MY CONSTELLATION LOVER

CHAPTER 71

Gwen decided to let Annaliese sleep in and kept the florist shop closed for the day. Let the customers leave voicemails or ring the damn store bell. Today was a day for mental health rest, and both ladies required it. She peered into her friend's bedroom and nearly gasped, holding her mouth. Annaliese had Kaleus' shirt wrapped around her, and was sleeping soundly, lightly talking in her sleep. Gwen closed the door, gently. She had to get Kaleus to come back but where the hell did he go off to? Space?? Come on!

Gwen paced around the tiny apartment, then her eyes went to the telescope, which was resting against the side of the window. Ok, let's be logical. She started talking to herself, not wanting to wake up Annaliese, who seemed peacefully sleeping. Poor thing had been through some kind of trauma. Kaleus. What did she know about him? Ok, first, he was smoking hot. Like fell out of the heavens, hot. Or off the cover of a romance novel my grandma would hide from me. He spoke a little strange - but that's not a big deal. He came out of nowhere - another thing that was not strange. People travelled the world and drifted in and out of towns all the time. Gwen thought of his reactions to normal everyday things. He did seem creeped out by the dryer, asked if I cooked Earth meals. What else, though? Those things seemed kinda wacky, but who was one hundred percent normal??

She recalled Annaliese coming back, numb and in shock. She said that he vanished. What the fuck? And why was he naked?? Now, that was some strange shit she tossed around inside her head. She was interrupted by the front door bell ringing like mad. "What in the fuck?!" she yelled, then winced. "Shit! Gotta keep my damn voice down." She crept over on wobbly legs, and peeked into her friend's room, who was now wearing Kaleus' shirt, fast asleep. She must have taken off her nightgown, and put his shirt on. She closed the door.

Throwing on a pair of bright orange sweatpants, a white T-shirt (no bra - don't care today and let my cute little B cups bounce freely) she ran down to the store. It was dark inside, the flowers and plants all in their pots and vases, the refrigerator humming low which held the long-stemmed roses standing proudly. The bell kept ringing and hands could be heard pounding. "Jesus Christ I am coming!" But this time, Gwen grabbed her bat because if it was a Stimmons brother or brothers, they were all going down.

Baseball bat in hand, ready to swing, she unlocked the door and went to hit the person, but a gaggle of the knitting club ladies stood, mouths painted red, orange, and hot pink, all stared back at her through their thick eyeglasses. Gwen was taken back, and with the bat still in the air, asked, "What in the hell do you want?!" Some of the ladies backed away, murmuring while others looked at their feet. Dixie walked over. "Excuse me, dear. We were just in the area, and wanted to buy some flowers." Loretta started laughing then. She was dressed in her man-hunting clothes. A bright, loud green dress with red flowers and hearts went down to her ankles. Bright green shoes, a red hat, and her best church-going coat was on. Gwen looked at the other ladies in the knitting club.

Each lady was wearing her best dress. Flowers, matching hats and handbags, all shone in the sunlight. Each hat had either a flower or some kind of stitching design on it. "Young lady, you can put the baseball bat down, we are not here to rob you," Dixie told her, giving her the stink eye. Gwen slowly lowered her bat, keeping it by her side, leery. "What can I do for you ladies?" A pasted on smile stared back at the gaggle of older women. She didn't want to deal with this crap right now. There were so many things going on. Dixie again spoke up for the group," Um, we have all decided to peruse your shop, and purchase flowers." Several of the women started to giggle. Loretta, by now, was having a laughing fit, her shoulders shaking. Gwen noticed Loretta kept peering inside the shop, as if to look for someone. "Sorry, but the shop is closed today. The owner is sick." A disappointed and collective "Oh No!" could be heard. Loretta then composed herself. "Um, is that gentleman who was helping around the shop not feeling well, either?" All the ladies got serious, some started adjusting their stockings that bunched down to their ankles. "Gentleman? What the fuck are you talking about?" Gwen had a mouth like a damn sailor and when she was stressed or tired, or going through a crisis - and right now there was one going on - she let her mouth run wild. A few women backed off, hating profanity. It was back to Dixie. "Look, we saw a young man and thought maybe he was working today." Loretta started laughing again. Her thick, red lipstick was smeared all over her front teeth, her eyebrows - long gone from over plucking them, were drawn on with a dark brown eye pencil, and were not even. So she looked....crazy.