Chapter 33

Doug sat downstairs until the game started. he had changed into his bull's jersey and had made a bowl of popcorn but Anna still hadn't come down. he couldn't believe that it took her that long to take a bath. he walked up the stairs and put his ear to her door. he didn't hear anything so he opened it. the door to the bathroom was closed as well except for a small crack. all he saw was a mound of bubbles. Doug waited a second then gently knocked a few times. "You ok?"

Anna was startled hearing Doug's voice outside the bathroom door, "Ahh," as screamed as she jumped splashing in the water in the tub.

Anna's yell threw Doug off balance as he went to jump backwards. He accidentally kicked the door hinge with his toe. "Ahh Damn!" he yelled. he quickly shifted his weight off of his hurt foot in order to stay upright but it was too late...his momentum was already bringing him backwards into the slightly opened door. Doug fell through the door and quickly slapped his free hand over his eyes as he hit the ground.

Anna leaned over the edge of the tub looking at Doug laying on the ground in the bathroom, "you scared me." She said She felt bad that he had fallen and was now laying there; she tried to keep back the snickers, "keep your eyes closed, but are you hurt?" She asked grabbing and wrapping the towel that was laying by the tub around her. She knelt down next to him.

Doug kept his hand glued over his eyes. now doing it only for effect he relaxed his legs and let a smile creep on his face. "Terribly sorry to intrude..." he now started to laugh. I cant believe I fell through the door."

Anna reached behind her dipping her hand in the tub and throwing it at him bubbles and all, she was grinning now, "are you now, huh, huh?"

"Oh...you're going to get it now." Doug got up on his knees with his eyes pinched shut reaching out to find her. "Marco...Marco..."

Anna was having fits of uncontrollable laughter. She hadn't had this much fun since she was little. She dipped both hands into the tub, and flung it at him. "take that, and that," she said as she scooted back away from him.

Doug, now knowing where she was lunged out and grabbed her. he was now fairly wet and laughing as well. "you evil woman, taking advantage of the fact that i cant open my eyes. but he...i got you now!"

Anna let out shrieks of laughter, as she wiggled under him, "yes you do. You're the one who had your eyes all covered when you came falling in here."

Doug got closer to her to stop her from moving. "Does that mean i can open them then?"

She watched him move closer she was between him and the wall. "yes."

Doug opened his eyes to look Anna in the face. He knew she was only in a towel. he just wanted to be a tease. he leaned forward and gave her a kiss. "get dressed. the bulls are getting their butts kicked."

Anna walked into the bedroom, "oh he's a little tease." She said leaving the wide open knowing that he would have to walk by; two can play at the game. She let the towel fall to the ground as she heard his footsteps. And reached for the clothes she had laying on the bed.

Doug, falling perfectly into her trap, he walked in the room and saw Anna and immediately spun on his heels turning his back to her. He could feel the blush going to his face as he scratched his head nervously. "Ahh that's not fair."

"Oh it's not now." She said pulling her shirt over head; it was oversized so it fell almost to her knees. She walked over up behind him running her hand down his arm as she went to slip by him.

Doug shivered when she touched him. "You..." he said pointing at her and searching for words. Evil...evil woman." he knew by now his face must be bright red.

"You could not get any redder in the face could you?" She said as she moved her hand running it down his chest, "well so be it then, but there's a bull's game on." And she bounced off down the stairs and flopped down on the couch with the bowl of popcorn.

Doug stood there for a long time with his mouth hanging open. he couldn't believe she had just done that to him. Slowly he made his way down the stairs. He came up behind her and grabbed the bowl of popcorn from her lap and brought it with him to the chair on the other side of the room. "mine now."

She looked at him sitting there grinning. She got up and crossed the room, kneeling in front of him, she looked up at him, her hands resting on his knees, she faked a pout, and "you call me an evil woman and then steal my popcorn."

Doug picked up a piece and threw it at her letting it bounce off her head. "Well all women are evil." he said grabbing a handful of popcorn and shoving it in his mouth. "and I'm bigger than you so i can do what i want." Doug plainly pretended to look past her to see the TV.

"Oh is that so." She said smiling. She sat down on his lap, "well you know us evil women have wily charms that we use on men." She ran her fingers down the side of his face and down his chest. Knowing that she had distracted him she grabbed the popcorn bowl and ran back to the couch holding tightly onto her prize.

Doug was up and after her in a heartbeat. He dove on the couch and started to tickle her sides. "How you gunna get out of this one?"

"Oh god," she laughed, "you brat." She could feel his weight on top of her. But she couldn't stop laughing as he was tickling her. She reached up and pulled him down so that he was right there and kissed him.

