By George Woodruff

Part 10

The time came when Karen and the kids packed up and headed off for their vacation. Susan and Buster watched them drive off. Susan looked at her watch and then at Buster.

"Well, Buster, I gotta get ready, got a big date with Steven." Buster smiled at her and added "Just let me run around outside for a bit until it's time for you to go."

"Okay buddy, enjoy yourself." And she went in to shower and change. When she came down and let Buster in, she was wearing a forest green lace camisole under a salmon silk blouse tucked into black jeans, which were tucked into a pair of knee high black suede boots. Her hair was loose except for her side tresses which he she had braided and tied at the back of her head like a bandana. She work large hoop gold earrings and filigree gold choker that cascaded down the front of her neck to a point.

"Ho momma, if I were a human, you'd never get out of the house," Buster commented as she let him in.

"And if you were a human I'd slap you for the slut that you are... don't forget, I can smell the little bitch down the road all over you..." She smiled laughed and then asked "Do you like my perfume?"

"Yeah, what is it?"

"Mackie. Well, time to go, get in here, I filled your bowl and set out some meat chunks for you." Buster practically bowled her over after she mentioned that.

"See you later, or tomorrow, whichever bye...." And he started to wolf down his food. Susan laughed and locked the door. She wondered if Steven would like her ensemble.

Seven o'clock arrived as she did and she could tell by the way that Steven's eyes widened that he liked her attire.

"Uh... hi... come in..." She smiled at his expression and let him take her shawl and purse. He gave her the grand tour of his loft. Basically it was a large open space with high ceilings and a bathroom in one corner. Steven had put a loft above his bathroom, and installed an ensuite bathroom above the original one and his bedroom. Below it was his kitchen beside the two-piece lavatory. The rest of the space was open for the most part. Various areas separated by Japanese screens.

"This is a great place!" she enthused as she walked around. He had covered the utilitarian walls with a variety of art forms, tapestries, masks and pictures. She stood amazed at the work. Then she noticed the loom in the corner and made the connection... "You wove those tapestries?" she asked incredulously. It was the first time she'd ever seen him smile with pride.

"Yeah!" he sighed with pride. "They're my pride and joy I suppose." She looked at him staring up at them with pride and she felt herself falling in love with him.

"I had no idea you were so creative."

"I try not to let it go to my head, too many of my friends from art school have dissipated their lives away on drugs and alcohol because they thought too highly of themselves." He looked at her and she saw the pain in his eyes from the loss of good friends. She took his hand smiled at him. He smiled back as a tear escaped and as he tried to pull away she pulled him close and held him as he succumbed to the emotions that he had hidden for so long. She could feel the pain he had held for so long, suppressed, like some Herculean task. Her heart went out to him and she crushed him to her, urging him to release the pain and to free himself of the burden. Great wracking sobs convulsed through him, shaking them both and at a loss for a solution she kissed him. He started back, surprised and tripped. They fell in a tangle of limbs and laughed. She got up on one elbow and looked at him, smiling as his tears of pain became tears of laughter.

"Feeling better?" she asked.

"Yes... thank you... Oh Shit!" and he got up and sprinted to the kitchen. Just then she realised he had been broiling steaks.

"Is it too late to have them rare?" she asked, she tested the air and found them a little more done then she preferred.

"Only a little," he said as he pulled them from the oven. "You like rare meat?"

"Yes... I do." She smiled back, a little uncertain as to why he'd asked. He caught the uncertainty in her voice and looked at her.

"It's just that most women don't like rare meat..." he started.

"Good God, no... if you cook all the flavour out... well... bleech!" was all she could say. He smiled and began lading the plates. "Can I help with anything?" she added.

"Sure, the cutlery is in the drawer there," he pointed with a foot, as his hands were full. "Glasses are in the cupboard... oh... do you prefer beer or wine?" he added.

"Beer for steak, why? Oh never mind, I'll get down a pair of those nice pints that you have there." Steven watched her with admiration as she moved, almost danced about his kitchen, fetching pint glasses and cutlery, finishing the job of setting the table that he had started. He winced a little as his hand lingered too long near the broiling pan and he finished garnishing the plates. He spied the remote on the kitchen island as he was about to take the plates to the table and paused, he activated the stereo and smiled as Susan looked up in surprise and smiled back at him. He brought the plates to the table while Vivaldi swam from the speakers as Susan lit the candles.

Supper was a delight. They chatted lightly about work and current events while they dined and afterwards, enjoyed coffees over desert. Then Steven looked at the time and suggested that they get moving if they intended to see the movie. Susan wistfully concurred. She wanted to stay and chat some more, but she didn't want to force the evening, besides she wanted to see the movie too.

The movie was a blast, though Steven complained that it hadn't done justice to the original comic book. She laughed and concurred with him that he was a geek, but that he didn't need to bite the head off a chicken to prove it. He looked at her surprised and then laughed. They went to a café to discuss the movie and after a coffee Steven looked at her.

"I suppose you want to go home now?"

"Actually I was going to suggest that we go dancing, at one of the clubs." She was feeling very energetic since the action of the movie and was actually chaffing to dance off some of the restlessness she was feeling. Steven seemed pleasantly surprised. He got up, dropped a couple of dollars on the table and held out her hand. She took it gracefully, rising to her feet and lead him out of the café.