From Darker Places than I Want to Feel Ch. 03

"You're not much for domestic stuff are you?"

"It's been eight months since Teresa died and I'm still not used to this. She did all the laundry. She insisted that I purposely ruined all her nice clothes."

"Did you?"

"No, of course not. I just didn't know what the hell I was doing."

"You still don't." Sarah grabbed the laundry basket and began to sort lights from darks into separate piles. She shoved a load of laundry into the washer and pulled a pile of clean clothes off the dryer and tossed them into the basket. "Come on, we can put away the clean stuff while we wait on the washer."

Ryan followed her back to his bedroom and helped her sort through the clothing she dumped on the bed. Thirty minutes later most of the clean stuff was sorted and put away they went to check on the washer. It was on the spin cycle and Sarah jumped up onto it with a devilish grin. She wrapped her arms around his neck and swung her legs around his waist. She pulled him into deep and passionate kiss, running her fingers through his hair and rubbing her hands across his back.

She felt him stiffen in her embrace at first, but then he relaxed into her arms and all of his resistance seemed to melt away.

"Wow, that was fun!"

"Yes, it was. You're so incredibly spontaneous."

"I know, that's the way life should be right now, full of surprises."

"And that it is, with you around." He stepped away from her embrace and helped her off the washer. The cycle was over and he opened the door to move his damp clothes from the washer to the dryer.

"Do you like what's happening?"

"With what?"

"This relationship."

"What relationship?"

"The one we're in, you and me, dummy. We're coming up on a three-month anniversary, you know?" She grabbed him from behind and wrapped her arms around his chest. "I want to do something special."

"Like what?"

"Surprise me, you constantly do." She kissed him on the back of his neck and snuggled against his back. "Wait, don't put blue jeans in with casual stuff."

"Why?"

"Because they fade for one thing and for another the jeans are coarser material. Your casual stuff will wear out faster."

"Oh. Okay, thanks."

She chuckled and kissed him on the cheek then pushed him aside to finish loading the washer herself.

Sunday morning arrived with Ryan parking his car outside of Anna's apartment to pick up the boys and Sarah. They were headed to the ballpark and an afternoon game. Sarah buzzed him in and he bounded up the stairs two at a time. He was nearly out of breath by the time he arrived at her door on the third floor.

He wheezed a bit as she opened the door. "Ready to go?"

"Almost, Anna wants to come too, is that okay?"

Anna walked into the living room from her bedroom in the back. "I hope it's all right. I love baseball and this will be the first time the boys will see a professional game."

Ryan grabbed up Sarah's backpack and slung it over his shoulder. "Of course it's all right. But on one condition."

"What's that?" Sarah and Anna responded in unison then laughed.

"That you don't scold me when I spoil your children...it's a baseball game after all."

"Thank you Ryan. This means a lot to me, you taking the boys to see a game. We don't get to go out much as a family and this really means a lot. Since their father..."

"La, la, la." He interrupted her. "Come on, we'll be late for the pre-game warm-ups." He pulled the boys into a big hug and ushered them out the door. "Anna, did you remember to bring sun screen?"

"It's in Sarah's bag." Anna turned briefly and locked her front door then scrambled down the stairs to catch up with everyone else.

It was the second inning and their team was in a slump already. Ryan leaned over and asked the boys if they wanted something to eat?

Michael was the first to chime in. "Yeah! A hot dog with mustard!"

Bobby looked up and grinned. "A corndog for me!"

"Okay you guys, let's get go get something to eat. You girls want anything?"

Anna looked over at Sarah who shrugged. "Maybe a soda? Oh, and Ryan, make sure Michael doesn't put too much mustard on his hotdog."

"Sure thing, we'll be right back."

Ryan ushered the boys out of their seats and up the steps to the back concourse. The hotdog vendor was straight across from the stairs. They were standing in line when someone tapped Ryan on the shoulder. Ryan turned and recognized a former student.

"Hey, Brad, how's it going?"

"Good Professor. Oh, this is my wife Abby." Brad turned to the woman next to him. "Abby, this is my old Sociology professor, Ryan Sullivan."

Ryan offered his hand to Brad's wife. "Hi, it's nice to meet you." He turned to Brad with a wink. "I noticed the emphasis on old, and please, call me Ryan."

Brad shrugged and grinned sheepishly.

"It's nice to meet you too. Brad's been talking a lot about you lately. I'm glad you two were able to connect."

"Thanks, me too."

"So Ryan, since you're here, I might be able to help you out with your job search. My firm has just given me the go ahead to hire a couple of assistants for the paralegals. And if this girl you mentioned, Sarah I think you said was her name, well if she's half as organized as you said she is then she'll work out great.

