ALMOST HEAVEN

Chapter 16

Laurel kept looking out the living room window. Emily was expected at any time. She had texted Laurel when she left the airport.

"Looking out the window isn't going to get her here any quicker, angel," Clyde said as he looked up from the dining room table. He was reading the newspaper and drinking his second cup of coffee. "Sit down here with me and I'll read you the latest numbers on our stocks."

Laurel laughed. "That sounds riveting, Clyde. And they're your stocks."

"Be yours soon enough," he murmured as he turned another page of the paper. Laurel smiled as she looked out over the front yard and pretended she hadn't heard him. She finally gave up and went to sit with Clyde. He smiled as she sat down. "Ready for the stock report?"

"No, not now, not ever. You want another cup of coffee? I can put a fresh pot on for you."

"Nope, not right now. Thanks for lunch. I'm going to take a shower. Do you think Emily will want to come up to the bar tonight?"

"Yes, of course, it's Friday night. You know I wouldn't miss a Friday night at the bar and I know Em is going to want to check the bar out."

Clyde stood up, put his mug on his plate, and headed into the kitchen. "I just thought maybe you two might want to catch up with each other." He put the dirty dishes in the sink and reached for the dish soap.

"We'll have plenty of time for that. Friday night is always fun at the bar. Trust me, she'll want to go to the bar tonight," said Laurel.

Clyde rinsed off his plate and came back came back into the dining room to give Laurel a kiss. He headed back to the bathroom while Laurel went back into the bedroom to make the bed. Clyde had slept in late due to a late night at the bar. There had been a bar fight and the police had gotten involved. Clyde hadn't gotten home until 4 am grumbling about why couldn't bar fights happen early in the evening.

Laurel smiled as she picked up the extra pillows to place on the bed after making it. Clyde called those pillows 'the fru fru of the bedroom.' He took great delight in throwing them around the room when he was getting into bed. She laughed softly thinking about it. She heard a knock on the front door as she was putting the last one on the bed. "I think Emily is here," she called out to Clyde through the bathroom door.

She ran down the hallway and pulled the door open. "Emily," she said as she hugged her friend. "Come on in."

Emily came in and put her bag down by the door. "This place is adorable. Wow, I love that front porch swing."

"It's nice, isn't it? Come on in." Laurel ushered Emily into the living room. "How was your ride?"

"I was beginning to wonder where the hell you lived," Emily said with a laugh. "But it sure is beautiful around here."

"Want a coffee or something? We've got juice and some sparkling water. You hungry?"

"You haven't changed a bit, Laurel. Still trying to feed me. I'd love a cup of coffee."

They were sitting at the dining room table waiting on the coffee when Clyde came walking out of the bedroom into the kitchen. He looked at the two women sitting at the table and smiled. "Hi, Emily." He walked to the table with every intention of shaking her hand. Instead Emily jumped up and hugged him.

"Oh, and he smells good, too," she said to Laurel as she let him go. She turned back to Clyde. "Hi Clyde. It's very nice to meet you in real life."

"Ah, yeah, nice to meet you, too. Did you have any trouble finding the place?" He was taken back by the hug. He wasn't a huggy type of person and it made him uncomfortable to be hugged by a stranger.