I came back to my hometown to visit my closest friend in the Summer of 1972. As it turned out, at first I thought that I had arrived too early, but in fact it turned out that I was just in time.
*****
Chapter 1.
Nothing much had changed in my sleepy hometown in the nine months I had been away at college. That was my first reaction as I drove through my old neighborhood, but when I arrived at my friend Dave's house it looked like something was wrong.
The yard was a little unkempt; the hedges untrimmed and the lawn was in need of a mowing. This was quite unlike the usual impeccable appearance of the Watts' household, and that was the first sign that something was amiss.
I parked out in the road and walked up the driveway to the house. My friend Dave had apparently not arrived yet, because his car was nowhere to be seen. Ringing the doorbell, I heard someone nearing the door and peeking out before opening the door.
"Kenny!" Dave's mom exclaimed. "It's so wonderful to see you! Come in."
I followed Dave's mother up the steps to the upper level of the raised ranch. The interior of the house was as beautiful as it had ever been, and Dave's mom gave me a kiss and a hug as we entered the kitchen.
"Dave's not here yet?" I asked.
"Oh no Kenny, didn't he get a hold of you before you left?" Dave's mom said in shock. "He's still at school and won't be here for a couple more days. There was a plumbing problem at his dorm and he's staying to try and salvage what he can of his stuff."
"No, the last I talked to him we were going to meet here today," I said.
"Well, he'll be here in a couple of days, so you can just move into the spare room. Heaven knows we... I have plenty of room now. I assume Dave told you."
"Told me what?" I asked her in confusion.
"Dave's father moved out. We've broken up. Separated. I was hoping to work things out but I got the papers from his lawyer yesterday, filing for divorce."
Dave hadn't said anything about it, and I felt awkward and in shock. I had thought these guys had a great marriage. That explained the lawn going unattended.
"Well, that explains the grass and hedges," I said to her. "You guys always had the best looking lawn in the neighborhood."
"I know," Mrs. Watts said with a wistful faraway look in her eyes, which started to well up with tears. "Sorry. I... I... "
At that she collapsed into my arms, crying and shaking. I held the woman in my arms, unsure of what I was to do. In a few minutes she regained her composure and stepped away from me, grabbing a tissue and dabbing at her face.
"Sorry Kenny," Mrs. Watts said as she tried to pull herself together.
"That's okay Mrs. Watts," I stammered weakly. "I had no idea."
I looked at this woman who I had known all my life and hardly recognized her in such in weak and crushed state. She was a very attractive blonde woman in her mid-40's, with a very petite figure that she kept in great shape. Gone was the confident and self-assured mother of my best friend who had always reminded me of Mrs. Cleaver in 'Leave it to Beaver'. This woman looked scared and alone, and I was helpless to do anything to change any of it.
"Heavens Kenny, you're a grown man now," Mrs. Watts said. "You can call me Dawn. The Mrs. makes me feel even older and more decrepit than I feel."
"You look great Mrs., I mean Dawn," I told her. "No matter how you may feel."
In fact she did look very attractive despite it all, and I confess that I had always had a bit of a crush on her while growing up. Still and all, you don't have feelings about your best friend's mom, especially when she's a happily married woman that's almost thirty years younger than you.
"That's sweet of you to say, Kenny. You will stay, won't you?"
"Sure," I told Dawn, not having anywhere else to go anyway. "Look, why don't I go out and mow the lawn and stuff?"
"No, Dave can do that when he gets here, but that's nice of you to offer."
"It would make me feel better if i did," I told Dawn. "Make me feel like I'm earning my keep," I added, not mentioning the fact that I would rather be doing that than being in here if she started crying again. |
