Chapter 7
Keith had almost ignored the ringing phone on his way out the door. He was going to be officially late if he didn't get a move on it, but something made him stop and pick it up.
"Hello." He said briskly.
"Oh, Keith I'm glad I caught you. I wanted to make sure you'd be here by 6:00 tonight." Shirley said quickly taking on Keith's brisk tone.
"That should be fine. I'm in Frisco until 5:00 or so, but should be able to make it." 'If I drive fast' was Keith's last thought.
"Good, good. Oh, you remember little Gloria Hickey, don't you?" Shirley smiled at her memories of the young lady. She'd always liked her – especially when she was dating Danny. He seemed to settle down when they were a couple.
"Sure, why do you ask?" Keith said suspiciously.
"Oh, no real reason. It's just that Danny told me last night that he invited her to dinner. It'll be our little surprise that you'll be here. I'm sure she'll be thrilled. She hasn't seen you in quite some time." Shirley smiled at her memories of the adorable girl.
"Umm… you know, on second thought, can you delay dinner to 7:00?" Keith was planning quickly. He knew his mother would be way too disappointed if he cancelled at this late date, but there was no way he was showing up by himself. He sure hoped Dina didn't have plans, but if she did, he'd borrow Angie in a pinch. He knew Gordy would understand.
"Oh, sure. I suppose I can hold it off that long. You won't be later, though, will you? I don't want Chris and Tracy eating too late." Shirley worried about her youngest though they were now 12 and 10 – not exactly her babies anymore.
"No, it's just that I had plans with someone that I'd sort of forgotten about. You don't mind if I bring a date, do you?" Keith fibbed.
"Not at all. Who is it?" Shirley asked.
He wasn't sure if Dina was free yet, so he had to avoid that question in case Angie ended up as his date. "Look mom, I'm going to be late. I'll see you tonight, alright?"
"Alright, Honey. Drive safe. I love you." Shirley said and listened to his return 'Love you too' before the line went dead.
Keith retraced his steps to find Dina just coming out of a steaming bathroom.
"I thought you were running late." Dina watched him walk toward her in surprise.
"I am, but this can't wait. Are you free tonight?" Keith knew they'd not made plans, but that stupid conversation from the night before with Penny got him thinking that Dina might have made a date with someone else when he'd told her he was going to dinner at his mom's.
"Why?" Dina asked rather than answering first. She too was remembering the same conversation and didn't want to appear too eager to be available with little warning.
"Danny invited Gloria to dinner at my mom's house tonight." Keith explained quickly knowing that Dina would connect the dots.
"And you need to make sure that Gloria has no doubts about your availability or lack thereof." Dina arched an eyebrow.
"Right. Can you help me out?" Keith slid up close and figured that he'd add a little incentive.
"It'll cost you." Dina sighed as she felt Keith begin to nibble just below her ear. He knew that drove her crazy and she figured she better talk before she lost the ability.
"Anything. Within reason." Keith quickly added. He was too worried about not getting Dina's cooperation to be as easily distracted as she apparently had been if her shivers and sighs were any indication.
"We can negotiate later, hmmm?" Dina pulled his mouth up to hers.
Gordy walked out of his bedroom down the hall to find Dina pinned up against the wall and Keith's hands just beginning to spread open the sides of his bathrobe that she'd once again confiscated.
"Aw, geez, would the two of you at least take it into the bedroom?" Gordy said just before closing the bathroom door behind him.
The words broke them apart and they stood panting against each other. Keith finally pushed himself away, closed the robe and tightened the sash.
"You are more temptation than I can ignore." Keith said before tearing himself away and walking down the hallway. "Hold that thought."
"Hey, what time should I be ready?" Dina yelled behind him.
"We'll have to leave here by 6:00." Keith paused and turned back around. "Unless you'd like me to pick you up for once."
"That'd be nice." Dina felt herself blushing. He hadn't done anything so date-like in a long time. "If you have the time, that is."
Keith retraced his steps and kissed her one more time. "I'll make the time."
Dina watched him walk away one more time and just leaned against the wall reliving their little interlude.
Gordy walked out of the bathroom to see the dreamy look on her face. "Firmly, pull yourself together. He's long gone."
"Gordy?" At his inquisitive look, she flashed him her middle finger and disappeared into Keith's bedroom.
xoxo
Skizzy ran through the door hoping to catch the ringing phone. "Hello."
