Right Place, Right Time

"We...should...don't you think we should maybe go sit down somewhere?" she finally said after breaking eye contact.

"Right. Yeah, let's go say hi to grandma and grandpa then we can do that."

As expected both grandparents stopped everything when their grandson appeared.

"Oh, look! It's my beautiful grandson!" Sally cooed as soon as she saw him. She went over and nuzzled the now-sleeping baby boy and smiled the entire time.

Marvin didn't nuzzle him but he couldn't keep from smiling, too.

"We're gonna go sit down until dinner's ready," Aaron told his parents.

"Oh, sure. Please do," Sally said. "Can I bring you a glass of wine?"

"No, thank you," Kristen told her. "I have everything I need right here."

She was looking at the baby, but she glanced up at his uncle and when she did, she realized it sounded like she was including him. She hadn't intended to, but she was so caught up in the wondrous feeling of holding a baby that she couldn't help but wonder if that's all there was to it or whether she might have subconsciously included the other Aaron in her reply.

By the time they got to the living room and Kristen sat down, she felt herself tearing up. Aaron noticed immediately and asked if she was okay as he went to grab a tissue.

"Thank you," Kristen told him as she laid Aaron in her lap and dabbed her eyes. "I'm not usually so emotional, but I've wanted a baby for so long, and now I guess I'm wondering if that'll every happen."

"You're still young, Kristen. And...you really are beautiful. I don't see why that should be such a concern," Aaron told her as nicely as he could.

She tried to smile as she looked over at him.

"I'm not that young, and it takes time to meet someone and fall in love, and...you know."

"I know better than to ask your age, but I still find it hard to imagine you need to worry about that," Aaron told her just as sincerely.

This time her smile was more genuine, but the hurt was just as real.

"You've made me feel good several times already today," she told him.

"I'm glad," Aaron replied with a smile of his own.

"But the truth is, once a woman turns 40, she starts wondering how much time is left, you know?"

"Hold on. Are you telling me you're 40?" Aaron asked, the surprise in his voice coming through loudly and clearly.

"What? You can't be serious," Kristen said with a little shake of her head.

"I'm very serious. I mean, I'll believe you if you say you are, but I'm going to be very surprised."

"I'm...41," Kristen told him with no emotion. "Forty-one, divorced, and as my best friend recently said, my biological clock isn't just ticking, it's hammering away inside my head."

Aaron saw her look back down at his nephew, and he could tell she was trying her best not to cry.

"Would you mind...is it...would it be okay if I...sat next to you?" he asked her.

"Oh. No. That would be fine," she told him as her heart fluttered again.

He sat close but not too close to her before saying, "I was going to tell you that a lot of women over 40 have children, but sometimes facts aren't what woman needs to hear."

Kristen felt a genuine tenderness in his voice, and she also realized he understood how she was feeling.

"You're exactly right," she said as she smiled at him. "Sometimes a hug is much better than the truth."

Aaron smiled back then, as he looked into her eyes, said, "I don't know whether or not you even want a hug from me or whether it would be helpful at all, but I'd be happy to try."

Without waiting for her to tell him it was okay, he moved closer then, doing his best to not disturb his nephew, he reached his arm behind Kristen's back and put his other arm around her.

To his surprise, Kristen rested her head in the crook of his neck as she held baby Aaron close.

"Thank you," she whispered. "That did help."

"You're very welcome," Aaron whispered back.

Neither of them moved for nearly a minute when Marvin, who was heading their way, called out, "Dinner is served!" as he walked.

He came around the corner just as he said that, and when he saw Kristen and Aaron together he stopped short.

"Sorry!" he said much more quietly. "Whenever you're ready."

"We'll be right there, Dad," Aaron replied just loud enough for his father to hear.

"We...should probably get up don't you think?" Kristen asked as she raised her head up.

"I do," Aaron agreed as he lifted his arm up and over the back of her head.

He stood up, then said, "Here. Let me give you a hand."

He could have just taken the baby from her, but instead he reached for the back of her shoulders and helped raise her up. Once she was on her feet, Kristen was just inches away as they stood there face to face.

Aaron had never wanted to kiss a woman more than he wanted to kiss Kristen at that moment, but after feeling himself move his head slightly toward her, he stopped and pulled back and said, "Well. We...we really should go. And I should go wake up my sister."

