“Good evening.” He said as he passed.
“Evening.” She smiled.
Griffin placed his paws on her thigh as she tried to close the gate.
“Hello.” She smiled at him, seeming a little happier to see the dog than to see the human. Griffin wagged his tail happily at her and Kassie placed her bags on the ground, digging into one of the takeout bags. She pulled out some delicious looking steak fries, blew on them and gave them to Griff who gobbled them up.
“I like the convertible.” Tim made conversation.
“Thanks.”
“You don’t see cars in that color much. Didn’t you have a red one?”
Kassie nodded, “The red one was mine, the black one was my ex husband’s. I took it in the divorce, and the navy blue one is a little celebration of my divorce from him.” She pushed her hair back from her face, “The other two, the red and the black, I sold and donated the money to a battered women’s shelter and The Disabled Veterans Foundation.” Kassie said.
Tim raised his eyebrows, impressed by her generosity.
“That’s sweet of you Kassie.”
“I didn’t need the cars or the money,” she shrugged. “Why not?”
He smiled at her wolfishly, “Maybe one day you can take me for a drive.”
“Maybe one day I will,” She picked up her things and walked away, throwing him a coy look over her shoulder. “If you get lucky.”
Kassie went into her house and lost her composure the minute she closed the door. She leaned back against it. Was she actually flirting with Tim? Her heart was thumping in her chest so hard she could swear she was having a panic attack. The man was giving her the fits for God’s sake . . . and she was enjoying it! She was really starting to wonder about him. She wondered how his lips taste, how his hands would feel on her and how his skin smelled. Kassie had imagined all kinds of things when she thought of being with him.
*~*~*~*
Chapter 11
Halloween blew in so quickly that Kassie didn’t remember until mid day. She had plans for the city but would much rather lay on her couch, eating popcorn and watching scary movies; while taking down as much chocolate candy as she could before she broke out in hives. But business was business and it had to be done. She decided she’d grab a bag of candy in the city and order a scary movie at her hotel suite. It wasn’t as fun as being at home but it would have to do.
*****
It was seven o’clock and the streets were full of trick-or-treaters. Timothy slid a blue satin cape onto Griffin and chuckled.
“Alright dog wonder, I’ll admit, you’re cute.” He shook the Griffin’s paw. Tim looked in the hall mirror and touched up the fake blood around his mouth, before doing a little James Brown spin. He was not just a zombie; he was the baddest badass zombie on the block!
Nora and Bruce walked out of the kitchen with a huge bowl of candy. Nora was wearing a zombie beauty queen costume and Bruce was Dracula.
“Sure you don’t mind Brucie?” She asked.
“Nope. I’ll eat candy and watch Vincent Price. Happy Halloween to me.” Bruce never liked Halloween, even as a kid. He always felt a little creeped out by the whole “celebrating the dead” thing (as he called it). Plus the fact, his brothers would beat the crap out of him and take his candy.
“Ok, I’m ready!” Natalie ran down dressed as a zombie cheerleader. “Candy.” She stuck out her arms and drug her foot behind her, they all laughed. No one wanting to remind her that they were a zombie family, not mummies.
“Let’s go.” Tim said picking up her pail and a black pillowcase.
“Really Tim?”
“What? This is my payment for wearing this costume when I wanted to be Knight Rider.” Tim objected. Nora stared at him with an amused annoyance. He was Knight Rider every year. “You’ll get your cut.”
“Yeah,” Nora said. “Well I want a third.” She turned and gave Bruce a quick kiss good bye, ignoring Tim’s grumbling behind her back.
“Candy addicts.” Natalie mumbled on her way out.
*****
Kassie tossed her bag into the back of her car. She was wearing very un-Halloween like clothing; black leather booties, a short cobalt blue dress and a black blazer with the sleeves rolled up on her forearms. Her hair was in a sexy, messy braid over her shoulder.
“Hi.” Natalie said brightly, running up to Kassie driveway gate.
“Hello.” Kassie smiled at the little girl. “How are you?”
