Let it flow

Nurse Anna disembarked the elevator waving goodbye to her friend and promised to meet her heavyset friend after work. She walked into Dr.Keeler's office and to her desk when she saw Erin making out with him. "Mhm." She clicked her tongue and sat at her desk immediately taking out her phone to message everyone she knew.

Aaron’s eyes were wide as his lips pressed into another man’s lips. Brad had caught him off guard and when his arm wrapped around him he lost his balance in his heels. He knew standing there, with his arm wrapped around him, only gave him encouragement, even if he only held onto him because of the sudden loss in his equilibrium. Still it did feel nice, but it had to end. Moving his hands from Brad’s shoulders to his chest Aaron pushed and freed himself from the man’s arm. He was expecting to be held tighter, such pushes did little to get out of Ted’s grasp and the extra effort caused the disguised man to fall backwards and land sitting on Brad’s desk with his legs wide. Brad saw Erin push off him to hop up on his desk, she looked down at her open legs and then back up to him. He had never mixed business with pleasure like this before, but could already feel himself growing hard. “Here? Yeah, wow, okay.” He said,n odding.

As Aaron watched the man take a single step forward and move his hand to start undoing his pants, Aaron quickly got to his high heeled feet. Not listening to what was said, Aaron didn’t know if he had encouraged this behavior or if this suitor was just acting on desire. “We, we can’t. We talked about this, remember?” Even if he couldn’t see the man doing it, Aaron could feel the doctor looking him up and down, his bulge visible through his pants. The eyes stopped on his chest, typical. Heck he was guilty of this often himself, but glancing down at his top he saw why and wasn’t sure how he hadn't noticed it happen. The blouse’s top button had popped and was nowhere to be seen, so now the tight garment was exposed to the tops of the forms he wore and a hint of his bra underneath. Putting one hand to his chest to cover himself Aaron looked away, blushing in embarrassment. “I’m sorry, you must think awful things of me.” He needed this job, he didn’t like the job, but he needed it. He was a good man, and Aaron doubled down on his thoughts about encouraging him with his answer when he wasn’t paying attention to the question, and now with the blouse. It was like some sexy secretary porno and instead of Aaron watching it, he was the sexy bimbo secretary.

"I could never think anything bad about you." he rested his head on her's and eyed her cleavage, "but you said you couldn't stop thinking about us too."

Aaron thought harder trying to recall their conversation prior to the lip locking and could only conclude that was what he must've been asking him. "I did," he said sheepishly, "but as long as I'm working for you we can't do this. People are already talking as it is."

Brad sighed and leaned against his desk, "You're right. Then I guess I have ****, you're fired."

Aaron was thrown off for a moment before his shock dissipated, "I know you're joking."

"No, I'm a thousand percent serious."

Erin cupped his cheek in her hand, "You're not that guy."

Brad's shoulders slumped as he frowned, "I could be."

"Then you wouldn't be the man I went home with."

Brad sighed and rubbed his head, "I know. I'm sorry. Just a bad joke."

"I know." She said softly before hugging him. She felt bad for rejecting him but was glad to discover not every man treated her like a walking sex toy.

Brad was a good man, and he kicked himself for it. He had known and reported doctor's who had manipulated admins or nurses in much the same way he jokes about and it always disgusted him. If he was an asshole he couldn't be with her anyway, he wouldn't deserve her. Maybe someday in the future they could build a relationship together but she made it clear enough how to go about it.

Aaron pulled away from Brad, feeling strangely sympathetic. He understood the pain of unrequited desires all too well but his life was already complicated enough without dating his boss. 'And I don't like men of course'.

"I'm sorry I think I interrupted you." He laughed awkwardly, "were you going to ask me something?"

Brad watched Erin look down at her chest and touch her blouse. Pulling it together tightly over her chest, looking upset as it went back to exposing the top of her bra when she let go. "Uh...I was…, no. Forget it. Now is definitely not the time."

"No. It sounded important from what I've heard so far." Brad said with his reassuring smile.

"It's just...with the move and a lot of my clothes got lost in the move. Then we had an issue with the washer and I called somebody and the guy just stiffed me...I mean, uh, he didn't fix anything and we have to wash everything multiple times which...as you can see isn't great for clothes." She gestures to her missing top button.

