episode 3 – too close for comfortA stormy relationship comes to a head as hidden feelings rise to the surface, jeopardizing future happiness.
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A stormy relationship comes to a head as hidden feelings rise to the surface, jeopardizing future happiness.
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Dodging Faux Pas
A woman’s intuition can detect romantic history from body language. The most challenging part of the temporary living arrangement is for Miguel and Jenny to look at each other as though they’re strangers. So initially, most of their conversations are shouts to each other from different rooms.
Zoe comments on the odd behavior. “When I said she shouldn’t flirt, I didn’t mean we had to be inhospitable. She can sit and eat with us or watch television together, don’t you think?”
“Um, yes!” Miguel replies. “If that’s what you prefer.”
One evening, he passes by the guest room with the door ajar and lingers when he sees the dim silhouette dressing for bed. The curves once belonging to him slowly gain exposure. His mind is a tempest of passionate memories.
After slipping into a negligee, Jenny notices his flattering gaze. She silently wags her head to dissuade improper intentions. A wink while lying on the bed conveys appreciation for his interest after many years.
With a coy smile, she asks, “Could you turn off the light, please?”
Miguel, unable to properly process the mixed signals, flips the light switch and closes the door before continuing down the hallway.
Shopping For Trouble
The next morning, Zoe wants to get groceries. She taps on the guest room door to see if Jenny wants to join her, but she is too tired from the prior day’s ordeal. So Zoe makes a list and heads out.
“I should be back soon. I need to stock up on a few things for the pantry,” she tells Miguel.
“Are you sure you can’t wait? It’s still windy out there,” he warns.
“I hadn’t shopped for three people before the storm. Besides, there are certain things that two women don’t want to be without if we get stuck here for a while.”
“Okay. Listen to the weather channel and turn around if necessary.”
They kiss before she leaves. Because everyone is stocking up at the last minute, grocery stores are packed, and shelves have sparse provisions.
At the third store, still lacking everything she needs, there is a tornado warning. It is uncertain if she can make it back home in time. The broadcast recommends sheltering in place and remaining off the roads until it passes.
Zoe phones Miguel to tell him where she is, “I don’t want you to worry about me. I should be all right. The grocery store has lowered metal blinds to cover the windows. The shoppers are going to ride out the storm here. I love you.”
“I love you, too,” he says. “We’re heading down below over here.”
While hanging up, it dawns on her that Miguel will be alone with Jenny in the cellar, but the fear of another storm suppresses jealousy. At home, Miguel bangs on Jenny’s door, dragging her scantily clad body below ground in the shelter.
Although vulnerable, the storm diminishes a potentially intimate moment. He shares a blanket to reduce her shivering.
Jenny asks, “Did you leave your wife outside the shelter?”
Miguel calms her fears. “She’s safe at the grocery store. The storm should pass soon. It’s not as strong as the last one. This is new construction, built to withstand tornadoes.”
After thirty minutes, he dials Zoe, but there’s no signal. Inwardly, Miguel ponders what would happen if Zoe doesn’t return. Could this be the event that brings him and Jenny back together?
They hold each other tight enough to suppress the shivering. An hour passes. The radio broadcasts that the storm has shifted direction. He unwraps the blanket, with an eye on her as he follows her up the stairs, shutting the cellar door, and entering the house.
Jenny says, “I guess I should… get dressed.” With her signature sultry saunter down the hallway, she adds, “You should see if your wife is okay.”
When Miguel hears Jenny’s water running, the memory of their sharing a shower many years ago floods his mind.
Zoe soon returns, embracing and kissing Miguel. They then bring in two sparsely filled bags of groceries, and Jenny helps put items away.
Washing Away Guilt
During meals, Jenny and Miguel address each other only when one is looking at their plate to avoid eye contact. The head bobbing like a teeter-totter draws more attention than their awkward glances would.
Zoe asks, “Is everything all right between you two? If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were having an affair.”
Miguel laughs uncomfortably, “Affair? God, no. Everything’s fine. I was just trying not to disrespect my wife by looking at another attractive woman.”
Jenny jerks her neck in Zoe’s direction to see how the compliment lands. To everyone’s surprise, Zoe laughs, saying, “Leave it to my husband to find a way to preserve the feelings of two women with his compliment.”
Then everyone begins laughing together before Jenny finds an exit, saying, “Let me do the dishes.”
Miguel helps clear the table while Jenny straps on an apron and begins washing. He picks up a towel and starts drying dishes. During their banter, he stands closer, then submerges his hand in the soapy water, caressing her fingers.
They pause, the tension palpable, turning with lips within kissing distance. Their eyes meet for a moment, filled with unspoken words and unresolved feelings.
Miguel says softly, “We had a passionate past.”
Jenny whispers, “One we’ll never forget. Even if embers still burn, remember what happened to Ronald.”
Miguel nods, pulling his hand away. “I’m sorry. It was a weak moment. Our feelings for each other are undeniable. You keep acting like you want me, then halt me with a warning of impending danger.”
“Another woman enjoys the life I expected to share with you. Her eyes, follow us everywhere. Are you fanning embers to make a different choice?”
“Revisiting what we shared might make it clear to both of us… whether—”
Just then, Zoe enters the kitchen, noticing the tension and their proximity. She raises an eyebrow but doesn’t comment immediately. “Is everything okay here?”
Miguel and Jenny quickly compose themselves, taking a step back. “Yes, just finishing up,” Miguel says with a forced smile while grasping a dishrag off the floor.
Zoe’s eyes dart between them, her intuition picking up on the subtle cues. She smiles, but there’s a hint of suspicion. “Good. Let’s watch a movie together, one that doesn’t include disasters or romance.”
Miguel and Jenny follow, rolling their eyes at the suggestion that implies an awareness of their feelings.
Continued…
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