Heather walks in at noon. She looks very pretty. She is wearing black dress pants with a blue button up blouse. She comes over to the table hugging me.
“Hey Heather, how is it going?”
I figure I will butter her up first before talking to her. That does not work. She is straight to the point.
“Good, what do you want to talk to me about?” She sits down with Theresa coming back over to us.
“Can I get you, ladies, something to drink?”
“Yes, can we have two beers, please?” Heather questions her.
Theresa walks away from us. Heather turns her attention to me again, “well - spit it out.”
“I decided I need a change. I am going to move out of state.”
I lower my head. I do not want to see her reaction. When I do look back up her mouth hangs open. She is very unhappy.
“What the hell did you say?”
Everyone in earshot turns to look at us. My face gets red from being very embarrassed by her. Theresa returns with our beers. I instantly pick up my beer and drink about half of it.
“Kris, what are you thinking? Have you lost your mind?”
She is staring at me, not happy at all! She has a look of total disappointment on her face. She hangs her head low, sucking in her bottom lip; she is holding her face in one hand.
“What I am thinking is I need a change of pace. I do not sleep well at all! I feel Hugh around me all the time. I need to start over - start fresh.”
I knew she would be mad, but really. Why is she being so selfish? So mean about it. She has a great life here with a wonderful man to share it. She should want me to have the same. At least be happy for me!
“Heather, I know this is hard on you, but it’s hard on me also. I have to think about what is best for me. I believe this will be the best thing for me. I want you to be happy for me.”
For whatever reason . . . she has always had a hold on me. I have to get away from that as well. I love her, but she is so overbearing.
She gets up coming to my side of the table. She stands in front of me looking in my eyes.
“I am very happy for you, Kris! I worry you should not be alone. Your secrets are safe here.”
I stare at her for a minute. I cannot believe she said that. What the fuck! Seriously?
“Heather, seriously? My abused is not a secret. I should not be ashamed of that. I need to learn from what happened. I still keep blaming myself. I wonder if I had just listened to him if our relationship would have been better. Then again, the more I think about it, I never did anything to him. Hugh had to have a sickness. No matter what I did, it would have stayed the same. Maybe even have gotten worst.”
Theresa walks back over to see if we need anything else. I am so mad I just get up and leave.
When I get back home, I cannot even think straight. Heather has called a few times, but I will not answer it. I long for some time to think without her bothering me.
The first thing I think about is where I want to move. I remembered one time Hugh had taken me to San Diego, California. I did enjoy it there. I had always wanted to go back. I made a mental note to look it up on the computer later.
I go into the kitchen looking in the fridge. I get some salad out with a glass of wine. I watch a little news while I eat. When I finish I head to the kitchen putting my plate in the dishwasher. I can hear my phone ringing in the bedroom. When I get to it I see it’s Heather.
“Hi, Heather what’s going on?” She starts to cry on the other end of the line.
“I am so, so sorry about lunch. You caught me off guard. I am happy for you. If that is what you want to do, I will support you!”
I figure she has probably talked to Randy and he told her that.
“Thanks, Heather that means a lot to me.”
“Where are you going to move to?”
“I think I am going to check out California.”
I figure the weather would be great. We get a lot of rain in Washington. I want more sun than rain. Some distance between Heather and myself.
“Well Kris, I am really happy for you! Call me tomorrow.” We say our goodbyes hanging up.
I move to my room grabbing my laptop. I look up a few places in California. My heart is pretty much set on San Diego. Shutting off my laptop, I get ready for bed. Again, I toss and turn. I am so sleepy except I cannot sleep. I lay there until six in the morning. I get up knowing I can no longer lay there. Grabbing my laptop again, I head to the kitchen.
I look up San Diego again. The more I check it out the more I like it. Yep, let us do something about it. I find a furnished condominium that is like a hotel. It has someone working the front desk. The condominium has tight security, which I like. I fill out an application online hoping I would hear back soon.
I start to think about what I want to do with my house. Sell it or rent it? I will rent it out just in case I am making a mistake. That way when I come back I will have somewhere to live. I put an ad online.
I get dress to head for the gym. When I get there, I am the only one there. Cool, no one to bug me. I put on my headphones, get on the treadmill, and start to run. I go at a slow pace then speed up.
I like to sing but I do not like anyone to hear me. When I get on the treadmill, I forget where I am. Aloud I start singing You Will Always Be My Baby. While I run, I have a feeling someone is staring at me. I turn to find this incredible hunk looking at me. I am staring back at him so hard I almost fall off the thread!
I quit singing instantly. Damn, I have never seen him before. He is running on the tread on the other side of the gym. I keep glancing at him from out of the corner of my eye. This man is so hot! I cannot keep focused. I look down to the treadmill seeing I have run three miles. Yes, good enough! I tell myself getting off. I take one more look as I am heading out of the door.
I go upstairs to lift some weights. When I am done, I walk back down to check out the treadmills. I want to see if hotty man is still there. Too bad, he is gone. Oh well, maybe he will be there tomorrow.
