Late..., Part 3

"Late...Part 3"
(`Early-'  Part 3) by love_2_smoke@hotmail.com

[DISCLAIMER: Don't lose faith in this story...it'll get around it's clunky 
beginnings...I swear!!!  Thanks love_2_smoke@hotmail.com]

   They finished up their margaritas and their conversation with little 
enthusiasm.
   Over the next week, they saw little of each other.  Their relationship 
wasn't the most sturdy in the world anyway.  He worked in a comic store and 
considered it a special occasion when he took time to iron a dress shirt 
rather than pull on a t-shirt or sweatshirt.  He was nice and fairly smart 
though, so it somewhat evened out.  Somewhat.
   Jenny was very much opposite of him in that sense and, of course, others.  
She worked as a network engineer for a hospital system in Bremerton.  It was 
quite a leap from a degree in English to working in information technology.  
She'd happened into it after a couple of jobs where she became more and more 
involved in the respective networks of each.  It turned out to be a great 
job for her.  She worked her own hours, telecommuting three days a week, 
unless there were special circumstances.  Weekends were rarely a concern and 
she only worked late when she wanted to or there was some sort of network 
emergency.  She basically got to do her job however she pleased and also got 
to run the whole show.  She took time to ensure her appearance was 
fashionable yet business like at work, as well as fashionable yet playful 
when she was out and about-unlike Derek, who often needed prompting to be 
motivated in most senses.
   She really didn't see she and Derek `making the long haul', as she'd heard 
Bill Lamont say once upon a time, on one of her seemingly eons ago trips to 
his shop-`Treasured Vices'.  He had said that in reference to Sabrina and 
Mike when they'd broken up.  Mike had gone off to school at Oregon State, 
much to everyone's surprise.  That long distance relationship had killed off 
what he and Sabrina had, unfortunately.  They kept in touch for a short 
while but things were never the same and just sort of died off.
   When Jenny happened upon Mike in the `Dis**y Store' in the mall, she was 
pleasantly surprised, since she'd been thinking about him not long before.

   "Hey, Mike!"
   He turned and looked at her, not recognizing her at first.  She watched the 
recognition appear in his eyes.
   "Jenny?"
   "Yes."
   He came over and gave her a hug.  Jenny felt attracted to him, more than 
her current boyfriend by far, all at once.
   "How are you?"
   "I'm fine.  What are you doing here?"
   "In the store?"
   "Well, that too, but I mean back here in the area?"
   "I'm in the store to get a gift for my sister, she likes this stuff," he 
said waving his hand around the store.
   "Oh, and-?"
   "And?  Uh, yeah, I'm back here because I finished law school at U of W and 
I'm gonna' take the bar here pretty quick."
   "Really?"
   "Yes, ma'am."
   Jenny looked at him with a sly grin.
   "You'll make a good lawyer."
   "I'll try to take that as a compliment and not an insult."
   "Whatever tickles your fancy."
   He laughed.
   "Actually, I won't be involved in too much `bad stuff'.  I figure I'll be 
doing mostly intellectual properties and maybe some contract work."
   "Huh?"
   "I won't be defending criminals, that's what I'm getting at.  At least not 
murderous criminals," he paused thoughtfully, "maybe that isn't much of a 
defense.  Forget it," he finished with a smile.
   "Okay, whatever you say, counselor."
   He laughed again.
   "How about you?  What are you doing now?"
   "I'm a network engineer with Consolidated Clinics."
   "Really?  Over here, huh?"
   "Yeah, I like working and living in the same vicinity."
   There was an awkward pause between them.  Mike spoke first.
   "So are you-?," he said, trailing off, looking down at her left hand.
   "Married?"
   "Yeah."
   "No, and you?"
   "One failed engagement," he paused, "after Sabrina.  But that's it."
   "Sorry."
   "Why?  I'm not.  It turned out for the best both times.  If I'd stayed with 
Sabrina I would have never gotten off my duff."
   "You didn't break up until you went to OSU though."
   The two of them had made their way out of the store and onto a bench in the 
thoroughfare between all the stores.
   "I know.  I almost didn't go.  I went so that she wouldn't be held back by 
me or vice versa."
   "She's married now."
   "I know."
   "Does that bother you?"
   "No, I meant it.  It was the best thing.  We were too anxious to be with 
each other and not anxious enough to accomplish anything.  I suppose that 
was more me than her though."
   Jenny smiled.
   "What about you, why isn't a beautiful woman like you all hitched up?"
   "Haven't met the right guy."
   Mike seemed to suddenly realize something.
   "Do you need to go outside?"
   Jenny was confused by the question.
   "Why would I need to go outside?"
   "For a smoke."
   Jenny smiled, genuinely amused.
   "No.  I haven't had a `smoke' in 6 years."
   "You're kidding!"
   "Nope."
   "Wow.  Why'd you quit?  You were pretty devoted to it, as far as I recall."
   "I, uh-"
   "What?  What did I say?," Mike said, confused by a sudden change in Jenny's 
demeanor and expression.
   "Nothing.  It's not you.  My mom died of cancer, that's when I got it."
   Mike grimaced.
   "Oh, yeah, I remember Sabrina told me.  I'm sorry."
   "Me too."
   Mike opened his mouth to speak but Jenny jumped in first.
   "Please don't ask me about it, I don't want to talk about it."
   Mike hesitated and then spoke.
   "I wasn't going to.  I was just going to say that it's a shame you don't 
smoke anymore.  Not in a health sense, but in others."
   "I don't get you."
   "I'd have to take a cold shower."
   Jenny was surprised by his frankness.
   "I'm just being playful.  Don't sue me for harassment."
   Jenny was just a bit offended-and intrigued.
   "Well, I'm not sure how to respond to that, so I'll just leave it alone."
   Mike could tell he crossed a line.
   "I'm sorry, Jenny.  I've got a thing for women that smoke.  I didn't mean 
to screw up this little reunion of ours.  Tell you what, I'll leave you 
alone and let you get back to shopping."
   He stood up and extended his hand for a handshake.
   "Friends?"
   She felt embarrassed.
   "Don't worry about it, Mike.  I'm just a bit on edge these days.  I can't 
really say why.  Here," she reached into her purse, dug around, and pulled 
out a pen and a business card, "this is my work number on the front and I'll 
write my home number on the back," she did.
   "Thanks."
   "Call me sometime and we'll have a bite to eat or something."
   He seemed surprised but not put off.
   "Sure, that'd be great."
   Jenny found herself amazed that she was disregarding Derek in all this.  
The thought came and went quickly.

More to come-

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