"On a date?" he asked as if it wouldn't make everything more awkward.
"Uh," stuttered Kerrie. Neither Bette nor Kerrie looked at each other.
The smirk only increased on Zoe's face, and Bette knew instantly by the mischievous glint in her eye that her daughter was about to completely embarrass her once again. Zoe elbowed Kenny in the belly gently. "Yeah, like on a date. What do you think? You want to be my uncle one day?"
Kenny laughed nervously, looking at Kerrie to make sure his reaction was correct.
Like opening an oven door, Bette's face was completely engulfed in heat as her daughter teased them. Utterly mortified, she cleared her throat as she turned to Kerrie. "Do you need help finishing up the bed?"
Before Kerrie could reply, Zoe was already interjecting. "Yeah, y'all are probably going to need that bed."
"Zoe Marie!" Bette screeched.
Zoe held up the drink container in her hand in a defenseless way. "Okay, okay, I give. But just so you know, I don't mind calling her Dad."
Chuckling, Kerrie leaned forward and took the drink container from Zoe. "I think I'm more of a Pops than a Dad. It sounds cooler."
Bette's mouth dropped open. "Don't encourage her."
Beaming up at Kerrie, Zoe said, "This is going to be so much fun."
Chapter 18
Later that night, Bette went to her back door for a second time to check it was locked. It wasn't until she had been left alone in the apartment earlier that she realized she had never lived alone. In her whole 47 years of life, she had always had someone there. Her mother, her roommate in college, Shelly, then her mother again.
The silence was loud. Like trumpets were playing in every corner of the place. It didn't take long before she had plugged her laptop in and pulled up YouTube to have background noise. Anything to stop the overwhelming feeling of the walls closing in on her. She knew it was just first-time jitters, but at her age and maturity, she was shocked at how just being alone was so jarring.
The door was locked just like it was before. She had yet to put a curtain over the window in the back door, and she noticed the flickering flames of a small fire further into the backyard. A tall, wooden fence enclosed the backyard, making it feel like its own little private slice of secluded paradise.
She could just make out Kerrie sitting in a lawn chair. Curiosity piqued, she decided to go see what her new neighbor was doing. She didn't want to be alone, and spending time with Kerrie sounded much better than worrying herself to an early sleep.
Grabbing her robe from the back of her bathroom door, she slipped the soft cotton robe over her simple light purple cotton nightgown and stuffed her feet into well-worn house shoes. A high-end name brand she doubted she'd be able to afford to replace once they finally bit the dust. She paused briefly to brush back a few wild wisps of hair.
The day had cooled off, the heat disappearing with the sun only to be replaced with the comfortable coolness of night. The half-moon above was unobstructed and seemed tomatch the brightness of the lampposts on the street, yellowy and a stark contrast against the blackened night.
In the chaos of the day, Bette never noticed the little firepit when she was moving in. As she approached, she realized that it was a nice patio spot tucked into the back part of the yard. Its foundation was made of sturdy red brick and was decorated with surprisingly high-quality furniture. The brown wicker furniture was boxy with bright blue cushions, and the fire pit in the center was a round drum with gate-like fencing. It was so inviting, it may as well have been waving her over.
"Do you care if I join you?"
Kerrie jumped at Bette's voice and then chuckled at herself. She was lounged back in her chair with a glass bottle in one hand. She was wearing an old T-shirt and cotton sleep shorts. Her bare feet were crossed and resting on a coffee table in the center. She was the picture of relaxation.
"No, of course not. Have a seat. It's a nice night out, isn't it?"
Nodding, Bette pulled her robe tighter around her as she sat on the soft, cushioned-covered couch. She lifted her feet to the coffee table, crossing them comfortably. When she looked over at Kerrie, she noticed the woman was eying her legs, and Bette decided to allow her the opportunity. A small thrill of excitement shot through her like lightning as she let the bottom part of her robe drop for a better view. She would have hiked up her nightgown hemline if she weren't being watched. "It is a nice night. This is a lovely patio area. I didn't notice it earlier."
Lips turning up, Kerrie tilted her head, pointing the bottle in her hand at Bette. "Thank you. Did it myself. Well, Kenny supervised and picked out the furniture. He doesn't like to get his hands dirty."
Barking out a laugh, Bette nodded. "He has the supervisory role down. It was fun getting to spend time with him today." Bette hesitantly added, "And you."
Kerrie ducked her head before nodding with an embarrassed grin. "Same with you and Zoe. She seems like a great kid."
"She really is." Bette's eyes landed on the glass bottle in Kerrie's hand, her heart tightening.
Following her eyes, Kerrie opened her hand to show the classic red and white label of Coca-Cola. "Mexican Coke. It has real sugar instead of high-fructose corn syrup."
Flushing, Bette looked down, drawing her robe tighter. "Oh, right. I've had it before."
"You thought it was beer." It wasn't a question but a statement, and one that held no anger or irritation. It caused Bette to look back at her.
