Morbid

“You are staying in the spare room and that's that.” Kathryn said adamantly. “Go out to the car and get your suitcases and come right back in here.”

“Katheryn, I can't impose on you like this.” Annie tried to say again.

“You would be imposing if you didn't stay here when I'm telling you to.”

“That doesn't make sense.” Annie said.

“Neither does refusing.” Katheryn said with a smile and Annie sighed. “Kelly, make sure she doesn't run off or something between here and the driveway.”

Kelly laughed. “I'll do my best.”

They went out to the car and retrieved the two suitcases and came back to the house.

“MOM! We made it back!” Kelly exclaimed to make her mother laugh.

“Let's get you settled in.” Katheryn said and led Annie to the spare room. They quickly unpacked her things and put them away. “How did you get so much into such a small suitcase?”

“I just dumped it in and didn't pack it.” Annie said.

Katheryn gave her a disbelieving look, then chuckled. “I have to remember that.”

“I was not staying in there with that smell any longer than I had to.” Annie said. “It was awful.”

“I hope you know that the insurance company gave you a very low estimate.” Katheryn said. “I bet she only included material costs and not labour.”

“Maybe she did that to get the approval pushed through?” Kelly asked. “If they think it's only going to be low, then when it get approved, it won't matter if it costs more.”

“Maybe.” Katheryn said. “I guess we'll find out tonight.”

“Katheryn, thank you for letting me stay here.” Annie said. “I just have one question.”

“What's that?”

“What is your husband going to say about it?”

“He doesn't have a choice, dear.” Katheryn said with a chuckle. “You can just hang a bra on the door handle and he'll avoid this room like the plague.”

Annie snorted and then laughed. In the back of her mind, she remembered what Dianne said about being comfortable enough around someone to laugh hard and without restraint.

“Do you want to help me prepare a nice supper for him? He's going to be hungry from sweating under his boss all day.”

Annie opened her mouth to comment on how bad that sounded and looked at Kelly, whose mouth was also open to speak to also comment on it, then they both laughed.

“I'd be delighted to help.” Annie said.

The three of them went to the kitchen to make a good meal for the man of the house, who was now outnumbered again, and they needed to at least try to make him think that was a good thing.

*

Arnold left the lab when the work day was over and went to the cafeteria to get something to eat for supper. The place was only half as crowded as it was at lunchtime and he was at the counter quickly.

“Hi, hon.” The overweight woman behind the counter said in recognition. “Want the same as today?”

“Yes.” Arnold said and she gave him the two chicken breast pieces and a plate of fries and one of the last jello bowls. He walked over to the cash register and the same girl was there.

“Pop, too?” She asked and he nodded, so she got him a root beer with no ice and put the top on the plastic cup and put it on his tray. “I think its amazing that you haven't used a dispenser before.” She said and took his money and gave him change. “I guess you don't eat out a lot.”

Arnold shook his head no.

“Are you seeing anyone?” She asked.

“I have a girlfriend.” Arnold said.

“That figures. I get the courage to talk to you and you're taken.” She said with a laugh. “Well, if you get bored or anything, give me a call.” She said and put a piece of paper with her name and number on it onto his tray. “We can hang out or something.”

“Okay.” Arnold said and put the paper in his pocket as he walked over to the same table he had used at lunch. No one was there, so he sat down and ate his meal, then brought the dishes back up to the counter and put the tray on the stack of dirty ones.

“You know, you're the only one that brings them back.” The slightly overweight woman behind the counter said. “See you tomorrow.”

Arnold nodded to her and left to go back to his dorm room. He walked across the campus and it was sparsely populated, just like in the morning, and he entered the dorm building. Doris didn't wait for him to approach the desk and she came around it and pulled him down into a hug. Arnold hugged her back and Doris took several breaths and let his face be warmed up by her breasts. She knew she was teasing the boy a little with how forceful she was with her hugs, and she was pretty sure he didn't mind it at all.

Doris let him go and looked into his eyes and confirmed her guess. “Thank you, Arnold.”

Arnold jerked slightly, then remembered what Cissily did at lunch and he bent over slightly and turned his head. “I can't kiss you; but, you can kiss my cheek.”

Doris let out a laugh and held his head steady as she gave Arnold a big kiss on his cheek. “There! One kiss, firmly planted! You better hope nothing grows from it!”

A few of the girls in the lobby of the building let out laughs from that.

“Now get upstairs and call your girlfriend. She's waiting to hear from you.” Doris said.

“Okay.” Arnold said and went to the elevator.

“Wow, you really live here.” A young woman said and stepped next to him. “Doris said you have a girlfriend.” She said and Arnold didn't say anything. The elevator opened and he stepped in, so she stepped in and one of her friends did as well. “Are you happy together?”

“Yes.” Arnold said.

“That's too bad... I mean, for me. I wouldn't mind spending some quality time with you.”

Arnold didn't say anything and she sighed. The elevator reached the top floor and Arnold stepped out into a similar scene that he had seen that morning, only this time in reverse, instead of various states of getting dressed, they were in various states of getting undressed. Some of them reacted the same way at having a man seeing them half-dressed and others had almost immediately become used to having him there.

“You should at least cover your eyes or something.” A brunette said from her doorway as Arnold passed her and approached his dorm room.

“Why?” Arnold asked.

“Why?” She asked, a little incredulous, and waved at the hallway. “Look at all the half-naked women you just walked by!”

