Living with Heidi - the Prologue, a short story by shyboy. Date added: 2012-08-16. Times viewed: 4354.
- Please SEND FEEDBACK - Writers love hearing from you. You can view the Authors profile here
- Intro: Heidi offers to swap places with her married friend SoloF
Author's note: As it says, this is the prologue. You'll need to read subsequent chapters to get to the main action!
Living with Heidi - Prologue
by Shyboy
'Staff announcement! Would the Duty Manager please attend Customer Services? Customer Waiting.'
The smartly uniformed customer service assistant smiled at the small, puce-faced man standing at her desk and said: 'There you are, Sir. The manager will be with you shortly.'
The man was holding a half-opened tin of baked beans, which he now placed gingerly on the desk. Exhibit A. 'Shock of my life I 'ad openin' them beans,' he said. 'Fair turned my stomach seein' that slug floating on top of 'em!'
'I'm sure it did Sir,' said the assistant. 'The manager is on his way and he'll take down all the details for you.'
A tall, thin, grey-haired man in a navy blue suit was making his way towards them. 'Ah, here's Mr Jenkins now, Sir,' said the woman, whose name badge identified her as 'Heidi'.
'This gentleman has made an unpleasant discovery in his tin of beans Mr Jenkins. It seemed such a coincidence, what with this being the fifth time today and it being in all the papers yesterday about that woman successfully suing her supermarket over a similar find, I thought I'd better call you. Shall I get Security here too, or will you deal with the gentleman?'
Heidi emphasised the final word in such a way that no-one could be in any doubt what she really thought of the customer and his stupid get-rich-quick scheme.
'Well, really!' spluttered the irate soon-to-be-ex customer. 'I don't think there's any need for that attitude!'
Mr Jenkins had taken hold of his elbow and was steering him towards the exit. 'What about my beans?' the man called. 'That's evidence that is!'
But by the time he had been escorted off the supermarket premises the beans had landed with four other half-opened tins in the waste bin.
Heidi turned to her colleague Shirley and asked: 'Now Shirl, where were we? You were telling me about your miserable husband Tony. He does sound a bit of a challenge I must admit.'
Heidi glanced at her reflection in the shiny stainless steel counter top. Not bad for a woman in her forties, she thought.
Her brown curly hair had a youthful bounce to it as she moved her head. At five feet six inches in her stockinged feet and with the figure of a woman half her age, she still enjoyed flirting with men and got a real buzz especially when the younger ones responded to her teasing.
Tony was not one of her conquests. She had only known Shirley since moving to the town a few months previously and getting the customer service assistant's job at her local grocery store.
They were about the same age, although Shirley had the careworn look of a woman twenty years into the wrong marriage.
'He won't eat any of the food I prepare for him. Gets his own TV dinners in, or orders a takeaway. I sweat my guts out looking after the house, keeping it clean and tidy, but as soon as my back's turned he's messed it up again!' she moaned.
'What I could really do with is a holiday, but he won't entertain the idea. Says they're a waste of money and why would he want to go to some grotty hotel and spend a week packed in with a bunch of overweight northeners, touching everything with their greasy chip stained fingers?'
Heidi tried to look sympathetic, but had little in common with Shirley's domestic situation. She had never been trapped into marriage personally and had no intention of ever being so.
She thoroughly enjoyed her bachelor girl existence and if she ever needed a man to take her out to dinner or fulfill her sexual desires, she only had to snap her fingers and one or more would come running.
At least, that had always been the case when she lived at her old place, but since moving here the number of men in her life had dwindled considerably.
Her rabbit vibrator had been worked overtime since the move, so poor had been the choice of men in this town.
Smiling at Shirley, Heidi said: 'Sounds like you need someone to take over Tony duties while you go off for a couple of weeks on your own.'
Shirley looked at her friend in astonishment. 'Where am I likely to find someone willing to take on that big lummox?' she asked incredulously.
'I don't mind giving it a go,' said Heidi, almost before the thought had entered her head. Why not? It might liven things up a bit to have a pretend husband to tease and tantalise. If he looked half decent she might even let him take over rabbit duties for a night!
Best not to mention that idea to Shirley though, she thought as her friend beamed back at her.
'Wow! Would you really?' she asked, lowering her voice to add: 'You wouldn't need to...er...sleep with him or...er...anything...'
Heidi looked archly at Shirley and said: 'From your description of him, I don't think that's likely somehow, do you?'
They both laughed and Shirley responded: 'If I'm being chatted up in some Greek taverna by a bunch of hunky fishermen, frankly I won't give a shit what you and old misery guts get up to!'
Looking back, Heidi realised that it was this remark by her friend that sparked her desire to see just how far she could take the substitute wife scenario.
If Tony was sensible and played his cards right, she might make the two weeks they were together of mutual benefit.
If not, it was going to be a fortnight of Hell, she decided.
To be continued.....
Send feedback
- Use for below to send feedback to author - View the Authors profile here
- The following form will send feedback to the author about this short story, please enter your e-mail if you wish a reply (which is obviously at the authors own discretion)
