my place behind the counter.

"Whatever helps you sleep at night," Alex said as Clinton laughed.

"Get to work on your paper," I said to Clinton. "How's it coming?"

"I'm writing about a foreign country a thousand years ago," Clinton said. "Not exactly fun stuff."

"Why are you going to college during the summer?" Alex asked.

"Flunked English," Clinton said. "If I don't pass this I'm gonna lose my scholarship."

"Then get to work," I encouraged him.

"Where's my other girlfriend?" Alex asked from the stack of books she was now sorting.

"Who is that?" I asked.

"Annie," she said. I simply rolled my eyes.

"She's visiting her little sister for a couple of hours today," I said. "Might even bring her home for the night."

"Then how we gonna knock boots?" Alex asked as Clinton spit soda all over the carpet in shock as I laughed. Alex grinned victoriously.

"You hush with that stuff," I told her.

"Don't bother me," Clinton said. "Pretty funny."

"I agree with the former President," Alex said as Clinton gave her a dirty look.

"I'm a Bush man," Clinton said firmly.

"Don't like Bush of any kind myself," Alex said as I laughed. "It all seems kinda useless to me."

"That would describe the Bush I'm thinking of too," I chimed in as Clinton shook his head and went back work. Alex grinned at me in victory.

Alex went back to work on the book shelves as the place began to fill up like always around 11 or 12. Every computer was now in use and a steady stream of people coming in to buy sandwiches or a book or magazine. This is when I really miss the absence of Annie as a couple of the net users needed help on the computers and with a line formed at the register I was running around like a chicken with my head cut off. Poor Alex was not able to help as she carried in box after box of books from the latest delivery.

"God I'm tired," I complained as I sat down at the counter an hour or so later as the place calmed down a bit. Looking back, I saw Alex's little sister, JackieLynn, coming in like she did about once a day. "Hey."

"Where's Alex?" Jackie asked.

"Somewhere in that pile of books," I said as I pointed.

"GO HOME JACKIE!" Alex screamed.

"No," I said in place of Jackie.

"Looks like you're busy," Jackie said. "Want me to work the register for you? Annie showed me how."

"She did?"

"Yep," Jackie said. "She was swamped a few days ago when you and Alex went to lunch and didn't came back."

"Then watch the counter while I go to the bathroom?"

"Tell Alex first," Jackie said.

"Leave your sister alone," I said to Alex as I passed by and took a bathroom break. Alex met by the door as I came out. "What now?"

"You wanna know why I don't want her here?"

"Because you hate her?"

"She's my sister and I do not hate her," Alex insisted. "The little slut is already wanting to lose her virginity."

"She's only 12 years old," I said in surprise.

"Thirteen in a few weeks," Alex said.

"Well who are you afraid will do it with her?" I asked.

"No one in particular," Alex said. "But if she sees me hitting on you then she's gonna copy it."

"You're afraid that she's gonna use your moves to get laid?" I asked with a smirk.

"It worked for me," Alex said.

"You lost it when you were 12?"

"11," Alex said as my bottom lip dropped open. "And Jackie knows that cause I told her."

"So she figures she's missing out on something," I said as Alex nodded.

"You are smart," Alex said as she kissed me.

"You keep kissing me like that and I'm gonna do anything you want," I said as she grinned smugly.

"You're just lucky I don't put on the full court press," Alex said. "Cause then you'd have no choice but to sleep with me

"I don't think so," I said as I shook my head no and Alex shook her head yes. "I still say no."

"You're challenging me?" Alex asked.

"No," I admitted as Alex smiled smugly. I gave her a dirty look as she laughed and caught me in a hug from behind when I tried to walk away. She whispered in my ear, "The only time I'll ever use all my skills to get laid is if it's you and Annie in a threesome."

"Really?" I asked as she kissed my cheek.

"You heard me," Alex said as she simply walked away and went back to work as my poor pussy was now in the mood for some loving. And totally frustrated when I couldn't do anything to relieve the tension as just then Douglas arrived at the front door and gave Jackie a confused look as I arrived back at the counter.

