was away. It was refreshing and freeing, reminiscent of what life was like after Jack died. The callous way she thought his death that it had freed her from restriction, saddened her. It was an awful time, but reflecting over it now years later, she realized there was a plus side to it.
Only once that day she thought about Lisa, hoping since Cara had left prison they were okay. The rest of the time, she enjoyed John’s company. They chatted about kitchen design and new products, and then Pam opened up to him.
“This is a sort of fantasy of mine,” she said, looking out the window as he drove.
“Is that right? Good or bad?”
“Oh, it’s very good. In my fantasy, I am in a utility vehicle, similar to this and I’m with a companion who shares my love of gardening. We walk through the garden centers, taking our time, planning where we’ll put plants and trees.”
“Have you had anything come close?” Pam looked at him, at his strong profile as he looked straight ahead.
“Just once. I thought something might come of it, but it fell flat.” She laughed out loud. “Oh boy, I hope you don’t feel like I’m putting any pressure on you to take me to Garden World.”
“Not at all,” he said, chuckling. They came to a red light and he looked over at Pam. She looked sad. Feeling badly for her, he wondered if something was happening between them that would amount to anything, or if it would just be a kitchen remodel. “I guess if that’s the worst proposition I get today, I am a really lucky man.”
“Oh! I’m so embarrassed,” she said, flushing and laughing. A young woman driving alongside John’s truck saw the attractive older couple enjoying their trip.
Looking over, watching, she sighed. “I hope I can have a relationship like that someday,” Becky Morgan said to her companion.
“Like what?”
“Look at this couple next to us. They’re talking and laughing, you can tell they are having a good time.” Her companion struggled to lean forward to see what her friend was talking about it. It took a few seconds for it to register.
“That’s my father!” Violet said. “Honest to God, all the single, middle-aged women in Babylon and he ends up taking Pamela Smith to Ferry Stone.”
“No way! Is that who it is? I can’t see the guy.”
“She looks like hell, too,” Violet replied.
“I wouldn’t be surprised after what she’s been through. After Brent being murdered and all.”
“I heard she had AIDS,” Violet said with a sneer.
“That’s what they say, but I think they’re jealous of her.”
“Jealous of what? Her husband was into S & M, her son was just as bad, and I’ve heard he raped some middle-aged Brooklyn woman and she has his baby now.”
“Ha! Violet, you read too many tabloids.”
“‘There’s a grain of truth in every story.’”
“Is your dad dating Mrs. Smith?”
“No!” Violet shouted. “He’s redoing her kitchen. They do look like they’re having a good time.”
“I hope I have that someday,” she repeated.
“You will,” Violet said softly. “I doubt if I will.”
“Why do you say that?”
“I just don’t think it’s for me, that’s all. Seeing what my dad went through when my mother left put me off marriage. My sister is married and she looks miserable to me. Where are the happy marriages?”
“My mom and dad have been together for thirty-five years. They still kiss each other goodbye before one of them leaves the house.”
“Look, they’re pulling into that diner. What the hell? He’s taking her to lunch?”
“Vi, chill out, will you? They’ve gotta eat.”
“Pull in, pull in! I want to follow them,” Violet shrieked.
“You’re nuts,” Becky said, but she complied. It was her favorite diner. “We can always have lunch.” Violet didn’t reply, watching her father pull the truck into a parking spot, turning to Pam as they continued talking for another five minutes.
“What could they possibly have to say to each
Only once that day she thought about Lisa, hoping since Cara had left prison they were okay. The rest of the time, she enjoyed John’s company. They chatted about kitchen design and new products, and then Pam opened up to him.
“This is a sort of fantasy of mine,” she said, looking out the window as he drove.
“Is that right? Good or bad?”
“Oh, it’s very good. In my fantasy, I am in a utility vehicle, similar to this and I’m with a companion who shares my love of gardening. We walk through the garden centers, taking our time, planning where we’ll put plants and trees.”
“Have you had anything come close?” Pam looked at him, at his strong profile as he looked straight ahead.
“Just once. I thought something might come of it, but it fell flat.” She laughed out loud. “Oh boy, I hope you don’t feel like I’m putting any pressure on you to take me to Garden World.”
“Not at all,” he said, chuckling. They came to a red light and he looked over at Pam. She looked sad. Feeling badly for her, he wondered if something was happening between them that would amount to anything, or if it would just be a kitchen remodel. “I guess if that’s the worst proposition I get today, I am a really lucky man.”
“Oh! I’m so embarrassed,” she said, flushing and laughing. A young woman driving alongside John’s truck saw the attractive older couple enjoying their trip.
Looking over, watching, she sighed. “I hope I can have a relationship like that someday,” Becky Morgan said to her companion.
“Like what?”
“Look at this couple next to us. They’re talking and laughing, you can tell they are having a good time.” Her companion struggled to lean forward to see what her friend was talking about it. It took a few seconds for it to register.
“That’s my father!” Violet said. “Honest to God, all the single, middle-aged women in Babylon and he ends up taking Pamela Smith to Ferry Stone.”
“No way! Is that who it is? I can’t see the guy.”
“She looks like hell, too,” Violet replied.
“I wouldn’t be surprised after what she’s been through. After Brent being murdered and all.”
“I heard she had AIDS,” Violet said with a sneer.
“That’s what they say, but I think they’re jealous of her.”
“Jealous of what? Her husband was into S & M, her son was just as bad, and I’ve heard he raped some middle-aged Brooklyn woman and she has his baby now.”
“Ha! Violet, you read too many tabloids.”
“‘There’s a grain of truth in every story.’”
“Is your dad dating Mrs. Smith?”
“No!” Violet shouted. “He’s redoing her kitchen. They do look like they’re having a good time.”
“I hope I have that someday,” she repeated.
“You will,” Violet said softly. “I doubt if I will.”
“Why do you say that?”
“I just don’t think it’s for me, that’s all. Seeing what my dad went through when my mother left put me off marriage. My sister is married and she looks miserable to me. Where are the happy marriages?”
“My mom and dad have been together for thirty-five years. They still kiss each other goodbye before one of them leaves the house.”
“Look, they’re pulling into that diner. What the hell? He’s taking her to lunch?”
“Vi, chill out, will you? They’ve gotta eat.”
“Pull in, pull in! I want to follow them,” Violet shrieked.
“You’re nuts,” Becky said, but she complied. It was her favorite diner. “We can always have lunch.” Violet didn’t reply, watching her father pull the truck into a parking spot, turning to Pam as they continued talking for another five minutes.
“What could they possibly have to say to each
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