Chapter 1: Meeting the Neighbor

When I was 30 years-old I thought that I had been happily married for the past seven years. Then I came home one day to find our three-bedroom house stripped of all furniture except for the study (the third bedroom) which had my computer, desk, and bookcases in it. I found my clothing dumped in the corner of the bedroom with a note on top, which said, "Fuck you very much! I'm outa here!" attached was a petition for divorce.

Next, I checked the garage/shop in the back of the yard. None of my tools seemed to be missing. In the storage section, none our camping gear had been disturbed. I pulled out a sleeping bag then an air mattress and returned to the house.

Now I know I should have seen this coming. A month before I found my wife kissing another man when I picked her up from work. In addition, she had been working lots of overtime for the last six months but I guess no one wants to admit his or her marriage is in trouble. Besides that, hindsight is 20/20.

The next morning I called into work and took a personal day, the first in four years. I went to the bank and found that our savings and checking account only had a dollar in them. When I tried to close them, I could close the saving but not the checking until all checks had cleared. I explained the problem and they insisted that they could not close the account nor could I remove my wife's name. I opened a new account and arranged for my paycheck to be deposited to new account as soon as it hit the old account. Next, I cancelled all my credit cards but I was too late to stop them from being used to the their limit totaling $75,000.00. Most charges had taken place Thursday, Friday of last week and Monday of this week.

Later that afternoon, I visited our family lawyer and had a long conversation with him. He said that unless I wanted to fight the divorce there was little to gain. Beside as the lawyer put it, "Do you really want the bitch back?" and I had to answer "NO!" We worked out a plan that allowed him to handle the divorce. If my ex-wife just left things as they were and asked for nothing more, then I would not contest the divorce. On the other hand, if she got greedy my lawyer could handle it as he saw fit.

At any rate, I was devastated. That evening I calculated what I owed $48,000.00 on a $63,000.00 house, $6,200.00 for the car and of course the $75,000.00 in credit card debt. Thus, the total owed was $129,200.00, which at the $43,600.00 that I made yearly would take me forever to pay off.

The following day Thursday and for the rest of the week I went to work but accomplished less than zero. Friday afternoon my boss also one of my best friends asked me what the problem was and I explained what I had found on going home Tuesday after work. He suggested I take a week off with pay and get good and drunk. I told Bob I guess that would be best and that I could afford the time off having five weeks on the books. He laughed and said, "As bad as you have been screwed I will arrange for the company to grant you a week off with pay for medical reasons." I thanked him then left wondering what I should do for the next week.

Saturday afternoon, I was out back with the shop doors open (a three-car garage) cleaning it out and taking stock of my supplies. I was tentatively planning to build myself a platform bed, which would have a foam mattress. The next thing I knew was a light brown-headed 5 foot 5 inch, maybe 105-pound girl was standing next to me saying, "I thought you moved out!"

After I scraped myself off the ceiling and she had stopped giggling I explained that in the future she should not scare me that way since I might hurt myself when using a tool or power saw. Also, that I did not want to be responsible for hitting her. She told me I was too nice to hit her and I explained that I had been in the Army and if I felt threatened I would defend myself purely out of reflex and I had been known to hit people in the past by accident. She though about this but I could tell she was not convinced, but she agreed not to scare me again then said, "I thought you moved out!"

"No I did not move out, my wife did and my name is Bob."

"That "SUCKS!" then continued with, "My Dad died 5 years ago when I was eleven!"

"I think losing your dad is worse because when I lost my parents it was worse than losing my wife. My parents died a week after I graduated high school so I joined the Army like I had been planning."

"What did you do in the army?"

"Worked on computers stateside except for a period of time during Desert Storm where my team set up computers and stuff at forward command posts. During my time in the states I attended college and had only 30 hours to complete my degree when I was discharged."

"I'm going to the JC next year but I still do not know what I want to study!"

"Well you certainly have time to make that decision. It takes at least a year and usually two to get all the basics out of the way."

The girl stayed for about an hour more then said, "I need to go, but I will ask mom if you can eat dinner with us some night soon."

"I could only eat dinner with someone I have been introduced to." I replied.

The girl turned red the stammered, "I'm sorry, my name is Robin." Before she turned and fled.

After she left I took the trailer to the lumberyard and bought me some 1⁄4" and 3⁄4" plywood along with some 2" by 8" by16' oak boards. Next, I picked up the drawer hardware, hinges, and two small lights on retractable arms.

By 9 PM, I had the base and bed platform assembled minus the drawers. It would take me the rest of the week to complete the headboard/end tables and drawers. Each day Robin would stop and talk to me. Towards the end of the week, she was even enjoyed helping me sand the different parts getting them ready to stain and polyurethane.

Saturday morning, I spent sweeping the shop from top to bottom. In the afternoon, with the door closed, I started to apply a dark oak stain. Robin peeked through the side window saw me staining and came on in.

I had to tell her she could not stain because it would ruin her clothes and stain her hands. This came close to an argument but I prevailed finally when I explained that staining was an art. You had to work fast and evenly or it would look very bad and after it dried. I also explained that further application of stain would not cover up any mistakes you made during the staining process.

Sunday morning, I was out in the shop by 5 AM and applied the first coat of polyurethane. About every two hours after that, I applied another one. At 4 PM, I put the last coat on and retired to the house to shower and work on getting the rest of the stain off my hands. At 5:30, Robin knocked at the back door and invited me to come over and eat with her and her mother. I grabbed a bottle of wine and we left.

I walked over to Robin's house and entered into the kitchen. Robin went to stand next to her mother. I did a double take; they were sisters not mother and daughter. Not only that, but they were dressed identically adding to the effect. It was a very captivating sight.

Robin introduced her mother as April and I flashed to my childhood in Northern Virginia and remembered that Robins returned in the spring during the month of April. By the time, I recovered from my wayward thoughts April had approached and removed the bottle of wine from my unresisting hand.

April asked if I was okay. I said that I was fine I just had a couple wayward thoughts. Like that, they were sisters and Robin had been born in April. Both of them stood there staring at me with their mouths hanging open.

April asked, "How did you know?"

"April, you and Robin could be twins! I could accept that you two might be close enough to be sisters but not twins. Also the age difference between you and her is not enough." I explained.

"There is something else isn't there?" stated Robin.

I smiled but did not say anything. April looked at me and said, "I don't care what it is! Please tell us!"

"Well I would not normally say anything like this, but I think I will make an exception! April you were standing in front of the window as I entered, I saw your silhouette and you are not wearing a bra. If you had a child your breasts would be a little different." I stated.

Both women blushed and folded their arms across their chest and I had to chuckle and said, "Ladies you asked and it's too late, beside that you are no longer in front of the window."