"What's going on?" Douglas asked.

"This is Jackie, Alex's little sister," I said. "We've been kinda of backed up today and she was helping out a bit."

"And where is my regular cashier?" he asked.

"SHE QUIT!" Alex screamed from the back of the store as Jackie and I laughed.

"She's visiting her little sister today," I said.

"Am I paying her for that?" Douglas asked as I laughed again.

"No, sir, you're not," I said as he smiled. "This isn't usually her off day but she wanted to go so I said it was OK."

"And you have that authority?" Douglas asked with a straight face.

"Yes I do, I am the manager," I said.

"Of the netcafe," he informed me, making me seriously think I was now in trouble. But a moment later he broke out into a hearty laugh that was so typically Douglas. "Did you think I was serious?"

"Kind of," I said.

"You girls have been very good for the business," Douglas said. "So you tell Annie she can take a day off anytime she wants. She works hard when she's here."

"She sure does," I said as another customer came up to the counter and Douglas and I watched as Jackie expertly used the hand-held scanner to ring up the book and magazine the lady wanted.

"26.36," Jackie said as she took the lady's money and gave her the change in a matter of seconds. "Thank you come again."

"How old are you young lady?" Douglas asked Jackie.

"I'm 12 sir," Jackie said. "13 in a few weeks."

"Unfortunately in this state you must be 14 even with a parents approval before I can hire you," Douglas commented. Jackie shrugged as if it were no big deal.

Douglas took off for the office to get some paperwork done as Jackie took a seat behind the counter and I went to help a couple of the 'netcafe' users with some random internet problems. The last few hours of the day played out pretty much that way. Jackie flawlessly handling all of the customers and even giving me a chance to take a walk down the street to buy us all some early dinner. I arrived back 15 minutes later and noticed a jet black Cadillac sitting in front of the store and admiring the shiny black paint as I walked back inside with a four-stack of Styrofoam containers filled with food. A man in a suit stood at the counter paying for his purchases (and talking to Douglas like old friends) looked up just as I came in. And I honestly don't know why but time seemed to slow to a crawl as my eyes met his. It's like I'd waited my whole life to meet this man.

"Hi," I said as he smiled charmingly.

"You must be Elizabeth," he said as he acted like a gentleman and took the containers from my hands and sat them on the counter. Just then I saw the laugh lines that marked his eyes and thinking to myself that those seemed awfully familiar for some reason. And since when does a random stranger know my full name?

"Yes I am," I said. "And who are you?"

"That is so unimportant," he said with a wave of the hand. "It is truly a pleasure to have met you. Douglas simply raves about you."

"This is my new business partner, Duncan Radford Collins," Douglas said.

"Seriously?" I asked.

"Yes ma'am," Douglas said. "Mr. Radford had offered to completely buy me out but in the end I decided to keep 51% of the business."

"This is coming out of left field," Alex said as she came up from the back and moved to beside me. It almost felt like she was being protective of me. And that would be confirmed a moment later when she hugged me from behind and kissed my neck. It felt really nice I have to admit. "Why are you doing this?"

"I have my reasons," Duncan said. "And I assure you both my intentions have nothing to do with what your close friend apparently thinks."

"I'll be the judge of that," Alex said with a cold stare directed at our new co-boss. Duncan simply enjoyed a laugh with Douglas.

"You will see that I am harmless," Duncan said. "Now I must be off. It was nice to meet you. All of you. I shall be checking back in a few days to see how things are going."

"Thank you very much," Douglas said as he shook Duncan's hand. Another moment seemingly played out in slow motion as he smiled at me and I realized that his smile, the way his lip creases, looked just like someone else that I know. ME! What that meant I simply had no idea. He was gone before my mind could wrap around that fact, even if it helped, and I didn't know at that moment when the next time I'd ever seen him again. "Douglas how did he know my name? My full name and not by Liz."

"I referred to you by Elizabeth," Douglas said simply as Alex and I laughed at the honest simplicity of that answer.

"My belly is filled I know that," Alex said an hour or so later as we locked up the place for the day.

