Opposites Attract - Riff Lorton

chapter nineteen

Kathleen and all the girls (except Tessa, who'd preferred to stay at home with Baby John) were at Gimbels, the boys at the docks. The department store was filled to the brim with different... Things. Things like clothing, for both men, women, and children, footwear, cosmetics, and even a section for toys.
Kathleen hadn't been properly shopping in years, most clothes she'd collected from when her mother died, so she never felt the need to buy new ones.
"Erm, so, I haven't been out properly in a few years, so you girls must help me out."
The girls were buzzing with excitement as soon as the words left Kathleen's mouth. They all walked around the section for dresses, looking at any blue ones that caught their eyes.
Kathleen was being offered many dresses of different variations by the girls, but didn't like any of them.
Continuing to look around, she found a gorgeous layered dress.
It had tulle to puff it up a bit from underneath, and small white frills along the wide collar line, and circle skirt. The sleeves covered her arms up to her elbows, where the fabric was then cut off, gathering up a bit. The print was simplistic, the bodice being a plain sky blue, and the skirt was white, with blue flowers, budding red in the centers.
It might've been perfect.
The girls were now behind Kathleen, ogling the dress.
"That's it."
Kathleen nodded, and went to pay.
"Hola, just this."
Everyone, including the cashier, was a bit surprised by Kathleen's Spanish. Kathleen's immediate instinct was to greet the clearly Latin woman in Spanish.
"Hola, hablas español?"
Kathleen flushed, "un poco."
Her accent was absolutely awful, but it made the lady smile. She checked out Kathleen, and they went on their way,
"Gracias."
The girls followed along.
"Where'd you go learning spic?"
"Don't use that word, it's offensive. I grew up in the area, so I picked some up."
After dropping Kathleen at home, and shouting forced goodbyes as Kathleen tried to convince them to stay, the girls trickled away one by one.
The last of the girls left, and Kathleen was alone.
She sighed and took the bag with the new dress to her room, hanging it up in her closet.
She changed into some casual clothes, a plain, one piece dark red dress, and slipped on some black flats.
The dress was her mothers.
Tomorrow was her mothers death anniversary.
Tomorrow. An entire year.
Kathleen had resentment for her mother. All her life she'd been a narcissistic person, always having too many kids, never being able to care for any of them. Kathleen had been unfortunate enough to be born first, and a girl. She was only seven when she was taking care of a five, three, and less than one year old. By the time she was eighteen, she had her hands full with a sixteen, fourteen, eleven, six, four, and three year old, although she did get a bit of a break and some help as they were a tad older. She had given them the childhood she wanted.
She resented her mother.
Oh, but she was her mother.
"Hey Kathleen?"
"Sorry- Yes? Hi Tessa, how's Baby John?"
The look on Tessa's face concerned Kathleen.
"I- I don't know. He's sweating but he says he's really cold."
Kathleen straightened out, and walked with Tessa to where Baby John was. Immediately as she did, she heard coughing.
"Hey Baby John, you alright?"
Shaking his head, Kathleen sat down on his bed and put a hand to his forehead.
"You are burning up... Tessa, are you alright with staying the night? If not that's alright too-"
Tessa cut Kathleen off by nodding her head and agreeing promptly.
"Okay. Uh- just, stay here. I'll go get a bowl of cold water, and a towel. I want you to put it on his forehead, and dip it back in if it goes lukewarm."
She got up from the bed, doing just as she had said, glancing at the time.
It was almost 7 p.m. and Riff wasn't home yet. Naturally Kathleen was worried. He had said he was tired, yet still wasn't home.
Turning the tap to the sink off, she grabbed the small towel she had set on the counter, and headed to give the items to Tessa.
"Just let me know if you need anything else, I'll be in the kitchen. And have Baby John eat another paracetamol."
Kathleen left the room, and headed to the kitchen where she started on the dishes from lunch.
The door opened and her head whipped to the sudden sound.
"Doll, I'm home!"
Riff. Kathleen breathed a sigh of relief.
"I'm in the kitchen!"
She put the dish she was done washing in the drying rack, and dried her hands on a small light green hand towel, and walked over to where Riff was coming in through.
"Hey Riff."
Wrapping sudden arms around Kathleen, Riff buried his head into her shoulder, a position he was quite susceptible to. Immediately Kathleen returned the gesture, nuzzling her head into his chest.
"I missed you." Riff murmured.
"I know, are you hungry? What do you want to eat?"
Riff chuckled at her concern.
"Make somethin' that'll be good for Baby John."
Kathleen hummed.
"Okay." Kathleen swayed him from side to side.
"Why don't you go to sleep? You did say you were tired."
"I'm gonna wait for you."
Kathleen smiled as Riff pulled away
"No, go to sleep, Riff. I want you to."
"But I-"
"Riff. Go. Take a shower, calm down a bit, then go to sleep."
"I'm calm."
"I know, but you're tired. Go."
With a slight frown, Riff gave Kathleen a peck, and hit the shower.
Kathleen finished the last of the dishes, she quickly made some rice and chicken, and then went to go check on Baby John and Tessa.
Quietly opening the door, she saw Tessa curled up next to Baby John with her head on his chest, moving up and down as he breathed. Kathleen exited the room with a satisfied sigh. Closing the door quietly, she tiptoed into her own room to find Riff drying his hair with a towel.
"You took a shower?"
Pausing, Riff looked over to Kathleen as she sat beside him.
"Yeah, you told me to."
Kathleen nodded her head, laying back- she was obviously tired.
"You okay, doll?"
"Yeah. I am."
Riff layer beside her.
"I think it's time for bed."
Kathleen nodded and got up to change. She came back wearing a light blue, silky nightgown.
It fit her quite snugly.
Riff's face was understandably warm, the lady was drop-dead gorgeous.
Kathleen turned off the lights as she slipped next to a clean Riff. He was wearing a yellowed tank, paired with some patterned cotton boxers, Kathleen's ex- husbands.
"You don't mind wearing someone else's clothes?"
"I- not really. Clothes are clothes."
Kathleen hummed.
"I think I should get my hair done. I'll go tomorrow." She said with a yawn.
"Do you want me to take you?"
"If you want to Riff. But it will take hours"
Riff shrugged, "I don't mind."
"Oh gosh, I can't though. I've gotta visit my mom," Kathleen paused, "Would you want to come?"
Riff was a bit taken aback.
"I- If you want me to."
Kathleen nodded, and shut her eyes.
Riff was heating up with Kathleen's head on his chest.
The pair had slept in the same bed before, but it was different because both were fully conscious.
Well, they were, until Riff heard the soft snoring from Kathleen. Stroking her hair, the pair fell into a comforting slumber.