Linda pulled the ham out of the oven and a plume of heat rose. “Mmm…it smells great, Linda.” Meryl complimented. “Is it a honey ham?...it smells sweet.”
Nodding, Linda placed the fully cooked hock on the counter to rest and checked the potatoes boiling in the pot on the stove top. Freshly baked croissants were cooling on the rack beside the ham and Larry tried to steal one before dinner was served.
Slapping her husband on the wrist, Linda heard the doorbell. “That’s just Brad. He’s stopping by to drop off some teaching materials. You guys don’t mind do you?”
Meryl waved. “Not at all. I’ve met Brad before; he’s a nice young man.”
Louise and Barry were busy playing a game of Crazy Eights. They both shook their heads absently with one eye on their hands.
Linda fluffed her hair before pulling the door open. “Hi, Brad. Come on in. We’re having a nice smoked ham and there’s plenty of it.”
Meryl dipped her head into the living room. “Hi, Brad. I’m Meryl. You were at that fundraiser in the summer, weren’t you?”
He shook her proffered hand as recognition came to his face. “Oh, yeah. I remember you.”
Larry entered the room. “Hi, Brad. How are you?”
“I’m fine, sir. And you?” he asked respectfully.
“Just fine. Can I take your coat? You’ll stay for supper, won’t you?”
Brad swallowed. “I don’t want to impose.”
Linda waved. “Not at all. We’re playing some cards in the kitchen and we need another person to make three sets of partners anyway.” She tried for nonchalant.
He took in a deep breath. “Well, in that case.” Brad placed a large cloth-covered suitcase on the wood plank floor. “I’d love to stay. Ham is my favourite.”
Linda was pleased. “Come in the kitchen. I’ll introduce you to the rest of our company.”
Brad followed her as Meryl took her seat beside Barry. Louise laid down her last card and grinned as Barry shook his head in disbelief. “You’re kicking my butt.”
Linda giggled. “Barry? This is Brad, one of my colleagues.”
Brad bent down and shook Barry’s hand as both men nodded at one another.
“And this is Louise, Meryl’s daughter. She’s also a teacher.”
Brad shook Louise’s hand and nodded to her as well. “Where do you teach?”
“Goldsberg Elementary. Fifth grade.” Louise answered as an unmistakable twitch came from the corner of her mouth. She was clearly trying to stifle a grin.
If Brad noticed the look he didn’t show it. “Excellent. I teach first grade.”
“So you and Linda work together directly?” Louise asked conversationally.
“That’s right.” Brad answered.
“Here, sit here Brad.” Larry intervened, pulling the chair closest to Louise out.
Louise inched in the opposite direction of Brad, allowing him extra space.
“Can I get you something to drink?” Larry offered.
“Sure. What have you got?” Brad asked, taking the cards that Barry was dealing him.
“What’s your fancy?” Larry asked. “Coke, Pepsi, beer, wine, we’ve got it all.”
“I’ll just have a Coke, thanks.”
“Are you a Euchre player, Brad?” Barry asked.
“Not so much. I know a little.”
“Barry used to play in tournaments.” Meryl bragged, rubbing his upper arm.
“Really?” Brad was impressed. “Did you win a lot?”
Waving, Barry frowned modestly. “Meh, some.” he shrugged. Turning towards Meryl, the couple kissed. Although the sentiment was sweet, it made Brad visibly uncomfortable. The young man feigned scratching his neck so he had a reason to turn his head away.
Louise rose from her seat as she watched Linda cutting up the ham. “Linda, can I give you a hand? Where do you keep your serving dishes?”
Gesturing with her chin, Linda showed her the large cupboard with a Lazy-Susan style tray inside. “Just in there…the blue one.”
Linda opened the refrigerator, noticing that there were almost no chilled cans of pop inside. “Louise, would you mind going out into the garage to get another flat of pop? I would ask Barry but he’s upstairs getting the leaf for the table.”
“I’ll give you a hand.” Brad offered, clearly looking for an exit.
“Thanks.” Louise said as he headed for the door that he assume led to the garage. Holding the door open, he gallantly escorted the shy girl into the heated attached garage. Both Larry and Linda’s cars were parked inside. It was comfortably warm inside the enclosure and as they both searched for the seventies-style army green coloured refrigerator, camouflaged between a double set of green cupboards, Brad was the first to speak.
“So, how long have you been teaching?” he asked, walking to the opposite side of the garage, where Larry’s black Mercedes was parked snugly beside his wife’s red Volkswagen.
“About five years.” Louise answered. “How about you?”
“The same. How did you meet Linda and Larry?”
Brad had reached the refrigerator. “It’s over here.”
Louise joined him and answered his question as he held the fridge door open for her. “My mom and Linda used to work together, and they have all sorts of friends in common. Linda’s cousin Jill and I also used to work together at a restaurant many years ago.”
“Do you all see each other often?” Brad asked, noticing the twinkle in Louise’s eyes behind her thick, dark-rimmed glasses.
“Linda and Larry have get-togethers all the time, and we see all kinds of people here and there, but every year they throw this huge New Year’s party…it used to be legendary, but it’s starting to wane a bit.” Louise admitted. “Mom and I still come though.”
Brad chuckled. “My parents always throw this lame Halloween party. It started when my brother and I were little, with mostly kids and their parents, but now that everyone’s all grown up they still do it. The adults still come dressed up and everything. It’s embarrassing.”
Louise thought it sounded like a lot of fun; she loved Halloween. It was the one night of the year where she could wear what she wanted and not be judged. For Halloween she usually wore something that completely camouflaged her face, and then dressed herself in something daring, but she didn’t want to share that with Brad. “Hmm…my mom used to have my friends over for Halloween, too, but that’s also because my birthday is the first of November.”
“Oh yeah? You’re also a Scorpio? So am I.” Brad interjected. “Mine’s the sixth.”
Bending down to pick up the case of pop on the bottom rack, Brad touched her upper arm. “Don’t be silly, I’ll get that.”
His touch radiated throughout her body, but Louise ignored the sensation. She had no intention of going down that road again. Although Brad was charmingly handsome and polite, she’d been hurt once before, and couldn’t imagine going through that again. “Thanks.” she said, moving away from his touch quickly.
Louise sprinted to grab the door for him, and he tipped his head in thanks as he entered into the kitchen. As they sat back down at the table, Louise was invited to play a round of cards but declined, she helped Linda with the food as they placed the settings around to each guest after Larry had inserted the leaf.
Once the meal was served, everyone dug in, eating voraciously. Louise was right-handed and Brad was left-handed, so their hands would touch every now and again, sending curious shivers down Louise’s spine. She tried hard to forget about them, but couldn’t help but feel that same thrill she felt not so long ago. But as she remembered that excitement, it also triggered memories of the pain that was left behind. As Louise rose to use the washroom, she made sure her seat was at least an inch further away from Brad’s when she returned.