She walked back to Kate's closet and began surveying the hanging shoe rack on the back of her closet
door. She extracted a pair of sandals from the plastic slots of the shoe rack and turned back around. “I was waiting until
you got home to share the good news, but John finally called me today. He wants me to have dinner with him tonight.”
“And?” Kate said, motioning for details.
Alex smiled a Cheshire smile and handed over the shoes. “He says he loves me. He misses me. And he wants me to come home.”
“And?” Kate repeated.
“And he said he's ready to compromise. Which can only mean one thing. John has decided that I can take four more years to
make senior executive before we begin our family.”
“I'm so happy for you, Alex,” Kate said, giving Alex a big hug. “I knew you guys would work things out.”
“I was beginning to wonder,” Alex said, and laughed. “I still can't believe John held out as long as he did.” She reached
out and put her arms around both Kate and Eve, pulling them close. “Thank you, guys, for putting up with me and letting me
stay with you.”
“We really are going to miss you,” Eve said.
“Hey,” Alex said looking at Eve. “Just because I can't go to Queens with Kate tonight, doesn't mean you can't go with her.”
Eve started to protest, but Alex held up a finger.
“Oh, no you don't. No excuses. I know Kate's called off the wedding, but that doesn't mean we're going to let you fall back
into hiding out in this apartment day in and day out. Those days are over. Right, Kate?”
Kate nodded.
Eve blushed. “I know those days are over. I promise. It's just that… well, don't freak out or anything, but I've actually
met someone.”
Alex and Kate exchanged shocked looks.
“You met someone where?” Alex wanted to know. “And when? You've been hiding out for over a year now, Eve.”
“I met him online,” Eve confessed.
“Are you nuts?” Alex exploded. “Don't you know how dangerous it can be hooking up with someone online?”
“I didn't meet him in one of those chat rooms or anything,” Eve said quickly. “He's one of my new clients. I'm redesigning
his Web site and we've been e-mailing back and forth. I finally broke down and gave him my phone number. He's going to call
me tonight for the first time. That's why I need to stay home.”
“Eve, you really do need to be careful,” Kate said, looking over at Alex for support. “What do you really know about this
guy?”
“Everything,” Eve said proudly. “His name is George Dumond. He's a musician. He plays the banjo, and he's actually quite famous
in the folk music scheme of things. He lives in a small town in Connecticut. He's never been married. He likes the quiet and
solitude of living out in the country. And…”
“And you're sure he's legitimate,” Alex broke in.
Eve nodded. “I'm sure. And guess what? His screen name is Braveheart. Don't you love it? He's my very own Knight in Cyber
Armor.”
Neither Alex nor Kate cracked a smile.
Eve stamped her size four-and-a-half foot. “That was supposed to be funny, you guys. Knight in Cyber Armor? Get it? That's
a metaphor. Right?”
Rather than tease Eve any longer, Kate and Alex both burst out laughing.
“Anthony! Stop pacing back and forth in front of the door. You're wearing a hole in my floor.”
His mother said this, then grabbed him by the arm and led him over to a booth by the window. When Tony plopped down on the
seat, she motioned to his cousin, Tina, who was busy waiting tables.
“Bring my favorite son a glass of wine to calm him down,” she said.
Tina turned and headed to the bar.
“I'm your only son,” Tony reminded her.
“But my favorite son, still.” She gave his left cheek a not-so-gentle pat. “You drink your wine like a good boy. You calm
yourself down. And we'll all be in the back at the family table when your intended arrives.”
“She is
not
my intended,” Tony said
door. She extracted a pair of sandals from the plastic slots of the shoe rack and turned back around. “I was waiting until
you got home to share the good news, but John finally called me today. He wants me to have dinner with him tonight.”
“And?” Kate said, motioning for details.
Alex smiled a Cheshire smile and handed over the shoes. “He says he loves me. He misses me. And he wants me to come home.”
“And?” Kate repeated.
“And he said he's ready to compromise. Which can only mean one thing. John has decided that I can take four more years to
make senior executive before we begin our family.”
“I'm so happy for you, Alex,” Kate said, giving Alex a big hug. “I knew you guys would work things out.”
“I was beginning to wonder,” Alex said, and laughed. “I still can't believe John held out as long as he did.” She reached
out and put her arms around both Kate and Eve, pulling them close. “Thank you, guys, for putting up with me and letting me
stay with you.”
“We really are going to miss you,” Eve said.
“Hey,” Alex said looking at Eve. “Just because I can't go to Queens with Kate tonight, doesn't mean you can't go with her.”
Eve started to protest, but Alex held up a finger.
“Oh, no you don't. No excuses. I know Kate's called off the wedding, but that doesn't mean we're going to let you fall back
into hiding out in this apartment day in and day out. Those days are over. Right, Kate?”
Kate nodded.
Eve blushed. “I know those days are over. I promise. It's just that… well, don't freak out or anything, but I've actually
met someone.”
Alex and Kate exchanged shocked looks.
“You met someone where?” Alex wanted to know. “And when? You've been hiding out for over a year now, Eve.”
“I met him online,” Eve confessed.
“Are you nuts?” Alex exploded. “Don't you know how dangerous it can be hooking up with someone online?”
“I didn't meet him in one of those chat rooms or anything,” Eve said quickly. “He's one of my new clients. I'm redesigning
his Web site and we've been e-mailing back and forth. I finally broke down and gave him my phone number. He's going to call
me tonight for the first time. That's why I need to stay home.”
“Eve, you really do need to be careful,” Kate said, looking over at Alex for support. “What do you really know about this
guy?”
“Everything,” Eve said proudly. “His name is George Dumond. He's a musician. He plays the banjo, and he's actually quite famous
in the folk music scheme of things. He lives in a small town in Connecticut. He's never been married. He likes the quiet and
solitude of living out in the country. And…”
“And you're sure he's legitimate,” Alex broke in.
Eve nodded. “I'm sure. And guess what? His screen name is Braveheart. Don't you love it? He's my very own Knight in Cyber
Armor.”
Neither Alex nor Kate cracked a smile.
Eve stamped her size four-and-a-half foot. “That was supposed to be funny, you guys. Knight in Cyber Armor? Get it? That's
a metaphor. Right?”
Rather than tease Eve any longer, Kate and Alex both burst out laughing.
“Anthony! Stop pacing back and forth in front of the door. You're wearing a hole in my floor.”
His mother said this, then grabbed him by the arm and led him over to a booth by the window. When Tony plopped down on the
seat, she motioned to his cousin, Tina, who was busy waiting tables.
“Bring my favorite son a glass of wine to calm him down,” she said.
Tina turned and headed to the bar.
“I'm your only son,” Tony reminded her.
“But my favorite son, still.” She gave his left cheek a not-so-gentle pat. “You drink your wine like a good boy. You calm
yourself down. And we'll all be in the back at the family table when your intended arrives.”
“She is
not
my intended,” Tony said
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