Oh, I Think So

When she got to her cousin's house -- her aunt was now there full time -- things were an emotional mess.  Her cousin was collapsed in the middle of the living room floor crying, everyone trying to console her.  Everyone except her husband who was in the kitchen boiling water for tea.  Everyone gave her cautionary looks and flicked their heads in the direction of the kitchen so that's where wordlessly went. "What's up?" she whispered to the husband, the very good guy. "Mom doesn't know any of us," he said.  "Duck your head in.  Maybe she'll know you." She just looked at him. "Really," he said.  "Maybe she'll know you." She did as he asked, quietly turning the doorknob and entering the room. Her aunt looked up from what she was doing -- playing Solitaire it seemed with an old deck of cards -- and stared at her blankly but then a grin spread over her face. "I saw your parents this afternoon,"...

"As I live and breathe, I thought I'd never see you again," said the man on the elevator.  "How nice to see you." She smiled and extended her hand to Mr. King, the head security guard from her former work address.  They shook hands warmly. "What brings you to this part of town, Mr. King?" she asked. "I've been given a transfer.  I am now in charge of this address and the one across the street," he replied. "More work?" she inquired. "Less, in fact," he said.  "That other building had stuff going on all day every day.  If someone wasn't shooting up in the restroom then someone else decided it was a good idea to beat his wife in the lobby.  I've been blessed with less work, a little more money, and get to see some new faces.  And some favorite old faces." She smiled. "But I am not saying you're old," he said. They had reached the lobby and exited the elevator. "I did...

She Is Where and Oh, I Think So will return from vegging out on March 24.

Handsome's attentions in the office was a turning point for her in the eyes of the people who didn't work with her.  The stuck-up pretty girls decided she must be the coolest if this best-looking of guys wanted her, if this gorgeous fellow didn't give the time of day to Kim (and every man seemed to fall over himself for Kim).  She didn't care that they saw her in a new light.  They were still the shallowest people anyone could ever come across but it didn't bother her that they had this new respect for either. The fates had other ideas. Her aunt took a turn for the worse, walking out of her house one day, and was finally found days later sharing beans with the homeless guys who live under the Belmont overpass.  When she wasn't found in her neighborhood, the police and all the radio and TV stations were alerted, and the family fanned out and drove around for all those days trying to find her.  When the police found her, she introduced them to each of her home...

"That's one thing about Kevin," said Handsome as she dialed.  "He almost always answers." The phone rang once and went instantly to voicemail.   She put it on speaker. "Hi, it's Kevin.  Tell me the pertinent stuff and I'll call you back." When it went beep they each looked at each other but she spoke first. "Hi, Kevin," she said. "Hey, Kevin," said Handsome.  "It's Con.  I have found our missing friend and we're calling to wrangle dinner invitations.  Call me back." He nodded at her to disconnect. "I was hoping to leave here with a plan," he said.  "A relaxing evening with Kevin and his wife.  What she does to a lobster is amazing.  Oh, god, I'm afraid I'll start drooling if I think about it too much.  Tell me you like lobster." "I like lobster," she said. "Do you eat meat?" Handsome asked. "Yes, I eat meat," she replied. "...