It's All a Matter of Choice Read online

  Bummer.

  Now he stood in the lobby waiting. The continental breakfast was still out, so he got himself a cup of coffee and a sweet roll. He wasn’t hungry, just a bit nervous. By ten-fifteen, Anita still hadn’t shown up. Emmet wondered if she suffered from the same thing his mother did. Perpetual lateness. Whenever he did take his mother someplace, it took her forever to get ready.

  Finally he walked up to the desk.

  “Could you tell me what room Anita Bowen is in?” he asked the woman, who frowned slightly.

  “We don’t give out that information, sir,” she said, picking up the courtesy phone.

  ”I was supposed to meet her in the lobby at ten,” Emmet pressed.

  The hotel clerk looked at the geeky young man in front of her. He didn’t look like a husband seeking out an unfaithful wife, or jealous boyfriend.

  “Hold on a moment,” the clerk said.

  She quickly dialed a number and murmured into the phone. The clerk nodded and hung it up.

  “Miss Bowen is in room 215. She says to come up,” the clerk said, “the elevator is down the hall on the right.”

  Emmet thanked the clerk and took the elevator to the second floor.

  He held the button as a couple with a luggage cart rolled on, then he exited, looking at the numbers on the room doors and located Anita’s room. He knocked.

  “Come in, Emmet,” Anita called.

  Emmet opened the door and walked into a little sitting area.

  “Have a seat, Emmet. I’ll be right out,” Anita called from the bedroom.

  Emmet sat down, looking about. He was glad she had nice accommodations.

  Anita exited the bedroom, wearing nice fitting jeans, sneakers, a flowered blouse and her hair pulled back. She only had on a little makeup, and smelled wonderful as usual. Emmet stood up when she walked into the room, his brown eyes taking her in.

  “Sorry I’m late,” she said, walking up to him and giving him a peck on the cheek.

  Emmet colored noticeably, and she grinned at him.

  “You’re going to have to get used to being kissed if you’re going to be around me, Emmet,” she said, looking him over.

  Emmet was wearing brown polyester pants with a dark boxlike pattern on them, and they were too high. He also wore black, round tip slip on shoes with white socks, a light green button-up shirt and still had a pocket protector in his breast pocket, even though he wasn’t at work. Emmet’s glasses were still broken too.

  Anita shook her head.

  “God, do we have work to do,” she breathed.

  Anita was very tempted to ask Emmet to take her to his house so she could throw away all his clothes.

  Emmet looked down at himself then at Anita

  “That bad?” he asked her.

  Anita looked at him and nodded.

  “Really that bad, Emmet…but don’t worry. This will be the last day you look like this. Before we leave, I’m going to give you the basics…a kind of fashion 101 for guys,” she said, smiling at him as she reached into her pocket and pulled out a measuring tape.

  Emmet blinked at it as Anita approached him.

  “What are you doing?” he asked her.

  “Saving time,” she said, “If I get your measurements, you won’t have to try everything on at the store.”

  ”Oh…ok,” Emmet said, a little crack in his voice as Anita put the tape around his neck and pulled it tight gently.

  There was something about her doing that he found very pleasurable. His Adam’s apple bobbed a bit, and Anita smiled slightly, leaving the tape draped around his neck and going back into her bedroom. She came out with a pencil and pad and handed it to him.

  “Write down the measurements I tell you,” she said.

  Emmet positioned the pencil over the paper and listened carefully as she gave his neck measurement, jotting down “neck” and the inches. Thirteen. Was that good?

  “Lift your arms,” Anita said, her body coming into contact with Emmet’s as she reached around him, taking his chest measurement. Emmet fought back the little noise he couldn’t help making, but Anita heard it anyway. She didn’t react however. She had a feeling Emmet would die of embarrassment.

  He was adorable.

  “You’re quite slim, Emmet,” she said as she gave his chest measurement.

  “I know,” he said. “Skinny actually.”

  Anita reached around his waist, looking up at him as she did so. Emmet blinked rapidly a few times but said nothing.

  “Twenty-seven,” she said. He wrote it down.