Doug stopped tickling her and kissed her back. "Brat huh." he whispered in her ear before kissing her neck. "here you are getting massages and bubble baths..." he gave her another kiss. free popcorn...and a very attractive date...and you're throwing out insults?" Doug laid fully on top of her so he knew she couldn't move and poked her once in her side to make her jump before kissing her. "well i guess I'll just leave then."

Anna wrapped her arms behind his neck and her legs over the top of him, "leave, and no." She whispered, "you are absolutely wonderful." Her skin was tingling from where he had kissed her.

Doug kissed her again and leaned up on his elbows. "So what number date would you consider this exactly?"

Anna laughed, "oh I'd have to say it's at least our third one." She said looking up at him, "why?"

Doug blushed again. "You're going to make me work for this one huh?" the grin slowly slipped off his face. Doug was scared; it had been a long time since he had been in a dating position like this. he shifted his weight and fidgeted with her hair. "I-I just didn't know what your dating policy was is all."

Anna blushed, "oh," she breathed in, "my dating policy." Dating that was a word that she hadn't heard or even thought of in a long time. She wasn't sure what to say now; she pulled him back towards her, locking her eyes with his, "yes."

Doug's heart raced. He went to kiss her again but let his head slip beside hers to rest on the couch. He took in a deep breath to try and compose himself. "Second thought...maybe this isn't such a good idea." Doug brought his head up to look her in the face. "i mean...i.e. don't want to hurt you." he sighed again. "i don't want to get hurt."

"I'm scared too Doug." She said, "it's been a long time since I've done this, but you are not going to hurt me. What we do or don't do isn't going to change my feelings about you."

Doug couldn't look at her. He knew what she wanted and he couldn't believe he was chickening out. He winced as he sat up and scooted over to the far side of the couch. he dropped his head and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "So how bout those bulls." he said grabbing the remote and turning the TV up.

"Yeah the bulls." She said focusing her eyes on the TV. "I'm getting a drink do you want anything?" She crossed the room headed for the kitchen. Anna saw the charts sitting on the table by the door and she scooped them up. She grabbed a glass of water and sat down at the counter. She flipped open the chart looking at it as she started to sing to herself, "all day staring at the ceiling making friends with the shadows on my wall, all night hearing voices telling me I should get some sleep cause tomorrow might be gone. Something hold on feeling like I'm headed for a breakdown and I don't know why, I'm not crazy I'm just a little unwell, stick around a little while and you will see a softer side of me."

Doug wanted to kill himself for not acting on what he wanted to do. He had only ever been truly afraid of three things in his whole life: being alone was number one. He watched the Sixes sink another three point shot against the Bulls and turned the TV off. He walked into the kitchen to look for a drink when he heard Anna singing and smiled. She was the only thing that made him smile lately. Gee grabbed a bottle of Jack Daniels and sat down at the table. After drinking a small glass he looked back up at Anna, his eyes caught the bruises on her body. "You know I could have killed Max today for what he did to you. Looking at it now I almost think I should have. I would have served a lifetime in jail and never felt bad about it."

"Do you know that you are the first person that ever stopped him?" She said, "if I could have gotten to that car I would have killed him myself. There's a loaded 9 mm in the glove box. If you want to know if I care, the answer is no. I didn't pull you off him sooner because if felt good knowing that someone was doing to him what he had just done to me."

Doug knocked back another glass. He played with the edges of the glass as he listened to Anna talk. There was silence between them for a moment until Doug spoke again. "I ever tell you my dad use to beat my mom and me? What a real class act he was. You know I must have met a thousand people who can't relate to that. And on the rare occasions I do they either don't want to be helped or they do... and once that person leaves their life they're not the same. They're never happy. And I'm not saying that's you, because you seem pretty happy...oh hell I don't know what I'm saying." Doug drummed his fingers on the table while he thought. "I just don't think you know what you're getting into... with me."

"Don't you think you should let me decide that for myself?" She said grabbing his bottle and tossed it back. "If I didn't want this I wouldn't be here. I'm happy Doug and it's you that makes me happy."

"I know." he said flatly. "Look, you're going to think this is dumb but...you should probably know so here it goes: The reason I'm having a hard time with...us isn't just because of Carol. She said something to me that I'm, I'm afraid is coming true. She told me that I better be careful, because I'm Turing into my father." He looked at his glass again. Even though it didn't have anything left in it Doug held it like there was. "Lately when vie been with you that's what vie been thinking about. How bad it would be for you to move from on bad relationship into another, and i cant promise that wont happen." he stood up and took the bottle from her and walked into the living room.