To Sir, With Love

She flinched when she heard Bobby throwing suitcases around upstairs then loudly slamming them around as he took them out to the car he planned on taking. Palmer sat quietly in her favorite chair sipping her coffee and silently praying he wouldn't hurt her—physically—before he left. She was nearly certain he'd try and inflict one last emotional wound on her and she ready for it when it came.

The only thing he said was just before he walked out.

"I mean it, Palmer. I'm coming after everything, and that includes my kids."

"Our kids," she said without looking at him. "They're our kids, Bobby."

"Fuck you, you miserable, ungrateful cunt!" he said before slamming the door to the garage as he left.

Palmer finally breathed a sigh of relief when she heard tires squeal a few seconds later. She picked up the phone and dialed Elaine's number.

"Well, I did it," she said feeling like the weight of the entire world had just been lifted off her shoulders.

"Seriously? He's gone?" Elaine said with obvious excitement in her voice.

"He is," Palmer said feeling proud of herself for the first time since she'd married him.

"I'm coming right over!" she said. "Get changed for spinning class and I'm going to introduce you to cute-hot guy!"

Palmer laughed for the first time in quite a while then said, "No. You're not. But I will get ready to go to class with you. Deal?"

"Okay. Fine. Deal. But the deal expires tonight at midnight? Deal?" Elaine said happily knowing she would, at some point, introduce him to Palmer.

Palmer hesitated then said, "Um...I'll think about it."

Elaine made Palmer wait until hot-cute guy picked his spot then set her sister right behind him drawing one of her looks.

"What? If I can't introduce you, I can at least make you want me to, right?" she teased.

"Make her do what?" the younger man said. "Sorry. I wasn't trying to eavesdrop, but it was kind of hard not to hear."

"Sorry. My little sister has a very big mouth sometimes," Palmer said glaring at Elaine.

"You're pretty testy for a...single woman," Elaine said with a smile waiting for the fireworks she knew were coming.

Surprisingly, Palmer didn't say a word. She just got on her bike and got ready to ride.

"What am I missing?" the younger man said as he looked at Palmer and then Elaine over his shoulder.

"Never mind. It's none of my business, I'm sure," he said with a smile before turning around and getting ready to ride himself.

Palmer had to admit he had an amazing smile, and once he started pedaling, she could see Elaine was right. He had buns of steel and for the first time in years she allowed herself to look—and enjoy the view.

When they finished nearly an hour later all three of them were perspiring heavily with cute guy drenched in sweat.

He grabbed a towel then said, "Could I buy you ladies a smoothie or some cranberry juice or whatever? I don't know what I've done, but I get the feeling I've somehow offended you."

Elaine laughed then said, "Um...no. Not unless providing us with a...mouthwatering view...is considered offensive!"

He smiled and Palmer cringed.

"Please excuse my very married sister. She's got a screw or too loose upstairs and every now and then her brain short circuits."

"She seems okay to me," he said with another smile.

"Oh, I'm Kane. Kane Jeffries."

He extended his hand to Palmer, but Elaine intercepted it and shook it first. "Enchante!" she said flirting shamelessly. "I'm Elaine, the much prettier, much younger sister."

"Pleased to meet you," he said.

He turned to Palmer and asked, "And you are?"

Before she could speak Elaine said, "This is my recently-legally-separated sister, Palmer."

She leaned over and said, "Remember. I did not introduce him to you, okay?"

Palmer shot her another look before saying, "It's nice to meet you, Kane. I have an unusual name, too, so I don't feel so bad asking how you got yours."

He struck a pose then said, "I always gagged on the silver spoon."

Palmer laughed but Elaine didn't get it.

"Okay. How about this?" Kane said.

He struck another pose then said, "You know, Mr. Bernstein, if I hadn't been rich, I might have been a great man."

"Uh-uh. Still not getting it," Elaine said.

"Citizen Kane! Come on. You can't tell me you haven't watched it before," Palmer told her sister.

"Oh! Okay. Um...no. I can honestly say I've never seen it. I've watched Casablanca and The Maltese Falcon, but never seen that movie."

"Many say it's the greatest movie ever made. Of course, just as many or more argue Casablanca is the greatest movie of all time. What do you think, Kane?" Palmer asked.

"Um...I kind of liked Forrest Gump," he said flashing that boyish smile.

Elaine laughed much too loudly and said, "We'd love to join you, wouldn't we, Palmer?"