  Suddenly Emmet jumped as he felt Anita gently touch his inner thigh.

  “Um…um…” he stammered.

  “I have to take your inseam, Emmet,” Anita said, kneeling.

  “Oh my God,” Emmet thought as he looked down at her, praying he wouldn’t get excited. Where Anita was, she wouldn’t be able to help but notice. A little moisture appeared on his temple as she measured his leg. He trembled slightly.

  Anita took her time, well aware of the effect she was having on him. Emmet groaned inwardly as he felt a little throb.

  “Please,” he thought as he began to swell.

  Anita saw the little pulse. Those polyester pants didn’t hide much, and her eyes widened as Emmet began to get an erection. A big one.

  Suddenly she was gently pulled up by Emmet.

  “Ah, you’re done right? I…I have to go to the bathroom,” he said, pushing the pencil and pad into her hands then almost running for her bedroom. Anita stared after him with raised eyebrows. Damn, Emmet had quite a little something going on down there.

  Emmet entered Anita’s bathroom and closed and locked the door. He looked down at his pants. Good lord, he was at full swell, and the front of his pants looked as if he has stuck an uncut roll of bologna down them.

  “Shit,” he breathed, reaching into his briefs and trying to adjust himself so it didn’t show.

  But his organ was hard and uncooperative, refusing to tuck between his legs. Finally, Emmet opened his pants, pulled up his shirt, tucking it under his chin and pulled his cock out of his briefs. He stood on tip-toe, pushing it over the edge of the sink and trying to get it as close to the faucet as possible. He turned on the cold water full blast and started cupping the water over his erection, hoping it would deflate.

  A knock sounded on the door.

  “Emmet, are you all right?” Anita said on the other side, her voice worried.

  “Yes…yes. I’m fine Anita…I’ll be out in a minute or two,” he said, splashing water all over the counter. His cock was shocked into compliance and began softening. He let out a sigh of relief.

  Anita stood there a moment, her brow furrowed as she listened to the sink running. Then she walked back into the living room.

  His cock soft again, Emmet shook it off and tucked it back in his briefs, fixing his clothing. He then took a tremendous amount of toilet paper off the roll and dried the sink counter, tossing it into the toilet and flushing it. He exited the bathroom, a bit red-faced.

  Anita was waiting for him in the sitting area, one eyebrow arched.

  “The coffee and donut I had downstairs didn’t agree with me,” Emmet said lamely.

  Anita’s eyes flicked down to his loins quickly. His erection was gone. She had an idea his little bathroom visit had a lot to do with it. Well, she had what she needed for his basic wardrobe. If he wanted a good suit, his measurements would be taken in more depth.

  “All right, sit down Emmet. I’m going to explain the basics of a guy’s wardrobe to you. We are talking work clothes for right now,” she said, sounding just like a teacher.

  Emmet said down on the sofa and looked attentive.

  Anita made a few Patton-type paces in front of Emmet before addressing him, her hands clasped behind her back. All she needed was a huge American flag billowing behind her.

  “For your wardrobe Emmet, you need the classics. The mainstays. Clothing that doesn’t go out of style. Nothing trendy. You are nowhere
near ready for trendy,” she said. “And for God’s sake no more polyester. Throw it ALL away when you get home today.”

  Emmet nodded. Nothing trendy. Nothing polyester.

  Anita continued.

  “We are going for classic colors. Those colors are black/charcoal, brown/beige, navy, and white. Stick with those colors for now. First, you need pants. Every man needs a good pair of jeans, a pair of khakis and a pair of dress pants separate from a suit.

  The dress pants should be charcoal or black and tailored. Khakis are casual, but still professional looking. They’re great because they don’t have to be dry-cleaned and you can even get wrinkle-free ones. Now, the jeans should be traditional with a dark wash and clean-cut. When you wear jeans, Emmet, they should fold a little at the bottom, but not be long enough you’ll walk on them.

  Emmet listened intently. Dress pants. Khakis. Jeans.

