Free The Widow's Friend by Dave Stone, Callii Wilson Page B

then I saw him, at least I thought it was him. My heart
leapt, and then I caught myself. Was it really Levi? He’d told me he probably
wouldn’t show up. I gathered my courage and approached him. There was only one
way to find out.
    “Are you who I think you are?” I asked.
    “I think I’m who you think I am,” he responded. He raised
his head and smiled at me.
    I was surprised, and pleasantly so. I don’t know exactly
what I’d expected from an old boyfriend that was pushing sixty, but he looked
good and I was glad.
    “I didn’t know if it was you,” he said. “I thought maybe it
could have been your sister. It’s been a long time.”
    “Oh yes, my older sister,” I muttered with a smile. He
laughed and it warmed me.
    We talked a bit.
    “I’ve been a bit nervous about all of this,” he said. “I’ve
had no idea if you were engaged, living with someone, or had maybe three
boyfriends.”
    “Oh yes, eight,” I said. This was unbelievable. He really
didn’t know much about me.
    We talked and chatted between customers. He was nice, but I
had to remind myself that he was married. That was the big hang-up, besides the
fact of my inheritance, and he didn’t have to know about that, at least not
yet.
    Levi seemed nice all right, but he was smooth, and it backed
me up a bit. He seemed to say all of the right things—that was for sure. I eyed
him from behind the counter.
    “No one has treated me like this for a very long time,” I
mumbled, and as soon as I’d said it I knew I’d made a mistake, but he was nice
and pretended not to notice.
    “I’ve got to go,” he said finally. Our eyes met. I reached
out and brushed his arm. He smiled as if it meant something. And then he was
gone, and there I was, with only my customers. I went through the motions and
helped them one at a time. But my mind was racing and my heart was dancing,
because I really hadn’t been treated like this for a very long time.
    But Levi was married, and I couldn’t remove that particular
fact from my mind. And besides, I knew that I would never marry again, and I
had multiple reasons for thinking like that.
    But Levi had looked good. His smile was sincere and his
embrace was firm. I felt a bit giddy, but apprehensive too. Then I thought
about my sister, and then I thought about my son. Life was so complex and life
was so unfair. I could really use a good night’s sleep about now.
    But Levi was so nice. He had touched me and he had held me,
right in front of all these people, but on the other hand….
    “Crap! Could my life get any crazier? I supposed so, but
then….
    I really could have used a bite to eat, but the clock seemed
to be stuck on five thirty. I had much to think about the rest of the night,
and trust me friend, I certainly did.

Chapter 19

 
    “Two
more Songs”

 
 
    The next day I forwarded Callii two Youtube links, both of
which were songs. I sent her “When I’m Sixty Four” by the Beatles and told her
not to be nervous, it was all in fun. And then I sent her one of my old
favorites, “Heart of Gold” by Neil Young. I also reminded her how good I’d
thought she looked at the Expo.
    The reality of it was that the experience at the Expo had
been exhilarating for me. I hadn’t “seen someone” for thirty-something years,
even if it was only for fifteen minutes in the middle of a crowd. My heart was
beating a little faster than it had been just the day before, and I had a new
little skip in my step. But I did feel a bit deceitful for the first time in
many years. It was unlike me to live a lie, no matter how big or small the lie
might be, and that bothered me. I was still married and….
    I tried not to think about that part of it. After all, this
was just an old friendship, wasn’t it?

 
    From Callii Wilson
    Nov 18th
    Good afternoon to you. I decided to write you because I am
tired of being in the world of the little people. I am so bored. I am ready to
return to my home and my real life—the