Some jobs are done over a period of time, usually in stages to allow for inspections and the transfer of funds to continue, and this can create issues with getting it finished. As a result, there can be delays and schedule difficulties. On occasion, other people get involved and create more issues.
This was one of those jobs….
*****
Barry and June lived in an older neighborhood on the edge of town, a treed area near the river with a mix of small and large homes on large lots. Over time, many had been renovated with additions and more modern touches. I had been hired to convert storage space into a usable and open area recreation room and, after numerous delays, was finally close to having the renovation of the large space over the two-car garage finished. After vaulting the ceiling, adding dormer windows, drywalling, and installing the flooring, the painting was finally done. Trim, baseboards, and some touch-ups were all that remained to have the new rec room completed.
Billy had called complaining of issues with things being moved, materials disturbed, and marks on the freshly painted walls. I had directed him to finish up for the day and that I would be there in the evening to look into things.
I arrived at the house and let myself in, knowing that Barry and June had taken their family on vacation for two weeks, and climbed the stairs to the second floor. One of the double French doors was ajar, and I could hear a consistent clopping noise as I approached. I looked in to see a woman playing on the ping-pong table that had been folded up and put aside. It now sat pushed against the wall and the ball clopped across the table, against the freshly-painted wall, and back to the woman swinging the paddle.
On each swing, her ponytail waved and the cute cheeks of her ample bottom, wrapped snugly in black tights, jiggled slightly. I noticed the white flash of color in her ear and realized she was wearing earbuds, obviously immersed in the music as she gently bounced around, and had no idea I was there.
“Hello,” I announced.
Her bum jiggled and her ponytail waved as she continued slapping the ball into the table.
“Hello!” I repeated loudly.
The only reply was the clop clop clop of the ball. I stepped closer and stood beside her, hoping to catch her attention and not scare her. She turned her head to look at me, dropped the paddle, and jumped back, obviously startled.
"Holy shit!" she screamed as she clutched her chest. "You scared the hell out of me!"
I pointed to my ear and held my hands up in front of me.
"Sorry."
She tugged the earbuds out and took another step back, glancing at the door and then back to me.
"Who are you?" she asked suspiciously.
"I'm J," I replied. "The contractor doing the work here. Who are you?"
"Oh. Me? I'm Kimmi," she answered, pointing to herself.
"Sorry I startled you, Kimmi. What are you doing here?"
"Playing ping-pong."
"I see that. I mean why are you in the house?"
"Oh, haha. I'm the neighbor," she replied and stepped to the window. "I live next door, over there."
I went to the window and looked at the small cottage-style bungalow nestled in the trees she was pointing to.
"June asked me to come check on the house while they are away."
"So you moved the ping-pong table and marked up the new floors and freshly painted walls?"
"You don't have to get snotty," she chided while rolling her eyes. "I didn't know that."
I smiled and moved the table away from the wall, inspecting the scratches and paint dimples while she watched.
"See? I have to repaint this now."
I dropped to one knee and checked the flooring, finding only a few light marks that I could buff out. I picked up the paddle from the floor and placed it on the table when I stood up.
"The floor I can buff out."
"So, that's not so bad," she shrugged.
I flipped one end of the table up and locked it in place.
"There, you can use it all you want now," I announced. "Just don't move it."
"Oh. I didn't know it did that," she admitted sheepishly, giving me a girly smile.
She was pretty, around thirty, and a foot shorter than me. The white t-shirt, emblazoned with a faded Jurassic Park logo, stretched tightly across her chest and ended just above her curvy hips. She leaned back against the table, her arms behind her, and stretched the shirt even tighter.
"So?" I asked. "Why are you up here?"
"Why are you?" she questioned back.
"I came to see who was moving our stuff around," I explained.
"Oh. Well, I moved a few things," she admitted coyly. "There's interesting stuff in here."
"So just being nosy?" I teased.
"NO!" she blurted.
"No?"
"Well... yeah, I guess," she giggled. "I was bored, so I came to check it out. Looked at the tools and stuff, saw the ping-pong table, and figured..."
I chuckled and began sorting out the trim pieces that had been strewn about as she watched me. Once done, I picked up the paint supplies and brushes, putting them all back with the paint cans, and put the tarp back over the bar in the corner. I heard her gasp as the ping-pong table shifted under her and saw her catch her balance before falling over.