Her sister gave her an icy stare but said, "I suppose a smoothie wouldn't be all that terrible after a workout like that."

"Great! What flavor would you like, ladies?" he asked.

"Do they make smoothies in...Kane?" Elaine asked.

"Okay. That's enough!" Palmer said trying not to laugh.

She looked at Kane then told him, "She really is very happily married."

Elaine sighed then said, "Yes, that's true. I married the last good guy on earth. My sister here, however, wasn't quite so fortunate. But she did manage to boot his sorry ass out so she really is...very available!"

"Don't mind her," Palmer said still glaring at her sister.

"It's fine. I have an older brother who's um...a lot like her."

"Oh, really?" Elaine said. "Is he as hot as you?"

Kane laughed then said, "I'll go get our drinks and join you at whatever table you choose, okay?"

He no sooner came back and set the drinks down than Elaine said, "You know what? I forgot I've got a...a PTA meeting today. I'm gonna have to excuse myself."

She grabbed her smoothie, smiled, then before Palmer could protest or mention PTA meetings were held at night, she headed for the door.

"I knew I should have insisted on riding with her today," Palmer said.

"I'm actually glad you didn't," Kane told her with a smile.

He really was 'freakin' gorgeous'. He had the most amazing, thick, black hair and the greenest eyes Palmer had ever seen. Hers were hazel, but Kane's were very, very green. His facial features were flawless and she couldn't decide whether it or his amazingly fit body was better.

"I really wasn't trying to listen in earlier, but well, now that we know each other's names, I was wondering if what your sister said is true. Are you single?"

"Who me?" Palmer said shocked by his question. "No. Not at all."

"Oh, okay. I'm sorry. I don't know why I thought she was being serious."

He took a sip, smiled, then said, "Wishful thinking maybe?"

Palmer nearly choked on her smoothie.

"What? Was that too forward?" Kane asked with a smile.

"I...I don't know. Was it?" she asked not knowing what else to say.

"It wasn't meant to be. I honestly thought you and your husband were separated so..."

"Oh. Well, we are. But we're still married," Palmer said stammeringly.

"I'm confused. If you're separated then you're single, right?"

Palmer felt exasperated.

"How can I be 'single' if I'm still married?"

Kane smiled again then said, "Ah-hah! Hold on. It's a...generational thing."

He slid a little closer making Palmer feel very uncomfortable being saying, "You see, to people my age, when someone isn't currently in a relationship with someone, they're 'single'. Even if they're say...still legally married. But to people your age, single means divorced and no 'steady' boyfriend, right?"

"Why do I suddenly feel very confused and very old?" she asked feeling very confused indeed.

"No. It's my fault," he said. "But let me first say you are not old."

"I'm not?" she asked feeling even more confused.

"Nope. You're what I consider—perfect."

"I am?" she asked not knowing what more to say.

"Yep. I don't date women under 40."

He smiled then quickly asked, "You're not under 40, are you? I ask because now that I've seen you up close you may well be...hmmm...35-ish and that would ruin everything."

Palmer couldn't help but laugh as she set her drink down before saying almost playfully, "I suddenly find myself kind of liking you, Kane."

"Wonderful!" he replied. "Then there's hope."

"Hope?" she said reverting to her clipped, one- or two-word answers.

"Yes. Hope. I'm now hopeful you'll go out with me sometime. Soon," he added before taking another sip.

"What? Me? Go out with...you?" she said nearly choking a second time.

"If you don't find me attractive, then, okay. I get it. If that's the case, could you just let me know so I can stop thinking about you?"

Palmer's eyes got wide as she said, "You think about me?"

"All the time. Since the first time I saw you. But until today, you were wearing a wedding ring so I steered clear," he told her as he nodded at her bare left hand.

"Oh. Wow, you don't waste any time, do you? I just took it off last night."

"Off is off, right?" he said with a big smile. "So...will you go out with me, Palmer?"

She sat up straight and said, "Oh, my God! You're serious, aren't you?"

"Very," he told her. "Life is short. When I see someone I'm attracted to, I go for it."

"And you—the guy my sister calls 'cute-hot guy' or sometimes 'hot-cute guy' is attracted...to me. Am I understanding you correctly?"

"You are," he said. "Because I am. I'm very attracted to you, Palmer. Why wouldn't I be? You're gorgeous."

"Oh, my God! This is...this is...insane!" she said flustered beyond words.

