The Therapeutic Effects of Tea
by sloanranger
Part 8
Over the summer, Ernie did all manner of jobs for the ladies. He cleaned out the coal cellar, he painted the exterior wood trim on the windows of the brick house and he repapered the dining room.
When the leaves began falling, he cleaned them out of the gutters on the roof.
The sisters gave him tea and biscuits after every job and he did his work happily as now and again he got to take care of the car.
To Ernie's mind, it was the most important job in the world, though it may not have been the best job for the mind of Ernest Sibley.
Washing and waxing her tenderly until she shined, new-penny bright, was beginning to work on his brain. With each stroke of polish he so lovingly applied to the dashboard and each spot of cream he massaged into the fine leather he was becoming increasingly obsessed.
A swirling desire began to form a vague plan in Ernie's brain on how he could make the motorcar his own. Circumstance came to his aid.
His Aunt had acquired a gentleman friend. A nice enough bloke she'd met at chapel, but Ernest could no longer occupy the sofa in the parlor. It was needed now to receive Aunt Pat's caller.
When he mentioned to the sisters that he was looking for a room to let, they negotiated a situation they thought beneficial for both parties. They offered to let him the spare bedroom downstairs in exchange for help around the house. They would also require a slight contribution towards the household necessaries and maintenance of their car.
Ernest could of course, keep his job at the petrol station.
(To be continued).