Moving Forward Part 2

Moving Forward 2


Finishing her daily accounting, Daniela powered down her laptop and put it on the nightstand before settling down with a smile. Business was picking up and people apparently liked her special, so she kept it running a week, then three months longer. It drew in various office gophers that enjoyed the free drink when picking up pastries for the higher ups, and groups of stay at home moms hanging out in the children's area with their small toddlers gurgling nearby. Maybe she would keep it on permanently, for profits were up twice what they were last quarter. Her mind ventured to Lauren, Lian's mom and the fun they all had at the museum that first day.

Lauren explained that first day at the museum, how her late husband Jacob died of carbon monoxide poisoning working in a factory when Lian was just two. He was an engineer, and his union had taken care of her and Lian since then. She began a consulting business from home two years later to stimulate her mind again, and still be able to stay home with her daughter. In turn, Daniela throwing caution to the wind revealed that she's been divorced for three years now because they grew into different people after six years of marriage and now her needs don't include a man anymore. Lauren's reaction was so subtle that if Daniela hadn't been looking, she would have missed the tiniest frown in her new friend's brow. Eventually she forgot about it because it didn't seem to be an issue. They'd since then ventured out to nearly every child centered place in town, visiting some more than once. She was pleasantly surprised by the comfort she felt around Lauren. There was never an awkward pause, even their silences were companionable.

Naturally Tim had been giving her the third degree and at times raising questioning eyebrows in middle of a staff meeting. She insisted for awhile nothing was going on. He would smile slowly and nod knowingly at her, like a child who denied stealing a cookie with crumbs on her face. Until two weeks ago. They'd finally had dinner at Daniela’s home. Things were going along wonderfully as she cooked and held an ongoing conversation with Lauren. The girls were watching a Clay Aiken concert on television shrieking almost constantly. She'd looked at Lauren who was calling over her shoulder to the girls again, and realized she wanted this. To see this beautifully strong and independent woman in her home every night. Pulling herself together and stirring the risotto she smiled and replied to what Lauren had been saying previously. Tim was her closest confidante, so she called him that night told him. He made light of it by recalling her past disasters. There was the aggressive girl who groped her on her doorstep and was later found to be a virgin predator and headboard notcher. Not having known there were woman out there much like male predators, she'd been careful after that. It didn't save her from being led into believing a married woman was single and going to her house for dinner to unexpectedly find a leering husband. She'd excused herself to the bathroom and made out like a bandit; thanking God she'd had the presence of mind to bring her own car. Tim worked his magic into making light of her worries, so she allowed herself to relax about her feelings.

Now in her bed reflecting on that moment, she couldn't help but think it was a lot like high school. It was very difficult having a crush on a friend. There were moments when it was all she could do to keep from blurting out, “You don't need him to make you happy, just leave him alone and look right in front of you. I'm right here..." Instead, she would nod and emit some sympathy for them and do it all again next month when they were sure yet again they'd found someone to love them. Running a hand through her dark auburn hair, she exhaled and thought about her parents. Her mom accepted the truth years before the divorce was even final. Daniela blurted it in the course of crying on her mother's shoulder about the discontentment in her marriage, saying all she wanted was the right woman to come along and everything would be okay. There was no mistaking the distance over the next few weeks. Her mom had finally come to her and said, "Honey, your father simply wouldn't understand and I can't say that I do either, but I know the heart loves who it will...that's how I got stuck with him!" Laughing at that now, Daniela smiled and thought of them down in Florida living out retirement in warmer weather still in love after all these years. Switching off the light she laid down and looked out into the darkness wondering if maybe it was finally her time. Should she say something or let things be? After all, she didn't know if Lauren would even entertain being with a woman as she'd made no mention of it. Still... Daniela was sure she caught Lauren's lingering and sometimes quizzical gaze on her when she wasn't looking. Hope fluttered in her heart as she drifted off to sleep.

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© Sipoftea 2008