In English, the lyrics to “Jolie Blonde”
“Pretty Blonde, look at what you’ve done,
You left me to go away, to go away with another, yes, than me.
What hope and what future am I going to have?
Pretty blonde, you’ve left me all alone to go back to your family.
If you had not listened to all the advice of the others
You would be here with me today.
Pretty blonde, you thought there was just you
There is not just you in the land to love me.
I can find another pretty blonde, Good God know I have a lot.”

In French, the lyrics to “Jolie Blonde”
“Jolie blonde, regardez donc quoi t’as fait,
Tu m’as quitte pour t’en aller,
Pour T’en aller avec un autre, aui que moi.
Quel espoir et quell avenir, mais, moi, ge vais avoir?
Jolie Blonde, tu m’as laisse, moui tout seul,
Pour t’en aller chez ta famile.
Si t’aurais pas ecoute tos let conseils de les autres
Tu serait ici avai moi aujourd ‘hui
Jolie blonde, tu crovais il y avait just toi,
Il y a pas just toi dans le pays pur moi aimer.
Je peux trouver just une autre jolie blonde.
Bon Dieu sait, moi, j’ai un tas.”

From what I can tell, Harry Choates was credited with writing “Jolie Blonde.” What I read fits what my family has always said. A 1922 birthdate works too. Harry was considered a tragic figure in the history of Cajun music. Rumor has it he never found that new Jolie Blonde. He was a talented fiddler who was responsible for introducing two-steps and waltzes and influencing nearly every Cajun musician…Mrs. Boudreaux’s young beau. At least that’s the story in my family…
When Mrs. Boudreaux passed a few years ago, it was as if part of Louisiana died with her. I felt loved just standing near her and as she aged she had shrunk to less than five foot tall. She would reach up with both hands to kiss me on the lips and always call me an angel. She was like that to everyone. Everyone knew and adored Mrs. Boudreaux. Harry Choates died before he turned forty years old. I kissed the lips of his love more often than he ever had with our Louisiana visits over time. Sad, but somehow beautiful too since the story is told every night in every Cajun nightclubs.

I was a senior in high school. My three friends and I went on a trip to Canada with our French class. It was cold; no surprise there. Like all single girls, freed from their parents in a foreign country, we were boy hunting. Those were the days of innocence though, where you slept in the same bed but didn’t dare touch. Where boy hunting simply meant finding someone to “go out” with. It was one of my more successful trips, I’ll admit. I went to Canada with my eyes set on the blonde one. In high school I thought I liked blonde boys, when in reality, I just had hair envy. I semi put the moves on him; no response. Either he was too nice or too thick or just not interested. So I picked someone else: a different boy, an equally cute boy. I don’t know how or when it happened but by the time of that 9-hour bus ride home, I was asleep in that boy’s lap. When I got off the bus and into my dad’s car, he asked me whose sweater I was wearing. All he knew was that I came off that bus with a dreamy smile and a boy’s sweater.

I fell in love.

We were inseparable for the next six months. I graduated high school. We spent the summer together. Young and in love. To this day, his love was the most pure and untainted that I’ve ever received. I took it for granted most of the time, but that’s what we do with unconditional love. I remember our summer in terms of iPhone games and car rides, of family dinners and beach days. It was lovely; it was all so lovely.

But things went bad.

I went off to college in the fall, while he stayed in high school. I was too far from home and too young and unprepared for the cruelty of the world. I didn’t drink, and I didn’t fit in. My roommates and I never understood each other. There was a lot of screaming and crying and driving 100 miles home late at night. He visited when he could and he tried to hold me together, but there came a point where he realized that he was missing out on his own life. He grew resentful, and I grew steadily more unstable. We almost made it through the whole year. In the end, it was me who called it all off. I could see how much he had grown to hate me, but at the same time he loved me enough to not want to break me.

It took a long time to get over it.

Do you ever really get over your first love? I have not seen him since that day that I walked out of his house, completely heartbroken and partially insane. I’ve spoken maybe a dozen words to him since that day. I’ve dated other guys, loved other guys. But there’s a part of me that still looks for him everywhere I go. Have we ever been in the same building without knowing? On the same street? What would happen if we saw each other? Would it be fate bringing us back together? A sad, awkward coincidence? Or nothing at all, just a sparkler dosed in water?

I guess I’m still waiting for him.

Or maybe just waiting for someone to replace him. Someone to love me like that. Can you get over your first love? Can another love ever compare to it? Or will it always hold a special place in your past? Will I always be looking for him? What happens if I find him? I’d like to find out.

We’re blogging this week about the end of school.  No particular year.  Well, I remember several.  Here’s one you may enjoy.

On the final day of 9^th grade (my freshman year at Covington High School), I had special plans for the girl I’d been flirting with all year long … and whom I’d been fond of since 8^th grade.  Let’s just call her J.M.  We had at least two classes together – Algebra I and General Science – and I sat right next to her in both.  I never did know how much she “liked me back” but I sure did like her.

So, anyway, on that last day, after we’d received our final report cards and learned – officially – that we’d been promoted to the next grade, I caught up with J.M. on her way home.  That was a very short distance of hardly more than one city block.  But J.M. had also been joined by another female friend … and somewhere along the way, the three of us were joined by a mutual male friend.  So it was two boys and two girls walking that long block to J.M.’s house.

Wish I could remember the dialog, but J.M. invited us all inside for some refreshments.  [After all, it had been that looonnngg walk of over a city block!]  I presume her mom was present, but don’t recall actually seeing any adults.  So J.M. made some Kool-Aid in a flavor which soon was replaced (since it was ethnically offensive): Injun Orange.  There we sat — four recently liberated soon-to-be sophomores … feeling all grown up.

Problem is:  I wanted J.M. to myself.  I had something important to tell her.  You see, not only was that my last day in 9^th grade, but it was quite nearly my last day in Covington.  My dad had a new job four states north … all the way to Iowa.  And, as far as I knew, I’d never see Covington again.  Or J.M.

So, I wanted the other two kids to scram.  But they didn’t.  As I looked back on that scene, I’ve wondered if the other two kids were there precisely to keep me from being alone with J.M.  Don’t know.  As I said, I never had a strong indication of how J.M. felt about me.  She seemed to enjoy my attentions and – to my perception – even encouraged them.  Certainly, it could be said that she did not DIS-like me.

Despite having no way of knowing her heart for certain, I had made up my mind that before I left that town (and that state) I needed to declare my affections to J.M.  I was all of 14-and-a half at this point.  But I was so committed to clearing the air between us, that you’d have thought I was heading off to war the next morning.

Well, the afternoon had crept on and we’d run out of Injun Orange Kool-Aid, so – realizing the other boy and girl were obviously not leaving without me – we all three left J.M.’s house together … and I walked the remaining six blocks home.

Of course, I was terribly frustrated:  having ginned up the willpower to declare my affections … yet been denied the opportunity by those two interlopers.

I got home, snacked dejectedly, and the phone rang!

In those days, you may remember, a household had only ONE phone, so a ring simply indicted an incoming call.  No way of knowing who it was for.  I dashed to the phone (on the wall between the kitchen and living room) and said, somewhat tentatively, “Hello?”

Somewhere way down in the recesses of my brain, I wondered if perhaps J.M. had realized that I’d wanted to talk to her alone … and that she was as frustrated as I had been at the intrusive company of the other two kids.  Maybe this caller was J.M. and we’d finally have our private chat!

Nope.

It turned out to be the local radio station.  They had an advertising program in which they would call – at specified times – the 10^th listing on the 2^nd column of the 20^th page of the local phone book.  [Of course, the location changed with each call.]  And that was our household’s lucky day to answer their question:  “Which local business was mentioned in the radio program advertisement at the top of the hour?”

Well, I had absolutely no idea.  I didn’t even listen to that local station.  We were always tuned to either WWL or WTIX from New Orleans!  But I was aware of a local business which did a lot of advertising with that radio station, so I guessed that merchant.  Nope.  Wrong answer.  Thanks for participating.  Better luck next time.

Well, not only had the call NOT been from J.M., but the stinking radio station didn’t even award me a prize for my clever guess!  Doubly down in the dumps.

But then I had an idea:  the phone!  Yeah.  I could CALL J.M. and declare my affections.  Those two other kids wouldn’t intrude on our phone call!  So I looked up her number.  Dialed it.  [Yeah, you had to dial in the old days.]  I think her brother answered.  I asked to speak to J.M. and big brother demanded to know who was calling.  Reluctantly I told him.

J.M. came to the line.  I suspect she was as surprised to get my call as I had been to hear from the radio station earlier.  And the radio station’s call gave me a great intro to ease into the true purpose of my contact.  I told her I about that call, and my bad guess.  Then there was a long awkward silence.  This surely would have been easier in person over a glass of Injun Orange.

Finally, I collected all my (scant) courage and reminded her I was moving to Iowa in a few days, likely wouldn’t see her again, and then I blurted out the central message:  “so before I leave I just wanted to tell you that I like you and I’ll miss you.”

It was hardly the stuff of Romeo and Juliet, but those were definitely the most declarative words I’d ever spoken in the realm of ‘True Like’.

I no longer recall her response, if any.  But my impression at the time was that she was too floored to reply.  But surely she must have already known — after all, I had pestered her throughout 8^th grade and flirted with her throughout 9^th.  What more specific expression of my affections could I have manifested?

Anyway, I got that off my chest.  I think we wrote a letter or two during those next couple of months.  Then 10^th grade began — each of us in different schools and different states.

Interestingly, my banishment to Iowa lasted a single year and I returned to Covington H.S. for 11^th and 12^th grade.  But by the time of my return, J.M. was dating the boy whom she would later marry.  We spoke occasionally, in school, but neither of us ever mentioned that final day of 9^th grade … or anything which happened, in person or by phone.

Until now.

Question:
            Which final day of any school year do YOU recall?  Were any as embarrassing as this was for me?

http://www.free-tv-video-online.me/player/videoweed.php?id=dcd01fd344a60

In this episode, Barney reveals his most embarrassing secret. While torn deciding whether to actually tell it, he gets other members of the group to reveal theirs, including Ted’s re-return to Robin after the embarrassing first date with Robin when he told her he loved her. This would later prove to be detrimental to his relationship with his new fling, Victoria, but that’s getting off topic. As it turns out, Barney was not always as awesome as he is now. In fact, there was a time where he was quite not-awesome. Like 10 years prior, he was with a girl named Shannon, working at a coffee shop, and was quite a hippie. I’m talking long hair tied back in a pony tail, Shaggy looking goatee, and tie-dye shirts all day. He was in love with Shannon, and they were planning on leaving for the Peace Corps together. One day, some douchey businessman came into the shop and talked to Barney about how important having money and power and class are. Barney wrote him off. He wasn’t into that stuff, he had his own convictions and those things were important to him. But when it was time to leave for the Peace Corps, Shannon claimed that she couldn’t go, saying her dad wouldn’t let her. Barney is devastated but decides to go anyway, but while he is walking away he decides to turn around and try to convince her to go with him. When he walks into the coffee shop, he sees her sitting with a man that looks like her father. But then when he leans across the table and kisses her, Barney is floored. The man turned out to be the douchey businessman from earlier. Shannon says that they had been dating for a few weeks and a lot of it had to do with his maturity and success and the things he could buy her. Barney tells her he loves her to which she responds, “But he has a boat”. Barney goes home and makes her a desperate video in which he is crying his eyes out and singing a song he wrote for her and sends it to Shannon. She comes in about a week later to pick up her last paycheck, and the douchey guy was soon to follow. They mocked him for his video, and that was the last straw for Barney. He ran out of the coffee shop and trounced home, and on the way was handed a flyer for a local suit shop that said “Suit Up!” That’s where he decided to change his whole persona. He bought a suit, went home, cut his hair, shaved his goatee, and voila! He became the Barney we all know and love, in all his awesomeness and glory. 

I couldn’t help but  think about a similar transformation that I had undergone because of a former girlfriend. When I first started dating the girl that I dated all throughout college, she was the first girlfriend I ever had. I hadn’t so much as kissed a girl before that. My senior prom was the first dance I had ever been to, and I was a nervous wreck. I was nervous to do any sort of freaky dancing that I’m now accustomed to. In my defense though, my prom date looked crazy hot. I really outkicked my coverage on that one I’ll let you guys decide. Legs for daysssssss! Dayummmm. But c’mon, I was quite the hottie myself, right?

Anyway, I had a lot of ideals and morals when it came to dating heading into that relationship. I thought that was the girl I was going to marry. I was convinced that she was going to be my first and last everything. I was going to tell my (our) kids exactly how I met their mother, and it wouldn’t be some crazy complicated story like Ted’s. It would be about how I married the first girl I ever dated, the first girl I ever kissed, the first girl I ever did… other stuff with… And that was all fine and good for the first year or two, when we were still in that “puppy love” stage. But then things got real. She cheated on me, we broke up, then we got back together. She cheated on me again, we broke up, and we got back together. She cheated on me once more, we broke up, and we got back together. We finally broke up for good at the end of college when I would be moving back home and she would be staying out there for practicality reasons. But we still thought about trying to do the long distance thing. Alas, that was it, and it was a godsend that we had to break up that way, because I don’t think I could have ever done it otherwise. I was so convinced that she would be the one I would marry. She had taken all my firsts and I wanted them to be my lasts as well. I was clinging to something that clearly wasn’t there. And every time that she cheated on me, it changed a little bit of me on the inside. Those ideals I once had were eroding, destroyed every time the sharp knife of infidelity was stabbed into my heart. I could feel myself changing. I was becoming hardened. Each time I was cheated on hurt a little bit less. Eventually I became numb to it and to her. I had built up a wall around my heart so it could no longer get stabbed and it could heal from the previous times. I wasn’t going to leave myself vulnerable anymore. I wasn’t going to let someone in so they could just destroy me from the inside-out again. I wasn’t going to be the one who got hurt anymore, I was going to be the one doing the hurting, if anything. I was going through a Barney-like transformation. 

After we broke up for good, that’s when I was fully changed. I looked at girls differently. I was no longer nervous around them or afraid of what they thought of me. Quite frankly I didn’t care. If they liked me then good, if not then it was their loss. I was truly beginning to see that there were a lot of fish in the sea, and just how vast of a sea it was. And I sure as hell hadn’t found my fish yet. After a couple months, I had a newfound confidence. I had a new swag. I felt irresistible to women. And to some, it seemed like I was. I had game. I talked to them with a goal in mind. I knew what to say. And I was able to get them into bed. A lot. I went through a stage where I really started whoring myself out. I was becoming Barney Stinson. Hitting on lots of women, succeeding with a lot of them, following one meaningless one night stand up with another. Doing the walk of shame and parading the new flavor of the week in front of my family as I walked her out to her car. And I liked it. This was a new world to me that I had never experienced before. It was exciting. I was making connections I had never made before. I was becoming a player, a pimp, I was on top of the world. But eventually, you meet someone who snipes your game and makes you want to end that life. Eventually, it all feels a little shallow, and that special someone makes you want something more, something special, something real. She makes you fall in love again, something you thought would never happen again because you wouldn’t let it. I met that person this past Easter weekend. Even Barney eventually experiences that. Sorry if that is a spoiler to anyone, but it’s 7 seasons later, so get with it. As you know if you’ve read my previous blogs, I messed that up, and I’m desperately scrambling to make things right (#GiveElliottASecondChance). Only time will tell if I can. But the point is, she helped me to see a glimpse of the old me again. I’ve gotten some comments that people miss “the old Elliott”. Quite frankly, I don’t. I’m happy with where I’m at right now, and it will be a crucial part of me growing into the person I’m meant to be. But a part of me has come back since I’ve met her. I don’t know if I’ll end up with her. Right now, those chances don’t look very good, but dammit I’m still fighting! Even if I was told I had a one in 6 billion chance (which is essentially the chances of you finding the one for you), I would fight for that. Honestly, even if someone told me I had zero chance of being with her, I would still probably fight until I was exhausted and I couldn’t fight anymore. Until I had been knocked down so many times by love that I couldn’t get back up. Why? It’s simple. She’s worth it. Finding that something special again is worth it. To be in love again is worth it, because there’s really no feeling quite like it. I’m ready to feel that again. I found that spark again. Some people will  call me crazy. How could you know that after only knowing this girl 9 weeks? Why fight so hard for something that probably won’t happen? It’s hard to explain. I can’t really put it into words. All I can really say is, when you know, you know. When someone stirs up a feeling in you that you once thought was long gone, you don’t let them get away. And I’m going to do my best to not let her. Regardless of what happens, though, she’s helped me find it. Just that it that makes me me, that makes my heart beat, that fills me with hope and stirs me to get out of bed every morning and believe that something great awaits me. So thank you, special someone, for returning that to me. I will never forget that, and I will love you forever for that. Because even awesome people like Barney and myself are human, and at our core, are really just searching for that something more. 

I sat next to a retired gay man and we talked about the LDS church and homosexuality (that conversation comes up a lot when you’re a mormon actor and Book of Mormon the musical is still on Broadway, but it isn’t always as friendly as it was on this special day).  He was the sweetest man and we had the exact same opinions of each performer. Kindred spirits…?  We had a grand old time and I hope I see him again some day.

The rest of my day was rough. Missed every train. Took trains in the wrong direction. Had a rough experience at Costco. Blah blah my life is hard. But THEN. Then I was on my way home from Costco and 4 different people (yes, four) offered to help me get my grocery cart (one of those carts that homeless people carry around) up and down all of the stairs! And I thought, hey! Life’s great. People are great. They all offered with smiles on their faces and expecting nothing in return. I wish they knew how much it meant to me and I know I need to pass it on.

And then today I met a man named Mario. I wish I’d gotten a picture with him because he was really the cheeriest man I have ever met. Mario doesn’t speak well and is confined to a wheelchair. But he has a keyboard with a robot-sounding speaker so he can communicate with people. He’s fully “there” mentally and I had a wonderful conversation with him that started out with him sending me a message that said, “My name is Mario, I hope you’re having a good day. Could I talk to you for a few minutes?” (keep in mind that took him 2 minutes to type so how could I refuse?). He just wanted someone to talk to! When he got tired of typing things, he would try to say them. And when I was able to understand, he gave me the biggest, toothiest grin that made my heart jump for joy. Sappy, I know. But that really is the only way I could describe it. We had a nice chat for about 10 minutes and then he said he needed to go. I was so glad he took the time to talk to me. He definitely left me better than he found me!

New York is a beautiful city with a lot of beautiful people. I mean I met 6 of them in the last 2 days! I mean sure, one of my co-workers got mugged last night! (True, terrible story) BUT I have never met nicer, more sincere people than I have in this city.

And in OTHER news. Jon and I found this place called Smush at Union Square with the BEST ice cream sandwiches! Czech it out! (Czech…like check…hahaha…?)

chocolate chip cookies. heaven. strawberries. nutella. chocolate slice. heaven. ice cream….did I say heaven?

“Nissa started writing music at a very young age. A true romantic at heart always seeking inspiration for her music in many aspects of her life. Her songs in “Meant to Be” reflect dreams of a young woman seeking love and independence, struggling between spirituality and sensuality. In 1991, at the age of 16, Nissa was given the opportunity to record several of her songs at Bert Pectol’s studio in Blue Lake California. Most songs were performed on one take and were recorded all on the same day. Piano and voice were recorded at the same time. In the song “Don’t Let our Love Fade Away,” Nissa adds harmonies and the song finally came together the way she had envisioned it. The music in “Meant to Be” ranges from carefree love to forbidden love and heartache. All songs are ballads written in Nissa’s unique style. She is a songstress that sings her songs from the depths of her soul.”

Find out more at 
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/nissanewton

What is it about growing up that steals away the magic of young love, like a thief in the night?

Where does all of the passion go?

Does it disappear like a long-gone shooting star? Or do our hearts start dying sooner than the rest of our body?

Remember when you were young? Remember when love was the most important thing in the world and the path you walked was the one your heart followed?

Stealing glances from across the room tied you up in knots and filled your belly with butterflies.

A single touch sent shivers down your spine and fire ripping through your veins. Your heart pounded so loud that you thought everyone in the world could hear it.

A kiss could rock your world and goodbye could shatter it.

As much as loving him and losing him killed me, I’d trade it all in just to feel that passion one more time.

***Written by me***

It’s been quite a while since I’ve posted on this wonderful blog, but I’m back, baby! 180 days since my last post, so I guess I have a lot to catch up on. For starters, I wanted to rethink on my goal: to use my writing as a way to express my thankfulness for everything beautiful, loving, and wonderful around me. During my reflection, a smile slowly emerged on my face because I am so incredibly blessed and the past couple months have been a few of the best in my life. The one word that keeps popping into my head is LOVE. (I will probably be extremely sappy and sentimental for the remainder of this post. You’ve been warned!)

This past weekend I was extremely honored, and lucky, to attend a beautiful wedding that let old and new friends join together to celebrate the Love of two amazing people. From the moment I met the radiant groom until we said our goodbyes the afternoon after, I don’t think I ever stopped smiling. I strongly believe something about Love is responsible for a certain amount of one’s happiness. The psychologist in me wants to try a quick experiment: think about something/someone extremely important to you (something/someone you Love)…got it?…are you smiling? Exactly. You’re happy when you remember the last time you spent time with your aunt or the last bite of that delicious ice cream sandwich.

One of my favorite passages from the Bible, 1 Corinthians 13, was used during the wedding ceremony and the powerful words have been dancing around in my head since Saturday afternoon. The passage concludes with, “For there are three things that endure: Faith, Hope, Love. The greatest of these is Love.” In the risk of sounding extremely romantic, I am a firm believer in the notion that Love is not taken as seriously as it should be. In my dream world, every person would love one another and disagreements would be settled over a bowl of ice cream. But seriously, if people were willing to accept others and respect differences, imagine how different the world would be. I’m just saying if there were more Love in the world, I believe happiness would be more widespread. Who wouldn’t love to live in a world where happiness is out of control?!

If Love is the greatest of all, then I think I’m doing just fine and I couldn’t be happier. The icing on the cake? Spending the weekend with a best friend I love so very much!!!

July 6^th is what the calendar and my heart sinks for the first time since the event happened. It’s been two years, two years since I ended it all, two years since I broke his heart. And I miss him; I miss the way he looked at me with adoring eyes as if I was his whole world. I miss how tenderly he uses to stroke me as if he was terrified that I would just break. He had so much faith and trust in me and I messed it all up. I remember the day we first met, me with my unruly curly red hair and wild aqua eyes, and him with his spiky ebony hair, and bright hazel eyes. The way his eyes perked up when he saw me sitting alone in the crowded café, and the shy tentative smile he sent me as he began to approach me. I remember it all, like the way he looked at me with such interest when I told him my name. My heart pounded inside of my chest begging to be release when he told me his name, Alec. Alec and Kirstie, it has a ring to it doesn’t it? I sure thought so, so after the first day we met I went back to that café, every single day. I met up with him, and we talked we talked about everything and yet nothing at the same time. Before I knew it he’d crept into my heart and we both fell blindly in love, happier than ever. Until I screwed everything up. Until I took his heart and stomped on it. I shouldn’t have believed them when they told me those dreadful things, but I did. I truly believed that he had gone behind my back and deceived me by sleeping with Melissa so I went and did the same with Cameron. Only nothing happened between Melissa and Alec, so then that left me the cheater and him the brokenhearted. He needs to know. He needs to know just how sorry I am. Maybe if he knows then he’ll take me back for sure. So with that thought in my mind I travel to the one place where I hope to find him.

******

I run across the icy pavement my feet pushing me to the place where it all began, finally the small café comes into view and all of the memories swarm through my mind again. This is it. This will either give me my life back or it’ll prove to me that I need to move on. A heat wave brushes over my face as I walk into the café and my heart flutters in my chest at the familiarity of it all. The cream colored carpet and welcoming burgundy walls look just as they did all of those years ago and suddenly it becomes too much for me to bare and I turn on my heals and dash back out of the door. I can’t do this! It’s all too much for me to handle. Damn you Kirstie for not thinking things through, you are not that young, naïve, irrational eighteen year old girl anymore! I shouldn’t have come here! My thoughts were interrupted when I slam into someone and my eyes snap up to the person when I smell the comforting smell of woods, mint and lemon. It’s him! It really is, but he looks different somehow. His dark hair is just as I remember it and his eyes are still as wide and bright as ever, but something about him seems happier and more content since the last time I had seen him. In all honesty he looks great.

The words come out of my mouth before I can stop them and they sound more desperate than I would have liked, “It really is you.”

“Hey Kirstie!” he happily chirps.

That’s a good sign right? He’s happy to see me, which has to mean something. Maybe he missed me. Maybe he forgave me ages ago. Maybe he still loves me. However my hope is crushed when his hazel eyes swing to a figure that I hadn’t noticed before, a female. A small petite brunette with olive skin and twinkling green eyes this girl is gorgeous. But that is not what brings tears to my eyes, hell it isn’t even the fact that their hands are tightly intertwined, the thing that saddens me is the woman’s bulging stomach, she is unmistakably pregnant. And by the adoring look in his eyes I am guessing that it is Alec’s child. I remember when he used to look at me that way. I want to hate this woman so much, because she has stolen by first love, but no matter how hard I try I cant. If I had only treated him the way he deserves to be treated then we wouldn’t be in this situation right now. It is all my fault, not hers.

“Oh you’re the famous Kirstie Dawson,” she says sounding surprised, “Hello I’m Daliah.”

She stretches her slender hand out for me to shake but I can’t move any of my limbs. My eyes are locked in on the ring that is placed on her left hand and the memory of the first time I saw it comes back to me.

***

“I have something to show you,” he tells me, looking down at his old torn converse and scratching his neck.

“Okay,” I nervously reply.

He reached into his back pocket and pulls out a small velvet bag and he lowers himself down to one knee.

“Oh God, Alec if you are doing what I think you’re doing then you are fucking insane! I love you with all my heart but neither of us is ready for this! What are you thinking? Oh God if my Dad found out about this he would hang you up by your balls! Get off of your knee!” I grab his arm and tug hard on it.

“Get up you crazy bastard!” I exclaim panicked.

“Kirstie will you shut up?” he chuckles taking my smooth hand in his large calloused ones.

He smiles up at me before pulling a ring out of the pouch. A gasp escapes my mouth as I lay eyes on the simply beautiful piece of jewelry in front of me. There is a decent sized diamond placed on a simple gold band which has small diamonds covering most of it.

“I’m not proposing to you or anything so calm down, it’s just that I think you deserve to know what you mean to me. Kirstie you’re my everything, I love you with all that I have in me. I can see us in the future still together and living in one of those white suburban houses that we always laugh at because of how cliché they look with their trimmed green grass and blue shiny shutters. I see us with kids who look just like you running around, and frankly that scares the shit out of me because I don’t want to mess what we have up. I want to grow old with you! This ring belonged to my grandmother and she passed it down to my mother and I want you to know that one day it will be yours.” And with that he got off of his knee and placed a sweet kiss on my lips.