"Hi, is Keith there?" Laurie asked forgetting to identify herself.
"I'm sorry, you have the wrong number." The guys had come up with that one early on when they'd heard female voices on the phone. If fans ever got a hold of his number, their lives became living nightmares of constant phone calls and giddy giggles on the other end.
"No, don't hang up, Skizzy!" Laurie said quickly.
"Who is this?" Skizzy asked suspiciously.
"Skizzy, it's me, Laurie." Laurie finally identified herself.
"Oh, Laurie, gosh I'm sorry. You didn't sound like yourself." Skizzy was surprised he hadn't recognized her voice. Not that she called all that often, but he just figured he'd known her for so many years that he'd have known it was her right away.
"It's this rotten new phone we got. We all sound like we're talking from the bottom of a fish tank. We're getting it replaced as soon as the phone company can get here, but in the mean time, this is what we get." Laurie laughed.
"Oh, none of you must have been home the first time they came." Skizzy knew darn well that if Selena, Tiffany or Laurie had been home, there would have been droves of repairmen waiting in line to make the service call. Gordy and Skizzy had met Laurie's roommates when she'd brought them all home to meet her mom before she'd been allowed to move into a rented house with them. They'd all come up for a weekend that Keith had been touring. Gordy and Skizzy had been lucky enough to be visiting their own families on the same weekend and had run into the future roommates at the Taco stand. They had all had a great time and the girls had been very nice to them while they'd visited. However, Gordy and Skizzy had known that neither of them would have been noticed if Keith had been around.
"No, just our landlord, why?" Laurie was baffled by his comment.
"Figures. So, why am I honored with your phone call?" Skizzy joked. He knew darn well she was calling for Keith.
"I need to talk to Keith, is he there?" Laurie just shrugged off Skizzy's goofiness. He was always that way around her.
"No, I think today is his photo shoot." Skizzy tried to remember Keith's schedule.
"Don't suppose you have a number for the studio?" Laurie figured she was out of luck.
"Sorry. No can do." Skizzy affirmed.
"Will he be home tonight?" She'd try back late if need be.
"I'm not sure. I can let him know you called and tell him to call back." Skizzy offered.
"Sure, that'd be great." Laurie hoped he called late enough that she'd be home from her date. "Thanks Skiz."
"No problem, Laurie. See you around." Skizzy hung up and looked for some paper to write his note.
"Hey, Skizzy get back out here and help me." Gordy yelled from the backyard.
"I'm comin'." Skizzy yelled and figured he'd just have to remember to tell Keith his message.
xoxo
"Hi, is Dina here?" Keith asked the stunned girl who'd opened the door to a grinning Keith.
"Dina?" The girl closed her mouth long enough to form the word.
"Are you alright?" Keith wasn't exactly unfamiliar with this reaction, it was just that college aged girls were usually better at masking their star-struckedness. It was a word that Danny had made up to describe the 'fish out of water' reaction that Keith often received.
"Close your mouth, Wanda. It's not ladylike." Dina tapped her chin as she walked past.
"Wow, you look amazing." Keith said as he pulled her close for a welcome kiss.
'Eat your hearts out ladies', was Dina's last thought before melting into Keith's arms. She knew every single girl at the sorority house was watching and drooling. She'd only joined the sorority because her mother had been a sister when she'd been in college. It was family tradition, though Dina disliked most of the catty girls she lived with. Up until now, she'd kept her relationship with Keith a secret as she had no desire for any of them to know where she spent her many nights away. She knew that if they knew about Keith that they'd try to befriend her just to get to know him.
"Ready to go?" Keith pulled back and grinned at her happy face.
"Am I ever." Dina grabbed his hand and pulled him down the walk to his car. She knew that their passage was being watched by every single member of her sorority along with the other sorority houses along the street. Keith's car alone was cause for wonder – it wasn't often college boys had the kind of money required for a Corvette.
They reached the car and Keith pulled open the passenger door. Dina gifted him with another kiss before dropping delicately into her seat. Keith glanced back at the house and gave them a jaunty wave before circling the car, starting the engine and taking Dina away from it all.
"Oh, thank you so much for that." Dina laughed her pleasure as soon as they'd turned the corner.
"What was that all about?" Keith couldn't stop an answering smile. "I take it none of them knew that you even know who I am."
"Nope. You've been my little secret." Dina giggled again.
"Ashamed of me, hmmm?" Keith knew she wasn't – at least he thought he knew she wasn't.
