Til You Come Back to Me Again - A Love Story

Chap - 3

Three

Getting to Know You

Suzanne lived in an old apartment complex in Winter Park. Despite the peeling paint on the shutters and the broken concrete in the parking lot, the complex was pretty decent looking compared to some others in that area. It had a swimming pool, as well as a small lake that gave it a peaceful look. A family of ducks floated lazily away from the shore and a grove of trees stood to one side. It was a pretty picture.

When Suzanne answered the door, I was captivated all over again. She was wearing pink denim capris and a white peasant blouse. Her golden hair was down and hung just past her shoulders in deep waves. The eye makeup was a little heavier, but the way she wore it made her green eyes stand out.

"You look great," I told her.

"Thanks, so do you."

I grinned. Jeans and ribbed t-shirts or oxfords were my standard dress. "Thank you."

"Would you like to come in for a minute?"

"Sure."

When I stepped through the door, the soft scent of sandalwood gently touched my senses. While she went to grab her purse, I took a quick minute to scan the room. There was an incense burning in a wooden holder on the entertainment center. The modest but comfortable-looking living room was furnished with an old floral couch and chair. A crocheted afghan was draped across the back. An ivory lace runner lay across the chipped wood coffee table. There were a few faded floral prints on the walls, and sitting on a glass shelf was a framed eight by ten photo of Suzanne and an attractive dark-skinned woman with short braids framing her face. Her face and arms were a little too thin, but that didn't detract from her looks. In the woman's arms was a small child, maybe three or four years old. The little girl had a lighter complexion and wide storm-gray eyes. Shiny black ringlets hung down to her shoulders. She was beautiful, and I could only imagine how much more beautiful she would be when she was older.

Suzanne approached. "That's my roommate, Lila, and her little girl, Ekaterina. We call her Katia."

"How long have you been roommates?"

"Since we graduated from high school. But we've been friends since junior high." She tenderly brushed a finger across the glass. "Lila met this Russian guy right after we moved in together. A week later he raped her and took off."

"That is terrible!" I grimaced, swallowing hard. The thought of any woman being attacked or abused in any way literally made me sick. "Did they ever catch him?"

"No, and the next month she found out she was pregnant with Katia. The whole ordeal messed her up a bit emotionally, but she loved her child from the moment she found out she was pregnant."

I studied the photo again. "I guess she was wise enough to understand that it was not Katia's fault. She sounds like a very strong woman. It must be hard for her being a single mother."

Suzanne was thoughtful for a moment, her eyes slightly sad. "She's making it. She wanted to meet you, but she had to leave this morning and will be gone until Monday."

"Well, I look forward to meeting her when she gets back." I smiled, attempting to shake off the gloom. "Are you ready?"

"I am." She took the keys from her purse and locked the door.

* * *

Even though Suzanne was born and raised in Orlando, she had never been to SeaWorld, so I took her there and we had a fun-filled afternoon. We played our own game of twenty questions and learned much about each other.