***

I wonder if Daliah knew that that ring was meant to be mine’s. In that moment it hit me, reality I mean, if I hadn’t messed everything up I would be in her place right now. That ring would be mine and I’d be happy with Alec walking around our white picket fenced house barefoot and pregnant. The tears pour out of my eyes as I speak the words that I know that I need to, “Hi Daliah it’s nice to meet you.” And I shake her hand.

I then turn to Alec, “I haven’t seen you in forever, you look great.” I plaster a fake smile on my face.

“You too Kirstie,” he says with a happy nod. My heart doesn’t fail to skip a beat at the nickname he always called me.

“We really should be going we are going to meet Alec’s parents soon. It was nice to finally meet you Kirstie,” Daliah says before they turn and head towards the café. As he opens the door for Daliah to walk through Alec turns and sends me one last sad smile, and I can see it in his eyes that he is saying I forgive you. A sob racks though my body as I realize that he really is gone, but this time is different than the last time, because I know that he is happy. And hopefully in a few years I can learn to love again, so that I can be as happy as he appears to be with Daliah.

            Val looked from the red Etnies jacket in her hand to her cell phone, which had a text message set up for Caiden My Lover.

‘U left ur jacket @ school today. I’m close u want me to run it by?’

She took a deep breath and hit send, closing her eyes. Val knew that she would do the same for any other person she knew, and she was doing her good deed for the day.

Caiden had left the jacket in the tutoring classroom today, and Val had happened to see it.

The thing looked very comfortable, and as she sat on the bench outside Eastern Gymnastics, Val couldn’t help but lift the jacket up and sniff it. It smelled like Caiden, hot (she’d finally admitted that to herself-there was no use denying it), spicy, sexy (okay, that was stretching it, she thought), and delicious. The scent, that was. Not Caiden himself.

She kicked her legs a little bit, watching her cell phone to wait for a reply. Evie didn’t have dance that night, so she was alone, and that was why Val had decided to actually text Caiden. Evie would have asked a bunch of questions; ones that didn’t need to be asked.

Val jumped as her phone rang, and looked down to see it was from Caiden.

‘Sure I’m 478 Collier Hill Dr. U know the neighborhood?’

She sighed. She’d been hoping that there would be no reply. No such luck.       Val replied in the affirmative, saying she would be there in a few minutes. Then she stood and quickly set off for the neighborhood directly across from the strip of businesses where Eastern Gymnastics was located. She knew exactly where Caiden lived, having gone to a party next door to his house once.

A wind blew up while she walked, and Val shivered in the cool evening. The only thing she had on was her shorts and her leotard. Although the leotard was a midnight blue velvet, it didn’t help keep her warm, and she looked with longing at the jacket she held in her hands.

No. She wouldn’t do it. No matter how cold she got, there was no way she was actually going to put on Caiden’s jacket. Val didn’t know what kind of commitment it was, but it was something when a person wore someone else’s clothes. For starters it meant that you were actually friends. She and Caiden were not friends.

The wind blew harder, and Val realized that it was going to rain soon. She could smell it in the air. She quickened her pace, hoping to get to Caiden’s house before she got wet. The result was only that the wind blew harder into her face and her eyes started to water terribly.

“Dang it,” She muttered, giving in, and flung the jacket around her. It was like a cocoon of wonderful smelling warmth. She even pulled the hood up to keep her hair somewhat under control.

And then Val felt the raindrop on her big toe. She flat out ran, but the rain caught up with her and within seconds, the stinging sheets had her soaked.

On any other day, if she was doing anything else, Val could have handled, maybe even enjoyed this. Now all she could think about was how she’d land on Caiden’s doorstep looking like a drowned kitten.

Perfect.

Val was slipping out of her flip flops by the time she made it onto Caiden’s porch, which was mercifully covered from the rain. Without even checking to see what she looked like, Val pounded on the front door of his house, relieved just to be out of the wet and cold.

It was a few moments before Caiden (luckily) opened the door. For a second he just stared at her, standing there dripping in her shorts and leotard, and his own jacket, shivering.

“Don’t tell me you were singing in the rain?” He asked, smiling a little bit.

Val’s response was her teeth beginning the chatter. The wind was now cutting through her wet clothes and slicing her bare legs.

“Come in,” Caiden said without further ado, stepping aside as he held open the door for her.

“T-t-thanks,” She said, stepping into the wonderful, glowing heated house.

“Stay right here, let me get you a towel,” Caiden said, taking her arm and moving her to the side of the door so she was dripping on the edge of the entrance rug. “No one else is home, so don’t worry that someone will walk in on you. I’ll be right back.”

Val nodded, her teeth still chattering, watching as Caiden jogged up the stairs that were right next to the front door. She almost checked out his butt, before she caught herself and looked around at what she could see of the house.

It was actually very nice, with wooden and beige tiled floors, the walls painted in rich warm tones. Pictures hung on the walls, and the glass table near the wall held a vase of fake but nonetheless pretty flowers.

It wasn’t what she’d expected from Caiden’s house. She’d known, of course, that Caiden had to live with his parents, but when she’d pictured his house, it had always seemed to be dark. Not the pretty, glowing rooms around her right now.

Val turned at the sound of Caiden coming back down the stairs. He looked much the same as he had that day at school; lightish colored, sagging jeans with one ripped knee, a black t-shirt that had a crossed out cigarette on it, saying underneath ‘There are cooler ways to die’(That had made Val laugh). Oddly enough, with the gold walls behind him, and the clean elegance of the house, Caiden just fit right in. There was no oddness to it at all.

“Here you go,” He said, handing her a large, fluffy white towel. Val took it, and realized that it smelled like him.

She gave him a look. “This isn’t yours, is it?”

He held up his hands in defense. “It came from my bathroom, if that’s what you mean. It’s clean though, I swear.”

“Thanks,” Val said again, and slipped off the jacket. “Here. Sorry about getting it wet, but I needed it when it started raining.” There was no need for him to know she had put it on sooner.

Caiden took the jacket and hung it from the doorknob so it could dry. “Doesn’t matter, it would have gotten wet if you were wearing it or not.”

Val, still shivering, pulled her long hair over one shoulder and rubbed it vigorously. It would become a frizz ball unless she could get her hands on a brush. Then she vainly tried to dry off her leotard and shorts. It didn’t go well.

“Why did you walk here? Don’t you drive?” Caiden asked, motioning for her to follow him into the kitchen.

“I was at gymnastics, and its like, a five minute walk from your house. I always walk everywhere to save gas,” Val said, wrapping the towel around her shoulders for warmth. “Could I use your phone to call my parents? I went over my minutes.”

Caiden laughed and pointed to the phone that was on the counter. “Help yourself. I’ll get us something to drink.”

“Okay,” Val said, and turned to the phone. She tried her dad’s phone first, since she would have been driving to his house that night anyway. He picked his cell phone up on the first ring.

“Hey Dad, it’s me.”

“Hello sweetie.”

“I was walking home from gymnastics, and got caught in the rain. I’m at, um, a friend’s house, do you think you could come get me?”

Silence.

“Dad?”

“Why,” He said in a growl, “Didn’t you tell me your mother had a date tonight?”

“Where are you?” Val asked, confused.

“Jean’s Bistro,” He answered, naming off the nicest restaurant in town. “Your mother is here also, with a man. I can’t get you, I have a date here too and I need to watch your mother.”

“Dad, don’t you dare go up and talk to her,” Val warned, feeling queasy.

“You know, that’s a good idea Val. I’m going to go and talk to her. I’ll call to find out where you are when I’m done, goodbye.” Click.

Val slowly hung up the phone, knowing it was no use to call her mom. There would be a scene at the restaurant tonight.

“Did you get a hold of them?” Caiden asked from further in the kitchen.

“Well, yeah,” Val said, moving more into the kitchen and taking a seat at one of the islands bar stools. “But they can’t come get me right now,” Val took a deep breath. “Do you think it would be okay if I stayed here for awhile? My dad said he would call when he was finished with his date.”

“Sure, I don’t care. I’d take you, but my parents are out of town tonight, and they have the cars.”

“It could be kind of late,” Val said, almost wishing he would refuse. But she knew that Caiden was just too nice for that to happen.

“It’s okay. I haven’t got anything else to do.”

“I’m glad you’re so thrilled,” Val said as he walked towards her with two steaming mugs. “Hot chocolate?” She asked.

“Sorry I couldn’t run out to Starbucks,” He said dryly. “But your lips are still blue and I thought you would want something warm.”

Val looked from him to the mug in front of her, and then back and forth one more time. “Thank you,” She said, and meant it.

Caiden took a drink from his hot chocolate and discreetly looked over at Valerie. She was still damp, and her hair was in a big tangle around her small body. He saw that she still had very large goose bumps on her arms, probably due to her wet leotard and shorts.

“Do you want a pair of sweatpants and one of my shirts?” He offered. “Since you’re going to be here for awhile.” He watched as she thought about refusing, but then practicality seemed to set in.

“Yes, actually. That would be great,” She said.

Caiden went upstairs and grabbed a pair of sweatpants and shirt and jogged back downstairs.

Valerie wasn’t in the kitchen anymore, and Caiden wondered where she could have gone. He didn’t have to search overlong. He found her on the stairs to the basement, leaning over the rail and looking at all his instruments.

“Hey,” He said.

Valerie literally jumped. “Oh! I’m sorry, I was looking for the bathroom and I found this,” She waved a hand towards the basement. “Do you play all these instruments?”

“Yeah,” Caiden admitted, and handed her the clothes. “There’s a bathroom down here if you want to use it.”

Valerie looked at the shirt he had given her. “You actually own Abercrombie?” She asked, sounding disbelieving.

Caiden help his hands up, defensive. “Don’t get all worked up. It’s from my aunt. I’ve only worn it once, when she came over. She hates the way I dress, and this was her not-so-subtle hint to go shopping. I thought you would like to wear it.”

Valerie looked touched. “Thank you, Caiden, that was really thoughtful,” She said, sounding as though she truly meant it.

Caiden smiled. “See? It’s not so hard to be nice to me, is it?”

Valerie made a disgusted sound and turned towards the bathroom. But outside the door, she paused and turned around. “Will you play for me?” She inclined her head towards the instruments.

“Sure,” Caiden said, coming up with a quick idea. “If you help me.”

Valerie frowned. “Help you?”

“I’ll explain after you change,” He said.

Valerie nodded and disappeared into the bathroom.

Caiden began turning on and connecting all the instruments. Valerie came out just as he finished, and when he saw her, Caiden knew his split second decision to play her song (or what he had of it so far) was right. His clothes nearly drowned her, and she’d rolled the pants up at the waist and the legs. And yet she still looked beautiful.

She was frowning at the smile on his face. “I hope you enjoy this while it lasts, because it is never getting out of this house. Ever.”

“Whatever you say,” Caiden agreed, still smiling. “Do you think you could wait for the music until I find my camera?”

“Haha, no,” Valerie said, “I’m not letting you out of my sight until I leave this house.”

“Good,” Caiden said, and he could tell from the silence that he had just severely agitated her. “Alright, are you ready to make some music?”

Valerie shrugged. “Fine, but you should know that I’m definitely not musically inclined.”

“It’s okay, I just need you to keep a beat for me. The keyboard has it recorded, I can play the guitar, but now I can hear it with a little drums. I can’t play two instruments at once.”

“Okay, what do I need to do?” Valerie asked.

Caiden took her shoulder, and marveling at how thin and small it was, gently led her to the drum set. “This is all I want you to do. Take a drum stick, and use this big drum in the middle, and tap this beat.” Caiden hit the drum three times, in a slow rhythm. “See? One, two, three, pause. One, two, three, pause. Just keep a beat.”

“Sounds easy enough,” Valerie said, and took both of the drum sticks in her hands. Caiden looked at her strangely.

“You only need one stick, you know.”

“I know,” Valerie said. “But holding both of them makes me feel cool.”

Caiden laughed as he sat down on the stool next to the keyboard and picked up his guitar. “Just be careful with those drum sticks, they’re my favorite ones.”

Valerie saluted him with one of them. “Aye aye, captain.” She said. “When do I start?”

“Right now is good,” Caiden said, and waited until she got the hang of it before starting the keyboard and beginning himself

Val closed her eyes, easily keeping up with the beat. The melody of the song was on the slow side, the guitar softer in the background, and the piano taking over for the most part.

They were midway through what she guessed would be the chorus, when the piano and Caiden stopped abruptly.

Startled, she hit the drum loosely and dropped the drum stick. “Oh, shoot. I’m sorry, Caiden!”

He was laughing. “It’s okay; they’ve been dropped on the floor a lot already.”

Val retrieved the stick and set it gently on the drum. “Why did you stop? I really liked that song.”

Caiden shrugged, setting his guitar down in the stand, next the acoustic one. “I don’t have the rest written yet. For the piano, anyway.”

“Wait a second, wait a second. You mean, you actually wrote the music for that?” Val asked, incredulous. That was just unbelievable.

“Well, yeah. I did,” Caiden admitted, and he actually looked uncomfortable, for the first time since she’d known him.

“No way. That’s so cool,” Val said. “Do you have words for it? Can you sing?”

“No words-yet. I’ve written a couple songs, and for me it always just seemed easier to get a melody going first. You can always adjust it later. I can sing, but I don’t sound too good.”

“That’s so cool. Why did you get all the gifts? I suck at everything I do,” Val said, and stuck her tongue out at him.

“No, you don’t. I’ve heard that you’re a pretty good gymnast, and I’ve seen your art. It’s amazing.”

“Oh, that,” Val said, and felt herself turn red to the roots of her hair. “When did you see my art?”

“I usually go to the art shows at school. A lot of my friends have stuff on display. After I saw your ‘Life Is Like a Box Of Chocolates’ piece freshman year, I always looked around for your work. I never actually knew who you were until the football game where we met.”

“You’ve been watching for my work for the past like, three years?” Val asked, amazed. The drawing he spoke of had been one of her favorites, a chocolate box with chocolates in it, along with Scrabble pieces that spelled out, ‘life is like a box of chocolates’ in the chocolate holders.

“Yeah, you’re really, really good,” Caiden said.

“Thanks,” Val said. “I’ve never actually known anyone who knew that I was an artist, besides my close friends. It’s not something I really talk about.”

“You should be proud of your skill,” Caiden said honestly.

“Thanks, and you should be too,” Val said, waving a hand around at the instruments that surrounded them.

There was a moment of total silence, and then Val’s phone rang.

It was her dad.

“He’ll be here in like, two minutes,” Val said after she hung up, and she felt like crying now. She could tell that her dad was extremely upset, and she knew that it didn’t mean good things for her. Homecoming was tomorrow; couldn’t they just give arguing a rest for once?

Caiden could tell that the conversation had upset Valerie, but he was afraid to overstep the cautious truce that they had set up. “Okay, I guess I’ll be seeing you around then.”

“Thanks for everything, Caiden. You’re going to Homecoming still, right?”

Caiden kept his tone light. “Yeah. Maybe you should save a dance for me?” It sounded like a joke, but deep down he wished he could be more serious.

Valerie laughed in his face as a car honked its horn from the driveway. “Yeah, right.” She said. “I’m still Val, and you’re still Caiden, therefore making it impossible. But I’ll look for you to say hi, though. Bye, Caiden, and thanks again.”

Caiden forced himself to laugh, and waved as she went upstairs.

Valerie would dance with every other guy in the school, except for him. And Caiden would be able to do nothing but sit there and watch

You’re my butterfly and I never want you to fly away…

My husband said this after we broke down to each other…moments like what we had make up a beautifully sad, hopeful movie but a confusing life. He is my everything

* Well, when you get thoughts like that, start doing your pushups, or go for your walk, and just tell yourself she is Dead To You; She doesn’t EXIST any more. Even if she got married years ago to some guy more Masculine and Winning Than You, and chances are they are still Happily Married, with Children, and He gets what you so desperately wanted. Well you don’t want it any more, because she’s Dead To You.

* save up $1000, by working 143 hours at mcdonalds – come on, that’s less that four measly (fulltime) WEEKS -, so you can buy a Treadmill for the Winter and just WALK on it an hour a day during the long, long, 364-day winter.

* anecdotal evidence: but mcdonalds doesn’t HIRE fulltime people any more, just part time. Response: they are more likely to hire fulltime MANAGERS, so be the best part time employee you can, until they hire you as a Fulltime Manager At McDonalds. That will prob entail a nice little RAISE and you will only have to work 120 hours to buy the treadmill to walk on one hour a day for the 364 days of winter.

* YES, you can listen to all your favourite Podcasts and Talks and Radio Shows while walking on the treadmill. Or even watch TV or movies.

* Do Pushups at WORK whenever you can sneak away from public view. Tell your gay boss you’re trying to get in better shape. If he threatens to fire you, call him an alcoholic child molester who molests his own children, then quit.

* if you go to a real Loser College during the summer, you will see Regulars who spend 12 hours a day, every day, there, doing homework and taking Super-Condensed, Fast-Paced, Crammed Summer Classes. 30 and 40 and 50 year old men spending more time doing that, doing stupid homework, taking stupid classes, than they would at a Fulltime Job; simply because they don’t HAVE a Fulltime Job, they can’t GET a fulltime job, so they’re convinced the Best Thing They Can Do With Their Time is Go To School and Get A Degree; The Degree Will Be Their Ticket To A Good Full Time Entry Level Job, so they spend as much time on skool as a Chinese MIT student, yet of course they’ll be lucky to get 10% of the Payoff that MIT student will, because they’re just getting a Business Degree from Average College, and competing against Masters Degrees from Average College, all for Average Jobs at best.

You almost want to shake them and say, what are you doing this for, this is hopeless, you’d be better off becoming a DRUG addict, or jerking off to PORN all day, or at least reading 4chan all day, or blogging all day. f00k this college degree sh1t, a degree will get you NOWHERE, and it’s HARD as f00k to get to boot, and expensive as f00k, guaranteed to put you into a minimum of 25k of slavemaking debt, all for something that’s frustrating and useless.

Heh. Then I realize that’s just my Angry Anti-College Attitude talking, and that Truly Motivated, Nonlazy Students like these HArdworking men, will make their degrees work for Them, because they know that the Degree Alone is a Necessary but Not Sufficient Condition for the Job. You gotta Bust your ass for the degree, then once you have the degree, you gotta bust your 4ss some MORE for the job. BOTH.

* Heh. And this is why I have a Bad Anti-College Attitude, hahaha. Just go to trade skool with all the low-IQs, learn a skill, get paid, the end. Hire Attractive Young White Hookers from Backpages. use “gallery” view to quickly find the attractive young white hookers.

* Or just go a strip club, get a Lap Dance or two, then GET OUT.

* strip clubs and hookers are decadent as f00k so you should not do them regularly. These are poisoned, poisonous wimmin and you simply don’t want to spend that much time around them. maybe once every 6 months.

“What is it?” Shining Moon asked, once they had gotten inside.  Soft Wind looked so excited, Shining Moon’s excitement built as well.

Soft Wind held up the most beautiful dress Shining Moon had ever seen.  The leather looked smooth and soft.  The intricate bead work: She had made the moon actually shine, like she had been told it had shined on the night of her birth.  “Mother!  You made that for me?  It looks like so much work!  How did I not know you were making it?  It’s incredible!”

Soft Wind laughed, “You made it easy to surprise you.  You spend so much time trying to avoid me.”  She winked, “Shining Moon, I see and hear more than you think I do.  I thought you might be a little less unhappy about being a girl if you had something nice to wear.  Every stitch contains a prayer for your happiness.”

Shining Moon felt ashamed.  While she had been uncaring of her mother’s feelings by avoiding her, Soft Wind had spent the time she was away working to make her something beautiful.  She felt hot tears filling her eyes.  “I’m so sorry mother.  I never stopped to think about how it felt to you.  I will wear this dress proudly, not only because it’s the most beautiful dress in the village, but because you made it for me.”

“Your brother and the other young men will be back tomorrow.  I thought you might want to wear it to the celebration.”

“Small Fox was right.  You are wise.”  Shining Moon said.  “You saw that I was angry about being a girl.  But how could I feel angry wearing something so beautiful and made with so much love?  Thank you Mother.”  Shining Moon hugged her mother, tears now streaming down her cheeks.
            
                   ***********************************************************

Shining Moon stood proudly in her new dress.  She was actually enjoying the celebration.  She noticed a difference in the way the young men looked at her.  Instead of scowling at them, Shining Moon smiled back at them.  She looked over to where her mother and father were holding each other close, enjoying their reunion.  They looked very happy together.  Shining Moon wondered, for the first time, what it would be like to have that kind of relationship with someone.  She thought about how Small Fox’s eyes had been both soft, yet bright, when she talked about Dark Eyes.  Could she be happy like that?  Could that happiness she saw in them be enough for her?  She decided to at least take some time to look into her heart and ponder it. 

Shining Moon giggled to herself as she noticed Dark Eyes talking to Small Fox’s father.  He had just become a man in the eyes of the tribe.  He should be holding his head confidently and proudly, yet he looked very nervous.  Small Fox was standing away from them, trying her best to seem uninterested, without success.  Shining Moon thought she could use some help, so she walked over to Small Fox. 

“How do you think it’s going?”  Shining Moon asked. 

“How what is going?”  Small Fox gave the most innocent look she could manage

Shining Moon laughed, “You must be nervous!  You’ve forgotten who you’re talking to!  Your innocent face doesn’t work on me.  I know you too well.”

Small Fox blushed, “You’re right.  I am nervous.  My father has a stern face right now.”

“What is being discussed is a serious matter.  Your father should be stern about it.  He is deciding the rest of your life.  I would be surprised if he gives Dark Eyes an answer tonight.  He will probably want to ask the Great Spirit for clearness.”

Small Fox looked at Shining Moon with surprise, “You have insight as one who is no longer a child.  Did your mother weave a spell into that beautiful dress?”

Now it was Shining Moon’s turn to blush.  “I have been thinking about things, important things.  I cannot change that I am a girl.  I will never be invited to join a hunt or a war party.  So I can spend my life mourning that or try to find ways to be happy as a girl.  My mother and father look very happy together, as do you and Dark Eyes.  It is something to ponder.”

The girls watched as Dark Eyes turned and walked away from Small Fox’s father.  His head was held high.  He looked at Small Fox and smiled.  She ran to him.  He picked her up in his arms and swung her around in a circle.  Shining Moon was again struck by the joy they shared.  “Maybe,” she thought to herself, “just maybe.”

Re -edited version of one of my favorites

***

A neighborhood cat was digging in a large blue flower pot filled with petunias. This cat had done this before and the proof was there. The cat squatted down and defecated in the pot. It was a cool morning and there was steam coming off the shit.
John Jay walked to the mailbox and spotted the cat and checked and there was shit in the pot. He cursed the little bastard, but wasn’t going to clean it out again until it hardened. But this is how his day started with a pot of shit. Never swayed he continued on about his day and got the files he needed for work. He backed up his car and hit something small that made a thump. He got out of the car and it was the cat and it was only half dead but dying none the less. He moved his car and got a shovel and a piece of cardboard from the garage. He shoveled the cat onto the cardboard and put it in his front yard near the mailbox, so that whoever the cat belonged to would find it and know what happened. He hit the poor dying cat in the head so it wouldn’t suffer so much while dying.
He got back in his car and saw a bad accident at the intersection he normally took and he wondered, but for that cat would I have been at that accident too?

Chapter One

“So then the damned cat goes and gets behind my car and I run the damned thing over. Well, I can‘t just leave it there half dead in my driveway. This is someone‘s kitty, so I scooped him up and put him on cardboard in my yard. I did do him the favor of killing him, so he wouldn‘t suffer so much,” said John. “So how’s that for a way to start my day. At least I have Starbucks from Daphne to cheer me up. What can I do for you, my dear?”
John Jay–Manager of the sales staff at local car dealership, divorced/single, 54, heavy-set, nice man, has two grown daughters. Unassuming, yet the life of a party with his stories and gregarious soul.
Daphne says in a pleading way,“I need to meet your car reps when they come in this month–especially your Honda rep, cause I know she’s new. I’ve got to schedule car shows and you give me my in with your brands, so that makes you at least Starbucks worthy.”
“My BMW rep always comes the first week of the month, Acura later than that and Honda is new, so I don’t know her deal yet either. I’m going to have to call you” said John.
“Sounds good. Just don’t forget me!” Daphne says.

***

Daphne Townsley— works for a local talent agency. She is single, 36, beautiful with long blonde locks, 5’9” frame with long legs and a penchant for wearing black. Known for her appearance as well as her performance. Is working to develop great relationships with car manufacturers and provides car show models throughout the Central USA. She works for Nancy Arnett—the owner of the modeling agency. This is her venture with Nancy. Nancy’s a tough cookie and everyone knows it. Brutally honest and not apologetic. Her opinion makes or breaks a model in St. Louis and her agency feeds models the LA market. The plan is for Daphne to secure the modeling in all the car shows from St. Louis to Detroit. Each manufacturer brings in people to discuss the cars as experts and some pretty girls to dress the cars nicely. It’s much cheaper to rent the pretty models that greet people than for the car company to find them themselves. Daphne works from St. Louis but travels to Detroit, Chicago, Minneapolis, Cleveland, and a few other places. She reaches out to the manufacturer reps in key markets and shows them why they should use our models instead of hiring local models.

Daphne makes a phone call to Hope. Hope Mansfield—Daphne’s best friend and roommate, works at a radio station in sales. She’s an African American woman of 5’8” with an afro that she works, she is quite beautiful. She and Daphne look like opposites, but that’s far from the truth. Daphne was date raped by a guy Hope didn’t like from the start. She’s protective of Daphne, sometimes to the extreme being a true loving friend.

“Hope, are you ready? I’m getting out of here. Did my job and now to play a little…” Daphne says.
“Where is it you are wanting to go?” from Hope
“I’m wanting to go to Cyrano’s to hear Erin Bode. She’s there tonight,” Daphne says.
Hope says “You and your support of local artists, your funny.”
“I think Doug is meeting us there, if we get there…” Daphne says.
“Of course he’s an Erin Bode fan too since you are. He’s so transparent. It‘s fine, as long as you know going in,” said Hope.
“Doug and I are friends. You know that. Come on let’s go.” Daphne says.

