Daddy Next Door

by Tina Lee

  Amy shared two plates for herself and Josh and poured two glasses of cranberry juice. Their eyes both lit up as their taste-buds danced with excitement. It was a tasty, spicy fiesta in their mouths. “Wow, this is actually good!” Amy said.

  Josh nodded as his mouth was full of kale. The greens didn’t bother the boy. Vegetable was good for him and made him stronger, and superheroes needed to be strong.

  Amy and Josh high-fived each other. The teamwork was successful and she was positive Brenda would appreciate the effort. She wrote on a post-it for Brenda to see when she got home. Check the microwave! It read.

  After their tummies were filled, Amy returned Josh to Mrs. Huckleberry. The boy had ethnic fatigue and wanted to rest. “My eighth birthday is next week.”

  Amy had forgotten that his birthday was right around the corner. “What should I get you?”

  “Come with me to Chuck. E. Cheeses. My dad, grandma, grandpa and my friends are going to be there. I think dad would like it if you came.”

  “You think so?”

  “I know so.”

  “Sure. I’ll come.”

  Amy said goodbye to Josh, Mrs. Huckleberry and Mr. Finch then went back to her apartment. Brenda was home, sitting around the counter and eating the meal Amy had prepared. It pleased Amy to see Brenda eat her meal so ravenously.

  “You’re back,” Amy said.

  Brenda pointed at the Kale, chopped sweet potatoes, and shrimps. “This is really good.”

  Amy took a seat beside her best friend. “I’m sorry, Brenda. I said some really mean things. I—”

  “I’m sorry too.”

  Amy looked confused. “Sorry about what?”

  “For disregarding your feelings. Whether I believe David is right for you or not, I should always respect what you feel. You’re smart, Amy. I trust that you will choose what feels right.”

  Amy needed to hear that. She had no confidence in her own judgment, and it was comforting to know that someone believed in her. She hugged Brenda. “I love you.”

  “I love you too.”

  Chapter 15

  O n Luke’s monitor,

  numbers danced without rhythm, changing from red to green and green to red. Every second someone was getting gaining and losing money.

  He played with a stress ball as he watched this. He didn’t need a stress ball—at least he thought he didn’t, but he liked the feel of it, the way how it absorbed all his force then regained its shape, ready to be squeezed again.

  There was a knock on his door. It was the receptionist, Ashley, who wore a smile as bright as the morning sun. She placed his letters on his desk and, instead of smiling and leave as she would normally would, decided to sit on the edge of his desk and chit chat with Luke.

  He felt the sexual energy that she was emitting. A radiant young woman, full of life and bright, who was going to make a mistake so many of the young receptionists had made before her.

  The receptionist reminded Luke of Amy. The women looked nothing alike, but they were both women in their prime; when youth, beauty, and womanhood had aligned perfectly. The receptionist had played with her hair five times since her little chit-chat, clearly nervous but persistent. “Have any plans Friday night?” she asked.

  “None.”

  Her hands fidgeted oh so subtly, but was clear as day to the eyes of Luke, a man of great detail. “I have two tickets for a baseball game if you’d like to join me.”

  Luke considered it for a moment. Amy was very present in his mind and influenced his decision. But why should Amy be a factor? He thought. She had a decision to make, not him. He did his part. He wasn’t going to wait around for something that may never happen.

  Still, he had to decline the receptionist’s offer. She was a young woman trying to climb the ladder the wrong way. He would not be a part of it.

  Before she left his office, she buttoned her top button—hiding her cleavage—and pulled down her skirt. Sexy as she may be, Luke just wasn’t interested.

  The door closed, and Luke began squeezing the stress ball again. The picture of his wife was staring at him, judging him, perhaps. “She’s not the one,” he said to the picture. “Her name is Amy. You would like her. Josh definitely likes her.” He then returned his focus to the numbers on his screen.

  The bathroom at work was where men displayed their egos and beat their chest. They spoke of their day trade, things they had bought and women. They lined the urinals with their dicks in their hands and try to convince the man next to him that they were superior. Their heads turned when Luke walked in. They quickly shook their dicks and returned it to their pants and hurried out the restroom, forgetting to wash their hands.

