8 Weeks

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Chapter 29 -Cal

I stood in Shelly's kitchen ... again, waiting for her to finish getting ready. I'd told her to dress up and be ready togo at six, but when I'd arrived she asked me to give her a few more minutes.

I checked my watch, saw that we still had enough time, then glanced around the kitchen. This was the first time I'd been here during the day, and the place had "Shelly" written all over it.

She'd gone with a blue and yellow theme, which made me think of U of M,although I'm sure that wasn't her intent. There were colorful appliances, towels, and yellow flowers in blue-pitcher-style vases.It looked fresh and homey. Shelly had a knack for making a house a home, no matter where she lived.

I sighed as it hit me .... I may not ever live with her again. I probably needed to remove myself from Scott's home and find a place of my own, butI didn't want to. I could be honest with myself and say that above all, I was hoping that after our next three dates, I'd be moving inhere with Shelly.

Did that make me optimistic or naïve?

I probably needed to come up with a backup plan. It was time for me to give Scott his space back, and figure out what I was going to do with myself, if Shelly still wanted a divorce when this was done.

After the events of the last week, I had to admit that things weren't looking good for "Team Cal."

I heard the tapping of heels down the hall,and looked up to see Shelly enter the kitchen from the hallway.

Her hair was swept up, leaving her neck exposed. I'd always loved the soft expanse of her neck, and often spent a lot of time there, nuzzling or brushing my lips along the length of it. She was wearing a dress that hit just above the knee and swayed a bit when she walked. It was a halter-style dress, and I'm sure she picked it to show off her new tattoo, the script dark and sexy against her creamy skin.

She looked amazing, from the top of her head to the point of her black heels. My body grew taut with the familiar tug of longing, and I felt comforted in the fact that my wife, even after six years, turned me on like no other woman ever could.

"You look beautiful," I said, walking over and offering my arm to her.

"So do you,"she responded with a smile.

It wasn't often that I wore slacks and a tie. I was more of a jeans andT-shirt kind of guy, but the look on Shelly's face as she looked me over was making me think I could become a convert.

"Ready?" I asked.

She picked up her little black purse and nodded.

Once we were settled in the car and en route to date number six, I felt excitement and apprehension. Excitement,because we were about to do something that Shelly had always really wanted to do since she was a little girl, and apprehensive, because we only had two more dates.

Two more Saturdays.

Two more weeks.

I looked over at Shelly's profile as I drove, trying to take her in and memorize how she looked in this moment.

I honestly didn't know what my life looked like without her in it, and I didn't want to.

"So ... Where are we going?" Shelly asked with a grin.

I shook my head and mimicked closing my lips and locking them with a key, then threw the invisible key to the side, causing Shelly to laugh.

We rode the rest of the way in companionable silence, and when we reached our destination, I slowed down a bit,allowing Shelly to look out the window to see what was written on the bright marquee.

She gasped and squealed, "The ballet?" She turned to me in awe, clapping her hands together like a little girl. "You're taking me to the ballet?"

I nodded, trying to keep a smile on my face,although I expected the next few hours to be more like a jail sentence than something to clap about.

I escorted her inside and to our seats, all the while Shelly chattered excitedly about how she'd always wanted to see the ballet, and had dreamed of being a dancer as a child. I knew all this of course,hence ... the jail sentence, but I was really happy at how thrilled she was about this date.

The lights went down and the music began to play. Shelly sat on the edge of her seat, her eyes wide, an expression of utter happiness on her face. I glanced at the dancers on the stage, then turned my focus back on Shelly. I'd rather watch her enjoy the show than suffer through the show itself.

I settled back into my seat, my gaze on my wife's face, watching as it went through a myriad of emotions. Happiness, sadness, awe, and even a little pain. I loved how utterly enthralled she was by the performance.

As the ballet drew on, I began to battle the exhaustion of the day. I'd gone in early to help TJ with an engine repair, and we'd had complications trying to meet the deadline, so I was physically drained. The music lulled me, until the little pink people jumping across the stage became a blur and I fell into darkness.

I heard a giggle and a snort and opened my eyes to blinding light, with Shelly leaning over me and poking my arm.

"Wake up,sleepy-head," she said softly.

I sat up quickly and tried to look alert.

"I wasn't sleeping," I said hurriedly , trying to get my brain to catch up with what was happening as people began to stand up and file out of the theater.

"Yes you were," Shelly said with a stern look and her finger pointed at me."You totally fell asleep."

"No," I argued. "I just closed my eyes for a minute.

"Try thirty minutes," she countered, unable to control her smile any longer. "I think you snored."

"I did not,"I replied.

Shit, had I fallen asleep for a half an hour?

I looked up at Shelly, worried that she'd be pissed that I'd slept through our date, but she didn't look angry at all.She had the same dreamy expression she'd worn since we pulled up to the theater.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to fall asleep."

"That's okay,Cal," Shelly said, her eyes dancing with delight. "I'm so happy you brought me to the ballet. I loved every minute of it, even your snoring." She giggled again at the look on my face.

I felt bad.

"Thank you so much for bringing me. I know it's the last place in the world you want to be."

I lifted my hand and stroked her bottom lip with my thumb, looking into her eyes as I said sincerely, "I want to be wherever you are."

Shelly gasped, her eyes darkening as my thumb continued to caress her. She opened her lips slightly, her tongue flicking out to lick my thumb as it stilled, then said, "Let's get out of here."