Chapter Two

Erin Bode was on break when they got there and Doug had found a table getting there early. “I’ll have a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon and she wants a lemonade.” Hope never drank, she simply did not like it and so she was always the designated driver and that comes in handy.
“So how did the rest of your day go?” Doug asked
“It was okay. I have an appointment for tomorrow to meet a new rep, so that’s always good. You?” Daphne said.
“We put out a fleet for Weiss Electric today, so my pocketbook got a little bigger. I have five fleets this week if they all go. That’s enough for a month.”
Daphne said. “Did we invite John?”
“We did. He had other plans,” said Doug.
Erin Bode takes the stage and the whole room quiets. Her voice is graceful and high like a butterfly. With little instrumentation her voice does the work to make the song beautiful.

***

After the last set by Erin Bode Doug asks “Are we really done for the night? You guys are lame.”
“Us guys have to work tomorrow.” Hope says.
“Daphne you are not afraid of tomorrow, come with me and let’s stay out past our bedtimes.”
Hope said “You are all on your own with this one girl. Be careful.”
“Let’s at least walk Hope to her car,” Daphne says.
Doug felt a win coming on. “Of course.”
“I’m here. You two behave yourselves. Don’t call me when you’re in some trouble later! I’ll be asleep like a good girl.” says Hope.
“Love you Hope!” Daphne said
“Love you Daphne! Hope said
They had done that for a long time because no matter what was missing in their life at the time, they always had each other.
“Now where are you wanting to go with me?” Daphne said.
“Right back inside for one more glass of wine.” Doug said working up his courage and giving it a better shot being just a little more drunk.
“Well, it’s official. I’m headed to Plaza Motors to sell Cadillacs, Jaguars, Land Rover, BMW, Lexus and Infiniti. I’m done on that small floor and I’m ready to really sell big. John’s not going anywhere so there’s nothing to keep me there.”
“Go for it. I’m all about seeing you ruling the world,” Daphne said,
“Daphne, hey do you have someone special in your life right now?” Doug asked.
“No, not currently. I’ve hit a bit of a dry spell. How about you?” she asked.
“No, no one special. I can find the one-nighters, but I can never seem to find the special ones. I admit I haven’t tried very hard. What about us? We could have a one-nighter between friends and see if it turns special,” there he had said it.
“What? No Doug.”
“Why not? We’d still be friends, we always have been. Let’s go buy the best hotel room in the city and spend some special time together.”
Daphne noticed she was getting wet just listening to him talk and the wine didn’t hurt at all. “Buy me another glass of wine and we’ll talk some more.” She knew that after another glass of wine he could throw her in the backseat of his car and do her. Her thoughts went to her underwear and it was all black so it would be fine.
“Is that a yes?”
“That’s a maybe.”
“Do you have a yes button? I don’t know. I’ve never tried you before. But I’ve seen you shutdown guys a lot hotter than me, so I don’t know the first thing about what you like.”
“When you figure it out, let me know. I’ve never had much luck with men–beyond the recreational value. But you, see we’re friends, good friends, I’d say. Does sex fuck that up or enhance it? I don’t know.”
She took another drink of wine and said “What do you think Mr. Player? There’s probably at least two women you could talk your way into bed with right here and now.”
“I think you give me too much credit Daph. And you’re the only girl in here that I’ve even looked at.”
“I know, but you could. I’m talking about your Cary Grant looks and your dry sense of humor and the way you smile. You’re a hottie.”
“And you’re very funny Daphne.”
She took a big drink of wine and said “Let’s go, I’m not too drunk to fuck, but drunk enough that the wine is doing the talking for me.”
He put her in the passenger seat of his car and tucked her all away and then he got in himself. He started the car and said “Where would you like to fuck?”
“I don’t care as long as it’s clean. He found the closest hotel nearby and he went to the door to register. She thought to herself “Is this smart? What will Hope have to say? Maybe I shouldn’t be drunk, but I wouldn’t fuck him if I wasn’t drunk. Maybe it’s time I had some fun.” And he was back. He parked the car and helped her out of the car. He showed her the key-pass and soon they were in the room.
“Sit down” she said. He did and she took her scarf off.
“We are friends” she said as she unbuttoned her sweater and took it off.
“This is just fucking among friends” She dropped her skirt. There she stood in her altogether with thigh high stockings and a bra and panties.
Doug got up from the bed and held her. They had never even kissed and it occurred to him that maybe this wasn’t a good idea.
“Daphne–do you want to make love with me?”
“That’s why we are here…”
“Yeah but, if you don’t want to do this we won’t.”
She reached up and kissed him. “It’s been a long time for me.”
She kissed him again and harder.
He lifted her up and put her on the bed and took off his clothes.
He took off her high heels tossing them backwards and then her panties as he started kissing her belly and up to her breasts, he finagled her bra loose and he kissed her with his naked body next to hers. He put his hands on her, rubbing her and kissing her till he was sure that she wanted him and she did. At first slowly paving the way and then harder and harder, till she stopped him and rolled him over on his back with his cock still in her she worked it up and down and laid to grind on him. And he flipped her back over to drive into her hard and fast. And then it was over and he traced a heart on her bare belly. She laughed. “Thank heavens she laughed,” he thought. She got up and went to the bath to clean herself up. And when she came back he was laying on the bed.
“Did you get what you needed here?” he asked. “We can go again if you want to.”
“No, I’m fine. Are you still my friend Doug?”
“Yes, and if you need me to be this Doug, I can do that. Or we can just be friends. I’m not asking for you to fall in love with me.”
“Good. That’s good.”
“You know what I want?”
“Name it.”
“A greasy cheeseburger.”
“Why don’t we find one while I take you home.”

***

“The first thing that came to mind this morning was telling you what happened,” Daphne said to Hope.
“So you got some, nothing wrong with that girl,” Hope said openly.
“Yeah and we agreed that we would be just friends like nothing has changed. Do you think that’s possible?” she asked Hope.
“Sure, it’s like a one night stand. That doesn’t cave the universe! Was he any good?”
“Yeah, actually he was.”
“Well he’s always looked good, but sometimes that’s deceiving. Where are you headed this week and when?”
“I’m going to Detroit and Chicago–just meetings, you know. I’ve got to visit each dealer rep for each brand in each city. Once I start tomorrow, it’s gonna be a whirlwind for me. I may hit Cleveland or Columbus late in the week if I can set some appointments. I have four appointments in Chicago, but I won’t be downtown at all. Bummer!”
“Well, I haven’t understood what you are doing since you started doing it. Now you’re gonna travel all these places to meet the Honda guy or the Toyota guy.”
“That’s exactly right. I’m getting most of St. Louis sewn up, but I’ve just been practicing here. Now I’ve got to sell the other markets our models. They do this throughout the country, but no one cares about the Central USA except Detroit and Chicago. Other modeling agencies do it on the East or West coasts.
“I’m headed into the office to meet with Nancy before I take off tomorrow. Only half a day for me today but I have a 6:40 flight in the morning. Yikes!”
“Yikes, you said it! That’s brutal,” Hope said.
“And after the flight I get to work all day, my last appointment is 6pm. Power nap today, I think.”

And she was thinking about it all and her exploits of last night when she got a text “Can I see you tonight?” and she wasn’t sure how to respond. “Drinks at Bristols 7pm”. They could talk at least. They were friends. Here she was doing exactly what we said we wouldn’t do. Meet him for a drink. Sure.
Daphne went into the office and Nancy was impressed by all the appointments she had set in Detroit and Chicago. She pushed her to reach out to Columbus and Cleveland again and try to get there this week. The more she could double up the travel, the better. She made calls and had one guy in Columbus, now she needed two more to reach her goal. She asked the guy she reached if he knew any of his counterparts and he had names and numbers for most of them. That made things a lot easier, and she thanked him.
“How did you get my name and number–just curious?”
“From a dealer–that’s where I normally start to get your contact info.”
“Well, good luck to you. I’ll look forward to meeting with you.”
She called his contacts and got two more appointments and left two more messages about when she’s in town. That had been a good day. Tomorrow was going to be a long day.
“Nancy, I’m out of here to meet a dealer. Hopefully I can get his contacts here. It all starts at the dealership,” Daphne reminded her. Fact is Daphne took this idea to Nancy who had the modeling agency, the money and facilities. Nancy backed her and gave her a budget, but it was actually Daphne’s idea in the first place.
Matt Ridings was the dealer principal at Plaza Motors and he had access to Cadillac, Jaguar, Land Rover, Infiniti and BMW and reps for each one. She already had the BMW contact, but would appreciate his support.
He was pleased to meet her and kind of regretted how he had avoided her calls and walk-ins, but she was there now and his hand sweated a bit when he greeted her. She explained that all the prettiest girls were from St. Louis and we are training a team for each manufacturer to travel to each car show in the Midwest.
“Now, what I need is your support and your contacts for all of your brands because it will be your rep that decides whether you have real beauties trained with automotive brand knowledge, or whether you get the first six girls he can find.”
“You’re good Ms. Daphne. You ever consider selling cars? You’d make a fortune,” Matt said.
“I have friends in the business. Will you call all your reps to support this idea?” She’d have them well in hand if he did.

***

Daphne triumphantly walked into Bristols and Doug spotted her immediately and waved. He already had a glass of wine waiting for her and he got up to put her in the bar chair.
“How did your day go?” Doug asks.
“Good. I made some good contacts in Columbus so I‘m going there too this week.”
“Damn, I bet it‘s tough to fly in and go to work.”
“Yeah, well, I‘m sure as hell gonna find out.”
“I’ve not done it yet, but I know people who do and it’s just hard, really hard to do all that travel, but I’ll survive. Is it just the two of us or what?”
“Yes I only texted you.”
“You want me to call Hope and John?” Daphne suggests.
“No, let’s just have dinner, the two of us.”
“Oh, I see through you now. Just know I wore ugly panties just so I wouldn’t end up in your bed again.”
“That’s not where my head is–not yet anyway” he teased her.
“So funny thing happened today. I met your boss.”
“Say what?”
“I got a tip from the receptionist how to get in to see Matt Ridings, so I did what she said and it worked. We are old friends now, Matt and me.” Daphne says.
“Matt Ridings is the owner.”
“I know he started to offer me a job. Believe me, he wants to be my friend.”
“I’ve been working on it for a month, learning the cars and all. They will throw me out of the old dealership tomorrow so I guess I need to pack my toothbrush and be ready to be gone.”
”And ready to hit the ground running at Plaza Motors…”
“Yep. I want a manager job and I’ve got to go be a rockstar at a big lot in order to get a shot.”
“Well, good for you. At least you have a plan. I wouldn’t want to sell cars my whole life,” Daphne says.
“How’s Hope? She okay with us?” Doug asked.
“I’m not sure yet, but she didn’t come with me cause she knew that you wanted alone time with me.”
“She’s gonna be protective of you always–even of me. That kind of pain doesn’t go away easily, you would know.”
“She’s like my big sister,” Daphne explains “she wants to let me do what I’m gonna do, but she never forgets. When I was date raped she had told me not to go out with that guy. I’m more over it than she is. Look at me just talking about it. Sorry.”
Daphne had always drawn the attention of men, whether she wanted it or not. She tried sometimes to underplay her good looks, but she liked to wear her hair long and wearing skirts and wearing pretty things. On some level it wasn’t her fault that she was beautiful. She had always surrounded herself with a variety of friends. Friends she needed to get together because somehow Daphne was “Julie, the cruise director” and if she didn’t put it together it didn’t really happen. But right now, she needed to make this job work. It’ll be a beautiful thing, but the work at startup will be brutal.
“Are your ready to get a table and eat?” Doug asked.
“Sure, I’m not staying late tonight though. Six-forty flight in the morning. Crazy. I should already be in bed.”
“I love it when you talk dirty,” Doug said.
“Snuggling in my flannel pajamas.”
“Oh yeah.”
“With Pooh”
“With poo?” Doug said.
“With Pooh bear.”
“Okay, you lost me for a minute there.” Doug flagged down a server “Can you get us a table from the hostess? Thanks,” he handed her a few bucks for the trouble. But he wasn’t moving an inch away from Daphne.
Up walked a hostess “I have a nice intimate table for two available.”
“Thank you.” And they were seated in a small booth.

Chapter Three

The alarm went off at three o’clock and it was everything Daphne could do to make the alarm stop. And eight minutes later the alarm went off again. She could do this indefinitely, but she had to make her flight and every eight minutes counted. She had repacked knowing that from Detroit she’d be in Columbus after today in Chicago. She got dressed and went directly to the car. She had time and she stopped at Starbucks before the half hour drive to the airport. That would put her there an hour before the flight and that was ideal. She had a Starbucks here and would get another at the airport while she waited. She sat and read Automotive News from an ap on her phone.
The flight was uneventful and then she made her way to the rental car place. She plugged in her GPS and her first appointment’s address. Boom! She had done it, she thought as she made her way out of the parking garage. She was going to be too early for her appointment so she looked for a Panera Bread Company–another St. Louis based business. Before long she was sitting at Panera with a bagel and reading again on her phone. She looked at the Chrysler dealer’s website online and it looked good. Hopefully, that means that they are adaptable and willing to try new ideas.
After waiting a while Daphne was ready to go and hit this first appointment. She was meeting the Chrysler Manufacturer Rep at a Chrysler store. This rep called on all the Chrysler Dealers in Chicago and this is exactly who she needed to meet with. His name was Milo Hudson and his eyes flashed a smile when he saw Daphne. She explained what they were doing offer service for his dealers at the car show. Her models will know the cars and know how to recognize and turnover a lead. They will all be beautiful and dressed uniformly in black crushed velvet. All the rep would have to do was make out a schedule of hours and we will do the rest.
Milo liked the idea of having the ladies trained and uniformed and asked for the price. The whole package includes 30 hours of floor time with six models at $200 per hour = $6000. He found that very reasonable and agreed to buy for the Chicago Auto Show and told Daphne that she should call all of his counterparts in other cities so Chrysler would have this upper hand at their car shows. He gave her the names and numbers of all of his Midwestern contacts. She thanked him and presented the talent request form for his signature. She had sold her first one.
When she left she called Nancy to tell her about her first sale and Nancy was psyched and admitted that she wasn’t sure how these manufacturer reps would take to the idea. Daphne smiled and smiled that she had been right.
Her next appointment was at a Toyota dealership again with the manufacturers rep. Here the General Manager of the dealership happened to be President of the Toyota group. Daphne presented her idea and the price and the manufacturer’s representative who thought it was a good idea.
“They’ll know the Toyota cars?” Asked the GM
“And how to take an ‘up’ to the appropriate salesperson,” Daphne answered.
“Well, I say we do it.”
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you very much.

And the wins continued at the next two appointments, her last one of the day was dinner at six with the Land Rover representative. Her tactic with him was a little different because the girls would be in khaki shorts and Land Rover shirts to go with their image. That worked great and Daph finished dinner and collapsed at the hotel.
The next morning her alarm rang at seven and she was ever so tired, but knew that she had a flight to catch to Detroit. She had been four for four in Chicago, but she only had two appointments in Detroit. She may have to prospect for manufacturer rep’s names and numbers at dealerships.
Her first appointment was with Chrysler and she remembered how Milo had given her his name, though she already knew it. His name was Jimmy Clancy and the first thing he did was shoot Daphne down. “We do this for ourselves already. This is Detroit and we’ve done the biggest car shows forever, so this idea is not new.”
“But it may be more price efficient than having to find the girls, teach them, clothe them and transport them and all.”
“We’re gonna do it our way doll. You understand.”
What she did know was that Chicago will be a better show for Chrysler, and that she preferred Chicago reps to Detroit so far.
Her second appointment was for later in the day, she called to see if they could meet earlier and he said yes and gave her the dealer’s address for her GPS. Detroit had weird streets and it was easy to get lost.
She walked in and Tom Jordan said, “you are a tall blonde wearing black.”
“It’s how everyone knows me and I meet a lot of people that I don’t know in advance.”
“Well, Ford is pretty strict about what it lets the dealers do, so I’m not sure we’re a great lead for you. Do you have any Ford markets yet?”
“No, I don’t and I appreciate the strictness, cause this done wrong could really be a mess. What I have is a solution for you as a company in the Central Region really.”
She explained what they were doing and how it would work for Ford.
“We have a Ford Blue that they are strict about.”
“Our uniforms will be custom made anyway, so we could use your color specifically, especially if we do more than one market.”
“I usually have a couple of girls at my show, but not everyone does. I ask receptionists usually. Let me do this, I’m going to say no for now. I’m going to take your idea to my boss and if he says yes we can do all the Midwestern shows. So it’s a little ‘no’ but maybe a big yes.”
“I appreciate it. When should I follow-up with you?” she asked.
“I’ll call you later today,” he answered.
“Great. I’m headed to Columbus this afternoon.”
“Good luck with that. Maybe we can get this done.”

Daphne had been going strong, but instinctively went to the airport and caught an early flight to Columbus. Her travel service changed her hotel to Columbus and so by four o’clock in the evening she was checked in and ready to relax in her hotel room. She ordered room service and didn’t want to talk any more. Gosh she was tired. And she had four appointments tomorrow in Columbus and then the flight home. This was hard work.
She called Tom Jordan with Ford and he was waiting for a go-ahead from his boss. He’d call when he knew.
In Columbus she got stood up by her first appointment who said something had come up, but she didn’t worry because it was a Ford Store and this guy’s boss was deciding now.
Her other three appointments Toyota, Honda and Nissan all said yes and her flight was loading when Tom Jordan called and gave her the go ahead with Ford. He was to be the point person and the fabric would be shipped for the uniforms and he’d approved everything himself for the entire Central region: Detroit, Chicago, Minneapolis, Cleveland, Columbus, St. Louis, Milwaukee, Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Toledo–so, for ten markets.
Remarkably she had sold 17 packages and there were plenty more to sell. The Columbus Nissan guy had suggested that she meet with his boss who would be the decision-maker for the whole region. He gave her his name and number and she looked forward to making that appointment. She found out the Mazda’s regional director was also in Chicago. She was figuring out the game and how to play it. But she’d keep it all close to the vest.
She was finally headed home from Columbus and it would be nice to sleep in her own bed and not have anywhere to go for a few days.
She sent out a mass text: “Friday at Broadway Jazz for Drinks 5pm” now we will see who comes out. They’d got notice and she’d like to see I good group gather.
The first “I’m in” text came from Doug and Hope had already agreed. John texted in for him and his pal Carter. Carter was new to the area and worked for John and he was trying to help him fit in. The local floozy of the group Tracy texted in and so did Jacob and Katie and a new addition to the group Matt Ridings, her new friend texted “See you there.”
Friday was a work in the office day as she turned in contracts and printed up new collateral material. She also created a graph of each show and manufacturers in. Chicago was looking strong and they had to do them all now that Ford had bought them all. She emailed a custom model appearance agreement to Tom with Ford to sign off on.
Nancy was very pleased with initial results, but she said “It’s you standing there helping them visualize the models. You have to sell this in person. Get your leads however you get them, but always present in person. When are you going back to Chicago?”
“Well, I am going to use Mondays to make appointments and fly out on Tuesday to Chicago first and then wherever the leads take me. I may have enough in Chicago for two days, really.”
“Well do as much as you can each trip, cause your travel cuts into our profitability this year. Subsequent years it’ll be much easier,” Nancy told it like it was. “Good start! And keep going.”
“Will do. Today I am out of here. Gotta have a life or I could do this all day and burn out fast because it’s hard.”
Daphne left and grabbed a power nap at home before meeting her friends at the Broadway.

Chapter Four

Hope roused Daphne awake about 4:30, she was coming home to change clothes before going out. She had worn a suit to work for a big presentation and now wanted to be comfortable for a night out. Daphne relined her eyes and brushed her hair.
“Hope, you’ll drive right?”
“Why? You planning to dump me again for another roll with Doug?”
“Shit. I don’t know. I just want to cut loose and have some fun. I worked my ass off this week,” Daphne said.
“Welcome to my world. This job of mine gets harder every stinkin day.” Hope said “I’m having a good month at least. I can’t remember the last time I hit budget–our numbers are all out of whack.”
Hope never dated very much because she usually got in too deep too fast and it didn’t last.
They got in Hope’s car and drove downtown to the Broadway. There was a group already there when they arrived. John was holding court as the center of the pack. Jo Jo was a girlfriend from Hope’s radio station and Doug was there with kisses for both of his girls. Standing on the side was Matt who was the owner of Plaza Motors “Come and join us over here. Sit right here in this chair and when my feet start hurting I’ll take your chair, but this puts you in the middle as new and Carter is new as well. Meet John–he’s in the car business too. And this is my friend Doug who actually works for you.”
“You have a great cross-section of friends.”
“Yes, this is my best friend Hope Mansfield and this is Tracy Long. I’m going to get a glass of wine.”
“Allow me. I’m here in the bar seat. What do you drink?”
“Merlot is good tonight and get a lemonade for Hope. She’s my designated driver. Tracy, you want anything?” She waved her off. Daphne knew the move before Tracy did it. Daphne will move out with the drinks and Tracy will go to the bar with an empty glass so that she can meet Matt. Of all the men who will be here tonight she’ll set her sights on him. She was the floozy of the group with her fake tits and lip implant. She looked pretty decent tonight.
“How were your first travels young lady?” Doug asked
“Good. It’s hard work, but I came back in triple figures!”
“I never really understood what you were selling…”
“Well, I’ve pitched it all week, so it’ll have to wait another day. Let’s say I sold 17 packages–that’s three times what I had as a goal.”
“How’s Plaza? Sorry about inviting him. I didn’t think that would be awkward for you, I’m sorry.”
“No, it’s all good. I’m still learning.”
“And that translates into–how many you got sold?”
“Only one because of all the learning.”
“There, look at Tracy on him like a static balloon–literally!” They laughed. “Can I call it or what?” Daphne said.
“Why do you invite her?”
“She’s on my list. I’ll have to change my list. There’s some new people we should see and it’s been forever since I last saw Jo Jo.
“Hey girl. What cha been up to?” Daph asks.
“Working and working some more. I can’t drink cause I have a remote at nine tonight. I’ll have me some drinks there though. They keep me running. I just collect the dough.”
“Where are you going tonight?” Daphne asked.
“CoCo’s on Washington from 9 to midnight–all my tunes, Old School. You oughta come.”
“I’ll never get the group to leave. Text me next time you’re there and I’ll invite everyone. Once we get settled somewhere we don’t really move well.”
John was telling a story and everyone around him had one ear open and a conversation in the other. Daphne found Tracy keeping Matt company and wondered if he wanted to be rescued. Hope was talking to John’s new kid Carter and he seemed really nice. “This is my roommate Daphne. We’ve been friends since we were kids.”
Doug joined into the conversation “And this one we keep around because of his good looks,” Hope teased Doug.
“He is pretty!” Margaret chimed in. Margaret was recently divorced and a friend of Daphne’s through Nancy. Margaret was tall, bobbed blonde hair, beautiful and sassy. Nancy had introduced them, but she never expected them to hit it off like they had.
Margaret was new to the group so Doug was kind enough to introduce her around and give little secrets about each person like John here is our Patriarch, Doug went on “He was fishing one day and caught a fish he put his finger in the fish’s mouth to put him on the line and that fish bit him so hard that he had to go to the hospital for stitches. True story.” And he continued on “Hope, Daphne’s best friend dropped her britches to moon a bus load of band kids–and this was last year! I could go on and on. Who do you want to know about?”
“Daphne we are brand new friends so I’d love to have a story on her, Margaret said.
“Well Daphne went to her class reunion and took Hope as her date and Hope doesn’t drink so Daphne didn’t have to pay attention to how much she drank. So car ride home, not so fun as it all caught up to her. When they got back to the house Daphne headed for the toilet to throw up and she was good and sick. So much so that she laid down and pressed her face against the cool ceramic tile floor. When Hope got up the next morning she had to physically move Daphne away from the toilet in order to pee. Well, the second night of the reunion Daphne didn’t drink as much, but when she got home there in the bathroom was a pillow, sleeping bag, lamp and clock radio! If you’re gonna do it, do it right!”
“So you did that?”
“Yeah and Daphne and Hope couldn’t stop laughing,” Doug giggled. “It was funny, Hope helped.”
“Let’s get another drink. You’re dry too,” Margaret said. “So you, what do you do?”

“I’m a car salesman at Plaza Motors. I just started there. I spent three years working for John at his store. I like it and I’m good at it.”
“Well then you have half the battle licked. I work as a director for an insurance company. Been there 17 years already. Not exciting or flashy but I’ve got a son going to college next year.”
“Oh! That’s very cool. Where is he going?”
“Missou–far enough away, but not so far that I can’t get to him,” Margaret beamed. The apples of her cheeks were red and she was a little flushed from the wine.
“Hi–we need drinks; Merlot for her and a Tangeray and Tonic with lime. Please.”
Daphne wandered up and took Margaret aside for a minute while Doug got the drinks. “Doug is single and adorably cute and funny.”
“I’m getting some of that just talking with him.” Daphne kissed her on the cheek and went on.
Doug turned around with the drinks. “She’s our little social butterfly, she flits around making sure everyone is having a good time. I hope you reported affirmative for me.”
Matt still sat at the middle of the bar with Tracy in the seat beside him. Daphne reached between them with her wine glass. “How is it going Matt. I could introduce you around unless you like it here,” Daphne said giving him an out, her back was toward Tracy.
“I think I’m good for right now. We’ve been listening to John tell stories. I’m thinking he’s got a stand-up routine in there somewhere, Matt said.
“That’s all good then, just didn’t want you to think I forgot you.” She took her glass of Merlot and watched them all for a minute. Hope came up and said “They’ll let us order pizza delivered here. I think we need some food. I’ll split it with you.”
“You’re probably right. You do the ordering.”
“That’s fine. Not my first rodeo,” Hope said.

