“It’s a middle-income area that has seen better days,” she told him, “but the community has been active recently in restoring the adjacent park. It’s about seventy per cent young families, maybe twenty per cent people over sixty.”
“And the other ten per cent?”
“Young married couples. Oh, and there’s a new school going in. Should be ready by the end of next summer, they think.”
“Perfect. Thanks a lot for this. You’re making my life much easier.” He squinted briefly, thinking something through. “Do you want to get out of here sometime and see some of these places? Obviously not when the weather’s like this, but some time when it’s clear? We could drive around together, and I could show you how I figure out where to look.”
She started to say no, then she stopped herself. The truth was, she did want to go.
“I’d like that,” she told him.
“Good. After the holidays, we’ll pick a date.” He froze. “Uh, I didn’t mean date, date. I just meant—”
She laughed, trying not to let on that she wished he did. “I know what you meant.”
“Have a good time tonight,” he said. “And have a good Christmas. I’ll see you next year.”
He was right about the weather. The snow was so deep it was higher than her boots, which she discovered when a cool trickle of snow tumbled inside, soaking her stockings. The bus took an achingly long time to shove through the drifts and the traffic. It took so long that she wondered if she’d have been faster just walking, but that would have been exhausting, and she needed energy for tonight’s party. As soon as the bus reached her stop, she rushed home then dripped melting snow all over the elevator floor. At her apartment, she shrugged out of her coat and stuck her key in the lock, but the door swung open before she could turn it.
“Davey!” she exclaimed. “What are you doing here? And how did you get in? Do you still have a key?”
She hadn’t seen him in months. Not since Christine had given him the ultimatum.
His mouth twisted slightly with embarrassment. “Do you want your key back? You never said.”
She hung her coat in the closet, stuffed her mitts in the sleeves, trying to figure out how she felt about seeing him there. “It’s fine.”
“I like your Christmas tree,” he said.
She grinned at the little tabletop shrub, around which she’d strung a length of red beads. “I wanted something a little festive for the season. So what brings you over here? It’s been a long time.”
He held out his arms in invitation, and she happily stepped in for a hug.
“Way too long, man. It bums me out, not seeing you, Sass,” he said, his familiar voice sweet in her ear. They were both smiling when he stepped back. “I had to grab something for the TADP, and it brought me out this way. Then all this snow… and you were right here…” He grimaced. “I know it’s been a while. I hope it’s okay.”
“It’s fine, Davey. I’ve missed you, too. But tonight’s a little crazy for me. I have things to do.”
“I get that. Let me help.”
“Nah, that’s cool. I got it.”
He cleared his throat. “Hey, Sass, can I crash on your couch tonight? The snow is too much, man. If I leave now, I won’t hit Christine’s for hours.”
“Won’t she freak?”
“It’s cool. I’ll just—”
“You’ll tell her you slept somewhere else, right? Anywhere but here.” She shook her head, scolding. “Cool. Whatever. But I can’t hang out with you like usual. I have friends coming over for dinner in about an hour.”
“Outta sight. A party.”
“They’re not your kind of friends. They’re my neighbours.”
“I smelled turkey down the hall when I came in. Don’t worry about thecheese straws. I saw you had everything ready for them in the fridge. I’ll get those. I’m practically a master chef,” he joked.
“Of course you are,” she called from her bedroom.
Sassy loved the end of a day. She loved getting out of serious, uncomfortable fabric and pouring herself into something that felt more like her. The apartment was chilly tonight, so she pulled her favourite white angora sweater over her head and unrolled it over a comfortable pair of flared denims.