"Mine too and on me you can see it," I said, pooching my normally flat belly out to emphasis my point. Alex laughed and poked me as her response. "You stop that."

"Want me to walk you home so you don't get lost?" Alex asked as we arrived in front of my apartment building.

"Yes and thank you very much," I said with a kiss to her cute lips. She simply grinned. "And no you can't wiggle an invite upstairs cause you heard Jackie, your Mom wants you home."

"Damn it," Alex said as Jackie came back across the street from getting a USA Today.

"You ready?" Jackie asked her sister.

"If Mom doesn't really need me home I'm gonna whip your ass," Alex said to her sister.

"Don't you mean tap my ass?" Jackie asked as I laughed. "I'm about the only girl you ain't done that way."

"OHMIGOD," I laughed as Alex chased Jackie off down the street. "Those two are nuts. And Jackie's probably not too far off from the truth."

"Goodnight Liz," Douglas said as he drove by one last time on his way home. I then heard a giggling and immediately knew it was Annie as she came around the corner from the alley that lead almost directly to the bus stop on the next street over. This time though she was bearing a surprise. Her little sister, Jilly, was happily skipping along beside her. Jilly saw me and smiled as she broke away from Annie's hand and ran to my arms happily.

"Hi my cute baby," I said as she hugged me happily around the neck and I scooped her up into my arms and then playfully kissed her. "EWWWWW slobber."

"I not slobber," Jilly said as Annie met us. "Annie bring me home for the night."

"I see that," I said as Annie giggled. "How did you convince your Mom?"

"Crazy lady has a date and begged me to keep her," Annie said with a smile. "And our little Jilly kind of put on one of her best whining performances."

"No no," Jilly said with a finger point over my shoulder at Annie as we made our way up to the apartment. Jilly wiggled to get down the moment we got inside and ran to the window and looked out and exclaimed, "We're high."

"Yes we are," I said as she ran back over to me and asked, "Can we go to your video store?"

"I don't work there anymore," I said as she gave me a frustrated look. "I'm sorry."

"She works with me now," Annie said from beside me.

"I still watch Spongebob movie?" Jilly asked.

"It's in my room on the DVD shelf," Annie said as Jilly smiled and ran off into Annie's bedroom. "Nice having her around again."

"It is," I said. "But now you realize we'll be watching that movie till bedtime?"

"Yeah I know," Annie said as she moved over in front of the mirror as I poured us each a glass of milk and watched her pose in the mirror.

"What are you doing?"

"I bought this shirt a few days ago and it doesn't fit right," she said as she raised her shirt a bit and showed me those gymnast worthy abs of hers. "See it comes down just below my belly button... what?"

"Very sexy abs," I said as I took a drink of the milk and Annie smiled knowingly as she came over to join me and took a drink of my milk and handed it back to me.

"Is there a part of me that you don't think is sexy?" she asked.

"Is there any part of me that you don't think is sexy?" I asked in return.

"Yeah these enormous ears," Annie said as she playfully flicked at my ears.

"My fake girlfriend with the great abs and sexy ass say what?" I asked as she laughed out loud. "My ears are not enormous."

"My fake girlfriend with the tiny little ears, say what?" Annie asked in reply as she poked me and I laughed as I poked her back and we got into a squealing giggle filled wrestling match that had us almost turning over the fridge which ended up stopping it. "OHMIGOD!"

"Look what you almost did," I said as Annie gave me a dirty look for a moment, but then stepped back and brought her shirt up to just below her bra and held it up with her mouth so I could admire her rippling abs. She then posed like she had at the grocery store the night before when she proclaimed, "I got some guns."

"What is this for?" I asked.

"That's why I can turn the fridge over," Annie claimed as I tickled her under the arms and she screamed in laughter until she found a way to stop me. Kissing me. Pressing her lips to mine and after a few moments I kissed her back. I slowly wrapped my arms around her as the simple kiss grew to a more passionate embrace. We parted, both grinning, though nervous, after a moment or two and heard a giggling from below. I looked down to see a giggling Jilly, with the Spongebob Squarepants movie in her hand, as she looked up at us.