Tennessee Waltz

CHAPTER FIVE

I went into the kitchen and decided to make some lemonade. A soft knock that came from the door echoed throughout my house. I quickly threw away the squeezed out lemons in my hands and ran to the door. Linda had a yellow circle dress on which reflected the perfect weather that day. She slowly took off her yellow peepers and put them in her small yellow purse.

"Hello Jones." Linda said in a British accent. She walked in and scanned my house.

"What's with the British accent?" I asked her. She turned towards me and smiled.

"I just feel so great today!" She then looked around again and said,"you know James you're quite lonely here. All by yourself."

"Um yeah I guess you can say that but I don't-"

"Raphael!" Linda yelled. The tiny Italian door man walked in carrying a box filled with pups,"choose one Jones. A gift from me to you." I looked at the box surprised.

"Linda I-"

"No." She stopped me and pointed at the box."choose." The pups squirmed around each other trying to get out. I pulled out a small white one with black spots. He seemed to have been sleeping because he struggled to keep his eyes open.

"Hey there little guy." I cooed at the pup. It licked its nose and squirmed around in my hands,"I'm going to call him Buddy. Just like the dog I had back in Oklahoma. Do you remember him?" Linda nodded and stared in awe at the puppy in my hand.

"I knew you were going to like that one."

"So is this likes thank you gift for sleeping with you?"

"Oh god Dion! No. It's a thank you for being there for me even after things ended badly between us. I really appreciate and respect our friendship." She paused and took a seat on the couch near the window that showed the front of the house and Linda's mansion next door,"you should give Gina a call. She really likes you Dion."

"I can't." I quickly said.

"Why not? Are you seeing someone? Do you not like her?"

"No it's just I just got out of this really big relationship and I don't think I'm ready yet."

"Did she break your heart?"

"Yes."

"Well do this as a rebellious act Dion. Show her you don't need her. Help her see what she's missing out on." I chuckled at how childish it sounded.

"Well it could work."

She smiled and as she looked towards her window her happiness disolved. She sat down and knit her eyebrows.

"Well I have to get going, I'm having dinner with Tony tonight. I'm a bit nervous. " she said.

"Oh god." I mumbled.

"What what's wrong Dion?"

"He's going to ask you to marry him."

"How do you know?" Linda asked me.

"I had dinner with him last night. He asked me about you and I asked him about how many times he's proposed to you and he told me that he was going to try again this weekend."