Hammering My Way to the Queen City Prom:Chapter 5

This addition to the love story of Alex and Lily is for my friend, Melissa, so she will have new WORDS on a snowy day:

Chapter 5

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Hearing about the kids was too much too much. Lily remembered the last time she saw them: it was a bleak drenched Friday afternoon and Andy, then 10, was playing Davy Crockett in his school play. Lily had winced at his raccoon hat and the thought that the hide of some skinned animal was on his head, some fluffy soft disgusting tail blowing every which way every time he moved, and Andy moved. He had forgotten one of his lines mid way through, but in or out of character he had charmed the audience into accepting the gibberish he skillfully substituted. Andy, with his wry wit and wide heart,-- was a good boy, a good sport, a son and brother any one would be proud of. Lily considered him her friend and he was good at that too. .
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And, Amy—she was 9 going on 16, that afternoon at the Why Not Diner begging her mother for the right to wear eye shadow even as she complained and whined about the gross looking sweet potato fries in front of her, smothering them in ketchup, then, as they celebrated Andy’s theatrical debut.

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Mike was working out of town as he often was so on that Friday afternoon, his two children, his wife, and Lily gleefully dodged raindrops and defiantly waved their umbrellas, criss-crossing around puddles and marching single file through parked cars, Lily with her hand protectively reaching for Alex’ elbow, guiding her for no reason really, but guiding her.They walked light, the kids on each side of them, laughing, teasing Andy about his improvisation, that afternoon when Lily dared to think this could linger. She and Alex had know each other for 3 years then, they had struggled and soared together, most nights talking past midnight on the phone like teenagers: they shopped and hiked and shared errands and energy, and only occasionally they put words to feelings that simmered and sometimes erupted.
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