Succeeding Love

It’s A Date

Vin

“One. Two. Three….” I’m sitting in my late father’s rocking chair, which is angled to look out the front window, counting the dust particles in the air. The morning sun is shining brightly through the slits in the blinds, making them easy to see. “Seventeen. Eighteen. Nineteen. Twenty.”

I leaned forward, pushing two fingers between the blind slits, opening the crack wide enough to see across the street.

Nope. No sign of her yet. She leaves her garage open when she walks her dog, and it’s still as closed as it’s been the first three dozen times I’ve looked out while sipping my Redbull.

I went back to counting, starting back at one again. My ears perked when I heard the sounds of what I thought was a garage when I’m at number twelve, and I hurried to look outside again. “Bummer,” I muttered, seeing it was the neighbor beside her, and not her house. I was about to sit back and start counting again, but then I noticed Lynn’s neighbor, some woman in a shower cap and fluffy robe, pulled her trash cans out to the curb.

Shit, it’s trash day. All the houses have their trash cans out. Mom said she wasn’t sure what day trash came on anymore, so I didn’t know. Surprisingly, her trash wasn’t too full, not like she had forgotten to take it out at all in the past weeks, so I wasn’t in a rush to figure it out. I was going to go into the city later to get utilities switched to my name and find out the schedule then, but I guess I can put the trash out now.

I checked one last time out the blinds, seeing if my giggling, happy neighbor that cooks killer lasagna might have come out yet, but the garage was still closed. Bummer, because taking out the trash would have been the perfect opportunity to see her again.

Damn, I’m acting like a freaking stalker now. I can’t help it. I had fucking dreams of her laughing and giggling last night. I thought I was going crazy. When I sat down in that chair fifteen minutes ago, I told myself I was just waiting to see her so I could return the food containers and bag to her, but then I had to face the fact that I was just eager to see her again.

I dropped the bag with her stuff on the kitchen counter, then slipped on some shoes as mom was coming down the back stairs into the kitchen. She’s taking them slower than I would like. Maybe I should get a lift installed for her soon.

“Morning, mom,” I kissed her cheek as I went around her to the garage door.

“Oh, you’re up early. How did you sleep?”

I cringed, our neighbor across the street's face coming into my head. “Great,” I muttered.

“That’s good, dear,” she said, moving to the cabinet with her tea.

I slugged back the rest of my energy drink as I pressed the garage door opener, and when I looked back down, there were legs on the other side of my garage. Distressed jeans and sneakers. As the door opened more and more, it uncovered a teenage boy. He had both the trash and the recycling carts and was dragging them out to the curb.

“Hey, kid,” I yelled, but he must have not heard me. The white ear buds poking out from the sides of his head are probably to blame. I followed behind him, then scared the snot out of the boy when he turned around. He dropped the wheeled carts in the process. The black garbage one skidded to a stop, but the blue recycling fell over, cardboard boxes tumbling out.

“Jeez,” he gasped, “You scared the crap out of me.” He pulled out his ear buds and slipped them in his pocket before bending over to clean up the mess.

“Sorry,” I chuckled, going to help him. “I yelled out to you, but guess you didn’t hear me.”

“Headphones,” he muttered.

“Ah,” I nodded. Teenagers and their headphones these days. He doesn’t look like a bratty kid like most teenagers, though. And he was even taking out our trash for us.

He eyed me warily for a second, then looked back at my house, seeing my mom in the kitchen window. “Are you visiting Mrs. Trude or something?” He kept looking at the window at my mom until she looked up and saw him. When she smiled and waved, he returned it with a more relaxed expression. He was obviously worried about the stranger in my mom’s house. I liked this kid more and more.

“I just moved in.” I held out my hand to shake him. “Name’s Kevin. I’m her son.”

“Kevin?” He snorted and smirked, but returned the handshake firmly. I was taken back for a second. Was my name that funny? “Sorry. That’s my dog’s name. I’m Preston. I live across the street.”

That explains the humor. This must be Feighlynn’s other kid. I guess she didn’t mention me to him yesterday.

“Hi, Preston,” I said, tossing my empty can into the recycling. “Um, thanks for taking the trash out for us.”

“Yeah, no problem. Mrs. Trude forgets, so we try to get it for her every week. Don’t scare my mom if she brings it in later for you. She usually gets to them before I get home from school.”

“I won’t,” I grinned. This is a good kid. Feighlynn did well.