"Oops!" she giggled and put her hands on her bum cheeks. "Almost landed on my brain!"
"At least it's nicely padded," I chuckled. "Less chance of a concussion."
"Haha, yeah," she laughed.
"Well, I will come back tomorrow and touch up the wall and the floor."
"Oh, okee dokee," she chirped. "I need to go walk my dogs anyway, so I'm out of here."
She put the earbuds back in, gave me a wave and a smile, and tripped over the paddle that had fallen on the floor at her feet. She giggled again, shrugged, and bounced herself out the door. I picked up the paddle and ball, laid them back on the table, and looked out the window, seeing her wave as she walked the path leading to her house.
*****
It was almost noon by the time I had the floor marks buffed out and the wall painted. As I cleaned up the roller, Kimmi appeared in the doorway and announced her presence with a cheerful hello.
"Hi, Mr. Contractor!" she chirped as she stood in the doorway, leaning against the frame with her arms behind her.
"Hello, Kimmi," I replied with a smile.
Her hair hung loosely over her shoulders and she was wearing an old and faded sports jersey - Kentucky Wildcats - and a pair of white sneakers. Her toned and shapely legs were bare.
"I came to check up on you," she announced. "To make sure you're actually working."
"Is that so?" I chuckled.
"Yes. I also brought you something," she replied. "To make up for yesterday."
"That's nice of you."
"Want to see what it is?" she teased as she swayed slowly.
"Sure."
I put down the brushes and wiped my hands clean as she approached, smiling coyly and keeping her hands behind her back, and noted the mischievous glint in her eyes.
"Close your eyes and put your hands out."
I did as she asked and put my hands out, palms up, closing my eyes as she stepped close. I felt a slight weight and the softness of fuzz in my hands.
"Okay, you can look," she chirped excitedly.
I opened my eyes to find a grey and white kitten in my hands, its little blue eyes looking up at me.
"This is my kitten, Miss Kitty. I found her last week when I was out for a run."
"She's very cute."
"Yes, she is," she agreed. "I thought you might like to see my kitty..."
I smiled and nodded in agreement. "Yes, yes I would."
She laughed and put out her other hand, showing me a can of beer before placing it on the ping-pong table.
“Thanks. I don’t usually drink when I work, but I was just going to break for lunch.”
She took Miss Kitty back, petting her and making little smooching noises. I went to the corner by the bar and lifted the tarps, pulled out two padded stools, and placed them by the table. Kimmi disappeared for a few minutes while I unpacked my lunch and sat down at the table. She returned and took a seat on the other stool, crossing her legs and revealing her upper thighs.
"Cool jersey," I commented.
"Thanks," she replied with a smile. "Found it at a thrift store for two dollars. It's very comfy."
"Looks good on you."
She tossed her hair and giggled.
“What’s for lunch?” she asked.
“Cheese sandwich, bologna sandwich, potato salad, and an apple.”
“Hmm,” she mused.
I bit into the cheese sandwich and watched her take and unwrap the bologna sandwich, lifting the bread.
“No mustard?”
“No.”
“Heathen. It’s uncivilized to eat bologna without hot mustard!”
“If you say so,” I chuckled.
She opened the lid on the potato salad and inspected it closely.
“You make this? It looks really good.”
“Nope. A lady friend made it for me.”
I finished my sandwich and pulled the container of potato salad away from her, fished the fork from my bag, and took a bite.
“Your girlfriend?”
“No.”
“Hmm. Do all of your lady friends make food for you?”
“No,” I laughed. “Some do. Who do you make food for?”
“Me,” she replied. “And my dogs and Miss Kitty. I live alone.”
“No hubby?”
“Not anymore,” she answered coyly.
“What do you do?” I asked and took a drink of beer.
“I work from home. Computer stuff,” she answered while she eyeing the potato salad.
“Coding, programming, like that?”
“Yup,” she admitted with a smile.
“Sounds boring.”
“I do other stuff!”
“Like?”
“I paint, I work in my gardens… I have beautiful flowers… I do some photography…”
“Weddings and stuff?”
“Not many, a few for friends. I have done some boudoir and bedroom shoots!”
“Yeah? Me, too.”
“You do photography?”
“No,” I replied with a smile.
She thought for a moment and giggled.
“I also write a lot.”
“Oh? Books?”
“Mostly short stories and stuff… but I’m trying to do a novel.”