Leaving Melissa at her school, Cecelia stopped at the Auto-lec to pay her bills.   She was fairly new in this small town and didn't like it at all.   The freeway had all but closed it down and it was just ugly as far as she was concerned.   She did like the school, however, and felt that for now it would have to do.
      Going from the Auto-lec she went to her car and was about to put her key in the door when she saw that it was already unlocked.   I always lock the door, I can't afford to have my car taken, she thought.   Slipping into the front seat she put her purse on the seat beside her and saw a folder that she hadn't noticed before.   Melissa must have forgotten to take it with her, she considered.   Putting the key to the ignition she found that it wouldn't fit.
      She saw a man was coming towards her and opening the door, she said,   "Could you help me, please?   My key won't work."
      Smiling, the man handed her a key, saying,   "Try this one, maybe it'll work."
      She took the key, wondering, and sure enough, it fit and the car started.
      Wrinkling her brow, she looked at the man and suddenly realized what was going on and began laughing as she opened the door and saw that her own car, the twin to this one, was parked two cars down.
      Apologizing, she went to her own car and drove a couple of streets over to her appointment at Janet's to have her hair done.
      She adored Janet and knew how blessed she was to have found her right here in town.   Her shop was usually peaceful and if she had waiting time, the conversation was good or she could browse the magazines.
      Walking into the shop, she said,   "Good morning, Janet, how's everything today?"
      Janet turned from the corner table where she kept her coffee supplies, smiling,   "Just great now that you're here."
      Cecelia took a stack of new Avon books from a carryall that she had brought in with her and said,   "Okay if I put them here on the table by the magazines?"   She always did and it was okay but still, she always wanted to let Janet know that she appreciated her letting her leave her catalogues at her shop.
      "Of course, you know it's always alright, did you bring the lipstick samples so I can see if I should invest in a new one?"
      Cecelia put her sample assortment on the dressing table and laid out the colors that Janet looked best in and fixed herself a cup of coffee.
      "The weirdest thing happened to me this morning,"   Cecelia said and commenced relating the events of the morning.   Janet just shook her head, smiling.   "I can't believe the scrapes you get into, girl."   she said.
      The two of them browsed through the Avon catalogue and samples while Janet worked on Cecelia's hair.
      Janet finished Cecelia's hair about the same time she made her choices from the catalogue.
      There was a knock at the door and the door opened.   Cecelia saw that it was the man whose car she had gotten into that morning and wondered if he'd followed her.
      Seeing Cecelia, the man smiled, saying,   "I was hoping it was you, couldn't miss the car, now, could I?"
      Janet looked from one to the other, saying,   "Do you two know each other?"
      They both smiled and shook their heads.
      Janet looked puzzled.   "Cecelia, this is my brother, Chris.   Why are you both behaving funny?"
      Cecelia and Chris had begun laughing,   "This is the man whose car I got in this morning,"   Cecelia tried to stifle her laughs.   "I can't believe you're Janet's brother,"   she said to Chris.
      "Well, it was just the craziest thing, when I went back out to my car at the Auto-lec, Cecelia, it is Cecelia? had settled into it just like she was at home.   Her key wouldn't work, naturally, so I gave her mine and she started it just fine."
      "Then I realized that it was his key to his car,"   Cecelia finished for him.
      Janet began laughing,   "You two!   How funny!   You have matching cars?!   Chris, this is Cecelia that I've been trying to get you to go out with."
      "This is Cecelia?!   Well!   I wish I would have known you were Cecelia, I'd love to go with you!   Why don't we have lunch together?   We do have some pretty good eating places here."
      "Why not?   Janet?   Could you have lunch with us?"
      "Maybe next time, I have back to back customers until this afternoon."
      Cecelia paid Janet, saying,   "I'll have your order ready for you in a few days, thank you for it."
      Going to their cars, parked side by side in Janet's double drive, Chris said,   "Why don't we take your car to your house and we can go together in mine."
      "Okay, I like a man that takes charge!"   Cecelia teased.
      It wasn't likely that they'd get separated but Cecelia gave him her address anyhow.
      Chris pulled up behind her in the driveway in front of her house and she hollered to him while she was unlocking the front door,   "I'll run in for just a minute, you can wait here or come in if you'd like."
