Philip Johnson
Chapter One
Berry Hill, Tennessee is just south of Nashville. In fact, it has been swallowed up by Nashville. Russ and Diane have temporarily moved into a large apartment complex there while he takes his four months of management training before they can go home to Cincinnati, Ohio. They felt lucky to be on the second floor of the Carriage Way apartments and townhouses, a four level complex of units complete with an exercise room, a crafts room and two outdoor pools. They were just back from getting groceries when Diane said, "Russ we haven't been here two weeks and I'm already eager to go home, and it's worse because it's December, so were stuck inside unless we want to be out in the cold and rain."
"I wish I could say something entertaining or encouraging, but I feel the same as you."
"I miss our backyard and patio, even in this rotten weather."
"I do too, but at least we can go home to see our friends once in awhile."
"Yes, if we don't mind spending half of our weekend going home and coming back. Don't get me wrong, I'll be ready to do that soon, but we won't have more than a day to see them."
"But when this is over, I'll have my promotion."
"That's the only thing that makes this worthwhile."
Russ put his arms around her and said, "What makes this all bearable is having you here with me."
She patted his butt and told him, "As long as we take good care of each other, we'll get through this in pretty good shape."
"Speaking of taking good care of, I called the maintenance guy to come fix our defective toilet. He said he'd be up before five." Russ hadn't much more than told Di that news when their doorbell rang. When Russ opened the door, the guy smiled and said, "Hi, I'm Mack the maintenance man."
"Good timing Mack, I'm Russ and I'm sure you know the way. I know how to fix the damn thing, but I don't have any tools here."
"No problem, I'll set things straight for you." It wasn't ten minutes later when he came out and said, "Well you're all set. Let me know if it troubles you again."
"Thanks, Mack."
"All in a days work. Now I have to go to the roof and thread some wiring. Not a big job, but it's one of those where you have to be in two places at the same time."
"Maybe I can help. I have time and skills and I sure don't mind."
"Sorry, I didn't mean to imply..."
"It will give me something to do other than office work. Honey, I'll be right back." She came in from the kitchen and he told her, "I'm going to help Mack for a few minutes."
"Okay, dinner won't be ready for almost an hour so take your time."
Russ followed Mack out and they took the elevator to the fourth floor, went to the first door to their right marked, keep out maintenance only, and then took the stairs up to the roof. Going out through that door Mack said, "Oh, and I'd appreciate it if you didn't mention anything about this. We're not supposed to let residents up here."
"I understand." They went over to a cluster of four small buildings on the roof as Mack said, "One building is all electronics for the television system, security and so forth. The next two buildings are mostly mechanical rooms for air handling, and the fourth one is all electrical."
As soon as they were in the protective pocket between the buildings, Russ said, "Damn, it's warmer between these buildings."
"Yeah, part of it is from the heat generated by what's in the buildings, but a lot of it is just from having those cold breezes blocked, and what little heat we're getting from the sun right now being absorbed by the dark walls. You can hardly stand it to be in this pocket in the summertime."
"It must be like an oven in here then."
"Oh yeah." Mack unlocked one of the doors and holding up the coil of wire in his hand he said, "I just have to fish this coaxial cable through and around behind that panel before I route it down through the floor."
"Well, I can reach around the panel and be ready to catch it."
"Great, that will help." With that they went to work and less than fifteen minutes later they were out and Mack was locking the door. "Russ, you just saved me half an hour and a lot of cussing."
"Glad to help, Mack." Russ looked around and added, "Damn, you can see a long way from up here."
"Yep, we're the tallest structure for quite a ways around. When the sun isn't too brutal, it can be pretty damn nice up here."
"I can imagine so."
Back inside Mack slapped Russ' back and said, "Thanks again, Russ."
"Any time Mack, thanks for the tour."
Chapter Two
As Diane came home from her part time secretarial job, she noticed they were getting new tenants across the hall from them, but of the three people she saw lugging boxes in, she didn't have a clue who their new neighbors would be. Out of nosiness, or as she preferred to call it, innocent curiosity, she went out to her car and back so she could get another view of the group taking in the last of their possessions. As she was unlocking her door again, a feminine voice from behind her said, "Sorry, if we're making too much noise."
Diane turned around and smiled at the woman looking at her. "You're doing fine. Still a lot to do?"
