Page 56 of Seasoned
A few years ago, with Danny nearing his senior year, she’d mentioned to Hector she wanted to start them again, with the idea that she could start catering, but hadn’t seriously considered that option until they separated last year.
“You’re back to that idea?” His words stung, his voice lacking the enthusiasm she’d hoped for. “You’re not worried about having to study again or the time that will take away from other activities?”
Adelaide remembered her trepidation at contacting the admissions office to ask a few questions. Nothing—including Hector’s lackluster response—could squash the intoxication of knowing that once she completed her course work, she’d have a diploma, proof that she was trained in the art of cooking.
“Going back to school will be a challenge, but it’s a challenge I believe I can handle.”
“Good for you.” His voice lacked emotion and was not encouraging.
“I went shopping the other day, looking at backpacks. I’m not sure I’ll use one.” Adelaide laughed at herself.
“It’s late. I have to be up early, so I’m going to bed now. Congratulations. It was good talking to you. I’ll call you again tomorrow, if that’s okay?”
“I would like that. Have a good night, Hector.”
“I will now. Good night, Addie.”
Adelaide hung up the phone but stared at it for a while, a mixture of happiness and sadness in her spirit.
“I can’t believeyou told our neighbor that,” Adelaide said.
Night number three of her daily conversations with Hector. He’d just told her that he warned away their neighbor who used to live across from them in the apartment complex they lived in when they first got married.
She settled on the couch with the phone wedged between her ear and shoulder while balancing a bowl of vanilla ice cream in her hands.
“I did. I knew he was interested in you by the way he looked at you. You didn’t notice?”
“I thought he was a little friendly but harmless. Why would he be interested in a woman who had a husband and two toddlers, for goodness’ sake?”
“Because he wanted to be your husband and replace me as Karen and Junior’s father.”
Adelaide spooned ice cream into her mouth with a laugh. “I doubt that’s true. He’d have been crazy to want to get with me while I had two rambunctious kids in tow. I’m sure all the neighbors knew what a handful the twins were. Getting them in and out of the car was like herding cats.”
“I’m just telling you what I noticed, so I had to set him straight.”
“Poor guy. That explains why he stopped being friendly after a while. Well, I guess since we’re being honest, I should come clean about something I did, too.”
“Uh-oh. What did you do?” Hector asked in an amused voice.
Adelaide set the bowl atop a magazine on the coffee table and shifted so one leg was beneath her and the other dangled off the edge of the sofa. “I’m a little embarrassed to tell you now.”
“You brought it up, so you have to finish, otherwise I’m not going to let up until you tell me.”
“Okay.” She let out an exaggerated sigh. “Do you remember a very helpful staff member at the Chuck E. Cheese that had blue hair?”
“Blue hair?” Hector said slowly. “I kind of vaguely remember someone like that when we took the kids there. What about her?”
“She and I had words.”
“What! You never told me that.”
“I didn’t tell you because there was no reason to tell you. I took care of the situation. She was always overly friendly to you, and I remember one time she was laughing all up in your face and touched your arm. When she saw me approaching, she pulled back immediately, which said to me that she had bad intentions. You don’t remember any of this?”
She could practically hear him thinking in the pause between her question and his answer.
“No, I honestly don’t.”
“She might not have made an impression on you, but I definitely remember her. When you went to the bathroom, I pulled her aside and told her she needed to back off, and that I thought her behavior was inappropriate. I didn’t say anything to you back then because I didn’t want you to say I was overreacting, but she really, really bugged me.”
