laughed too. "While I'm being honest about my character flaws, I have to tell you that, in general, I'm kind of a big chicken. Also, I'm not very athletic. And I trip a lot, but only because I'm not paying attention. Now, do you still want to go out with me?"
"More than ever!" Kip said. "How can I resist a girl with so many fine qualities?"
I couldn't stop smiling. "I'm going out on a limb here, but how would you feel about seeing a movie? It can be an action movie, I love seeing other people be daredevils."
"Only if we can go to dinner and talk first. Who knows? Maybe you'll reveal some more deep dark secrets."
"Deal. I'd better think of some before then," I said. "Or maybe you could reveal some of yours. Now, that would be interesting."
"Only if I made them up," Kip said. "Pick you up at six?"
"Perfect! Can't wait! Oh, and I'm a vegetarian--pescatarian, actually--forgot to mention that."
"Okay, no Brazilian steakhouses then. Got it."
"But it's okay if you want to eat meat in front of me, I don't mind."
"So, as long as I don't make you climb a wall or eat meat, we're good?" he laughed.
"Yes, we're very good," I said.
"You're very good," he said in a low voice that gave me goose bumps. "See you tomorrow, Jamie."
"Good-night, Kip."
This was what happy felt like. I'd almost forgotten.
Chapter 34
Although I was looking forward to volunteering at the Food Bank the next morning, I was relieved that it wasn't until ten o'clock, so I could stay in bed a while longer. For some reason, the only restful sleep I ever got was early mornings. I told you I was weird.
I heard Grace honking her horn, but ignored it, incorporating the sound into my dream instead. It wasn't until she pounded on the front door that I finally woke up. Damn it! My bizarre sleep habits were so irritating. I threw on a robe, let her in without a word and immediately marched into the bathroom where I hurriedly brushed my teeth, washed my face and tamed my bed-head the best I could.
" Sorry," I said in a mumble, as I threw on some clothes. "No sleep."
"It sure seemed like you were sleeping when I honked." She made a face at me, then went into the kitchen and poured me a glass of juice. After rummaging through the cabinets and finding nothing, she grabbed a banana off the counter, and said, "You're slowing me down, woman, let's go already."
I woke up on the drive to the Broward Outreach Center. As we drove, Grace explained that this was a homeless shelter for women and children, which also had a food bank. They were always looking for volunteers to sort and organize the food bank, but they also needed volunteers at the shelter, including people to help kids with their homework. We talked about maybe doing that another day, although my math skills were pretty rusty. If you saw my checkbook, you'd understand.
Grace asked if I'd made a decision about Ana Maria Suarez, my dad's wife, and I said I'd decided not to call her. Grace didn't even argue with me, she just dropped it. That was unusual for her, but I knew she'd bring it up again later.
Before we went to work at the food bank, Grace and I were given a tour of the facility; we found it quite impressive. It was 18,000 square feet with 120 beds, including family sleeping rooms so that mothers weren't separated from their children. They also offered life skills classes, education labs, counseling, drug treatment, career services and access to medical facilities for these homeless families.
I 'm sure there are lots of people who'd like to help the less fortunate in a hands-on way, but they simply don't know how. What I mean is we rarely come into contact with people who need help because they aren't our neighbors, co-workers, friends or family. Volunteering at a homeless shelter or a food bank seemed like an excellent way to lend a hand, and Grace and I vowed to make a habit of it.
A s we organized the pantry into canned goods, rice,
"More than ever!" Kip said. "How can I resist a girl with so many fine qualities?"
I couldn't stop smiling. "I'm going out on a limb here, but how would you feel about seeing a movie? It can be an action movie, I love seeing other people be daredevils."
"Only if we can go to dinner and talk first. Who knows? Maybe you'll reveal some more deep dark secrets."
"Deal. I'd better think of some before then," I said. "Or maybe you could reveal some of yours. Now, that would be interesting."
"Only if I made them up," Kip said. "Pick you up at six?"
"Perfect! Can't wait! Oh, and I'm a vegetarian--pescatarian, actually--forgot to mention that."
"Okay, no Brazilian steakhouses then. Got it."
"But it's okay if you want to eat meat in front of me, I don't mind."
"So, as long as I don't make you climb a wall or eat meat, we're good?" he laughed.
"Yes, we're very good," I said.
"You're very good," he said in a low voice that gave me goose bumps. "See you tomorrow, Jamie."
"Good-night, Kip."
This was what happy felt like. I'd almost forgotten.
Chapter 34
Although I was looking forward to volunteering at the Food Bank the next morning, I was relieved that it wasn't until ten o'clock, so I could stay in bed a while longer. For some reason, the only restful sleep I ever got was early mornings. I told you I was weird.
I heard Grace honking her horn, but ignored it, incorporating the sound into my dream instead. It wasn't until she pounded on the front door that I finally woke up. Damn it! My bizarre sleep habits were so irritating. I threw on a robe, let her in without a word and immediately marched into the bathroom where I hurriedly brushed my teeth, washed my face and tamed my bed-head the best I could.
" Sorry," I said in a mumble, as I threw on some clothes. "No sleep."
"It sure seemed like you were sleeping when I honked." She made a face at me, then went into the kitchen and poured me a glass of juice. After rummaging through the cabinets and finding nothing, she grabbed a banana off the counter, and said, "You're slowing me down, woman, let's go already."
I woke up on the drive to the Broward Outreach Center. As we drove, Grace explained that this was a homeless shelter for women and children, which also had a food bank. They were always looking for volunteers to sort and organize the food bank, but they also needed volunteers at the shelter, including people to help kids with their homework. We talked about maybe doing that another day, although my math skills were pretty rusty. If you saw my checkbook, you'd understand.
Grace asked if I'd made a decision about Ana Maria Suarez, my dad's wife, and I said I'd decided not to call her. Grace didn't even argue with me, she just dropped it. That was unusual for her, but I knew she'd bring it up again later.
Before we went to work at the food bank, Grace and I were given a tour of the facility; we found it quite impressive. It was 18,000 square feet with 120 beds, including family sleeping rooms so that mothers weren't separated from their children. They also offered life skills classes, education labs, counseling, drug treatment, career services and access to medical facilities for these homeless families.
I 'm sure there are lots of people who'd like to help the less fortunate in a hands-on way, but they simply don't know how. What I mean is we rarely come into contact with people who need help because they aren't our neighbors, co-workers, friends or family. Volunteering at a homeless shelter or a food bank seemed like an excellent way to lend a hand, and Grace and I vowed to make a habit of it.
A s we organized the pantry into canned goods, rice,
Similar Books
