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Someone clears their throat and Jared and I turn our attention to the source of the noise.
Staci’s elderly neighbor steps out her open front door to see what the commotion is. I wave and am surprised when she waves back.
She scowls at Staci’s ex.
What was his name?
Jared?
Sensing he wants to argue more, I lock my car doors and turn towards her neighbor. I refuse to stoop to his level.
“I’ll be back later to finish this. You have been warned.” He threatens before he turns away and walks to his truck.
He glares at Staci’s neighbor before driving down the road. His tires squeal as he turns out of the neighborhood onto the main road that leads into town.
I should go to the gym and burn off some of this tension, but I don’t trust him to not come after Staci again today.
So, I do what any fake boyfriend would do. I decide to sit in my car and stick around while I wait for Staci to come home.
Before I can get back into the driver’s seat, the elderly woman waves me over.
“Would you like to come in and have some tea?” Her voice is friendly, with a hint of amusement.
“Uh, sure. That would be nice.” I call back.
Plus, maybe she can keep an eye on Staci when I’m not around.
I walk the short distance to her front porch and follow her inside. I close the front door behind me, which causes the elderly woman to give me a small nod and smile.
She leads me into the kitchen to make us some tea. Her house reminds me of my grandma’s, from the flowery decor to the pictures of her entire family hanging on the walls.
Her generous hospitality is almost identical to my grandma’s, and it makes me wish she lived closer so I could visit her more.
“So, Marc, I know you can probably handle things on your own, but I just want you to know that man is bad news. I would stay away from him if I were you.”
She smiles as I give her a questioning look.
“You know who I am?”
How much has Staci told her about me?
“Of course, I do. Staci shows me photos of all of her favorite models. She comes over every couple of days and we have tea and snacks while she shows me the new photos she’s taken.”
The elderly woman’s smile fades into a small frown. She’s sad for a moment before brushing it off. “Although, I think Staci worries about me and is using the photos as an excuse to keep me company.”
“Staci is a very caring person, but why would she worry about you? You remind me of my grandma, and she can kick some ass.”
Looking her over, she is spritely, healthy, strong, and looks pretty happy, but maybe Staci is worried because her neighbor lives alone and is much older than us.
“Well, my husband of sixty-eight years passed away a few months ago, and it was a drastic change. It took me a while to adjust to my new world, but Staci was there for me every step of the way.”
She wipes a tear from her cheek, and it breaks my heart.
I’m not married, but I can’t imagine the pain she is going through, knowing the love of her life is no longer with her.
“Staci is an incredible woman.” I reply honestly.
She stares at me, searching my eyes for any sign that I am bullshitting her. I’m not. I really do think that Staci is an incredible woman.