"Good morning. Did you sleep well?" Mike asked in a whisper.
"Yes I did. Good morning to you too. I hope you don't mind me wandering around the kitchen," Ginny said.
"Not at all, make your self at home," Mike told her.
"Would you like some coffee?" Ginny asked.
"Yes please," Mike replied. Ginny poured him a cup and handed it to him. Mike thanked her and took a sip.
"Looks like the sun is about to come up," Ginny said as she looked out the kitchen window.
"Would you like to go outside and see it?" Mike asked.
"Yes," Ginny replied.
So they both sat their coffee cups in the sink and went outside after Mike got into his robe and slippers. They both sat down on the sand, watching the sun come over the horizon. There were several moments of silence until Ginny finally spoke.
"Mike, do you think I'm being ridiculous?" Ginny asked.
"Ridiculous about what?" Mike asked.
"Well, about my youthful attitude. I know I've embarrassed Peter a couple of times already and Nick just thinks I'm too old to have any fun at all," Ginny explained.
"I don't think it's ridiculous. It only matters if you think it's ridiculous. Besides, you've got to be yourself. You're the only one that can live your life," Mike assured her.
"You know, I just don't feel like a forty year old woman. I feel so young, so alive. It makes me happy when young men whistle at me still. Of course, it could be because of my vanity and pride that I feel that way. Do you know why my husband left me?" Ginny asked.
"He left you? Peter always said it was a mutual split," Mike said.
"Well that's what we told our kids. In reality, John had hit his mid-life crisis and had an affair with an eighteen year old girl. He told me that the spark had gone out of our marriage and that I had let myself go. It wasn't easy being the mother of three young children. At the time, Nick was the oldest at twelve. Peter had just moved out on his own. He was the only child that John and I completely raised together," Ginny told him.
"No wonder there's such a big personality difference between him and Nick, no offense to Nick," Mike interjected.
"Oh, he does have a smart mouth. He never did get use to his father leaving. I think he blames me. After all, he was given the impression that I wanted the divorce as much as John did," Ginny said.
"Why don't you tell them the truth?" Mike asked.
"I don't want them to hate their father. If they knew their father had been fooling around, it would have crushed them," Ginny explained.
"Things happen. It's their father. Surely they would eventually forgive him," Mike said.
"I don't know. All I do know is that I can sense that Peter's embarrassed by me," Ginny said sadly.
"Come on, Peter loves you. In fact, I know he thinks the world of you. It's just that parents aren't supposed to be cool in their kids' eyes. If my mom was as hip and as beautiful as you, I'd probably be a little embarrassed too," Mike said. He suddenly blushed as he realized he admitted to apparent attraction to her.
"You know what Mike? I like you," Ginny said.
"Aw, I like you too. You're a very nice person," Mike said, oblivious to Ginny's confession.
"No, I mean I like you," she said once again as she boldly took his hand into hers and made eye contact with him. Mike became nervous and began to breathe a little funny.
"Well, aren't you going to say something?" Ginny asked.
"Sure…fine…that's great," Mike stumbled out as he ran a shaky hand through his thick hair.
"Oh I shouldn't have said anything. Now I've made a fool of myself," Ginny said.
"No, I'm glad you told me. I like you too, and did from the moment I first saw you. Then I found out you were Pete's mom and that made me think I was just…." Mike said.
"Weird?" Ginny finished.
"Yes, very weird. I mean how many guys out there develop a crush on their best friend's mom?" Mike asked.
"How many women out there develop a crush on their son's best friend?" Ginny asked.
"What do we do?" Mike asked.
"I don't know, but I do know that I'm comfortable around you. Mike, I'm lonely. I really don't fit in anywhere. I'm too old for the young crowd and too young for the older crowd," Ginny said in desperation.
"I know what you mean. A lot of people my age think I act older than my age. It's no fun when some chick calls you a square," Mike said.
They just sat there holding hands as Mike gently caressed Ginny's knuckles with his thumb. Suddenly, Ginny spoke again.
"I have an idea," Ginny said, "We'll take this one step at a time and not fret over it. There is no reason why we can't be just really good friends."
"You're right. Ok friend, how would you like to walk with me down the beach?" Mike asked.
"I'd love to," Ginny said. The two of them walked hand in hand down the beach as talking about their personal interests.
A few minutes later, Davy had woken up to get a glass of milk. He headed toward the refrigerator when the sound of laughter distracted him. He looked out the window to see Mike walking with some girl. Davy smiled as he thought of his no nonsense friend making time for a girl.
"That old son of a gun," he thought, "he's a flesh and blood male after all." Davy noticed the girl had the prettiest shade of red hair. "Red hair," He thought. Davy went pale as he considered what Mike might be up to. He went to his and Peter's room to peek in. Sure enough, Ann was curled up in his bed, fast asleep. Peter's bed, however, was empty with the blankets pulled neatly up. He looked over at Peter, who was sleeping soundly in the hammock, then out the window again at Mike and Ginny.
"He's nuts," Davy whispered to himself, "This has to stop before Peter finds out. Mike's suppose to be the sensible one anyway."