I had been doing my typical thing all winter long, working around the house, remodeling, and refurbishing my older bathroom and bedroom, while I continued writing new stories as a side income.
My full time job became less important due to increased income from royalties I began to receive from different online publishing companies. I was making almost twice, what I was taking in as a marketing rep for the once well off operation I was involved with. It's popularity declined due to bad business decisions on the part of the administrative board.
Life was rather good. It had been a relatively mild winter. I would spend a little more time out in the yard, especially the back, cleaning and preparing it for summer, putting down a pre-emergent on the lawn as well as picking up all the dreaded branches and crap that cluttered it.
It soared to almost 40 degrees one day in early February. The sun had come out and I was out, again, picking up sticks and branches from a recent windstorm.
Cory, Renee's husband from behind me, saw what I was doing, came out, and acted as if he was doing 'busy' work. He appeared productive as well, but every time I'd look up, he was walking back and forth, doing nothing.
"Hey Jim, how's life? How's your winter going? Has business been good to you? Are you making a lot of sales?"
I put down a load of sticks, walked over to the fence, lit a cigarette and offered one to him. He declined as he said he quit, but I knew better, since I've seen him out back often having one in the dead of winter. Me, I've cut down so much so that I only smoke in the garage now.
Regardless, he started out with his bullshitting about how everything, as far as sales was concerned, should be followed. "Duhh, I wanted to say, you didn't know I've been in sales four more years then you, did you?"
I let him ramble on, and on... and on. Then I had enough. I politely excused myself, joking that, I had to go to the bathroom. I asked him if I could get an opinion about some decorating ideas. I told him I had asked others in the neighborhood, which I had, but only women actually. It didn't matter if I did or didn't, my ploy was to get Renee over and hopefully she'd give me some great ideas.
Obviously, my ulterior motive was to get Renee over to converse and catch up. It had been almost three months since she and I spent any time, whatsoever, together.
I figured it would happen, but he and I said we'd talk again sometime, I briskly walked to the house as if I had to hit the head and I made sure he saw me walking in the manner I did.
I got a call shortly afterwards. It was Cory asking if it was safe to come over now. He must have thought I had to take a crap too, but I didn't need to do either. Anyways, I declared that it was safe and told him they were free to come right over.
To Renee, and me, it was an opportunity to reconnect after a long time not being together. To Renee, it was a chance to sit down, hopefully and read any new stories about her and me, which might have been recently written.
Unfortunately, since we haven't been together, except that last time a few months ago, there wasn't anything for her that would delight her in any way.
That wasn't to say, I didn't have other stories she could read, I had many possible ones for her. It depended on her tolerance level. There were all sorts of levels to choose from.
They came over together as if this was a social event. It was only 9:45am and I wasn't prepared to entertain as if this was a supper club or other special affair. It was only me, in a pair of jeans, flannel shirt and t-shirt, underneath, for warmth.
Not expecting anyone around, I hadn't truly cleaned up properly other then to brush and shave. So I wasn't bad looking, but I wasn't dressed to kill either.
On the other hand, she came over in a fleece jacket covering a new peach T and jean slacks that I've seen her in before. As always, they were pleasurably pasted against her nice small pear shaped ass. "Mmmmm, I said to myself, once again she teases me with grace!"
She knew it, I confirmed it with my eyes, but Cory was clueless she could do that to me. "What can I get you two, anything, coffee, juice, tea? Is there anything?"
Both declined as Cory behaved like his typical moronic self. She kept rolling her eyes. Eventually he got bored as we talked and toured my bedroom and bathroom. He felt uncomfy looking at another person's bedroom he didn't know at all. It was easy to go into a brother, mothers, or sisters, but not neighbors, he said.
So within about 20 minutes, he was gone. "Renee, I am going to go to the hardware store. Then I'm going to Meyers to get those groceries. Is there anything you want?"
She asked him to take the kids and go to the science center because he promised them he'd do that for weeks now. He broke down and agreed finally; he was gone for about 6 hours. A lot longer then we expected.
"BINGO, that's a good hubby! Such a good hubby; hears your doggy treat, now go do as you were told!" That's what I was thinking. She has him trained pretty well, I thought.
We hugged first off. We hugged a long time. That hug was so overdue, we didn't let up easily. Then, of course, the overdue kiss came. We kissed but it wasn't as long as I wanted it to last. She pulled away. We looked at the other in the eyes. We knew there would be more, soon enough. We just knew it. We smiled without a word, at first. We looked at each other knowing we were searching for an instant connection that easily could have been lost due to a lengthy winter season.
With winter, it's natural to stay cooped up inside and not venture out as freely as one normally does. That certainly was us. Neither Renee nor I made trips outside often because of periods of inclement weather or other obligations, such as work.
