DANI AND I DO INDEED become friends. It’s been wonderful getting to know her. She really is a special person and it shows in everything she does. She’s hugely sarcastic, insanely funny, and incredibly smart. I remember her wit the day she hit Po. I was too out of it to really appreciate it then, but I do now. I’ve also been helping out around her house when Chloe’s been with her grandparents. She was so happy when I offered but I’m more than happy to help. It gives me something to do and it feels really fucking good to feel needed again.
Although we’ve become close in many ways, we haven’t taken our relationship to a sexual level. I’m not ready for that and I’m not sure I’ll ever be. Aside from my wife, Dee’s the only person I’ve ever been sexual with and that was through texts. I’m still so happy I went there. It strengthened our bond and took our relationship to a new level. Dee told me how she never would’ve opened up and said some of the things she said if I had actually been there with her. Even though I would love to physically meet her, I’m glad our first time was virtual because she was so unguarded. We’ve also sexted again and each time it just keeps getting better.
Dani invited me over for dinner to thank me for all the work I’ve done and while I accepted with a smile, I was nervous about actually going. I haven’t seen Chloe since the accident and I think I really scared her that day. I’m also nervous about spending time with her because I haven’t spent any time around kids since I lost Alex. I really like Dani, and Chloe is the biggest part of who she is, so I need to do this right.
I shaved and I’m wearing one of my nicer shirts. I smile at the thought I’m dressing this way to impress Dani; she’s beautiful and I’m no idiot. I’m also determined to be on my best behavior, so after several minutes of deep breathing to steady my frazzled nerves, I call Po to the door. “It’s now or never, boy,” I say as I clip on his leash, take another calming breath, and head out.
“Wow!” Dani exclaims when she answers her door. “Who are you and what have you done with Ian?” Her compliment makes me exceedingly happy and when she follows with, “Mighty handsome, Mr. Montgomery!” I smile.
I know I look different without my usual five o’clock shadow and my usual uniform: a t-shirt and basketball shorts. I’m happy I’ve made a good impression. I start to thank her but my words are quickly cut off when Chloe comes barreling up to the front door. “Mommy! Is that Mr. Ian and Po?”
“Woof!” Po barks on hearing his name.
“Yes, it is, sweetheart,” Dani tells her while still looking at me as she opens the door wider to let us in. She winks and then adds, “And he’s looking incredibly handsome this evening.”
I give Dani a wide smile and turn my attention to her daughter. “Aaah, Princess Chloe!” I say with an exaggerated bow and tell her, in an incredibly terrible British accent, how happy I am to be invited into her castle. Dani’s told me how everybody calls her a princess and since I made such a bad first impression I’m pulling out all the stops to rectify that.
Chloe giggles but immediately spins on her heel and tears out of the room. Maybe I was wrong.
Dani and I both stare stupidly at the empty hall Chloe just ran down. When she turns back to me, I frown and ask, “Did I say something wrong?” Dani shrugs, and begins to answer my question, but is stopped before she gets the chance. Chloe returns as quickly as she left. When she comes racing back, she’s decked out in full Frozen regalia, crown and all. I have to bite the inside of my cheek to stop the laugh threatening to burst from my mouth. That was fast.
“I’m ready, King Ian!” she announces and I smile at the title. She’s so adorable. Maybe this night will work out after all. Going with what works, I bow and announce once again in my horrendous British accent, “My dog, Po, for thee, Princess Chloe.”
Po barks and Chloe turns to look at him. She puts her little hands on her little hips and speaks to him in a very serious tone. “Now, Po, Olaf is in my room and he is a very nice kitty so I expect you to play nice with him.”
“Woof!” Po barks again. I’m so grateful he’s trained to bark when he hears his name because it makes Chloe light up in a way that lets me know she thinks he understands what she’s saying.
“Olaf?” I ask, curiosity written all over my face. She has a cat?
“Long story,” she says to me, waving her arm in a way that almost looks like she’s saying, “You really don’t want to know.”
I release Po and he goes running to her. Chloe giggles and runs off to her room with Po right on her heels barking happily all the way. Oh boy, I think Po is in for it.
“I think Po is in for it!” Dani says, giggling.
“My thoughts exactly,” I reply, laughing too.
It’s astonishing how alike we think.