  In came Mr. Lovistky, owner of the biggest nose in the brokerage. He used the urinal on the other ending, three urinals between Luke and him. Luke appreciated Mr. Lovistky respect for the guy code.

  Mr. Lovitsky nodded, and Luke returned the nod, which Lovitski took for an invitation to speak. “You know the hot receptionist, Ashley? The pretty young thing with perky tits?”

  Luke didn’t answer, but Mr. Lovitski carried on anyway. “She offered me tickets to a baseball game on Friday, but honestly all we’re going to do is get coked up and fuck.”

  Something in Luke ticked. His jaw was clenched and his muscles stiffened. It was scumbags like Mr. Lovitski that he loathed. He went around promising women big favors in exchange for their body and sanctity. Everyone knew he preferred virgins.

  “After I’m done with her I’ll have some of the buddies get in on the action too.”

  Luke grabbed Mr. Lovitski by the shirt and flung him into the bathroom stall.

  “What are you doing?” Mr. Lovitski held his hand over his head and cowered in fear.

  “Look at me!” Luke shouted. He wrapped his hand around Mr. Lovitski’s tie until it was choking him. Luke squeezed until Mr. Lovitski head grew red like a tomato. Mr. Lovitski hands thrashed as he fought for air. “Listen to me because I’m only going to say this once. If you ever go near her again, I’m going to break that big fucking nose of yours. You understand?”

  Mr. Loviski nodded.

  Luke let go of the creep, straightened his suit, washed his hands and left the bathroom.

  After work, Luke and Dan went to the Hammer and Nail for a drink. Word had spread about what he did to Mr. Lovitsky and his boss was in on his case about it. He got off with a stern warning, nothing else. Luke was much too valuable to the brokerage.

  “You still thinking about what happened today?” Dan asked when he noticed Luke was silent. “Everyone hates that guy. We’re all on your side.”

  “No, that’s not it.”

  “Then what is it?”

  He took a sip of his beer. “It’s about the woman I was telling you about.”

  “What about her?”

  “She has feelings for her ex-boyfriend. The way how I see it, by not immediately picking me, she has already made her choice.”

  “Sounds messy.”

  “Not at all. I’m slowly removing myself from the picture, making her choice easier. I don’t want to be a part of it.”

  “You’re just giving up like that?”

  “I’m not giving up, I’m just—”

  “Preventing yourself from getting hurt?” Dan turned his stool to face Luke. “Let me ask you something. Can you picture a life with her?”

  “I can.”

  “Then you need to fight for her, Luke. Don’t let him take your woman.”

  “But it’s her choice. There’s nothing I can do.”

  “Show her that you are the right choice. Don’t go out without a fight. You gotta fight for that life that you imagined.”

  Dan was right and Luke knew it. He would be foolish to accept defeat and let Amy slip from his grasp. Her heart was undecided, but that didn’t mean he was out of the picture just yet. He believed their connection was real. He could feel her energy, and that was something she simply could not fake. He was in this just as much as the nex
t guy.

  “I gotta go!” Luke said. He placed a twenty dollar bill under his glass. “Beers are on me.”

  Dan chuckled. “Go get her, bro”

  Luke was certain Amy was the one he wanted to be with. It was her, it had always been her. He should have known from the very moment he laid eyes on her crystal blue eyes, it had cleansed his soul, making him clean again.

  He rushed to the elevator and impatiently waited for it to reach his floor. As soon as the door opened, he sprinted down the hallway and stopped at Amy’s door. Before he knocked, he stopped and took couple deep breaths to calm himself, then he knocked thrice on her door.

  Amy opened the door wearing a baggy t-shirt with dried paint on the sleeves, gloves and a handkerchief tied around her head. “Hey,” she said, smiling ever so brightly, surprised to see Luke at her door.

