Read Online Dance, The (The Restoration Series Book #1): A Novel by Dan Walsh, Gary Smalley - Free Book Online
Authors: Dan Walsh, Gary Smalley
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Uncle Henry, you have a nice afternoon.” Jim breathed a sigh of relief when his uncle got into his car and closed the door.
11
I ’m out here, Marilyn.”
Marilyn looked toward the voice; it came from the apartment balcony. One of the French doors was opened a crack. Charlotte was apparently enjoying the night air. Marilyn walked across the living room carpet and opened the door the rest of the way.
“There you are,” Charlotte said. “Come on out and join me.” She was sitting in a wicker chair, drinking a glass of iced tea with lime.
Marilyn noticed she was wearing pajamas. Outside. She was sitting outside in her pajamas.
Charlotte noticed her noticing. “You’re wondering about this?” She pointed to her outfit. “Nobody can see us out here. It’s too high up, and the railing blocks the view for the most part.” Marilyn looked at the other apartments on the same level. All the balconies were empty.
“No one ever comes out on their balconies,” Charlotte said. “It’s like they’re just for show. Go get comfortable, pour yourselfsome tea, and c’mon. I ran out of lemons, but I had a lime in the fridge. Hope you like limes.”
Marilyn smiled. “I do.” She closed the door and headed to her bedroom. What a fun idea, something she’d never think of doing. As she changed, she was aware of how tired she was, and her legs felt sore from standing most of the day. But it was a good tired, and her aching legs didn’t bother her too much. She looked at a clock on her dresser. It was 9:45, Saturday night. Tomorrow morning she planned to go to church then be back at the store at two. She hoped the service didn’t start too early. After pouring her iced tea and adding a wedge of lime, she joined Charlotte on the balcony.
“Can you close that the rest of the way?” Charlotte said. “I just left the door open so you’d hear me when you got home. Might as well save a little on the electric bill, right?”
After closing the door, Marilyn sat in the other chair. There was really only room for two of them and a little round wicker table tucked in between. It felt strange being outside in her pajamas. Another first in her life.
“Isn’t this nice?”Charlotte said. “I love sitting out here at night. You wouldn’t think with all those people walking around in the street down there that it’d feel so private. But no one ever looks up here. They’re all looking in the store windows, chatting to each other. And there’s such a nice breeze up here.”
“The downtown area looks beautiful at night,” Marilyn said. “It always does, but from up here even more.” She imitated Charlotte and rested her feet on the lower part of the rail. Looking down through the rungs, she saw a young couple strolling by one of the storefront windows, holding hands. They were about Michele and Allan’s age and obviously in love; you could see it on their faces.
“Love is in the air,” Charlotte said, watching the same couple.
Marilyn nodded. “So Charlotte, how did you come to be here in River Oaks?”
“Same way a lot of folks from up north did, I guess. I came down on vacation several years in a row with friends. You know, mostly going to Disney and the other theme parks. Then we’d spend a few days lounging around on the beach. After a while, I started thinking I should move here. Usually after a lousy winter. When Eddie started college, I asked him what he thought about moving down here when he graduated. He said he’d love it, so I figured, I’ll come down first and get set up, you know? Why should I stay up there through four more winters? It’s not like I was seeing him anymore once school started.”
Marilyn sipped her tea. “But how did you end up in River Oaks? There’s lots of places in Florida you could have moved to. Especially being an RN.”
“It just worked out,” she said. “The timing, I mean. I was down here on another vacation. My lease was up on my apartment, so I got the
11
I ’m out here, Marilyn.”
Marilyn looked toward the voice; it came from the apartment balcony. One of the French doors was opened a crack. Charlotte was apparently enjoying the night air. Marilyn walked across the living room carpet and opened the door the rest of the way.
“There you are,” Charlotte said. “Come on out and join me.” She was sitting in a wicker chair, drinking a glass of iced tea with lime.
Marilyn noticed she was wearing pajamas. Outside. She was sitting outside in her pajamas.
Charlotte noticed her noticing. “You’re wondering about this?” She pointed to her outfit. “Nobody can see us out here. It’s too high up, and the railing blocks the view for the most part.” Marilyn looked at the other apartments on the same level. All the balconies were empty.
“No one ever comes out on their balconies,” Charlotte said. “It’s like they’re just for show. Go get comfortable, pour yourselfsome tea, and c’mon. I ran out of lemons, but I had a lime in the fridge. Hope you like limes.”
Marilyn smiled. “I do.” She closed the door and headed to her bedroom. What a fun idea, something she’d never think of doing. As she changed, she was aware of how tired she was, and her legs felt sore from standing most of the day. But it was a good tired, and her aching legs didn’t bother her too much. She looked at a clock on her dresser. It was 9:45, Saturday night. Tomorrow morning she planned to go to church then be back at the store at two. She hoped the service didn’t start too early. After pouring her iced tea and adding a wedge of lime, she joined Charlotte on the balcony.
“Can you close that the rest of the way?” Charlotte said. “I just left the door open so you’d hear me when you got home. Might as well save a little on the electric bill, right?”
After closing the door, Marilyn sat in the other chair. There was really only room for two of them and a little round wicker table tucked in between. It felt strange being outside in her pajamas. Another first in her life.
“Isn’t this nice?”Charlotte said. “I love sitting out here at night. You wouldn’t think with all those people walking around in the street down there that it’d feel so private. But no one ever looks up here. They’re all looking in the store windows, chatting to each other. And there’s such a nice breeze up here.”
“The downtown area looks beautiful at night,” Marilyn said. “It always does, but from up here even more.” She imitated Charlotte and rested her feet on the lower part of the rail. Looking down through the rungs, she saw a young couple strolling by one of the storefront windows, holding hands. They were about Michele and Allan’s age and obviously in love; you could see it on their faces.
“Love is in the air,” Charlotte said, watching the same couple.
Marilyn nodded. “So Charlotte, how did you come to be here in River Oaks?”
“Same way a lot of folks from up north did, I guess. I came down on vacation several years in a row with friends. You know, mostly going to Disney and the other theme parks. Then we’d spend a few days lounging around on the beach. After a while, I started thinking I should move here. Usually after a lousy winter. When Eddie started college, I asked him what he thought about moving down here when he graduated. He said he’d love it, so I figured, I’ll come down first and get set up, you know? Why should I stay up there through four more winters? It’s not like I was seeing him anymore once school started.”
Marilyn sipped her tea. “But how did you end up in River Oaks? There’s lots of places in Florida you could have moved to. Especially being an RN.”
“It just worked out,” she said. “The timing, I mean. I was down here on another vacation. My lease was up on my apartment, so I got the
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