He had no idea that Kristen wanted to be kissed as badly as he wanted to kiss her. And had he moved even another half inch, she'd have also moved and pressed her lips to his. But when he moved away so suddenly she thought he must have realized she was 41 years old and stopped because of it.

"Yes. She did mention that, huh?" Kristen agreed as Aaron moved away.

"Do you want me to take him back upstairs?" he offered.

Kristen didn't want to give him up, but she knew it was time.

"That...that would be very nice. Thank you."

Aaron carefully took his little nephew in his arms and let Kristen know he'd be right back down.

"Go ahead and go on in if you like. Or the bathroom is just down the hall if you need to wash up."

As Aaron headed back upstairs Kristen went to see if her mascara was a mess. It was fine, but she wasn't. She'd gone from feeling on top of the world to feeling almost despondent. A year ago, this kind of emotional roller coaster would have been nearly impossible. She'd always been a positive person who enjoyed nearly everything about life. But now, as a divorced woman of 41, a woman without a husband or a child, she often felt...hollow. And just when she'd convinced herself Aaron might have romantic feelings for her, he'd made it clear he didn't.

As she stood there looking at herself in the mirror she said, "Okay. Enough of that. This very nice family invited you here for dinner, and you got to hold a beautiful little baby. So stop feeling sorry for yourself and try being a little more grateful."

Kristen sighed, forced a smile, then washed her hands and promised herself there'd be no more of that.

Everyone, to include Ginger, was seated at the table and waiting for her.

"Sorry!" Kristen said as she slid into an open chair.

"Nonsense!" Marvin told her. "You're like family now, so...dig in!"

Kristen felt much better as everyone, herself included, laughed and dug in. They not only drank wine, they didn't say grace, and Kristen nearly laughed again when she thought about her earlier concern.

Halfway through a second glass of wine, Marvin was even more 'spirited' than before, and Kristen was again starting to really enjoy being there again. Gavin's family was very formal and dinner was an almost somber event where rules and decorum mattered. Here, all that mattered was family and having a good time, and Kristen even allowed herself to have have a glass of the red she'd brought even though they'd served baked pork chops.

"Sally, this was delicious!" she told her hostess as they sat there once everyone was done.

"Thank you, dear, and we're all so glad you could join us!"

"Yes!" Ginger said in agreement. "And thank you so much for your help when we needed it the most."

"I'm just glad everything and everyone is okay," Kristen replied.

Ginger hadn't had a drink in nearly eight months since learning she was pregnant, and she too, had made a real dent in her second glass.

"It's no wonder my baby brother likes you so much!" Ginger blurted out in response.

There was that momentary 'oh no' moment when everyone who knew stopped talking and the guest who didn't sat there feeling very uncomfortable.

"Sorry?" Ginger said well, rather...gingerly.

"I can't imagine that's any kind of secret," Marvin said in his normal, very vocal way.

He smiled at Kristen, winked, then said, "I mean, I did see you two on the couch."

Kristen's eyes opened wide and Aaron noticed.

"Okay, how about some dessert?" Sally suggested, sensing the discomfort at the table.

"What?" Marvin boomed as though he'd said nothing wrong.

His wife ignored him and smiled at Kristen.

"We have pecan pie and vanilla ice cream, if you'd like some," she told her guest.

For the second time in less than two hours, Kristen rode the roller coaster of emotion back down to the bottom as she sat there trying to understand what had just happened.

"Oh. No thank you, Sally. I'm...I'm very full," Kristen told her. "In fact, I...I should probably be going."

It was unclear who the most uncomfortable person at the table was as everyone was experiencing those kinds of feelings as Kristen began excusing herself as politely as she could.

But what wasn't in doubt was who felt the worst because of what had just happened. Aaron felt awful but didn't say a word to either his sister or his dad.

He just stood up and said, "I'll walk you outside," to Kristen.

After thanking her hosts again, and telling Ginger how glad she was that she was okay and how beautiful the baby was, she looked over at Aaron who escorted her out of the kitchen.

She picked up her purse on the way out, and once they were on the porch, Aaron stopped her and asked if he could say something.

Kristen didn't move so he stepped in front of her and said, "I can't tell you how sorry I am—again. I'm still not sure how that happened so fast, but it did, and all I can do is apologize."