“I’m doing well, how are you?”
Kassie laughed, a tinkling beautiful laugh and Tim nearly swooned.
“Very well spoken for a zombie cheerleader, usually you guys just grunt and groan at people.”
Natalie giggled.
“You look pretty. Are you going to a party?” Natalie asked excitedly.
“No, I have a meeting in Chicago.” Kassie said.
Natalie nodded sadly. She was a Halloweenaholic and thought that everyone should be.
“I’ll get candy for you too.” She said.
“Thank you sweetheart, that’s very nice. Most zombies don’t like to share.” Kassie giggled and Natalie joined her. Tim watched the light in Kassie's eyes as she spoke to the young girl. He hadn’t seen that light when she spoke to him.
“Hello.” Nora said stepping up and holding out her hand, Kassie shook it.
“Hi.” Kassie smiled. “I’m Kassie-,”
“I know who you are. We were big fans of your work when Nat was little. You’re an excellent artist.” Nora flattered Kassie. “I’m Nora by the way.”
Kassie smiled graciously, all the while feeling Tim’s eyes on her.
“Nice to meet you Nora and thank you. I’m never certain about my work.” Kassie smiled. “I’m about to publish a book of my own.”
“That’s wonderful. I’ll read it to my little one.” She patted her belly.
Kassie smiled, but it pained her. After her miscarriage she wasn’t too sure that she’d be able to get pregnant again.
“Congratulations.” Kassie said gently.
Tim saw the sadness cover her pretty face and took a bit of a step closer.
“Oh, oh my gosh. I’m so sorry.” Nora remembered reading about her miscarriage in a tabloid. It was weird to read about the countless affairs Monroe had on Kassie and here she was standing right in front of them. Seeing her face to face the woman was very pretty and seemed nice. She didn’t understand how some men could be so heartless.
“No, it’s fine. I’m not going to rain on your happiness.” Kassie smiled a little tremulously. “Besides it’s been two years.”
Tim could see the sorrow in her eyes still.
“We should get going.” Tim said softly.
Kassie looked at him up and down slowly. Even in a zombie costume, he was good looking, as impossible as that seemed.
“Where’s your costume?” Kassie asked breaking the tension.
Nora and Natalie laughed.
“You’re real cute.” Tim grumbled.
Kassie turned and walked away giggling too.
“Enjoy your night.” Kassie smiled, opening her car door.
“Bye Kassie.” Natalie said.
“Hey wait,” She turned. “What’s your name sweetheart? You’ve never told me.”
“Natalie.” The little zombie beamed at her.
“That’s a beautiful name.”
“It’s my Gram’s name.” She said smiling.
“I like it.” Kassie waved, not even realizing that she had made the girl’s night. “Have fun guys.”
“Bye!” Natalie and Nora called out. Tim stuck his tongue out at her and she laughed out loud as she pulled out into the street full of trick-or-treaters, this time very slowly. She honked as she slowly drove past them. Tim closed her gate as Nat and Nora waved.
*****
Tim looked at Nora as she teased him; she had been teasing him throughout the walk. He shook his head at her angrily.
“See what I mean about her?” Tim
asked. “Where’s your costume?” He mimicked in a high voice.
Nora shrugged a shoulder at him and laughed. As a matter of fact she had laughed her ass off at his expense.
“I think she’s funny. Where’s your costume.” She giggled again and shook her head. “Good stuff. Besides, I got a little flirtation in that teasing whether you noticed or not.”
“Yeah right.” Tim said softly kicking over a stone.
“Not everyone has a relationship like ours Timmy.” She said softly as she looped her arm around his. “We just grew apart and we knew it. Thank God we were able to just divorce and stay friends. Some couples don’t have that. There’s cheating and lying and fighting, it all leaves such bitterness. Even in our splitting up we both waited until we were well out of our marriage before we started dating again.”
“I respected you Nora and what we had together.” He said. “And what we made.” He looked up at Natalie as she got a handful of candy from Max, who was dressed in his old football gear. He waved at Nora and Tim and they waved back.
