Chapter 2

Julie's face lit up when her mom entered the living room.
"Wow! You look great!"

She suppressed a smile when her mom gave herself the once-over in the mirror.

"Really? You don't think it's too much?"
"Mom, relax! It's perfect!"

"Thanks Honey. What would I do without you?"

"Well for one thing, you'd be a nervous wreck! Just be you, okay? Ambrose likes you for who you are."

"Since when are daughters supposed to give their mothers dating advice?" Natalie laughed, hugging Julie tightly.

Julie looked at her watch. "We'd better go. We're going to be late for Mr. Monk's"

"That's the last place that I'd want to be late." Natalie said.

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"Hey, Mr. Monk!" Julie exclaimed when Adrian answered the door. "We're going to have so much fun tonight, aren't we?"
"If you say so, but I don't see how, when-"
"You guys are going to have a great time!" Natalie said. "I almost wish I could join you."
"Really?" Adrian's face lit up.

"No." Natalie said. "So can we come in for a second?"
Adrian opened the door wide. "Of course. Come inside. Make yourself comfortable for a few minutes, or an hour or two..."

When Natalie took off her coat and laid it on a chair, Adrian looked her up and down. "Natalie!"
"What, Mr. Monk?"
"Well, it's just.... you can't go like that!"
"What's wrong with what I'm wearing?" Natalie demanded.
"It's all wrong!" Adrian said.

"But Mr. Monk, you helped me pick out this shirt! You even watched me iron it."

"And you took me seriously? Don't you know sarcasm when you hear it?"

"I don't remember you saying anything sarcastic." Natalie said.
"My point exactly." Adrian said.
Natalie gave him a blank stare. "Sometimes I just don't understand you, Mr. Monk."
"Well, that makes two of us" he added.

The clock on the mantle chimed. "Oh, I'd better get going! Ambrose will be upset if I'm late."

"Yeah, you should probably do that." Adrian said miserably.

"Mr. Monk, everything will be fine. You'll see. You and Julie are going to have a great time, I promise. Now take good care of him, Honey." Natalie said, winking at her daughter.

"I will Mom." Julie said. She handed her mom her coat. "Have a good time, and tell Ambrose that the cardiologist says hello!"

Natalie gave her a confused look. "Cardiologist?"

"Halloween costume?" Julie reminded her.

"That's right. I had forgotten about that." Natalie said. "Well, goodnight, Mr. Monk. I'll be back before midnight, I promise."
"Midnight!" Adrian exclaimed.

"Okay, okay. How about 11? Is that better?"

"I'd prefer ten minutes from now." Adrian said.

Natalie patted his shoulder before heading out the door. "Mr. Monk, if it were up to you, I'd never go anywhere by myself."

"And that's a bad thing?" Adrian called after her, but she didn't hear him.

He stood at the door a long time, watching her drive away.