She didn't say anything for several seconds then finally told him it was fine.

"No, it isn't fine," Aaron quietly said.

When Kristen still didn't speak Aaron offered to walk her down to her car.

When they got to it, he opened her door and Kristen thanked him.

Before getting in she stopped and turned around and looked at Aaron.

"Did your father really think you and I were..."

Aaron shook his head and said, "We rarely ever drink. I mean, I can count on one hand the number of times we've had alcohol in the house, and well, it's not an excuse, but both he and my sister were clearly...under the influence?"

When he made it a question, Kristen finally smiled.

"That's okay. I just thought maybe he was thinking you and I were..."

"Making out?" Aaron asked with a smile.

"Talk about crazy, right?" Kristen replied, a nervous smile on her face.

"I suppose," came the reply.

Only this time Aaron wasn't smiling.

A second or so later he said, "But not really. Not from my perspective anyway."

"What?" Kristen asked, that flutter coming back.

"You might think that's far-fetched or even crazy, but I guess maybe I don't. See it quite like that."

Kristen set her purse on the seat then asked, "What are you saying, Aaron?"

"Are you sure you really want to know?" he asked very quietly.

"I...I do," Kristen told him, barely able to speak.

Aaron looked down for a moment then back up at her then said, "Ginger was a little loopy, too, so she knew she shouldn't have said what she said."

He paused then told her, "But what she said was true, because I did tell her that."

He waited another second then told her the whole truth.

"I do like you, Kristen. A lot. Both at the hospital and now here, when that became obvious that I do, you...you wanted to leave, and I guess I can't blame you. But that doesn't change the fact that I have feelings for you."

As she stood there with only the car door separating them, her heart raced and her thoughts raced even faster. His age, his good looks, his kindness, his age, his sense of humor, and again his age all ran through her brain at a million miles an hour.

"I...I have them, too," she heard herself saying before her rational brain could bring her emotional brain under control.

"You what?" Aaron said, not sure he'd heard correctly.

"I have those same feelings for you," she told him as her eyes began darting with his.

"If...if that's true, then is it safe to assume you're hoping I'll come around to the other side of this door and..."

He began moving, and as he did, Kristen said, "I am. Hoping you will."

Aaron was now directly in front of her and just like when he helped her off the couch, he put his hands behind her shoulders. He looked down at her and smiled, and when he did Kristen smiled back.

"Are you going to kiss me or are you going to just stand there like...a goof ball...and look at me?" she teased using his words, a happy smile on her face.

Aaron smiled back then made circles with his eyes as he said, "Goof ball? Me?"

The ride back to the top of the roller coaster was much more pleasant as Kristen slid her arms around Aaron's neck then pulled him down and kissed him.

"You just couldn't wait, could you?" Aaron teased when she let him go.

"Uh-huh. My biological clock is ticking, remember?" she teased back.

Aaron got very serious as he moved back just enough so he could lean down and put his ear against her chest like a stethoscope.

"Yep. It's ticking, all right. Hammering even," he said as he stood back up.

Kristen laughed then got serious herself.

"You did hear me say I'm 41, right?" she asked, hoping against hope he'd heard that and didn't care.

"I did," he told her matter of factly.

"And?"

"And...we better get started then, huh?" he replied with a tilt of his head and a raised eyebrow.

Kristen smiled, and when she did, Aaron laughed.

"You really don't care?" she asked, her eyebrows now up high.

"Uh-huh. Not one whit."

"No?"

"Nope. Not at all."

"So would you maybe like to go out sometime? With me?" Kristen asked.

"Gee. Forward much?" Aaron joked.

"Sorry. I've never asked a guy out before. I can't believe I just did that."

Aaron brushed her hair back and told her he was glad she did.

"Then I'm going to do this again," she said as she pulled him back down for a second kiss.

When it ended, she saw the curtains at the front window move and her eyes opened so wide Aaron turned around.

When he laughed, Kristen said, "Not funny!"

Aaron kept laughing then said, "It actually is, because my dad likes being right."

Pretending to be offended, Kristen playfully hit him.

"I think maybe I owe him—and Ginger—an apology," she told him.

"I agree," Aaron said, causing her to shake her head, wondering what he meant.

"Yes. You should apologize. But you should do it through me."

"Huh?"

"Let me explain. You kiss me once for each apology then I go tell them how sorry you are."