“I loved you for that.”
“Besides I’m a pussy. I didn’t want to see you cry.” He said.
“Yeah you really are.” She agreed.
He laughed putting his arm over her shoulder as Natalie ran out of the fence and to the next house with a group of friends. Nora still smiled when he put his arm over her shoulder; it was automatic. It felt like they were still in college when he did that. How innocent and carefree they were back then.
“Speaking of that, I’m playing in D.C. this weekend.”
Nora laughed, “Oh?”
“And I have a “friend” there who visits me every time I go but she’s got a boyfriend now and I’m feeling . . . I don’t know . . . weird about sleeping with her.”
Nora snorted and shook her head in disbelief.
“You know, I need my jaw to hold my violin, wouldn’t do to have it broken.” Tim added, Nora mmm-hmmed him sassily. “So, how do I handle that?”
Nora rolled her eyes, “Having it broken by him or her?”
Tim laughed knowing she was referring to the time a woman he was seeing before decked him. He was a gentleman, hitting women wasn’t his thing. But he wasn’t above showing his anger, he had before and he quickly cooled before he really blew.
She then proceeded to lecture him for sleeping with an involved woman then advised him on how to separate himself from the relationship. Tim was sweet but letting people down easy wasn’t his strong suit.
*~*~*~*
Chapter 12
“These are awesome!” Rose gushed shaking her head as she stared at the drawings Kassie had given her. “It’s like I can almost touch it.”
“Your father taught me well.” Kassie smiled.
Rose’s dad was an illustrator also and he was always willing to help a young newcomer as his mentor had done for him. So Kassie pulled double duty taking classes at the art school where she studied and taking lessons from a veteran artist.
“Yeah, daddy was great.” She said. “Now he just paints mom in the nude. Yay for us.” Rose deadpanned.
“I think it’s cute.” Kassie giggled, remembering last year’s anniversary party and the large oil painting hanging in the living room.
“Not when they show them to you and the people you know.” Rose grumbled.
Kassie laughed when she thought about the look on Rosie’s face the moment she realized that was her mother in the painting.
“So I’ll send everything to Jared.” Rose glared at her best friend who was wiping tears from her face.
“Great.” Kassie pulled herself together.
“What are you up to tonight?” Rose asked her.
“Well I was going to grab some food and head to a hotel then head back to Elgin in the morning.” Kassie said.
“Spend the night with me. We can watch monster movies. I’ll even make Paul take the kids to his Mom’s and not walk around here in his boxers. The kids are too little to trick or treat so they’re not missing much of anything.” She noticed Kassie’s expression.
Kassie smiled, “Are you sure Rosie?”
“I’ve got popcorn and chocolate and beer.” Rose enticed.
“That’d be really nice.” Kassie sighed.
“Great! It’s settled.” She tucked Kassie’s drawings back into the large portfolio and slid them into her desk. “Pizza?”
“A bad one with banana peppers and sausage and bacon and extra cheese.” Kassie gushed hungrily. Kassie was a pizza addict; she knew all the best places to get a slice. She’d always been like that with both pizza and ice cream.
“Got ya.” Rose smiled. She gathered her things as Kassie stood. They left the office arm and arm, like when they were girls. “I love when you come home!”
“Me too.” Kassie smiled.
*****
“So are you like totally over him?” Rose asked peeling another mini chocolate bar open and popping it into her mouth.
Kassie nodded taking a gulp of her beer.
They’d finished half of the pizza, an entire bowl of Doritos, half the six pack, all of the chocolate and half the quart of ice cream; Kassie was stuffed.
“Nick, definitely and Monroe, for the most part I am.” Kassie said. “I did have a “moment” with Monroe. He called me the day and we got into it. But he said he felt like he lost his best friend.” Kassie shrugged, “I was always honest with him about my feelings, about what was happening in our marriage and everything that annoyed or pissed me off, and he lied so much.” Kassie shook her head.
