The Heart Shaped Neighbor

She sipped her drink and kissed me back briefly. "You know, I just now realized I feel the same about you."

After a while the music started, and we were ballroom wizards incarnate while the orchestra played. Most of the wives left for the evening before the music started, and three couples that were kept apart by this now recoupled to spend a few rare moments together outside of faculty offices and cheap motels. I updated Charlene's scorecard as we danced cheek to cheek: "Yes, that's Homewrecker Decker and George Harris. She's getting her third degree under him, literally. Her husband is a typical dumb jock who would kill George if he found out, and his wife would toss him out tomorrow if she knew. George is such an arrogant prick; he thinks the sun pops out of his asshole every morning."

"Yes, I know. I was on a panel with him at a convention six months ago, and hardly got a word past his pontificating. Is that Troy and Fred having a spin?"

"Goodness, yes. They must be pretty loaded: I've heard that the only other time they get on the dance floor is the Holloween dance when Fred becomes Fredericka. Missy Hartman looks so desperate out there with Tony Prentice."

"I've never seen someone look so shocked to have a woman's tongue down his throat while they're dancing."

"Well, they've been an item for three months, according to the grapevine. In addition to being her TA, he does all her 'yardwork' on the weekends." We did a complicated spin move ending with a dip and went back to cheek to cheek. "Look at Royce over there. He's hitting on Gavin now; I think he's trying every TA in the department."

"And if looks could kill Tom Wherling's would have fried him to dust particles by now. Are they a couple?"

"Yes, and Tom puts up with a lot. I've heard that Royce does this kind of thing at every party; he almost never succeeds except maybe Tom all those years ago. Anyway, Tom owes his job to Royce and would be gone five minutes if Royce wasn't there, so I think all Tom will do is fume."

"Does Royce always make such a dumbass speech?"

"Yes, I think so. I've only heard it once before, the first year I was here and felt I needed to stay long into the evening."

"What about those two older ladies over there? Janine and Brenda?"

"They've taught and lived together forty years; and they're taking retirement in May. Best teachers in the department, revered by all, and nobody cares about anything else."

We chatted a little more about the folks around us, but before long all my world held was two magnetic blue eyes framed by beautifully curled strawberry blond hair turning silver swirling around the dance floor.

************

The limo dropped us home and I invited Charlene over for a night cap. We sat in my living room snuggled on the love seat, free from binding garments and shoes. A long, slow kiss was broken by her irresistible giggling. I caught my breath first and asked: "What's with you?"

"It's us. I have to pinch myself every morning; I can't believe how lucky and blessed I am. What's next?"

"Christmas, I think."

"No, silly, with us?"

"I think that we're pretty comfortable with where we're at. We know each other pretty well and we know how to give each other space."

"Sure. We keep our separate houses. The cold won't be so bad if you're there to warm me up at the end." She gave me a long, slurpy kiss.

"I don't think we need to consolidate finances unless a really good reason comes along. We just enjoy each other's company as much as we can stand it: no harm, no foul. Best friends, authors, soul mates and lovers."

"Honey, I need to say something," she said. Looking down for several moments, she looked back up again: "I still think that I'm robbing you of something better. You're young, you're vibrant, sure, you're not every girls idea of a knight in shining armor, but there could be young Dulcinea out there for you. I tried marriage once and I don't think I can go through it again, but that doesn't make marriage a bad thing and it doesn't mean that you couldn't have a good one. I'm going to enjoy every moment I have with you, savor it like the last fresh peach of summer, but I know you'll have to move on sometime. Don't let me ever get in your way: promise me that." She kissed me softly.

I walked back to my home office and returned with a small wrapped package. I put it in front of her and said, "I don't know what your Christmas plans are, so I thought I'd go ahead and give you something now. Merry Christmas."

She gasped. "May I open it?" I nodded. A gold bracelet emerged, its gleam matching the necklace around her neck and the pendant at her breast. It was simple yet elegant. She put it on, leaped into my lap and gave me a kiss that left me gasping.

I held her close. "There's no one else that I'd rather be with. I don't think I could handle a normal relationship; I'd like to try handling a relationship with you. Life isn't a given day to day. You are the mistress of my heart; I wish no other."

"I'm such a dumpy old bag."

"Well, I'm such a dumpy young bag I just want to make love with you and I don't give a damn about anything else."

With that I swept her into my arms and carried her into the bedroom. She was a bit heavier than I could handle and she had to hang on to me for dear life in order to end up on the bed instead of the floor, but it was the thought that counted, and our days afterward were Merry and Bright.

This is the first of three great life crises for Charlie Fredrickson: the others are "The Heart Shaped Pendant" and "The Heart Shaped Storm".