Chapter 18 *
"Would you mind if I came by to see you before we leave this afternoon?"
"No, not at all. I can't promise you I'll be anything to look at- considering the circumstances." He could tell she was smiling. He almost pictured her in grungy clothes and wisps of hair hanging around her face.
"When is a good time for you?"
"When do you guys have to be on the road by?"
"Four."
"Can you make it like 2? I'll have Nic down for her nap by then and it'll be quiet here."
"Ok, I'll see you at 2."
"I look forward to it. Thanks again Jeff."
"You are very welcome, Sunshine." With that he hung up before she could protest or change her mind. Ok, that left him 2 hours to do some laundry, shower, shave and drop off Liger at Dad's. He could swing it. He'd have to talk Monique into helping him re-do his dye job at her house.
Monique could not believe he had called her back. She didn't expect to hear from him until he was well on his way to South Carolina. Shit, I am a mess and I'm not done with the bathroom she thought. She had 2 hours to finish the bathroom, put Nic down for her nap and make herself presentable. Kirsten entered her room just then to tell her that she, Dad and Amy were leaving for town. "Do you need or want anything while we are out?"
"Not that I can think of. Thanks."
Kirsten noticed her sister's flushed countenance and asked "What's wrong with you? Inhaling too many cleaning fumes?"
"Nothing, I'm just trying to get some stuff done so I can have a free afternoon. Rushing that's all." She didn't want to rub it in to Kirsten that Jeff was coming over, when Matt had still made no attempt to talk to K.
"Ok if you say so, just open a window or something!"
"Bye have fun-be careful!"
With everyone out of the house, Moni did a quick once over in all the rooms to make sure they were livable. She picked up a protesting Nicole from in front of the tv-took her to the bathroom-still attempting to potty train her-before placing her in bed for her nap. Nicole hollered for her usual cup of water a few minutes later and seemed to be sufficiently content upon receiving it. Waiting for Nic to fall asleep, Moni went to her closet to find something to change into. She stunk in this get up from all the cleaning and running around she had done since her first shower. I only want something I'm going to be comfortable in- jeans ought to do it. She spied her low slung silvertabs and the thick black belt that went with them. Next to those in the drawer was one of those sleeveless turtlenecks- "Works for me" she decided. "Why do I feel like I'm approaching this like a date? I should just stay in what I have on. No-not a good idea." She checked on Nic-the pistol was sleeping like a baby. Glancing at her watch she saw it was already 10 after 1. She ran to the bathroom and jerked on the water-she stripped out of her clothes like a woman possessed and jumped in the shower. The warm water felt good beating down on her back like a gentle massage-she could use a real one right about now. She lathered up the shampoo in her hair and left it there while she scrubbed the rest of her. Backing up into the stream, she let the water run down all sides of her at the same time, only tilting her head back at the end to make sure all the shampoo was gone from her hair. It was so thick she had to rinse twice to prevent buildup. Hastily, she dried off and dressed. She ran some mousse through her hair and left it so she could put on another small application of make up. The brown eye shadows always made her blue eyes stand out. Using a barrette she pulled back her hair on the sides and let the curls fall where they may. She pulled on her socks and sprayed the tiniest amount of perfume. She didn't want to kill him with it the minute she opened the door. It was the lighter of the two she normally wore anyway. Spending a few minutes removing the offending clothing and such, she finally shut off the light and went out into the kitchen.
"Would you mind if I came by to see you before we leave this afternoon?"
"No, not at all. I can't promise you I'll be anything to look at- considering the circumstances." He could tell she was smiling. He almost pictured her in grungy clothes and wisps of hair hanging around her face.
"When is a good time for you?"
"When do you guys have to be on the road by?"
"Four."
"Can you make it like 2? I'll have Nic down for her nap by then and it'll be quiet here."
"Ok, I'll see you at 2."
"I look forward to it. Thanks again Jeff."
"You are very welcome, Sunshine." With that he hung up before she could protest or change her mind. Ok, that left him 2 hours to do some laundry, shower, shave and drop off Liger at Dad's. He could swing it. He'd have to talk Monique into helping him re-do his dye job at her house.
Monique could not believe he had called her back. She didn't expect to hear from him until he was well on his way to South Carolina. Shit, I am a mess and I'm not done with the bathroom she thought. She had 2 hours to finish the bathroom, put Nic down for her nap and make herself presentable. Kirsten entered her room just then to tell her that she, Dad and Amy were leaving for town. "Do you need or want anything while we are out?"
"Not that I can think of. Thanks."
Kirsten noticed her sister's flushed countenance and asked "What's wrong with you? Inhaling too many cleaning fumes?"
"Nothing, I'm just trying to get some stuff done so I can have a free afternoon. Rushing that's all." She didn't want to rub it in to Kirsten that Jeff was coming over, when Matt had still made no attempt to talk to K.
"Ok if you say so, just open a window or something!"
"Bye have fun-be careful!"
With everyone out of the house, Moni did a quick once over in all the rooms to make sure they were livable. She picked up a protesting Nicole from in front of the tv-took her to the bathroom-still attempting to potty train her-before placing her in bed for her nap. Nicole hollered for her usual cup of water a few minutes later and seemed to be sufficiently content upon receiving it. Waiting for Nic to fall asleep, Moni went to her closet to find something to change into. She stunk in this get up from all the cleaning and running around she had done since her first shower. I only want something I'm going to be comfortable in- jeans ought to do it. She spied her low slung silvertabs and the thick black belt that went with them. Next to those in the drawer was one of those sleeveless turtlenecks- "Works for me" she decided. "Why do I feel like I'm approaching this like a date? I should just stay in what I have on. No-not a good idea." She checked on Nic-the pistol was sleeping like a baby. Glancing at her watch she saw it was already 10 after 1. She ran to the bathroom and jerked on the water-she stripped out of her clothes like a woman possessed and jumped in the shower. The warm water felt good beating down on her back like a gentle massage-she could use a real one right about now. She lathered up the shampoo in her hair and left it there while she scrubbed the rest of her. Backing up into the stream, she let the water run down all sides of her at the same time, only tilting her head back at the end to make sure all the shampoo was gone from her hair. It was so thick she had to rinse twice to prevent buildup. Hastily, she dried off and dressed. She ran some mousse through her hair and left it so she could put on another small application of make up. The brown eye shadows always made her blue eyes stand out. Using a barrette she pulled back her hair on the sides and let the curls fall where they may. She pulled on her socks and sprayed the tiniest amount of perfume. She didn't want to kill him with it the minute she opened the door. It was the lighter of the two she normally wore anyway. Spending a few minutes removing the offending clothing and such, she finally shut off the light and went out into the kitchen.