Chapter 6

We woke up to the sounds of the classical music station and started our second morning together. I don't know how Kim's day went, but mine was normal as regards to workload, but every quiet moment when I closed my eyes to clear my head, I had a vision of a smiling face with blue eyes, freckles and light brown bangs in front of me. Yeah. It was like that.

Leaving the job, I headed home, flipping open my phone as soon as I got into steady traffic, and dialed OUR number. The phone rang.

"Tim 'n' Kim's. This is Kim." Giggle.

''Brave little thing, aren't you?" I laughed.

"Either that or smart enough to recognize the number on caller ID," she giggled. "Uh, plan on swimmin' today, babe," she said. "We've been eating awfully good, you know..."

"I know. But you gotta know what I want to do for exercise..."

"Me too. But that's for later. Come on. I'm waiting." Pause. "I love you, Tim."

"I love you, too, Kim." Like it was supposed to be.

Twenty minutes later we were in the pool. I don't know if I'd have pushed quite as hard as Kim pushed us, but hey, it couldn't hurt. When SHE decided, we hung on the end wall of the pool, cooling off. "That was good," she said.

"Yeah. So did you hold back, or am I getting better?"

She bent close and bumped her forehead against mine. "A little of both, babe."

"I'd really like to get you in a big pool, babe, just to see you go, and for me to embarrass myself."

"We could go to the Y," she said. "Might have to do that anyway if you want to keep swimming. This one's gonna close soon for the winter."

"Yeah. In December we can get a family membership."

She smiled. "I like hearing you say that, babe," she said. "You keep telling me my dreams are possible."

"As long as it's your dream, sweetie. You're certainly mine. Let's go eat."

Hauling herself out of the pool, she turned, "Let's go shower and order pizza, okay?"

"Pizza'll work." We walked back to the apartment hand in hand. Passed the elderly couple from the other end of the complex. Kimmy said "Hi!" They were looking as we went into our door.

We argued about ordering pizza and then showering before it arrived. I said I wasn't sure that we'd be out of the shower before the pizza arrived. She said she could guarantee it. I let her win, then had to answer the doorbell wearing a bathrobe, listening to her giggle in the background.

I looked at the two pizzas that were delivered. She grinned and made a phonecall and in two minutes the doorbell rang. She let Jen and Laci in.

Laci walked in, looking around. "So this is the love nest, huh? I expected spots on the wall an' stuff." She grinned at her own joke.

Kim smirked. "We don't let it go to waste like that!"

"Yuck!" Laci said. "I don't wanna know..." then to Jenny. "He hasn't slowed her down any."

Jen said, "Now, Lace, they invited us over for pizza. Be nice!"

"Oooo-kayyyy," Laci chuckled. "Since they bribed me with pizza."

The banter continued through the meal and then the four of us played cards for a while. Eight PM saw Jen and Laci leaving, Kim and I making a dash through the kitchen, and then to bed. And two hours later, to sleep.

And Thursday was much the same, except dinner as a little family-run restaurant for just me and my Kim, and we got home to have the evening to ourselves.

We were in bed early, for purely recreational purposes, and after an energetic and very satisfying hour and a half, we were laying naked, satiated, Kim was glowing, and we were talking about things.

Friday came. The swim. Showers. Kim said, "You wanna see if Aunt Jen wants to come eat with us?"

"What about Laci?" I asked.

"Laci has to work late. That's what Aunt Jen said. So I thought that we'd bring her with us. Laci should be getting off about the time we get back."

"Okay, then," I said. "I can't fault your logic."

The three of us headed to an Italian restaurant.

Dinner was pleasant. When we ordered, though, Jenny said, "Tim, how about some wine? One glass won't hurt, and if you have two, we'll let Kim drive."

Kim stuck her bottom lip out, faking a pout. "Being underage SUCKS!" Then when Jenny looked at her outburst, Kim turned to me with a horribly exaggerated, theatrical wink. It's a good thing I wasn't drinking, because I would have sprayed liquid through my nose.

"Oh, you little THING!" Jenny retorted.

We had wine. A couple of glasses, talking about work and school and the coming winter and hot chocolate and warm blankets and I wasn't a drinker and the THIRD glass of wine and I was happily buzzed and so was Jenny and Kim was laughing at the two of us. I paid the bill and gave Kim the keys. Jenny took the remains of the bottle of wine with us.

We were a block into the trip home when Jenny's phone rang.

"Hi, baby," she said. She turned to us, a little buzzed herself, and said, "It's Laci!" She went back to her phone. "Yeah, babe, I'm with Kim 'n' Tim. Guess WHAT!" She paused. "They want to get MARRIED!" Another pause. "Yeah, I know they told us before, but they're SERIOUS!" Pause. "No, I'm NOOT drunk. We had some wine, me an' Tim. Kim's drivin'." Pause. "No, I understand, people gotta work late, sometimes! I'll see you tomorrow." Pause. "Love you too, babe! Bye!"

Kim asked, "Laci's gotta work late?"

"Yeah," Jenny sighed. "An' I get to go home to an empty house. Ssssssucks, ya know..."

I watched Kim as she drove. Her face went into thinking mode for a couple of seconds. "Come visit with US! Tim won't mind..."

Well, at this point in life, slightly buzzed Tim DID mind. I had half a load of alcohol and full load of "I wanna get in bed with Kim" and her aunt visiting, well, that didn't fit the plan. But it was Kim, and I was along for the ride.

"No, I don't mind..." And that was alcohol. They were BIG glasses of wine.

Jen called Laci back and told her of her plans for the evening. Hanging up, she turned to us. "She's gonna stay at her sister's. Laci lived with her sister and her family.

We got back to the apartments in fine fettle. Kim locked the car and took my left arm and we headed to our house. And then I got a surprise. Jenny grabbed my right arm. "Just to help me navigate," she said, giggling maybe a little bit too much.

Kim looked at me, grinned, and an eyebrow raised. She unlocked the front door and we all went inside. Kim locked the door behind us.

"Ya got glasses, Timmy?" Jen waved her trophy wine bottle.

"Ssssure,"I said. I got up and went to the kitchen and came back with oops, THREE glasses and another bottle of wine.

"Kim, you want a glass of wine, since we're home now? It's okay, huh, Jen?"

Jen said, "Pour her a glass. She's needs to learn to drink socially."

I looked at Kim. She had a strange smile. I think I recall smiles like that. On cats sitting in the middle of a pile of canary feathers. And I poured three glasses of wine AND managed to get the cork out of the new bottle.

Two glasses of wine for Kim. Her first. Loosened her up to a very giggly, touchy-feely mode. In front of Jenny.

"How's that wine, babe?" Jen asked.

"Must be something you grow into. But not bad. An' I feel a little..." Giggle. And a hand on the inside of my thigh. And then arms around my neck as we sat on the sofa.

Kim slid over and onto my lap, and another surprise. Jenny slid up beside me. And Kim. Close. We finished our wine.

"It'sh bedtime," Kim said.

"I know. I could use some bedtime," I said.

"Me too," Jen said, giggly. "I guesh I need ta go home now."

"Oh, no, Aunt Jen," Kim said. "You're gonna stay with US."

"Nope. I gotta go home. If I stay here ... uh, never mind." She pulled her phone out. "I'm callin' Laci. I need her. No matter how late she is..." She held the phone to her ear.

"Lace," she said, "don't go to your sisters." Pause. "I know. I don't care how late you are. Just come here." Pause. "No, it's just not fair. Kim's got Tim. An' I don't wanna sleep by myself." Pause. "Okay, love. I might be asleep, but just come on in."