Hush Little Babies

Chapter Ten

I still had the, Antique Barn, on my mind, so, I headed that way. It was killing me, to think that the, great, old, chandelier, hanging there, was in need of a new home. “What can I say…I am Woman. There was also that awesome old mirror. Naturally, I had to purchase that beautiful, work of art!

I drove into the parking lot, and parked four car lengths, from the door. “There were actual, customers, this afternoon; impressive!” While perusing the second floor, I passed two people who introduced themselves.

“I’m Emily Dover, and this is my husband, Bob.”

“How do you do,” I said. “Isn’t it just a beautiful day?”

Emily replied, with a hearty, Yeah,” and Bob, nodded.

“Do you live around, here?” I asked.

“We live on the Lake,” Emily, replied.

“My husband, Jeffrey and I, just purchased, Old Jake's Place.”

They smiled, and welcomed me to the neighborhood.

“Did you see anything, you were interested in, here at the Barn?” asked Emily.

“I purchased, the antique dining set on the first floor a couple of days ago, and today, I’m here to purchase the crystal, light purple, chandelier, on the third floor, along with that great, old, hand-carved mirror.”

Emily, nudged, Bob in the side, grudgingly. “I have been dying to get my hands on that very same chandelier, but Bob, won’t give up the dough,” Emily, declared.

“That’s why, I don’t take, Jeffrey, with me, when I shop,” I said, laughing.

Bob looked at Emily, and grumbled. “I’m hungry, do you want to get a bite to eat?”

She shook, her head yes, and said, “It was nice to meet you Susan.”

“I said, “Likewise, Emily, Bob.”

“Hey, I blurted, I’m having a little get together, at my new place, two Fridays from now. I’m sending invitations, this week. Hope to see you, please RSVP.” I said, as Emily handed me her card. “Have a great day,” and I headed up to the third floor.

The chandelier, was still hanging from the ceiling and I was jazzed. I looked around for other furniture, and decided, the rest of the décor would come from Wausau.

The delivery, date was set and I was elated. I had a big party in two weeks, and most of my house, shopping was taken car of. No one would be using the upstairs, so, I had time to furnish those rooms, later.

I stopped at the five and dime, to pick up invitations.

“Good afternoon George. I see Gina left you to tend to the store, today.” I said.

“She wasn’t feeling well, so, she went home early,” said George.

I bought stamps and headed home. I think, I’ll spend the rest of the day, visiting Gina, if she’s up to it, and filling out invitations, I’d decided.

I started to get into my Beamer, and noticed someone watching me from a distance away. I shut the door and made my way, towards the watcher. The watcher, started walking faster, so, I picked up the pace. She started running, down the sidewalk.

“I yelled, “Hey, you!” and she ducked around the corner. By the time, I’d reached the point where, I’d seen her, last, she was gone. Frustrated, I turned and walked back to my car. “damn,” I said, under my breath.

Chapter Eleven

“How odd, this is,” I muttered. It’s such a beautiful, Saturday, afternoon, and there are no families, walking the streets, and no tiny, children, playing or screaming, anywhere, that I can see.”

I went out of my way, a bit, to stop at Sheriff Johnny’s. I asked, if there was a Park, nearby?”

He, said, “Take Main street to Route 8, and a left, at Billingsly Place, and you’ll run, right into the Clintonville, Park.

“Thanks, much, Sheriff,” I said.

“Just as I thought!” I said to myself, no children, at the Park, either.” The Park, was on a huge, bit of land. There were several over-sized Oak, Birch and Pine trees. There was a big circle of sand with swings, presumably a child’s play area, a small fishing lake, and approximately, ten picnic tables, with verandas over them. There was also, a basketball court, to the right and a baseball field, in the far-left corner, with forest, beyond.

I headed, home, only this time, I took a detour. I took the back roads. It took approximately thirty, minutes, long to arrive at my destination, but it was a beautiful ride through the countryside.

When I got home, I called, Gina and invited her over.

“I’m so glad you called, Susan,” she said. “George, John Jr., and Sid are going, fishing, and I was tired of sitting over here alone.” She came straight over, and brought along a list of the people, she thought should be invited, to the big bash.

We drank, white Zin, filled out invitations and chatted, until six in the evening, when Jeffrey ambled in.

“Gina, this is my husband, Jeffrey.”

“Hello, Jeffrey, its nice, to finally meet you. Susan, tells me, you are a brilliant, attorney.”

“She is absolutely, correct, Gina,” Jeffrey said, laughing.