Matt left the bar to take a leak and Tracy was saving his spot. He walked past Doug and Margaret and he stopped. Doug introduced his “new boss Matt to the belle of the ball Margaret.” Matt said,“I know I’m pretty transparent, but good going Doug. She’s a beauty.” He said it and walked on by to the restrooms.
“Are you kidding me?” Margaret said, “This is the most I’ve been hit on all year and all you men are single. Where have you been?”
“Following Daphne around, my dear, though she stays single by choice I think,” he smiled. “What about you? Are you usually single or newly so?”
“I’m divorced, but it took four years to get it all done.”
“Ah divorced. I meet more divorced women than I can tell you. It’s not that it’s bad–unless you are convinced that all men are evil and those are the bad ones.”
“No, I just needed to get divorced, so I did. It has nothing to do with anything else, except I couldn’t stand the man any more. I’ll end up with someone in my life at some point,” Margaret said, “Right now it’s kinda fun being single again.”
And so the dance was on…the ladies batting their eyelashes and the men holding in their stomachs. There were more people arriving and Daphne was thrilled to see her friend Joann and her sister Mary. They had come over from Illinois, but it wasn’t very far. Joann single girl too, though Joann and John had gone out, but decided to stay friends. Joann and Mary please introduce yourselves to Doug and Margaret.
Joann said “I think I’m going to head over to see John and get a drink.”
Mary said “Hold on, I’m going with you. I want to see John too.“

In walked one of Daphne’s favorite couples. “I’m so glad you could come out,” they hugged. It was Kathaleen and Mike both looking good and classic. To Doug and Margaret “I think you guys know each other.“ Doug said “It’s been a while since I saw you. And the last time you had kids with you so it must have been at Daphne and Hope’s place.”
“I think you are right,” Kathaleen said.
“How old are your kids?” Margaret asked.
“Grace is ten and Jackson is seven–kind of an obnoxious age and he’s a little obnoxious. At least he’s seven and not seventeen and still acting this way…”
“Oh, I have a seventeen year old son and it’s never really alll gone. Boys will be boys,” said Margaret.
Daphne turned back into the conversation “Yeah, can you believe she had a seventeen year old son? I can’t imagine. You’re my age, so I guess I could too.”
“Shoo, got past that at least.”
“You’ll probably never have kids and you’ll always be Barbie thin.”
“I’m a long way from Barbie thin. Long way,” Daphne said.
John orchestrates a limbo contest and they play the Tequila song. Johns a big guy so he goes under while it’s highest. He puts people in a line and everyone chants “Lower! Lower!” until they lower the bar and John fails to make it. Every one in line gives it a try and a few fumble and sit down. Tracy goes though with her boobs almost knocking her out. Matt is in too. Joann and Mary go through and so do Kathaleen and Mike and Hope and Jo Jo, Carter gives it a try but doesn’t make it. Doug and Margaret make it look easy.
And that’s when the “Lower! Lower! Chant begins again. And John sings “Hey Oh! Heeeeeey Oh! Daylight come and I want to go home… He goes on singing and a few people join in. Tracy doesn’t make it though the limbo line, Matt does, no to Joan, yes to Mary, Kathaleen had no problem and so Mike does it easily, Hope doesn’t make it and Jo Jo decides not to try.
They lower the pole again and John starts singing “The Wreck of the Edmunds Fitzgerald….The tale is told and not to be missed”
So now we are down to a few people Matt stumbles but makes it, Mary doesn’t make it. Kathaleen is a bean pole herself and always has been, she makes it. Mike is out and they call it a draw with Matt Ridings and Kathaleen Kouts as winners of a tequila shot!
And then the pizza arrived and everyone was ready for something to soak up the alcohol.

Chapter Five

Daph and Hope slept in the next morning. It was a good time with several new people to the group. Daph wondered who actually hooked up with who and fell apart at the end.
“I wonder if Margaret and Doug–she looked like she was having a good time,” Hope said.
“Well who wouldn’t have a good time on Doug Capps’s arm all night? Doug is fun,” Daphne said. “That’s why I put her there. I know how to treat a guest.”
“And you didn’t have any jealous feelings?” Hope asks.
“Nope. I am fine. Doug and I kinda have this under control I think.”
She unpacks her suitcase and drops the dirty clothes on the floor, putting away the things she didn’t wear or use. She debates whether to do laundry or just do double next week. She puts it off and puts the dirty clothes in her hamper.
“I kinda feel bad for the ones that have to work today–like Doug will be on the lot all day today. I appreciate going out, but I also appreciate just staying in.”
“What do you want to do tonight?” Hope asks. “There’s always stuff with the station, but I’m kinda over it right now. I have a taste for sushi. Do you just want to go on a sushi date with me?”
“Sushi sounds good. I’d like to go to that place in the Central West End. It’s just expensive, but heavenly.”
“That’s my favorite place too,” said Hope. “You want me to call John or Quigley to go with us and pay–maybe Doug would like it.”
“We’re so wicked. I haven’t seen Quigley in quite a while. I hope that doesn’t mean that he’s relapsed or back in re-hab. I’m going to call him.”
She calls and it goes to voicemail.
“Dear Quigley it’s Hope and Daphne and we were wondering where you’ve been. Call us back. Kisses!”

Daphne’s phone rang and it was Matt Ridings calling.
“Hello.”
“Daphne, you remember me, Matt, from last night?”
“Sure I do and you are my best friend Doug’s boss.”
“Well he has a manager, I’m just the owner and dealer principal.”
“So you don’t work directly with the salesmen?”
“Right. Any how, I was wondering if you have plans tonight.”
“Funny you should mention it my roommate and I are going to eat sushi in the Central West End tonight. Do you know the place?”
“Yeah. Who is your roommate, did I meet her?”
“You met her, she’s my size, but black and has an afro.”
“Oh I remember her–very pretty.”
“Yes she is. We were trying to decide if we should go ourselves or invite some friends along.”
“Well, who might you invite?”
“John probably and maybe Doug. We have a lot of friends.”
“Is your friend Hope single?”
“Yes, what are you concocting here?”
“Well, I have a friend and we can just meet there and have a friendly evening.”
“Are you asking me out?”
“Yes, you and your friend because you already had plans with her. We’re just crashing your plans. Is that okay?”
“Yes, it’s fine. Seven o’clock? Downstairs.”
“We’ll see you there.”

On the overhead “Nate to my office, Nate.”
“What’s up big guy?”
“Just working it–eleven out today so far, need twenty.” Nate was a new car manager at Plaza and he was good looking. He had a strong brow and great white smile with medium dark skin and a high and tight hair. He was the best looking black man Matt knew and he was a great guy on top of it.
“You have plans tonight?” Matt asked.
“Who are you fixin me up with? I don’t need that.”
“No, I know you are good, but this girl I like has this roommate who’s hot too–she’s light skinned and has an afro. I need you to come eat some sushi with me tonight in Central West End.”
“If she’s light, she might not even date black men,” Nate mentioned.
“Well, then instead of a wedding we’ll just eat sushi,” Matt jibed back. “It’s just you giving me a leg up on this blonde that I’ve met and you might not have a bad time.”
“It’s cool. I will do. Right now we gotta sell some cars.”

Nate went back to the selling floor and checked with the make managers to find out that two more cars were out. He was in the Infinity store and he noticed Doug Capps–
“Hey we got some new blood?” he reached out his hand and said “Nate Thomas, how you doin?”
“Great. I’m so glad to meet you. Heard nothing but good things about you–and that doesn’t happen in the car business. I’m Doug Capps. I’ve been here a week. Got 3 years on the floor though.
“You sold a car yet?”
“Yep. Only One,”
“Sold any today?”
“Nope, not yet.”
Nate reached in his pocket and pulled out two messages and said “Sell both of these today.”
“Thanks! I will.”
“I get those all the time and I need someone who can turn them 100% of the time,” Nate said.
“I will sir!”

Doug didn’t waste any time getting on the phone to the leads. One guy was on another dealers lot. “It makes a big difference to buy from Plaza. Write down the numbers and meet me here upfront.” and the other lead was just asking questions. Doug had to really motivate him into coming down to the dealership.
By the end of the day he had sold them both. Boom! Boom! He emailed Nate to let him know.

***

Hope wasn’t so sure that she liked this blind-date idea but Daph had already said yes. Let’s see what people think should be a guy she liked. She didn’t have a type–the good news was that she was open.
Doug called Daphne to ask about tonight–he was psyched because he sold two cars and impressed the General Sales Manager. She explained that they were going on a double date. “Sorry we can’t celebrate, but it was predetermined. He wanted to ask who they were dating but he thought better he not ask and she didn’t volunteer the info.
Hope was dressed in a busty swing dress that had the pattern of violets on it with wrap-up sandals and a little lavendar scarf on her head to frame her face from the afro. Daphne true to form wore a chiffon black knee-length dress with a black bolero jacket and black high heels. They got to the sushi bar early and Daphne decided to enjoy a Sauvignon Blanc, a clear crisp white wine.
When the guys arrived both of them were in black suits and ties. Matt introduced Nate to both Daphne and Hope and hoped that they could have some good conversation. Hope was stoked that Nate was such a good looking man and he was already smiling and laughing pretty freely.
Nate was single but never alone. Women loved him and his cracklin white smile and deep set eyes. He was a big guy but it worked for him. He was a bulldog of a manager though, cranking out cars for Plaza for the last three years.
“Did I mention that one of their best friends is John at Bommarito? He was there Friday night telling stories and singing. He’s all kinds of fun. We didn’t really talk, but I liked the man.”
“You girls know car guys?” Nate asked.
“Well, I do all over the place because of my job,” Daphne said. “I work with the manufacturer reps selling professional models for the car shows.”
“That’s interesting. What do you do Hope?” Nate asks.
“I’m an ad rep at Radio One selling advertising. Do you know the stations?””
“Yep and I’m all about Old School, some of dat new stuff is good too.”
“Yeah, I’m the same way most of the time.”
“Radio sales is a tough job. Do you do okay?”
“Yeah and I’ve got ten years of experience in and that helps. I’d hate to be new again. I don’t know if I could do it.”
“Well, I’m really glad to meet you Hope.”
The sushi arrived and the conversation went back and forth. Daphne talked about her travels and what her job was like. Matt talked about growing up in the car business–started washing cars before he could drive. His Uncle had recently passed away leaving him at the helm of all the Plaza Dealerships. Glad he had Nate to manage the managers. Hope talked about an upcoming concert that the Old School station was going to announce, but hadn’t yet. Yes, they all wanted to go with good seats.
“I’ll pay for the tickets as long as they are the Best Seats in the House! We don’t have to have free, but I like the best.” Matt said.
Daphne ordered another glass of wine and Matt asked her about the wine. The Cabernet Sauvignon was her favorite red wine because it’s the richest, earthy red wine, but with sushi she went white and was drinking a Sauvignon Blanc and it was a light crisp, little sweet white wine. About wine she was picky. “Do you want to try them?” Daphne suggested and she ordered one glass of each. When they got there she suggested that he try the white wine first. “Breathe in the aromas. Spin the wine in the glass to get more aromas, now taste a big drink, but hold it in your mouth for a minute to really taste it and then swallow. What did you think?”
“Well, I really tasted it. I’ve drank wine before, but it never tasted like that,” Matt said.
“You’re right and it makes sense because you used your nose to help drink the wine, and so you really tasted it. This Cabernet is going to be the opposite of that. Where the Sauvignon was lite the Cabernet will be heavy and where the white was cold and crisp, the Sauvignon will be warm and earthy. Start by smelling it. Remember to spin the wine so the aromas are active. And taste. Big drink hold in your mouth for a moment and then swallow.”
“Okay, that one was awful and it has an aftertaste.”
“Did you smell it?” Daphne asks.
“Yeah and it smelled like black cherry with fire, but it tasted vile.”
“Well, I started you with too big of a red wine. If it was vile to you it’s because there were too many tannins for you to absorb. You might be better off drinking a red Pinot Noir which is the lightest. And that’s your wine lesson for the evening.”
“Where did you learn all of this?”
“I studied wine so I could be knowledgeable when I needed to be like ordering a bottle of wine at a client dinner. And, I have a friend who really likes wine too. He’s in Chicago and when I’m there I spend time with the wine specialist–I can’t remember what he’s called, but he has taught me a lot. I used to be in Chicago all the time and that was great.”
Daphne was nice and drank the Cabernet Sauvingnon and let Matt enjoy the Sauvignon Blanc, which he did well now.
Hope and Nate took a walk through the nightclub upstairs and they talked and talked. Hope found herself very attracted to Nate and the reverse was also true.
“Thanks for letting us move into your plans tonight,” Matt said.
“Well it’s been great. I think Hope and Nate are hitting it off, and that’s good.”
“Nate has no problems with girls. He’s actually a real good guy. One of the best men I know. So, when can we plan a little actual wine tasting some time and we can go through all of the different wines?”
“I don’t know when, but it sounds like a good idea. I love tastings,” Daphne said “I’m back on the road this week, so I have no idea.”
Matt asked “Where to?”
“Chicago mostly and I’ll land some more appointments for maybe Cleveland. Cleveland is a smaller, but important car show.” Daphne answered.
“So you just make this up as you go?”
“Pretty much–it’s just sales and the hard part is talking to the right person.”
Hope and Nate wandered back and you could tell that they were ready to go. Matt paid the check and offered to take them anywhere they wanted. Hope and Nate were going to go out on Washington Ave. from here. Daphne wanted to go home, so Matt was left with nothing to do. He kissed Daphne lightly and thanked her. Daphne drove home and wondered how things with Nate would go for Hope. She liked Matt but she didn’t know what she wanted. She knew she should move slowly in general.
When she got home she looked at her phone and Doug had texted her early in the evening to call him when she got home. So she did.
“Hey, you wanted to talk to me?”
“Yeah, I actually wanted to see you. How was your date?” he asked.
“It was good mostly. I think Hope might have hooked up with a real good guy and me, you know me. I’m slow and noncommittal so I brushed him off. He’ll try again though, I know that. Rich men are the worst when it comes to rejection.”
“What are you doing now?” Doug asks.
“I’m going to bed. I’m completely stuffed. You know how all that rice expands and makes you feel full…that’s where I’m at and I’m just going to go to bed.”
“You want to brunch tomorrow? I’d really like to see you,” Doug asks.
“Sure. Call me in the morning.”
“Will do. Good night.”

***

Hope didn’t come home overnight so Daphne texted her. She looked like she was having a good time and that they would have a better time once they ditched Matt and Daphne. Apparently they got along real well. She would have to walk the “walk of shame” the morning after in the same clothes as last night. She texted back “home soon.”

Doug did exactly what they had agreed not to do. He was hopelessly in love with Daphne and still wore the “friend” sticker. The night of “Friends who fuck” was beating him up. He shouldn’t have gone there. He paced the floor wondering when was the best time to call her. Yes, he was a mess. He wanted to be with her and every moment away was like an ice hot poker in his heart. He had done this to himself. He didn’t know what her feelings were and he had to ask, but he knew her and she flew away scared pretty easily. How could he make the transition from friend to boyfriend. He didn’t want to chase her and become a suitor. Daphne always had plenty of those. It was a delicate situation and he was terrified by trying to move forward. The evening in question obviously had not had the same effect on her. She was as aloof as she always had been and still saw him as a friend.
Hope made her way through the door and kissed Nate who had walked up to the door with her, she kissed him goodbye.
“Well, someone got lucky last night,” Daphne said to make it worse.
“I like him. I really do. I’m going to see him again tonight.”
“I’m glad. He seems like a good guy.”
Daphne dialed the phone to call Doug “Hey, when are we having this brunch?”
“Are you ready? I’ll come get you now.”
“That’s good. I’m hungry.”

***

“Yum, this place has so much to choose from, I’m liable to eat three plates,” Daphne said.
“You eat away. This is my favorite brunch around. It’s always good. How was your date last night?” asked “friend” Doug.
“Typical. I don’t know if I’ll see him again. He wasn’t happy when I shut him down last night and to make matters worse Hope really likes that Nate guy, so Nate got some and Matt didn’t.”
“Wait a second. You are talking about Matt from Plaza–owner and he brought a friend for Hope and that friend’s name was Nate?
“Yes. Great guy. She likes him.”
“Is Nate a big black guy with his hair cut close but on the top?”
“Yes, he’s very good looking.”
“Shit! Daphne he’s the General Sales Manager at Plaza and my boss reports to him. I met him Saturday and he gave me two leads out of his pocket. You two are playing way close to my world and I’m new and all right now still trying to establish credibility. Wow. You didn’t mention me, did you?”
“No. Why would we?”
“That’s good. Hope is going out with Nate still?”
“Yeah, they are going out tonight…on a school night and everything,” Daphne said.
“Yeah, you never go out on Sunday night. Most you’ll do is rent a movie. I know you Daphne Townsley. What do you want to see?”
“Are you inviting yourself?”
“Yeah, well yeah.”
“What’s going on Doug? You’re different and have been. Is something wrong?”
“No, nothing is wrong–it’s really right for me and I hope that you will give some thought to seeing me as more than just another friend.”
“I already do Doug. You’re my Doug, my best guy friend.”
“Can I kiss you?” Doug said.
She furrowed her brow and said “Kiss me? Of course.” She gives him a friendly peck on the mouth.
“So you have romantic feelings for me?” Doug asked.
“Sure. Don’t all women kinda fall in your spell?” He was that good looking.
“Daphne, can you think of anyone better for you to date than me?”
“You want to date? Okay. It’s what we do now.”
“Except that we date as friends. Could we date as lovers too? I have feelings for you more than just friendship. I might be in love with you. How do you feel about that?”
“Surprised.”

***

Quigley showed up at John’s house. John had been reading and his reading lamp was still aglow as he helped Quigley get his bags inside.
“I guess you are planning to stay,” John said.
“If you don’t mind man. I just got out and have nowhere else to go.”
“That’s cool. I’m happy to help and it worked out real good for a while last time. If you fall off the wagon you are out. No backsliding when you’re with me.” John said.
Quigley said “About that, I’m sorry man. I was a mess on all accounts. When I feel like that might happen I need to go back to the clinic. I’ve been doing real good lately though, so we thought I should come back and get a place to stay and a job. I appreciate you let me land here.”
“Are you writing?” John asked.
“Yeah. I’ve started some stuff but haven’t finished.”
“Keep at it Quig–that’s who you are, my friend. You have talent and with talent is responsibility not to squander it.” John said. He reached over and grabbed his cell phone and texted Daphne “Quigley with me.” Daph will let the others know he’s safe.
The history was there. Quigley was not really an indigent. Quigley had money or access to money. It had all been left in a trust for him. He would access a good piece on Monday when the bank opened. He knew John took Mondays off and he would drive him there.
Quigley had a past with Daphne. For eight glorious months they were in love and couldn’t keep their hands off of each other. It worked in their friendly group and they seemed made for each other. But it didn’t last–nothing with Quigley lasted. He disappeared and she and John found him all doped up at a prostitute’s place. Why? Things had been so good. Daphne never stopped loving him, but never loved him the same again. Ever since he had gotten into a cycle of sobriety for a while followed by an equally painful fall and back into rehab. She would never go back to him. Never. It had been too painful for Daphne and she had made up her mind long ago of how it was going to be.

***

And now Doug was asking her to jump off the ledge with him and she was afraid. She loved him, but she hadn’t given her heart to anyone since Quigley–not all of it. But that wasn’t Doug’s fault. If anything it was Doug that helped her put herself back together. He had been there and he had been wonderful. He was the best man she knew, she just wasn’t sure he was the best man for her.
“Yeah, Surprised,” Daphne repeated. I don’t know how to feel and that’s my fault Doug. Let’s watch a movie tonight and think about that other stuff tomorrow. It’s too much for me today. I want to put on sweats and lay on the couch and get lost in a movie.”
“We can do that. What ya’ want to see?”
“Oh, I don’t care. You pick. But let’s do it early. I want to power sleep before my week begins.
They laid together on the couch like a dating couple would and Doug loved having her body next to his. When his right arm fell asleep from laying like that, he ignored it. He had what he wanted right now and that was Daphne. When 9 o’clock came he said goodnight with one small kiss and Daphne went to bed thinking about Doug and also about Quigley being back.

Chapter Six

The rest did make Daphne feel better though her issues were not resolved, nor would they be any time soon. She had a lot to do today and wanted to do most of it from the office. It wasn’t required, but she knew Nancy liked to see her work. She made a few phone calls and had enough people to see for two days in Chicago and she worked Milwaukee and had four appointments there on Thursday that she could just drive to. She booked her travel and completed her day taking a look at where she needed to go to make the biggest difference. The next two days in Chicago will certainly determine that. If she can sell the idea at the regional office rather than region by region it makes sense for her to pitch everyone she could in Chicago.
Mondays were light and she left the office around two. She went by John’s house knowing that Mondays were his day off. She wanted to see Quigley too, to make sure he was okay. But they weren’t there. Oh well, she’d go home and pack for her three-day trip. She had all the material she needed and was able to kick back for the afternoon.
Doug called “Hey working girl! How’s it going?”
“Great. I fly out tomorrow for three days of appointments working hard. But today I’m just kicking it. How’s your Monday? And what’s your day off?
“Wednesday I’m off. Things are fine here, but you know us car guys, it’s never enough. Hey, you want me to bring some Chinese over tonight? I’m leaving around five thirty. What do you say?”
“Good. That sounds good.”
“See you there.”
Hope came in and had obviously decided to end her Monday early. Daph was glad to see her and had all kinds of questions for her.
“Daphne, Nate and I are seeing each other. We haven’t discussed anything beyond the fact that we like each other. Boy’s got some experience in bed too! My goodness. That’s good stuff.”
“What do you have going? You’re leaving tomorrow.”
“Yeah, and Doug is bringing in Chinese tonight, so don’t worry about dinner. We always have plenty.”
“You’re becoming a Doug every day girl–or haven’t you noticed?”
“Yeah. I’m still thinking about it though.”
“Thinking about what? You two are made for each other or haven’t you noticed. Guess it’s weird for you now that Quigley is back too. You have to let that go. It’s been two years now since I’ve seen you happy. Doug can make you happy if you’ll let him.”
“Wow, that’s more opinion from you than I’m used to,” Daphne said.
“Well, he worships you and you’ve just seemed to click together now. I want the best for you. Give it a chance,” Hope said.
“You think I should?”
“Hell yes girl. He’s the perfect guy for you and he’s all about you. Give it a chance to turn into something more than friendship. Dating your best friend puts you one step ahead of the game,” Hope insisted. “Where are you going this week?”
“Oh Chicago and Milwaukee. I’ll be back late on Thursday. It’s gonna be a long work week packed into three days.”
“I don’t know how much I’d like that,” Hope says.
“Well, if this falls into place the way I think it should I may not have to travel this much now that I’m established. Of course, I’ll be on hand for the auto shows too, so that will be a lot. But I think I’m seeing regional decision makers in Chicago.”
“That’s what you said, so that would mean you wouldn’t have to pitch it at the market level, they’d buy it at the region for everyone like Ford has done.”
“That’s right.”
Doug arrived with the Chinese food and made himself at home in the kitchen putting it out. “I sold one today. I just got to do that every day and it’s hard because I don’t have a be-back list to work from.”
“What’s a ‘be-back list’?” Daphne asked.
“You know ups that you didn’t get and they said they’d ‘be back’ and they never hardly do.” Doug explained. “Nate gave me another lead today and I got them in and out. He’s hand feeding me right now and I’m not going to mess this up and hopefully he keeps doing it.”
“I haven’t said a word about knowing you,” Hope said. “We’re going out again Friday–already have it planned. Week days are tough cause I just want to sleep the next day.”
“Yeah, he’s just picked me out and decided to hand-feed me, but he wants 100% close ratio on those hot leads who have called him. So far I’m on target,” Doug said.
They ate and visited for quite a while when Doug said “Have you guys heard that Quigley is back?”
“Yeah, John texted me,” Daphne said. “I hope he’s back in good shape.”
“Wonder what he’ll do this time,” Doug said. “I like the guy, I just don’t trust him anymore.”
“Yeah, that’s probably the general conscientious,” Daph said. “We should get together again though and welcome him home, just not this weekend. I’m going to lay low this weekend.”
“I’d be up for some laying low with you,” Doug says.
“Hope already has plans with Nate.”
“That’s a little strange for me,” Doug admits.
By eight o’clock Doug said his goodbyes to Daphne because he knew she’d be flying out for some long work days tomorrow. Hope put away the leftovers and Doug put his arms around Daphne and he kissed her sweetly. “Have a good week.” And he kissed her again and she kissed back.
“Thanks for the food. You have a good week too!” she said as he left.

Chapter Seven

The alarm was early again for Daphne and she had taken the seven-ten flight to Chicago. Her first appointment was at 10am, so she would still have plenty of time. She was going to the Nissan Regional Office to meet with John Proctor the Regional Sales Director. She had a presentation piece customized for him to buy the whole region. These car guys start looking and sounding a like–except that guy in Detroit who was kinda an ass. She had to wait to meet him–he was running 20 minutes or so behind schedule his secretary told me. So she waited.
When he was ready she met him and was amazed by how young and good-looking he was. She figured he was a rising star at the company and might be just the guy who jumped all over her idea. And he did. He loved the idea of all the shows having the models and having trained articulate models. He signed for the whole region and brought in his Chicago rep to bounce the idea. The Chicago rep Paul was all for it, and John wanted to sign off on the costume because Nissan was innovative, but a family brand of vehicle. That was fine. She’d get design to him.
She had lunch with Mazda’s Regional Operations Manager Maria Simms and she couldn’t have been nicer. The meeting went like clockwork and she signed Mazda on a regional level. After talking business they talked a little about themselves and got to know each other. Maria gave her the contacts at Kia since she used to work there and that was much appreciated.
Her meeting with Land Rover and Jaguar was not as easy and Jaguar opted out. Land Rover was all about it regionally, as the manager in Chicago had been with the girls in Land Rover shirts and khaki shorts. So she signed Land Rover in all ten markets too.
When she left Land Rover she was exhausted from the early flight and three big presentations. She was getting great results. She headed for the hotel, though it was just about four o’clock. A quick nap before an uneventful dinner would be just fine. She called Nancy with the news.
“Nissan, Mazda and Land Rover all signed for all their regional markets. Jaguar said no. But each deal she signed on this level was worth $60,000 so by signing three I had an $180,000 day.”
“That’s great! It sounds like you’ve got this down pat. And selling at the regional level will save us a bunch of expensive leg-work. Way to go girl!” Nancy said. “You have more tomorrow?”
“Yes, just two so far Chevy and Infiniti. I just found out I’ve got to go to Detroit for Chrysler regional, but I have a Kia lead referral.”
“Well, keep at it.” Nancy encouraged her.
“I will but now I need a nap.”
“Yes, I bet you do.”
She called Doug and it went to voicemail. She texted him ‘3 for 4 today–all good.’” He would know what she meant and probably call her back. She laid down for a nap. She slept through the night and woke up at five o’clock in the morning. She was still dressed from yesterday, but obviously needed the sleep. There was a breakfast buffet and she wasn’t shy about getting an omelet and toast with coffee and orange juice. She took the food back up to her room where she gobbled up the meal. Her first appointment wasn’t until eleven o’clock, so she would use the time to call other offices, but she couldn’t do anything right now, it was too early. She noticed that Doug had tried to call her last night, but her phone was on vibrate due to the meetings.
“Doug. Are you awake yet?”
“Barely, but I’m glad to hear your voice. I tried to call you back last night.”
“Yeah, I went to sleep and stayed asleep until early this morning. Heck, I’ve already had breakfast.”
“So your day went well yesterday?” Doug asked knowing already.
“Yeah, really well and I’ve only got two meetings today but I have another lead so I may make it to three places today. I’m driving to Milwaukee tomorrow and then flying home from there. I’ve been busy.”
“Sounds like it, you world traveler.”
“Tonight I’m going to Carlucci’s–you know that’s the place my friend Joe owns. I wish you were here to go with me.”
“I wish I was too. I miss you Daphne, just knowing that you’re not here makes me miss you.”
“That’s sweet. Why don’t you plan one night out this weekend and we’ll lay low the rest of the time.”
“Sure, I’ll be happy to. Does that mean I get you for the weekend?”
“Well sure. I’m willing to try this Doug.”
“I’m glad.”

