I guess. My place or yours?”
“Maybe we better come here.” He laughed, the rumbling sound so deep and so obviously sincere it was heaven to my ears. “I’m not sure I’m up to the Sex Emporium.”
“Coward.”
“Do you mind if Carly sticks around? I miss Kathy, and I think Carly does to—although she’d never admit it. I think she’d like the company.”
“I’d love to spend time with Carly. She’s a nice kid.” And I think she’s on my side .
“Thanks. Give me your email address and I’ll send some directions.”
***
“What was I thinking?” I asked Julie for the hundredth time. “I can’t go to his house. Carly will be there. What if he kisses me again or...or...something?” I threw more dirty clothes into the washing machine and poured in some detergent.
“Jackie, you’re being silly.”
“Gee, thanks. That helps a whole heap,” I replied before realizing how snotty I probably sounded. “I like this guy, Julie. I really do.”
She sighed. “Then quit acting like you’re terrified of him.”
I slammed the lid on the extraordinarily small load of clothing. With the boys gone and very little laundry of my own, I was going through some kind of withdrawal. I used to spend most of every Saturday in the laundry room, buried under piles of sweaty socks, gym shorts, t-shirts, and jeans. “But I am terrified. I don’t want to like him. I don’t need this. I have a great life. He’ll just be...I don’t know. A...complication.”
I could tell Julie was quickly getting exasperated with me. The sound of her fingers drumming on some surface was easy to hear. I couldn’t really blame her for being irritated. I’d probably talked to her ten times already, and it was only two o’clock. I was supposed to be at Mark’s around six. Julie could probably anticipate at least a dozen more calls including the one from my cell phone when I finally drove over there.
“What are you going to wear?” she asked.
“Nice diversionary tactic.”
“Thank you. Look, I’m sorry, Jackie, but I’ve got to go. Are you going to be okay?”
“Yeah. I’m just nervous. Tell me again.”
“You’re doing the right thing.”
“Thanks, sweetie. Love you.”
“Love you too.” The sound as she hung up echoed through my brain like the chiming of a gong.
I was alone again.
I walked out of the laundry room and peered around for something to do. The emptying of my nest had thrust so many changes into my orderly world. Saturday had always been the day when I spent quite a bit of time making my house look like something other than a landfill. I’d yell at the boys to pick up their stuff as I used an old pair of ratty underwear to dust the furniture. Then we’d move on to the “who’s-going-to-have-to-vacuum” dance. Of course, I usually ended up leading.
No matter which room I checked, the house was clean. It didn’t really appear any different than when I’d cleaned it the day after Nate left.
Funny. This was what I’d always wanted. Now my pristine house made me sad.
I decided that I needed to get another pet—like a puppy or a kitten. Maybe then I’d have someone to clean up after.
***
I couldn’t believe I’d found his house so easily. Mark gave really good directions. And really nice kisses.
Grow up, Jacqueline.
I grabbed the cell phone I’d propped up in the cup holder and slipped it in my pocket. With a deep, steadying breath, I left my minivan and walked to the front door. It opened before I could even reach my finger up to push the doorbell.
“Ms. Delgado!” Carly squealed. “Come in! Daddy’s been pacing around waiting for you. And he’s been running around picking stuff up all day. And he even shaved. On a Saturday!”
I smiled. The fact that she was so glad to see me warmed my heart. When Mark walked up behind her and put his hands on her shoulders, I warmed up a little more.
“Brat,” he said as he squeezed her arms. “You’re tattling on
“Maybe we better come here.” He laughed, the rumbling sound so deep and so obviously sincere it was heaven to my ears. “I’m not sure I’m up to the Sex Emporium.”
“Coward.”
“Do you mind if Carly sticks around? I miss Kathy, and I think Carly does to—although she’d never admit it. I think she’d like the company.”
“I’d love to spend time with Carly. She’s a nice kid.” And I think she’s on my side .
“Thanks. Give me your email address and I’ll send some directions.”
***
“What was I thinking?” I asked Julie for the hundredth time. “I can’t go to his house. Carly will be there. What if he kisses me again or...or...something?” I threw more dirty clothes into the washing machine and poured in some detergent.
“Jackie, you’re being silly.”
“Gee, thanks. That helps a whole heap,” I replied before realizing how snotty I probably sounded. “I like this guy, Julie. I really do.”
She sighed. “Then quit acting like you’re terrified of him.”
I slammed the lid on the extraordinarily small load of clothing. With the boys gone and very little laundry of my own, I was going through some kind of withdrawal. I used to spend most of every Saturday in the laundry room, buried under piles of sweaty socks, gym shorts, t-shirts, and jeans. “But I am terrified. I don’t want to like him. I don’t need this. I have a great life. He’ll just be...I don’t know. A...complication.”
I could tell Julie was quickly getting exasperated with me. The sound of her fingers drumming on some surface was easy to hear. I couldn’t really blame her for being irritated. I’d probably talked to her ten times already, and it was only two o’clock. I was supposed to be at Mark’s around six. Julie could probably anticipate at least a dozen more calls including the one from my cell phone when I finally drove over there.
“What are you going to wear?” she asked.
“Nice diversionary tactic.”
“Thank you. Look, I’m sorry, Jackie, but I’ve got to go. Are you going to be okay?”
“Yeah. I’m just nervous. Tell me again.”
“You’re doing the right thing.”
“Thanks, sweetie. Love you.”
“Love you too.” The sound as she hung up echoed through my brain like the chiming of a gong.
I was alone again.
I walked out of the laundry room and peered around for something to do. The emptying of my nest had thrust so many changes into my orderly world. Saturday had always been the day when I spent quite a bit of time making my house look like something other than a landfill. I’d yell at the boys to pick up their stuff as I used an old pair of ratty underwear to dust the furniture. Then we’d move on to the “who’s-going-to-have-to-vacuum” dance. Of course, I usually ended up leading.
No matter which room I checked, the house was clean. It didn’t really appear any different than when I’d cleaned it the day after Nate left.
Funny. This was what I’d always wanted. Now my pristine house made me sad.
I decided that I needed to get another pet—like a puppy or a kitten. Maybe then I’d have someone to clean up after.
***
I couldn’t believe I’d found his house so easily. Mark gave really good directions. And really nice kisses.
Grow up, Jacqueline.
I grabbed the cell phone I’d propped up in the cup holder and slipped it in my pocket. With a deep, steadying breath, I left my minivan and walked to the front door. It opened before I could even reach my finger up to push the doorbell.
“Ms. Delgado!” Carly squealed. “Come in! Daddy’s been pacing around waiting for you. And he’s been running around picking stuff up all day. And he even shaved. On a Saturday!”
I smiled. The fact that she was so glad to see me warmed my heart. When Mark walked up behind her and put his hands on her shoulders, I warmed up a little more.
“Brat,” he said as he squeezed her arms. “You’re tattling on
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