This is the third story in the "Husband's Co-Worker" series. You do not need to read the others to enjoy this one, but the other stories may provide some context.
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I entered my driveway, I realized that shopping took a little longer than I expected. I found shopping distracting this morning. Still, as long as no additional complications arise my timing should be just fine. With only two small shopping bags, I easily carried it all into the kitchen in a single trip.
"Hey Babe! Are you excited for today?" I asked my husband.
"Absolutely!" He smiled back. "Can't you tell?"
I could, of course, as he was decked out perfectly. Displaying the broad, excited smile of a man after his third cup of coffee, and the pride of a Patriot's fan wearing #12's jersey, my guy was getting ready for today's games. The 1:00 games were a warm-up to the 4:00 game when the Patriots would be playing the Broncos. I was hoping that my guy wouldn't get too warmed up, too quickly. I like hearing him cheer for his team, and if he is too tipsy he has difficulty concentrating.
"Going to take it easy for a bit, Babe?"
"Yes, Janet." He sarcastically, but jokingly, said. "I won't drink too much ..."
"Just at first, hun, I want you to enjoy the day. Now get out of here, I have to prepare some food."
And I did. I can never tell exactly how many of Tom's friends would drop by on game day, but given the amount of beer he bought it looked like I should expect a big crowd. I quickly prepared a 7-layer bean dip, chopped most of the produce for the salad, and marinated the steaks. Tom could take care of the rest, and he definitely would take care of the grilling. Hopefully, the grilling won't start until 3:00. Frankly, starting much sooner might ruin things.
"Hun?!" I yelled from the kitchen. "I'm going to do some laundry. Do you have anything special I need to wash?"
"Just what's in the hamper, sweets!"
And with that I was off to the bedroom to gather the laundry. I tossed my apron into the middle of the clothes and then asked Tom to take the hamper down to the basement. I had to ask twice, because time was becoming an issue. Tom entered the room, gathered the hamper, and carried it to the basement. I followed behind.
"Here you go, Babe!" He said as he dropped off the hamper and prepared to head back upstairs. "Hey, you look cute!" He said, just before giving me a kiss on the cheek and disappearing back up the stairs.
I hoped he was right. I had decided to wear a vintage 1950s sundress and sweater set. The floral pattern sundress is rich in light blues, pinks, and greens. The sweater is a lighter pink, with the collar and cuffs made from the same pattern and material as the dress. I wore my favorite wedge sandals, not just because they seem to lengthen my legs, but because I needed the height. Everything had to be perfect.
I turned on the small light over the washer, which casts just enough light over the dryer and folding table, and then turned off the stairway light. That light, or rather that light being turned on, was my sentry. Walking to the other end of the walk-out basement, I pulled the curtains over the windows adjacent to the door. Normally I wouldn't do this, as natural light is my favorite, and without it the basement can seem dark and unwelcoming. But today it had to be.
Having a few minutes to myself, I stepped out of the basement door into the back yard. I love this time of year: the air is crisp and it greets your lungs like an aggressive old friend. It wraps you in its embrace! But I wasn't there to enjoy the air. I left the door just slightly open. With the curtains drawn and the stairway light off, I followed the only visible light past our oil tank, our boiler and our tools back to the folding table.