When I get back home, I check my email. There is a response from the condominiums. They have accepted me but need a payment. I am so excited I pull out my credit card and I pay for six months. That way I can decide if that is where I really want to end up. The condominium I select is a huge two bedroom with two baths. It overlooks the beach. I hope it is as beautiful in person as it is online.
Just as I am getting ready to get into the shower, Heather calls me. I almost do not answer the phone, but then I do.
“Hey Heather, what’s up?”
“Randy and I want you to come over for dinner tonight.”
She has so much excitement in her voice. I am wondering what she is up to.
“What time do you want me there? What can I bring? What are you up to?”
“Around six o’clock, I am up to nothing and you don’t need to bring anything. Just wear something sexy.”
Before I can say anything else, she hangs up on me. That just showed me she was definitely up to something!
I take out my computer finding another response from the condominium. I am so excited! It says, “Dear Ms. Price, your condo is room 511. It will be ready to move in at the end of March. We look forward to meeting you.”
I feel a little disappointed. That is still two weeks away. I am feeling excited to go now, but I know two weeks will go by quickly. Be patient I scold myself.
I look to the clock seeing it is three in the afternoon. I head to my closet to find something to wear. Everything in there is black and boring. I want something new.
I sit down putting on my makeup. I let my hair hang loose. It is black, long, and cut in layers. I put on a pair of sweatpants with a jacket. I grab my keys to head to JC Penney.
I get into the car looking at myself in the rearview mirror. I start to laugh. I had wondered what Heather would do if I show up looking the way I did. Knowing her . . . she would shit herself.
I pull into a bar before I get to the store. I
am nervous and want to take the edge off. I am there drinking for a while. I look at my watch it is four thirty. Oh, shit! I am there longer than I thought. I was starting to get a buzz. I leave to hurry and get my shopping done.
I pull up in front of JC Penney hurrying in. I do not have a lot of time so I head straight to the dresses. It does not take long to figure out which one I am going to get. I find a white, tight dress that has black stripes going down the sides. It is low cut in front, short on the thighs exposing most of my back. I find a dressing room trying it on. I look in the mirror and like what I see. I look down at the flip-flops on my feet. I leave the room for a second bringing back a pair of black high heels.
I check myself out. I think I see Hugh in mirror; he is pissed off at me. He would never let me wear nothing like this. He would have told me I looked like a whore. With that thought in mind, I flip off the mirror. I walk up to the counter and I pay for my clothes wearing them out of the store.
When I get outside, two men are sitting in their car start to whistle at me. I give them a big smile feeling good about myself.
I get to Heather’s finding Randy waiting for me outside. He has a huge grin on his face.
“Hot damn, woman! You look great.”
I smile at him as we go inside the house. This incredible looking man comes around the corner smiling at me. He takes his hand in mine. Wow . . . definite electricity.
“Giovanni, this is, Kristy. Kristy, this is, Giovanni,” Randy is introducing us.
My face heats up in total embarrassment. He is the gorgeous dude from the gym.
“Yes, we have met. This is the woman from the gym,” Giovanni is telling Randy.
“Damn, man! Is this the chick you said you are going to marry?” Randy is asking him with a grin on his face.
“Yes! Let’s get the girls a drink.” Giovanni turns to leave the room. His face is getting red from embarrassment.
Heather turns to me, “this is the gorgeous man I have tried to hook you up with.” Heather is smiling so big I thought her face would pop open.
“Yes, he is gorgeous there is no doubt. I am not hooking up with him or anyone else!”
That is where I am at this point in my life. I do not want any more complications! He can very well be a complication.
They reenter into the living room. Heather takes a seat on the sofa. Giovanni takes a seat on the couch. He looks at me patting the seat next to him. I figure what the hell. I take a seat next to Giovanni. Heather just sits there smiling at us.
“Why don’t you take your drinks outside? Heather and I will get dinner on.”
Heather nearly jumps out of her seat. She grabs Randy by the arm pulling him in the kitchen. Giovanni walks over to the door holding it open for me. We go and take a seat outside.
“So Kristy, do you have a last name?” He is looking at me shyly.
“Price-Coleman.”
Giovanni gives me a weird look.
“Price is my maiden name I kept it after I got married. Coleman is my married name.”
I do not know why I feel so nervous around him. Damn woman - he is only a man!
“Kristy, tell me about you.”
“There really isn’t much to tell. I would rather you tell me about yourself.”
He smiles a huge smile that could have made me cream myself.
“Well, I am fifty years old, divorced with two grown children who both live in Italy. My son is twenty-seven and my daughter is twenty-five. I am single and thrilled I am sitting next to you.”
I could feel my face getting hot again. Man, I have not blushed this much in a long, long time. What a pickup line, I think.
“So, what is this you told Randy about marrying me?” It is his turn to blush.
“When I see something I want I go for it. For the most part, I always end up getting it.”
I am thinking cocky little thing you are, but you are so hot!
“Have you been divorced long, Giovanni?” I can tell he does not want to talk about it. He starts to fidget in his chair.
“About five years now. She lives in Italy. The only time she comes around is to start some shit. My divorce was ugly. It ended up costing me a lot of money. I do not care about the money, I am just thankful she is out of my life. My life was hell with her!”