“You want a beer?” she asks as we head towards her kitchen.
“Abso-fucking-lutely!” I answer. “I have a feeling I, too, shall be summoned.”
Dani turns her head and over her shoulder she laughs and says, “Well, you did start it!”
This isn’t my first time inside of Dani’s house and each time I’m here, I’m surprised by the lack of photographs and other personal details; it seems so unlike her. I want to ask her about it but I won’t. I often see her fall into her head and whenever she’s there, she usually looks incredibly sad. My instincts say something very tragic happened to her but I refuse to ask. I staunchly guard my privacy and I worry if I do ask, she’ll ask me personal questions that I obstinately refuse to answer. I don’t need, nor want her pity.
Although there are times where she’s in her head and looks incredibly happy which just confuses the fuck out of me.
Her kitchen makes up for what her house lacks. It’s gorgeous, a chef’s wet dream, and loaded with personal touches. I can’t help but be incredibly impressed every time I’m in here. Not for the first time I think how much Dee would love this kitchen; she loves to cook. And not for the first time, I chastise myself for thinking of Dee in Dani’s presence.
“I did indeed,” I reply, keeping myself in the here and now.
“I ordered pizza. Chloe likes cheese so I kept it simple and just got a half-cheese, half-pepperoni,” Dani tells me as she circles around her breakfast bar, heading to the refrigerator. I take a seat on the other side and let her know what she ordered is perfect.
She then grabs two bottles of Blue Moon and hands one to me. Dani always does the most kindhearted things, like having my favorite beer on hand. Her amazing soul always makes my heart soar. When she gets back to where I’m seated, she tilts her bottle to mine and we clink in a toast.
“To friends,” she says.
“To friends,” I parrot, knowing what a wonderful friend she’s becoming.
“So, Ian, what happened to the scruff?” she asks as she runs a finger over my shaved jawline. I know she likes my five o’clock shadow, she’s told me, but I wanted to make a good impression on Chloe.
“Well, I’d like to say I shaved it so you could see more of this incredibly handsome face,” I answer with a cocky smile. “But honestly, it’s because I think I may have scared Chloe when we first met and I want her to feel safe around me.”
“Thank you, Ian,” she replies. “Seeing you and Po here makes me happy.” Her eyes shine with a look of sincere appreciation and when she adds, “I’m glad you agreed to come to dinner,” I’m instantly glad I took the extra step.
“Though, to be perfectly honest…” Dani’s eyes light up and with a coy look on her beautiful face, she reiterates how much she loves my “scruff.”
“I know,” I say with a wink. I like that she thinks I’m good-looking.
Once again, our conversation is brought to an immediate halt when Chloe comes racing into the room, with a now dressed-up Po, and I just smile.
Let the games begin!
When the pizza arrives, we move outside. It’s yet another beautiful night in Hermosa Beach and the weather is perfect with no hint of the coastal fog that usually blankets the area. I persuade Chloe to try a piece of pepperoni and laugh when she scrunches her little nose, makes a “bleh” sound, and feeds it to a very happy Po.
After dinner, Chloe hosts a tea party and we all sit at a little plastic tea party table that Dani probably bought at Toys “R” Us. She’s quite the little hostess. We all end up with crowns on our heads. I’m trying to be a good sport; I want her to feel comfortable with me. It’s really important to me that she likes me. I can’t explain why, it just is.
After a while, we leave Chloe with Po and head back up to the patio for another beer while Chloe puts her dolls in our places. Looking around at Dani’s inexpensive and old furniture, I can’t help thinking, as I always do, how the pieces I made for Dee would look here, especially the set I made for her daughter. When I was making the furniture for Dee, I decided to make a small table and chairs for her little girl. I’m still not sure why I made it. She never asked and she’ll never see it, but something in my gut had me making miniature furniture.
I’d love nothing more than to say, “I make outdoor furniture and I have the perfect set in my garage which I’d love to give you,” but I can’t and I won’t. Like I said, I’m not ready to share that part of myself with her…yet.
Dani brings the fixings for do-it-yourself sundaes outside and by the time we’re finished, there’s more sundae on the table, ground, and all over Po than in the actual bowls.
It’s been an amazing night. I can’t remember the last time I laughed so hard. And as I head home, I realize how much I like having Dani in my life.