CHAPTER 87: Men About The House

 

Travis was soldering a circuit board when he heard the door to his bedroom open.  "Hey, sweetie" he said, assuming it was his girlfriend, Summer.

"That's a bit familiar" said the voice of Liberty Lee, his housemate.

"What?  Wait?  Liberty, I thought you were Summer!  And you're only wearing a towel!  What gives?"

"I've just got out the shower and I remember you have a book on electronics I really need to look at for work...if I got dressed first I'd forget"

"Yes, but....your towel's slipping" said Travis, averting his eyes.  "Just be quickly find the book....erm...it's over there" he said, wafting his hand towards the bedside table"

Liberty looked.  "No, that's not the one I meant...your other electronics book" she bent over to look at the lower shelves of the bookcase and Travis got a look at a lot more than he should have.

"It's certainly not there!  Here, let me help you" he said.  He wanted Liberty out of his room before her towel fell off and Summer would enter.  As he began to get the book, his first worry did not happen....however, his second one did.

"What's going on here?" said Summer upon entering the room and seeing Travis and Liberty rummaging around on the floor with Liberty wearing nothing but a bath towel.

"I can explain!" blurted out Travis.  "Liberty needed a book"

"That's right" said Liberty.

"And wearing a towel is just how you go about asking for that?"

"Oh, is that a problem?" said Liberty, a look of puzzled innocence on her face.

"Hmm-hmmm.  Just a bit.  You've never shared a house with a dating couple before, have you?" said Summer.

"Oh, I see now......silly me" said Liberty.  "I'd better get dressed"

"And I'll find that book for you and leave it on the table.....THE KITCHEN TABLE!" said Travis.

Liberty left the room, but Summer still looked unimpressed.

"Tsch, that Liberty....she's so kooky!" said Travis, trying to diffuse the tension.  But hey, you're the only girl for me, Summer.  You know that"

"Prove it" she replied.

"Well....I'm not one to refuse a challenge...." he said, leaning in to Summer.

"OK, apology accepted" said Summer.

"Well, I have to go to work now....I have to say this was a surreal experience this morning" said Travis, getting up and giving Summer one last peck on the cheek.

She waved him goodbye and went to catch up with Liberty and, politely, tell her that parading around the house in just a towel and going into Travis' room was NOT OK.  However, she found her housemate was excited about something.

"I just got a call from Gary!" she said, barely able to contain her enthusiasm.  "And he's stopping by for a bit"

"And who's Gary?" asked Summer.

"The guy I'm dating!  You HAVE to meet him!"

"I must meet the guy who can turn one of my best friends into a giddy little schoolgirl in excitement" replied Summer.

The doorbell rang and Liberty leapt to her feet and dashed to the door.  "Hey there!" she called out.

"Hello" said the young man at the door.  He gave Liberty a peck on the cheek so Summer assumed that it was Gary who'd arrived.

"Come on in, Gary...I'll introduce you to one of my housemates, Summer.  Summer this is Gary"

"Hello there!" she said, smiling at the handsome young man.  Summer turned to her friend and, in not such a subtle manner, indicated that she thought he was a catch.

"Would you like to have a coffee...or tea?" asked Summer.

"Coffee thanks" said Gary.  "Wow, this is a swinging pad you've got here"

"We like it" said Liberty.  "It's a shame Travis isn't here to complete the scene" she added.

Summer went off to make the coffees but she didn't want to rush it...Liberty and Gary wanted some alone time so they could be cute with one another.  Summer thought it was sweet seeing them flirt playfully with one another.

"You look great, Liberty" said Gary

"Awww shucks, thank you.  You look good as well....I really want to..." and Liberty explained, using some colourful language, what she would like to do with Gary which he heartily approved of but agreed that now wasn't the time nor the place.

Once the coffees were made, Summer turned on her innocent charm to make Gary feel at ease.  This was a particular gift she had:  Making people feel important and at home.  Her amusing anecdotes about life at Garden Essence made him smile.

Gary stayed for about three hours before he had to go to work.  Summer knew when to take her cue to back off and leave him and Liberty alone.  After he had gone, Liberty rushed to Summer to talk to her even before the front door had properly shut.

"Well, what do you think?" asked Liberty, wide eyed.

"I think he's lovely; he's clearly crazy about you" replied Summer.

"We've found a good pair of guys, Libs" said Summer, thinking once more about Travis.