hair removal appointment. It was very unlike Ian to participate in such an outrageous tradition, but she always loved that he made the effort to step outside his comfort zone and do something uncharacteristic. It’s funny , she thought. This actually seems like something Darren would do .
Next she pulled out a crumpled up church program. Following in the footsteps of something her mother used to do when Kate was young, Kate would draw pictures of animals and give them a human name in an attempt to make Ian laugh. Franklin the hippo, Beatrice the earthworm, Tiffani the manatee…she shook her head at her poor attempt at artwork.
As she reached into the box for the next item, she shrieked as she felt a hand on her shoulder.
“I’m sorry! I’m sorry! It’s just me!”
Kate jumped to her feet and turned around to see Darren standing in the hallway, his hands in the air.
“Darren!” she cried, smacking him on the arm, “you scared me half to death! You know I hate being snuck up on, you pill!”
“Well it’s not like I did it on purpose. I knocked and knocked, but your music is up so darn loud! No wonder you didn’t hear me. Your door was unlocked, so I let myself in.” He rubbed his arm where Kate had hit him. “Ow! You’re a violent woman, Kate Henry.”
“You bet I am,” she said defensively. “Did you hear that, potential stalkers and intruders?” she yelled. “I am a VIOLENT WOMAN. I will hurt you. Fear me.” “That’ll show ‘em,” said Darren, rolling his eyes. “What are you doing? And why do you look like someone who stands outside the 7-11 begging for change to buy a Slurpee?”
“I’m spring-cleaning. And this is my spring-cleaning outfit. And to make up for scaring me, I will allow you the great pleasure of driving down to 7-11 to get me a Slurpee.”
Not expecting him to actually do it, she was surprised as he yelled, “Blue cherry or Coke flavored?” over his shoulder as he headed towards the front door. “Coke flavored!” she said, eagerly anticipating how good the icy cold treat would taste.
Even though Darren had been a close friend for years, he and Kate recently were starting to get even closer. They were still only friends, of course, but with Ian out of the picture Kate found herself with a lot more free time on her hands. Darren had seemed to sense that she needed someone to help fill her free time so that she wouldn’t spend it dwelling on Ian, and took on the responsibility to be that person for Kate.
She gladly accepted the company, and for some reason she wasn’t worried that Darren was going to turn into another Ian. He was just…Darren. Her goofy, wonderful, and sometimes annoying friend Darren. She spent many evenings playing board games with him, or reading a book while he fooled around on the piano, or laughing until her sides hurt while he sang her songs in his joking falsetto voice (which she called his dolphin voice) – and each one of these evenings was one less evening that she spent dwelling on losing Ian and being alone. And because of that, she was incredibly thankful for Darren.
She picked up the box and headed towards the living room. She set the box on the coffee table and turned on the television, surfing through the channels for nothing in particular. Darren opened the door several minutes later, holding two cups.
“Spring-cleaning, huh? Looks like you’re spring…lounging,” he said, handing her one of the cups.
“Just taking a little break,” she said, gladly accepting the drink. “You didn’t actually have to go buy me a Slurpee, you know. I was mostly kidding.”
“Well, I was mostly sorry for scaring you.”
“Only mostly?!”
“Yeah,” he replied, chuckling, “because it’s actually really funny to hear you shriek. You sound like such a girl!”
“Well, in case you hadn’t noticed, I am a girl,” she shot back, “so I have an excuse. But,” she said as a devilish twinkle appeared in her eyes,
Next she pulled out a crumpled up church program. Following in the footsteps of something her mother used to do when Kate was young, Kate would draw pictures of animals and give them a human name in an attempt to make Ian laugh. Franklin the hippo, Beatrice the earthworm, Tiffani the manatee…she shook her head at her poor attempt at artwork.
As she reached into the box for the next item, she shrieked as she felt a hand on her shoulder.
“I’m sorry! I’m sorry! It’s just me!”
Kate jumped to her feet and turned around to see Darren standing in the hallway, his hands in the air.
“Darren!” she cried, smacking him on the arm, “you scared me half to death! You know I hate being snuck up on, you pill!”
“Well it’s not like I did it on purpose. I knocked and knocked, but your music is up so darn loud! No wonder you didn’t hear me. Your door was unlocked, so I let myself in.” He rubbed his arm where Kate had hit him. “Ow! You’re a violent woman, Kate Henry.”
“You bet I am,” she said defensively. “Did you hear that, potential stalkers and intruders?” she yelled. “I am a VIOLENT WOMAN. I will hurt you. Fear me.” “That’ll show ‘em,” said Darren, rolling his eyes. “What are you doing? And why do you look like someone who stands outside the 7-11 begging for change to buy a Slurpee?”
“I’m spring-cleaning. And this is my spring-cleaning outfit. And to make up for scaring me, I will allow you the great pleasure of driving down to 7-11 to get me a Slurpee.”
Not expecting him to actually do it, she was surprised as he yelled, “Blue cherry or Coke flavored?” over his shoulder as he headed towards the front door. “Coke flavored!” she said, eagerly anticipating how good the icy cold treat would taste.
Even though Darren had been a close friend for years, he and Kate recently were starting to get even closer. They were still only friends, of course, but with Ian out of the picture Kate found herself with a lot more free time on her hands. Darren had seemed to sense that she needed someone to help fill her free time so that she wouldn’t spend it dwelling on Ian, and took on the responsibility to be that person for Kate.
She gladly accepted the company, and for some reason she wasn’t worried that Darren was going to turn into another Ian. He was just…Darren. Her goofy, wonderful, and sometimes annoying friend Darren. She spent many evenings playing board games with him, or reading a book while he fooled around on the piano, or laughing until her sides hurt while he sang her songs in his joking falsetto voice (which she called his dolphin voice) – and each one of these evenings was one less evening that she spent dwelling on losing Ian and being alone. And because of that, she was incredibly thankful for Darren.
She picked up the box and headed towards the living room. She set the box on the coffee table and turned on the television, surfing through the channels for nothing in particular. Darren opened the door several minutes later, holding two cups.
“Spring-cleaning, huh? Looks like you’re spring…lounging,” he said, handing her one of the cups.
“Just taking a little break,” she said, gladly accepting the drink. “You didn’t actually have to go buy me a Slurpee, you know. I was mostly kidding.”
“Well, I was mostly sorry for scaring you.”
“Only mostly?!”
“Yeah,” he replied, chuckling, “because it’s actually really funny to hear you shriek. You sound like such a girl!”
“Well, in case you hadn’t noticed, I am a girl,” she shot back, “so I have an excuse. But,” she said as a devilish twinkle appeared in her eyes,
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