WHO:Joan & Sharon WHEN: Recently WHERE: Apartment Compled WHAT: Random run in WARNINGS: None STATUS: Complete
Sharon was thankful that the blood sickness, whatever it was, was over with. She wasnât all that keen on bleeding from her eyes, and especially not Viv or Bucky. So sheâd stayed in, avoided crowds, kept to herself for a few days. And Viv was going a little stir crazy. She kept asking for the âsingsâ, which Sharon knew meant the swings in the little playground that sat near the pool between the eastern and western buildings of apartments in the complex.
So today she was out in the playground with her daughter, pushing the girl in the baby swing and fiddling with her phone in her free hand.
Sometimes, Joan was finding that work was dangerous. Not in the âmy life is on the lineâ sort of way that she was being warned about, and only occasionally the âwhy am I doing thisâ kind of way, but in the âobjects will soar across the roomâ kind of way.
This time it was a glass of water, and thankfully the glass had shattered far away from anyone and only the water was an issue. It was enough of a peeve for Joan to want to go home and change before she looked into anything else that might be going on at her clients home. On her way through the apartment complex, she couldnât help but see Sharon and her bright little girl playing. And because Joan was one of those neighbours, she offered a wave and a smile. âHey Sharon. Hi Viviana.â
Sharon turned at the sound of the footsteps, and broke into a smile when Joan approached. She liked the other woman. Sharon clicked her screen off, and slipped her phone into her pocket. âHey.â But greeting her friend didnât mean she was allowed to stop swinging Viv. The little girl wouldnât allow it. She didnât want to stop being pushed until she was finished swinging. And that wasnât yet.
âOut for some air?â It was a nice complex, the area that Sharon had recommended. And Joan didnât mind the lease she was tied into at all. The neighbours didnât seem to mind Joanâs strange hours either, she was quiet about it at least. âOr just wearing someone out?â Returning Sharonâs smile wasnât a trouble in the least.
âWorking our way to nap time,â Sharon replied, smiling warmly. âYou have no idea how much this little one likes to swing.â There was a warmth in her voice, a brightness in her eyes. It was obvious that Sharonâs life was much richer with the addition of her beautiful daughter.
âWell, thatâs because you donât care about gravity, isnât it?â Joan just smiled brightly at Viv, pushing her hair behind her ear, âAt least she likes getting out for fresh air, it was hell trying to get my brother out when he was a kid.â And even then, it wasnât like theyâd had all the different game consoles back then or anything.
âHowâre you doing? Aside from the demanding toddler?â
Viv gave a little squeal at the higher swing, and clapped her hands together. Sharon grinned, too. âOh, thank goodness. But itâs rough when all she wants to do is go outside and all I want to do is stay in.â Sharon said, grinning sheepishly. âSometimes Mommy just wants to relax after a long dayâs work.â And Viv was always ready to play. Up until she passed out.
âThings are good. My boyfriend moved in, weâre getting used to the new routine,â Sharon explained. Itâd been about a month since Bucky moved in officially, but heâd been staying over a lot for longer than that. âIâm sure Viv likes having him around to watch her during the day, so she doesnât have to go to Day care.â
âI donât think kids take that into consideration.â She knew that she hadnât, before her mother remarried, while she was young and watching her little brother with the neighbour. All sheâd wanted was to spend time playing with her Mom when she came home, it didnât really match up, even when she was a little older that Viv would be, that Mom might have other stuff to do or be tired.
âWell, Iâm sure the adjustment period will settle soon and youâll have it all worked out. How long have you been together?â
âEight months?â Sharon had to guess. They sort of fell into things. First kiss in December, few dates between then and⌠okay, so Valentineâs Day was what sealed the deal. So valentineâs Day to mid September? Six months? Whatever, it was close enough. âItâs amazing how quickly it turned into forever.â
Not all of them did, sometimes eight months felt exactly like that, sometimes it felt less. âI think thatâs a good sign,â especially if he was moving in and it was going well with Viv. Joan imagined that Sharon was probably exceptionally careful about dating due to little Viv. âBut thatâs great. I guess thatâll be a new neighbour to get used to seeing around.â
Early on in her relationship with Bucky, Sharon was exceptionally careful. Sheâd done background checks and had taken quite a bit of time to make sure that he was exactly who he said he was. Things had checked out. Bucky was the love of Sharonâs life. It was perfect.
âYouâll have to meet him. Heâs a great guy.â Sharon said. Of course she would say. âOoh! You could come by for dinner some time.â
âThat would be nice,â Joan used to spend most of her free nights with her friends, Emily and Ken and Hope; evenings out, nightâs in, things that she hadnât yet worked up to here in California. She hadnât gotten the social circle for that yet. âIâd love to.â But she could work on it. She was beginning to think that six months wouldnât be enough in Orange County, and since she was dreaming, and working, she wanted to see both through to the end.
Regardless of what that was. âWe definitely need to plan that.â She could probably free up whatever evening Sharon and her boyfriend were free.
âSend me a text message when youâve got a free night?â Sharon suggested. She reached over to pick up Viv out of the swing. The baby was grinning and clapping, then snatched at Sharonâs hair with little, reaching hands. âWe should probably get back inside and get started on dinner!â She said, holding up the baby a little, bouncing her on her hip. âBut send me a note when youâre free? Weâll definitely make this happen.â
âDefinitely.â Giving a little wave and smile to Viv, Joan gave Sharon a quick nod, âEnjoy dinner, I will text you as soon as I know my schedule.â It might take some doing, but sheâd work it out.