“I’d better, get going, home. I need to drink a lot more wine, so I can stand, listening to George tell humdinger, fish stories, during dinner. I’ll mail the invitations for you, as I pass, the mail box.” She walked out, handing me a list of people, she said, probably, couldn’t be invited to the party. I nonchalantly, shoved the list into my pocket.

“I’m sorry, dinner isn’t ready, darling. Time, got away, from me, while I was chatting with Gina.”

“That’s okay, if you call me brilliant, again, I'll take you out, for dinner,” said, Jeffrey.

He took me to Wausau, and we ate dinner at, Stargazer Field, a really, unique, establishment. The ceiling, was mostly glass. When you sat, eating, you felt like you were outside, having a romantic evening, picnic, because the stars were huge and bright, and right over the top of you. It was amazing.

“Charles Canton, one of the attorneys at my new branch, told me about this place,” said Jeffery.

Jeffrey, ordered, white wine, and appetizers. We didn’t converse much, after I told him about the party. We sat silent, consumed with atmosphere. After dinner, Jeffrey, took me to a club house, where we danced, for hours; when, we were thoroughly, exhausted, we drove home and went to bed.

While, lying in bed, my mind, started to wander. I remember, when Jeffrey and I first met. It was the Summer, of ’94. He and his buddies, were out carousing, the neighborhood, after cramming for the bar. They were just looking for trouble, if you know what I mean. They walked into this unique bar, called ‘The Spiked Apple.’ It was a large place, with a huge, magnificent bar. There were about 18 small tables, with chairs, and in the middle of the bar, was this, humongous square, lit up for a dancing. You know, the kind, that was so popular in the Eighties. If you danced in a certain area, the colored lights, would change.

Jeffery and his buddies, walked up to the bar, and ordered drinks. I was sitting, at a table, with my girlfriend, Nicky, and Jeffrey, kept staring at me. I’d had plenty, to drink, so I smiled at him, flirtingly.

He walked over to me, and exclaimed, that his buddies, visit this bar religiously, but this was his first time here. We all made a bet, that whoever, got the first dance, would get free drinks, all night. Jeffrey got down on one knee, looked me in the eyes, and asked, “Will you marry me?”

“No,” I said, bluntly, but since you were so, honest about your motives, for approaching me, how bout, we go have one dance.”

Jeffrey, looked over at his buddies, and gave them the thumbs up.

We danced to Leggs, by ‘ZZ Top’.

Debbie and I had, free, drinks for the rest of the evening, and we were both dancing with all Jeffrey’s gentlemen, friends. The bartender, yelled, “Last Call!”

“Jeffrey, asked, “Where do you live?”

“I live alone, I answered, but if I give you, my address, on the first date, I’d have to kill you,” I answered.

He laughed, kissed me, on the cheek, and said, “I hope we meet again.”

The next morning, early, I heard a knocking at my apartment door. I squinted, at the clock; it was six in the morning. “What the heck,” I said. Who is it?” The banging, did not stop. I looked through my peephole; and there was a flower delivery man, standing in front of a van. I opened the door and asked, “Do you know what time it is?”

“Yes, ma’am, he replied, but my life was threatened, if I was late with this delivery!” he said.

Just then, Jeffrey drove up to the apartment, in a limousine, waving his hands, out the window, with two tickets, to a Bob Segar concert. I stepped outside, in my skivies, to get a better look, and didn’t shut my door.

Jeffrey said, “Since, you saved me, from a hefty bar bill, last night, I had to spend the money, somewhere, and this seemed like a great way to spend a Sunday evening. Bob Segar, and dinner, with a beautifully, erotic, woman.”

The flower delivery guy, left. We walked into my apartment and the place smelled like a flower shoppe. There were roses, everywhere, even in the bathroom.

I looked at him, intensely, smiled, and said, “go home, Jeffrey, I need sleep. I’ll call you later, with my answer.” He gave me his number, and left, discouraged. I certainly, didn’t want to appear, easy. I waited until two-thirty, that afternoon, before I phoned him and told him, “Yes, I would love to go, out on the town, with him; but, I needed more notice, the next time, because, I had to cross, doing laundry and washing my hair, off my busy schedule,” and I giggled.

“By the way, Jeffrey, how did you find, me?” I asked.

He said, with a low, serious, voice, “I half vays, of getting, vut I vant, Madame.”

I guess, it’s easy, being, romantic, when you can afford it, I thought, as I drifted off to sleep, with Jeffrey, on my mind.