To Catch a Sunset

Chapter 6

Chapter 6

She couldn't believe how excited she was to see Marcus. She found herself very nervous and jittery. She kept thinking to herself that she was acting like a teenager. She was almost floating as she left the office building. As she approaches the parking lot she searches for him with her eyes. A smile graces her face as she notices him parked along the curb waiting for her. He gives her a subtle wave, she smiles at him, they both feel that surge again. She begins to walk toward the car when she hears someone call out her name from behind. She recognizes that voice; it's Paul. She stops and turns to see what he wants. "Yes, what is it?" She asks. Paul has her bag in his hand. He hands it to her.

"You left it in the conference room." She smiles and thanks him, then walks away. Paul watches as she gets in the car, suspicious of this guy, this mysterious guy he has never seen before. He just wonders as he watches her. Ally greets Marcus with a warm smile and a hello.

"How was your day?" He asks.

"Well other than having a flat on a Monday morning, it's been pretty good." She answers. "How was yours?" She asks.

"Well pretty hum drum until now." He says as he smiles at her. They discuss her tire and the cost. He actually put the tire back on already. She was stunned by his kindness, especially since he was so mean when she first met him. They made casual conversation for awhile. She reminds him she's keeping Ricardo tonight, asking if they can grab some take out. She calls and orders and they drive towards the restaurant.

"So tell me, why do you live in that big house all by yourself?" He asks with a smirk.

"I could ask you the same thing smartie. I got a really great deal on it and fell in love so I bought it. What about you, why did a single guy buy a huge house with a pool?" She asked as she laughs.

"Well I wanted to put roots down, you know settle. I've moved around a lot. I want a place big enough for my family when they visit. And the pool well I love to swim." He said with a raised eyebrow, they laugh.

"You know the couple that lived there before you, hosted pool parties all the time." She says sardonically.

"Well I'm not really the have- a- lot of people in my home kind of guy, but you can come over and swim whenever you want." He said as he nudges her. She just stares at him for a long second. She is really taken by this person she is getting to know, he's really nothing like she first thought. They pull up to the restaurant, she takes off her seat belt, and begins to get out of the car.

"I'll be right back." She says. She notices Marcus getting out his wallet. "No, no its my treat." She says while pushing his hand down. They make eye contact, as their eyes meet, they smile at each other. She gets out and walks into the restaurant. He feels an unfamiliar ping of happiness, something he hasn't felt in a very long time, if ever. Emily's face reminds him why. He won't let her memory ruin this moment. He smiles when Ally returns. She might just be the one to help him forget.

Ally left Marcus at her house, while she walks over to get Ricardo. He walks around the living room. It's stylishly decorated in a very eclectic way. She has one over-sized sectional couch with a large cocktail table. Various paintings on two different walls. As you turn to walk down a hallway which leads to the back of the house, there are two large walls covered with art and pictures. He takes his time looking at the pictures, as if to learn more about her. Pictures are funny, he thinks to himself, you don't really get a good idea who a person is. Most people are posing or pretending to be something they're not when the camera is on. Not her, with her you get what you see. His eyes are drawn to a picture of a teenage Ally surrounded by hundreds of yellow tulips, she is glowing. He then focuses in on another teenage picture, she is young maybe 16 or 17, she is standing in between two men. He assumes one is her Dad, he's in other pictures along the wall. The other man is older than the Dad, maybe a grandfather or uncle. Whoever these men are, they are important to her. She has taken the time to get this picture blown up and professionally framed. Yes, these men are special to her. He moves on down the wall, he is inspecting everyone when he hears Ally walk in. He walks toward the living room, they smile at each other. There was something real about seeing her walk through that door. He felt at home with her. A feeling that has been lost for a very long time.