"And this is a problem?" He said with a light smirk. Erin rolled her eyes and fought the smile pulling at the corners of her lips. "Kidding. I know how frustrating it can be. I remember in med school we only had this dinky little laundromat that just wreaked havoc on anything you tried to clean."

"Laundromat? I thought all you doctor's were rich kids."

Brad laughed deeply, "Not all of us. I was working two jobs and even with both of my parents help and financial aid I barely had enough to make ends meet." Erin nodded, realizing why he had gotten in the habit of not eating lunch. "Which...is why I really am sorry to say I can't give you another advance in pay."

"What?!" Images of foreclosure signs on their house and living on the streets flashed in front of his mind and how all of this suffering was for nothing in the end.

"Unfortunately I don't own the practice, I just work here. The practice itself is owned by a group of doctors who, yeah, didn't need to work for anything. So we only have a budget for one advance every six months. But," he took out his wallet from his pocket and handed over a platinum credit card, "You and your daughter can go get whatever you need for clothes. On me."

"N-no I couldn't possibly-"

"No it's okay. Just make sure you get work clothes and I can tell the mucky mucks it's a work expense with a clear conscience."

"I can't take advantage of you like this. Just because we...I wouldn't feel right."

"Erin, this has nothing to do with what happened between us now or before. You are my employee...and, I'd like to think, my friend and I take care of both whenever I'm able."

Aaron smiled up at him admiringly and slipped his arms through Brad's, pulling the doctor into a warm hug. "You're a good man Dr.Keeler." He hated this, feeling like he was taking advantage of anyone always left a bad taste in his mouth, but it was even worse when the person in question was genuinely good. The least he could do was give the man a hug and find some way to pay him back.

Brad pulled Erin in close, enjoying the warm hug and the wildflower scent she wore today. One day, maybe, they could figure out a way to make a relationship work between them. At first he thought he could handle being a one time thing with her but the more he was around her, and got to talking to her he found out they had a lot of common interests and she had such a beautiful smile. And seeing how she comforted the younger children who came into his office simply warmed his heart. He knew he would be a fool to just give up. Brad cleared his throat and broke the hug to sit behind his desk, "But yeah, why don't you go ahead and call your daughter, if she's not busy you can go ahead and go to the mall now."

"Sure." Aaron sighed and shook his head with a hapless smile. He knew Sarah would at least enjoy the trip, and maybe he could find more demure clothes.

"Hey, mom. Is everything okay?"

"Everything's great. I spoke with Br-Dr.Keeler and he was generous enough to pay for a shopping trip for the two of us."

"Really?! See it pays to date a doctor."

"We're not-"

"Mom, he's cute, he's a doctor and he runs a practice? You could do a lot worse for a husband."

Aaron buried his face in his hand, covering the redness of his face, and didn't see the satisfied smile on Brad's face. "We'll talk about it later. Just be ready when I come pick you up."

"Is he right there?"

"Sara-"

"Thank you Dr.Keeler!" Sarah yelled into the phone causing Aaron to pull the phone from her ear.

"I'm happy to do it." Brad laughed.

"My mom says you have a cute butt." Aaron immediately hung up the phone. His face now burned as red as a tomato. Brad bit his lip and tried not to laugh or smile and show how much he enjoyed that bit of information.

"She was-I mean I didn't-not saying that... I-I should go."

"Enjoy your trip. And don't forget to bring me the receipts." Aaron nodded and quickly ran to his desk to pick up his purse and get as far away from this moment as he possibly could.

Later as they entered the mall Aaron was still reading Sarah the riot act. "It's not funny! You don't know what you have done!"

"I gave the guy a compliment. Plus he does have a cute butt."

"Sarah!"

"Come on like you haven't noticed."

"I don't notice guys butts!" Aaron whispered indignantly.

"Please, I see how you're dressing up for work. You can't tell me it's just a coincidence."

"It's because of that damn washer. It shrunk all of my bras and my... god my bras?" Aaron ran his hand through his hair and pulled as if he was trying to rip the thoughts out. When did he start thinking of his wife's clothes as his own?!