He saw her phone sticking out of her bag and said, "May I?"

"You want my phone?" she asked.

"Uh-huh," he said holding out his hand.

"May I ask why?"

"I want to give you my number. That way, when you're ready to call me, you can."

"Um...just how many different women...my age...are you currently involved with?" she asked trying to get her bearings.

"None. I'm currently...single. That's why I'm asking you," he informed her with another smile. "So...may I?"

She watched her hand fish out her phone and give it to him even as her brain screamed, "What are you doing?!?!"

"There you go. I put it under 'C' for Citizen Kane," he said as he handed it back to her.

"Kane? I'm truly flattered. I really, really am. But I haven't been on a date in oh...gee, lemme see here. Um...well, I guess it's been about 15 years or so."

He smiled then said, "It's not a perishable skill, Palmer. Besides, you just hang out and have fun."

"Fun. Gee, where have I heard that word before?" she said thinking back on all the times Elaine told her to loosen up and 'have a little fun'.

"I can be serious, too," he told her. "Sometimes one needs to get a little serious before one can have any fun."

"Wow. In my day...you know, when dinosaurs roamed the earth, we had fun before getting serious."

This time he didn't laugh or even smile.

"It's not a one-size-fits-all world, Palmer. I've found what works for me, and one of these days I'm going to find the right woman it works for, too."

"It?" she asked now almost as intrigued as she was confused.

"Call me and we'll discuss...it...over dinner sometime, okay?" he said still smiling at her.

She didn't reply so Kane stood up then said, "I really am very attracted to you, Palmer. And I would love to share my ideas about life and love. And who knows? Maybe you'll agree with me. And if you do, well...who knows, right? I'm finally at the point in my life where I'm ready to settle down. I've just got meet the right woman."

Palmer just sat there staring at him as he talked and smiled. Even when he nodded, excused himself, and walked away, she just stared at him until he left the gym.

"I am so gonna kill my sister," she said out loud to herself a full minute after Kane walked away.

That evening when they talked again, Elaine said, "He asked you out and you didn't say 'yes'? I'd have not only said 'yes' I'd have let him screw my brains out for dessert right there on the table!"

"You know what, Elaine? You talk...a lot."

"Come on! I'm just trying to help you have a little fun. That's all."

"Fun. There's that word again. Life isn't all fun," Palmer said.

"No, but it should be. Or at least most of the time. Joe and I have a lot of fun. In and out of the bedroom, mind you."

"He is cute," Palmer finally admitted about Kane. "But...he's a boy, for goodness sake."

"As you are so quick to remind me, you're not even divorced yet. So why are you looking at Kane like he's your future husband? He's just...eye candy. Or...bed candy. Guys like that are fun, Palmer. What have you got to lose anyway? Say yes. Go out with him. Loosen up. Have some...fun."

"Do you really think I should go out with him? Like...on a date?"

"People don't call it dating anymore. They just hang out or hook up. Hanging out is what we called dating and hooking up is what we called f..."

"I know what hooking up is, okay?" Palmer said as though he sister was about to fart in church.

"Look. It doesn't have to be Kane. Just start getting your feet wet again. Meet some new guys. Young, old, in between. Just get out there and get back in the game."

"You mentioned dating sites. Maybe that would be more my speed."

"Ugh! Okay, fine. We can do that, but don't turn down a chance with the hottest guy I've seen in a long, long, time, Palmer. Please? For me?" Elaine said with a smile that said she wanted to live through her big sister.

Elaine helped her set up profiles on two sites. One was for those over 40 and the other was a site for everyone. Palmer was actually enjoying herself clicking on the photos of handsome men from the privacy of her own home. She 'poked' a few of them letting them know she liked their profiles, but most of them she dismissed for various reasons.

What really surprised her was the number of responses she had the next morning. She hadn't been signed up for even 12 hours and she already nearly two dozen emails and even more 'pokes'.

She spent several hours reading replies looking for clues as to what each guy might really be looking for. Out of all of them, there were just two that interested her. One was 46 the other was 32. A little young but not 25.

"Oh, right. Kane," she thought when the number '25' came to mind.

Maybe Elaine was right. What could it hurt to have dinner with him and do some talking? Feeling more confident she reached for her phone and dialed his number.

"You called," he said rather than 'hello'.

"I did," she replied smiling happily.

"You're smiling," he told her.

"I am not," she lied wondering how he knew.