"Of course not, silly. It's just that they are all so fake and status driven that if they'd known I was seeing you, I'd have become their friend for life and outside of one or two of them, well let's just say the end of my senior year can't come soon enough" Dina admitted.
Keith had had no idea she was so unhappy with her college life. "Why do you live there if you hate it so much?"
"I can't afford my own place and my parents will only pay for the sorority. They think it keeps me away from bad influences. If they only knew how much college life had changed since mom belonged to the same chapter." Dina put her hand up to run her fingers through Keith's hair just because she could.
"Dina, why don't you move in with me and Gordy and Skizzy." Keith blurted it out before he really thought about it and then immediately started to backpedal. "I mean, it's not like I'm there all that much anyway."
Dina couldn't help but laugh at the look of panic that Keith had quickly tried to mask. "You can stop panicking. I like the fact that I'm close to everything on campus. If it's alright with you I'll just continue to stay the night when you're there. If you want me there, that is."
"Oh, I want you there. You know that." Keith could happily admit that.
"I thought so, but it's always nice to hear it." Dina leaned over to kiss him on the cheek. "So tell me a little more about Gloria Hickey so I'm prepared."
xoxo
They'd started their act as soon as they'd walked in the front door. "Hey, mom, you remember Dina, don't you?"
"Of course I do. It's good to see you again. How've you been?" Shirley gave the pretty girl a welcome hug right after she finished giving one to her son.
"I've been just great. You?" Dina responded to the warm welcome.
"Missing my two oldest, but I'm doing really well." Shirley smiled. "Are you in college?"
"Yes, I'm a junior, majoring in marketing. I'm not exactly sure what I'm going to do with my major, but I have a little over a year to decide." Dina admitted a little sheepishly.
"So, how long have you and Keith been back together?" Shirley couldn't help but ask.
"Quite a while actually." Dina said vaguely.
"Well come in and meet Gloria. She's a friend of Danny's." Shirley pulled them the rest of the way into the living room and Keith grabbed Dina's hand just to make sure they didn't get separated by accident. "Everyone else you already know."
"Where's Reuben?" Keith glanced around the room and came up empty.
"I put him to work. He's outside barbequing the steaks. I hope you're hungry." Shirley looked her son over. Though he looked a little less underweight than the last time she'd seen him, he hadn't gained as much as she'd have hoped.
"I'm starving. I missed lunch." Keith gave the not unexpected answer.
"How many times have I told you not to skip meals?" Dina chastised lightly and received a pleased smile from Shirley for her efforts. "You work way too hard."
"Yes, dear." Keith gave her a dirty look that no one else caught, but kissed her on the temple for playing the game so well.
"Keith, you remember little Gloria Hickey, don't you?" Shirley used a phrase that made Gloria cringe. Dina almost felt sorry for the girl until she got a good look at her. She was very pretty and her eyes were glued to Keith with a predatory look that only another female who had designs on Keith would recognize. Shirley missed it completely.
"Of course. It's good to see you again." Keith said pleasantly from across the room not intending on getting any closer.
"I'm happy to see you again too." Gloria kept her reply neutral. She'd wait for her chance to get Keith alone.
"Oh, here's Reuben now. We're all set to eat, right Reuben?" Shirley received a nod from the man who was more family than friend.
"Done to perfection if I do say so myself." Reuben confirmed and transferred the steaks to the platter Shirley had waiting for them.
"You'd have to because no one else will." Danny threw at Reuben, just not capable of letting any zinger by when Reuben was around.
"Here's the one I dropped. I have it all ready just the way you like it." Reuben said snidely.
"Reuben." Shirley just rolled her eyes. The two could not be in the same room without exchanging barbs.
Dinner progressed with Gloria asking Keith all kinds of questions about his life and Keith sidestepping as best he could or even more often trying to pull Danny into the conversation. Dina did her part by making sure that everyone was aware that Keith was her man. She'd show it with a look or a touch that was subtle but unmistakable. She was marking her territory for everyone to see.
Reuben just raised his eyebrows every now and then or he'd exchange a surprised look with Shirley. Neither one of them were aware that Keith was serious about anyone much less Dina. Oh, Reuben knew that Keith was spending time with her, but he also knew what he did while he was on tour. Keith's actions were definitely not those of a guy who had settled on one partner. However, tonight was telling a totally different tale.