***

The meeting with Chevrolet didn’t go as well as Daphne hoped. Seemed like no one actually had the authorization to agree to something like this and it was very disconcerting when they talked like they had no budget for the car shows. That can’t be the case. It was obvious that Chevy was going to have to be sold market by market. She already had one and will no doubt be able to get the Market Manager’s information from the guy she had.
Infinity went very easily. John Procter from Nissan had already called and presold the idea for her. She had to remember to do something nice for him. He was the good looking young guy she tagged as a star. She liked him.
She got back a little early to her hotel room and decided to write thank you notes starting with John Proctor. She revamped her makeup and brushed her hair for an evening out with Joe Carlucci. He’d be working but he’d find the time to visit with her and his Sommleire (wine expert.) She loved to learn about wine and they were starting to talk about the best blends of wine. For starters she left the order to Niko the Sommiere brought her a Sonoma Merlot–a very safe wine for Daphne. She ordered dinner and he brought her a Napa Cabernet Savignon–a much bigger and richer wine for the meal. It was wonderful and so was the food. Joe stopped in and ate some bread and virgin olive oil while he shared a glass of wine.
It was a busy night and he apologized for not being better company. Daphne was fine and soon there was a big lug of a man who invited himself to Joe’s seat. He was a friend of Joe’s and just wanted to say thank you for coming in with your beautiful legs and face to match. Then he left. Okay. She got halfway through her meal and couldn’t eat another bite. She picked up her glass and went to the group of men with the brazen man in it, and she said hi. “I’m going to finish this glass of wine and then retire, but I thought I’d stop in and say hi.”
She caught Joe running back and forth as she said goodbye and thanked him. The bill had been taken care of, so she tipped profusely. Her rental car was pulled up and soon she was back at the hotel. It was ten o’clock and she had another big day tomorrow.
In Milwaukee things went well, but they were only single sales so she felt like she was spinning her wheels. By the time she got to the airport she was tired. Exhausted by the time she landed back at Lambert, and her car was parked far away in the dark. Yuck. She was smarter than that.
At home she found Hope and Nate watching a movie. She said hello and goodnight at the same time. “Hey Nate, would you get my suitcase in for me? I’m just too tired to deal.”
“No problem, our little travel bunny.” He brought it back to her bedroom and she appreciated it.
She undressed and threw on a nightgown and was out like a light in minutes. She dreamt of home and how warm it was. She dreamt of Doug and how warm he was. She dreamt only what her subconscious would let her dream. No to Quigley and John tonight. Only happy thoughts of sleeping in in the morning. She’d see Doug tomorrow and that made her happy.

Chapter Eight

The morning came brutally with the sun ray glistening brightly through the window missing the curtain and stabbing Daphne in the face. It was Friday and she already had four calls on her phone. One was from Quigley and she promptly returned it.
“I didn’t know if I should call,” Quigley said.
“Why not? We’ll always be friends Quigley.”
“Can I see you? Please?”
“Of course, but I want you to understand that I am involved elsewhere and happy with that,” Daphne said.
“I’m sitting in your driveway–the red GTO.”
“Let me get dressed and I’ll be out.”
She threw on a dress and some sandals. She was shaking like a leaf.
“Is it okay if we go somewhere and just park and talk?”
“That’s fine Quigley. How are you?
He headed to Forest Park. “I’m better, way better, I think. But you know that there’s always this dark cloud chasing me and he’s strong and deadly.”
“What is? A cloud? You don’t mean a real person, you’re talking about your demons?” Daphne asked frantically.
“He knows about my addictions and the money and John and you, so be careful because he’s always around me now. Closer and closer I feel his strength building.”
“Are you sure you are okay to be out Quigley. I love you. We all do, but sometimes it forces us to make bad decisions for you. Have you told this to John yet?”
“No John thinks it’s my writing doing it. Sweet, sweet John. He never sees until it’s too late.
“Quigley, it’s not too late. Let’s go see John now at work. He won’t mind.” Quigley turned the car around to head for John’s dealership.
John was thrilled to see them.
Daphne said “Tell John what you told me.”
“It’s getting dark.” Quigley said.
“And the dark man chasing you and knowing about your addictions and me and John.—I’m not sure he’s safe.”
“That’s all from his writing. He’s writing through the hurt and so he has to go through it all again.” John said what Quig said he would.
“Take me home–one of you, I don’t care which, but I want to be home.” Daphne said.
John said “I’ll take you. Come on Quig. You go back to the house.
“He’s not right John. He needs to go back to the clinic. He scares me, and I don’t scare easily.”
“He writes that’s all he does. He’s fine.”
“Well, he was at my house unannounced this morning. That doesn’t sit well with me. I’m spooked. And you need to keep an eye on him.”

***

Daphne told Doug about her strange encounter with Quigley.
“He still loves you Daph. He always will. I know the feeling.”
“He scares me. I didn’t used to be scared, but I was today.” Daphne said in her pajamas ready for a movie night with Doug.
“I thought we’d wait to go out tomorrow, some people are getting together at Helen Fitzgerald’s and we could stop by there. We might go to dinner first wherever you want.”
“Why didn’t I know about this? Oh, my phone has four messages and I only returned one. It’s just that Quigley startled me so being in my driveway. He’ll probably be there,” Daphne said.
“And you’ll be there with me, end of story.”
“You love me, don’t you?”
“Yes, I’ve been trying to tell you that overtly even. How do you feel about me?”
“I love you in a weird sort of animation. You’re my everything sometimes and others we are just friends. Is that normal?
“I think so. It will happen for us, I know it. I’m patient for you Daphne,” Doug said.
“What’s the movie?”
“I don’t know some slash and gore period piece about gladiators.”
“Cool.”
He put the movie in and finished making popcorn, then he slid up next to Daphne and by the end of the movie he was kissing her. She kissed back and he got aroused. “No talking.” he suggested as he picked her up and took her to bed kissing her some more. “I want to make love to you Daphne. No flexing or talking just your naked body on mine. He was very adept as disrobing her sweats and shirt and he worshipped her body like a miracle. She reached for him and he pulled his shirt and sweatshirt up over his head to show just the right amount of chest hair and a six-pack of abs Down came the sweatpants and off with the socks. He laid over her and swore he’d kiss every bit of her. Her body was aching for him and she asked, but was quieted. He went to her vagina and made a feast of it. When he inserted his tongue he found her juices and licked them all up. He kissed her and kissed her, tingling in areas and it made it worse because she was so worked up. He pulled her down on the bed with her feet dangling off and inserted his cock inside her, slowly at first almost teasing her and then he felt her pussy grab a hold of him and he sped up the pace. He went for a while and he asked her if she was ready and she was. The feel of him exploding inside of her with his weight on top of her was all she could stand and she came too.
“We’re not half-bad at this,” he said as they rolled into a bundle and talked. “That was better than being drunk in a hotel room, I hope.”
“Much better and I remember more of it,” she laughed. “Now I’m wide awake.”
“Do you want to watch the end of the movie? We kinda got distracted toward the end there.”
“No, I want to stay in bed with you. She laid back and looked at the ceiling. Hope says that you love me and so do you. I’m trying real hard to sort out my feelings for you. I love you desperately, but I want to love you even when I don’t need you. You’re already part of my everyday and I missed you when I was in Chicago. She rolled over on her belly and giggled that her butt was sticking up. Doug loved it. He loved every single minute of it and that’s when she grabbed his cock and took it in her mouth. She was good at this and she knew it. She tasted the first come and her mouth was full of juices that she didn’t swallow, she moved the liquid around with her tongue and when he couldn’t stand it one moment more he put himself in her and pounded into her flesh that was waiting for him. He grabbed her arms with one of his hands and held her there while he pounded away. Finally he came and he let her go and rolled off of her.
“Little Miss go again, I see.”
“Well, I figured you needed some extra for all the patience you’ve displayed lately.
“Well that was real welcoming of you Miss Daphne.”
“I want you to stay Doug. I want to wake up with you and see if you snore. I want to know how it feels to have you in my bed.”
“I have a toiletries bag in the car I’ll have to bring in.” He got his sweats and t-shirt on and went outside. As he came out there was a red GTO parked in the lot. The car sped away and Doug could remember that Quigley had a GTO. He wondered if he should say anything. This night was going pretty well, but she needed to know.
“Quigley was here. He sped away when he saw me. I’m not sure I want a confrontation with that guy. He’s nuts and he’s always going to be nuts about you. It’s about you.”
“See, that’s why this is so weird for me. What if you’re not here? I’m scared. Hope would beat him to death if she were here, you know how she can get with her martial arts. But what if it’s just me?”

***

Tracy Long and Matt Ridings met again. They had spent the night at Jazz downtown sitting together and Matt thought he might get somewhere with this girl. They sat down for an elegant meal. Matt figured if he couldn’t have Daphne he might as well enjoy her friend who was happy to be enjoyed. He had picked her up in a Jaguar, leaving nothing to chance by meeting her there. She was dressed for a party with a short pink dress and a scarf with pink high heels. He planned to enjoy all of her later, but for now her cleavage and long legs would do.

***

Margaret texted Daphne “Call if you want to go out tomorrow.”
“Doug, what do you have planned for tomorrow?”
“Nothing yet. I wanted to see how tonight went first.”
“Well, I think we should hook up with friends and that way they know that we are together. We should invite John and Quigley and Margaret and you know the drill. Let’s go to CoCo’s because Jo Jo will be there before her set at nine.”
“Well, let’s do it. Sounds fun and you were saying we needed to welcome Quigley back–well, we’ll do that as a couple.”
She sent out the text “CoCo’s at seven to welcome Quigley home.” She got several text back including John who was in. Hope texted “Can I bring Nate?” Sure. And Jo Jo who said “That’s great!”
“I can’t just worry about Quigley, this will get him back with the group and off my shoulders–hopefully,” Daphne says. “Now I have you to worry about.”
“I’ll never leave your side.”
“Good. Because tomorrow I’ll need you.”
Doug stayed and spent the night with Daphne. It was exactly what he wanted to do, to be wrapped around her and have her pretty face peacefully asleep. He watched her sleep and when she moved he moved too. How many nights have we spent alone both staring at the ceiling not knowing that we should be together? Too many.

***

In the morning Doug was gone. He had to work and had hesitated to wake Daphne because she needed sleep so badly right now. He left a note “Daph, I had to leave you, but will be back to get you about six. I love you, Doug.” There it was hand written. He loved her. She sipped her coffee and thought about things till Hope came home about nine walking “the walk of shame” again.
“Hey, you’re getting pretty good at this,” Daphne teased.
“Well, you were here with Doug, so we went to his place. How about I have this place tonight and you can go to Doug’s?”
“That sounds fair. I’ve never even seen his place. I’ll let him know though. You’re right. Quigley was here again, but Doug scared him off. He’s giving me the creeps.”
“Going out tonight? I thought you were laying low.” Hope said.
“I know, but I thought if Quigley sees everyone, maybe he’ll focus less on me and our last happy hour was so good, I’m anxious to see everyone again.”
Daph had laundry to do and offered to do Hope’s too. “Mine’s just a mess–mostly dry-cleaning, let me pull it out, yeah, there you go.”
“I have dry-cleaning too so you can take that when you get a chance. I just skipped laundry last week, so with yours I’ll have both a white and a dark load. I’ll do this lavender dress with the whites,” Daphne says.
She stayed busy all morning stripping her bed to be washed and gathering up the trash. They really kept a clean apartment otherwise. A little dusting and vacuuming and they were good to go.
When the sheets were done Hope helped her put them back on and said she’d do her sheets next week. All the laundry was folded and Daph sat down to read for a bit. As usual, she read herself to sleep and was able to grab a cat-nap. At five she got up and got ready for the get-together. She knotted her hair into a shower cap and scubbed the rest of her body. It was a body that had seen some use lately and for that she was glad. At some point in her life she won’t have this body anymore, so she didn’t take it for granted. She toweled off and Doug appeared at her door. She was surprised. “I’m not ready Doug.”
“I see that. I’m early. I sold three cars today and so I knocked off early. Don’t mind me just get ready and I’ll be a voyeur and just watch. I personally think you are beautiful already.”
“Hey, can we stay at your place tonight? Poor Hope has been having to go to Nate’s and walk the walk of shame in the morning. You don’t have a roommate?”
“No roommate for me–it just never works out. You’ve been to my place, haven’t you?”
“Nope. Never.”
“Well my mattress is a lot firmer than yours, that’s for sure.”
Daphne took her hair down and brushed it. She sat down and did her makeup and brushed her hair again. She went to the closet and Doug followed. “You have a black bustier with silver studs on it and that’s really hot. I know you have shoes to match.”
She took out the bustier and a black pencil skirt and put them on without any underwear on top or bottom. She had the black heels with silver studs and she was dressed. She took a black sweater for good measure.
“You like that–dressing me?”
“When you wear that–yes!”
“I would never have worn this normally, but I’ll wear it for you. You don’t think I look trashy?”
“God no! You look hot.”
She put a few things in a small overnight bag and she was ready to go.
“Let’s eat before we go there, cause you know we’ll get hungry. The diner up here makes great ‘Monte Cristo’ sandwiches.”

***

When they got to Coco’s there was a small group including Tracy holding on to Matt Ridings’ arm, and Joann and Mary, and Margaret with a friend named Richard.
“Let’s go find some tables and confiscate them. I’m going to find the manager and see if he’ll turn the music down a bit. Jo Jo doesn’t come on until nine.”
Margaret did the introductions since she knew everyone and Doug was so proud, because it was just last party that he was introducing her around. What a good student.
They settled in some tables and were so spread out they couldn’t talk when Mike and Kathaleen arrived and not far behind them was John with Chase and Quigley. Kisses all around from Daphne, but she settled in next to Doug. Finally the waitress appeared. Drinks ordered by all and Quigley noticed that Daphne was on Doug’s arm. He hadn’t been prepared for that, even after he saw Doug at her place last night. Doug was so different than Quigley that he found it hard to believe that they were dating. Quigley had dated Kathaleen too, many moons ago before she met Mike.
Soon Hope and Nate arrived and Daphne did the honors of officially introducing them. “I noticed you had three cars out today–way to be! Didn’t expect you here though. You date the blonde–Daphne?”
“Yes, I do now.”
“Wow!”
Nate said “Hey Matt we’re gonna get drinks and come sit with you and Tracy.
Finally the drinks arrived and John said a “Hail Mary” prayer that it wouldn’t be so slow all night. He was settled in the table with Matt and Tracy too with Chase (his new friend) and Quigley (who had rolled around with Tracy many times) and she’s here with a date. He wondered what he did for Tracy to be interested so. “Hey Matt–what’s your deal? You dating Tracy? Where you from? You’re new.”
“I am new. I take it you’ve been gone for a little while and we are welcoming you back. Me? I’m here with Tracy. Got hooked up with the group by knowing Daphne, and I like it. I’m the owner of Plaza Motors and that’s how I know John. We car people…”
“Yeah, I’ve been in rehab. Just out, but I can drink, it’s the other stuff that messes me up. Frankly, I’ve never been much for drinking,” Quigley said.
Nate and Hope piled in with chairs on the side of the table. Funny to meet one of his salesmen here and he asked Hope about him.
“Doug is one of our best friends. He’s charming and good looking and kind–just like you Nate. You guys should be friends cause you are the black version of Doug, except you have a better job. I’ve known Doug ten years easy. And yes, he and Daphne are together romantically…a recent development.”
“Matt will be disappointed about that. He was hoping for another shot with Daphne, but this Tracy girl seems to be all about him. I think she’s a little cheap and kinda slutty, but Matt likes lots of girls.”
“You, you’re a little pickier?”
“Hell yes. I’m with you, aren’t I?” Nate said
John stands to propose a toast to our good friend Quigley being back and ready to rejoin our little group here. Here Here!”
Margaret was there with her guest Richard whom she had met through a dating service. He was nice and good looking, but a little older than Daph would expect Margaret to date. Margaret pulled Daphne aside and asked her about Doug. “Well, it all happened rather quickly, of course we’ve been friends for years.”
“Well, I knew he was in love with you at the last party and you guys barely spoke to each other. I could tell with him. You are harder to read girl,” Margaret said. “Who is this Quigley? He’s very cute.”
“Yeah. He is. Stay away, he’s trouble. I learned that lesson the hard way myself,” Daphne said. “Unless you are looking for a quick roll, and then I highly recommend him.” Giggles all around.
She turned around and Joann was sitting on Quigley’s lap and he was telling secrets in her ear. He was certainly charming and every woman in the place had noticed him. Daphne went back to sit with Doug and whispered “It’s you I love,” in his ear. He smiled and kissed her quickly.
Quigley said “A drink for all my mates here! Bartend, fill the house!” And the waitress came and wrote down what each table was drinking.
That would be a hefty check, but Quigley was like that and he had the money to do it. He still sat with Joann on his lap and he told her that she couldn’t move right now because he was stiff and all would see.
John started telling a story about how he was out golfing with the owner of his dealership and his guests. On the ninth hole he felt this sharp pain in his chest, took a drink of water and they finished 18 holes. When he left the golf course it occurred to him that he might need a doctor, so he went to the hospital and he had had a heart attack on #9, but finished 18. How’s that for taking one for the team!
The story telling was started and Matt joined in to regale the group with his own story which involved Nate. Hope just giggled in the background. And on and on the night went till Jo Jo got there and was thrilled to see the crowd already forming.
“We’re going to rock this place with some old school music jams from when music was about love and dancing and having a good time.” She opened the night up with Kool and the Gang’s “Celebration.” Followed up by Lakeside’s “Fantastic Voyage.” It was clear someone needed to start dancing and Daph went to get Hope to dance with her. Other people including Nate followed her and Doug was there pretty close to Daphne. Mike and Kathaleen were into it and John was dancing from afar in the back of the table. He sent his new friend Chase out to dance with the group and Quigley sat this one out. Matt and Tracy were bumping butts and other parts.
That’s when Daphne noticed that there were other people here and on the dance floor. That’s good for Jo Jo. We weren’t usually a stay all-night kind of crowd, but if she kept cranking out the tunes we might be tonight. Jo Jo turned it down and played the Commodore’s “Still.” Doug grabbed Daph’s hand and brought her close to him. He knew the words and they were appropriate as he sang them in her ear. She felt like she was on display, though there were lots of people dancing “….I do love you….still.” the song ended. And Daphne went for her drink. She was strange and it was because Quigley was there. She hadn’t even talked to him yet, and needed to.
She went straight for him, now that Joann wasn’t on his lap and she sat next to him. “How are you doing?”
“Oh fine considering you are over there with Cary Grant. Can I at least be Jimmy Stuart? I know Cary’s going to win, but I’d get to play.”
“Oh Quigley, you had your time in the sun all alone. Let’s not make me out to be the spinning shrew. I’ve been down that road and it’s a dead end for me. Every girl in this room wants you, except me and Hope, so play your game and have fun. I’m just not starring in this story anymore.”
“So typical. I could have predicted it years ago.”
“Quig, I don’t care what you say–do you understand that. You don’t have any power over me anymore. And I love him. Not you. Him.”
She turned and left to go back to the other side where Doug was and he noticed she was upset and he took her to the hostess area where he gave her his handkerchief and she wiped the black running eyeliner.
“You have to stay away from him Daphne. He’s always going to make you cry. You don’t have what you used to have and nothing is going to change that.”
“I was just going over to be cordial and welcome him home, but he came right at me with the Cary Grant stuff and I defended us and made it clear that I love you, not him.”
“He still plays you. So you have to stay away.”
“I will now. I said my peace and he was an ass about it.”
“Come on, let’s dance some so he sees that it didn’t get to you.” They dance and Margaret and Richard dance with them. Doug likes showing off Daphne as his.

***

Back at Che’ Doug they undress and Daphne cannot stand the bustier one more minute. Doug sees the marks of the whale-bone that it made across her stomach and lower chest. “Why didn’t you tell me that that was a torture device?”
“It’s pretty. What you think high heels are comfortable? I’m just ready to be out of it and that leaves me half-dressed.”
“Well, you are pretty with or without–especially without it,” he snuggles up close to her face sitting on the bed.
“Your place is all black and white, even the photos.”
“Yeah, I know, but it suits me.”
“Yeah, it kinda does.”
“How about we make love and go to sleep.”
“That suits me too.”

Chapter Nine

She woke up to nibbles on her ear. “I’ve already had six texts about you and me together. How many on yours?”
“Four but three are from Quigley. He loves me. Yours are better anyway. I guess we never told anyone.”
“Jo Jo, Nate calling me an overachiever, Tracy (Of course) Margaret and Susie who I don’t remember being there. Oh well.”
“What does your week look like?”
She laid back on the bed and talked to the ceiling and so he laid back in bed too. “I’m finishing up in Detroit and Chicago and after this I’ll have it all sold—well, the part that didn’t say no. My work will start here getting costumes ready while Nancy auditions models. I just do the design, they do the sewing. So, I’ll be gone Tuesday and back Wednesday. I’m going to squeeze in another trip to Carlucci’s Tuesday night so I have a late morning flight to Detroit to have some fun. Are you going to be a rock star some more?”
“Absolutely. Something tells me they are looking for me to succeed. There’s something going on there that I don’t know yet. Someone’s out or someone’s in. Something is going on.”

“I want to have a Friday Happy Hour, would you be able to make it? At a real place like Farotto’s or something. I’m starting at 3pm because it’s my celebration for getting my work done. I really want to get our happy hour people knowing our out on the town people. But can you knock out early on a Friday?”

“You don’t want to, but you need to wait for the next Friday to do it. And since it’s for you—thrown by you, I’ll do my best.

“I’m bringing wine back from Carlucci’s—I probably ought to pick an Italian Place! Farrato’s will work. I’m texting it now.”

Doug had to get ready to go in, so he took the shower first and she wandered about thinking about him and how his house was really structured with white walls, black shelves and black and white photos in all three rooms she had seen yet. She was exactly the opposite, she wanted her things with her and her world was full of color and sparkles and beads. And she wouldn’t have it any other way.

Doug’s week was kinda black and white though he sold well—both leads and up’s and led the board for the week..

Daphne flew out on Tuesday, went to Detroit on Wednesday and decided to take on early flight Thursday. She was just too tired.

She called Doug, “I’d like to be in your bed, but this hotel will work tonight. I don’t llike flying at night and going to my dark car, you know…” and he did.

Chapter Ten

Daphne flew back on Thursday. She had texted Doug to let him know she was back. She had finished the job with style going four for four. Now the real work will begin, but most of that she could do from her drafting table at home.
She answered her phone and it was a very reasonable sounding Quigley who asked her to meet him at Ted Drews for a friendly date. Feeling pretty good herself, there was no reason she couldn’t, so she agreed.
She walked up and asked how he knew she was back in town and he admitted he had seen her car.
“I don’t want to fight with you,” Quigley said. “You are precious to me. I want us to be friends.” So far so good.
“Quigley, you have a way of scaring me after everything we’ve been through I don’t want to get sucked back into that dark place that you go. I thought you would kill me back then.”
“I’m better and I know what I want and it’s not a woman, it isn’t anyone, it’s to write and do what I was supposed to be doing all this time. I have something to say, that I need to write and I’m getting there, closer every day.”
“Good.”
“I’m still going to be me, but I’m me without you now. I understand that you aren’t waiting for me to get better or clean up my act. I understand you’ve moved on.”
“Good. I have.”
“I know and it’s my own fault.
“What’s done is done Quigley. It’s over, let’s not relive it.”
“Can we do this somedays? Meet and talk?”
“If it can be like this, yes; but I’m not going to participate in your histrionics. I will not be pulled in.”
“That’s fair.”

