AS THE MOUSE

OVES©

Tuesday October 10^th, 2000
Jan watched from the living room as Skeeter walked into the bathroom.  She heard him turn on the water in the shower.  The breeze from the partially open window overlooking Bleecker Street started to chill her nude body.  She smiled thinking about how upset Tiffany had sounded from downstairs on the building intercom.  Tiffany had cried and told Skeeter that Clark had fired her.  Finally Clark had taken her suggestions to terminate Tiffany's employment with him.  She walked towards the window to close it and wondered if Tiffany was still downstairs crying.  She glanced down from the 2nd floor window onto Bleecker Street below.  She didn't see Tiffany anywhere in sight.  She pulled the unadorned window down and stood there staring at the traffic.  She smiled thinking how Skeeter had never bothered to buy curtains or blinds for the old windows.  She saw the overweight owner of the store across the street standing outside on the sidewalk smoking a cigarette and watching her.  She grinned thinking how he must be enjoying his view.  She pressed her body closer to the window and casually looked up the street to see if Tiffany was anywhere in sight.
"Don't let her see you through the window," Skeeter screamed in his southern accent over the running water in the bathroom.
"Of course not," Jan screamed back as she watched the older man across the street step on the cigarette he had thrown on the sidewalk.  He didn't move but stood there watching her nude body in the window.  She wondered if that man was married like Skeeter.  She wondered if she would ever meet him face to face and if he would recognize her.  She quickly decided she would go into that store soon and find out.  She glanced down again and didn't see Tiffany anywhere.  She must have gone home to lick her wounds.  It would have been so nice if Tiffany were still down there and saw her in the window.  Now that Tiffany didn't work for Clark anymore it was open season, she thought. She heard Skeeter turn off the water in the bathroom; her cue to get ready to go out to dinner.

Tiffany wiped the tears from her cheeks as she turned the corner and started to leave Bleecker Street.  She turned one last time to look up at  Skeeter's apartment window.  Her heart stopped and she stood frozen.  Her eyes narrowed as she stared up at the window.  She was horrified as she thought she saw a woman's nude body move away from the window.  She had looked earlier and didn't see anything.  She wondered if she was right.  She turned and ran back towards the building.

Jan turned on the water and got into the shower as Skeeter started to get dressed in the bedroom.
"What's that?"  Jan yelled over the water.
"Somebody at the door again," Skeeter yelled back as he walked towards the buzzer.
"I bet it's Tiffany coming back to beg you," she said starting to rush so she could get out and witness the scene.  She hoped that perhaps Tiffany had seen her in the window and was coming back in anger.
"Who is it?"  Skeeter asked pushing the buzzer to talk.
"It's me Skeeter.  Who's up there with you?"  Tiffany demanded.
"No one.  I'm getting ready to go to a meeting", Skeeter lied.
"I thought I saw a woman in the window just now," Tiffany said.
"You're seeing things Tiffany.  Go home.  I'll call you later," he said.
"Skeeter I'm sure there's a woman up there.  Open the door and let me in if there's no one there," Tiffany said as the tears started to roll down her cheeks.
Skeeter heard Jan turn off the water in the bathroom.  "I said I'm busy.  I'll call the police if you don't leave me alone," he said knowing Jan would be very impressed with his resistance.
"You'll pay for this Skeeter Diamond," Tiffany screamed, turning and starting to walk away.  She saw an overweight shop owner standing on the sidewalk across the street staring at her.  She had suffered enough humiliation today, she certainly didn't need to take the chance that Skeeter would call the police on her.  She started to run looking back and seeing the overweight man watching and shaking his head smiling in disbelief.
CONTINUED TOMORROW. MORE PHOTOS BELOW.
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