Chapter 1: The Hero

Bob kept an eye out for Sonya now whenever he could. To his dismay, he had not seen her over the weekend. Really, he has not seen her since Thursday, July 25th. Her birthday. Now it’s Monday the 29th. Not seeing her for four days has made him second guess himself. Should he not have taken her shopping? Should he have not poked her sides in a playful manner? Should he have not bought that neon sign with her name in big letters? Did he do something that maybe scared her off? Usually, she was outside doing something ... whether it was with her dog Max or out running around or even just laying outside in their backyard. Or even flashing his back door in the early morning hours. Bob smiled at that thought. He shook his head at the thought of a nearly naked Sonya.

He looked at his watch, almost eleven. A group of his friends from the VFW usually meet for lunch at the Cracker Barrel every Monday. He gave a glance at the neighbors house one last time, hoping.

A big deep sigh of disappointment. And with that he got in his old Lincoln Continental and made his way to lunch.

Sonya got her bike and started to make her way back home from Laurens. Laurens grandparents live on Okauchee Lake, so Lauren and her sisters go there a lot. Sonya being like a fourth daughter is there almost just as much as Lauren. Since it was Sonyas birthday they had a little party for her there. Lots of tubing and skiing and swimming and just laying out in the sun. It was with Laurens family that Sonya went to see Kenny Chesney, June 22nd. She had so much fun that she became a big country music fan. Her and Lauren are already planning on seeing Chesney the next time he comes to Milwaukee and see other acts too.

Sonya and Lauren had made a last-minute swim in the lake before heading back home to Laurens. Sonya kept her little two piece on under a tiny pair of cutoff jean shorts. She figured two things, 1- It’s easier to just put clothes on over bikini and 2- By the time she rode her bike home maybe they would be dry. Nicole drove the girls back home and from there Sonya rode her bike back to her home half a mile away. She had her backpack on over her shoulders, a tight little white cotton shirt that became wet with her bikini top. So it showed threw showing her black bikini top under it. Her jean cut off shorts with the top button undone. She had texted Sean to let him know that ‘yes’ she was back at Lauren’s and riding her bike home. So it was no surprise to her that she saw him biking a couple blocks from her house and joined her in the bike ride home.

Bob was enjoying lunch as usual with his friends. Joking and reminiscing. It was a little past two in the afternoon, close to three hours of taking up table space at the restaurant before all of them decided it was time to leave.

Bob hit the road five minutes later. Humming in his car to a Johnny Mathis song playing on the radio. His attention turned from his buddies to Sonya quickly. He started to think about her and all of the interactions he has had with her over the past year. All good memories, some better than others of course. He was hoping she was home and he could have another nice little moment with her. He was giving some scenarios some thought and came to the conclusion that maybe leaving his Lincoln Continental at the end of his driveway and put out some supplies to wash his car. That way if she is out running or doing whatever he would have a built in reason on being out there with her.