Thursday dragged itself into the week. The sun slipping through the missing wood strips on her blinds woke Tanya. Her eyes shot open. Kevin. He would be here today. She bounced out of bed with more energy than she had shown all week long.
She took a long shower. She lathered and soaped herself slowly, her eyes closed. In the shower's steamy embrace, she imagined Kevin's hands on her body, and shivered in anticipation.
Her long, wet hair usually dried into a floating mass of unruly curls, but today, she wanted something different, something enticing. She stretched each lock with a hot curling iron, pulling it smooth and straight. After an hour's work, she had straight, but totally shapeless hair. She gathered it and piled it into a cascade on the top of her head, then looked at herself critically. "Too sophisticated," she said, then let it fall loose. She pulled it off to one side, letting it fall over her cheek. "Too much," she laughed. "That doesn't suit me at all." Finally, she parted it in the middle and lifted each side with a tortoise shell pin. She nodded. "Yes, that'll do. Different, but natural."
She sprayed a touch of perfume behind her ears and at the hollow in her throat. The scent was soft, reminding her of spring time and gentle rain showers.
With a start, she realized she had been staring into space, thinking of Kevin's grey eyes.
The closet held only three dresses. She tried them all, then chose a turquoise outfit. It slipped over her shoulders and cupped her breasts, outlining them subtly, and fell in easy folds to her ankles. Her sandals finished her outfit, and she left her bedroom for a cup of tea.
The clock on the kitchen wall showed her the too-early hour. No one would be up and about yet, especially not Kevin, after arriving home so late last night. She sighed, gathered the portable phone, her tea, and a new book, and made her way to the terrace. Patience was not her strong suit, she decided.
She read for at least an hour, her eyes and mind drifting from the pages of her book at least every few minutes. Finally, the telephone rang.
She bit her lip and let it ring a second time. He mustn't think she was too anxious. "Hello?" she said, letting the word drawl.
"Tanya? Is that you? It's Kevin."
"Oh. Good morning, Kevin."
"I'm home between trips, and I'd like to invite you over for an early lunch today."