I saw her again in the Whole Foods Market. I was trying to get a few things before picking up my wife from her part-time job. We had a crazy work and child care schedule that left us with few days off together and little time to do anything, whether seeing friends or grocery shopping. It was her hair that caught my eye as she passed by with her cart. She had dark blond hair with a wide streak of nearly pure white, which was natural and had gotten her teased constantly in school. Her name was Susan. She was more my wife's friend than mine. They had taken an art class together. She, and her boyfriend, had met us at a club again on one of our few nights out, and again at a party.
I knew from over a decade of marriage when a couple was right for each other and these two were. Susan was a bit of loose canon in the world of men. She had that California habit of sharing intimate details with people she barely knew so I knew a lot about her love life just from picking her and my wife up from class. She was "boy crazy" as she put it, and didn't always pair up with the right guys. Looking to her wide green eyes in her almost gaunt face, I'd decided she was a little crazy in other ways too, but I've always liked the mad ones. Johan was her opposite, a tall, broad-shouldered, dark-haired Swede, he had that easy-going nothing-shocks-me European attitude. He anchored her in a way she clearly needed without stifling that bit of wildness in her. They'd been together about year and were delightfully, sensuously in love.
I hadn't seen them in several months and then, suddenly, there was that shock of white hair in the grocery store.
"Hey," I said as she walked by.
She turned and slowly registered who was speaking to her. She brightened, "Oh wow! I've been thinking about you and Jennifer." She hugged me. "How are you guys? And how's that extra cute baby?"
I thought about it a minute. I hate saying "fine" especially when someone really wants to know the answer. "Good but busy, especially the extra cute baby. He just turned two you know."
"Are they here?" She looked around the store.
"No She's working late and the kid's with grandma."
"Yeah? Johan and I just got back from Las Vegas. I guess that's why I've been thinking about you two. We're married."
I was taken aback, not really surprised but so pleased for them that I didn't no what to say. Finally shook my head smiled. "I've got to give you another hug for that one."
She smiled. We embraced.
She turned to a familiar unusually swarthy Scandinavian carrying a package of vegetarian sausage. "Look who I found."
Johan smiled. I extended my hand to shake his warmly. "I just heard the news man! Congratulations!"
"Yeah, thanks. We're very happy but very tired. We need a holiday to rest from our holiday."
"Definitely." She agreed. "It feels weird to be back. Everything's the same but guess it's different now."
I nodded. "Jennifer and I called each other "Husband" and "Wife" for I few months afterward just to get used to it." I glanced at my watch. "I hate to cut this off but I did just run in here for a few things before picking "Wife" up."
Johan nodded. "We're grabbing a few things for dinner and then sleeping."
Susan looked disappointed and concerned. "Tell Jennifer hello for me. I mean that. I haven't seen you guys in forever. Give us a call."
I frowned, knowing hard it was to schedule anything. "We'll try."
I told my wife the news. She was too tired to react much. "Good." She said. "I've been expecting that. It's about time."
"Susan really wants to see you, and us. I don't think they know that many married couples."
"Probably not, but I really behind on my finally project. I'm having my mom baby sit so I can work on it tomorrow. Maybe you could drop by after work and bring them a bottle of wine for me."
"I don't know. You know them better than I do."
"Susan maybe, I've been around her more and with how much she talks..." She grinned. "I've only met Johan once or twice though and you guys seem to get along fine. Besides she thinks you're cute."
"What does that have to do with anything. We're both married now."
"That doesn't mean she won't be happy to see you." She grinned. "Or you her."
After work I picked up a bottle of chilled chardonnay. I'd tossed my tie into the back seat to endure the heat and humidity my aging Honda's half-dead air conditioning could not fight. I should have called first, but Jennifer had our shared cell phone. I rang the bell of the tiny craftsman cottage they rented. There was no answer, but I thought I heard something like water running. I rang again and heard a voice say something. I few minutes later Susan opened the door a crack, recognized me and opened the door a bit more.
Her short shag of two-tone hair was wet. She had pulled on a pair of shorts and a spaghetti strap top, both clung to her damp body. It was quite a change from her usual bohemian flamboyance. She tended to wear crazy combinations like peasant blouses with studded black leather belts. She smiled but crossed her arms uncomfortably. She was obviously not wearing a bra. I got to the point.
"Jennifer's tied up as usual but I thought I'd stop by with a bottle of wine and our best wishes."
"Oh thank you that's so sweet." she said taking the offered bottle with one hand.
"I'm sorry I've obviously come at a bad time. I'll leave you two alone."
She looked concerned. "No, no, don't be silly." She looked past me then opened the door wider. "Please come in."
I slipped in and she quickly closed the door. The house was furnished from careful thrift shopping, giving it a funky retro-modern 60's or 70's feel that was at once a sign of mild poverty and hipster chic. Before I could look around much Johan came into the room drying his hair. Other than the towel on his head, he was nude. He didn't notice me until Susan spoke up.
"Sweetheart, Xan's here."
He looked up. "Oh, hi. Perhaps I should put on some shorts." He turned without bothering to cover up and left the room.
Susan laughed, and called after him. "You did that deliberately you silly Swede."
"I did not. Stop saying things like that." He called back.
"I'm just teasing you."
"I know, but people say these terrible things about Sweden and they're just not true. I don't run about exposing myself and trying to make people uncomfortable." He came back zipping up as he came. He hadn't bothered with anything but the shorts. He had a hint of a paunch, as most men will if they even look at beer. He was muscular but not bulky. His chest, arms and legs were thick with dark hair over pale skin. From the brief look I'd had he seemed well endowed. Susan showed him the bottle of wine telling him it was from Jennifer and I. "Let's open it then." He said.
Susan went into the kitchen for glasses and a corkscrew. Johan flopped on the couch. I sat in a chair opposite. "You know," he said, "A few years ago an Englishman tried to walk naked through Stockholm. When the police stopped he said he thought that was what was done there."
"I suppose its a there's-a-time-and-a-place thing." I mused.