The Aftermath

13

Tuesday 3:00PM

Teri Mast knocked on the door of the Blake house at three in the afternoon, carrying her laptop bag. She was wearing black slacks, a blue blouse and a very thin, light brown, linen jacket. She had blue and black running shoes on, which when Tom noticed, he smiled.

"What?" She asked, as she walked into his home.

"Do you always wear running shoes?" Tom asked.

"Why walk when you can run?" Teri responded.

Teri took a look around the house. On the wall of the living-room opposite the entry, was a large replica of Starry Night by Van Gogh. A flat screen TV took up the West wall, with a nice looking leather couch on the south next to an expensive looking stereo system. A coffee table and recliner finished the set, leaving the room with an open feel.

Julia, Teri's wife, would approve of the room. It was a room that was as nice as it could be, while recognizing there was a child in the house, and it was home, not a display.

The dining room, from what she could see, had two oil paintings on the wall, which were landscapes, and a large six chair dinning table. Apparently the Blake's had guests often enough to warrant the extra chairs.

The carpet was a beige Berber wool carpet that was tough and comfortable to lay on. Teri knew that because one of her friends had the same type of carpet. The entry was marble tile, the kitchen had white flooring with a blue pattern.

The stairway was open, without the risers, leading up to a hallway with two doors in view. Teri suspected three rooms up stairs with a guest room downstairs with a bathroom.

"Nice place." Teri said after her quick inventory of the house.

"Thanks," Tom nodded, "I believe you met my wife Samantha, this is my daughter Angie."

Teri extended her hand to Angie, "Pleased to meet you. You are what? Sixteen?"

Angie blushed a little, "No, almost fifteen. In September."

"Ah, a Virgo then," Teri nodded. "That explains the eyes." She looked back at Tom, purposely leaving an expression of wonder of Angie's face, "So where should we sit? Just about everything looks comfortable."

"We were thinking outside, in the backyard if that would be alright with you?" Samantha answered.

"That sounds perfect Samantha."

"Would you care for something to drink?"

"Coke if you have it, coffee or water if you don't." Teri said and followed Tom through the dining room to the sliding glass door and out to the backyard.

"I'm going to grill up some hamburgers and corn on the cob. You hungry?" Tom asked, opening the grill and checking the coals.

Teri sat down at the four chair table which was sheltered from the sun by a large blue canvas umbrella. "Oh yea, I can always eat."

"Do you run a lot with your job?" Angie asked.

"I run a lot all the time." Teri smiled, "I love the feeling of running."

Angie smiled, "Me too, I'm in track at school."

"Really? I was too!" Teri told her, "That is where I found out how much I loved to run. I love sprinting. Going flat out as far as I can without stopping."

"Me too!" Angie smiled.

Tom was putting foil-wrapped cobs on the grill and Samantha came outside with the drinks on a tray. Then she went back inside and came out with a two liter of coke and one of root beer. Tom had a beer in his hand, and a plate of raw hamburger patties, which looked thick and lean.