  “I’m not giving up on you so easily,” he said and held her face, losing himself in her eyes. “I’m going to make you mine.” He kissed her deeply, pouring all of his emotion into her

  The strength and depth of his kiss surprised Amy, It seemed to have come from nowhere. It was a pleasant surprise, leaving Amy flustered and lost for words.

  Amy stepped back into her apartment and Luke followed, closing the door behind him. She continued to walk backward, taking off her gloves first, then the handkerchief from her head, and at last, her over-sized t-shirt. She had reached into her bedroom without once turning around to look. Luke followed, untying his tie and unbuttoning his shirt as he does. Once inside her bedroom, Luke dropped his shirt and pants on the floor, but not before swinging her bedroom door shut.

  Chapter 16

  T he performance was over.

  Dante, the Italian tailor, found love in the eyes of the florist across the street. The performers bowed, the audience applauded and the curtain closed.

  “I really enjoyed that,” Amy said, walking out the exit arm in arm with Luke.

  Outside the rain poured in the late night. Luke had parked a block down from the theater. The exit quickly became congested as many of the audience contemplated if they should chance running through the downpour. The ones with umbrellas squeezed through from the back and walked outside, leaving the rest to accept their fate of getting soaked on this night.

  Luke took off his jacket and gave Amy to put over her head. “No sense waiting for it to ease,” he told her.

  Amy was thinking the same thing. She took off her heels and stood bare feet. “Ready?” she asked Luke.

  Luke took her heels and held her hands. “Let’s go.”

  They ran in the heavy downpour, sighting other rain runners as they do. “Excuse me,” Amy said to the walkers who had given up their run, they were already soaked and thought not to fuss themselves. Luke led Amy by the hand to his car and quickly opened the door for her. “Soaked?” he asked.

  Amy removed Luke’s jacket from her head. “Pretty much.”

  On the way home, Luke played Andrea Bocelli - Con Te Partiro. They had visited Italy in the theater and it felt like they were there. Amy sang like the Italian florist whom Dante had fallen in love with. Luke, in his deepest voice, sang the little Italian he remembered having replayed the songs many times.

  “Stop the car,” Amy said. “Let’s dance under this lamp post.”

  “It’s raining.”

  “Darling, we’re already soaked.”

  Luke increased the volume of the music and stepped out in the rain. Under the light of the lamp post, he waited on Amy—his Italian florist and dance partner—to join him. They were doing their own theatrical performance, and in their heads, they were in Venice. They danced to the powerful sound of Andre Bocelli's beautiful voice.

  Luke held Amy’s wet face and kissed her. Love had meaning again, and now it was all the more beautiful. “Amy, you make my heart sing with joy. I’m not much of a poet but you make me want to be.” He gave her a million small kisses. “You, my dear, are poetry.”

  They stepped into the elevator with Mr. Pecherov and his dog. The Ukrainian looked at the two with curious eyes. “Playing in the rain?” he asked.

  “Dancing in the rain,” Amy replied.

  “Like the movies?”

  Amy looked up at Luke who was smiling at her. “Yes, like the movies,” she replied.

  In Luke’s apartment, they quickly undress and changed into dry clothes. Josh was at his grandmother, which left Luke with a rare night of complete freedom. Amy wrapped her hair with one of his towels and wore his t-shirt and shorts.

  Luke pulled a bottle of wine. He knew Amy loved wine and had bought a few bottles, ranging from aged to young, from California to Bordeaux. Amy talked about her childhood, reliving embarrassing memories and explaining to Luke why she was the way she was. Luke listened. He loved to listen. She rested her head on his lap. “Kiss me.” He leaned over and kissed her. “Kiss me again.” He kissed her again. “One more.” He kissed her once more. “I’ll never get tired of your kisses.”

  “And I’ll never get tired of kissing you.”

  In the morning the rain was gone and the sun was out, welcoming the cuddling couple into a new day. Luke had awoken before Amy, however, he decided to stay very still and fulfill his duty as her pillow.

  After she was awake and no longer required the comfortable warmth of his chest, Luke moved to the kitchen to make breakfast.

