We ended the night with a hug. I apologized so many times
that I think Marci wanted to tell me to shut the hell up. I walked
through the gate of the courtyard alone. Hailey’s window was still
dark, but I felt her there watching me.
2
Pitifully Ugly
Chapter 12
Canine advice.
I spent a rainy weekend in my apartment in front of the TV
watching the most violent movies that I could find. I didn’t want
to watch Deborah Kerr and Cary Grant lead me to believe that
love conquered all. Instead I watched aliens beat the shit out of
one another.
When Kalen called, I told her everything, then begged to
be left alone. She reluctantly complied. When Monday came, I
immersed myself in work and refused to visit the Rainbow Room.
I was finished with that.
The phone rang around lunchtime, and I debated on answering.
When I saw Marvin’s name on the caller ID, I picked it up in case
there was a problem.
“Thank you, thank you!” Marvin sang into the phone. “Thank
you for my job and thank you for sending me that lovely client.
She tips well.”
“Who?”
“Hailey something, she said you referred her, but you forgot
to give her my card. She called all the surrounding salons until
she found me.” Marvin’s voice droned on as my mind filled with
thoughts of Hailey. “Locks of gold that felt like silk to my fingers.
She has a beautiful head of hair. I think I enjoyed doing her as
much as you.”
“I’m glad it worked out for you both.”
“If I were you, I’d be chasing her like a dog chases a trash
truck. She’s caliente. That means hot, you know.”
Robin Alexander
“Astute observation, Marvin,” I said, trying not to sound
sarcastic.
“She talked about you the whole time.” Marvin went on like
he’d had a pot of coffee and chased it with a Red Bull. “Told me
about the day she tried to teach you how to play tennis and you
made her laugh like a fool. I’m telling you, girlfriend, there was
a gleam in her eyes.”
“I’m sorry to cut this short, Marvin, but I have to step out.” I
didn’t want to hear anymore. It grated my nerves and confounded
me that she told me that she wanted just to be friends, but she was
gleaming when she talked to Marvin. Talk about mixed signals.
“Okay,” Marvin said cheerfully. “Seriously, thank you,
Shannon.”
I tossed the phone on my desk and groaned when I heard a
knock on the door. I threw it open and was surprised to see a very
tall, nice-looking man who seemed as shocked to see me as I was
to see him.
“I’m so sorry to disturb you. I just realized that I’m supposed
to be at 2A, and I see now I wasn’t paying attention when I went
up the elevator.”
“That’s okay, it happens all the time,” I lied, mainly because
he seemed so nice, and it dawned on me that he was looking for
Hailey’s apartment.
“Have a nice day and I apologize again,” he said as he
turned and walked away. If things about Hailey weren’t already
confusing, they were more so now.
My apartment became extremely oppressive, so I decided to
go for a walk. And to my chagrin, I ran into Hailey in the hall.
She looked amazing in one of her dressier business suits. The
skirt fit her curves, and I found it hard not to just stand and stare,
but when I saw the man I’d met earlier standing not far behind
her, I looked down at Fuzzy. Somehow she didn’t complete the
ensemble.
“I need a huge favor,” Hailey said, looking uncomfortable.
“I have a work function to attend, and my TV died this morning.
Would you keep Fuzzy for me?”
Fuzzy was looking up at me as if to say, please, say yes.
4
Pitifully Ugly
“Sure, no problem.”
“Oh, umm, Shannon, this is my ex-husband, Mark,” Hailey
said, stepping out of the way.
“We kind of met by accident earlier,” he said with a smile
when he shook my hand. “It’s a pleasure to be formally introduced,
though.”
“Likewise,” I said with as much of a smile as I could muster.
“You two have a great time.” I took Fuzzy’s leash and watched
them go. Hailey looked back over her shoulder and mouthed,
sorry.
“Fuzzy, I’m in the mood for a long walk. I’m glad you packed
your ball.”
If dogs smile, she truly did then around a slimy green tennis
ball, and we were off.
Fuzzy actually walked me. I followed along behind her as
she pranced down the sidewalk, stopping occasionally to sniff
something of interest. She walked as if she had a destination in
mind, and since I didn’t, I was content to comply with her whim.
We came along a small park that didn’t have any signs that said
dogs weren’t welcome, so once inside the fence, I unclipped her
leash. She trotted over to a bench and looked at me until I sat.
The ball was then placed in my lap. I thought I knew what was
expected. I threw the ball as far as it would go, and she turned
and looked at me as if to say, Bitch. Did I say to throw it across
the park?
She came back and stood in front of me, and this time, she did
not readily give me the ball. “You want me to bounce it?” I asked.
Her response was a huffing sound. I did as she commanded. She
lost interest after forty-something bounces and lay down on the
cool sidewalk in front of me.
“Fuzzy, I don’t know what to do about your mother or your
person, whatever you call her.”
Her blond head tilted to the side.
“No, really, it’s true. She just wants to be friends right now,
and I’m not sure I can take any more friendship. Every time I see
her, I want to kiss her and choke her at the same time.”
Robin Alexander
Fuzzy’s tongue flopped out.
“Yes, like that. None of the friendly peck on the cheek stuff.
I just want to take her in my arms and—” I stopped short and
nodded at a couple who passed by with odd expressions. I waited
for them to get far enough away to continue. “I’m just getting to
know her, but I feel something that I can’t keep denying, and I
can’t just blurt it out to her.”
Fuzzy cocked her head again.
“No, not love, but an attraction that I can barely stand. Do
you think the feelings are so intense because I can’t have her?”
Bingo, dumbass, was Fuzzy’s expression.
“Is that all it is?” I tilted my own head.
You have the patience of a squirrel, Fuzzy seemed to say.
“Hey, you’re not the picture of patience when you want the
ball bounced, either, Ms. Thang.”
Apparently, the mention of the ball was her cue. She picked it
up and dropped it in my lap. “So what am I supposed to do now?”
I asked as I bounced it on the sidewalk.
Fuzzy caught the ball and returned it to me and dropped it in
my hand. You keep playing bal . That solves everything. I heard