"Honey, is your seatbelt on?" I asked, looking at her through the rearview mirror.

"Yep." Came the enthusiastic reply as she snapped the belt that went over her narrow chest. Soon that chest would be developing. God, where did the time go?

"So, how’s school, Kendall?" Haley asked.

"Ick. I don’t wanna talk about that." I watched the conversation through the mirror, my brows narrowing.

"Why? What’s wrong with school?"

"Stupid boys." She pouted. That’s my girl. I chuckled to myself.

"Oh, yeah? Want to talk about it?" Haley asked, putting her hand on Kendall’s leg. The girl shook her head. "Okay. We don’t have to."

"Andi?"

"Yeah, hon?"

"Can we play a CD?" I glanced over at Haley to see she was already looking at me.

"Uh, sure. Give it to Haley."

She unzipped the small bag she had with her, and handed over a jewel case. Haley took it, sitting in her seat, facing the front.

"Tempo Toys," she read, and glanced at me again. I rolled my eyes. God, I hate boy bands. I glanced over at the cover to see five young guys standing in various poses on the front.

"They’re the coolest!" Kendall gushed, a huge grin on her face.

"Yeah? Which one is your favorite?" Haley showed the case to the girl, and without hesitation, Kendall grinned, showing the hole where one of her front teeth was supposed to be.

"Adam," she said shyly.

"Which one is that?" Kendall pointed to the boy standing in the middle, his feet spread wide apart in a tough-guy stance, one arm outstretched as he pointed a finger at the onlooker.

"He looks like he barely shaves," I muttered. Haley smacked me on the thigh then slid the CD into the player. Immediately I regretted my decision to let this rubbish be played in my car. But, such is the way it goes when you have a ten year old.

"Do you think those sideburns are real?" Haley asked quietly as Kendall began to really jam with the music, singing along. To my amazement, she actually had a great voice for a little turkey. Thank god she didn’t get mine.

I glanced over at the boy Haley indicated, sideburns down to his jawbone.

"No, I think they’re painted on, personally." She grinned.

"Do you remember those god-awful boy bands from when we were young?" she asked quietly. I chuckled.

"Yeah. ’NSYNC and Backstreet Boys."

"Oh, and do you remember that skank Britney Spears?"

"What’s skank mean?"

"Oops." Haley grinned.

"Um, it’s not a nice word, Kendall." I called back to her. The damndest things they hear.

The drive to the mall was long, but luckily Michelle Torrini had had the foresight to send Kendall with a Gameboy and some books. But, finally we got there, and none too soon for a certain ten year olds bladder.

The day was split up into basically three shopping trips. All three of us together buying for Kendall’s parents, and Haley and I shopping for our families, and then Kendall went with Haley so I could get some extras for her, and then Kendall was with me so Haley could shop for me and Kendall.

I had already decided, and had talked with the Torrini’s about, getting Kendall a computer. She was getting to the age where she needed one, especially when they had started using them in school from just about day one. Kendall’s parents didn’t have the money to buy her one, so why not me? They had been thrilled at the idea.

I knew Haley had planned to get her some software for it, and I was picking up a joystick and game for stocking stuffers. I wouldn’t be seeing Kendall this Christmas, which was a week and a half away. That hurt, but it wasn’t my choice, and I had no say. The family was heading out west to spend the holidays with Michelle’s parents in Colorado. I would be having my Christmas with Kendall when they got back.

I pushed those thoughts out of my head as I wanted to have a fun day, and boy did we ever! It was like I was with two ten year olds instead of one. Man, Haley was born to be a mother. She said otherwise, but she’d make a great mom. Funny; she said the same about me.

We ate, we laughed, we shopped until we nearly dropped. Kendall had to be back early today as they were leaving for Colorado tomorrow morning. So, the shopping trip had to be cut a little short.

The girl conked in the car as we drove back to her house. She clutched her Gameboy in one hand, game long forgotten as sleep took over. Haley reached back, turning the power off so the batteries wouldn’t die.

Haley got comfortable in her seat, sighing contentedly.

"Did you hear about the New Year’s party the hospital is putting on?" I asked, my voice quiet so as not to wake Kendall. Haley rolled her head toward me, and nodded. "Are you going?"

