Summers in Minnesota were an interesting experience. For most of the year, you spent your life in some variation of sweatshirts, coats, gloves, hats and scarves. But then summer would come, and you couldn't believe that you were living in the Midwest. The heat was humid, but tolerable during the day. The nights, though. That's what made living there worth it. Valerie's family lived right off Lake of the Isles where the breeze was just cool enough to cut through the heat that still lingered in the air. It was as close to perfect as you could get.
With quiet steps, she snuck down the carpeted stairs of the two-story home, bypassing the creaking stair towards the kitchen and out the patio doors. It was the last time, for a while at least, that she was going to be able to enjoy a moment alone in her backyard before life as she knew it changed forever.
Her caramel kissed skin seemed to glow in the moonlight as she stepped out into the darkness. The nightlife was in full swing with the sound of crickets, frogs, and other such nightly creatures moving about with ease. Not looking to disturb the peace, she moved around the pool towards the far end of the large yard where an old rope swing hung from the large tree in the back yard. in their earlier years, if you were looking for her or her twin sister Erica, that's where they'd be. With everyone growing up and moving on, it was hardly in use, but on occasion, there was nowhere else she'd rather be.
With a slight struggle, she pulled her gingerbread colored curls into a messy bun and began to slowly swing. It creaked, but seemed in tune with every other noise that loaned itself to the night air.
'I'm going to really miss this,' she thought to herself.
Keeping her feet on the ground, she moved back and forth leisurely. Her eyes moved aimlessly tracing the outline of her feet before following the grass to the short wooden fence that separated their house from the neighbors next door.
Val couldn't help but smile. The neighbors in question were Patrick and Lisa Black. Once the 'it' couple of the neighborhood, Lisa was a leggy, blonde and beautiful interior designer while Patrick had the smoldering looks of a daytime soap opera star who kept his face behind the camera as a well-off photographer. Despite them seeming better than everyone else, they were generally kind and fun to be around.
There was more than once they were the last couple to leave her parent's annual Christmas party.
Lately it seemed they were headed for divorce as rumors swirled the neighborhood and no one had seen much of either of them over the last six months.
She sighed resting her eyes on the dark blue siding. Ever since he'd patched up her knee when she was 18 due to a fall in front of his house, she'd had a crush on Patrick Black. Not that there was a woman he didn't encounter that didn't find him handsome in some fashion. Valerie always felt guilty that he brought knots to the pit of her stomach every time she saw him. She bit her bottom lip remembering the times he would come out shirtless to his backyard. He was always either taking photos or simply enjoying the weather. Val watched from her bedroom window like a creeper wondering if something more would happen, or worse, what he'd do if he ever caught her.
'I am
really
going to miss this.'
"Long time no see."
The familiar voice snapped her back to the present. There he was in the flesh.
Patrick Black.
"How long have you been there?"
He shrugged nonchalantly. "A few minutes. You looked so peaceful I almost didn't say anything."
"Just came out for some air."
Patrick nodded.
She stood and walked over to him. "How are you?"
He chuckled. "I see the rumor mill hasn't stopped."
"I didn't-"
"It's fine," he paused leaning on the fence. "We are divorced. Finalized as of two weeks ago."
Val sighed. "Shit."
He chuckled. "It was a long time coming."
They stood in the quiet for a while. It seemed that everything else had stopped as well. Val felt the knot tightening in her stomach knowing that he was now officially single. When rumors first began, she couldn't stop thoughts of going to console him during such a hard time.
In reality, she was about as smooth as a porcupine's ass.
"Well, I'm going to just-"
"Want to come in for a beer?"
Val looked up completely surprised. Was this going to be her chance? Was she wrong for wanting to take it? She could only imagine what her sister Erica would say in this moment.
She looked back to see that her own home was still quiet and undisturbed.
It was her last night in town, and the man of her fantasies for the latter part of her teens, and now her twenties, was asking her for a beer.
"Sure."
He smiled. "Come in."
Patrick helped her over the fence and followed her inside. As Val walked, it dawned on her that she'd never been inside their house. From the looks of it, Lisa had taken all of her interior design with her.
"Yard sale?"
He smiled. "Apparently, she felt everything must go... with her."
"Apparently." Val whispered more to herself than to him.
They moved into the spacious kitchen where Patrick handed her a beer. Val moved to take it, but Patrick didn't let go. Her eyes slowly moved up to his.
"You're old enough right?"
A sly smile crept on his face.
"I've been away at college for the last four years. What do you think?"
He let go and moved towards the island. "I'd tell you, but you might think differently of me."
Val turned away from him and took a deep breath. All sorts of dirty thoughts ran through her brain. The last thing she wanted was for him to see her blushing.
'Get it together you dork.' she told herself.
"Need help getting up there?" he asked.
"I can do it." she answered almost too quickly. She slid up on the counter across from him. "I'm not completely helpless."
He smiled taking another swig of his beer. Val bit on her bottom lip. She couldn't think of anything else to say.
"Are you planning on moving then?" She asked finally.
Patrick shrugged. "I haven't started thinking about any of that yet. It all kind of feels surreal."
"We don't have to talk about it if you don't want to."
"It's fine. You're the first person I've actually told."
Val could feel her heart swell up. He thought of her enough to tell her.
"I haven't really had time to tell anyone I guess. I've been working a lot."
"Oh," she answered immediately deflated back to reality.
"What were you doing outside?" he asked.
Val thought about it for a moment. "Nothing, I was just enjoying the night. Won't be around for too many nights like this one."
Patrick looked at her curiously.
"I'm moving tomorrow. To New York."
"Mmm, to be with your sister?"
Val shook her head no. "Not exactly. I've got a job interview with a publishing company. Figured I may as well."
"I'm sure you'll do amazing."
Val smiled. "Thanks."
"So this isn't like college. No coming back."
She smiled widely. "Not for some time, no."
"That's a shame."
"Why? You going to miss me?"
"I will."
She stared at him over her bottle. She hadn't had a drink in a while, but couldn't imagine that beer was making her feel this lightheaded.
"You couldn't."
"Why?"