"Hey," Sarah put her arm around Aaron's shoulder. "it's okay. I'm sorry if I embarrassed you with Dr.Brad." Sarah frowned, she really did not mean to upset her. "I know something that'll help you destress."

"A powerful sedative?"

"Close." Sarah pulled Erin into a salon called Haley's Haven.

"I don't need a haircut, and besides he only gave us the card for clothes."

"We're not going to get you a haircut first of all, second, you're going to pay him back, right?"

"Yeah?"

"Then what's the matter? It's not like you're just taking the money without giving anything back. He'll understand." Stressed and simply exhausted Erin agreed if for no other reason than to get it over and done with without making a scene.

"Hello ladies," the woman at the front counter said in a chipper voice. "Welcome to Haley's Haven. I am Haley, how may I help you feel wonderful today?"

"My mother and I would like your pampered princess package please."

"Wait, what's that? How much is it?"

"Pssh. Don't worry about it mom, your boyfriend is paying for it."

"He's not my boyfriend." Erin sighed, hating how much like a teenager she sounded, worse a teen girl.

"Well I can see you definitely need some pampering. Follow me darlings." The two women followed Haley to two empty seats in the back. Due to it being the early afternoon on a Monday there were few other customers except for three trophy wives or girlfriends having a day out. This thought did nothing to destress Aaron. He didn't want to be a trophy girlfriend. Or a girlfriend for that matter! "Tina, why don't you take young miss…" she gestured to Sarah, waiting for her to answer.

"Sarah."

"I sure will." Tina, a girl with blue and purple streaks in her hair, and multiple piercings in her ears and lips, wearing a black smock wrapped her arm around Sarah's and led her to a washing station while Haley did the same with Aaron.

"Now what did you say your name was honey?"

"Aaron."

"Nice to meet you Erin. You have such lovely hair, has anyone ever told you that?"

"My late... husband." He said as he sat in the black chair in front of the wash basin.

Haley draped a pink smock around Erin. "Oh I'm sorry to hear that." Haley turned the water on, letting it warm up before leaning Aaron back. "How long has it been? If you don't mind me asking."

"A little over a year." Haley caressed Erin's hair with warm water, understanding why she was not eager to say she was in a new relationship so soon after her husband's ****.

"Well don't worry dear, we will take good care of you." Aaron barely heard the woman as he already started drifting off to sleep. Haley prided herself on making her rinses feel indistinguishable from a gentle scalp massage. She had seen many shallow women with multiple ex-husbands and fat bank accounts. It was rather refreshing whenever she could see genuine love on a client's face.

Aaron slept blissfully, dreaming as his wife caressed his face and played with his hair. He missed how she would joke about putting him in braids or simply run her fingers through his hair while they snuggled up together to watch a movie after a hard day. He was always guaranteed to fall asleep before the end of whatever movie they were watching. When she kissed him awake he felt like he was waking into heaven. In his dream she kissed him deeply so that he could feel how much she loved him with a single kiss. When he opened his eyes he saw Brad. She felt herself smiling up at him, her hand caressing his face.

Flinching, Aaron woke as Haley helped him to stand. "I know, I'm sorry I woke you but we're not quite finished yet. And you should be awake to enjoy the experience." After the brief dream he had he was sure he wouldn't be sleeping any time soon.

He realized his hair had been wrapped in a towel and his cape was removed and he was given a delightfully soft and fuzzy robe to wear over his clothes as he was led into the nail section of the salon. "Now, would you just lie back and relax and let us take care of everything."

"Okay...just nothing too crazy. I work in a doctor's office."

"Trust me, honey." Haley said as she sat Aaron in a reclining chair which was much more comfortable than the previous. As she spread what looked like green gook to Aaron on his face Haley asked, "So, is this where you met your beaux?"

"Hmm? Well, kinda. He's my boss though."

"Oh so you're not dating him?"

"We went out on one date." Aaron sighed, hating to admit it but hopefully the truth would end the line of questioning.

"So what happened? You didn't like him?"

"No. He's great actually. He's nice, respectful, and great with kids too."

