Janel's...Naturally: Two

It was o’clock when he came in. 

“Hey, wanted to see what all the fuss was about.  You really did it!”

“Did you think I would?”

“I did.  You seem to always follow-through.  That is one of the things I like about you.  You make our world a better place.”

Janel blushed from head to toe.  Not easy with a yellowish skin tone but she sure managed.  She tilted her head up.

The man in curls had a warm smile for her.  He leaned in a kissed her forehead.

“Good job.  Thanks,” he said.

“Here, special patron,” she whispered pouring a black coffee for him.

“Can you sit?”

“Absolutely.”

Two friends.  They danced together, hiked, and generally enjoyed one another’s company.  No romance.  It was better this way.  Neither Janel nor Tray ever talked about that.  Well, almost.  There was the time when he e-mailed her.

“Want to go hiking?” Tray wrote.

“Sure.”

The phone rang.  Nearly 7:30 a.m.  Janel had her two dogs in the tub.  She reached for her cell.

“Hey there,” Tray said.

“Hi back.  When do you want to hike?”

“How about 10:30.  That will give me time to bathe the dogs and dry them.  I’ll meet you at the rec center”, she said.

She was at the rec center for fifteen minutes, standing by the door.  Then it occurred to her he might be parked somewhere else. 

Then she spotted him.  She didn’t know what kind of car he drove.

“I can drive.  Hop in.”

Being an Appalachian boy, Tray gaveher the tour of his land.  Then Janel had to ask.

“So what’s the deal?  Married, single, children?”