  Amy wrapped herself in the covers, smelling whatever Luke was making from the kitchen, thinking of how his heartbeat was the soothest melody she had ever heard. She found his heartbeat to be music to her ears, and wondered if that was what love sounded like.

  Luke carried the breakfast into the bed. He had been stern on Josh when it came to eating in bed. It wasn’t allowed in his home. He simplified it down to bad eating practices, and yet, there he was, placing the tray of food in front of Amy. If only Josh were here to see his father break his own rule.

  Amy could not have predicted that Luke was this sweet of a man. He always had a serious and stern look about him, a stereotypical methodical thinker who was cold and void of intimacy. That couldn’t be further from the truth. The best thing Amy had discovered over the summer, besides Josh’s imagination, was Luke’s smile. It assured her that everything would be alright and she didn’t need to worry.

  After breakfast, Amy returned to her apartment with a full stomach and a full heart. Oh, what joy! A morning had never been so beautiful! Sadly, the scent of Brenda’s pancakes, bacon and chopped fruits did nothing for her. She was content.

  “Oh my God, you’re glowing,” Brenda said. “Tell me everything!”

  Amy twirled in the living room to the music that was playing inside her head. She felt as light as a feather, as cool as the ocean and as radiant as the morning sun.

  Brenda stopped what she was doing and watched her friend danced. It was strikingly graceful. “You look like a woman in love.”

  “Love is a strong word, but my dear heart hopes for it.” Amy fell back on the couch and sighed. “I feel like I’m floating.”

  “It has been a long time since I’ve seen you this happy.” Brenda joined her on the couch, and Amy rested her head on Brenda’s shoulder.

  “Guess what?” Amy asked, smiling.

  “What?”

  The dust had settled. The feeling of confusion and chaos in Amy’s head had dissipated. Now, there was only clarity. She looked up at Brenda and said, “I’ve made my choice.”

  Chapter 17

  “C

  an we talk?”

  Brenda said to Brian. It was the end of their second date and Brenda had made up her mind of what was to become of him. Brian was the ideal guy. She thought of dating him just to receive her mother’s approval, and she almost did, before Jack came knocking on her door.

  “Yeah, sure. What’s up?” Brian, who thought their date was going great, was confused when Brenda decided to suddenly put an end to their night, and to the possibility of him being her man. “Was it because of something I had done?” he asked.
/>   Brenda shook her head. She was never good at breaking bad news. Brian took it harder than she had anticipated. This was only their second date, she had expected him to take it fairly well, but Brian had took a serious liking for Brenda, and it hurt him to hear her admit she had fallen for another.

  A heart-wrenching silence fell between them in the back of the Uber. They were never going to speak to each other again, an unsaid but mutual understanding. Brian knew he could never go back to just being friends with Brenda, whom he had so much fondness for. This was it. There was no malice in heart, just disappointment, for he would never get to see what they could have been.

  He walked Brenda to her door, however, he did not tarry like the last time. “Good night,” he said, then returned to his Uber waiting outside.

  Amy knocked on Mrs. Huckleberry’s door.

  “Come!” Mrs. Huckleberry said.

  Mrs. Huckleberry was sitting on her couch sewing a button onto her blouse. Mr. Finch sat on the arm of the couch, awakened by Amy’s presence. The white feline then jumped to the floor and found a quieter spot under the table.

  Amy’s had been thinking a lot lately, particularly about her future and what it would entail. At first, it seemed all so flowery, but this was the real world where actions had consequences. She must make the right decision, or else someone could be seriously hurt. It wasn’t Luke whom she was so concerned about, but rather the blameless and bright Josh.

  Am I ready to take care of a child?

  She thought of how her mother and aunts were able to overcome unfavorable situations while having to nurse a life. They were bold, strong mothers, though not perfect. If only I could inherit a quarter of their strength, Amy thought.

  “I need your advice,” Amy said.

  Mrs. Huckleberry rested her blouse on the arm of the couch. She saw that the young woman was low spirited; her usual bright blue eyes had lost its shine. “What is it, my child?” Mrs. Huckleberry said.