Hungry for Love (6 page)

Hmm.  This was something Kevin didn
’
t know. 
“
She isn
’
t
?”
he asked.

“
Don
’
t you ever stop to talk to your wife any more
?”

Kevin laughed. 
“
Not if I see her coming first.
”

“
Well
,
I guess it wouldn
’
t hurt to ask her.   Chrissy
’
s going through something and I figure a party might be a nice surprise for her
,
show her we care.
”

Kevin shrugged.  Why not
,
he thought.

Bill rose and turned to leave the office but then turned back again. 
“
Better lay off the nurses and especially the patients.  Our insurance is high enough already without sexual harassment claims.
”

Kevin grimaced.  Maybe Bill wasn
’
t as much of a zombie as he
’
d thought. 
“
That would never happen
,”
he said
,
summoning as much confidence as his voice could project.  He watched as Bill just looked at him silently.  And waited for Bill to leave but Bill didn
’
t move
,
so he said placatingly
,
“
Again.
”
 

“
I
’
ll call her now
,”
said Bill.

“
Really
?
  Really
?”
asked Ben uncomfortably as Angie pulled him into
Victoria
’
s Secret and began showing him bras as he alternately blushed and looked for a mirror to examine the blond streaks in his already sandy hair.  She held up a bra so minimal it surely wasn
’
t meant to encapsulate adult breasts
,
but what Ben knew about lingerie was about equal to what he knew about female anatomy.

“
Ohh
,”
she cooed
,
strangely excited
,
“
Look at this one….
”

Ben looked
,
glanced around to see if anyone spied him looking
,
looked down at his shoes
,
then went on talking. 
“
I just don
’
t see it that way.  He
’
s just another old
,
married guy isn
’
t he
?
  You
’
ve never even gone on a date with him
,
have you
?”

“
I
’
m not buying this underwear to strain spaghetti
,
am I
?
  It
’
s coming
,
you
’
ll see.  This is just not like one of those incidents you keep reminding me of.  I
’
m a grown up now
,
a woman
,
not some kid with a crush on the guy she babysits for.
”

“
But Angie
,
don
’
t you get it
,
it
’
s just another version of the same thing.  Remember that creepy guy with that weird kid….
”

Angie remembered only too well
,
but she was fifteen then
,
and that was a long time ago.  Justin
’
s dad was the cutest guy
,
sort of geeky but cute and he always had that baseball cap on
,
even in the house.  Gee
,
maybe he was balding
?
  She never thought of that before.  Anyway he was cute
,
and even though she was significantly overweight it was clear he thought she was special.  They always stopped to talk as he dropped her off at her dad
’
s after babysitting.

Eventually it escalated and one night he actually kissed her.  They both moaned at the same time. 
“
Oh Mr. Robinson
,”
Angie had sighed.

“
Angie
,”
he yelped
,
his voice muffled and his lips still pressed to hers
,
 
“
Ow ow ow.
”
  He sounded so orgasmic.  That was what she did to him
—h
ow thrilling.

Wanting to enjoy the moment
,
Angie sighed
,
but then she jumped and Mr. Robinson yelped once more as a scary police officer rapped on the window of the car.  She leaned away and Mr. Robinson wailed.  Finally she wrenched her mouth away from his
,
as he grabbed his pinched lip
,
bloodied from having been caught on her braces.

The police officer had a scornful look on his face
,
causing Angie to blush. 
“
Everything all right in here
?”
he asked
,
looking at Mr. Robinson as though he might actually take him into the police station.  Wouldn
’
t that be just horrible
?
  She
’
d have to spend all her babysitting savings to bail him out.

Then
,
just to make things even worse
,
Angie
’
s dad turned on the lights and looked out the door. 
“
What
’
s going on here
?
  Angie
,
is that you
?”

The police officer seemed to know her dad and waved
,
saying
,
“
Don
’
t worry
,
Judge
,
I have it under control.
”

Angie
’
s dad waved and yelled
,
“
Thanks
,
Frank.  Send her in.
”

Angie had no choice then but to exit the car and trudge back toward the house.  Her father had already gone back inside but it still felt humiliating.  She turned toward Mr. Robinson
,
trying to show him some support
,
but he was busy with the cop
,
handing over his driver
’
s license and all.

What was wrong with Ben
,
anyway
?
  He had this nervy talent for making her remember stuff nobody would want to recall.  What was the point anyway
?
  Why did he have so little faith in her
?
  He was always saying that her choices were mistakes.  Didn
’
t she have enough people in her life to do that already
?
 

Ben knew by the expression on her face precisely what she was thinking.  If only she had a clue about what was on his mind
,
but no
,
as she had been since the third grade
,
Angie was oblivious.  He stood there then
,
loitering outside the dressing room
,
discretely looking at all the frilly stuff
,
wondering if ever Angie would buy that stuff for him to enjoy
,
when she opened the dressing room door and flashed him the bra she
’
d been trying on.  He could see it only for a moment and then his glasses got a little steamy.  Was there no air conditioning in this blasted place
?
  Were they trying to replicate the Victorian lack of modern devices
?
  What the devil anyway. 
Victoria
never had stuff like this.  This whole day had gone to hell.  Why did he let Angie drag him to all these places
?
  He wasn
’
t Paris Hilton
’
s
Chihuahua
so why did he let her treat him like that
?
  He felt relieved that her doctor
’
s appointment was imminent and he could soon flee.