My girlfriend and I had been together now for 5 years. We met our senior year of collage, and as time passed fell deeper in love. We moved home after college, started work, and now lived in a small one bedroom apartment, in the same city as both our parents. Marriage was being discussed, once we both felt comfortable with saving enough money to afford the wedding and to buy a house.
My wife was a CPA for a top retail store in the area, and often traveled to other locations around the region. I worked from home as a freelance graphic designer. People seem to think work from home means a flexible schedule. So when she was away on one of her weekend work trips, and her parents were taking a weekend trip to the mountains, I got roped into dog sitting their Shitzu. No one in the family liked the dog, besides my girlfriends mom. But being the good boyfriend and future son-in-law, I accepted responsibility. They wanted me to stay overnight, but I refused to spend more time with the dog than I had to. So I planned to make the 10 minute drive a few times each day to let him out and feed him.
I swung by the house Friday afternoon, let that yapper out and got back in my car and buzzed back to my apartment where I finished my work day. Having eaten a late lunch, I planned to swing by the house, walk the dog, then grab a pizza to eat back at my place.
When I pulled into the driveway, I noticed a light was on in the living room. Figuring it was left on when they left, and I didn't notice it in the light of day, I punched the garage code and walked into the house. I didn't see Freddy, which was odd since he was always barking at the door when people arrived. I called out his name, and heard a voice in response.
"Allen?", a female voice called down the stairs.
I knew the voice. Instantly, my palms began to sweat and my stomach began to flip. Apparently no one told my girlfriends sister, Claire, that I was letting the dog out. Claire, 5 years younger than my girlfriend, was in her senior year of collage and had yet to go out on a serious date in all that time. When I first started coming around, she still had braces on her teeth and was a pimply high schooler. We got along well, and she felt much like a younger sister to me. As the years went on and she moved off to college, without meaning to, I began to notice the woman she was growing into, and the attraction I felt towards her. It was equally looks and personality that I became fond of. Even dressing up a little more for family parties to try and impress her.
I heard her begin to come downstairs, and realized the nerves I was feeling was because we had never been alone together. There was always my girfriend to use as a barrier between me and the feeling I had started to develop for Claire.
"Hey Claire," I said, "I didn't know you were going to be home this weekend?"
"I wasn't planning on it, but figured you could use a hand watching ol Freddy here." She smiled, knowing we all hated the creature.
Her hazel eyes met mine as she walked into the living room, Freddy hot on her tail. The braces were a great investment. Her teeth sat in a perfect row, her cheeks dimpled in each corner from her smile. Years ago I noticed she had a freckle on her cheek, just below her right eye. With her, I found the simplest things drove me crazy for her. The dimples, the freckle, the auburn hair that feel to her shoulder in slight waves.
"Well, now that Freddy is in good hands I can take off a leave you be." I didn't want to leave, but was afraid I would overstay my welcome now that she was here.
"Nonsense," Claire replied. "You just got here, I was planning to just order some Chinese and watch a movie. Just hang out for a bit!"
"You sure? I don't want to get in your way."
"Not at all. As I recall, you like Orange chicken and a few veggie egg rolls?"
I smiled. It's always a nice feeling when people remember something about you, even if its you Chinese takeout order.
"I have one last homework submission to send in, but then we can order the food and find a movie or something."
"Sounds good," I said, trying to not sound too eager.
----