Words & Dreams (Book 1 of Smithers Family Saga)

Chapter 16

Violet wasn't sure what to do. She felt she'd exhausted all the possibilities of the city without her husband.

So when she walked by an Italian restaurant, she was surprised to see Dollie with a man- and made to move away, so to not disturb them-

"Oh my God!" Violet shouted and they turned to her.

She'd seen the stroller by the table, with the two puppies.

"Violet?" Dollie said.

"Ah-" Violet said, sucking in her breath, "I didn't mean to disturb you- I just saw the dogs and my mouth decided to make a fool of itself."

"Well," Dollie said, turning to Danny "do you mind if she sits down for a few minutes? I'll make her go," she finished, "when she's seen the puppies."

"No problem," Danny said, and seeing there were no other chairs at the table- they'd been focused on each other- he made to get up, to let Violet sit.

"Oh no," Violet said. "My goodness, I'm a fucking bumbling Neanderthal. A party crasher. I'm sorry." She gestured for Danny to sit and squatted down in front of the stroller.

"Violet," Dollie said. "You got anything to-" and Violet, turning with Romeo in her hands, saw Dollie's eyes glint. "Huh. Huh."

"What is it?" Violet said.

Dollie leaned forward toward Danny and whispered something into his ear. He grinned wide and Violet had an idea of what might be afoot as she gave Romeo a kiss on the snout, and then lifted him up, wondering which he was. "Oh, you're no Juliet," she said. "But maybe Dollie is! You want me to watch them?"

"How the hell-?" Dollie asked.

"Get the hell out of here," Violet said.

"Can you keep them- until-" Dollie began.

"I can keep them till dark," Violet said. "So just pick a time."

"Meet me back here at four," Dollie said.

It was only one-thirty-five

"Quite a belief in yourselves," Violet said, and Dollie put the money down- and then Danny forced it back to her and paid for their meal.

They talked for a few minutes, but there wasn't much to say. Violet tried to force them away, finally saying "leave me to my dogs!" and Dollie relented and they walked off.

Violet sat down and picked up Juliet and kissed her.

"Girls need love too," she said, "don't they?"

People turned to look at Violet.

"I'm a crazy dog mom now!" Violet said. "I don't need no man!"

Erica shook hands with the interviewer- he was a man, and she was prepared for something contentious, of sneering backhandedness. It was foolish she knew, as it usually wasn't the case, but the few times it happened were so hurtful that she tried to make herself prepared for them by believing all occasions might be the worst. She had a unique character in this regard, as most people who tried to live like this failed, but she wasn't a normal person.

"I love your poem," the man, John, said. "It was wonderful- ah- let me press the tape recorder."

"That might help," Erica said and smiled.

There was a click and he began again: "I love your poem. It was wonderful-but-"

And here Erica thought, Here it comes, right as it begins to record so that I'll look- at least feel- like a fool if I get angry. Or if I take the tape and run off with it.