Chapter Eleven

Doug went to Daphne’s after work. It had been a long day without a car sold for the first time since he really started there. You could see that he was tired and she unbuttoned his shirt and turned him backwards in his t-shirt to rub his shoulders. He was tense but he loosened up pretty fast and turned back to kiss Daphne with his shirt half on and half off, he looked pretty hot and she kissed him more and more. Soon he was scooping her up and taking her to her bed. They made love real slow and easy and it was like it was the first time again. He had missed her, obviously, but he was surprised how empty he felt when she was gone.
“I had an extra day off this week while you were gone and I found myself wandering through Shaw Park and looking at the artisans.” He pulled out a box. “This would be beautiful on you.” It was a silver bracelet with inlays of abalone. It was gorgeous and she was so surprised. The perfect gift and he couldn’t have known, but she had abalone earrings that would match.
“This is gorgeous and such a surprise. It’s perfect for me.”
“I’m glad you think so,” Doug was pleased.
“Stay and sleep with me please. I know you have to work, but I love to sleep next to you and I’ll send you off happy in the morning!”
That was an offer he couldn’t refuse so they snuggled up and went to sleep.
She woke him by finagling his boxers down and putting his cock in her mouth. She was good at this. He awoke surprised and she giggled to herself, but he was into it and made the move for her to come up and let him take over—no, no, she was all on her own for this one and the moisture that came from the head of his prick made her salivary glands active and soon she had a whole mouth full of come and saliva. Her strong tongue wound around him and soon she could work the saliva into little waves that felt wonderful. She could take it all in and did and she thought he was surprised, but she held him while he came and she swallowed every bit.
“Good morning!” he was a little out of breath. “I didn’t know you could do that!”
“There’s a lot you don’t know about me yet,” she chuckled. “I promised you a happy ending, but gave you a happy start instead.
“You swallow too? Wow.”
“It’s just like eating oysters, you don’t taste them so much as just let them slide down your throat. I have been told that I’m good at this.”
“Only the best ever!”
“Been told that too.”
“I’m never letting you get away. Beauty, brains and blowjobs—you are the whole package!” he laughed.
“Go hop up and get dressed. You have to work today, so go home and have your shower. You’re assured of having a good day now.”
“Yeah, I am. That’s so cool. I’m impressed Daphne. Come by and have lunch with me—just call and pick me up.”
“Okay, I will—now scoot!” and he was out the door. She smiled knowing that she had held that back in her arsenal and was the bonus feature that he never expected.
She hopped in the shower and washed her hair. It took so long to dry that she couldn’t do it every day and it would get too brittle anyway. She wrapped it and did her face while the moisture seeped into the towel. She’d have to blow it dry if she was going to get anything done today. And once blown dry she had to iron it so it wouldn’t be frizzy. All done and she looked at her closet. She was casual today and picked a short dress with a scarf overlay in multicolors. It was a pretty dress and her legs looked ten feet long even though she was wearing flats.
He came out and met her for lunch. He had already sold a car and had two leads from Nate he was working. He felt better now than when he had zeroed yesterday. They went to their café for Monte Cristo Sandwiches, it was her favorite. When they got out of the car he was blown away by how beautiful she looked in that little dress.
Sandwiches ordered and Doug takes a phone call. It’s the dealership with one of his leads calling in. “I’ll meet you there in what? 60 minutes. Great!” he finished his call. “I’m sorry, but no one expects you to have a life in the car business.”
“So, I want to go away for the weekend. Would that be possible? I’d trade and get Monday off and we can leave late in the day Saturday.”
“Where do you want to go?”
“I’d like to take you somewhere nice, but I can’t get the days off to do it right now. I don’t want to screw my month up, sorry.”
“We can to go to the lake. I have a friend with a condo and a boat and we can just kick back,” he said
“Well, that sounds good, we drive down Saturday to get settled and have all day on Sunday and half of Monday. I’m in! Wow! That’s tomorrow.”
“Yeah, I came up with this this morning talking to the guys and one of them have the condo and boat and offered.”
“I can be spontaneous.” The sandwiches were good and they gobbled them up so Doug could meet his buyer on time. Daphne whizzed him back to the dealership. And his buyer was there and asked him who the hot chick in the Honda was and he said his lunch date. They never need to know too much about you as a salesman. Doug got both those leads from Nate in and sold so he was still batting 1000. He looked good on the board with 38 units out himself, the next closer was 23 and Nate sat him down.
“I want to talk to you because you’ve been burning up the board with or without my help. You’ve only had one zero day the whole month and you haven’t been here long, but we want to move you into a manager’s position. I’ll train you and you are going to hear a lot of cussing and shouting cause I’m firing Ed and putting you there. You’re day off will be Monday—we run with one manager Mondays and Stuart likes to work it. So Tuesday when you get back you’ll start with me.”
“Wow! Thanks Nate. Nice vote of confidence and I look forward to learning from you.”
“You’ve got three out—take off the rest of the day and tomorrow off with that pretty girl you’ve got.” Nate said. “You start with me Tuesday.”
Doug called Daphne and told her what just happened and she was ecstatic. She had just left Nancy at the Modeling Agency where they had a fit over how long Daphne’s legs were, and Nancy made another attempt to get Daphne a modeling book and working jobs, but no. She’d been that route before when she was 20, and she was 36 so that’s just crazy talk. Doug’s news was wonderful. “Will you meet me at my house?” he said. “I’ve got the keys and we’ve got the time off to go if you want to leave tonight.”
“So you are off until Tuesday?”
“Yeah, can you believe it? Perfect timing,” Doug said

Chapter Twelve

They both packed a bag and started the three hour drive to the lake and Doug admitted that he hoped his GPS worked because he didn’t know where this condo was, but he knew the number. The Lake of the Ozarks is a perfect example of what will happen if all of our lakes be publicly purchased. Every inch of water is accompanied by condo, townhomes, hotels. It was a crowded late at times. They found the condo easily and were surprised by how nice it was—Three bedroom, two bath, nice.
By the time they got there it was late and they were both tired. They started to feel like old married farts, but they just wanted to hold each other and go to sleep.
Sydney slept in. She rarely did and Doug watched her sleep with his coffee in a bedroom chair. When she woke up, she felt his eyes on her and giggled “You are goofy enough to watch me sleep. Get a hobby Doug Capps.”
“You are beautiful when you sleep, you’re not all slobbery or stuff. I wouldn’t watch that. I was just drinking my coffee. Would you like a cup? There was coffee in the pantry.”
“Yes, coffee please!”
“It’s supposed to be nice on the lake today, not much of a wind and hot. I think the boat is the one on the end, the green and white one. I figured we could just zip around the lake a bit and find someplace for lunch on the water.”
“I could use a little sun. I look good tanned. Even a little color would help.”
“I have to admit I’m as white as a ghost.”
“So today will be about us losing our city lack of tan.”
They piddled around the condo for a while and Daphne put a special conditioner on her hair because the sun was very damaging so she put her hair up in a clip and Doug had never seen her that way. “You’re still beautiful, even without your beautiful hair.”
Out on the boat Doug struggled to figure it out, but once he got going he was fine. The sun was shining the wind was blowing and everything was good. An hour passed and he had been around the lake to see the layout. He anchored the boat and he got out to swim. Daphne joined him with the expressed consent that he’d not get her hair wet. She knew it sounded silly, but it took work to have long hair and not have it break off. They peddled around for quite a while when Daphne went up to sun herself on the front of the boat. Doug soon joined her looking at a map he found in the cargo hold. They laid around there until their stomachs told them it was time to find a lunch spot. Doug found one on the map.
They lunched—it was pretty normal fare, except for frog legs and neither of them cared to try them.
They got back on the boat and tried to tan the other side of them, so they anchored again, but Doug saw a snake and decided not to get in the water here, so they laid on the front of the boat. Hours passed and they both napped and when they woke up they had drifted too close to shore and needed to get out of there.
It was fun to get the sun and to go in the boat, but neither of them were impressed enough to do this very much. Maybe with friends and booze and music, but just the two of them were bored.
They decided to stay the night and they found a place on dry land to eat, and then leave the next day. They had enough sun and could use the time at home.
“Well, I learned something here—boating is not so fun, unless you work to make it fun.”
They were leaving and Daphne swore she saw a red GTO drive passed them the other way. She suddenly got the creeps, but Doug was unconcerned. Quigley wouldn’t have followed them all the way here, but Daphne knew he had.
On the ride home they talked about the coming week and Doug’s big promotion. He didn’t know what to expect, his sales manager barely talked to him and had no idea what he was doing. It was a good thing that Doug had experience, because he had to figure everything out himself. Daphne had to get to designing costumes for all the brands. She would do the art herself and run it past their seamstress for viability. Then all the District Managers would have to sign off on them. It was a big job, but at least it was at home.
Daphne was pretty happy with her life now. She had created her own job and was sure she was in love with Doug. The only thing that gave her pause was Quigley being back. She hated to admit it but she preferred when he was gone. From what went on between them she didn’t know what to expect and wouldn’t put anything past him. She had spotted that GTO in the Ozarks and she knew it was him. Doug was not a small guy. He stood 6’ and weighed in about 185. Quigley should think twice before he messed with Doug and Doug wouldn’t hesitate to teach Quigley a lesson. She hated to even be thinking like this.
“Friday Happy Hour this week—remember? We’ll have to celebrate your promotion. I’m so proud of you. You said you would do it and you did exactly it—faster than I expected.”
“Well, Nate was letting a guy go to put me in that seat, so it must have just gotten so bad with Ed that he had to move on it.”
When they got home to Daphne’s house they had nothing planned to do. Hope was home in her pajamas still and said that she and Nate were going to a new club and Nate knew the owner. She suggested that they go. Hope said “It’s gotta be fun or my man Nate will fix that situation.”
“Well, for right now I think we both need a nap after that long car ride home, especially if there’s going to be any clubbing later on.” Daphne said, “We might go.”
Into Daphne’s room Doug said “I don’t know how much Nate wants to fraternize with me on a personal level. It’s nothing to Hope, but that doesn’t mean Nate’s down with it.”
“Let’s take a nap and worry about it later—they won’t even go out until 8 or 9.”
At seven o’clock Hope knocked on the door. ”Are you two ever getting up. You’ve been asleep for hours.” She said through the door. I’ve already told Nate you guys are coming with us.”
Daphne opened the door. It was dark outside. “Thanks for waking us up. God, now we have to go out or we’ll be all messed up.”
Doug agreed, but he needed to go home to get changed and all before going out with Daphne and Hope and Nate.
Daphne agreed to go, but she had to wash her hair so that took an hour or more. She had kept it knotted up in the conditioner from the lake. Everyone went their separate ways to meet back up here. When Doug left there was a red GTO parked in the lot and he just shook his head. That was going to be an issue soon if he didn’t stop stalking her. Daph didn’t know, but he had seen Quigley’s car at the Ozarks too. It wasn’t like they didn’t spend most of their time with each other, they did. What was he going to do?
Daphne’s hair dried easily for a change so she spent some extra time and curled it. It was really pretty when it was curled. She put on a black and red large checked dress with some fabulous power pumps in zebra stripe. With some red lipstick she’d be ready for the club. Doug had grabbed a shower and he was back in a black suit and tie. Daphne grabbed him and kissed him to test her red lipstick, which did not come off on him. Yeah. Hope had a dress with ribbons all around it that made it beautiful and she put a ribbon in her hair to hold it off her face. She too had power pumps on in pink.
Nate got there and he called Doug outside to talk. “You see that car over there? I know who that is—Hope told me and this has gotta stop. You and me, we’re gonna send him on his way. You talk, and I’ll stand behind you.”
“Good idea,” said Doug.
They walked over and Quigley started the car. “Quigley, you’re gonna face me. Stop this. Stay away from Daphne or we are going to have some problems.”
“Fuck you,” and he drove away.
“Thanks for standing behind me. I can probably handle it on my own, but thanks for the back-up,” he said to Nate.
“Hey, it’s never a bad thing to have back-up.”
And they all got packed up and left in separate cars. Nate had driven a Lexus to match Doug’s Lexus. They were out on the town and Nate directed them to the employee parking or they’d never get it. They went in back across the stage and of course Nate knew everyone. He looked at the bar and he said “Where do we want to be? Everyone will be around us!”
Hope picked a spot with a pretty bartender and gave her $20 straight up “You are my bartender” instructions. Nate gave her $40 more and said “You are all of our bartenders…when we want a drink, we want it. Okay?”
First round a Lemonade, Crown up, Tanqueray Gimlet, and Crown up with a water back.
“Who’s the other Crown drinker here?” Nate said.
“It’s me Daphne. I kinda like the stuff. Daphne said.
“Major points for Daphne Doug…”said Nate.
“Let’s Dance…”comes on the music and Daphne and Hope head out to start the evening dancing, followed by some Earth, Wind and Fire. It’s looking promising and people are just flowing in to the point that they scoot over on the dance floor to dance for their dates and there they came. The bartender was entrusted with their drinks and spot at the bar. Nate was a regular dancer, you could tell that he wasn’t inhibited at all. Doug did alright thrown into this situation and Daphne helped when he could dance with her. After a few songs Daph let Doug off the hook to have some more drinks before the real dancing started. She sipped her crown, but it was the water that she wanted.
“This is a rockin’ new place,” Daphne said.
“Yeah, they turn over so fast because NEW is always better.” Doug explained. “This guy knows how to make it happen. This ain’t his first nightclub.” Doug ordered another drink.
Daphne’s favorite by Lakeside “Come and ride on the fantastic voyage!” She went up on her own and left Doug nursing his drink. She was dancing and having a great time when she bumped into Quigley and nearly fell down. Nate was close at hand and he grabbed Quigley and left Daph with Hope, but Nate was mad “I don’t know who the fuck you think you are, but you aren’t and you are going to leave Daphne alone.” By then Doug was standing next to Nate and Nate punched him so hard he fell and he was out. The whole bar cheered as the bouncers put him on the street out front. “Doug, I’d have let you do that, but you’d be arrested, I won’t.”
They all went back to their respective drinks and had them refilled. Daphne and Nate toasted a thank you toast. “I don’t know what to do with him. I’ve ignored him, doesn’t work. Talked to him, doesn’t work. Maybe I just should’ve hit him like Nate!”
“What do you think of the new place? It looks a lot like the old place with lots of white glitter around the room to go with the DJ’s white glitter hat. That’s Sounds, he’s making it happen.”
“I don’t do the club scene much—I go to CoCo’s when Jo Jo is there, but our group seems to like to settle in where we can hear something.” Daphne said.
“Friday Night Happy Hour—where?” Nate said.
“You’re new, Faratto’s is the place unless otherwise noted.”
“Is that guy going to be there?” Nate points at the door.
“Yes, and he has lots of friends that like him a lot more than I do. He’ll be on his best behavior,” Daphne says “if not, it’s Doug’s turn.” And they all laughed, but it was true.
Doug said “Have I told you how exceptionally beautiful you are tonight?”
Daph says “Keep drinking honey.” They all laughed.
“I have such a completely great time with you guys. You know how to have fun. Of course I’m glad to that blind date I didn’t want to go to,” Nate admitted.
“We do have fun,” Hope said.

Chapter Thirteen

The next morning at Doug’s house, Daphne woke up first and found the coffee. With a steaming brew she went back to watch Doug sleep. He was good looking with his dark hair and light eyes and his face had a good structure with a slight clef in his chin. His shoulders were broad and he moved with a kind of grace that other men don’t have. She could be happy with him. He was everything she looked for in a man—loving, loyal, funny, smart. She could be happy with him.
Quigley had been all those things and it blew up in her face and nearly cost her more than she could explain. She viewed him with pity now, because he had her live and in person and she loved him with a permanent sort of love, like they would always be together and he threw it all away. He was a meth head. He couldn’t stay away from the drugs. He had been in recovery for six months when she agreed to have a date with him…six months and then they were together and it was wonderful, she loved him and eight months later—over a year out of rehab he decides to get high and fuck up everything he has. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. He couldn’t have it back like a do-over and that’s what he expected, but Daphne was too hurt and she’d never trust him as an addict again.
And here she was with her first relationship since Quigley with Doug and there was no comparing the two men, but Daphne did because in her life she had only loved two men Quigley and now Doug. At first Doug didn’t trump her feelings she had for Quigley, but now he did. Doug was the most important person in her life save Hope right now. Hopefully forever. Wow. That was the first time she had used the “forever” word.
She was just sorting her world out and based on recent events, it was bound to come to a head. The men couldn’t be more different and she didn’t want them fighting over her, but Quigley wouldn’t stay away and now things were on. Nate punched him and he would retaliate against Doug. Quigley was a square of a man standing 5’9” and weighing 200 lbs. He had light curly hair that he wore over one eye and an earring. He wasn’t in the kind of shape that Doug was and Daphne would choose Doug in that fight if it came to that.
She walked out of the room and called Hope. She answered with a sleepy voice. “Hi. I just wanted to talk to you,” Daphne said
“It’s okay. I’m here.”
“This whole Quigley vs. Doug thing has me worried and I don’t know if I can do anything to help it. Do you think I should call Quigley and try reasoning with him?” Daph asked.
“No, I think that’s the wrong thing to do. Imagine how Doug would feel if you did that?” Hope says.
“So, I should do nothing and let this play out on its own?”
“Yes. He may be gone now that Nate hit him,” Hope said.
“Yeah, not the same as Doug hitting him and I’m afraid that’s what’s going to happen here. I’m just upset.”
“You listen to me. You go back in there and you lay in that man’s arms and you’ll feel much better. Do it.”
“Okay, thanks.”
And she did that. She woke him up snuggling up to him and he wrapped his arm around her and they both slept a little longer.

***

“Did you already make coffee?” Doug asked.
“Yes, I was up earlier and had a cup.”
“You got up earlier and came back to bed with me? Was I nice to you? I can be mean in my sleep.”
“You were very nice and snuggled right up,” Daphne tells him.
“Shew! That’s a good thing.”
“What are we going to do about this Quigley deal?” she asks him.
“Hopefully, he’ll just stay away.”
“He’s not going to and you know it. And my Friday Happy Hour does not include boxing. What if I called him?”
“No babe, don’t you see, that’s what he wants?” Doug said.
“I’m making myself sick worrying about it,” she says.
“Why? I can take him down. Don’t worry about me.”
“I know but I am worried about all of it.”
“Don’t. I’ll try to handle this as gentlemen first.”
“Thank you.”
“Would you have interest in going to Hermann for an afternoon of wine tasting?” Doug asked.
“Yeah. That would be great. What brought that up?”
“I just have the day off and my laundry won’t take very long.”
“That reminds me, I need to bring a few things over here, cause now I’ve got to go home to brush my teeth—gotta walk the ‘walk of shame’ in this dress.”
“Bring it all and just come live with me. Did I just say that? I’ve never said that to anyone—anyone. I live alone—always have, unless you’ll come live with me.” Doug teased.
“You know I won’t do that. You have no room for my studio and girls are messy. I’ll love you, but I won’t live with you dearest,” she teased back.
“You are quite a woman Daphne Townsley.”
“Come pick me up at eleven-thirty and I’ll be ready to go.”
“Love you, Bye.”

***

When she walked outside Quigley’s GTO was sitting in the lot and she walked right to it and knocked on the window. “What do you think you are doing?” she said to Quigley.
“Well, I was taking a nap. Daphne, stop this and come with me where you belong. This is ridiculous and I hate to see you stoop so low.”
“What the hell are you talking about?” and she hit him in the nose opening it back up to bleeding. “Leave me alone.”
She got in her car and left. She hoped that Doug hadn’t seen that and he hadn’t nor did he see the GTO as it left his parking lot.
Once home she was cognizant of Quigley’s car following her. At least she had the knowledge that she made his nose sore again. She just went inside. She was fuming mad and she told Hope what had happened and Hope said she did the right thing just coming in and not messing with Quigley. She had a good cry and told Hope about Doug asking her to move in. Hope laughed “He didn’t know what all he was talking about!”
At eleven-thirty Doug pulled up at Daphne’s house and went to the door of Quigley’s red GTO. Quigley rolled down the window and Doug could tell his nose had been bleeding. “Step out here and let’s talk like men,” said Doug. Quigley got out of the car.
“Let’s talk like men?” Quigley repeated
“I promised Daph I’d try talking to you before I hit you.”
“She’s mine—always gonna be mine. You can’t make her happy like I can. She’ll come back to me soon.”
“She won’t and you need to leave us alone.”
Quigley took a swing, but Doug avoided it and punched Quigley in the gut and then hit him again in the jaw and left him laying there. Daphne had seen it all and she was ready to leave. Doug wanted to wash his hands because they had Quigley’s blood on them. When they came back out he had not moved. They got in Doug’s car and they were gone.
Doug’s adrenaline was high and he had to make himself drive slower. “I tried not to hit him Daph, but he swung first. At least he’s not following us now.”
“It just doesn’t make sense. He knows better. I guess I should tell you that I hit him in the car at your house. His nose was full of fresh blood cause I broke open the damage Nate did. So, we’ve all hit him. Think he’ll go away?”
They drove in silence part of the time, both with a million thoughts running through their heads.
When they got to Hermann they parked the car and knew the GTO would not be making an appearance. They went in and they had a “couple’s special” with tasting of six wines, whites and reds and a light wine friendly lunch. That sounded ideal. And it was crackers with cheese or pate with summer sausage and edame beans and cucumbers with a small spring mix salad and virgin olive oil. The first flight of wine was white and they had a Sauvignon Blanc and then a Chardonnay, finished with their white wine Dining Blend. The Sauvignon Blanc was crisp with hints of pears, was very good. Doug agreed. The Chardonnay was thicker and buttery and Daphne didn’t care for it. She took a few bites of her salad and Doug waited for her to try the Dining Blend and it was good, a little too sweet for Daphne, but Doug really liked it, so he had her’s to drink as well as his. They ate some more while they waited for the red flight of three: Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cabernet Savingnon. First they tried the Pinot Noir and it was a nice light red wine. Here, Doug was finally getting to see the difference between a Cab Sav and a Merlot. “Drink the Merlot first and really take that in it’s a big Merlot. Now smell the Cab Sav and taste it and it was rich.”
“No, I didn’t like that. I’ll drink the Merlot and be happy with it.” “That Merlot is really good,” Doug said “How many bottles are we buying here?”
“Five. Two of the Sauvignon Blanc because I really liked it. Two of the Blends, one for you and one for Hope, and this Merlot. Do you want anything different?”
“Six—get two Merlots,” Doug said.
“I want to sit and finish some of these wines,” Daphne said.
“We’ve got nowhere to go but home—oh, that’s right we don’t live together.” Doug said.
“That’s what we should do is bring over some stuff to your house. I’ll make you wish you never brought up the subject. But that way I can have enough stuff to leave from your house dressed. Believe me I have enough stuff for both of our houses.

Chapter Fourteen

From the winery they went to Daphne’s house where they packed a lot of her stuff. Three bags of clothes and toiletries would be enough for now as she carried two pairs of shoes with her. They took them to Doug’s house and he thought he had a big closet until they started putting Daphne’s clothes away.
“The whole place smells like you! Not that I’m complaining, it’s just different.” She had brought her outfit for Friday’s happy hour and Doug made a big deal about giving her a key.
“I’m ready for a nap!” She said with a smile.
“Oh yeah, moving in makes you tired?” he smiled too because he reached down and kissed her first on the head in case she really wanted to sleep, but she reached up and before long they were tangled up on his bed. “I like this kind of nap.”
She ignored the comment and took off his trousers; she was already naked and their warm bodies were wrapped together in a perfect fit. They fit very nicely together and before long he was inside of her moving around to make her giggle, but then he got serious and she held her breath with every push. When they did come, she managed it so that she’d come with him. She grabbed a tissue (something new for this bedroom) and stopped the cum from coming out of her, so she could lay with him in his arms. She loved to lay in his arms.
“Are you going to sleep now?”
“Yes, give me one of your shirts—can be used.” She got cleaned up and came back to bed in the shirt.
“That looks better on you than it does on me,” Doug teased.
“A cat nap only. Don’t let me sleep very long—not even an hour.”
“We can do that.”

***

“I had some eggplant parmesan in the freezer, it’s good and I have this French loaf of bread that I thought would go nicely with our Merlot.”
“Oh yum! Sounds great Doug.”
“This is my sister’s eggplant parmesan, she knows I love it so she freezes it for me. She worries how I eat as a bachelor.”
“And it does go great with the Merlot. We’ve had a good day.” She notices his scraped knuckles and remembered that he hit Quigley earlier. “I love you Doug Capps.”
“And I love you. Eat! Drink! Be merry! It’s back to work tomorrow for both of us.
“Yes, I’m going to bring some more stuff over tomorrow after I work at my drafting table all day. I’ll take care of dinner tomorrow. I’ll come back here. What time do you get off as a manager?”
“I don’t know. I’ll text you when I know.”
“I’ve got a present for you.”
“A present? How did you? Wow! I bet it’s a tie.” He opened it. “A tie with black and white photos on it. I love it. There’s Cary Grant!”
“I know, it was just perfect for you.”
“I’ll wear that tomorrow for my first day as a manager.”
“I’m so glad you like it.”
“I’ve noticed your subtle hints of color in my house. I guess I can get used to it.”
“I won’t overdo it, but I’ll have some more wine please.”
The food and drink was great and they made sure to go to bed early because red wine always made Daphne friendly and Doug knew it, so they enjoyed a few hours of passion before they finally were spent and went to sleep.

***

And the morning came too early and was spent in a hurry with Doug kissing Daph hi and bye all at once. Daphne had to get moving soon too. The hardest thing about working for yourself is actually doing the work. She went outside and realized that her car wasn’t here and Doug was long gone. She called Hope and she came to pick her up for a ride before she went to the office. She laughed at her for stranding herself like that, but Daphne laughed too. It seemed so much like playing house.
Back home Daphne got busy getting organized for her design project. This is what she had majored in was clothing design, but it rarely came in handy in the real world. But this was a job she could do.
Doug texted her that he’d be off by six, Wednesday and Thursday he worked till eight, but he went in late too. Saturday he worked every other ten to six. And Fridays were eight to six. So, that was a decent schedule. He was off on Sundays and Mondays. Nice to have two days together, which most car guys never get.
Daphne decided to make two designs for each manufacturer, so that they have a choice. She started out with Ford because the fabric was so different that what they typically use. Once she got these designs done she would overnight them to the Regional Manager to discuss. The Ford costumes were like oldtime ice-skater’s costumes with cap sleeves and a white peplin under the short skirt. She thought it was a winner, but Ford may not go for the short skirt, so she cut another draft with flowing sleeves and a flowing longer skirt. And that’s how it’s done. She colored them out and labeled them and set them aside to do another set. She’d copy them at kinkos and keep the originals herself.
Nancy has no idea how easy this was for Daphne and she wasn’t going to tell her. Let Nancy think she’s working harder than she actually is. Nancy called later in the day to check on her. “I’ve got Ford nearly the way I want it. I’m just drawing trying to work this out. I’ll be fine.” And that was that.
Daphne was at Doug’s before six and she made a wilted spinach salad with egg and bacon. She had opened a bottle of the Sauvignon Blanc and was enjoying it when he got in.
“I could get used to this,” Doug said and she warned him against it because the cooked so little, that this was one of the few things she made and it wasn’t even good as leftovers. “Well, even if we have to eat takeout, dinner with a beautiful girl suits me very well.”
“How was your first day?”
“Okay.”
“Okay?”
“It’s different. I’m still figuring it out. This is good Daphne.”
“Thanks. Want some wine?”
“Okay, what are we pouring?”
“That Sauvignon Blanc I liked so much.”
“Good choice.”

