Parents

I got half way through writing this and realized I didn't like it, but it was too late to start over.....

Peggy and Clif never planned to get married. Peggy never planned to get pregnant. They were both in their late 30’s with successful careers and previous marriages behind them and retirement ahead, but life is lonely without someone to share it with, so they agreed to a blind date arranged by their mutual friends.

It was a hot late August evening when Clif pulled his maroon 1967 two-door Mercedes-Benz 300SE into the freshly paved driveway of Peggy’s small condo. He was sweating beneath the setting sun and his wool pinstripe suit jacket so he loosened his narrow black tie, but remembered he was there for a date and tightened it back up. A quick glance in the rear-view mirror to straighten everything out and he hopped out of the car.

He headed for the path leading to the front door, but remembered Peggy told him to come in through the garage in their brief phone conversation earlier. He spun on his shiny new oxfords, turning to face the open garage. There was one of those tiny Toyotas parked inside; its narrow rear tires and chrome-less, boxy rear end highlighted by the receding band of sunlight.

Clif squeezed past the econo-box and mashed the lighted doorbell button to the left of the brown interior door. It whipped open before his hand was back by his side.

“Clif?” Peggy asked, patting her freshly washed and tightly permed hair.

“Hello, nice to finally meet you in person,” he said, extending a hand and stepping over the threshold and into the small room connecting the condo and garage. It smelled like wet dog for some reason.

Peggy grasped his hand in a quick, friendly handshake.

“So, shall we get going? I made reservations for 7,” Clif offered, gesturing toward the driveway and his freshly washed, polished, and waxed Mercedes.

“Can we take my car, I just bought it last week,” replied Peggy.

“Uhh, I guess we can do that,” shrugged Clif, slightly disappointed. He went back outside and moved the Mercedes to the street.