She kissed her husband goodbye and then said goodbye to Michael and Tammy as she headed out of the door. It was girls' night out and she was, once again, running late so she hurried down the hallway and headed for the door. Pausing for a moment, she turned around and came back into the kitchen, taking the few extra seconds to give each of her kids a kiss on the forehead.
"You look so pretty Mommy," Michael said.
"Thank you Michael, you look very handsome yourself." Glancing over at her husband she said, "Must be the makeup. They don't see me in it much."
"Neither do I," he replied, then smiling, he nodded his head acknowledging it was a joke.
Turning for the door this time she didn't turn around, she headed out of the door and over to her car. Starting it up, she backed out of the driveway and headed down the street, taking a deep breath as drove. She had done it, she got out of the house without screwing it up, without somehow blurting out that there was no girls' night out tonight. No, she was now driving to a restaurant to meet someone, someone she had known many years ago.
She had worried about making her husband suspicious as she tried her best to look her very best. Had he really been one to notice those things he might remember she never before tried so hard to look good. Normally she'd toss on an outfit, put on a bit of eye shadow and liner and run, but tonight she went all out.
The restaurant was downtown so the parking was going to be difficult. She decided to go ahead and use a valet, so she pulled up in front of the restaurant, took the claim slip from the driver and stepped out of the car. As the car pulled away she noticed a thin blond woman running towards her.
"I expected a warm welcome but not you running to me," she said, moving toward her friend.
"I wanted to get you to stop the valet."
"But why would you want to do that?" she asked.
"I was too nervous about seeing you and well, I'm not sure I am up for dinner."
"Okay, I'll just get my car back..."
"No, no, look my hotel is there just up the street, the weather is nice out. Why don't we walk?"
"A walk would be nice," she replied gesturing toward the hotel.
The started walking together and by about the fourth step, they quietly clasped each other's hand. They continued along in silence for a while, both seemingly lost in their thoughts.
"You remember how we wished we could walk like this when we were younger?" she said.
"Yeah, but now I don't know if we can do this because the times and attitudes have changed or if it is just because we are a couple of old women."
"Maybe a bit of both. So how have you been, I was surprised to hear from you? Your husband okay?"
"My ex, but yes
he
is okay, me just so, so."
"Any kids?" she asked.
"No, what about you?" her friend asked.
"Yes, Michael who is seven and Tammy, seventeen."
