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ysonesse(First posted on Runaway Tales: Pink Lemonade #14)
“He should be kicking any day now,” Kelly said, placing her hand on the always-growing bump that would become her first child.
“Wasn’t ‘he’ a ‘she’ two days ago?” Allyson turned away from the drone about scary winter precipitation coverage on the TV.
“Right now I’m calling The Bubs ‘he’ because I’m craving spicy food.”
“Anything in particular?”
“Chili chutney with a side order of mesquite buffalo wings.”
Allyson cringed. “I think you’re gestating a future competitive eater.”
“Like those people on Coney Island every July 4th?”
“Or those drunks at Pueblo Pete’s every Friday.”
“I might have a future local celebrity in my uterus.”
“That would just glow on their potential resume.”
Kelly patted her stomach. “At least my kidlet has ambitions before they get here.”
Allyson leaned into the couch. Her younger sister was twenty-six, already married with a baby due in five or slightly more months. She lived in a small fixer-upper with the nicest guy anyone could ever hope to meet, had a job that was decent…in short, Kelly’s life was complete. She could always point to the future and say “I can believe, I can hope, because I know happiness.” Allyson didn’t envy her sister’s pregnancy, wasn’t jealous of her marriage, but craved that sense of balance Kelly managed to possess.
“Piece of chocolate for your thoughts.” Kelly held out a Hershey’s kiss to bring Allyson back into the moment.
Allyson took her sister’s offering. “Nothing important.”
“About Jamie?”
“He’s never too far away in my considerations.”
“Because he’s major eye candy?”
“There’s more to him than looks. Jamie’s intelligent, funny, decent.”
“Plus he’s English, which is always a huge plus.”
Allyson unwrapped the Hershey’s kiss and picked away at the point with her fingernails. “Doesn’t hurt.”
“Now you’ve got the perfect opportunity for getting someone you want.”
“Maybe, for now…until he gets bored.” Allyson twisted the silver wrapper into a crumpled ball. “He’s wonderful, and there’s no way he could stay interested for any longer than makes sense under the circumstances.”
“Makes sense─?”
“Until this current life experiment is over, then he moves onto girls closer to his age.”
“Stop it, right now. Do not pass go, do not wander into The Ridiculous Zone,” Kelly responded. “This guy is not playing life games.”
“If that was easy to believe, then I would have no reason to believe in disbelief.”
“He is definitely not in search of a bed and bang.”
“How do you know?”
“His picture speaks loud enough for anybody to figure out he’s not a creep that only hangs around looking to score.”
Allyson sighed. “You’re right.”
“As usual.”
“Just in this case.”
“How dare you question my eternal wisdom?”
“I’m the eldest, so that grants me questioning privileges.”
“Age doesn’t make you entitled to anything.”
“I’ve been alive longer, so let me have something.”
Kelly patted her sister’s back. “Sure, advantage you.”
“You’re being nice because I’ve got ‘future babysitter’ written all over me.”
“Well, you are the soon-to-be-aunt.”
“Of course.” Allyson knew her younger sister was joking about the babysitting expectations. But she wasn’t joking about her opinion regarding Jamie. Just because a younger man pursued an older woman didn’t mean he was only seeking a unique conquest for his sexual history. She felt no desire to become any kid’s experimental phase. But Jamie wasn’t into sexual misadventures with old ladies. She just couldn’t believe a young man found her attractive. A two year exile from romance and sex could make anyone suspicious about future love interests…but Allyson had been suspicious for weeks, and that was too long. It was time for belief…
“He should be kicking any day now,” Kelly said, placing her hand on the always-growing bump that would become her first child.
“Wasn’t ‘he’ a ‘she’ two days ago?” Allyson turned away from the drone about scary winter precipitation coverage on the TV.
“Right now I’m calling The Bubs ‘he’ because I’m craving spicy food.”
“Anything in particular?”
“Chili chutney with a side order of mesquite buffalo wings.”
Allyson cringed. “I think you’re gestating a future competitive eater.”
“Like those people on Coney Island every July 4th?”
“Or those drunks at Pueblo Pete’s every Friday.”
“I might have a future local celebrity in my uterus.”
“That would just glow on their potential resume.”
Kelly patted her stomach. “At least my kidlet has ambitions before they get here.”
Allyson leaned into the couch. Her younger sister was twenty-six, already married with a baby due in five or slightly more months. She lived in a small fixer-upper with the nicest guy anyone could ever hope to meet, had a job that was decent…in short, Kelly’s life was complete. She could always point to the future and say “I can believe, I can hope, because I know happiness.” Allyson didn’t envy her sister’s pregnancy, wasn’t jealous of her marriage, but craved that sense of balance Kelly managed to possess.
“Piece of chocolate for your thoughts.” Kelly held out a Hershey’s kiss to bring Allyson back into the moment.
Allyson took her sister’s offering. “Nothing important.”
“About Jamie?”
“He’s never too far away in my considerations.”
“Because he’s major eye candy?”
“There’s more to him than looks. Jamie’s intelligent, funny, decent.”
“Plus he’s English, which is always a huge plus.”
Allyson unwrapped the Hershey’s kiss and picked away at the point with her fingernails. “Doesn’t hurt.”
“Now you’ve got the perfect opportunity for getting someone you want.”
“Maybe, for now…until he gets bored.” Allyson twisted the silver wrapper into a crumpled ball. “He’s wonderful, and there’s no way he could stay interested for any longer than makes sense under the circumstances.”
“Makes sense─?”
“Until this current life experiment is over, then he moves onto girls closer to his age.”
“Stop it, right now. Do not pass go, do not wander into The Ridiculous Zone,” Kelly responded. “This guy is not playing life games.”
“If that was easy to believe, then I would have no reason to believe in disbelief.”
“He is definitely not in search of a bed and bang.”
“How do you know?”
“His picture speaks loud enough for anybody to figure out he’s not a creep that only hangs around looking to score.”
Allyson sighed. “You’re right.”
“As usual.”
“Just in this case.”
“How dare you question my eternal wisdom?”
“I’m the eldest, so that grants me questioning privileges.”
“Age doesn’t make you entitled to anything.”
“I’ve been alive longer, so let me have something.”
Kelly patted her sister’s back. “Sure, advantage you.”
“You’re being nice because I’ve got ‘future babysitter’ written all over me.”
“Well, you are the soon-to-be-aunt.”
“Of course.” Allyson knew her younger sister was joking about the babysitting expectations. But she wasn’t joking about her opinion regarding Jamie. Just because a younger man pursued an older woman didn’t mean he was only seeking a unique conquest for his sexual history. She felt no desire to become any kid’s experimental phase. But Jamie wasn’t into sexual misadventures with old ladies. She just couldn’t believe a young man found her attractive. A two year exile from romance and sex could make anyone suspicious about future love interests…but Allyson had been suspicious for weeks, and that was too long. It was time for belief…
