Escaping the Past

The cab stopped and Brody got out of the car and turned to face them, smiling and waving. He had two suitcases and a bag thrown over his shoulder.

John mumbled, “Oh, here we go.”

“Would you shut up?” Lou hissed at him.

Brody walked up the steps and took both of Elizabeth’s hands in his. He kissed her on the cheek, lingering a little too long. Then he stepped back, still holding her hands and spread them wide. “Damn, you look good.”

At least she had the grace to blush as she punched Brody playfully on the shoulder.

She practically bubbled with enthusiasm. “Brody, I’m so glad you called me. I brought some things I want to show you before the date.”

Brody dropped his bag off his shoulder and onto the porch. “Well, let’s just grab those first so we can take a look at them, why don’t we?”

Lou sat down beside John on the porch, her fists clenched in her lap. She brought her hand to her mouth and began to nervously chew her fingernails. John ambled out into the yard to play with Sarah.

For twenty minutes, Lou tortured herself and her fingernails as she sat on the porch. Sarah still played on the swing set. Lou sat and fumed.

How dare he walk right by me and not even acknowledge my presence. How dare he bring his slut to my house? Okay, it is truly his but I live here, too. He just breezed past me like I don’t even exist.

She could hear them giggling as they came back out onto the porch. Brody walked with the long-legged freak back to the car. Guess it is time for their date, she sneered in her head. Brody reached out and opened the driver’s side door. Then the blond bombshell leaned over and placed a kiss on his lips. Just a peck, mind you, but a kiss, nonetheless. She slid into the driver’s seat and Brody shut the door. He bent over and she whispered something in his ear. He laughed out loud. She started the

car and backed out of the parking space. He waved to her as she drove away without him.

Brody walked slowly up the steps. He stood in front of where she was slumped in the chair, her jaw so tight her head was hurting from the pressure of it. He grabbed her by both elbows and pulled her to her feet. She stepped back and glared at him.

“Nice to see you, too, Lou,” he said quietly.

“How dare you?” she snarled.

“How dare I do what?” he asked innocently.

“How dare you bring her here? I can’t believe you would do that to me.” She sniffled indelicately.

“You’re mad at me because Elizabeth was here?” he asked quietly, his eyebrows arched.

“Never mind,” Lou grunted and tried to walk past him to go inside the house.

He grabbed her arms and spun her around. “Oh, hell, no, you don’t. What’s gotten in to you?” She tried to look away but he raised her chin with one finger and forced her to look into his eyes. He stepped back from her and appraised her even more closely. “Oh, God! You think Elizabeth was here to…” He ran a frustrated hand through his hair. “You think she was here for…”

Lou sniffled again. “She said you had a date,” she said quietly.

“Jesus, Lou.” He muttered. Then his voice grew louder. “I do have a date. But it’s not with Elizabeth.” He took a deep breath. “It’s with Sarah, for Christ’s sake.”

Lou looked dumbfounded. “With Sarah? Why would you have a date with Sarah?"

“Father-Daughter dance? Remember? I promised my mother I would take her. You forgot, didn’t you?” Brody asked.

“The dance? That’s w…why you’re here?” Lou stuttered.

He grabbed her hand and dragged her through the door. On the kitchen table were piles of items. He picked up a beautiful little sequined dress and held it up in front of him. “I sure as hell can’t fit in this.” He reached for small shoes and held them up. “And these might pinch my feet just a little.” Then he reached for a beautiful wrist corsage. “And I would look pretty silly in this.”

“Where did all this come from?” Lou asked quietly.

“Elizabeth brought it. She’s a party planner, Lou, so I called her and told her to get whatever it would take to make it a perfect night for a little girl.”

Lou covered her mouth with her hand and gasped. “Oh, God, I thought you were going on a date with the girl-so-beautiful-she-could-be-a-model.” Then she remembered the kiss and narrowed her eyes. “She kissed you and whispered in your ear.” She pointed her finger at him.

He had the nerve to laugh out loud. “Do you want to know what she said?” Lou nodded slowly, her eyes meeting his. He stepped closer to her, taking her hand and laying it on his chest. “She said it really pissed her offI had picked someone twice as pretty as she is. She said it really sucked and she wanted to know if she kissed me really quick if it would make you jealous.” He grinned wildly at her. “I guess she was right, huh?”