Kristen made a spurting noise then told him she was going to need another word besides 'goof ball'.

"Technically, that's TWO words," Aaron informed her.

When she stopped laughing Kristen rested her head on his shoulder then said, "I love that you make me laugh."

"Sheesh. And here I thought you really liked me and then you go and bring up my looks!" Aaron said very seriously.

Kristen pulled back, tried not to laugh then said, "No. That would be you talking about MY looks. You're...gorgeous!"

Aaron put his hands on her face then in genuine seriousness told her, "Hey. I have never been so attracted to anyone in my life as I am to you, Kristen."

Now unaware or even concerned that someone might be watching, she put her arms around him and just held him as her eyes gain filled with tears.

"Hey. What's that all about? This time," he asked with gentle concern but with humor.

She shook her head as she gathered herself then tried to explain.

"I never thought I'd feel like this again."

She looked up at him and said, "This last year was...awful. And I...don't you dare laugh."

"I won't," he promised.

"I don't exactly have the best self-image when it comes to how I look, and that someone as handsome as you thinks I'm...okay looking...makes me feel..."

"Beautiful?" he asked as he put his index finger under her chin.

She wanted to say something like, "No, not that," or maybe, "Less than ugly?" as a joke, but instead she couldn't speak.

"You are beautiful, Kristen," he told her as a large tear fell from her eye.

"Okay," she managed to say before he kissed her again.

"Will you call me?" she asked, her heart still pounding in her chest when me pulled away.

"No," he told her so calmly it scared her.

"No, I won't call you. I'll text you," he said, trying not to smile.

"Goof b..." she started to say but didn't finish it.

"I had a wonderful time today," she told him instead.

"Me, too."

"I guess I really should be going now."

"Okay. Or...you could come back inside and have dessert with us."

"And face the music?" she replied as she looked around him to see if they were still being watched.

"You know they'll deny it, right?" he told her. "They were probably all watching, but they'll swear they didn't see a thing."

"You think?"

"I know," Aaron told her.

"I...I do love pecan pie."

Aaron stepped away then let her do the same before handing her her purse and closing the door.

"Shall we?" he asked as he offered her his arm.

Kristen took a deep breath, exhaled loudly and said, "In for a penny...right?"

"That's the spirit!" he said as they both laughed.

Just as Aaron had predicted, all three of his family members told him they had no idea what he was talking about when he asked if they'd enjoyed the show.

But when Marvin winked at Kristen she knew, and best of all, she didn't care.

"Come on, dear. Let's get some of that pecan pie!" Sally said, taking Kristen's arm and dragging her away as Marvin chuckled and winked at his son.

When Kristen was out of earshot Marvin said, "You really like her, don't you?"

"Yeah. I really do, Dad."

"You know she was married to a doctor, right?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"We're elevator repairmen."

"She's not like that, Dad."

"Okay. I was pretty sure you'd thought of that, but for some women, money is extremely important. Not that we're poor, mind you."

Most people not familiar with the business would be shocked to learn that Marvin Corbett made just over $100,000 a year, while his son earned a little under 60k. They'd never be rich, but they did pretty well, and as corny as the job sounded, it took four year of rigorous apprenticeships to get certified, and Aaron was very proud of what he did for a living.

"Don't worry, Dad. I know I'm only 27, but I've dated a lot of girls, and trust me, no one has ever made me feel like Kristen."

Aaron didn't know that Kristen was coming to ask the guys to come have some pie with them when she heard Aaron say that. She wasn't sure what had been said before she stopped and listened, but what she'd just heard him say made her weak in the knees. And wet in the eyes.

She wiped them, put on a smile, then looked out said, "Come on you two. Sally says it's time for dessert."

"Oh. Sally says," Marvin repeated. "In that case we better not mess around, huh?"

Marvin put his hand on his son's shoulder and led him toward the kitchen. Believing Kristen hadn't heard a word, when he saw her he said to Aaron, "I already knew what you just told me."

Aaron looked at his dad who winked again then smiled at Kristen.

"I could see it on your face."

Happy as she could be, Kristen put her arm in his and asked, "What was that all about?"

"Oh. We were just talking about someone I recently met."

"Do I know him?" she asked pretending not to understand.

"No, but I do, and trust me, this new friend of mine is totally amazing."