"Aunt Sarah?" Bobbie chimed in.

"Yes, Aunt Sarah." Ryan and the boys moved forward to the head of the line.

"What'll it be, boss?" The hotdog vendor barked from behind the counter.

"What do you guys want?"

"A hotdog with mustard," said Michael. "A corndog and fries," Bobbie replied.

"Okay." Ryan placed the order and added sodas for the girls, and then he returned to Brad.

"She's here at the game with me if you want to meet her. Actually, on second thought, I should ask her if she wants to meet you today...she's not really dressed for an interview and she'd probably kill me for introducing her right now without fair warning."

"No big deal, I'm hiring the person, not the wardrobe, but I understand when it comes to women." Brad's wife Abby punched him in the arm. "See what I mean? Look, it's only the third inning. Text me if she wants to meet. We can get together during the seventh inning stretch."

The vendor behind the counter shouted to Ryan. "Hey mister, you're order is up."

Ryan helped the boys pull the food off the counter. "Thanks." Then he took the boys over to the condiments counter to find the mustard.

"Absolutely, Brad. Otherwise I'll have her call you for an appointment."

Abby gave Brad a peck on the cheek. "I'm going to head back to our seats while you boys talk shop."

Brad nodded to his wife and followed Ryan. "I'll be there in a sec, hon. Ryan, either way is okay, if she can't make it today, ask her if she can come in tomorrow around ten o'clock."

Ryan pulled Brad aside and away from earshot of Sarah's nephews. "You remember what I said about her, right?"

"Sure, it's not a problem. If she's half as organized as you said she is, she'll fit right in."

"Great. I'll send you a text in a couple of minutes. And Brad, thanks a lot.

He waved as he jogged to catch up with his wife. They disappeared down a stairway walking towards their seats.

"Don't put too much mustard on that Michael or your mother will kill me. Here, take some napkins. Okay, let's head back down to our seats."

The boys took the lead and walked down the steps taking two at a time. Ryan followed behind them carrying a drink basket and extra napkins. When he arrived he passed off the basket to Anna and whispered into Sarah's ear.

"Hey, got a minute? I have a question to ask you in private."

She nodded and got up. "Okay, I have to go to the restroom anyway."

He followed her back up the steps to the concourse. She turned with a curious look on her face at the top of the stairs. "What's up, there's nothing wrong is there?"

"No, no, nothing like that. There's this guy I want you to meet. His name is Brad Williams; he's a former student of mine. Now he's a junior partner in a law firm downtown. They're looking to hire a couple of assistants to help their paralegals and I suggested that he interview you."

Sarah stood looking a bit stunned. "When?"

"Well, he is here at the game but I told him I'd talk to you first because you're not exactly dressed to interview. He said it didn't matter, he was hiring a person not their wardrobe. But he said if you didn't want to meet him today he understood but he wanted you to meet him tomorrow at ten in his office downtown.'

"Now?"

"Or tomorrow."

"Does he know about me?"

"Yes, he does, but he said it didn't matter. He said if you're half as organized as I told him you were that you'd fit right in."

"He said that?"

"Yeah."

"What about the boys?"

"I think it's a part-time thing so maybe your hours are flexible. You'll have to ask him."

Ryan watched Sarah run the idea over and over again in her head. Then she looked up at him and smiled. "Okay."

"Okay? Okay what? You'll meet him now okay? Or you'll meet him Monday okay?"

"I'll meet him now. At least to introduce myself and put a name with a face."

At that moment they heard a loud crack. The crowd cheered as the batter hit a line drive over the centerfield wall.

Ryan beamed broadly. "A home run to center. That's a good omen. I'll send him a text. He said if it's okay, you can meet him during the seventh inning stretch."

She nodded and turned towards the women's restrooms. Ryan finished his text and walked back quickly to his seat.

He leaned over to Anna. "I think I found a job for Sarah."

"What?"

"A former student of mine is a junior partner in a law firm downtown. He told me the other day that they're looking to hire a paralegal, to do clerical work I guess. I told him about Sarah and he wants to meet her. He's here at the game. I just told Sarah and I think she's in a state of shock."

Anna's eyes began to sparkle as they glistened in the sunlight. "Thank you."

"It's not a done deal but it's a step in the right direction."

"I know, but thank you just the same." She squeezed his hand and kissed him on the cheek.

A couple of minutes later Sarah returned to her seat.

Anna leaned over and gave her a hug. "Ryan just told me the news."