I feel so sorry for him. I do not know what is worse, a crazy ex-wife, or a crazy husband like, Hugh. I sit there drinking my whiskey letting what he said sink in. I drink the rest of my drink noticing his is also empty.
“Giovanni, can I get you a refill?”
He stands up coming to my side of the table. He holds his hand out for my glass, “let me get them, okay. When I come back out, I would like you to tell me something about yourself.” He turns walking back into the house. I sit there shaking my head.
CHAPTER 11
I have not been around another man beside Hugh for a long time. Besides, fuck face, Dewayne! I am feeling super nervous. What am I supposed to tell him? “Giovanni, I see my dead husband.” Yeah right, that would go over good. He struts back outside with that badass body of his, handing me my drink.
“Kristy, please tell me something about yourself. I will take anything, just something!” I take a sip off my drink looking at this hot man, Yummy!
“I am forty-eight, widowed, no children, I have a business degree and getting ready to move to California in a couple of weeks. Oh yeah . . . I am not looking for a relationship.”
He smiles so beautiful to me and reaches across the table touching my arm. His touch sends chills from my head to my toes. I am imagining what it would be like to make love to this man. As I think about that, I get so hot!
“So Giovanni, how long have you been friends with, Randy?”
I know most of Randy’s friends but I have never met Giovanni.
“We met through work about six years ago. I see him when I am in Washington.”
He smiles at me again. I wish he would quit smiling like that. He is so . . . fucking hot. Just looking at his smile is totally turning me on.
“You know, Kristy, Heather gave an effort to get us to meet, but you kept shooting her down.”
I look at my glass playing with the bottom of it. My face goes bright red, again.
Heather and Randy come walking outside, “Alright, guys time to eat.”
Randy brings to the table some lobster, steaks, and potatoes. Heather comes out with a salad and some sweet corn. Dinner looks delicious, just like Giovanni! They talk about sports while Heather and I listen. When we finish dinner, I look up to Giovanni. He is looking at me.
“Kristy, is that all you are going to eat?” I look down at my plate. I thought I did pretty well.
“She doesn’t eat much. I keep telling her to eat more,” Heather just has to add her two cents.
I look at her poking my tongue at her. She smiles at me. Heather and I take the dishes to the kitchen, leaving them to talk.
“So Kris, is he hot or what?”
I do not answer her, so she comes to look into my face, “so, what do you think? He is not only hot, he is also really nice.”
I can see where she thinks this is going. She is so wrong though. Yep, he is very hot, but I am not ready for any of this.
“Yes, he is nice, but you are not going to set me up. I mean that, Heather.”
We make another round, taking them out back to them. I sit at the table next to Giovanni, Randy turns to me, “are you sure you want to move, Kristy?”
I am feeling very uncomfortable now. I do not want the attention on me. Yes, everyone is looking at me.
“Yes Randy, I do. I need a change and this will be the best thing for me. I would rather we did not talk about this tonight. Or any other night!”
Randy shakes his head yes. He understands how I feel. Heather did not, but he did.
Heather has to have the last word, “Kris, I have a feeling things may be changing tonight! You won’t be moving anywhere.”
My face is heating up again, only this t
ime with anger. Giovanni can sense that. He decides to change the subject.
“Hey guys, you want to go dancing? It’s still really early.”
Heather jumps up as if she is a little kid. She starts clapping her hands, squealing, “Yes.”
Giovanni gets up to go make a phone call. When he leaves the room, the three of us have a shot of Tequila. I pour myself another one. Only this time it is a double. I really do not know why this man makes me so nervous, but he does.
“My driver is on his way to pick us up. I’d rather we didn’t drink and drive,” Giovanni tells us when he reenters the room.
Heather and I take a trip to the bathroom to do a quick makeup check. When we get back in the living room, they are ready to go.
Once we are inside of the limo I sit next to, Giovanni. I turn to face him, “Giovanni, what do you do for a living?”
“I bought a restaurant here in Washington, along with a few other businesses throughout the state. My restaurant here has the best Italian food around. You should come check it out sometime.”
Randy was kissing Heather, but when Giovanni spoke of his restaurant Randy looks up, “Kristy, the food is really good. Heather and I will take you there sometime soon.”
When we arrive at the club, it is very busy. Heather and I go to find a table to sit at. They head to get drinks. Once we find an open table, I try to sit next to Heather.
“No Kris, Randy is going to sit here. You sit next to, Giovanni.” She tells me with a smile.
I let out a big sigh. I am starting to feel the alcohol in me. Oh well, maybe now I will relax a little.
They come back over to the table with, Giovanni handing me a whiskey. I take it from him, taking a big swig. He sits next to me.
The band comes in taking the stage. They start to play I’m Your Boogie Man. Randy takes Heather’s hand, pulling her on the dance floor. Giovanni and I down our drinks. I think he is as nervous as I am. The server comes over to our table with more drinks. We did not ask for one, but she was on the ball. Giovanni places his hand under the table squeezing my thigh. That sends a shiver right through me.
“Kristy, you are so beautiful.”
SCREAMIN' in Pain Page 8