by Pat Adeff
Doug’s smile said it all. “Great! I’ll pick you up at 8:30 after I get off my shift. Would you like to catch a movie?”
“Yes.” Nancy’s smile answered his.
“All right. You pick out the movie. Is it okay with you if we take my bike again?”
“I wouldn’t have it any other way.” Nancy felt revved. Another date! Yes! And this time she wouldn’t have to get up at 6:00 am the next morning in order to get ready for work!
Doug took a couple of halting steps towards Nancy and she shyly reciprocated. They met at the side of her desk and he leaned down to give her another soft kiss on the side of her mouth. She was really starting to like his kisses. When he pulled back and smiled into her eyes, all she could do was grin back at him.
He settled his cap on his head, pulled his sunglasses out of his pocket and grinning from ear to ear, put them on. He gave Nancy a little salute and walked out of her classroom.
Nancy stared as he exited, thinking, Wow! How did someone like THAT want to date someone like her?
If she’d known that what Doug had thought about all day was a lot more than just a date, she would have blushed from head to toe. Too late. She was already blushing. Wait. Hang on. It was another hot flash.
Nancy groaned and grabbed for the tissue box. As she swabbed her forehead, she had the thought that maybe she was just too old for this sort of thing.
Shaking her head ruefully, she decided, maybe so, but she was sure going to have fun while it lasted. It had been quite a while since a male -- a REAL male -- had made any moves on her at all.
Mr. Parks, the short, overweight science teacher didn’t count. ‘Come see my new Bunsen burner,’ my eye!
Nancy hummed while she finished straightening up her desk, before she locked up and left for the day.
She hoped Kate was home and could help her find another outfit.
CHAPTER 11
Actually Kate was thinking about the fact that she didn’t have a date and it was Friday night. Oh, she’d been asked out, but she just didn’t want to go out with Joey again. And Brett had turned out to be a flake.
The person she really wanted to go out with was that cute doctor from the emergency room. He was smart, funny, competent and above all, responsible. But, short of having an emergency, she just didn’t see any way of ever seeing him again. And she didn’t think that pretending to have some emergency was the way to go about getting his attention.
She knew that Dr. Darren Coburn was single because she’d asked her friend Hilary who worked at the hospital in admitting.
“Kate, all the gals working here are after him.” Hilary’s news wasn’t particularly upbeat.
“Okay. But is he serious about anyone?” Kate had decided that she was tired of sitting back and having some guy find her. She’d made the decision that she needed to go after what she wanted.
Unfortunately, she wasn’t sure how to go about it.
“He hasn’t seriously dated since he started working here last March. At least not that anyone here knows about.”
“Hil, do you know his schedule?” Kate held her breath, hoping against hope that Hilary wasn’t going to laugh at her.
“No. But I can find out easily. I’ll call you back.” With that, Hilary hung up.
Hm-m-m. Kate figured that it wouldn’t hurt if she happened to be freshly showered and nicely dressed with her hair and make-up done. Just in case.
Kate must have spent at least an hour getting ready, frequently checking her cell phone just in case Hilary had called and she hadn’t heard the ring.
Just as she was about to give up, her phone rang.
“Kate? Hi, it’s me. He’s on ER duty tonight from 7:00 pm to 3:00 am. Good luck!”
Kate didn’t even have time to thank her before the phone line went dead.
Okay, now she had the where and the when. She just needed to come up with a why.
She was walking down the hallway when she passed her mom’s open bedroom door and couldn’t help stopping and staring.
“Mom? What are you doing?!?”
Kate couldn’t believe her eyes. Nancy’s normally neat, precise bedroom looked like her closet had exploded all over everything! There were slacks draped all over the bed, blouses and sweaters hung from every available chair and dresser, and -- was that a pair of PANTYHOSE hanging from the ceiling fan?
“Mom? Where are you?”
“In here,” Nancy replied in a quivering voice. Just then, she came out of her bathroom with a portable curling iron in one hand, smeared nail polish on her thumbnail and red eyes from crying.
