Lazy Afternoon
10th floor, condo, beautiful view of the city, far enough away to not see the details, the litter, the grime, the people. Her faint reflection stared back at her when she looked up. Her shirt rubbed lightly against her left nipple and she felt a brief shiver of pleasure. It had been a while.
Out in the hall she could hear the building super dragging the vacuum back and forth across the carpet, making sure the tiny bits of yesterday were removed, as much as possible anyway. He was single, he was actually very attractive, muscular, but he was odd and he was a building super. She wasn't a snob, but she was used to more sophisticated men.
The vacuum stopped and she imagined him out there, leaning slightly towards her door, listening. Was he that odd? She didn't think so. Why was she fantasising about her odd building super? It had been a long time!
She got back to work, trying to focus on the screen, but part of her was waiting for the vacuum to start up again, but it didn't. She knew he wasn't done, and now she was curious.
She thought for a minute, then got up from her desk, went to the kitchen and looked under the sink. The trash was almost full enough to look worthy of dropping down the chute. She unhooked the bag, tied it up, hesitated only a moment before unlocking her door and heading out into the hall. What the hell was she doing?
The vacuum sat there, silent, about half way down the hall. The cord snaked past her and around the corner. The hallway was quiet.
She walked slowly towards the garbage chute, listening, wondering where he'd gone. He must have had an emergency somewhere in the building. She was tempted to move the vacuum to another spot, to mess with him, just a harmless joke.
Then she heard voices, down the hall around the corner, she wasn't sure what to do, now she felt stupid. She was about to turn around and head back when she saw their reflection in glass of one of the hallway pictures. It was the super and her married neighbour Sue. The two were standing very close, maybe too close for a professional tenant/super relationship. Then she saw Sue reach out and run her hand down the Super's chest. She let it trail down slowly, stopping at his belt which she hooked with her finger. For a moment, she actually felt a little jealous!
She stood there, holding the half filled bag, watching the ghostly image of her neighbour and super come together for a deep and passionate embrace. She wanted to turn around and go back, but she couldn't, she was transfixed.
The embrace became a deeply passionate kiss that lasted an achingly long time. The door behind them opened and Sue's husband appeared. She caught her breath, her heart stuttered in her chest, she didn't need to see this. She was about to turn and hurry back to her condo but then something odd happened. Sue laughed!
She stood there, now watching the three ghostly figures, standing together. Sue pulled away and they stood there, talking quietly. Then Sue's husband leaned forward, seemingly to kiss Sue, but he passed her and came face to face with the super. Was there going to be a fight after all?
She stared into the reflection, not sure she was seeing right, but then when the super circled his arms around the other man's waist and pulled him close, it was clear they were now doing what he and Sue had been doing only moments before. She wasn't a prude, but seeing two men kiss did something to her stomach and other parts of her.
She made some sort of involuntary sound, and the kiss stopped as all three turned in her direction. Could they see her the way she saw them? Reflected in the picture glass?
There was a long taught moment, then someone laughed. There was more quiet discussion and the three of them slipped in through the open door, closing it behind them.
She want back to her condo, set the half full garbage bag just inside the door then she went to her desk and sat down. She stared at her reflection in the window again, the city looking clean and organised spread out as before, but she knew she wasn't going to get any work done that day.