"Just putting things away and resting."
"I'll put coffee on and if you're up to it, come over and escape the work for a few minutes."
"Thanks, I'll take you up on that, give me twenty minutes."
It was closer to thirty minutes when Diane let her new neighbor in. "Hi, I'm Linda."
"Nice to meet you, Linda, I'm Diane and the coffee is ready." Most of the apartments were the same and that included no dining area other than the kitchen, so that's where they settled. "Is this okay, Linda?"
"This is fine, and thanks for inviting me."
"We just moved in a couple of weeks ago, so we don't know a soul around here other than a couple of people my husband met at the office." The conversation had begun and they ran out of coffee long before they ran out of things to talk about, so they switched to wine and continued until Russ got home. When he came in, Diane introduced him to Linda and he joined them at the table for a few minutes before he excused himself to go change.
A lot of Linda and Di's conversation was the expected, where are you from, and what do you do, and other get acquainted details. Russ rejoined them and told Linda, "Well, now you know what lives across from you."
"And I couldn't be happier. I hate feeling like such a stranger and living in a strange place."
"We know what you mean, or has Di told you about that?"
"She told me the basics of it your promotion and so forth. Congratulations by the way."
"Thank you. I'll leave you two beautiful women to talk and I'll hit the computer and get a few things done. I'll be back after bit Linda, so don't leave without saying goodbye."
"I won't Russ."
It wasn't all that much later when Di went to the second bedroom where their computer was set up and said, "Linda's staying for dinner and it will be ready in about half an hour. That's when the pizza guy will be here, and I'll leave it to you to pay him."
"Got it, do we have any beer left?"
"I'm sure we do, want one now?"
"With dinner will be fine."
So began their friendship. Diane was so glad to have a friend and Linda felt the same way. Di missed home as much as ever, but at least Linda understood and helped her cope with that issue.
It wasn't too long before Linda told them about her divorce almost two years earlier. She had Tina, her daughter, who was twenty one and scrambling to go to school and work at the same time. Linda's ex was helping when he could, and it chewed on her that she couldn't do more for her daughter financially.
As often as not, over the next couple of weeks either Linda would stop over and visit with Russ and Diane, or one or both of them would go over to Linda's for a cup of coffee and conversation. Russ had even taken to giving her a light embrace and kissing her cheek whenever they got together. "What are you two doing for New Years Eve," Linda asked them one night.
Diane looked at Russ with a smile and said, "Probably be right here trying to stay awake until midnight, what about you?"
"I don't have any plans at all. Want to come over and see the New Year in with me? I might be able to stay awake that long too. I'll even spring for the bubbly."
"Sounds good to us," Di answered and then added, "I'll come up with some simple snacks."
After dinner on New Years Eve, Diane and Russ freshened up and went across the hall to Linda's. When she opened the door, Russ stared for a second before telling her, "Damn, you look hot. We didn't know we were supposed to dress up."
"I'm not dressed up, silly. I just felt like putting on some makeup, and thank you, but I don't look hot."
"Right here in front of my wife I'll tell you, you do look hot and tempting."
"Diane, did he get an early start on the drinking?"
"No, and he's right you really do look nice."
"Thanks to both of you." Rather than sit right down, they stood in the kitchen and sipped their sparkling wine and nibbled at the snacks as they talked. Diane finally asked Linda the question she had been wanting to ask her. "Have you tried dating or anything since your divorce?"
"Oh sure, a few times."
"But?"
"I don't know if it was them or me, but there were no sparks with any of them. It could just be me, because I'm afraid of relationships now."
Russ put his arms around her and as he held her close he said, "Now I know that can't be right, because you and Di have a relationship, and you and I have a relationship."
"Now don't play games with me, you know what I mean: Kissing types of relationships." Russ kissed her then. Not on the cheek or the forehead this time, but on the lips and he lingered there for a moment before he said, "Okay, so now we have a kissing relationship." Linda looked at Diane and then back at Russ with flushed cheeks, and just smiled. She was at a loss for words. Her friend and neighbor had just kissed her and in front of his wife no less.
"Now Russ behave, you know what Linda means."
"I do know, but I have to believe it's the guys that are out there."
Linda had recovered and kissed his cheek before saying, "Thank you, Russ. This old lady just doesn't have what they want."