***

The week went by and Daphne learned that Doug’s assigned hours were just a suggestion and we worked late and got home early both in just the first week. Daphne stayed busy working on her uniforms and knocking them out one by one. She decided to send the first three to see what kind of reception they got, and so she waited while working on more. Nancy was happy seeing the work getting done as planned. Daphne thought to have a copy made for Nancy too.
Friday was a Happy Hour and Daphne was always there by three and she sent out a reminder text. She thought about removing Quigley from the text list, but she was sure he’d remember. Keep everything normal. Margaret was the first one to arrive and wanted to know all about things. Daphne told her about the altercations with Quigley, Nate and Doug. She couldn’t believe it.
“Why won’t he leave you alone? She asked.
“He thinks I’m coming back to him which I would never do.”
“So, is he still following you?”
“No, he stopped once Doug hit him and told him to leave. I hope that’s the end of it and we don’t have any of that crap here.”
“I hope it’s over too. So, you and Doug are still an item?”
“Yeah, I love him. He’s different—really different than Quigley. We are very serious. He asked me to move in with him.”
“That’s cool, and he’s sure not hard on the eyes. I’ve met someone—a friend of Richard’s, the guy I was at the last event with. Well, his best friend is a contractor and I had some old hail damage so he came out and looked at it. His name is Al and he’s a freakin’ dreamboat going through a divorce—a lot like me. We hit it off and Richard’s okay with it and so now I’m seeing Al. He’ll come later. I’ve talked about all you guys, so he wants to meet you.”
“The more the merrier!”
Slowly people started leaving the office early to come to Happy Hour. Hope was one of the first to arrive. “I’m just done. Done for the week. Done.”
“How are you and Nate?” Margaret asked.
“That’s all good he and Doug should be here soon cause they were leaving early. Nate’s a great man and I’m just crazy about him.”
“That’s good.”
John arrived and with him his friend Chase and Quigley and they settled into a big table. Daphne made the choice to not go and welcome them just so as to not start anything. Pretty soon Tracy and Matt were there and Mary and Joann and Kathaleen and Mike.
Daphne bought a bottle of wine and offered some to Margaret—It’s not one of those bitter wines, this is a Merlot. Doug likes Merlot. She got another glass for Margaret who immediately said no after tasting it. “Not to worry, pour yours into mine. I’ll drink it.”
Doug and Nate walked in and she was so happy to see him she made a scene and Nate was a little hesitant. Nate had to talk to Hope and it was one of those talks. He was feeling smothered and needed to slow her down. It didn’t help that she was living with Daphne who was the poster child for “In Love.” He wasn’t going to dump her, just slow her down and Daphne needed to know. Great! This is all set to be a real down-er instead of Happy Hour. The good news was that they were there early and Doug liked the Merlot.
Hope wandered up and asked how long they’d been there. “Just a few minutes talking to Daphne.”
“Oh, well I’ve got like four people here to meet you: Kelly our receptionist, Laura who does what I do, Charles and Dale-run of the mill on-air personalities.”
“Nice to meet you. Can I talk to you a minute? I’m going to be sitting with my owner and Doug—it’s business with pressure and it’s necessary. What do you have planned for these guys?”
“I just wanted to introduce you.”
“Okay,” he was gracious about duty calling and he went to sit with Matt and Tracy. They knew of Nate’s altercation with Quigley, but he sat close by anyway and Daphne and Doug followed their lead. Daphne still got up to greet the door and a blond man with blue eves and a tan walked in looking for Margaret.
“Hi Al, meet Daphne, one of my best friends. I’ve been telling her about you.”
“Nice to meet you finally. She’s been telling me about you.”
“We’re over here with Kathaleen and Mike and Mary and Joann though the crowd about John was continuing to grow. The conversation really started and Matt was feeling his oats early telling stories on Tracy and everyone laughed including her. Quigley had a story about going to a nightclub and trying to dance with a pretty girl and bumping into her, when a big, black fist hit him in the nose and got him thrown out. No one laughed and Daphne assumed they knew. Then he told the story of being parked in a public parking lot and being pulled from his vehicle and punched in the gut and in the jaw. All of this in the same 24 hours. People looked at Daphne with some love for this guy left and said that she had been stalked and both of these men had defended her and protected her. She herself had hit him square in the sore nose the next morning. “Just leave me alone” she said loud enough for the crowd to hear her and she went to Doug, who most people knew she was dating anyway. Half hated what he had done, and half endorsed it and that was a lot for the once beloved Quigley.
Doug stood up and raised his glass to “Peace—Daphne and I are in love and we are allowed to be, so peace, no more stalking and no more fighting!” The night went on without any more scenes and it was a nice Happy Hour.
Matt had wanted Nate and Doug closeby to tell them what a nice job they were doing. “We’re not the kind of lot you come to to get experience, but we end up training them anyway and he was sure that Doug could handle that. And Nate he wanted to offer part of the business. That was huge, though he didn’t know what type of resources he had in house that would allow him to do it. He was looking for $3 Million dollars to buy in and Nate said he could get it, so yes! He’d be the minority owner, but he’d always been the minority somewhere. It was nice to be at the top.
Margaret and Al got cozy with their group and the waitress came by for a drink and it was a beer drinking night. Daphne checked and they were doing well and she couldn’t believe the beautiful man Margaret had on her side and he seemed really nice, but said he didn’t get invited to things like this and Margaret assured him he’d get an invite. She was flirting and you could tell that he was into her as well.
John regaled people with his stories and even repeated some for the newcomers. He was his lively, jolly self and Daphne realized that she had not been back to see John since Quigley came back to town. That was shameful, but she hadn’t even gone to the lot. She went over and sat with John for a little while, but it looked like Quigley might make a move so she retreated to her place with Doug, Hope and Nate. Nate was going to celebrate! He’d go into debt to his eyeballs, but he had an expensive home he didn’t need and could borrow the rest. It would make him a partner in St. Louis’ best car dealership. This was Plaza Motors and he could get it done. He had a house on a busy street in Creve Coeur and houses were going for big money there now a days. Many were being bought, torn down and the land used for a new bigger house, but he had the right location and he’d gladly give it up.
Doug and Daphne were happy for him and Hope couldn’t stop kissing on the guy. “When I do this, Hope will you marry me?” He sat on one knee and had the ring and everything.
“Yes! Yes, I’ll marry you!” And everyone cheered while she admired the ring. It was a large diamond with baguettes all around it in white gold. It was beautiful.
“The last few months with you have been heaven and I don’t ever want to go back to not being with you.”
“She said ‘yes’,” Doug said.
Doug went down on one knee and he said “Daphne, my beautiful princess, will you marry me and make me the happiest man here?”
“You guys had this planned. “Yes, I’ll marry you, my love.” And her ring was exactly the same as Hope’s.
A cheer rang out for both of them. Quigley grabbed Chase’s hand and got on one knee, but no one was laughing, so he gave it up. Hope and Daphne couldn’t believe that they’d both get engaged so soon and so together—even with the same ring. “We got them buy one, get one free,” Nate joked. Matt sat back and soaked it all in. Now he’d never get a shot at Daphne, she’ll be married to my sales manager. Tracy looked at him expecting but it was all for naught. She was fun to play with, but not marriage material. She was getting that feeling from him lately anyway. Like she was a throw-away girl when something better came along.
Daphne was out of wine and she went to the bar to buy another bottle when she ran into Quigley also at the bar.
“Congratulations Daphne—not that I care.”
“Then don’t say anything,” Daphne said. To the bartender “I’ll have another bottle of Hill House Merlot.”
“Fact is I do care, but I’m going to leave you alone, because you are obviously determined to make your own mistakes. I know about making mistakes and let me say, I’m sorry.”
“That’s the first right thing you’ve said to me.”
“I know I’m a handful, but I’m rich and he’s not—doesn’t that give me any edge at all?”
“No, I never cared about your money. Still don’t.”
“I’m sorry for you.” He got his drink and left while they opened her bottle of wine. She stopped by Margaret’s table as she went by and they all ooh’d and aah’d over her new ring. “I don’t know how he got the sizing right. But it’s wonderful.”
“I’d better get back with the wine or we’ll all sober up!” She left to go back and sit next to Doug. “More wine?”
“Sure, I’ll take some of that,” Doug said in his best Cary Grant impersonation. “That would be heavenly.”
She poured herself some and breathed it in.
“I saw you ran into our buddy at the bar. How did that go?”
“Very civilized. He said he’ll leave us alone. That’s what we wanted, isn’t it?”

Chapter Nine

Doug got the call first, John says “Quigley is dead. Strangled at my house. Let Daphne know. The police are on their way.”
“Are you sure he’s dead?”
“Yes I’m sure. He’s even cold already.”
John hung up the phone.
“Who is dead? Doug? Who is dead?”
“Quigley.”
“Did he kill himself?”
“No, John said he was strangled at John’s house.”
“Did he say anything else?”
“That he was sure he was dead because he’s cold already.”
“Oh my. Oh my,” Daphne couldn’t believe it. “But we were all together last night. Who would want to kill Quigley?”
“Me,” said Doug. “I’ll be a suspect because we’re together and he obviously still wanted you. And after the public tiff we had with him, people will talk, so be prepared.”
“I’m not the only girl Quigley dated. There could be another jealous lover or a drug dealer who waited for him to get out. There could be other people besides you. You were with me all night. Thank heavens I stayed over,” she tried, but she couldn’t help but cry. Doug said he understood, but did he really?

***

At John’s house they were interviewing him and asking some pretty hard questions. John told him that Quigley had been at the clinic for roughly three months and had just got out and was staying here till he got on his feet.
Did he have any enemies? Not that John knew about but Quigley had been part of the under-belly drug world before but wasn’t currently using.
He had been out with you? Me and about thirty friends, it was a Happy Hour.
Was he drunk? No, he rarely drank and might have had one beer but alcohol was not his drug of choice.
Was anyone upset with him or him upset with someone? Well, John knew he had to say it. His old girlfriend Daphne got engaged and he wasn’t happy about it. I think he was trying to be nice, but you have to understand that Quigley wasn’t always nice.
Did he come home with you? He left on his own and I don’t know where he went, but he wasn’t home when I got home. That GTO is his car.”
So you hadn’t seen him since you left the bar until today like this?
Correct.
It was just the beginning. Poor John would be interviewed and interviewed today trying to trip up his story, but it seemed quite forward.
Daphne’s phone rang, unusual number…”Hello this is Daphne.”
“Yes, Daphne Townsley? This is Detective Becker and we need to ask you some questions regarding Quigley Young who was found dead this morning. Would you mind coming to the station?
“I can. If you can tell me where it is.”
“We’re on seventh past Chippewa.”
“Okay, whatever I can do to help.”
They’ve called for me to come in. There’s no sense in you going to until they call you. Not sure why they want me, but I’ll cooperate.

***

“Ms. Townsley, we understand that you had a long-term relationship with Quigley Young?”
“I don’t know if you’d call it long-term. It was eight months.”
“When was that relationship?”
“Three or Four years ago.”
“And you ended the relationship?”
“Yes I did.”
“Why?”
“That’s rather personal, isn’t it?
“Just answer the question.”
“Because he ran off and I found him doped up with a prostitute.”
“I see. Have you spoken to him lately?”
“Last night at the bar we exchanged niceties.”
“Can you think of anyone who would want to hurt him?”
“No, but I haven’t been around him in a long time.”
“When you left last night was Quigley still there?”
“Yes, I left early.”
“Ms. Townsley, we appreciate your cooperation and ask that you not leave town while this investigation is open.”
“Yes. Absolutely.”
“Then that is fine Ms. Townsley.”

***

Daphne didn’t go back to Doug’s place when she left the police station, she went home. Home to cry in her own bed as many tears as she needed to cry without hurting Doug with each teardrop. It wasn’t his fault Quigley was dead and it wasn’t his fault that Daphne needed to cry about it. It was a long time ago and the world had changed since then. What they had was real for a long time and it was wonderful until it wasn’t and that sent Daphne reeling for about a year, trusting no one but Hope. She needed to cry as she questioned what she did and knew it was the right thing for her to do. But she cried about it anyway. This death made no sense. She was prepared if he died of an overdose. She almost expected it. But not this. Some stranger kills him in John’s house? How does that work? She cried about it all.
Her phone rang…it was Doug. She tried to straighten up before she answered. “Hi honey.”
“Where’d you go?” he asked.
“I got a big case of ‘I want to go home’ so I did. I’m sorry. That just wasn’t fun for me.”
“It’s okay. I knew I’d get dragged into this. I’m headed there now. Can I come to your place after?”
“Sure, it’s Sunday–come on over. I think I have a movie.”
“Good deal. I love you.”
“I love you too.”
Hope pulled up and unloaded several bags of groceries. Daphne went outside to help and they put them away together. Hope’s evening had been good. They had a really good time. Quigley started telling stories and some of them were down-right obscene. Daphne stopped her.
“You don’t know yet? Quigley is dead. Strangled to death at John’s house. No one knows much more than that but Doug is at the police station now. I’ve already been there and answered gobs of questions.”
“Quigley is dead?”
“Yes, Quigley is dead. I’ve been crying my eyes out over it.”
“He seemed to be doing so good.”
“He was, I guess until someone strangled him.”
“Wow, that just blows my mind.”
“John called me right after he found him and called the police.”
Hope teared up and cried herself which made Daphne cry some more. The groceries could wait as they held each other on the sofa. Tears for a friend and he had lots of friends.

***

Doug arrived carrying pizza and Daphne was happy. She was wearing leggings and a t-shirt from a Tim McGraw concert with her boot-style slippers, she looked completely ridiculous and Doug completely adored her. Take a bad day and turn it around, Daphne Townsley could. She was armed with the remote and had the movie cued up ready for movie night.
Hope was going out because Nate didn’t work on Monday so Sunday was his night to prowl. She didn’t know what they were doing, but she did notice that he was spending every night with her.
“I’m done being sad, for now anyway. I’ll be sad when we bury him, but for right now I’ve cried enough. How did your inquisition go?”
“Fine. A lot like yours, I’m sure.”

***

The next morning came early. Doug had stayed and they went to bed early but couldn’t keep their hands off one another. Daph didn’t have to be anywhere today though she had some phone calls to make. The alarm had gone off at seven o’clock because Doug had to work today. Daph pushed him out of bed and he thump! Hit the floor and still managed to feign sleeping on the hardwood floor. Daph went to the bathroom, because she knew he’d have to get in there and get cleaned up for work. He took one look at the shower and all the womanly items and decided that he’d go home to shower and have a pressed work shirt that way. Daphne hurried him out and then she kissed him–a good kiss and sent him on his way.

The next day was Wednesday, she hadn’t mentioned that she was coming back so soon this week and so she decided to drop in on Doug since Wednesday was his day off. She was going to surprise him, but when she pulled up she could see him opening his wallet and giving money to a woman. She thought the worst. She parked her car and marched right in without knocking yelling “Doug Capps you come here.”
Doug came out and he was very surprised to see her.
“Why? Why Doug?”
“Why what?”
“That woman and you giving her money–why do you need to? You had me and I was going to surprise you. I guess I really did.” She started to leave and Doug stopped her.
“That woman is my sister and my parents are celebrating 40 years of marriage and the money was my part for the present. But you thought I had a hooker?”
“Oh thank God!” Daphne said as she collapsed in one of his chairs. “I’m sorry, but it has happened to me before and that’s where my mind went. I was so mad at you.”
“What are you doing here?”
“Surprising you on your day off.
“How sweet you are.” He touched her and she knew he wasn’t still mad. He was like that–touchy. “Where do you want to go and do?”
“That’s it, I’m just tagging along on your day off. I’m taking one too by the way. So whatever you were going to do or anywhere you were going to go, I’m fine. I just want to spend some time with you.”
“Well, I’ve got some dry cleaning to pick up and I’ll probably grab lunch and then I had a nap planned and that’s about it. I’m not very exciting in real life.”
“Well, I’ll just go and keep you company. I can take a nap too.”
Doug asks, “Where do you want to go for lunch? I never go to a real restaurant for lunch, so pick one.”
“Let’s go to Brio next to Frontenac. It’s a great lunch place.”
“My dry cleaners are on the way.” They drive off and Doug starts by saying “I had to give a DNA swab yesterday, well, I didn’t have to but I volunteered it to be marked off the murder suspect list. You know they can get DNA from the skin that flakes off of you now?”
“That’s crazy that they called you. They didn’t call me, so they must know that it’s a man’s DNA if they have it…from the rope maybe?”
“Maybe. I don’t know the details of the crime and all John said was that he’d been strangled. Maybe Quig fought back and they have something substantial. It was a detective that I talked to. Real nice guy just needed my DNA. His name was Harrison.”
Rick Harrison was a veteran at the St. Louis Police Department. He was known for closing cases and he was all about all the men at Farotto’s that night and there were a bunch of them. This Quigley seemed to have a lot of friends, but they were all reserved because of his addition problems. He had dated most of the women there too, he found out in talking to people. He had narrowed in on Doug because of Daphne’s history with the victim and their confrontation before. Also, with a check of John’s phone history, John had called Doug first thing after he called the cops. That made him suspicious. Harrison was a thorough investigator.
Brio was lovely and they talked about their families. Doug had three sisters, all married with kids. He was Uncle Dougie to three neices and three nephews. His parents were still alive and happily married now 40 years. “Seems hard to believe that love like that still exists, but my parents are still crazy about each other.”
Daphne’s dad was still alive and living abroad, mostly Europe and she had had a brother until four years ago when he died from cancer. They were very close and it still made her cry to talk about him. Christopher was a great, funny, interesting man who stood 6’4” and 280 before the cancer took him. He was so large that she always made sure to introduce him as her “little brother.” Her mother had died of cancer too just eight months before, and she saw that as a blessing because it would have torn her heart out to see Chris die. So, she had had a lot of loss in her life–recently and Doug was surrounded with family.
“We are going to have a dinner for Mom and Dad in two weeks with everyone there. Will you come with me? Everyone will be impressed that I have someone special in my life.”
“Of course I’ll come with you. I’d hate for you to go alone. Well, it’s two Sundays from now, I think. I’d better check the date.
“Three sisters, huh?”
“Yeah, and my sisters are all totally weird so they didn’t just dress me up, we had full-blown games of ‘embarrass Doug’ that we played. All in all I wouldn’t trade it and I adore them all.
My brother and I hated each other growing up, but there came a point that we learned to appreciate each other and became good friends. I adored him and it was mutual. When he was sick in South Carolina, where he lived, his wife called me and told me that he had pneumonia real bad and they weren’t sure he’d make it. I got in my car and drove 16 hours there, even sleeping in the car so I didn’t waste gas money. I spent ten days there with him in the hospital day and night. And he got better. Eight months later he died standing up. He fell down dead, but he had never given up. I miss him.”
“Wow, that’s real courage.”
“Yep, he was that guy–people loved him.”
“Where is he buried?”
“At the National Cemetery in Mounds, Illinois. He was a veteran of the first Gulf war and he wanted to keep everything simple for me and for his wife. We had a memorial service in South Carolina and then a traditional military service in Mounds. Here, I’ll stop. I don’t know what gets into me sometimes.”
“You loved him.”
“Yes, I did. And it‘s the anniversary of his death this week. It still bothers me. I loved him very much and it‘s hard to believe he is gone.”
“That’s okay. You’ll get a major dose of my family at the dinner. My sisters are Maxine, we call her Max and she’s one of those jewelry reps who throws parties, but mostly she’s a stay home mom with two girls and a boy. Jenny is the opposite. She works for LaClede Gas and she works crazy long hours and has one girl child, so far. She’s who you saw at my house. Melanie–Mel for short, has two boys and she does a little of everything. She works part-time for Edward Jones as an office manager, but she’s a crafter and works craft shows a lot too. She has two boys. Mom and Dad are retired and have been for a while now.”
“Wow. So you have the fairy tale family. I don’t.”
“Well, it’s not all it’s cracked up to be, but I can understand you missing your brother.”

***

Quigley was on everyone’s mind. John was beside himself when they got to his house.
“John, do you have any anti-anxiety medication? Here take two of these—they’re strong and they’ll help you sleep.” She handed him two Xanax. “They won’t hurt you.”
“Quigley was going to sleep on the couch in the den, like he usually does. I didn’t hear a thing, but I don’t once I’m asleep.” John went on “I saw him and he was in a puddle on the floor and he was cold and clammy. I didn’t know what to do.”
“No one is blaming you John,” Doug said. “He was still troubled, you know he was.”
“Yes, and I found some of his writing and it’s disturbed too. Here’s a sample:

“The furling winds have a hold on me. He yanks me by my soul and I scream. Take me. Take me now. Don’t hurt them, just take me, I scream. I am engulfed by the darkness and I shudder like a child and I scream. You can have all of me. Take me now. I can’t hurt them anymore than I have. He yanks on my soul again harder, and I scream as it is ripped from my body to thrown to the side. My heart is next and in it the people that I love. Leave them alone! But he doesn’t he plucks them one by one and discards them like flies.”

“Is it me or does that sound like a deranged man? I kept encouraging him to write, but if that was what was coming to him, I see his hesitation now,” John said. “I didn’t show this to the police, maybe I should.”
“It’s imaginary John. It’s probably not pertinent.”
“Well, I have more too.”
“I wouldn’t worry about it. What you need to do is stop taking in these strays and keep your door locked.”
“I know. It’s just my nature. Chase is sleeping in the den now. He’ll find his footing. He just got a job.”
“But you’re no halfway house.” Doug said “I understood it with Quigley, but this is a wake-up call. Someone came into your house and killed him. I’d be spooked by that. Who knows who it could have been—some drug dealer or worse.”
“You’re right. I need to lock my doors at least.”
Daphne has been quiet to this point and says “Something could happen to you too John and I just can’t bear that. Why don’t you go lay down and we’ll lock the doors behind us?”
“Okay, I will,” said John.
And they left.

Chapter Ten

She laid naked on his bed watching him get dressed. He had to work. But she noticed that amidst all of his photos that were black and white he had a photo framed of her in color which really made it stand out. He had snapped the photo the other night and printed it himself. She didn’t say anything but was flattered.
She ran her hand up her thigh and watched as he pulled a clean shirt out and put it on over his undershirt. He was precise with the buttons and then he grabbed a tie. Daphne was being a bit of a tease as he talked about work and she stayed naked. She had a dress to pull over and sandals to go. It was September, but it was still warm outside, unseasonably warm.
“You have your car here, so stay if you want to, but lock the door behind you, Naked Girl.
“I was just admiring you and watching your routine. I checked to see if you walked around in your black socks like an old man, but you didn’t. You are a very good-looking man Doug.”
“Well, thank you Daphne. You are a goddess laying there naked in my bed. Do you know how hard it is to leave you?”
“But you must, I know.” She gets up to hug him goodbye and she kisses him. He fusses at her, because just that made him hard.
“See you tonight,” he says
She gets dressed and wanders through to look at all his pictures. His place was completely monochrome black and white. She truly was the only thing in color. She pulled on her sandals, grabbed her bag and was out the door.
When she got to her apartment she showered and washed her hair. It took forever to dry and she didn’t want to use heat on it to dry.
***

At the dealership Doug was still learning to be a manager and Nate kept feeding him leads, so he was still tops on the board doing both jobs for a while.

***

Joann heard about Quigley and was heart-broken. He was just there. How could this have happened? She called Daphne and she said that he was murdered and that wasn’t what Joann expected to hear. “Yeah, strangled. We have no idea who could want him dead. They didn’t even take his money.”
Joann intimated that she had thought suicide when she heard the news, but this was a whole another thing. She asked about John and Daphne said he was taking it hard. She was on her way over there now. John was home, not working. Quigley had been like a son to John and he couldn’t bring him back.
“Where had Quigley gone?” Daphne asked John.
“He went down to the mill, but he didn’t come home stoned, he was fine.”
“Did he talk about the dark shadows following him?” Daphne asks.
“No, he was mostly happy.” Joann answered
“There were some guys at Farotto’s that I didn’t know, did you?”
“No, and they were friendly with Quigley. I think their names were Jessie and Troy, both drinking Guiness. You think they were from his old life?”
“Maybe, he was dead hours after that,” Daphne said. “I’m going to the mill to find out, and you can’t stop me.
“I know I can’t. I can’t go darling but a woman might be safer down there than a man anyway.
She walked into the Mill—the thing about it was it had rooms, private rooms all around it. The prostitutes weren’t there that time of day and this was where she had found Quigley all doped up. A man approached her with pills and she said no. Another tried with Exstasy or roofies, she asked to see Jessie or Troy. They laughed. “They don’t work daytime, but Troy happens to be here. Who’s calling?
“Daphne, I’m a friend of Quigley’s.
“Oh, come on back then.”
“Friend of Quigley’s Troy, thought you’d want to see herl
“Quigley is a friend of all of us,” Troy said
“Quigley is dead,” Daphne said
“Dead?” Troy says, “No one here wants to hear that.”
“He was murdered, so you’ll probably hear from the police.
“Man I’m sorry,” Troy said “He was a good guy who got out of hand occasionally. We handled it.”
“No one from here would want to hurt him, manl”
“We’ll see. I just had to come here myself,” Daphne said.
“Where did you go after our get-together at Farotto’s?”
“We took Quigley and some girl and he got laid, then we took him home. He left his car at John’s.
“Who was the girl?”
“I dunno, someone he knew. She was cute. He was going to take her home, but he was straight up, not even drunk.
Daphne ran through the single friends there and she kept coming up with Joann, but Joann wasn’t a one-night girl even with Quigley’s charms. Tracy had been there with Matt, so she was tied up. A woman couldn’t have strangled Quigley anyway. He was too big and strong, but she was curious about the last screw. Perhaps it was a jealous spouse. Quigley had made enemies of lots of that way too. Would Matt Kinkead really kill someone over Tracy? She didn’t think so.
The cops had been trailing Daphne, so when she left they faced a whole lot more questions from the police. Nothing went on there in the daylight so they handled it. Quigley was a regular there, so they were bound to find out.
Daphne had believed Troy that they hadn’t seen him, but what he didn’t say was that a Charles Johnson had threatened Quigley over his battered woman and told him that he was going to pay. Troy at the Mill did tell that to the police. And he wasn’t the only angry husband who had threatened Quigley.
At the end of the day Doug was exhausted from his long day and Daphne was in tears again over Quigley. She had done all that and not found anything out. It was frustrating. The cops had Charles Johnson in custody because he didn’t have an alibi. There had to be some answers somewhere. She just cried until the phone rang and Doug said “I want to see you. Can you come to my place? It’s just easier for me to get up on workdays, but I don’t work until eleven tomorrow. I want to see you.”
She said sure and freshened up her face, so he couldn’t tell she’d been crying. She drove over and he met her on the walk. I couldn’t wait to get home and see you. She gave him a silk sunflower and he looked at her strange. “It’s just a touch of color and will look great here with your nieces.”
“I needed to see you.”
“Well, I’m here so settle down.” But he didn’t settle down. Instead he cried big manly tears.
“I hated him so much Daph, I really did. When you were happy with him I was miserable, but I knew he’d fuck it up and he did. It’s all hitting me. He was a friend, but an enemy and I don’t know how I feel.”
“It’s okay, I’ve cried and cried and I can’t make any sense of it either. Tell me about your day.
He wiped the tears from his eyes and he told her about his whole day including his conversation with Nate. He’s really thrilled to get married to Hope and a part of our group. He held her. He held her tight against him, like he needed her strength.
And that night they put on pajamas and held each other.

Chapter Eleven

The morning came too soon and they stayed in bed. His chest was bare and she liked cuddling next to it. He had his arms around her and was so glad he had a late start today. This was heaven to him, because he loved her so. Before long he was pushing her yoga pants down and her shirt up and his pajama pants were easy. They kissed naked for a while and soon she crawled on top of him and put his cock inside her. She gently moved back and forth almost losing, but then pushing it right back in. He seemed to like that and she bore down and put him in deep and then moved and she could feel his cock wobbling inside her and that made her hot. He let her go and she rode his cock to an orgasm and then laid back. He wasn’t done and she knew it. She rolled over on her belly and let him load her from behind. It didn’t take long of that for him to explode and she was very happy. They laid naked on the bed and kissed for a while. They fit together nicely.

