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Authors: Darrell Maloney
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inside me wants to see if there’s enough feeling there to make a relationship work.
“I know that’s a non-answer. But this whole thing has my head spinning, and I’m very confused. And there’s another factor involved too.”
“Go on…”
“I’ve invited Linda, the boys’ mother, to join us as well. I wouldn’t feel right not offering her a chance to survive.”
“I see. Is Linda married?”
“No. She has a boyfriend. But he’s a dirt bag. I’m not sure she’d bring him along.”
“Do you and Linda still have feelings for one another?”
“No. I don’t know. I don’t think so. I mean, we have a history, sure. But on my part I consider her just a good friend and nothing more.”
“And on her part?”
“I think she would bend over backwards to make a relationship work if I offered her the chance. But I have no intention of offering her one.”
Joyce put down her tea glass and said, “No. They’re both dead. My parents, I mean. It’s just me and my two cats. Dusty and Daisy. I used to have an old hound dog named Roy, but he was always chewing on my shoes. Every time I’d get dressed to go somewhere nice, I’d have to go looking for my shoes and hope they weren’t in pieces. Roy died a year ago, bless his heart. I was going to get another puppy. But I didn’t have enough shoes left to feed him. Besides, cats are much more suited to country living, I think. Plenty of mice and birds for them to chase and eat.”
“Does that mean you’ll join us?”
“How can I resist such a warm and heartfelt invitation?”
Scott turned red.
“I know I’m not the best at explaining myself. But I really think we’d make a good team. And there’s so much to do that I don’t think I can get it all done alone.”
“You don’t have to explain, Scott. I’m not a timid woman who will be scared off just because there’s another female in the picture. And it just so happens that I’m between men right now, so I’m available to just throw caution to the wind and join you on your little project. Under one condition.”
“And what is that?”
“If Linda feels threatened by me, if she doesn’t want me around because she wants you all to herself, or feels intimidated by me…”
She looked him in the eyes.
“If that happens, you have to promise not to give in to her and try to kick me out of here. If I commit to this, and put my own money into it, then it’ll be my home as well as yours. I will not have you show me the door based on the whims of an insecure woman.”
“You have my word. And you don’t know me enough to know this. Not yet. But someday you’ll understand that my word is my bond. I’ve never broken a promise in my life. And I have no intention of starting.”
Joyce smiled.
“Okay, then, cowboy, I just have one more question.”
“Yes?”
“When I pulled in I saw about a hundred uprooted trees laying on their sides and lined up in a pretty row a quarter mile long. What’s that all about?”
He laughed and said, “Come on. Let’s take a walk around our new home. I’ll show you what I’ve been up to for the last few weeks.”
-11-
Joyce continued to work two days a week, just to keep her hands in the pot in case Scott’s theory was all fantasy. But most of her days were spent preparing for the end of civilization as she knew it.
Scott was right. There were a thousand and one things that needed to be done. Much too much for one person to handle.
She settled into a routine. Each morning she didn’t go to the office, she’d arise about six, shower and have breakfast, and feed her cats. Then she’d make a trip to her local
“I know that’s a non-answer. But this whole thing has my head spinning, and I’m very confused. And there’s another factor involved too.”
“Go on…”
“I’ve invited Linda, the boys’ mother, to join us as well. I wouldn’t feel right not offering her a chance to survive.”
“I see. Is Linda married?”
“No. She has a boyfriend. But he’s a dirt bag. I’m not sure she’d bring him along.”
“Do you and Linda still have feelings for one another?”
“No. I don’t know. I don’t think so. I mean, we have a history, sure. But on my part I consider her just a good friend and nothing more.”
“And on her part?”
“I think she would bend over backwards to make a relationship work if I offered her the chance. But I have no intention of offering her one.”
Joyce put down her tea glass and said, “No. They’re both dead. My parents, I mean. It’s just me and my two cats. Dusty and Daisy. I used to have an old hound dog named Roy, but he was always chewing on my shoes. Every time I’d get dressed to go somewhere nice, I’d have to go looking for my shoes and hope they weren’t in pieces. Roy died a year ago, bless his heart. I was going to get another puppy. But I didn’t have enough shoes left to feed him. Besides, cats are much more suited to country living, I think. Plenty of mice and birds for them to chase and eat.”
“Does that mean you’ll join us?”
“How can I resist such a warm and heartfelt invitation?”
Scott turned red.
“I know I’m not the best at explaining myself. But I really think we’d make a good team. And there’s so much to do that I don’t think I can get it all done alone.”
“You don’t have to explain, Scott. I’m not a timid woman who will be scared off just because there’s another female in the picture. And it just so happens that I’m between men right now, so I’m available to just throw caution to the wind and join you on your little project. Under one condition.”
“And what is that?”
“If Linda feels threatened by me, if she doesn’t want me around because she wants you all to herself, or feels intimidated by me…”
She looked him in the eyes.
“If that happens, you have to promise not to give in to her and try to kick me out of here. If I commit to this, and put my own money into it, then it’ll be my home as well as yours. I will not have you show me the door based on the whims of an insecure woman.”
“You have my word. And you don’t know me enough to know this. Not yet. But someday you’ll understand that my word is my bond. I’ve never broken a promise in my life. And I have no intention of starting.”
Joyce smiled.
“Okay, then, cowboy, I just have one more question.”
“Yes?”
“When I pulled in I saw about a hundred uprooted trees laying on their sides and lined up in a pretty row a quarter mile long. What’s that all about?”
He laughed and said, “Come on. Let’s take a walk around our new home. I’ll show you what I’ve been up to for the last few weeks.”
-11-
Joyce continued to work two days a week, just to keep her hands in the pot in case Scott’s theory was all fantasy. But most of her days were spent preparing for the end of civilization as she knew it.
Scott was right. There were a thousand and one things that needed to be done. Much too much for one person to handle.
She settled into a routine. Each morning she didn’t go to the office, she’d arise about six, shower and have breakfast, and feed her cats. Then she’d make a trip to her local
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