Arnold turned around and looked at them, then he used the technique the professor had shown him about making eye contact with each of them briefly. Nearly all of them reacted to his stare in some way. Some favorably, some not, and most accepted the scrutiny because they were there and knew others would see them, especially with their bodies on display like they were.

“Aren't you embarrassed at seeing them all like this?” She asked.

“No.” Arnold said. “They are all very pretty.”

A few gasps were heard, a few sharp breaths, conversations paused, a few shifted where they stood, and a couple of them even ducked back into their rooms and out of sight from embarrassment.

The brunette was surprised at his statement. “It... it's not fair that you get to see us like this.” She said as she tried to make him feel guilty about it.

“Okay.” Arnold said and opened his dorm room door, then took off his suit coat and tossed it into the room on the chair by the kitchenette table. He unbuttoned the collar of his shirt and then the cuffs.

“Wh-what are you doing?” The brunette asked, a little unsure of the turn of events.

“Getting undressed.” Arnold said and unbuttoned the shirt. The girl watched his hands go all the way down to the bottom, then she caught her breath when he pulled open his shirt and took it off.

“Ooo, baby!” Someone down the hallway exclaimed. “Take it off!”

“Oh, my god! I think he's really doing it!” Another one said as Arnold tossed his shirt onto the chair. The brunette next door could only stand there and stare at him as he opened up his suit pants and pulled them off. Her mouth made that little 'o' of surprise as Arnold tossed his pants into the room. Everyone that was there came out into the hallway, even the embarrassed ones, and stared in complete silence at Arnold as he stood there in just his underwear. A few of them had their cell phones out and were recording him, too.

Arnold saw how a lot of them were standing, so he copied them and leaned partially against the wall with his hands behind his back, and stayed there.

“This place just got interesting.” A lone voice said into the silence, then a lot of the girls laughed.

“What... what are you... doing?” The brunette asked and couldn't help looking at all of Arnold that was on display.

“Making things fair.” Arnold said.

“But... you said you had a girlfriend.” She said. “Won't she be upset?”

“No.” Arnold said, then stood up straight and walked into the dorm room.

“Aw, show's over.” Someone said and then she almost choked when Arnold came right back out and leaned against the wall in the same spot, still in his underwear, and used his cell phone.

“Hi.” Arnold said. “I'm standing in the hallway of the dorm in my underwear.” He paused. “It's only fair. There's 14 women here in towels and underwear.” He waited for a moment. “No.” He said. “Yes, I'm talking to the girl next door. She's wearing shorts and a bra. Okay.” He looked at the brunette. “What's your name?”

“Emily.” She responded and didn't even consider lying about it.

“Her name's Emily.” Arnold said and then fell silent.

Emily was really surprised that he had literally called his girlfriend to prove that she was okay with what he was doing. Nearly everyone else in the hallway went back to their normal conversations and the ones recording him stopped. Apparently, the novelty of having a half naked man around wore off quickly for most of them.

“Okay. Send it to me.” Arnold said and his phone beeped at him. “Yes, I'll stay here no matter what I see.” He made three lip smacks into the phone. “Goodbye.” He said and hung up.

“What is it?” Emily asked and stepped close as she let her curiosity overwhelm her aversion to getting closer to a half naked man she didn't know.

“Brad and his friends vandalized my house to get at me.” Arnold said and played the video.

“Oh, no!” Emily exclaimed when she saw the state of the house and put a hand on his arm. “I'm so sorry. That looked like it used to be a nice house.”

“We just paid it off with the insurance money from my father's death.” Arnold said and played the video again.

“Your father just died?” Emily said loudly and that got a lot of people's attention. “What are you doing here?”

“I took this job at the college to support the family.” Arnold said.

Emily took several breaths and her hand slowly rubbed his muscular arm. “Are... are you going home to deal with that?” She asked and motioned to the video. Her heart went out to him in his time of need.

“Kelly told me to stay here and keep working.” Arnold said.

“I suppose that's the responsible thing to do.” Emily responded. “I guess you have to wait until the weekend to go home.”

Arnold nodded and turned off the phone.

“What's your name?”

“Arnold.”

Emily slid her hand down his arm and took his hand and shook it. “Hi, Arnold. I'm your neighbour.” She said and let his hand go. “If you need to talk or anything, just knock and let me know.”

“Offer him a cup of sugar!” A girl down the hallway nearly yelled.

“He has a girlfriend!” Emily said loudly as she turned to glare at her and the other girl laughed.

“What does she mean?” Arnold asked.

“Usually a guy or a girl shows up at someone's place and they ask for a cup of sugar. It's just an excuse to come visit and they usually turn the visit into sex.” Emily explained before she realized she had said it to the half naked man right in front of her. Her face flushed red from embarrassment. “Um. Yeah. Um. I... ah...”

Arnold reached up and cupped the side of her face tenderly. “Are you okay?”

Emily's face burned bright red. “YES! I'M FINE!” She yelled and jumped back, then slammed her door shut.

There was a whistle and a few claps of applause from one of the girls a few doors down. “Way to go, Arnold!” She said and gave him a little wave.

Arnold waved back and went into the dorm room. To her surprise, he didn't shut the door. She got her roommate's attention and the two of them watched him hang his suit up. When he walked towards the bathroom, they both held their breath. When he stepped inside and shut the bathroom door, they both groaned in disappointment.

“Maybe next time.” One of them said, then they both laughed.