"So may I take you to a nice restaurant tonight?" he asked.

"Wow. You get right to the point, don't you?" she said still smiling.

"Life is short, remember?"

"Yes, you're right. It really is. Hmmm. Tonight, huh? I'm not sure I can get a babysitter on such short notice."

"Something tells me your sister would pay you to watch your kids tonight," he told her playfully.

How could he be so young and so...aware?

"I suppose she'd be willing to do that. Okay. Sure. Tonight sounds nice."

"I'll pick you up at 7 o'clock," he told her without asking if that was okay.

"Oh. Okay. I'll...I'll see you then," Palmer said.

As she hung up her body was tingling from head to toe, and for the time being she forgot about the dating sites.

She needed to call her sister so she could get the 'I told you so' part out of the way then make an appointment to get her hair and nails done. Oh, and she needed to decide what to wear without knowing how nice this 'nice restaurant' might be. The good news was she had most of the day left to do it but only if Elaine could take the kids for the entire time.

Just as Kane had predicted, Elaine was thrilled to help out, and to Palmer's great surprise, only gave her sister a small ration of grief.

"I just want to be there when he walks in to pick you up," she said setting for her only requirement for watching the kids she loved like her own. "Oh, I might want to take a pic or two, as well. And if I crop you out of them later and put myself in your place, you'll understand, right?" Elaine teased.

Palmer thanked her sister several times after she arrived before running out to get ready. It was funny how she could feel so excited about something so routine. After all, most people ate dinner every night of the week. So what was it about doing so with a guy a little more than half her age that made it feel like such a big deal?

She couldn't answer the question or even exactly why she'd called him. All she knew was this seemed like it might be...fun...and that having a little might not be such a bad thing after all.

"Wow!" Elaine said when her sister came home.

"What do you think?" she asked as she modeled the new outfit along with her new hairstyle and color.

"I think—wow!" she said again. "If you don't get laid tonight you'll never get laid!"

"Stop! This is just dinner with a nice guy," Palmer replied.

"A nice guy who's hot as hell!" Elaine said correcting her sister. "And if you need me to, you know, stay all night, that's not a problem. As long as I get all the details tomorrow, of course!"

Palmer just shook her head and started upstairs.

"I think I'm going to add a necklace and some earrings."

"Good call," Elaine said. "And no clunky cardigan tonight, okay?"

Palmer turned and gave her the 'skunk eye' before going up to her bedroom.

It was 7pm on the dot when the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it!" Elaine hollered as she ran for the door.

She stopped, smoothed her hair, then said, "Why hello there, Kane! Don't you look handsome. As in even more so than in your tight little..."

"I'm sorry. Is my sister bothering you again?" Palmer said as she arrived at the door seconds later.

"Not at all. She's actually rather charming," he said smiling at Elaine.

"Why thank you," she told him coyly. "You can have your way with me anytime!"

Kane laughed politely then said, "You look amazing, Palmer."

She thanked him and the truth was she did. She was wearing a sleeveless, silky, hot pink blouse that hugged her firm figure just so and showed off a modest amount of cleavage, such as it was. The light-gray skirt she wore with it came to the mid-thigh area and looked amazing with the four-inch black heels and simple silver necklace and matching earrings.

"Would you like a drink or anything first?" she asked him.

"No, thank you. If you're all set, I'm ready to go," he told her.

"I am," she said.

She turned to Elaine and thanked her again hoping she wouldn't say something (else) inappropriate.

"My pleasure! And just remember I'm available all evening, all night, and tomorrow morn..."

"Um...thank you, Elaine!" Palmer said cutting her off.

Kane smiled at the antics then offered her his arm and said, "Shall we?"

They chatted pleasantly during the drive, and Palmer felt much more at ease by the time they arrived.

"This place is very nice. I'm impressed," Palmer told him once they were seated.

"You only get one chance to make a good first impression, right?" he told her.

"Well, you've done that," she assured him.

"You look like you want to say something," Kane said as he looked at his date feeling like there was something she wasn't telling him.

"It's just that I still don't really understand why someone your age is interested in someone my age. Am I really that out of touch with how things work these days or are you...I don't know...some kind of...what? An...oddity?"

Kane smiled and laughed politely before addressing her concerns.

"Okay, let me see if this helps. Imagine your ideal man. Don't describe him. Just think of the qualities you'd like him to have. I'll venture a guess and say 'tall' is somewhere in there. Am I right?"