"Oh, I don’t know. I’ve thought about it. You?"

"I doubt it. Date required." I grinned.

"Oh, come on, Andi. I can’t imagine that would be a problem for you. I’m sure there are plenty of lonely women running around that hospital." I shook my head.

"Nah. I’m not real fond of flaunting my personal life around."

"Ah. Well, then we could always find you a male to escort you for one night." I laughed.

"Yeah. That would be interesting."

"Um," Haley looked down at her hands, which were fidgeting with each other. "Speaking of dates," She looked out the passenger-side window. "I was asked out on one." Slowly she looked over at me, as if she’d be in trouble, or something.

In truth my stomach had fallen to my knees, but there was no way I could tell her that. She had every right in the world to be happy, and to date.

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Who’s the lucky guy?" I concentrated all my attention on the road. I didn’t want her to know that I was bothered in the least. Somehow, wrongly, I felt betrayed.

"His name is Craig. He’s actually a phlebotomist at the hospital."

"I see. A legal vampire." She chuckled.

"Yeah."

"How did this come about? When do you go out?"

"A lady I work with, Cheryl. She’s kind of the old school, and doesn’t think a woman should be alone. That sort of thing." I grimaced.

"What century is she living in?"

"Yeah, I know. I humor her because she’s almost seventy, and thinks she’s my mother or something."

"More like grandmother."

"Be nice."

"So, when do you go?" I glanced over at her, surprised to find myself looking right into blue eyes. I turned away, watching the road. It’s slick, you know.

"Saturday night."

My stomach fell for the second time. That was our night together. Yeah, I was not such a fan of this Craig guy.

"Oh. What do you plan to do?" She sighed, running a hand through her hair, taking it out of its ponytail, and combing her fingers through the dark strands.

"I have no idea. What on earth do you do on a date? It’s been way too long." I smiled.

"Movies? Dinner? Bowling?"

"Bowling sounds like fun. I haven’t done that in forever."

I continue to drive, and Haley continued to talk about this Craig asshole. I didn’t want to think about her going out with someone.

The car filled with silence for a moment, then Haley began to talk about something else. Thank god.

"Have you ever been to California, Andi?" I looked at her, a bit surprised at her choice in subject.

"Nope."

"Have you ever wanted to? I mean, does it hold any interest for you?"

"Sure. It seems like a different planet compared to Minnesota."

"Oh, god, yeah. It was really a shock to come back here," she said, laughing.

"Really?" I glanced over at her.

"Sure. We never saw days like this." She indicated the white wonderland outside the windows. "It’s so beautiful there."

"It always looked it whenever I saw pictures of it, and so many movies take place there. I’ve always wanted to see the Pacific, too."

"Hmm."


* * *

I got a fire started, the temperatures dropping even more, glancing at the clock on the mantle, for about the fiftieth time, before I sat down in my arm chair, book in hand. Bunsen was curled up in his little doggy bed I’d set by the fire to warm up his little Pug body.

With a sigh, I opened the paperback to my marked place, and began to read. Sort of.

I didn’t get it. I used to love these nights where I could sit quietly, drinking water, or hot tea, or even the occasional glass of wine, and just enjoy a book or a good movie, hell, even a good crossword puzzle. Tonight I’d tried them all. The movie had seemed boring and dull, I couldn’t concentrate on the crossword puzzle to get the answers, and the book was quickly losing my interest, though I was trying valiantly, again, to keep going.

I glanced at the clock again. It was just ten after nine, and the world around me had faded to black as night fell, and now the only light now was the flames dancing in the fireplace, and a small wall sconce near my chair to read by. Curling my feet up a little tighter under me, I cleared my throat, and began to read chapter 14.

Never in my life had I had a problem with entertaining myself, and I sure as hell didn’t like the fact that it seemed to be a problem now. I had never needed someone around to make me smile or happy. My books, and research, and games of Literati had all done that for me.

But now? Not so much. It was disturbing, and completely disconcerting.

Ding dong.

I looked up, toward the door, the blackness beyond the etched glass telling me nothing.

I set the book on my chair, and walked toward it, flipping the porch light on as I went. Who would possibly coming around my place at 9:25 p.m. on a Saturday night?