Hungry for Love (35 page)

Ben smiled
,
handing a cracker with some cheese to Colette and swallowing one himself. 
“
Oh I know a thing or two about that feeling.  To tell the truth this evening was supposed to be the antidote for that feeling.
”

Colette smiled and nodded. 
“
Is he seeing anyone
?”

Ben looked sympathetic but was honest
,
“
He
’
s always seeing someone
,
in fact usually everyone.
”

“
He has lots of friends on Facebook.  Like twelve hundred women and five guys.
”

“
It takes six guys to play basketball
,”
said Ben. 
“
Tell you what.  You
’
re here
,
it
’
s dinner time
,
I can order some Chinese
,
or we can go out and come back.  Eventually he
’
ll be back and you two can sit and catch up.  At least it will feel natural that way
,
not forced.  And you look so pretty.
”

Colette smiled. 
“
You are nice.  It
’
s too bad I didn
’
t meet you first.
”

Ben laughed. 
“
I
’
ve been in love since third grade with this adorable brown haired girl.
”

“
Tell me all about her
,”
said Colette.

-
      
EIGHT –

This was the day.  Bill noted with satisfaction the red circle on today
’
s calendar page.  The party would soon begin and it would be a wonderful evening and they would be what he wanted—a happy family enjoying a celebration together.  Chrissy would be surprised and would snap out of the crazy spell she
’
d been under.  This would be the turning point in which everything went back to the way it was meant to be.  Angie had worked really hard and he flipped through the pictures she
’
d just sent to his email.  Everything was set up
,
and that giant banner saying
“
Happy Birthday
,
Chrissy
,”
was an inspiration.  She would be so thrilled
,
he just knew it.

He pressed a button on his speaker phone and reached to unzip the garment bag hanging on his closet door.

Laura answered on one ring
,
and in a goofy voice
,
said.
“
Party central.
”

Bill laughed. 
“
Well
,
this is it.  We
’
re all set.  I have pictures right here from Angie and it
’
s all perfect.  All that
’
s missing is us.
”

“
Hard to imagine she has no clue
,”
said Laura
,
the irony not lost on her at all.

“
None
,”
said Bill. 
“
She thinks it
’
s an anti-smoking fund raiser.  What time are you picking her up
?”

“
I
’
ve got the kids right here
,”
said Laura
,
“
And we were going to get her but Kevin called and said he could do it
,
so I said sure
,
great.  So rare that he makes a thoughtful gesture.
”

“
That
’
s actually much better.  We can all be there to yell surprise when she walks in with Kevin.  See—things do have a way of working out.
”

“
Will!
”
said Laura
,
“
Will
,
no
,
don
’
t do that.  Oh geez.  Bit of a spill—okay see you at the party.
”

Bill shrugged
,
knowing it was nothing serious
,
and began changing for the party.  He pulled up the slacks of his tuxedo and twisted and turned.  Had they always been this tight
?
  He knew they hadn
’
t.  The jacket looked like he
’
d borrowed it from an organ grinder
’
s monkey.  He turned this way and that and gazed at himself sausaged into a tux that was more than a size too small.  He shook his head and sighed.  Then he opened his desk drawer and removed his stash of candy bars and tossed them into the trash.  The joke was on him.  Now he
’
d have to go home and change into a suit
,
assuming he had one that fit.  Bill laughed at himself as he slipped back into his clothes
,
zipped the tux back into its bag and walked through the empty waiting room.  At least there was still plenty of time. 

Bill pulled into his driveway behind Kevin
’
s Porsche just as Laura pulled in behind him and emerged from the car in a stunning evening gown.  Bill pressed his hand to his heart
,
“
Wow
,
lady
,
you
’
re a knockout.
”

Laura smiled and said
,
“
Will needs another shirt.  Balancing cans of soda on his head.
”

“
Runs in the family
,”
said Bill. 
“
Tuxedo
’
s way too tight.  Malomars and candy bars.  Physician heal thyself.
”

“
Ahh no.  You just haven
’
t worn that tux in ages.  Okay kids
,
let
’
s get that shirt.  We have a party to attend.
”

“
C
’
mon let
’
s go see my grandma.  I want her to see me all dressed up
,”
said Candy.

“
Your grandma moved in next door
?”
asked Julie.

“
Well
,
she
’
s adopted
,
but yes
,”
said Candy.

“
She
’
ll see you at the party
,”
said Bill.  But the kids were half way across the lawn by then. 
“
Will
,
come back here
,
you need to change.
”
 

“
It
’
s okay
,”
said Laura
,
“
I
’
ll grab a shirt and he can put it on in the car.
”

Bill unlocked the door and held it open for Laura and they both walked toward the back of the house
,
but it was only a moment before they stopped
,
listening to noises that should not have been coming from the bedroom.  A familiar look of resignation crossed Laura
’
s face while Bill
’
s registered disbelief.  It must be something else.  He strode toward the bedroom with Laura behind him.

And there in Bill
’
s bed sat Kevin and Chrissy
,
smoking.  Both grabbed for the sheets as their respective partners entered the room.  Bill stood looking at the couple
,
shaking his head sadly
,
as Laura grew enraged
,
almost more at the cigarettes than the obvious. 
“
Screwing
and
smoking
,”
she said
,
“
A new low
,
even for you.
”
  Then Laura turned and walked out of the room. 

Chrissy gazed at Bill with utter insolence
,
and in moving slightly
,
an emptied jar of fudge sauce tumbled out of the bed and onto the carpet.  She looked down at the fudge then back up defiantly.