"So what's the problem?"

Aaron wanted to scream that he didn't want to date a man, ".... he's also my boss."

"Oh!" Haley nodded sympathetically, "Well don't worry there are other fish in the sea, and with how beautiful you are there's no way you won't have to be single for long."

"I suppose." Aaron frowned as he remembered his upcoming date with officer Luke the coming Friday. He realized now that sucking his dick probably sent him the wrong message.

Aaron couldn't see what Haley was doing to his hands or feet after she covered his eyes with two slices of cucumber, but assumed she must have had another employee helping or else she had grown an extra set of arms. Despite himself he was finding the personal attention quite relaxing. He finally understood why his wife and Sarah would have their nails done once a week. If he had the money they once had he would have no problem doing this again.

While Haley and whoever trimmed, buffed, and polished Erin's nails they had started a conversation between them and the other women sitting in similar reclining chairs, no doubt covered in green masks as well. They started off discussing fashion, which Aaron really knew nothing about and it suited him just fine to remain silent. Or he would have, had the unseen women not addressed him directly and asked about his daughter. Once entered into the conversational hivemind Aaron found no escape as they dragged out his previous life, or Erin's anyway, and asked her opinion on anything from celebrity gossip to traffic congestion. Of course the topic of sex arose multiple times, and Aaron was surprised to find that women were just as dirty minded as men in a lockerroom.

His face washed and removed from the gaggle he was sat in yet another chair, this one with no sign of reclining, and a cape draped around him once again. "Now never fear, we won't be cutting any length off, just getting some loose ends here, which will help your hair grow out longer, faster. We're just going to fix it up a bit with a cute style. Did you have any thoughts on what you would like?"

"Braids." He spoke before the question even registered.

"Oh that will look just exquisite on you." Aaron didn't bother to fix his mistake; partly because he saw no point since everyone already thought of and saw him as a woman, and partly because he thought his wife would love it. Even if she had been joking.

Twenty minutes later his hair was finished and put into twin braids with hair crisscrossing to either braid. "What do you think? Don't you just love it?"

Aaron looked at himself in the angled mirrors and smiled softly, "I do."

"Oh my gosh!" Sarah gasped as she turned in her chair. "Mom, you look so beautiful!"

Erin blushed, "Thank you sweetheart. But you look amazing." Sarah's long hair had been curled which accented well with her already wavy hair.

"I know right?!" She smiled and excitedly flicked back one side of her hair. Erin laughed and smiled, Sarah took so much after her late wife. And there may have been times where it got on both of their nerves but she loved how unapologetically herself she was in a world that always wanted you to be someone or something else.

Haley laughed, pleased to see her customers so delighted, "Alrighty ladies, I'm afraid this is the end of our fun together."

"Aww." Both women said in unison.

"I know, I've had fun spending the afternoon with you ladies. So be sure and come back soon."

"I would love to, but...I'm not sure we could afford that." Aaron half lied, and wasn't sure which was the lie at the moment.

"Well, we do have a membership discount. If you sign up you get twenty percent off and ten percent off all following purchases."

"We might just have to take you up on that."

As they paid Haley gave Aaron a brochure listing their packages and perks that came with being a member. Skimming the brochure Aaron found the pampered princess package and was shocked to discover that everything had cost one hundred and seventy-five dollars. "Ya know...I think we'll go ahead and sign up for that membership now." Sarah turned to her mom in surprise and excitement, unaware he only did it to try and save Brad a dollar or two.

"That was insanely expensive." Aaron held a stack of tops, skirts, and new bras in one arm as Sarah looked through racks of clothes.

"You enjoyed it though."

"That's not the point. You don't go hog wild when you're spending someone else's money. You know this."

"Yeah, but like you said we'll pay it back." Sarah said as she held up a red maxi dress to herself then Aaron.

"Easier said than done. And what are you even looking at now?!"

"We have to get you clothes for work, mom."

"I do filing. Not work on a street corner."

"Pfft." She waved her hand dismissively, "You can file and still catch a man's eye."

"I don't want a man's eyes on me! I don't want their anything on me!"

