“So no one in the neighborhood has kids?” I could hear the disappointment in her voice.
“No. But I don’t know everybody. I just know the people immediately around me. You know, the people I see all the time. I don’t know anyone on the streets around us. I guess I’ve been a bit of a recluse myself lately.” I sure hoped she wouldn’t inquire as to why I’d become such a recluse, not even going to work.
She faced me, leaning against the sink. “So you didn’t say who lives across the street from me.”
“Oh. That’s Hazel, the sweetest lady you could ever hope to meet. She’s eighty, I think. She’s a widow.” In a voice you would use telling a campfire ghost story, I said, “If you get too close to her house, she’ll feed you. To death, if you let her.” We both laughed.
She thought for a moment. “Want a tour?”
“Sure.” I’d never been farther than the kitchen when I’d help Elaine carry in groceries.
After maneuvering around boxes for the tour, she asked me to stay for dinner. I declined at first, telling her I didn’t want to be any trouble. She assured me that was silly, because she had to make dinner anyway.
“We have to eat whether or not you’re here, so you might as well stay and eat with us.”
I got the impression she didn’t want me to leave. Unable to think of a reason to go, and not really wanting one, I agreed to stay.
She introduced me to the kids as they came inside to clean up for dinner. The boy, Ethan, was handsome and very well-mannered for only five years old. His sister, Shelby, was every bit as beautiful as her mother. Two years older than Ethan, Shelby watched after her brother and mothered him as if he were her own child.
It was nice to be with them, sitting at the table, eating dinner as if we were a family. I realized suddenly how crazy it was for me to think such things. I didn’t know them well enough to think like that. I didn’t know if Carla wanted me to have such thoughts. I wasn’t even sure I wanted to have such thoughts. Yes, I’d decided that enough was enough already with the moping, but had I decided that I was ready for such radical notions as a family?
My thoughts must’ve shown on my face because Carla was looking at me, worried. She didn’t question me until later, after we had loaded the dishwasher.
She spun to face me. “Alright, Owen, spill it.”
I opened my mouth to deny that there was anything to spill, but she didn’t let me speak. Instead, she took my arm in her hand and led me to the living room where we sat on the couch.
“I know something’s bothering you. I can see it on your face. I told you I’m a good listener. And I’m all ears.” She was facing me, legs folded beneath her. She put her elbow on the back of the couch and propped her head up with it.
I told her everything from coming home after work one day to find my wife leaving me, to Jill telling me to plug the hole. My falling apart, my depression, the way I couldn’t stand to be in my house. I told her all of it. Well, I told her most of it. Some things were meant to remain unsaid.
“And you still wear the ring.” She reached over and picked up my left hand, holding it gently in hers. As she twisted my ring around my finger, it was hard to remember why I’d kept it on so long. “That’s sweet. And sad.” She continued to stare at the ring as she spun it around my finger, lost in thought.
I had a few thoughts of my own. I’d never been this close to her. I’d never been this close to anyone other than Holly, as a matter of fact. Holly and I had begun dating in high school, and I’d never been with anyone else. I don’t mean emotionally close, but physically close.
My heart was pounding. The scent of her perfume was delicate and intoxicating. I breathed through my nose, trying to memorize the smell. Her skin was soft and every bit as delicate as her scent. As I watched her slender fingers spin the ring that was placed on my hand by a woman who obviously never loved me, I was overcome by the urge to rip the ring off and flush it down the toilet with all the dreams I’d had of growing old with Holly. Of course, if I wasn’t wearing it, she wouldn’t be holding my hand and her knee wouldn’t be resting against mine.
“Think you’ll ever take it off?” she asked, resting her head against the back of the couch.
“I’m sure I will. I think it’s time.” She stopped spinning my ring, but didn’t let go of my hand. She absentmindedly caressed my fingers lightly. “So what about you? How’d you become a single mom?”
“I loved a man who loved himself.” I heard the pain in her voice as she spoke. “We were married for nine years. I gave him everything I had, only to find out he was giving all he had to someone else. Then, I found out it wasn’t the first time he’d cheated on me. It crushed me. But I have kids to think about, so I divorced him and went on with my life as if he’d never been a part of it.” She looked at me, still holding my hand. “There’ll come a point when you do the same.”
I squeezed her hand slightly. I knew she was right. I could feel that point rapidly approaching.
“I better go,” I said, standing. “It’s getting late.”
Carla stood with me. “Do you have to go so soon?”
“Yeah, Andy will be leaving for work soon. He’ll want to give me some crap, I’m sure.”
“About being here?” I could see by the smile she wore that she knew it would be about her.
I nodded and we laughed. She walked me to the door. I turned to her and thanked her for feeding and listening to me. She assured me it was a pleasure to do both, and begged me to come back soon. I told her I would, and after a quick thought about kissing her, I left with the kiss as no more than a thought.
As I neared my house, I heard someone whistle. It was dark even with the streetlights on, and I couldn’t see the whistler, but I had no doubt who it was.
“Boy, I do believe you got a little spring in your step.”
I stopped in Andy’s driveway where he was leaned against his car. “You’re out early,” I said casually, folding my arms across my chest.
“Came to keep you company, but I didn’t know you were keeping company at Carla’s.” He chuckled. “How’d it go?”
“You make it sound like I was running some sort of secret operation. We had a nice visit. I met her kids. We had dinner. We talked a little. That was it.” I walked over and leaned against his car beside him.
“Well, you better get in there before Bernie does.”
“Bernie won’t get in there, whatever that means.”
“As soon as he lays eyes on her, he’ll quit barhopping. Why go fishing when there’s fish in the freezer?”
I laughed. “What the hell does that mean?”
“It means why would he want to go to the bar when he can hit on the pretty, young, single mother next door? She’s easy prey. You watch. You’ll see. Hey,” Andy said, changing the subject. “Speaking of you seeing, you see Jenson today?”
I thought for a second. I shook my head. “Haven’t seen him all day. You worried?”
“Nope. Just wondering.” Neither of us spoke for a while. Finally, Andy asked, “You think you two are going to hook up?”
“Have you been reading love poems? You sure know the language,” I said sarcastically.
“Fine,” he laughed. “Do you fancy courting her? Is that romantic enough for you?”
“It’s better,” I said, laughing. Then I shrugged. “I don’t know. I like her. I guess she likes me. But she just moved in, Andy. Good grief. The girl’s not even unpacked yet. Geez, give her time to get settled before you start trying to marry her off.”
“Hey, I just don’t want you two to be a younger version of Hazel and Jenson. Single people living across the street, but nothing ever happening. I’d have to move. I can’t live in the midst of so much sexual tension.”
“Sexual tension? Hazel and Jenson? Are you serious?”