A short story for you

AFTER FAIR, FAT AND FORTY, FINALLY LOVE?

It was close to five-thirty. The office was a buzz of final clearing, files being put away, desks swept bare. Greta bagged her typewriter, calling Anne to wait. Anne paused by the door, watching her friend grab her coat, muffler, scarf, purse. Then Greta swung open
the counter trap, came out, and hooking Anne's arm in hers, went through the outer door, out into the building's hallway. Dark paneled walls and white tiled floor bordered the elevator. It dinged open, and folded back it's cage door. The women hurried into it and rode it down to the lobby. Quickly they got outside, and Greta stopped.
"Now that cigar-chomping buzzard can't catch us to slap any over-time work on us, listen to me. Remember when you said you were willing to take on a blind date and I told you about this guy my sister knows who works in construction?"

"The one who's staying with them now? Listen, Greta. I plead temporary insanity. I was joking. J-O-K-I-N-G-, understand?" The wind teased at Anne's skirt, and she dropped her hand to pin it down. It had begun to snow, big soft flakes swirling about them. The sky was dark and stark, and the mountain ranges that surrounded the town loomed sharp edged.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, we know about your jokes. We went over that, remember? Okay, he's staying with them until his loan comes thorough on a trailer he's buying. He told Vi he was interested in meeting you." Greta's grin was unrepentant and gleeful.
Anne squirmed. "Well, how about that. Look this is all very interesting but it's cold and I really have to get
home-" Anne started to leave but Greta grabbed her arm. "He'll call you tonight.
"Tonight!" A yelp of dismay. "Greta--!"
"Tonight." Greta's tone was firm. "Look, this isn't a marriage proposal. It's just a nice guy who wants to meet you. He's lonely." Anne glared at her. "So's a polecat! Greta, you got to admit, this is sudden. After ten plus years of
me, just plucking it alone, you can't just throw a possible man at me without notice! Yeek, I'm scared! Set in my ways! I need- urban renewal! I'm fat!"
"Reap your rewards after years of sin. Look, so you're not a willowy vapid ingenue, and from what I've heard of this specimen, that isn't what he's interested in. The job description he trotted out to my sister reads like this: 'Mature, womanly, sense of humor, intelligent, nice face, personality and a good decent
sport.' You check out. Besides, they told him you were perfect."
"Oh Greta--! If he's so perfect, why don't you go fetch him for yourself! If he's so--, why is he free and lonely, hey?"
"Anne, Anne. Suspicious Anne. Tch. Honey, you've been in la-la land too long. Cosseted, sheltered by your baby.brother. You need a reality check, and I'm offering you a construction engineer!" Greta laughed, her eyes dancing in mischievous joy. "All you have to do is answer the phone, like what you hear, arrange for a nice private little luncheon or something, and if then, you guys think you can stand going the route of dinner, a show, or whatever, go from there! Try it. He's free, white, and way over twenty-one which makes him a match for you. He's had all his shots and as far as I know, has not been around any vampires.
Come on, Anne, you'll never be really ready, anyway. Certain things in life, you just gotta-"
"All right! Alll-right! Lemme go! I'll cooperate!" She tugged at her arm, and Greta released
her sleeve.
"You'd better, because," Greta chuckled evilly, I've invited you both to my New Year's party."
"Thank you, ma'am."
"Pleasure's mine."
Anne spent the evening, outwardly going through the motions of routine, but inwardly tense, waiting. He would call. He won't call. She felt as if she were in a dentist's office undergoing a root canal. It was so silly! She was out of practice at forming a relationship that had the possibility of intimacy. The prospect gave her the willies. She had told no one. A teasing brother and a saucy daughter would have been too much. At eight-thirty, the phone rang and she pounced. Switching herself into the unconscious salesman mode she had reserved for social emergencies when she felt awkward, she answered it with a poised calm that belied her nervousness. As Greta had promised, she did like what she heard, and furthermore, he sounded as ill at ease as she! The shock of the discovery disarmed her. obvious in his own discomfort, that she felt compassion. Before she knew it, she had made a He was so apologetic, so luncheon date for Saturday. She had amazed herself. She stood by the phone desk in the hall, bemused, staring at the phone that she just hung up.
"Going somewhere, Sis?" It was twenty-two year old Joey, leaning in the hall doorway. Anne saw his smirk. She speculated at her brother, wondering how muchhe knew. He was affecting an innocence she suspected was a lie.
"Okay, out with it. You were listening in, weren't you."