“MOM?” What happened?” Kate moved towards her mom, in time for Nancy to fall into her arms crying. Kate grabbed the hot curling iron and held it away from them while Nancy sobbed on her shoulder.
“Oh, Kate! I don’t know what to do! I’m not sure what to wear so I don’t look fat. My hair is too plain, so I’m trying to fix it, but I’m just making a mess. And I can’t seem to settle on a nail polish color!!! I’ve only got an hour and I haven’t even chosen a movie yet!”
Kate held her mom at arm’s length and looked her in the eye. “Mom. Pull it together. I am assuming that you have another date tonight. Right?”
At Nancy’s nod, Kate smiled. There wasn’t any catastrophe! Mom was just out of practice.
“Great! I’m also assuming it’s with a certain member of our city’s illustrious protection force?”
Nancy smiled and wiping her eyes nodded yes again.
Gently Kate said, “Okay, Good. First let’s hang some of this stuff back up so we can find a nice outfit for you.”
At that, Nancy looked around her room for the first real time since she’d dashed home and started going through her closet. Oh, my! How had all this happened? Nancy closed her eyes, sighed, opened them and looked at Kate. “I am seriously in trouble, you know that?”
Kate nodded and smiled. “Officer Saunders sure seems to be able to fluster you pretty good!”
Nancy looked embarrassed and started to pick up a sweater, but smeared her nail polish even more. “Oh, sugar!” Sighing and sitting on top of several pieces of clothing which had been haphazardly thrown on the bed, Nancy looked beseechingly at Kate. “Help?”
Kate set the curling iron on the shelf in the bathroom, grabbed a pair of slacks and started hanging things up. “I’d be more than happy to help! It’s about time you started doing something for yourself.”
“I do things for myself!” Nancy rebutted. “I do all sorts of things for myself!”
“Name one.”
“Well, I -- I.” Nancy paused while she tried to think of something. “I go to the library and check out my favorite authors!” There! That was something.
“Uh-huh. AFTER you’ve picked out plays and DVDs for your class. I mean something that is totally, one hundred percent just for you.” Kate continued to hang up clothes while awaiting Nancy’s reply.
“Okay. I get the point. It’s been a while.”
Kate grinned. “Yeah, but you sure make up for lost time!” She raised her eyebrows Groucho Marx style and gave a low whistle.
“Kate!” Nancy giggled, slightly horrified that she was listening to her daughter use that tone while discussing a male. Yet, she had to agree. Doug Saunders was definitely wiggling eyebrows, whistle material!
With Kate’s help, it only took ten minutes to settle on an outfit for that evening. After Nancy had answered Kate’s question about the mode of transportation, Kate pulled together stretch jeans, and a 3/4 sleeve olive-colored pullover sweater that brought out the green in Nancy’s eyes.
Nancy removed her nail polish and Kate applied a single coat of “Angel Hair” gossamer pink. Then Kate made Nancy sit on the closed toilet seat while she repaired her hair.
“You know you’re going to have helmet-head anyway, right?”
Nancy sighed. She wished she had the kind of thick hair that always sprang back into place. Like Doug’s. His hair was perfect.
It was dar
k with a smattering of gray at the temples, right next to his cobalt blue eyes.
Why is it that men seemed to get better with age? Gray hair and lines on their faces only added to their virility. While women just seemed to get stretch marks, crepey skin and a droopy chin? It just didn’t seem fair. Yet, Nancy was not about to start going the plastic surgery/liposuction route. One of the teachers at the school had a face lift done last July and was still walking around looking surprised all the time. Nancy thought the doctor had gotten a little carried away around the forehead.
The thought of liposuction brought to mind the last time Jonathon had taken her out for dinner while they were still married...
CHAPTER 12
Nancy couldn’t believe it was their 20th wedding anniversary! Twenty years. Where had the time gone?