"I haven't got the job yet, Sis. I still have to pass the interview. And they may not let me be off when I need to be home for the boys."

Anna patted her hand, smiling broadly. "We'll worry about that when the time comes."

Sarah leaned over and whispered to Ryan. "What did you tell him about me?"

"I told him you were highly skilled and extremely organized. That you are very bright, you work hard, and you're a quick learner."

"Anything else?"

"Yes, he knows you're a TS but he said it didn't matter. His firm handles a fair amount of cases involving gender issues and he thought your background might actually be a strong asset."

"He said that?"

"Yeah, he did." Ryan's grin was hanging off his ears.

Sarah and Brad met during the seventh inning. She was a bit wary of him at first, but by the end of the meeting she began to think he might be someone she could work with.

Right off the bat, Brad told her that he liked her. And he told her that her cocky attitude was refreshing. "It makes me laugh but I have to warn you. There are a couple of old goats in the firm and they work hard to keep the old traditions alive."

"You mean who I am is going to be an issue?"

"No, nothing like that. They just think old school. Apprentices should mind their manners and keep quiet around their elders, that sort of stuff."

"Well that's to be expected in any job."

"Exactly. As soon as you prove your worth they'll back off." Brad extended his hand to Sarah. "So, I'll see you on Monday?"

She took it and offered a firm handshake in return. "Ten o'clock, on the dot."

"Great, now we should get back to the game and watch these guys lose another one."

Sarah waited a moment to watch Brad walk back to his seat. She wanted to scream at the top of her lungs and dance around like a schoolgirl she was so excited. She turned and almost skipped down the concourse towards her seat. But at the last minute she pulled it together and slowly walked down the steps towards the row where her family sat.

Her family. That included Ryan now. If she could have imagined what her life was going to be like six months ago, she would never have imagined this. Still, she realized that she didn't have the job yet. But she was one step closer. She was one step closer to becoming an independent woman who has an incredible man in her life.

She paused a moment and watched Ryan play with her nephews as she slowly walked down the steps towards her seat. He was becoming more than a friend to her. Was he like her older brother? No, that wasn't it. She could never have the feelings she had for Ryan like she might have for a sibling. Her heart began to flutter and her breathing became rapid.

She took a few big breaths to settle her nerves. Then she slowly walked down the remaining steps to her row. She wanted to kiss him, to hug him, to just hold him tight and never let him go. She looked at him watching the game with that big silly grin on his face.

She never felt this way about anyone before. Did he feel the same way? Did he know how much he has changed her life? Did he understand how hard it was each day when she had to leave him and go back to her sister's apartment?

Her heart began to flutter again. She needed to stop thinking about this. She needed to just sit next to him and be for now. She walked across to their seats and sat down.

"Hey, how'd it go?"

"Fine. I like him."

Ryan nodded and smiled a knowing smile. She would tell him when she was ready. About then his phone buzzed. It was a text message from Brad.

'Hey, she's great! Thanks for your help. I'll keep you posted. I forgot to remind her to have a resume with her tomorrow for the interview. Thanks.'

"I just got a note from Brad. He said to remind you to have a resume tomorrow for the interview. Do you have one?"

"No. Can you help me?"

"Of course. We'll work on it after the game."

She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek then he blushed.

When the game was over they all piled into Ryan's car and he took them home.

Anna grabbed both boys and hustled them through the outer door to the apartment building. Michael wanted to play catch with Ryan but his mother wasn't having any of it. "Nope you have homework young man, now scoot."

After Anna and the boys went inside, Sarah turned and kissed Ryan on the cheek. "Thank you for introducing me to Brad Williams. Even if I don't get the job..."

"You'll get the job." Ryan insisted looking into her shining eyes.

"Even if I don't get the job, thank you for caring. It meant a lot."

"You're blushing."

"You're the first man I've ever blushed for."

Ryan smirked. "Liar."

"Well, you're the first man I've ever wanted to blush for then."

"Meet me tomorrow morning in my office at eight. We can use my computer and printer to put together a resume for you."

"You're sure?"

Ryan shook his head with a gentle smile. "Call it a thank you for helping me clean my apartment. It's the least I can do for a friend." He turned and walked around his car to slip in behind the wheel.

Sarah watched him drive off. "More than friends," she murmured, "more like family."

A NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR:

The author copyrights From Darker Places Than I Want To Feel and all of its parts. The reproduction of any part of From Darker Places Than I Want To Feel without the written permission of the author is expressly prohibited.

This story is a work of fiction. All of the characters, their names and the places they visit, are purely from the imagination of the author. Any resemblance to persons, places, or things is not intentional and purely coincidental.

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