  ”Oh, and you should make sure your pants are plain and not distinctive. That way you can stretch them through your wardrobe without anyone noticing. They’ll just think you have a lot of the same kind of pants. A little trick I learned,” Anita said conspiratorially.

  “Next are shirts. Every guy needs a few nice button-down shirts. White and light blue work well. You get a high collar because you can wear it with a tie at work, or out at night without one. And you should always wear a short sleeved t-shirt under your button-up shirts. It keeps them clean and makes you look more professional.”

  Emmet nodded. He hadn’t known these basics. It didn’t sound too hard to follow.

  Anita then launched into pullover sweaters. Round-necked for work and v-necked for casual dress and outings. She suggested a couple of cashmere ones as well.

  “They feel good against your skin,” she said with a naughty smile.

  Emmet gave her a small smile back.

  ”Now, for a coat…we’re going to go for the classic navy blue sports coat because it’s versatile. You can wear it with khakis, button-up shirts, with or without a tie and with sweaters,” Anita said, Emmet nodding like a bobble-head. She smiled at him. He was such a good listener.

  “Now, you get a break with shoes. Guys really only need three pairs. And shoes are very important, Emmet. It’s the first thing women notice about men in most cases,” she said.

  Emmet looked down at his scuffed, round-toes black shoes. Well, he didn’t make a good impression at all. He looked at Anita with a pained expression. She laughed.

  “Don’t worry, Emmet. You will be shoe-tastic,” she said soothingly. “You just need a pair of black dress shoes, brown loafers and a pair of sneakers.”

  That sounded simple enough.

  “But you have to keep your dress shoes polished. Always shining,” Anita added. “And your shoes should match your belt and your briefcase.”

  ”I need a new briefcase,” Emmet said, thinking of his beat-up black one.

  “Two. One black and one brown,” Anita replied.

  “Yes,” Emmet agreed.

  “Last, you need accessories. NO polyester ties. None with cartoons on them. You can be a little trendy with ties, but it’s better to stick with the classic colors right now though. Thin belts go with dress pants. Wider belts with khakis and jeans. And you need a watch that goes with anything. And that’s it,” Anita said, throwing out her hands in a “walahh” motion. “Think you’ve got it?”

  Emmet nodded.

  “Good. Because I am going to let you pick out your clothes based on what I’ve told you, but will be standing by as quality control. Is that all right with you? I want to make you a better shopper as well. I won’t always be around, you know?” Anita said.

  Emmet felt a little tightening in his belly when Anita said that. He didn’t want her to go anywhere. She was the nicest young woman he had ever met.

  “I…I hope you’re around for a while at least,” Emmet said suddenly. He hadn’t meant to. Anita had a way of making him do that.

  Anita smiled at him.

  “Aw, that’s so sweet, Emmet,” she said to him. Then her brown eyes went cloudy for a moment as she thought of her father finding her again. “I’ll be around as long as I can.”

  Emmet sensed there was something Anita wasn’t saying, but he wasn’t the type of person to pry. The young woman suddenly brightened, throwing off her dark moment.

  “Are you ready to splurge, Mr. Barrows?” she asked him as Emmet stood up. She slipped her arm through his.

  “Yes, I am Miss Bowen,” Emmet said, looking down at her, feeling his throat tighten a bit. Anita was so pretty and on his arm…the way he looked. She didn’t care.

  “We are going to get you some new glasses and that haircut fixed too. They’re not going to recognize you at the office Monday morning,” she said, grinning.

  “Whatever I have to do, I’ll do it,” Emmet said as they walked toward the door.

  Anita looked up at him again. He had pretty eyes.

  “You ever think about contacts, Emmet?” she asked him as they exited the room.

  Chapter 12 ~ June’s Reaction

  June Barrows returned home Sunday night, dressed in a muumuu and curlers to try and hide the fact that she’d been away for the weekend. Emmet was in the living room when she came in, weakly calling out, “Bye Agnes. Thanks for having me.”

