Nicole had a renewed sense about herself. She was sitting at her desk, just kind of thinking as she glanced around her newly cleaned room. She turned her head and looked forward, out the window to see the neighbors, a boy and his father, playing catch in the front yard. The father tackled the child and he giggled, both of them rolling around in the green grass and smiling. The next natural step was tickling. Nicole smiled at the scene, kind of biting her bottom lip as she came to the realization that she was taking part in this event without them knowing. Feeling weird and slightly guilty she lost her smile, but kept some interest as she saw a familiar car pulling diagonally into the driveway. Pondering whether to run down the stairs and meet Sethry, or to sit there all cool like and bounce down the stairs after he rang she just kind of stood up and placed her palms on the edge of her desk, locking her elbows out so she could stretch and see. He came up, not observant at first, but as she smiled and looked down his head raised, just before he got to the door she was poised on top of, she smiled big as did he. He waved a small child’s wave and said “hi,” kind of meekly as he looked up. He wasn’t much of a ‘meek’ guy, in fact he was rather the opposite. His shoulders were broad and his body well muscled and framed.
She bound down the stairs and pushed the screen door open, letting him grab it and come in. His height was perfect and for some reason whenever she saw him for the first time, or left him, she gave him a hug. So without offering or without being grabbed and pulled in they hugged. She walked over by the kitchen and opened the fridge, grabbing a water bottle and shook it, asking if he wanted one. He shook his head yes as he sat down on the couch just outside of the kitchen. Looking out the back door he put one hand up to catch the water she threw at him and then sat down next to him with. She looked over at him, focused somewhere outside and then played with the top of her water bottle. He eventually looked back and she tilted her head a little before asking, “so, what’s up darling? Didn’t expect ya at all.” He shrugged his shoulders, “I don’t know, I didn’t want to go home, things are weird there and now that my dad left to Virginia last week the house is just full of…women.” Nicole giggled as she thought of his 4 sisters and a mother, it must have been overwhelming, even as much as she loved them. She got up and sat down by the CD player, hauling out her black album full of CD’s as she browsed through them and spoke, “well, you know you’re welcome here anytime.”
[To be continued…]