update in the rain

Of course E wasn't upset with me for losing his car key.  Of course, I'd already spent tons of time trying to find it, and he thought maybe I would after I returned home.  Well, I DID look again, just because, but.  And, he laughed with me about it.  Good:)  I suppose he had on his practical, work voice on earlier.  (Or he'd chilled.)  He DID send a couple e-mails I didn't see until this morning, "Losing keys happens to everyone, Robin, including me.  Don't feel bad. Give me a call if you can.  I'm going to leave here at xxxx.  E[name]"  Okay, well, THAT's good.

After not finding a neighbor to drive me down to E's home a few miles away, which, I admit, I wasn't eager to ask I started out with Daisy.  E joked that he'd double-check to make sure he actually brings the spare key with him.  We were going to meet halfway.

In the cold rain.  Not a misty rain, but RAIN rain, before it got dark.  Daisy kept freaking out at the sounds of the street even if the causes of the noises were safely IN the street, and us safely AWAY from said street.  She'd calm down and sniff, sniff, smell, squat, sniff like beagles do, walk along with me, and then panic again.  Sigh.  Poor thing looked at me, tried to get free from her collar and pulled to go HOME.  So, I let her lead me and we ran most of the way back.

With this delay, I tried to walk faster to make up time.  E had left his home already.  After a bit, I got into a groove with my heart and legs just moving forward, passing everything I could spend a moment looking at now instead of usual when I'm driving by in an instant.  Gosh, this almost seemed romantic if it were about 20 F degrees warmer, us both walking in the rain to meet up.  Was that E?  That silhouette of a man coming my way, what if it's not him (well, I'd still say hello).  He put his hand up to his forehead to block the rain, likely squinting.  I moved the umbrella a bit so he could maybe see my face.  Yes, this was E.  With the rain jacket tied about his face, his glasses sprayed with rain water.  He still had on his dressier shoes.  He apologized for having me walk in the rain, saying he was going to walk me back, anyway.  I'm thinking that I'm the one who made HIM walk, and miss his dance class, as I'd lost his car key to a car he is letting me borrow.  Why is he apologizing?  Yet, I'd hoped he'd walk back with me, and I could drive him home.

I stay walking just about as fast, as E likes to walk fast, also.  This stayed good until almost the end when my sciatica felt tingy, so I hobbled walked and he slowed down.  It was a little too wet for hug-walking, or holding hands.  He liked my idea of stopping in Starbucks. 

I knew M was happy to be home, warm, dry, fed, with no homework due, supposedly working on a composting project for Monday and folding laundry, but really chatting with friends via IM and texting.  This included the boy she now likes, who has liked her for years and she thought was pathetic and all of that stuff, who'd gone on the group movie trip I chaperoned over Spring Break.  She's shifted her friendship somewhat from J now, who doesn't really get along as friends with, hmm, I'll call him Al (you can call me Al, call me Al eh he may hate that song).

So, there we were, a middle-aged woman and a bit over middle-aged man, half soaked through, wet hair, sitting there in Starbucks over hot plain coffee (him) and a hot apple cider-like drink (me).  The dry high-schoolers were filling up the place, not that it mattered.  I imagine M wanting to work there in a couple years; she already wants a paid job as do many of her also not quite 14-year old friends.  E had brought the key (good).  We got to talk, things like, "Does that include us?" when asking about the # of people from our main dance group attending a ceili this weekend.  We'd already talked about "outing" ourselves; neither of us cares who knows, we're both comfortable (or, we think so).  Thaw out, and hold hands a little bit.  Ask me about tonight as M is with her dad (albeit today he said that he understands needing time to oneself and he'd put me on the spot last night.  I'd like to see him, though).  We did then walk in the rain again the brief bit further back to his car near my place, and I dropped him off at his home.

Daisy was anxious to see me and go OUTSIDE.  Indie had to wait until this morning.  M updated me on which bathing suit she likes the most in Delia magazine (yellow, of course), potential graduation dresses, and what photos of herself as a young child she wants to use for her Spanish presentation next week, while still IM'g and texting.  This level of electronic communication is still new for her; she knows I monitor it.

M's a really good kid, I'm SO proud of, on the verge of high school.

E's a really good man I'm happy to have in my life, also.

The future is upon us.

 

 

 

Tags: car key, M, E