"Brotherly curiosity and concern, coupled with my usual brilliant deductions," he beamed. "Told Greta she had nothing to worry about. You'd rise to the occasion. I was right, wasn't I?"
She frowned. "Joey, you are an unspeakable beast!"
Anne met Bill at the coffee shop two doors down from the paper. She had hoped Greta wouldn't show and be a nuisance, and she didn't, for which Anne was deeply thankful. Teasing was teasing and Greta had better know when not to push too far .They compared notes over their lunch, a burger and fries for him, a salad with oil and vinegar, and a side order of steamed broccoli for her. She found that 8Bill felt as set up as she did.
"There's something awesome about sisters who feel two people ought to be with one another," he said, his
eyes dancing. "This time, I'll give it to them. I think I'm going to like this."
"This?"
"You. Now what do you want more than anything else in this world?"
"Your burger and fries! His delighted laughter totally charmed her, That was Anne's introduction to Bill, William Allan Cozzing, boy engineer. She mentioned her equine hobby and of her art, her association with the paper, her family,
and again, the horses, the subject visited repeatedly as he encouraged it with questions. Anne quickly became aware of the sparkle in the man's eyes. They spoke of his interest as he fielded what she had to say with an animation and vocabulary that indicated he was knowledgeable. A small, delighted imp within her kicked along her mental shins. He loves the beasts! The childish glee cheered, Wow, girl, Carl never showed that much interest. Likes horses, art, and he likes you!
As it happened, there was to be a winter stock auction Sunday that Anne had wanted to attend, but not alone. When she mentioned it to Bill, he grabbed at the idea. Greta's innocent luncheon date metamorphosed into an afternoon at Pine Grove, poking about and discussing the merits of the yearlings and the two year olds that came under the gavel. The long afternoon flooded into an evening with supper, ending with Anne and Bill closing the small eatery, innumerable cups of tea later.
Early Monday morning, she called Greta "About time I hear from you. Do you know I sat by
the phone all weekend? And now here you are. Hmm, must be interesting if it couldn't wait until the office. Okay, did he call?"

"Yeah. How much time you got?"
"As much as you got. Spill the beans. You know my requirements! When, where, why, how..."
Anne laughed. "When? Friday night like you had suggested, and yes, I've seen him and as for what's he
like, I'm not sure what he's like yet, but he likes things I like--!"
"Anne-"
"Well, you gotta admit, you asked for this."
"PUL-lleze.."
There was a heavy sigh. "Since, you are the yenta who set this thing up, I guess I owe you a few choice facts. One, a very sweet man. Two, not one's image of an Adonis prince, well, I'm not a physical prize either. We cancel each other out on that score. "He'll never have a full head of hair unless he carpets it-and Greta, I am so glad he doesn't! He's got an ample belly that invokes visions of St. Nicholas, but he's not really gross. He's gentle, he's got kind eyes, and he's sensitive."
"Anne, you've been around horses too long!" Greta
was laughing at her.

"Exactly!" muttered Anne, "Beasts, two legged or four, and I'm counting me as an example as well, should be judged as desirable on the basis of disposition, regardless of whether I am speaking of horses, dogs, cats, rats, chickens, or man." Greta was still laughing. "Are you listening?" More laughter. "Listen, you. I-"
"Soft eyes? Santa Claus?" Again, Greta cackled.
"God, you are so cheerful for Monday! It was your idea, Greta, and, by the way, did Joey have anything to do with this?"
"I plead the fifth, Anne!"
"I'll get it out of him, the little twerp-anyhow, how can I help it if I prefer the type you guys sicced on me? Those "GQ" guys in size 26 jeans always seem to have that sulky look about them as if their mommies had just said 'no' to their pleas of candy bars for breakfast."
Greta was still chuckling. "I'm sorry. I really am."
"Don't sound like it ."
"Believe. It's really neat that you two hit it off."
"Well okay. I guess I might forgive you. But, --oh heck, if I don't, then who would I pick on besides family? I suppose I owe you some thanks. It did turn out to more than I expected .Simpatico, you know? I don't feel pressured to have to explain myself. I don't think I've ever felt that way with anybody!"
"Really? How so?"
"Well, we have much in common, there's no trouble with communication. He reminds me of someone I used to know when I was a child, someone I loved very much-but of course, he had hair-"
"Anne-"
It was her turn to laugh. "Well, I was surprised. Two, you were right about how easy it would be. Nervous as I was, he was too, and that did the trick. We just shelved the idea of man-woman and just became two human beings looking for friend. Once that got established, it was easy. And three, why didn't you tell me this boy's hobby was starting colts for the snafflebit futurity?"
"Ohmighod. Never suspected. Honest! He's an engineer. Machines and stuff, computers, who knew? That's great, huh. So where'd you two go?"
"To the auction. We spent a romantic, wet and muddy afternoon with cokes and hot dogs, watching all those gorgeous animals prance by. I think he's into those old Hancock-King crosses."
"Whattt?"

After a few halfhearted attempts at being discreet, Joey and Jonni finally found out enough about Anne's new boyfriend. They lost no time in getting to know him, and even though they tried to keep verbal speculations to a minimum about the progress of the couple, brother and daughter soon gave up, and teased openly, joining in the new relationship. Both liked Bill very much. Bill returned their feelings, finding in Joey a friend and ally, and in Jonni, a something that brought a bemused delight in his eye. That made Anne wonder. His behavior toward Jonni was circumspect, but what was it that she saw, regret? Sadness? She would soon know.
By the middle of November, people started to think of them as a couple.