By the time dinner was done, Danny was almost sick to his stomach, Gloria was practically spitting bullets and Reuben, Shirley, Chris and Tracy were all baffled beyond belief.
"I'll help you clean up, Mrs. Partridge." Dina offered before thinking about the fact that that might leave Keith alone with Gloria. She felt Keith stiffen when he realized the same thing.
"That's alright, Reuben and I have to talk business for a little while anyway. Why don't we head out to the garage? It'll be quieter there." Keith suggested. 'And far away from Gloria' was the unspoken rest of that sentence.
"Sure, let me get my briefcase from the car first." Reuben stood up and headed toward the front door.
Most of the dirty dishes were already in the kitchen, so Keith helped carry the last load in.
"Keith, would you mind taking the garbage out on your way?" Shirley asked hoping to get him outside before Reuben came back.
"No problem." Keith grabbed the already tied up bag and stepped out into the darkness of evening.
Shirley glanced into the living room to see a belligerent looking Gloria with her arms crossed apparently stonewalling every attempt Danny made at making conversation. "I'll be right back. I forgot to ask Keith something."
Shirley stepped outside to find Keith standing nervously in between the house and the garage. He'd jumped guiltily when the back door had opened. She saw him visibly relax when he realized it was her.
"Alright, spill it. What's going on?" Shirley knew something was weird.
"Spill what?" Keith stalled.
"First off, you are holding Dina in front of you like a shield. Second, you are not as close as you are pretending or I'd have known about it. Third, Gloria is angry as a bear. All of this somehow leads back to you." Shirley ticked off her reasons on her fingers.
"You got all of that just from dinner, huh?" Keith was a little sheepish thinking he could pull one over on his mom. He guessed he and Dina might have overplayed their hand just a little.
"Mother's intuition." Shirley simply explained.
"Well, the last time I was home, Gloria cornered me in the garage." Keith started and then stopped.
"Cornered you?" Shirley urged.
"Yeah, apparently her crush is back. Only now she's 16 not 11. She's a little bit more aggressive." Keith let the truth rush out. It wasn't like his mom wouldn't be in his corner.
"Oh, no. Does Danny know?" Shirley asked worriedly.
"I haven't told and I doubt Gloria has. But, I think he's starting to suspect. Gloria wasn't exactly subtle at dinner." Keith was worried about Danny's reaction.
"You could say that. She was looking at you a little strangely." If Shirley had to put a name on that look, it would have been hungry.
"When I heard Gloria was going to be here, I asked Dina to come with me. She knows all about it. She was there when Danny stopped by the other night." Keith didn't realize how much he was giving away with that fact. Shirley now knew that Keith and Dina were at the very least having a sexual relationship even if her son was denying anything more. Maybe their act over dinner wasn't ALL an act.
She had hoped that her son would find a girl to settle down with. Dina was nice and appeared to be a good influence on him. She liked her well enough. But, she didn't know her well enough to decide whether or not she was good enough for Keith.
Keith saw the hopeful look on his mother's face and knew almost instantly what she was thinking.
"Mom, stop. We're just dating - if you could even call it that. I'm hardly ever home." Keith quickly tried to quell her plans to marry him off.
"How do you know what I was thinking?" Shirley quickly tried to cover.
"Son's intuition – better known as survival instinct. I can always tell when either you or Laurie are trying to marry me off." Keith backed away with his fingers crossed in front of him as if warding off evil spirits.
"Oh you. You know, you are too smart for your own good sometimes." Shirley laughed at her son's correct assumption of her musings.
"Keeps me alive…..and single. Just the way I like it." Keith moved back to pull her into a hug. "Now, be nice to Dina. I like her and want to keep her around for a while, so keep her away from Danny while I'm meeting with Reuben."
"So, you admit you like her." Shirley decided to hold onto hope just a little longer.
"Like, mom. Like. I didn't use the other 'L' word. Neither one of us is ready for the next step." Keith couldn't help but laugh.
Shirley glanced into the kitchen through a crack in the curtains to see Dina making quick work of the dirty dishes. She could only hope that their relationship would stand the test of time. If not Dina, then surely someone else.
"There you are. Ready?" Reuben had come back through the house not knowing that Keith was waiting out back.
"Sure." Keith waved Reuben ahead of him. "Remember what I said. Don't go scaring her away with talk of marriage and commitment."
Shirley watched her son close the garage door behind him and shook her head. She thought he might be surprised to find that talk of commitment wouldn't likely scare Dina as much as it scared him.