"There's a crumpled up blouse soaking in the sink that would beg to differ. You really should have it dry cleaned or it'll be ruined." Aaron burned bright red. No matter how hard he tried to forget something or someone always had to remind him of how often he's been intimate with a man. Usually that someone was Sarah herself.

"That's not going to happen at work." He huffed.

"Don't rule it out completely. Workplace romances happen all the time. Trust me I know."

"Sarah!"

"What?" She groaned holding up a black dress of similar design. "We're both adults."

"I know but I can't believe you talk this openly about it."

Sarah shrugged, she always had been candid about her sex life with her mother in the past. Her mom didn't mind as she felt she would be more likely to be safe and come to her if there was any sort of problem. "You didn't seem to mind earlier with the others."

"Those women weren't my daughter."

"So? You never talked about sex with uncle Jack?"

"It's not the same. He's my brother not my father."

"Or grandma?"

"Absolutely not."

Sarah sighed and turned to face her father, "Mom. It's the 21st century, you gotta get over your hangups about sex. Ooh!" Sarah hurried past Aaron and towards a wall of high heels. "These would be perfect."

"I don't need four inch heels for work."

"But they're so cute!"

"Granted-"

"Unless you think you can wear five inch heels."

"You know I can't. I struggle with what I have now!

"Then we should definitely get these. It'll give you more practice."

"How does that make sense?"

"Will you trust me? Who has more experience being a girl?"

"You but-"

"So see, I know what I'm talking about. If I wanted to know about football would I tell you you're wrong?"

"... probably."

"Still. My point stands. These will be sexy enough, trust me. We don't want you to look like you're on the prowl." she grinned happily thinking of sharing in her mother's good fortune and new wardrobe and looked forward to her first opportunity to borrow them.

So Sarah and Aaron left the mall with several bags in hand, some filled with clothes, others filled with shoes. When they arrived back home Aaron was both mentally and physically exhausted. Aaron sat on the couch glad to be home as he crossed one leg over the other, slowly rubbing one smooth leg over the other.

"Mom, I think you have impeccable taste in clothes." She said with no sense of irony as she was the one to pick out the majority of the clothes.

"Thanks. And can't you at least call me dad when we're alone like this?"

Sarah picked up a short red velvet dress and held it to her chest, "We talked about this before. We can't afford any slip ups in public so we might as well stay in character when we're not."

"Yeah. I guess." He sighed.

Sitting down beside Aaron she tucked her legs under her and faced him, "In all seriousness though, one day this will all end and...I'll have my dad back but I'll lose my mom again. I really miss doing things like this with her. I just wanted to...to say…" Sarah's voice fell away as the tears began to flow freely and she did what all kids do when they're sad and their mothers are worthy of the name, she reached out and hugged her mother.

"I know sweetheart. I miss her too." Aaron's tears fell slowly as he kissed her head. He missed his wife and always would no matter how many years went by, but his baby was in pain and all he wanted to do was fix the hurt, "I couldn't stop thinking about her all day." Sarah nodded into her mother's chest crying silently. "But... she'll never really be gone for me. Because you are so much like her."

"Really?" Sarah wiped at the mascara running down her cheeks.

"Absolutely. Whenever I miss her...all I have to do is look at your hair. Or your smile. Or listen to your laugh. That's all your mother." Sarah smiled as more tears ran down her face. "And how when you put your mind to something you won't let anything stop you. Even a father telling you not to buy four inch stilettos." Sarah laughed, wiping her face free of the fresh tears.

"Like when she took us all zip lining over that river in North Carolina."

"Or grand rapids."

"What about when she talked you into doing swing classes with her?" Sarah laughed.

"Hey, that was fun." Aaron joined her laughter. When it finally died down he sighed wistfully, "Yeah. She always did get me to try new things."

"Mom always did say life was for living."

"And boy did she live." Aaron wondered, not for the first time, what she would think of him now. He had all these new experiences and what she would call 'adventures'. Would she be upset he was cheating on her? Or would she be proud he was exploring a part of life he never had before. Would she tell him he shouldn't fight it and remind him, the start of a great adventure begins with first getting off the beaten path, 'Maybe' he thought, 'I could let myself enjoy it more than I have been.'