Last week, Jonathon had Nancy call and make reservations for them at a swanky restaurant in Laguna Niguel for tonight. Nancy had even had her hair and nails done that afternoon. She knew how much Jonathon liked it when she paid attention to her hair and make-up.
Nancy had found an outfit that showed off her green eyes. The girls had arranged sleep-overs at their friends’ houses, so Nancy had all afternoon to get ready by herself. It had been so long since Jonathon had taken her out! She hoped the evening went well. He had been sort of distant recently, and Nancy was looking forward to putting their marriage back in good standing.
She even applied Jonathon’s favorite perfume to the back of her neck and the inside of her thighs. Wishful thinking. Jonathon hadn’t paid much attention to her recently, and had NEVER kissed her on the back of the neck; even after she’d told him that it was an extremely sensitive, erotic spot for her. Maybe he just forgot. Yes, that must have been it. Because he also forgot that she’d told him that since she’d had the girls, it bothered her to have her abdomen touched, and yet that was always the first place his hand went when he wanted sex. Nancy didn’t think she’d understand Jonathon in a million years. Although she really wanted to.
She was just slipping into her heels when she heard the back door open. Jonathon was home.
She came down the stairs and went into the kitchen where he was going through the mail.
“Hi, Hon!” She walked over to him, but he didn’t look up from the stack of envelopes in his hand. Nancy leaned down and playfully looked up at him from over the envelopes.
Jonathon frowned slightly and moved his hand to the side, so that he could finish reading the return address label on one of the envelopes.
Nancy sighed inwardly, stepped back and waited for him to finish with the mail.
A few minutes later, Jonathon looked up and spying what Nancy was wearing looked surprised. “Are you going somewhere?
Nancy paused for a second. “Aren’t you taking me to dinner tonight?”
Jonathon thought for a moment and then remembered. “Oh, yeah! Dinner in Laguna Niguel. You know, the traffic’s going to be a bitch. Could we go someplace closer, so we don’t have to drive so far?”
“Well. I was really looking forward to going to the beach. We haven’t been out in ages and the girls are spending the night with friends, so we don’t have any deadline.” Nancy smiled with what she hoped was a come-hither smile.
Jonathon’s mouth thinned out even more. “Okay. Give me a couple of minutes to change and we’ll go.” He left the kitchen without even giving her a peck on the cheek.
And that was the best part of the evening.
Jonathon spent the majority of the drive on his cell phone, working. At least it was a pretty drive, Nancy thought to herself as she watched the passing scenery.
When they arrived at the restaurant, the parking lot was already crowded. Nancy hoped that Jonathon would drop her off at the front door before he parked the car, but she didn’t say anything and of course he didn’t think of it. So she ended up walking across the parking lot in heels, which she rarely wore anymore.
They waited in the entry area for about fifteen minutes until their table was ready. They were then escorted to their table by the maître de, who held out Nancy’s chair for her. Jonathon ordered a beer and Nancy ordered a glass of wine.
Between the time the waitress had taken their dinner orders and the food arrived, Jonathon asked Nancy,
“Have you given any thought to liposuction? It would be my anniversary gift to you.” He even smiled while he said it.
Liposuction?!? What? Just last week a woman had died after liposuction! Would Jonathon rather have her dead than looking the way she did? She knew she’d put on 20 pounds with the babies, and sure hadn’t been able to keep it off, even though she’d lost it several times, just to gain it back again.
But liposuction? Did she really look that bad?
Suddenly, Nancy felt old and ugly. She sure didn’t have any appetite left. Perfect timing. The waitress brought the food.
Jonathon dug in and had been eating for several minutes when he looked up and noticed that Nancy wasn’t eating.
“What’s wrong?” Jonathon’s brows came together over his nose.
“I’d like to go home. I don’t feel like eating.”
“Why?” Jonathon was thoroughly perplexed.
“I think you know why. I sure can’t eat anything if you think I’m fat!” Nancy tried not to cry.
