Neighbors

Part 8: Distraction

She kissed me. She kissed me. She kissed me. What does it mean? It was not as if she really kissed me, it was more of a friendship kiss. I just walked into the kitchen with a grin on my face.

"Mia... What happened?" Reece asked. I didn't even care if he was angry.

"She kissed me on my cheek. Right here" I pointed to the corner of my mouth, still grinning.

"God damn it. You really are down bad..." He sighed. "Do you know that she came down here to defend you?" I kind of knew.

"What did she say?" I asked, a little nervous.

"She said that she had heard us fight and that you just tried to help out, that you were a good friend. I think she thought that I doubted your fidelity and she wanted to save you... Did she tell you about her husband's father? What he did to her" She really told him the whole story... Right that is why she came, she fled and I was a good friend. I hate that everybody keeps calling me a good friend. I know that technically that is what I am supposed to be and that is what I should want to be. Reece was right, I was down bad for this woman.

"She told you?" I ask and he nods his head. "Yeah, they got drunk, some of the men fought, then her father in law grabbed her. Ben clocked him, so there is something good to come out of that shit show"

"Wow. I must say that I am surprised that you didn't go over there and kill him. Maybe you are getting better at controlling yourself at your old age" He smirked.

"Ey, who are you calling old? Were the same age idiot" I smiled at him.

"I never claimed to be young I just stated that you are getting old granny"

I hoped that I would see Charlotte more this weekend, but I didn't. I felt some frustration bubble up. You see, I wasn't the same person in real life that I was with Char. I can't explain it but she just makes me feel different, like I want to be all soft and gushy. When I wasn't around Charlotte this behavior made me disgusted. So I decided to take it out on someone else. We had a neighbor down the street, another mom but with not so nice kids. Her boys were about the same age as Julie and Chris but they were loud and kind of gross. Is it mean to call a child gross, no they are gross; and loud. This makes it easy to pick a fight.

I make my way over and knock on her door. No one opens, I feel a slight disappointment... On the way back a man walks past me, he then looks back and stares at me up and down.

"Move along buddy" I tell him, no waiver in my voice, no insecurity.

"Are you sure about that? Maybe I am an interesting man. You really should get to know me darling" Absolutely not.

"Well if I had no choice in what to do, and there was no other man on the earth. You'd still be walking home alone" I deadpan.

"Oh, if you were the only person here, the things I would do to you" Oh no he did not say that to my face.

"What did you just say"

"You hear me"

"No, say it again. Say it loud and proud" I could see some people out in their yards looking at us. I love shaming men. "Wait, you live around here? Right? These are your neighbors, right?" I take a beat. "Do they know that you're a wannabe rapist?" I talked a little louder. He starts to walk away. "Good boy, walk away" He does, with a haste you seldom see in grown men. I felt a little better, getting to put someone in their place but I still wanted a real match. I wanted a woman. Maybe I wanted a woman in more than one way.

I got home and felt anxious energy. I texted Reece, 'I'm really bored, going fishing. Is that alright?' That is what we called it, when we went out to find new partners. He was quick to respond, just a short 'yes'. Where do you meet women in the suburbs, or should I go into the city? Maybe I should just go online? I decided to go to the city and went to my friend's restaurant. He was a good wingman.

"Well, have you met any nice girls lately?" I winked at him. I had known Winter for years now, I introduced him to his wife and he had been my rock ever since. He was a handsome man, a little short for my taste but really really handsome. Some might think that he and his wife would make an odd couple, she was tall and he was short, he was talkative and she was... well, let's just say that she was not. His wife, Autumn, was Reece's sister. We had been in school together and she was actually my first kiss. That might sound a little weird since I ended up with Reece, but we were kids and it was a crush. We all moved on.

"Mia" He smiled, we hadn't seen each other in a while, but it was just like old days every time I saw him. "On the hunt again?" He smirked.

"You know me too well" I winked.

"I thought the suburbs would be a great place for that?" I thought of Char when he said that, not that I would fish in those waters.

"Well, I am trying to keep my interests separate" He looked at me, like really looked at me.

"Mia... Do you have a little housewife at home that you don't want to know of your extracurricular activities" I was annoyed, how would that be his first guess?

"Yes and no" I answered. I felt some discomfort, I didn't want to keep talking about her. I think that he caught on.

"So, it's complicated? I'm sorry.." He knew that I didn't 'do' feeling, not like that, not with anyone new. "Well I got someone I think would love to meet you" He looked over my shoulder. "Waitress, redhead, cute as a button" I turned around, she was a little young for me, not in a creepy way but maybe 28. Her hair was a bit lighter than Char's as the light hit it. Her lips were a little fuller and her eyes were green instead of Charlotte's blue. I caught myself comparing her to Charlotte. Damn it.

"That is Deliah" He smiled. "Nice but maybe a little intense"

"I can work with that" I kissed him on the cheek and walked over to Deliah.

I chatted her up and she liked me, I could tell. I can almost always tell when a woman is interested, the eye contact, the way their voice changes, how they respond when I put my hand on their shoulder. Deliah was most definitely interested. I got this feeling, like maybe it was a little too much, but hey pickers can't be choosers.

"Call me, I am a little bored" I took a napkin and wrote my number on it.

"I will" She smiled, her eyes had a twinkle in them.

"I'm Mia by the way"

"Mia" She repeated, it was cute the way she said it. "I'm Deliah"

"Oh, I know" I walked out.

It would only be two hours before Deliah texted me and only four hours before she was in my bed.