  Emmet smirked and shook his head, then rose and went to retrieve his mother’s suitcase and carry-all bag.. The moment she entered the house, she became too frail to carry her luggage, though she had no problem toting it from Agnes’ car to the front door. She did this because unlike June, Agnes didn’t dress down for Emmet. His mother thought it would be better if he didn’t see her. She was deluding herself. Emmet knew exactly what she did, and had no problem with it. In fact he was glad she got out and did something enjoyable.

  “Hello mom,” he said, kissing her cheek and picking up her bags.

  “Hello Emm…” she began, her voice faltering as she looked at her son’s retreating back. He was in jeans, sneakers and a light blue button up shirt. The clothing actually fit and matched. She was shocked. What happened to her geeky non-woman attracting son?

  When he returned, she was even more dismayed. His hair was nicely cut and kind of spiky on top, and he was wearing wire framed glasses that fit nicely on his face. He looked so…so…handsome.

  “Emmet! What have you done to yourself?” she demanded, her frail voice disappearing as she eyed him. “Your clothes? Your hair? Your glasses? You don’t look like yourself.”

  Emmet adjusted his glasses.

  “I went shopping,” he said, “I am going to do a very important closing this week. Thursday. I will be flying to Virginia. My boss said I had to improve my image before then. So I did.”

  ”Flying to Virginia? You mean you are going to be leaving me here all alone, Emmet? What will I do if someone tries to break in?” she asked him. There hadn’t been a breakin in their neighborhood for years.

  “You will call the police,” he said. “Besides mom, I’m sure there’s no one crouching in the bushes waiting to pounce on you the moment I leave. Now, have you eaten?”

  ”Yes,” June said frowning as she looked at him.

  God, he looked like photos of his father when he was younger. Joseph Barrows had been slim and handsome, though she met him when he was much older. Now that Emmet was properly dressed…he was very good looking. The women were bound to notice him now.

  June followed Emmet into the living room as he sat down in the armchair. She stood in front of him, still frowning.

  “I don’t like those glasses. They’re too thin. They look like they’ll break easily,” she said, noticing how nice his eyes looked in them. Brown and long lashed.

  “Mom, they are flexible. A truck could roll over them and the frames wouldn’t break,” Emmet replied, taking his glasses off and twisting them to show her. Now he looked even better. June couldn’t believe the change in him.

  “Put them back on,” she snapped. “I can’t believe while I was convalescing at Agn
es’ house, you went…went splurging. That’s so selfish of you, Emmet.”

  Both of Emmet’s eyebrows rose. Convalescing?

  “Mom, I know you weren’t at Agnes house. You and your friends went to the casino. I know it. I’ve known that’s what you were doing for years,” he said, blinking at her.

  June Barrows looked as if she has sucked on a very, very sour lemon as she looked at her son.

  “Why, Emmet…how could you think…” she began.

  “Do you want me to open up your suitcase?” he asked her.

  June Barrows plopped sullenly down on the sofa. The jig was up. That suitcase was full of outfits and shoes. Emmet knew she wasn’t as invalid as she pretended to be, and had known for some time. Her son had just been humoring her. He was more like his father than she realized.

  “All right. I do go to the casino. But it’s like a sabbatical…it’s good for me to get out,” she said to her son, who nodded.

  “I think so,” he agreed, “That’s why I never said anything about it. I want you to have a good time, mom…though I don’t really understand why you felt you had to hide it from me.”

  June Barrows looked at her son. She hid it from him because she was always on him not to frivolously spend his money on things he actually needed. She wanted to keep him under her thumb. She thought if he knew she lost money on gambling, but had a great time doing it, he would figure out how she was manipulating him. As she looked at him, her eyes narrowed. Emmet didn’t have a fashion sense.

  “Who went shopping with you, Emmet? It’s obvious you’ve been influenced,” she said.

  Emmet reddened slightly and June scowled.

  “Um…Anita gave me some basic tips,” he began. June cut him off.

  “I suppose she picked out your clothes for you too,” she said stiffly. That was her job.

  Emmet straightened and looked a bit proud of himself.

  “Actually, I picked out all my clothing myself,” he replied, “Once I knew what colors to stick to, and what I was looking for it was easy to do. No more polyester or cartoon ties for me.”