It is that cold time of the year for us in the State of Georgia, February being its damp, dreary self. I'm always glad to see the back of this month and I look forward to the warmth of Spring when I can wear less clothes and let the sun touch my cheeks with its rays, making my pale winter skin glow with health once again.
I've been between lovers these past few months, since last July to be exact. No guy seemed to fit the bill for me; perhaps I'm too finicky...who knows. And to be quite honest, I haven't been looking all that hard for a man. I wanted to get completely over my last encounter so I wouldn't carry any needless baggage into a new relationship.
Dennis, my ex-lover, is such a charming man. Well, he was until near the end, when we became disenchanted with each other. I suppose that like many affairs do, ours ended unhappily, but I'd really hoped we'd retain the friendship. We didn't.
I'd settled my slim body into the over-stuffed, rose-colored chair in the corner of my bedroom. My left elbow on the arm of the chair, my chin resting in the palm of my hand. I watched him pack his things the day he left my life. Gosh, that man is handsome. With his hazel eyes and dark brown hair, you'd never know he's 42. He stays lean by working out with weights in the gym twice a week, and he plays Racquet Ball when he can...at least he did when we were together. My eyes roamed over his body as he moved in long strides, back and forth from the bedroom closet to his luggage that laid on the bed, where he was shifting his clothes around in the bag, trying to make room for everything. I'm sure he felt my gaze on his broad back as he moved around the room, but he made no mention of it.
Putting the last of his toiletries in the luggage, Dennis furrowed his brow and groaned as he firmly closed the lid. The air had been so still with no conversation between the two of us that the simple sound of the latches clicking shut seemed like an explosion to my ears. Tears were trying to escape my dark brown, black-lashed eyes but I held them in check. Weeping now wouldn't change things. I had to let him leave as he wished and move on with my life.
I silently followed him to the front door where he handed me his key to the apartment. He turned, took one last look around the place where he had resided with me for the last two years and exited, not even saying goodbye. As I closed the door behind him, a tear trickled down my left cheek. I would get along without him but it would be difficult. At least the arguments were at an end and my broken heart could begin to heal.
The days moved slowly onward but I had my job as an accountant to keep me busy and my sweet tomcat, Marmalade, to prevent me from being lonely at home. My work began picking up in January when people came to me, wanting me to do their Federal Income Tax papers. This would give me some extra cash that would allow me to consider taking a holiday later on in the year. I could certainly use some time off to relax.
Susan, the cute Chinese girl from Malaysia, flagged me down as I entered the office the other day. She's been the secretary there for the last five years and we've become very good friends the past few months. Standing 5'6", with shiny black, straight hair to just below her shoulders, she has wonderful almond-shaped, dark eyes and a smile that would melt any man's heart. Su makes peoples' lips curve upward as they enter our work place no matter how dour they are feeling that day. With her good disposition and keen mind added to the mix, she has quickly become an asset that we six accountants in the office can not do without. She works for us altogether.
Su has a friend in Atlanta that is a big time lawyer, and they had been dining at the Outback Steakhouse the other night. He had been moaning to her about how his life had become so hectic, that he didn't even have time to get his taxes done. He would rather be spending the free time he did have on a golf course with his cronies followed by his favorite ice-cold beer, Bud. She had listened quietly but intently to all he had to relate and then suggested that he take his tax papers to me to work on at my home. It would save him from sitting around in an over-crowded office and be less stressful. Susan knew I was looking for extra money and felt his needs might prove beneficial for both him and me. After listening to her reassurances of my ability in accounting, he asked her to please approach me about handling his taxes this year.
My arms had been filled with tax papers, my clutch bag and assorted items when she had waved me towards her that morning. I'd walked over and leaned my left hip against the side of her desk, pushing my long brown, curly hair away from my face with the lean tapered fingers of my right hand. After warmly greeting her, I asked Su what I could do for her. She enquired if I was still looking for ways to make extra cash to which I quickly responded with an affirmative nod of my head.
As I emptied my arms of their burdens onto her desktop, I gave heed to what she was relaying to me about her friend Forrest, the lawyer. Our accounting office is located a bit north of Buckhead, a better section of Atlanta, and I didn't live far from my job. If Forrest decided to have me do his taxes, he wouldn't have a great distance to travel to get to my place. I told Susan to give him my home phone number and have him call me one night soon. I'd set up a time for us to meet and we could work out the details.