“Well, it was nice meeting you human Kevin. I got to get my sister and me to school.” He waved and hurried across the street as I stood there in stunned amusement.

Human Kevin. Yep. The kid was definitely Feighlynn’s.

I watched the kid go into his front door before I adjusted the trash cans a bit. They were in the driveway halfway and I was getting my car delivered today. Plus, I had to get the uhaul back this morning. I needed all the driveway space.

Right when I was about to walk back inside, I heard a garage open, and sure enough, it was theirs.

“Did you grab your lunches?!” Feighlynn called out to the mustang backing out of the third car spot.

Preston stuck his head out of the window. “Jessie got them. Thanks mom.”

“Have a good day! Make good choices,” she waved excitedly, her dog on his leash in her other hand. “I love you!”

She had to be the happiest person I have ever met. I was stunned, just standing there and watching her until her son drove by and waved again at me before rolling up his window.

“My action hero!” Feighlynn said when she saw me. I felt like puffing out my chest and flexing my arms when she called me that.

“Hey, Lynn,” I smirked instead.

“Morning, Vin ,” she giggled. It was just like in my dreams. Maybe even better. “Pres said he met you this morning.”

“He did,” I grinned, remembering him calling me human Kevin.

“He asked me if we should make sure you’re really Velma’s son and not some friendly robber.” She bit her bottom lip, her eyes shining with humor.

“At least he called me friendly,” I huffed, acting offended, but I’m actually just impressed.

“Yeah,” she giggled. “You went from hero to robber overnight.”

“I think that’s a different Vin Diesel movie,” I chuckled.

“We should make a list and start checking them off.”

That gave me an idea. I don’t know if it’s a good one, but I wanted to take the chance. I looked down at her dog, nervously petting his ears. “We could, um, have a movie night some time then?”

She fluttered her eyes in the cutest way, brushing her hair behind her ear while she looked down shyly. Man, she’s pretty. “You really want to watch that Riddick movie, huh?”

“That, and I could handle your leftovers for you,” I chuckled nervously. “I mean, I scarfed that lasagna down. It was amazing.”

“It was pretty amazing, huh?” she giggled.

Damn, she was cute. Her ex-husband must have been a moron.

“I, uh, I don’t have the kids on weekends, so I wasn’t planning on cooking tonight.”

“Even better,” I said. “I could take you out? Maybe see an actual movie?”

“Are you saying Riddick isn’t an actual movie?” she grinned adorably. “It happens to be one of my favorites.”

I shook my head and burst into laughter. “Well, what I meant was a movie playing in theaters. I’m sure there’s something out there like it.”

She bit her lip, looking up at me. I could see she was thinking it through, and I’m sure she’s uncomfortable being put on the spot like this.

“Tell you what. Think about it for a second. I’m going to run in and get your containers for you and your bag.”

“You really ate it all?” Her large brown eyes went even wider.

“Every bit of it.” I rubbed my belly and smiled. “I’ll be right back.”

I jogged up to the house, passing through the garage to grab the bag quickly from the kitchen. Mom was in the backyard looking at her flowers with her cup of tea and toast for breakfast. After making sure she was okay, I hurried back out to where Feighlynn was still waiting at the end of my driveway.

“Here you go,” I handed it to her, but her fumbling with the leash to grab it had me pulling it back towards me. “Uh, I can just place this on your porch or in your garage for you until you get back.”

She smiled, biting that bottom lip and shaking her head. “I have a better idea. How about just bringing it to me tonight? Say, around six?”

My heart was thundering in my chest, and a relieved, rejoicing smile split across my face, making my cheeks hurt, but I didn’t care.

“At six? Sounds great.”

“It’s a date,” she giggled, then hurriedly started walking with Kevin in tow.

~

Nick

“What do you think?” Arlene asked me, shaking my knee.

“Huh?” I snapped out of my thoughts, glancing at her before focusing back on the road. She’s been awfully chatty since we left this morning, which I didn’t expect after what happened last night.

“Nicholas, are you serious? Were you really not listening to a single word I said?”

“Sorry,” I muttered. “I was thinking of my case.”

That was a lie. I have been fighting a headache from drinking too much last night, then thinking about my wife and the new condo.

Arlene scoffed like she didn’t believe me, but continued talking anyway. “I was saying, why don’t we take Jessie to that new dive bar down the street for dinner tonight? I hear the tartar is astounding.”