      She hadn't been home since she'd taken Melissa to school and wanted to put on some make-up and change clothes.   She hadn't planned on having a date before noon.   It was so funny, he seemed like an old friend already.   She wondered if Janet had been giving God a little nudge about her and Chris getting together.
      Walking back into the living area, she saw Chris rummaging through the refrigerator.   Hearing her come in, he put his head up,   "I see you have eggs, I could make an omelet and we could go out another time, if you'd like."
      "You are funny.   If you want to but no hanky panky, understood?"   she was smiling but was serious and he could see that.
      Nodding his head, he said,   "I'll try to restrain myself,"   and began taking out the food items that he wanted to use for the egg dish.
      She laughed and showed him where the whisk, mixing bowl, spatula and pan was, saying,   "I have olive oil and butter, which ever you prefer.   It won't take but a few minutes to brew tea unless you'd rather have something else."
      "Tea sounds good,"   he answered.
      She started the tea, put on soft background music and began setting the table.   She was sort of glad not to have to go out again so soon but was enjoying the presence of a man about the house.
      "This is my first time to have company since I've come here,"   she told Chris.
      Turning from the stove to look at her, he said,   "We'll have to do this often."
      "You are a good domestic, do you live with anyone?"   Cecelia asked him as he was motioning for her to hand him the plates.
      "I don't, do you?"   he asked.
      "Just my daughter, Melissa, she's eight."
      Nodding, he smiled and they sat down at the table.
      Looking at the front of the refrigerator, he said,   "I assumed you had a small fry in your life.   Is she at school?"
      "Yes, she is.   I'll have to go for her in a couple of hours.   This is sure good, I haven't made an omelet in a long time."
      Looking at her and sweeping his arm across the room, he said,   "This is good, I don't really like living alone.   Janet wants me to live with her but she has her own family."
      "You don't have a pet?   They can help."
      "I really don't want to confine a pet, I'm not home enough to give one a good home.   They don't take the place of a person companion, anyhow."
      "I don't guess so,"   Cecelia said, wondering what Melissa would think of him.
      "Cecelia, how old are you?"
      "I'm twenty-five, why?"
      "Just wondering, you say your daughter is eight, that means you were seventeen when she was born.   Where's the father?"
      "He skipped out when I got pregnant, just couldn't handle the responsibility, I guess."
      "Whoa, you've raised her alone, all this time?"
      "I went back home to my parents until she was one but just couldn't stand all that was involved in that so I got my own place.   They were okay and all but you know, after you've had a baby, things are different, you don't want to live with the people who raised you even if you do need them."
      She picked up their plates and rinsed them in the sink.
      He sat still in the chair, squinting his eyes as if looking in the distance.
      "Cecelia, let's get married."
      Cecelia spun around and looked at him, thinking that she'd heard wrong.
      "I don't mean right now."   He looked sorry that he'd spoken so hastily.   "I, uh, I just was thinking ahead, I guess.   You know, we could see each other and let Melissa get used to us being together and see how we all fit.   Have you had other men around her?"
      "Actually, no, I haven't.   I've just been trying to make a life for us.   I've only moved here a few months ago, wanting to make a new start.   We're from the city and I needed to get away from the hubbub and all."
      She sat back down in her chair and putting her elbow on the table, she put her chin on her hand and looked at him.
      "You like me okay, don't you?"   he asked.
      "I don't really know you well enough to know yet,"  she answered.   "I guess so, sure, I like you."
      Taking a pinky ring from his finger, he took her free hand and put the ring on her third finger.   "Okay, now, we're an item.   We both have someone for as long as you want to."
      She hadn't moved her hand back when he'd taken it and now she looked down at the ring.   She didn't say anything.   This man, who laughed and made her laugh was serious about her, about having a real relationship with her.
      She saw this man for the first time just this morning and was introduced to him less than two hours ago and now, she was practically married to him.   He was a little rambunctious but then, maybe her world could use some shaking up.   It was more than she could digest just now.   Melissa hadn't even met him and here she was already hearing wedding bells.
      He leaned over and kissed her softly.   "Okay?"
      Looking at him, she simply said,   "Okay."

THE END



All rights reserved, owned by Ora Lea Harrison, Author, May 26, 2011

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