“And Nick, Nick was just an asshole. I mean one minute you’re moaning all up in my ear and drooling on my boobs then you’re married again. I think I made the wrong choice by sleeping with him, but made the right choice letting him go.”
Rose made a face, digging her spoon into the ice cream they were sharing.
“I’ll tell ya though; sometimes I do miss being fucked by Monroe.” She said crassly without realizing it and it shocking Rose into choking on her ice cream.
Rose threw her head back roaring in laughter, “Holy shit!”
“It’s true!” Kassie said indignantly.
“What about that sexy neighbor of yours?” Rose said.
Kassie blushed. “He’s not really into me.” She sighed eating a spoonful of ice cream. “And he’s not really my type.”
“Kassie it’s been two years and just because Nick didn’t fit where you hoped he would doesn’t mean you give up. Please don’t become bitter.” Rose said.
Kassie lowered her head.
She wanted to move on; it wasn’t as if she wanted to spend the rest of her life pissed off and miserable. She just didn’t know how to move on. Kassie didn’t know how to forgive or forget the pain of all of the betrayal that happened in her life.
“I was mean to him. I treated him like a criminal when I first met him. I told him I’d poison his dog if it came into my yard when I knew I wouldn’t. I cursed at him at the barbeque.”
Rose stared at her, goggle eyed before finding her voice. “What the hell is going on over there?”
“I know, I know. I just don’t know what’s wrong with me. He’s so handsome and different. He even played the violin for me.”
“Kassie you have to let go of this anger.” Rose said quietly.
“All of my life Rosie, I’ve been hurt by the people I’ve loved! I don’t even try anymore. Why should I? I’m just going to get shitted on in the end anyhow.”
“I love you and I’ve never shitted on you.” Rosie said.
Kassie smiled softly and sighed.
“I know Rosie.”
“We’ve been friends for twenty years, best friends. You were my maid of honor at my wedding, you were my first client, and you were there when I had Jenna and Colby. I trust you more than I trust my Paul.” Rosie hugged Kassie fiercely “I want you happy.”
“I know.”
They were quiet for a moment.
“Tim is really cute. Like a h
ot nerd.” Kassie said thoughtfully.
“Yup, think Paul will get upset if I start spending Saturday night at your house?” Rosie asked innocently.
“Slut.” Kassie said, they giggled.
*****
Kassie couldn’t believe how different she felt. Just talking to Rose last night, venting her pain and hearing another opinion made her feel a world better and not so alone. She couldn’t let her grief and anger control her life anymore. She wanted to move on, needed to move on. Monroe had, why couldn’t she?
She got home at nine the next morning. It was such a beautiful chilly autumn day. The neighbor down the street got toilet papered and the rest of the neighborhood didn’t escape the random egg throw. She had a few on the sidewalk in front of her house and one on the walkway leading up to her front steps.
She was getting out of her car as Tim and Griffin were coming back from a walk. Kassie smiled at him taking her overnight bag from the backseat.
“Good morning Tim.” She said with a pretty smile.
“Good morning.” He said noticing that she was still wearing what she had on last night.
Kassie bounded up the stairs, unlocking her front door and going inside. A deep dark thread of jealousy filled him. Where had she been? Who had she been with? Why did he care so much?
Are you really angry? He wondered
“Yes, yes I am.” He mumbled to himself. Tim couldn’t believe he was angry about this and most of all he couldn’t believe that he had answered his own question to himself. She was making him crazy.
*****
Kassie turned on some music as she took yoga pants and a tank out of her drawer. She hadn’t worked out in two weeks and it was a beautiful day. She figured that maybe she’d blend a few yoga moves with some Pilates and enjoy the bright sunny day while working off that binge with Rose last night.
*****
Timothy bought his plate and coffee mug to the sink and filled the dish pan with hot water and dish soap. Griffin ran past the back porch with that ratty old squirrel in his mouth. The little dog fought with it like it was an actual animal and Tim wondered what the dog would do when he replaced it. The thing was starting to smell no matter how much he washed it.
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