Hungry for Love (52 page)

Then Colette walked even closer and engaged Angie in some sort of intense shoulder lock
,
her arm wrapped around Angie like a boa constrictor
,
or at least that
’
s what Angie
’
s expression indicated. 
“
I have the fabric sample right here
,”
and from her tote she extracted some synthetic fabric in a vivid turquoise with bright yellow suns printed on it. 
“
Because you were the light of my sweet Ben
’
s life—
’
til I came along that is.
”
  Colette observed the look of horror on Angie
’
s face
,
wanted terribly to laugh
,
but managed to say
,
“
Now I know it
’
s plain
,
but don
’
t worry
,
I
’
m a whiz with a bedazzler.
”
 

Angie attempted to toss a desperate glance toward Ben
,
but he just grabbed a box and headed out to his car. 
“
This place isn
’
t going to empty itself
,”
he said benignly.

“
Wait
,
wait
,
wait
,”
squealed Colette. 
“
Are you forgetting our rule
?
  Really
?”

“
Rule
?”
asked Ben
,
when he should have been improvising.

“
I
’
m starting to think I should be jealous.  You spend ten seconds in the same room with Piggy here and you forget about the magic that is us.  What do we never do before we leave a room
?
  We never not kiss.  Okay
,
you
’
ve got me all flustered here.  Kiss me you fool!
”

Ben set the box down
,
walked toward Colette and reached to peck her cheek but she grabbed him around the neck and kissed him for a very long time.

“
If you do that with every box
,
we
’
ll be moving forever
,”
said Clint seriously.

“
Okay
,”
said Colette contritely
,
“
One time special rule.  Only for today.  Come and go.  No kisses.
”
Then she burst into tears while everyone looked on quite stunned. 
“
But it
’
s so tragic
,
so terribly tragic.  What next
?
  We start breaking all our rules at the drop of a hat
?
  What next
?
  Next we
’
ll be sleeping with other people
?”
  She gasped
,
put a hand over her mouth
,
and glared at each of the other three in the room. 
“
I never would have believed it of you.  Well
,
Clint
,
yes I might have suspected you.
”

“
Huh
?”
said Clint
,
genuinely baffled.

“
Let me be clear right now.  There is never going to be any orgies.  And my Ben will not be having any free love—not with you missy…
”
Colette pointed an accusatory finger at Angie and then said
“
And not with you mister…
”
and pointed at Clint.

“
What
?”
said Ben and Clint simultaneously with gaping jaws
,
while Angie just stood and stared at the psycho girl who had somehow entrapped Ben.

“
This is a monogamous relationship.  We
’
re parents for God
’
s sake.  Okay we will be parents.  Nobody is cheating
,
not as cheating or with permission
,
which be clear on this
,
there is no permission going around here.  Or permissiveness.  You get me
?”

Ben
’
s eyes lit up with admiration as he looked at Colette.  She was kind of a genius.  Angie was furious
,
and that was the whole point.  It was working.

When Angie noticed the sparkle in Ben
’
s eyes
,
she was aghast.  It was worse than she
’
d thought.  He really was enamored and the girl was insane.  Shouldn
’
t a psychologist be able to recognize that
?
  Was she a patient
?
  Now Angie was really worried.

“
We
’
re a little off track here
,”
said Clint good naturedly. 
“
Let
’
s load these boxes
,
okay
?”

In short order they
’
d finished and Angie looked around.  Nothing of hers was left.  No more would she be a serf in her dad
’
s world.  She was no longer the girl who begged for his attention on a daily basis.  She was his ex-daughter.  And he could have what he
’
d always wanted—to be alone and miserable.

They arrived at her new place on Olympic
,
a nice duplex with two small bedrooms up a winding little staircase in a garden style building. 
“
Nice place
,”
said Ben
,
“
Charming.
”

Colette strode in and gazed all around then said
,
“
Gee another furnished place huh
?
  Too bad.  But you can jazz all this dull stuff up with some paint and fabrics.
”

“
I bought all this furniture
,”
said Angie. 
“
I chose these fabrics.
”

“
Wow how did you and Ben get so close when you
’
re so totally different
?
  This isn
’
t our style at all.  Is it Bootylicious Ben
?”

Ben glanced behind himself at his nonexistent booty then shrugged. 
“
I think it
’
s very nice
,”
he said.

Colette gasped. 
“
You
’
re choosing her over me
?
  What
’
s going on here
?
  Thursday night—where were you
,”
she asked with venom
,
pointing at Angie.

“
Hey!
”
said Angie
,
refusing to take any more
,
“
I grew up with a judge
,
remember.  I don
’
t need you questioning me.
”

“
Aha! So you refuse to answer.  I guess we know what
’
s been going on here.  It
’
s obvious isn
’
t it
?
  How could you
,
Ben
?”

“
Um
,”
said Clint
,
“
What are you talking about
?”

“
Ben and Angie know what I
’
m talking about.  And so do you.  I
’
m talking about Thursday.  Maybe you
’
ve heard of it.
”

“
Nothing happened on Thursday
,”
said Ben calmly.