***

John had decided to go to work today and he was up and going with his shirt and tie. He had to be there by nine and it was getting close, so out the door he went, remembering to lock it. His prodigy Chase was with him and would start learning the basics on the floor now that he had studied the cars sufficiently. Chase was from a broken home and he didn’t know what to do after high school, so he got a job as a mechanic, but he hurt two fingers on his right hand and that made him useless as a mechanic. His dad was out of town and his mother was still caring for three more children, so he was on his own. He had been bussing tables at a local diner when John met him. John asked him for a ketchup bottle and could see how nervous the kid was just handing it to him. John stayed and waited out front until the kid was off work. They exchanged some niceties and John asked him if he was doing drugs. He said no, he barely had money to eat and he slept wherever he could find. On a whim John took him in. “At least he’ll have room and board” and we’ll find him something to do other than wipe people’s slop. Ever since then he had been learning and following John around.
Now they were headed to the dealership. They stopped to get coffee because the coffee at the dealership was terrible. John settled into his office. Not much had been done while he was gone. John did a role-play with Chase about a car and Chase knew all the answers until it came to closing, sitting down with a contract. That had to be taught too and they went over it several times. Knowing he could always bring John in for the sale helped his confidence, but it wasn’t long before he had a real “up” looking at a real car. He played it cool and they were trading in a car, so he had to go get John who helped him with the rest of the sale. First one down!

***

Daphne made coffee and made a mess in Doug’s kitchen which was spotless. She brought it to him and told him that she wasn’t messing with his kitchen anymore, she’d just go buy coffee. He said it was no big deal, but it was to her. She was still the guest her at Doug’s house.
“Plaza can do without me for another hour and how did I let you get clothed again?” He was still lying in bed naked and she had her t-shirt on. “Let’s get that back off and you lay here with me some more, so I can drink you in. You know I’m working late tonight, so I won’t get to see you. Early in in the morning too.

***

Nancy didn’t know there was a new love in Daphne’s life, Nancy pointed out she had yet to meet Doug. Daph had described him as a young Cary Grant, so Nancy had high hopes for this new man in her life. Daphne was so careful with men that Nancy worried she’d never let the right one into her life, but she had let this one in, it was clear.
“Your mock up of the uniforms were great. What are we hearing?” Nancy said with a rare compliment.
“I’m going to make calls on that today.”
“And, I guess we should host an audition soon. Is that enough to do? I’ll do the auditions.”
Nancy was impressed she was so on top of things. She wasn’t going to sell it and then leave Nancy to pull it off. This first year she will need to be involved all the way and including the shows. This year we may not make a bunch of money doing it for the effort it took, but following years will be easier. They picked out a date for auditions and posted it—Girls 20 to 30 needed to travel, and a date in three weeks on a Saturday.
Daphne ran other errands and stopped at the grocery store. It was her turn to buy groceries and they were running low. Soon Hope was home from her day at five and she looked beat. Radio sales can do that to people. They have to be hard core and it was obvious that Hope wasn’t happy where she was. There was no easy solution and Daph hoped Hope could weather the storm. She was at her number, but no one else was and it strained everyone. “I was supposed to be at a five o’clock meeting and just blew it off. I’m making calls—they don’t know. I have been all day.” She was blowing off steam and she needed to.
“They don’t appreciate us when we are doing well. I’m not going to go get my ass chewed again when I am busting it as hard as I can.”
“This will all blow over. It always does.”
“And Nate, he just doesn’t understand. He tries to, but if you’ve never been there, you can’t relate.”
“Speaking of Nate, I was going to get a small group together. Do you think he’d be up to it? He seems fun.”
“Yeah, an invite from you and he’ll be up for it. You know I thought the other night that he was going to tell me that he loved me. It was just a moment and then it flittered away. He’s a great guy either way and he’s making me feel special.”
“I guess he and Doug are becoming friends at work.”
“That can’t be bad.”
“Who should we invite? I was thinking the Fox and the Hound in Chesterfield. John, of course and his friend Chase, Margaret, Joann, Lefty (we haven’t invited him lately), Us and Us.
“Do we want to invite Matt and Tracy? Or is that Matt or Tracy?” Daphne wonders.
“Let me ask Nate on that one. I’m not the biggest Tracy fan and Matt may be done with her,” Hope says.
“Oh Mike and Kathaleen and Shari and Joe (who we haven’t seen in a while either—since their wedding last spring.) Joe will probably bring Pretty Sam and Ice Pick. That’s a few single guys.”
“Okay, let’s stop there”
“I’ve got to change my group settings on my phone and I’ll make this Group B. Anyone that claims I left them out we will blame my phone. I’m not sure John will be up to it yet. Have you heard the arrangements yet?”
“Not yet, they haven’t released the body for burial yet because it’s a homicide,” Hope says. “When do you want to do this?”
“Friday nights are always the best nights for everyone to get out, so in two days Friday night. Text sent. Call Nate to check on Matt—we don’t want to lose him.”
Hope does so and Matt is no longer seeing Tracy, so text Matt an invite and Tracy can get over it.
Daphne went to bed to read about seven and Hope was watching television. Quiet night. Doug worked late and sold two cars on his own and had to be back early, so he wouldn’t see Daphne tonight.
Her phone rang: “I was wondering if you were going to come crawl in bed with me. Are you?”
“Nope, I’m sorry. I’m tired and have to be back early tomorrow, so I’m just going to stay here. If you lived here you’d be here and this wouldn’t be an issue.”
“But I don’t, so it is.”
“I love you Daph, remember that. I’ll see you at the Fox and the Hound.
“Doug is in.”
“So is Nate who, by the way, is coming to get me in a few minutes. They must have both just got off.”
“Out on a Thursday, must be love.” Daphne teased.
Out the door Hope went with a kick in her heel. She felt special.
About an hour later Daphne was still up reading, there was a knock on the door and it was John.
“Come in. Why are you out gallivanting this late in the day?”
“It’s Quigley. I can’t sleep. I can’t walk around. I can’t read. He’s everywhere. I just can’t forget that dead body heaped on the floor. You know it’s my fault. I didn’t listen to him until it was too late.”
“Oh John. Quigley was a grown man. You’re not responsible for him. It’s not your fault any more than it was my fault.” She was holding up so far instead of buckling under to the tears.
“What are you doing now?”
“I’m going to police headquarters to tell them it was my fault that I did it and I wish I didn’t.”
“John, you didn’t do this. He did it to himself. Quigley was not a good man. John you are a good man. You did everything you could to help him. Hell, he endangered you with his pill pals following him home.
“John get a grip—this was not your fault.”
“Is that what happened? His ‘pill pals’ followed him home?
“That’s what I think happened, and probably the cops do too. John stay here tonight. You can have my bed, I’ll sleep in Hope’s bed and if she comes home we’ll snuggle like we used to. But she’s not coming home. Here, you want the television on? You want to take your pants and shirt off. Sleep in your T and underwear. I have one of those pills that helped you before. You take that and lay back and relax.

John was up as soon as daylight hit. He had made coffee and come toasted cinnamon buns that he put icing on. You’d think he was home, but he looked through the pantry and there was lots to choose from.
Hope came home first thing and was surprised to find John Daph was asleep in her room. “That’s okay she’s slept enough,” Hope said.
Hope said “What is this? You let him sleep in your room and slept in mine. Why?”
“Hope he was a mess last night; a total wreck. He was going to the police saying that he killed Quigley. I had to stop him.”
“Well he’s Chef Boyardee in our kitchen now. You must have done something right.”
“Come out here. Let’s have some coffee. Doesn’t it smell divine in here?
There he was in his t-shirt and boxers with a too small apron on over them. “Coffee and a bun my lady?” he said to Daphne.
“Yes please and the sugar. Where did you find these cinnamon rolls?”
“Well, I made them of course.”
“From stuff we had here?”
“Yep, I haven’t been anywhere in my skivvies, so yes, from stuff here. I’m going to have to get going though, so I can go to my house and change. Thank you for last night Daphne. I get a mess sometimes.”
“Well, you did the right thing coming here. You’re feeling better this morning?”
“Oh much better today. Enjoy your bun and there’s more.”
Hope comes out and says “The last thing on earth that I would have thought I’d see when I got home was John in an apron with his skivvies on!” they laughed.
“I think it’s going to be this way until the burial or memorial service. No one has had any closure and these are big bleeding wounds. John loved him like a son. So he got irrational last night. At least he came here.”
And John was dressed and out of there.
“And see. He’s fine again.”
“I’ve had several replies to our Fox and the Hound get together. Nate’s in, Matt, Joann, Mary, Margaret, Joe and Shari plus two. I didn’t ask John but he’ll see it on his phone. I know Doug’s in. They all have to get through this work day—how about you? Calling in sick?”
“I am, and let’s go shopping. I need a couple of cute things to wear and I’m looking for a pair of those platform heels. You up for it?”
“Sure, I don’t have to work today. I’m just gonna pull something to shop in on and then dress for tonight. Where are we going? Let’s go to Nordstrom Rack. I get my best deals there. And there’s something I want to pick up for Doug’s apartment. You know it’s all black and white. Well, I think a few splashes of color would look awesome. I took him a sunflower yesterday and he thought I was weird, but he went with it.”
“All black and white—yes definitely get some color in little things.”
“How’s Nate—you didn’t say.”
“He’s good, really good. We seem to have practice in that area. Other than that he’s great fun, he laughs a lot—sometimes at me instead of with me.”

***

On the sales floor at Plaza they came out of their sales meetings with new goals and Doug still had a number. Nate came called him to the back. “Here’s four leads, might only be three. I’ll keep feeding them to you as long as you turn them. That’s why your goals are so high. I just don’t trust anyone else on the floor with a hot lead, so you need to pick someone out to learn how you do it.”
“Are you going tonight? Of course you are.
“Yeah she’s ‘Julie the Cruise Director’ putting little get-togethers together.”
“Well, I had fun at the last one.”
“Just a heads up: Quigley, remember him?” Doug said
“Yeah he was funny.” Nate said
“Well he’s dead. Murdered, but he was always in some shady shit. That’s why she’s getting us back together so quick. I know her and it’s her way of dealing with things. I think this one is smaller tonight, but you never know who shows up.”
“Oh my, wasn’t Quigley close somehow to John?”
“Yeah, he was like a son. John’s gonna get through it.”

***

Hope and Daphne shopped for a few hours and among other things she bought two glass balls-green and blue for the shelves at Doug’s house. She also found a peachy-pink seashell and it would all look good. Daphne bought a new strapless dress for tonight, it had a pink woven bodice across the chest and shades of pink and scarf panels around the rest of it. It came with a scarf cape for around the shoulders. With pink high heels it will look great. Hope found a few things but the main thing she was doing was revamping her underwear drawer. It had been a while since she needed some of this and that.
After shopping they went by to check on John and saw that he made it in today. They asked about tonight and he said no. It was almost a relief to Daph that he wasn’t coming because he came apart so easily. Daphne stole a few minutes with John’s prodigy Chase and asked him to keep an eye on John and wrote down her number.
They grabbed a quick lunch at Panera Bread and for some reason it always tasted the best at the locations rather than carry out. They chatted away about all the new under-garments Hope had bought. Daphne figured she had enough for now—plenty that Doug hadn’t seen yet.
As always Hope and Daphne had fun just being together and they hesitated before going home. Daph could use some makeup and Hope was always willing to look, so they went to the Sephora store where they sold the Bare Minerals that Daphne lightly used on her face. A new pink lip gloss was always a winner and before they knew it Daph was looking at a hundred dollar bill.
“That’s too rich for me. I’ll just wear the dime store brand,” Hope said.
“Well, I’ve been buying dime store and nothing works. I may as well pay for it here and get what I know works. That will last me six months or so, so it’s not a bad deal for me.” Daphne said.
They headed back to the house with their new treasures in hand and Daph got excited about her new dress. She took a decadent bath with essential oils and a full facial.
By the time their guys (both of them arrived at the same time) they both looked like movie stars. Doug loved Daphne’s new dress and he took the heavy bag she handed him and she said not to open it. Doug had a good day with three cars out and that was making him a rockstar, which Nate acknowledged. Nate’s day had been pretty good too, but he wasn’t a rockstar till they caught up for the month.
“The set up at the Fox and the Hound is ideal for our group. They have these tall tables and a place to stand. We can put that together and make a nice L shape with tall barstools.”
“Daph it sounds like you have this all worked out.”
“I do. As long as there’s no people there already,” Daphne says “And if there are, I may ask them to move or we’ll surround them.”
When they got there there wasn’t anyone to worry about sitting at the bar tables so they grabbed four to start with and left room for another to be attached. They moved the barstools too, so they totally rearranged the bar.
Nate said to the bartender—“No need to worry my man, we’re gonna fill them up and you’ll keep us filled up. Is there a waitress or do we just come to the bar?”
“There’s no waitress until 9pm. No problem, put these people on my card all night.” They all ordered drinks. “First round for everyone.”
In came Margaret, Joann and Mary and Matt had made his way in too. Reintroductions were made and Margaret had a dress on.
“I know we’ve met. You were with someone if I remember,” Margaret said to Matt.
“Yeah. That’s over so it’s just me tonight What can I get us to drink?” and it was game-on. He went to get drinks
Joann and Mary got Cosmo’s and sat together close to Daphne. Joann asked “Are you still dating Doug?”
“Yes, very much so.”
“You two look like you belong together.”
“Thanks, I think. He’s a doll.”
Mary asks Daphne about Quigley—Well John found him in the floor and he’d been strangled. No one knows much more than that. We are waiting for the arrangements when the body is released.
Daphne hoped that would be the last time she was asked about Quigley but it wouldn’t be.
Mike and Kathaleen made and entrance and went to the bar before finding a place to sit. They sit across from Doug and Daphne.
Joe and Shari arrive with Ice Pick and Sam and head to the bar. Nate nods as the bartender signals up or down, Nate says up. When Joe, Shari, Ice Pick and Sam take a seat across from Hope and Nate, Nate decides it’s time to close the opening tab.
Doug says “Thanks to Nate for our first round of drinks!” Everyone cheers.
Turns out that Shari knows Nate from where she does Physical Therapy. He’s been a patient.
Daphne thinks everyone is here, so Doug addresses the room.
“We lost a good chum this past week. No one really knows what happened but what we do know is that John found Quigley’s body and he had been strangled. No arrangements have been made until the authorities release the body.”
“Thank you Doug or I would have had to do that all night,”
Mike brings up a toast “To Quigley our mate!”
Everybody drank.
Matt asks Margaret what she likes in a man and Margaret is funny “A job.” Matt laughs that off and says “Seriously”
“Seriously the most important is financial security other than me. But I like to have a good time—on a boat, cruise, beach or even going out to nice dinners. I’m not that hard to please.”
“I take it you’re divorced, but you’re out of your ‘I hate men’ stage already. Do you have any kids?”
“One leaving for college next fall. How about you?”
“No I’ve never been married. Married to the job, I guess.”
“Oh? Doing what?”
“I’m the dealer principal at Plaza Motors.”
“Dealer Principal is a nice way of saying ‘I own the joint’, am I right?”
“You could say that.” And they went on talking. If Daphne had the chance she’d boost up her bra-line and add a little lipstick, but Margaret had caught his eye.
Daphne caught up with Doug—they were never in the same conversation. Doug had been with Hope and Nate as they listened to the hilarious time Joe and Shari had on their wedding trip. They got married by Superman and all their friends dressed up as superheroes. They did it their way and boy did they have stories.
Daphne to Shari: “What’s the deal with Sam? Is this the one you call ‘Pretty Sam’? My friend Joann was wanting to know.
“Well, Ice Pick owns the quarry the Sam works at—Ice Pick is an awesome guy and he’s good looking without that hat and the sleeveless shirts to show off his tats.”
Daphne to Joann: “No go on him but she says that Ice Pick is a great guy, owns a quarry and cleans up great without the hat and the sleeveless shirt to show his tats. Not sure I can see you dating a guy named Ice Pick, but it’s his persona.
“I oughta just go over and talk to Shari. I know her and she’ll introduce me. I can see how he’d clean up pretty good.” And so Joann goes to talk to Shari and ends up talking to Ice Pick.
Everyone had a good time and a few people paired off: Margaret and Matt decided to have dinner, Joann and Ice Pick were going to go bar hoping and Joann laughed at herself. Daphne was exhausted by the party—more so than usual and felt like she needed to sleep. She gave Doug the option and he took her to his house. He didn’t have to be in until ten on a Saturday. Was she sick? No, just not feeling well with severe fatigue suddenly. Doug took her to his house to take care of her. He took her out of that dress and found tiny flesh colored bra and panties. He laid her in bed and poured himself a glass of bourbon. He asked if she wanted anything and she said sleep.
The next morning she was awake by eight and she had gotten the little bobbles for his house out of the car and placed the shell on one shelf and the green ball opposite the blue ball. It was subtle, but gave the room more depth. Doug was still asleep and a call came in “Ms. Townsley?”
“Yes, this is.”
“This is Detective Harrison and we’d like to ask you some more questions.”
“I’ve already come in once and I don’t know anymore now than I did then. We’ve been hoping you would solve the crime.”
“I understand and I’m sorry if it’s inconvenient but when can I expect you today?
“I can be there after ten.”
And Doug’s phone rang next though he looked at it and hit ignore.
“Doug you have to get up anyway. The cops want to see me again and that was probably them on your phone too. Doug turned on the shower and then came and kissed Daphne.
“How are you feeling today?”
“I thought good, till I got that call. You have to drop me at my place so I can change out of my party dress and go see the cops.

***

“Detective—What do you want me to say? I’ve told you the truth and everything I know about that night.”
“Have you ever seen the victim naked?”
“Uh, yeah we had a serious relationship four years ago. I saw him naked then.”
“Is that when he had your name tattooed on his chest?”
“I don’t know anything about that.”
“When you had sexual relations were you ever what is considered kinky or into pain?
“No. What does this have to do…”
“Did he ever push you that way?”
“No. We were normal.”
“Can you think of any reason the victim would be naked that night at John’s house?
“No and I wasn’t there.”
“You weren’t there to entice him so that your lover could strangle him?
“No, that’s absurd.”
“We aren’t charging you, just asking.”
“And my good will has gone on long enough.”
“I had nothing to do with this. Don’t call me again unless you are charging me with something, Lord only knows.

Outside she got in her car before she called Doug and told him what they had said to her. “The only useful part of that knowledge is that Quigley was naked. He and John always had a special bond, even when I was dating him. I bet they were lovers and this is just an asphyxiation gone bad. No wonder John is beside himself. How can he come forward with that? What do I do Doug?”
“You need to tell them. You don’t have proof but an interrogator will get that right out of John.”
“You’re right. We all kinda knew it, but they acted normal so we treated them normal. You have to tell the cops.”
“I will. I’ll tell that one detective that was nice.”
She walked back in and asked for Harrison.
“Yes ma’am. You want to talk to me?”
“Yes, somewhere private.”
“You’re gonna be on camera wherever I take you.”
“That’s fine.”
“Those two cops that just made a run at me said something that I didn’t know, but now I know who killed Quigley.”
“You know who killed him?”
“Well it was rough sex I’m sure with John Jay, the homeowner.”
“We all kinda knew that Quigley was bi-sexual, but we didn’t know John was though it’s probably been going on for years. They are consenting adults but that must be what happened. That’s why the only DNA you found was Quigley’s or John’s. It’s an educated guess, but a kind approach to John will probably get you the confession that you want. Please be kind and try to arrest him at home instead of the car dealership.”

Chapter Thirteen

Daphne didn’t know how to feel. She had chosen for them. She had told the secret that no one wanted to tell. The truth will set them both free. Quigley could now be laid to rest and John will have to face some facts about himself. We, as his friends didn’t care. It might not have been Daphne’s secret to keep or tell. Healing will start now.

Chapter Fourteen

Nate bought in at Plaza Motors. Like he suspected the property was the value in the home and they sold it for $200K without a problem and he financed the other $800K easily. Nate and Hope started looking at houses and they were going to stay close to home. Doug did so well that he trained all the new car sellers how to make a sale and their numbers overall improved and now he handed one of those pink sheet leads to the floor people deserving it. He was a great manager and Nate wished he had four of him.
Since Hope was going to move out with Nate, their time together went quickly. Doug was convinced that Daphne’s drafting table would fit in the spare room despite the bed and he was right, but it was tight. Daph took that whole side of the room and made it her own with her art and supplies. She put scarves on the window and it made it a nice looking room with color. She put her furniture in storage and moved the rest of her closet to Doug’s. He was thrilled to know that she’d be at home when he came home and not across town somewhere. He wanted her close. They chose to stay in Doug’s House until they felt they could afford a newer, bigger house.
The auto shows came and went and everything went right, exactly as promised. Daphne traveled to half of them and Nancy to the rest. It was a busy time with all those girls being girls riding the airplane there and shuttling them to the hotel and the conference center. Then to the right brands. It was a big task.
Margaret and Matt got serious about dating and he’s still got a job, so she can’t complain. At the latest happy hour they presented Daphne with a bracelet of gold and white gold intertwined and thanked her for bringing them together. They had no plans to get married but they were traveling the world together a little at a time.
Daphne and Doug with close friends got married in Cancun and they are expecting their first child. Not to be outdone Nate and Hope had a big traditional wedding and she was three months pregnant too.
Daphne worked with Nancy for three years with the automotive models. The plan worked nicely and they all made more money in the subsequent years.
John never really recovered from the death of Quigley, but he was Quigley’s sole heir and retired from the car business and took up reading and volunteering for the Red Cross. Quigley still haunted him and Daphne too, but they knew he was dead and those noises they heard were just noises.
Ice Pick turned out to be a great guy with a great head on his tattooed shoulders. When he wasn’t at the quarry, he cleaned up well and Joann was crazy about him—she got to where she didn’t even mind his tattoos and he lost the ball-cap and let his hair grow out to an average length, but there was nothing average about how he felt about Joann. He adored her and she really deserved someone who adored her like that. He’d do anything for her and about a year later she moved in with him—a huge step for a lady who lived in her childhood home with her sister Mary.
When Daphne had their child she had Hope by her side. She had already been through it and Doug appreciated the help. They had a little girl and Daphne couldn’t wait to play dress-up and have tea parties. They named her Josephine and would call her Jo. She was beautiful and Doug cried when he held her.

The writing challenge for this week is a word bank:

sweet – lavender – flute – heir – willow – bask

Love and other Nuances

I read once that ghosts appear where willow trees grow. If that is the case then we have nurtured a thousand willows. They are rooted in my bed, at nighttime; when the world is dark, and the only noise is the melody of my melancholy mind. They conjure your noise. Your rumble. Your sigh. The intrusive discord of your loving me. I am met with a presence I have never known, and it’s torturous because your ghost is the most perfect kind of company. A rock among the tyranny of lovers traipsing across my sullied sheets. Our forests flourish in the corners of silence and dance to the wince that accompanies your name. They are not the home of Oberon and Titania, but the long abandoned remains of a fairy-tale witch, cremated by the ghastly Hansel and Gretel. The ghosts they inspire are empty. Why is it that we are so…nothing?

You play a flute because it is ironic. It’s delicate form, your brutish build. You loved to surprise them. You told me once that you were most terrified of being forgotten. Funny that I was always more scared of being remembered. It created the strangest of imbalances between us. Speaking to you was removing a band aid, you replied like speaking was valued, affirmation of your charm. There was this one time, back in the era of spandex and rock and roll. The night of the hair-gel and glitter, I wore the leggings you always liked. Yes, those. You strutted up to me with your back combed hair, a flute in your hand and said ‘I want to know what’s happening in that pretty little head of yours. Tell me something good, sugar.’ You know what I replied? ‘Cake’. It was worth it for the way you laughed, I thought you would die laughing. God, I loved that I could inspire that sound. You were my funny boy. I was your sweet-toothed girl.

Once upon a time I thought you were the smartest man I had ever met. It was something about the way you spoke. Not what you said exactly, I never cared much for music. But I could hear the strum of doh as you laughed, the tang of a reh in your teasing. I hope that my skin becomes inked with literature like your voice became music. Your words were the musk of lavender, intoxicating in the heavy summer heat. Hearing you was like learning to read. Knowing you was the curious familiarity of rolling vowels across my clumsy tongue. Remember how we pretended to understand each other over a bottle of cider? They were the most beautiful of lies we told. Strange how you can miss a pretense. My memories are all images, no substance, all snapshot and filter. Liquor infused kisses in a musky room. Flushed cheeks as we raced to meet curfew. Twirling as we strolled down the street. Summer. We always were too well read to avoid becoming a cliche, look at us now: a Romeo and Juliet of the modern age. Too lazy to transform our ambivalence in to action. We’re so tainted people keep a safe five meter distance from us. That’s human instinct for you. They smell it. Can you? It’s the stench of decay? Ironically you embraced it, surprising as always. And I? How can I even explain what inclined me to give up. I’m so past trying to understand myself.

But sometimes, late at night when the willows come whispering I need you. It quickly passes, an illusive moment of weakness in the dead of night. But for just a second I wish you would Stay. For once forget that she’s waiting and stay. Stay because you love me. Stay because you love her more. Stay. Baby, please.

I’m not really sure where this came from, but I never really write anything like this. So sorry if it’s a bit sloppy. However as always I would love any feedback! Also please let me know if you like these writing challenges or if you’d rather I stuck to my normal blogging style.

I’ve heard it said many times
we just cannot see
what is often before our eyes
you’re living proof – my love overlooked
inside my heart – it cries

We have memories – history
we’ve known each other
for so long
you’re oblivious to my love
deaf to the words of my song

But I’ll keep waiting
hoping our friendship evolves
I am a ghost that you see right through
but one day I hope
I’m visible to you

(Born of teenage memories)

1:30 PM

When I am crying such as in a moment like now, I can’t help thinking about everything that makes me sad or gets me upset such as my poor social life, lack of boyfriend, and failing my license test as well as feeling cold-sick all the time and feeling tired and working all the time and not jamming with my boys Johnny, Cooper and James (even thought I feel he has changed a bit. I can’t help hanging on to my first love even though I know it’s stupid and is never going to happen. I really have to let go, but I don’t know how to. One way would probably be getting a boyfriend but that is unlikely to happen at this current time. Even though I know that negative attitude doesn’t help, but I can’t help it. It’s hard to shake it off. I need to go camping to cleanse my mind, but I can never get off work and my first half of the year is almost gone already. I know what I need to do. Retail therapy, project therapy and driving practice (getting back on the horse). I don’t want to re-do what happened last time, in me not driving for ages.

I CAN DO IT

DRIVE LIKE A GRANDMA

Always 5km under

When at 55, 45 or 35, back off a bit.

I miss my friends

I miss dancing

I miss music

I miss my confidence

THINGS TO DO

• CLEAR OUT DRAWS AND CUPBOARDS
• HAIR CUT

• CLOTHES
  • boots
  • coat
  • dress
  • top
  • cardigan
• LEARN LYRICS
• DANCING

HOW TO GET CONFIDENT

• PRACTICE
• MAKE MISTAKES
• LEARN FROM THEM
• TAKE DEEP BREATHS
• GOOD POSTURE

SURVIVING YOUR EMOTIONS TIPS

• DRINK TEA
• write everything down on your mind
• fuck the world