pretty in a Jewel sort of way. Not much to go on.
After congratulating me on the engagement, Misty and I stood in the kitchen talking for the next half hour. Clearly she was in no hurry to join the Stewart men on the couch. And who could blame her? Tom’s a pervert and Stephen’s cold to her. She may not be a chess master but Misty isn’t stupid. In fact, she’s positively normal. Not exactly what you’d expect from a thirty-three-year-old woman who’s romantically involved with a sixty-year-old man whose interests are limited to electrical wiring and golf.
Mr. Stewart himself does not play. He enjoys the sport from the comfort of his Ultrasuede recliner in a temperature-controlled environment.
Misty, on the other hand, can talk about everything from recent medical breakthroughs to Edith Wharton novels.
House of Mirth
is her favorite. Currently employed as a lab technician at a local hospital, she spent four years after college working on a cruise ship. They traveled ten months ofthe year and almost always in Europe. She spent the next two years in Madrid as a secretary for the European branch of an American clothing company. She moved back to her hometown when her sister had a baby, her nephew’s birth rekindling her desire to be close to family.
Currently considering becoming a veterinarian, she wasn’t my type, but she would have made a nice friend for Nicole.
If it weren’t for her bizarre relationship with my future father-in-law. A relationship that she FINALLY mentioned at the end of our conversation. And
thank God
, because I was
dying
to know. After all, how does something like that happen? Don’t you ever stop and think, “Hey, this guy is old enough to be my father.” “He’s got kids my age.” “He’s got gray pubic hair!” But Misty’s story was short and sweet and void of salacious details—
They have the same auto mechanic and eight months ago they met at his garage.
That was it. No apologies and no explanations. Remorse is not what Misty is about.
When the coffee was ready I followed her out to the living room, where she lovingly patted Mr. Stewart’s bulging belly as she handed him a cup. Stephen cringed at her affectionate gesture. And Tom misunderstood it. Slapping his father’s gut, he shouted, “Yeah, Dad, you really packed it in tonight!” Mr. Stewart just shook his head. Then, thanking Misty for the coffee, he made space for her alongside him on the sofa.
As I watched Mr. Stewart and Misty together, snuggling on the sofa, I was surprised by how natural it all seemed. Sure, at first it looked like Misty was abnormally affectionate with her dad. And that her head should have been on Tom or Stephen’s shoulder. But aside from the agedisparity, they seemed to be well suited and extremely content. And even though I felt guilty about not hating Misty on Mrs. Stewart’s behalf, the fact remains that I had seen the Stewarts’ relationship, and it wasn’t half as loving as this one.
Besides, isn’t love what matters most? And who’s to say what’s appropriate? Jon and Mandy are the same age, but I’d never say their relationship was appropriate. It’s not even comprehensible.
----
21 Despite the fact that Nicole was a bed wetter.
22 She’s an avid fan. Perhaps the only one.
november 26th
M y insomnia’s getting worse. They say sleep deprivation can destroy your health with headaches, high blood pressure, and dementia—not to mention what it can do to your appearance.
And when I do manage to sleep it’s generally accompanied by some horrible anxiety dream where I get married in an army bunker, or I walk down the aisle naked, or worse, halfway through the wedding reception I realize I’ve forgotten to invite someone I love, like my great-aunt Lucy or my mother. In my dream I run to a pay phone and call her. I try desperately to come up with some plausible, forgivable explanation as to why my wedding reception’s in full swing and this is the first she’s heard
After congratulating me on the engagement, Misty and I stood in the kitchen talking for the next half hour. Clearly she was in no hurry to join the Stewart men on the couch. And who could blame her? Tom’s a pervert and Stephen’s cold to her. She may not be a chess master but Misty isn’t stupid. In fact, she’s positively normal. Not exactly what you’d expect from a thirty-three-year-old woman who’s romantically involved with a sixty-year-old man whose interests are limited to electrical wiring and golf.
Mr. Stewart himself does not play. He enjoys the sport from the comfort of his Ultrasuede recliner in a temperature-controlled environment.
Misty, on the other hand, can talk about everything from recent medical breakthroughs to Edith Wharton novels.
House of Mirth
is her favorite. Currently employed as a lab technician at a local hospital, she spent four years after college working on a cruise ship. They traveled ten months ofthe year and almost always in Europe. She spent the next two years in Madrid as a secretary for the European branch of an American clothing company. She moved back to her hometown when her sister had a baby, her nephew’s birth rekindling her desire to be close to family.
Currently considering becoming a veterinarian, she wasn’t my type, but she would have made a nice friend for Nicole.
If it weren’t for her bizarre relationship with my future father-in-law. A relationship that she FINALLY mentioned at the end of our conversation. And
thank God
, because I was
dying
to know. After all, how does something like that happen? Don’t you ever stop and think, “Hey, this guy is old enough to be my father.” “He’s got kids my age.” “He’s got gray pubic hair!” But Misty’s story was short and sweet and void of salacious details—
They have the same auto mechanic and eight months ago they met at his garage.
That was it. No apologies and no explanations. Remorse is not what Misty is about.
When the coffee was ready I followed her out to the living room, where she lovingly patted Mr. Stewart’s bulging belly as she handed him a cup. Stephen cringed at her affectionate gesture. And Tom misunderstood it. Slapping his father’s gut, he shouted, “Yeah, Dad, you really packed it in tonight!” Mr. Stewart just shook his head. Then, thanking Misty for the coffee, he made space for her alongside him on the sofa.
As I watched Mr. Stewart and Misty together, snuggling on the sofa, I was surprised by how natural it all seemed. Sure, at first it looked like Misty was abnormally affectionate with her dad. And that her head should have been on Tom or Stephen’s shoulder. But aside from the agedisparity, they seemed to be well suited and extremely content. And even though I felt guilty about not hating Misty on Mrs. Stewart’s behalf, the fact remains that I had seen the Stewarts’ relationship, and it wasn’t half as loving as this one.
Besides, isn’t love what matters most? And who’s to say what’s appropriate? Jon and Mandy are the same age, but I’d never say their relationship was appropriate. It’s not even comprehensible.
----
21 Despite the fact that Nicole was a bed wetter.
22 She’s an avid fan. Perhaps the only one.
november 26th
M y insomnia’s getting worse. They say sleep deprivation can destroy your health with headaches, high blood pressure, and dementia—not to mention what it can do to your appearance.
And when I do manage to sleep it’s generally accompanied by some horrible anxiety dream where I get married in an army bunker, or I walk down the aisle naked, or worse, halfway through the wedding reception I realize I’ve forgotten to invite someone I love, like my great-aunt Lucy or my mother. In my dream I run to a pay phone and call her. I try desperately to come up with some plausible, forgivable explanation as to why my wedding reception’s in full swing and this is the first she’s heard
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