Robin Alexander - Pitifully Ugly

courtyard when I walked out. She was bouncing a tennis ball that

Fuzzy caught in midair.

The embarrassment of the previous evening had all but faded

until I saw her. “Yes, much better.”

Hailey scooted over to one side. “Would you like to sit

down?”

I took a seat at the opposite end, and Fuzzy brought me her

ball. I bounced it, and she caught it and promptly returned it to

me. “You’ve made a lifelong friend,” Hailey said with a smile.

“I guess I don’t have to worry about her biting me now.”

“No, she’d never bite, but she will rub that slimy ball on your

pants leg if you don’t watch her. Do you have a pet?”

“Just a stuffed pig that sits on top of my fridge. His name is

Albert.”

This earned me a laugh. I was doing well.

“I suppose that Albert doesn’t shed.”

It was my turn to laugh. “No, but he does balk when I eat too

much of his ice cream.”

“What kind of work do you do? If you don’t mind me asking.”

Hailey turned in her seat and looked at me.

“I work from home. I do accounting for a couple of businesses.

How about you?”

“I’m a senior sales manager for Manheim Pharmaceuticals,

and right now, I’m on vacation.”

“Sounds exciting.”

Hailey took a turn bouncing Fuzzy’s ball when it was dropped

in her lap. “Trust me when I say it’s not, but it pays the bills.”

“So are you happy with your new place?”

“I really am,” she said with a smile. “I wasn’t sure I’d like

living so close to the French Quarter, but now I love it. And my

apartment has a great view of the courtyard.”

“That’s what I love most about this place.” I looked around at

Robin Alexander

the high red brick walls covered in ivy. It was cozy and well kept.

The chimenea was kept with burning logs most afternoons. Each

tenant would add another log to the fire as they came and went.

“The view or the courtyard?”

“Both. I think my apartment is directly above yours, so I

have the same view, and I love coming out here, especially in the

spring when the flowers are in bloom.”

Hailey nodded. “I look forward to seeing it in the spring. I

appreciate being able to walk Fuzzy in the courtyard after dark.

That’s what I was doing when you came in last night.”

She kind of looked at me as if she were waiting for me to

explain what my problem was. I mumbled off, “I kind of had a

problem with my…zipper.”

“And you were lit. I could smell the alcohol on your breath a

few feet away.” She laughed heartily then. “You really shouldn’t

drink and zip, it’s not safe.”

I scratched at my chin. “I think I would’ve found that funnier

when I was drunk.”

“Oh, stop it. It was corny, but you know you want to laugh.”

And I did. She made me feel relaxed, and that was big since

I hardly knew her.

“Your phone has one hell of a vibrator on it. The change in

your pocket was rattling.” Hailey began to laugh, then her face

reddened when she seemed to realize what she’d said.

My face colored, as well. There was no way I was going to

admit that I had pants full of bullets going off.

“Okay, Fuzzy,” Hailey said when the dog began to yip. She

looked at me apologetically. “It’s dinnertime for her. She keeps a

tight schedule.”

“Chicken on a stick again?”

“Actually, that was for me, but I did share.” Hailey stood. “It

was a pleasure chatting with you, Shannon.”

“You too.”

Our conversation truly had been a pleasure, brief as it was. I

had to admit that I’d had a good time talking with Marvin and his

friends the night before, too. I was meeting people on my own.

Not on the arm of a girlfriend who did all the talking or with

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Pitifully Ugly

Kalen taking the lead. I found it refreshing and a little exciting.

I was reminded of grade school. As long as Kalen was around,

I had friends, but when she was out with the chicken pox one time,

no one talked to me. That was the loneliest week I’d ever had

then. In a way, I always sort of resented her for being so outgoing

and forcing me into the background. But the truth of it was I

never would’ve met anyone if it hadn’t been for her. I was always

clinging to her and hiding in her charismatic shadow, afraid to

speak up and make myself known. The really pathetic part of it

was I’d not only done it as a child, but as an adult, as well.

41

Robin Alexander

Chapter 6

Not meant to be.

At ten thirty, I walked into Café Du Monde. Satisfied that

there was no blue peacoat in sight, I took a table on the patio next

to one of the heaters. I needed a few minutes to calm my nerves,

but of course, the café au lait did nothing to ease the jitters. I was

celebrating the loss of four pounds, and with that, I found the

resolve to resist the lure of beignets.

At five till, Charity arrived. I saw her first. Her dark hair

was cut short in an inverted bob, heavily highlighted. She was

thin, and that made me a tad self-conscious, even though I was

wearing a pair of jeans I couldn’t get into a month ago. She had a

beautiful smile that lit up her face when she noticed my wave.

“Hello,” she said as she extended her hand. “My real name is

Stacy.”

I stood and took her hand. “It’s nice to meet you, I’m

Shannon.”

“You’re definitely not pitiful y ugly,” she said as she took a seat.

“Thank you,” I said, flattered by the compliment.

“I’m so glad you managed to find a spot near one of the

heaters. The wind is really chilly out there.”

“I have on flannel-lined jeans.” Oh, my God, what a dumb

thing to say. My mind scrambled for something intelligent to add.

“I know that’s ridiculous to admit living in the South, but I can’t

stand the cold.”

“That’s brilliant. I’ll have to invest in a pair.”

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Pitifully Ugly

I wanted to get her talking so I wouldn’t have to. “So what’s

it like working at Charity?”

“It’s often sad but extremely rewarding, too. I love working

with babies. They don’t argue, and they’re always happy when

you show up with a bottle.”

“I imagine it gets pretty stressful.”

Stacy nodded and ordered a coffee when our waiter appeared.

“It can be, yes. That’s why I love gardening. Everything slips

away when I’m working with my plants and flowers. Accounting

can be stressful, too, I’m sure.”

“It is sometimes, but for the most part, what I do is simple.

Payroll is done by another company, so I mostly manage the

money, pay a few bills, and fill out loads of tax forms. The rest of

the time is mine.”

“So aside from reading and movies, what do you do with the

rest of your spare time?”

Nothing was the truth, but I wasn’t going to admit that. “I

sometimes fish with my brother-in-law. The rest of the time, I’m

shopping with my sister. She has a passion for antiques, so we’re

often muddling through shops.” I sounded like I was ninety. I

should’ve added cross-stitching and shuffleboard.

“Do you like horses?”

“I don’t know any personally, but I think they’re generally

okay.”

“I love to ride,” she said, ignoring my stupid joke. “When I’m

not in my garden, I spend a lot of time with a friend who has a