Well, Janice didn't come back three days later from the bingo marathon as she said she would. Not that I expected her to. With her attitude towards me, she only pushed me closer to her mother. I loved what Kate did that night but the next time there would be no heel in the way.
Kate dropped in a week later to say hi and visit for a while. Janice was off somewhere and I didn't care as she was no company for me anyway.
"So how are things with Janice?" asked Kate.
"Same lousy attitude, Kate. You try and find out, it's like pulling teeth. 'You know what you did so that is all there is to it,' She says. Well, I know I did nothing wrong so that's that and I already spoke to a lawyer this morning. This crap's been going on for two years now and I don't need it."
I added, "Kate, would you like some coffee and a piece of breakfast bread?"
"Yes, thanks, milk, and two sugars. So what did the lawyer say?"
"He told me, 'She most likely has an old college flame or met someone. Since she takes off for days at a time without telling you and her overall attitude towards you stinks. Those are grounds for divorce.' Kate, let's go to some antique shops and the Hearth & Kettle for supper?"
"Great idea and who knows what could happen later," She said with a smile and a twinkle in her eyes.
So we hopped into my Ford F-100 and headed to the antique mall.
"What are you looking for, Ray?"
"Western Union insulator pins and insulators."
I find a few pins and insulators in good shape and I buy them.
Then we headed over to the kettle for supper, I'm looking forward to mashed and meatloaf. I took her gold half-rounds and cleaned them with the corner of my red flannel shirt so they're spotless.
"Would you like me to wear these as I eat, Ray?"
"Naw, I don't want to get food on those beads, you can, however, wear them later as they do turn me on in the nicest way."
She smiled and it is easy to see we have a nice thing going. Hell, she lost her husband about five years ago, why should she be lonely?
"Ray, is it true you have like over three dozen pair of women's half-glasses with beaded neck-chains?"
"Janice told you, right? She's got a mouth bigger than a manhole cover."
"I'm sorry, maybe I should have said nothing."
Kate looked sad all of a sudden.
"Ah, don't worry about it. She was an optician and a very good looking older woman that I had the nice luck to know for a while. I told her I was much attracted to ladies who wore half-glasses. She moved to the west coast and left me over three dozen pair, all with beaded eyeglass chains."
We finished eating and headed out to the truck. The temp had dropped like thirty degrees.
"Brrrrrr, damn it got cold, you gonna get that stove going?"
"The guy on the radio said the weather would be in the twenties for the next four days. So yeah that backed up the plan to bring in a hod of coal. So Kate, want to watch a movie?"
"I would rather talk for a bit, Ray, if it is all right with you."
I put my arm over her shoulder, "Kate, anytime you want to talk, I'll listen."
Kate told me she really liked us being close and doing things. However, she is worried about Janice, being a very jealous woman, could and would mess things up for us.
We talked for a while and it all came down to the fact that even though Janice no longer wanted me in her life, she'd do me over in any way she could think of.
I told Kate I've got a pretty good lawyer who knows what she's up to. He'd even heard some of the things she's said at times and the tone of voice.
"How did that happen?"
"It is the age of tiny electronics, in this case, an extra small size cassette player, and it is all legal, just so long as I and nobody else made the tape. I just don't want a wife like that. So far as I'm concerned, she ruined the marriage. I didn't. Don't worry, Kate, I don't know if she has a lawyer or not but some of what's on the tape is about how she plans on getting half a house."