“A dive bar, Arlene? Really? Jess is only thirteen.”

She huffed in exasperation, “It has a restaurant side, too.”

“No,” I shook my head. “I’m taking her and her brother somewhere tonight. Even if I wasn’t, we wouldn’t be taking her to a bar.”

“It’s a restaurant,” she snapped, crossing her arms over her chest. “I haven’t seen her in weeks, Nicholas.”

It’s really beginning to grate on my nerves when she calls me that. Nicholas. Fay always only called me Nick, and Nicholas was only what I went by at work. Arlene called me Nick most of the time, unless she was upset with me. She’s frequently upset with me now, so Nicholas is all I ever hear anymore.

“She’s not your child, Arlene. She’s mine, and my other child won’t come over anymore. If I want to spend time with him, it has to be away from your place.” I should probably mention the condo I bought soon, but I still haven’t figured out how to tell her without her causing a scene. We will still have to work together, and cutting her off cold turkey would not go well.

Her face fell just like it did last night, and I almost felt bad, but I stand by my statement. Preston hates Arlene, and if I want to spend time with my son, it has to be on his terms. His terms don’t include her.

“I have done nothing but be nice to your son. It isn’t my fault he does not wish to have a relationship with me.”

“No, but you are the woman that broke my marriage. I don’t expect Preston to like you.”

“That’s not fair,” she seethed. Lord, I shouldn’t have said that out loud. This is going to turn into a massive fight. “You said you wanted more.”

Arlene’s growing dependence on me pushed me to say it, even though I may have not wanted to. I was confused and made a mistake. I will not tell her that right now, though. I need to get my belongings from her place in the next few days and into the condo, then I’ll tell her I made a mistake.

“I’m not trying to fight, Arlene,” I said, pulling into a parking spot inside the parking garage. “I’m just telling you, my kids, and I won’t be at your place this weekend.”

The second the car was in park, she threw open the door in a huff and slammed it shut behind her.

I was not in the mood for this today. It’s adding to my headache. I’m still reeling over the condo and Fay’s blunt refusal to even go see it. Maybe after getting the keys, I can stop in on her and just be blunt with her, too. I can just tell her I know I was wrong. It would be after I got the kids. I need to send Preston the address for the hotel I booked near the condo. Maybe after the kids settle in for the night, I can stop by the house and have an actual heart to heart with my wife. I can lay it all on the table.

Walking into the building, I saw two partners of the firm, Stevens and Leroy, waiting at the elevator.

“Ah, Nicholas!” Stevens gave me a friendly tap on the shoulder. “You look rather shipper today.”

“Arlene Settles had a look that could kill on her face just seconds ago before taking the stairs. I thought maybe you two had had a fight,” Leroy said.

“Nope,” I forced a smile. “Just excited to get my kids tonight.”

“Right, you got the kids on the weekends,” Stevens chuckled. “No wonder your girlfriend is in a mood. Kids are a handful. You should have done every other weekend like I did with my ex-wife.”

“Speaking of which,” Leroy reached into his pocket for his phone. “My wife was asking me to get your ex-wife’s number.”

“My wife?” I said. “Do you mind me asking what for?”

“Well, I’m not entirely sure. She rambles, you see, but it sounded like she wanted it to give to her younger brother.”

“Her brother? Why would she do that?”

“Don’t get all grouchy, Nick. This could be beneficial to you. You wouldn’t have to pay those hefty alimony checks anymore.”

“I don’t pay alimony, Stevens. I don’t pay her anything.”

“Oh, good. You had a prenup. Smart man,” Leroy wagged his finger proudly at me.

I didn’t have a prenup either. I just have a saint of a wife that wanted nothing from me.

“Anyway. I guess my wife’s brother met your ex at her baby shower a year and a half ago. He is recently single too, and Mary thought they might hit it off.”

Rage was bubbling inside of me, but these men were above me in the firm. I could lose my job if I lashed out right now.

“Do you mind if I discuss this with her first? She may not feel comfortable with me handing out her phone number.”

“Sure, go ahead,” Leroy said. “I’m telling you, though, the sooner she moves on to a new relationship, the better things are going to get for you.”

“We know from experience,” Stevens chuckled.

“Sure,” I smiled tightly, watching the numbers move up on the elevator wall. “I’ll, uh, give it some thought.”

I have no intentions of giving anyone her number, or seeing her move on. The fire is lit inside of me now. I’m going to go talk to her tonight.