Sunday, September 6th was a quiet day of reflection. Laundry and house work busied me while preparing for the boys to come home at day’s end. Owning a very small business, I couldn’t afford an office or staff, but did hire a little answering service. A physically challenged entrepreneur ran her business with professional efficiency from her home. I depended on her to screen my business contacts. Although I’d never met her in person, we spoke often throughout the day. She was an excellent first contact for potential clients.
Evening calls from her were infrequent, but not unheard of either. So when the phone rang late in the afternoon, I quickly answered, hoping to pick up another job for the slow week ahead. Her call was not what I had expected.
“Joy, a man called just a few minutes ago. His name was VST. He asked that you return his phone call at your convience. “
I must say, I was disappointed it wasn’t another job, money being a little tight. However, the thought that VST had phoned me also made my heart flutter just the tiniest.
“Thanks. I met him at the class reunion last night. I’ll call him back.”
Truth being what it was, I probably wouldn’t, and certainly not that night. The boys would return home at any second, and the time was theirs. Dinner would be followed by baths and bedtime stories. After that, I would need some quiet time. No. He wouldn’t receive an evening call from me. Besides, he was a man and that spelled trouble.
Monday’s were always hectic. The boys needed breakfast and lunch money before I scooted them off to school. Still hoping for extra work, I had a busy morning with my octogenarians who waited, with hearts a-fluttering, to hear about the reunion. To their disappointment, I gave them very little information, barely mentioning VST. They’d been sure I’d return Monday with grand news of a new love affair, but that wasn’t the case.
Lunchtime came, and again, I received a call from my answering service angel.
“Joy, you just received a 2nd call from VST asking that you please return his call. He sounds extremely nice. I’m pretty sure he isn’t calling to find out about housekeeping rates. You need to call this one back.”
How dare she! The nerve!!!!! What did she know about my life? About struggles I faced every day as a single mother. Complications of a new boyfriend I didn’t need no matter how nice he was on the phone.
“Thanks so much. I have his number and will be sure to get back to him as soon as I have a spare moment.”
I lied.
That night, the slow dance had nearly faded out of mind. Homework, dinner, dishes, baths, tv, and 7:30 bedtime were all packed into a few short hours.. By time the boys were fast asleep, I was right behind them. Thinking of the return phone call that had been delayed two times now, my guilt surfaced. I’d make it right tomorrow and call him. Besides, maybe he did need a housekeeper.
Tuesday morning flew by, with a lunchtime call from my answering angel.
“Joy. You didn’t call him back did you??? He just called. He sounds like such a great guy. If you don’t call him, I will. Please! Don’t be stupid about this. Call him and find out what he wants. Seriously, you’re playing the fool here. I don’t know much, but I know you need to call him back.”
Seeing red, I replied, “Okay.”
At about the same time this conversation occurred, on the other side of town, VST was traveling in his blue and white Jeep Wrangler. He was also seeing red. What the heck??? Had he missed something??? Was their dance misread on his part??? Was she a player??? Had she changed that much from the girl he liked in choir??? With that, he found her embossed business card in his breast pocket. The one that had he’d kept above all the other numbers he’d collected on the 5th. His fingers clinched it. At the next stop light, he ripped it into tiny angry little pieces Rolling down his window, he tossed them out and watched as they fluttered to the road. He was wrong on that one. He’d been played by Miss Blue Eyes. He was glad it was over as the light turned green.
“You win some, you lose some,” he thought, as he drove his Jeep towards fun with PA. No need to wait for her anymore. Ignoring the disappointment that clouded his drive, he was done thinking about the bluest eyes. Absolutely, once and for all, D-O-N-E.
To be continued…..