“Oh, for crying out loud, Nancy! I don’t think you’re necessarily fat, per se. I just thought you’d like to get some liposuction! I know you’re not happy with the way you look right now and I thought you’d be pleased!” Jonathon was angry with her.
But Nancy just didn’t care.
Jonathon had the waitress put their food in to-go boxes, he left a miserly tip, and they drove home in silence, much earlier than either of them had expected.
That night Nancy slept on the couch and neither she nor Jonathon ever brought up the subject of liposuction again.
He also never took her out again.
CHAPTER 13
“Hello! Earth to Mom!” Kate was smiling at Nancy.
Nancy came back to the present and looked at her hair in the mirror over the bathroom sink.
“Oh, honey! It’s beautiful!” Kate had always had a way with hair and make-up. Nancy hoped she would use those talents in whatever profession she chose.
Nancy had no preconceived ideas about her children. All she wanted was for them to be happy and successful in whatever they decided to do.
Nancy glanced at the clock on the nightstand in her bedroom and gasped. “Oh! I’ve only got ten minutes!”
Just then, the doorbell rang.
“Make that zero seconds, Mom. Looks like your date is as anxious as you! I’ll get the door.” Kate went down the hall while Nancy put on her jewelry.
“Dad!” Kate’s voice carried down the hallway.
Jonathon!?! What was HE doing here? And why NOW? Had she conjured him up by just thinking about him?
Nancy came out into the living room just as Jonathon and Kate were finishing a hug.
“Hi.”
Jonathon turned around and paused when he saw Nancy. “You look good. Are you going somewhere?”
Nancy felt sucker punched. Jonathon sounded like he really meant she looked good -- for once.
“Mom has a date!” Kate was smiling at Jonathon. “Doesn’t she look wonderful?”
Nancy frowned at Kate. What game was she playing?
Just then, the doorbell rang for a second time.
“I’ll get it!” Nancy swung towards the door and beat Kate to it.
“Hi!” She smiled at Doug and opened the screen door so he could step into the house.
“You look great!” Doug was smiling into Nancy’s eyes and Nancy was starting to feel that tingle again. Then he noticed Jonathon.
“Hi. I’m Jonathon.” Jonathon stepped forward and held out his hand.
“Hi. I’m Doug.” Doug shook Jonathon’s hand and nodded.
The eye contact was palpable.
After an awkward pause where both men sized up the othe
r, Nancy said “And we’re leaving.”
Since she was already holding her purse, she grabbed Doug’s arm and turned towards the door.
“Wait. I needed to talk with you.” Jonathon said.
“Now?” Nancy incredulously turned back and looked at Jonathon. He hadn’t been by her house since the divorce and NOW he needed to talk?
And then Doug did the most wonderful thing. It wasn’t a large move, but he shifted his weight closer to Nancy and rested his hand on the small of her back. Sort of like saying ‘She’s with me.’ Doug’s small motion made Nancy feel absolutely cherished and protected. It was thrilling.
Jonathon frowned at Doug then looked at Nancy. “Yeah. I got something from the IRS and I think it’s for you.” He handed an envelope to her. She looked at it a moment and then set it on the table next to the front door.
“Thank you for bringing it by, but you could have just mailed it.” Nancy once again took Doug’s arm and turned toward the door. “Bye, Kate. Don’t wait up for me.”
And with that the door closed behind her and Doug. She walked rapidly over to the motorcycle, grabbed the helmet he’d brought for her, and put it on. Doug followed suit and in no time they were on the road.
“Which movie theater are we going to?” Doug’s voice carried back to Nancy.
Sugar! I forgot to pick out a movie! Nancy was embarrassed. “Oh, Doug. I’m sorry. I didn’t get a chance to check what was playing. How about if we go to the Century Theatres? They always have a gazillion movies playing.” She was able to make herself heard, even over the motorcycle engine.
“Sounds good!” And Doug headed out for Katella and Main. With his hand on her knee. Where it seemed to fit perfectly.