Later that Saturday afternoon, I drop my daughter off and catch up with Angie at my house (my home where my daughter lives, not my condo).
Me: “Hey Angie, how are things going with Keara?”
Angie: “Fine, I have her running some errands today”
Me: “For work?”
Angie: “Just stuff”
Me: “Angie, I’m sorry if I wasn’t clear on this but I only want her doing things for the company.”
Angie: “Well it was just a few things I would normally do”
Me: “Keara isn’t paid to work on the weekends and run errands for you”.
Angie (with a, ‘what’s the big deal face’) “Okay, I’m sorry. I just figured since she’s there she could do some things so I didn’t have to drive all the way out there today.”
Me: Plan your week better so you don’t have to drive out there on the weekend or ask Keara to do things outside of work. Thanks (the ‘thanks’ is a ‘and that’s final, not open for discussion’ kind of ‘thanks’).” - Angie has gotten my ‘thanks’ tone before, she instantly goes completely placid in the face and simply says, Okay.
Angie isn’t great at managing her own time but she gets things done in her own way. This is also Angie’s first time ever managing someone else so shame on me for just expecting Angie do a great job right away. I recognize it’s not a typical situation so I’ll temper my frustration.
I hung out at my house, cooked and ate dinner with my Wife, Angie and Daughter. Wife and I are on much better terms these days; we’re both still happy not to be in each other’s hair. It’s about 7pm so I said goodnight to the girls and headed back to my condo. When I get back to my condo, Keara is making herself at home on my couch, watching TV and messing around on her laptop.
Me: “I hope you’re not working”
Keara: “No, just looking at stuff on Facebook”
Me: “Did you get out today at all?”
Keara: “Yeah, went to the mall this afternoon after getting the stuff done for Angie then came back here a little while ago”
Me: “Did you eat?”
Keara: “Yeah, I just grabbed food on the way back here”
Me: “Well there’s always food here, help yourself to anything in the kitchen, drinks or whatever”.
Keara: “I might after a drink later, you?”
Me: “I’m not drinking tonight; I’m meeting a friend for a charity 5k tomorrow. I need to finish near the front to spend more time shaking hands and kissing babies (she reacted like she never heard that saying)”.
Keara: “Oh cool, I haven’t run much since high school. I use to do cross country.
Me: “Do you want to come with us? If you slow me down, I will leave you behind though (laughing)”
Keara: “Yeah that would be awesome but I really don’t have running gear”.
Me: “Let’s hit ****’s before they close.”
We go shopping, she gets her stuff for tomorrow then head back to my place for an early bed time. . I wake up early; breakfast are bagels w/cream cheese, coffee and lots of water. We can get there a little early to make a donation and can get Keara number. We’re still a bit early when I get a text, “Meet me at my company’s booth”. Keara follows as I’m walking around looking for the booth, “it’s this way, come on” I say to Keara. We walk over and I do the introduction:
Ice: “Hey Ron, who’s your friend?”
Me: “This is Keara, she joined the company a few weeks ago. Keara, this is my friend Ice”
Ice and I talk shop and exchange notes for a bit as we’re currently both supporting the same customer. Time goes by and she refocuses her attention to Keara:
Ice: “Oh, so is this the new Angie?”
Me:

She works with Angie
Ice: “So, where did you go to college?”
Just as Ice starts peppering Keara with questions, the opening whistle blows for us to get ready. We walk over to the group of about 50 runners; it’s a “private event” (which always made me laugh because it’s outside, there’s really nothing stopping any random person from joining the race). Ice starts with her attempts at humor pointing out defibrillator stations and asking Keara if she’s trained on CPR, etc. Ice and I run a lot together so she knows I’m fine; I typically run at her 5 o’clock; Keara keeps pace and runs at my 5. We could honestly blow by most of the people running today but there are some heavyweights that I’d like to get a little closer to so we keep mid-front of the pack not to make a spectacle. On the last mile, the pack thinned out a bit more and we finished in the top 20.
Keara and I look like we could do another 3 miles but Ice is looking winded:
Me: “You okay?”
Ice: “I’m fine, stayed out too late last night”.
Me: “ah, gotcha”
I mingled for a bit, thank the organizers for the invitation and passed out business cards to others.
Me: “Ice, what are you up to for the rest of the day?”
Ice: “I need a Gatorade and vodka right about now.”
Me:

“We’re going to get showered up and maybe grab some brunch, you’re welcomed to come”
Ice: “Okay, I’ll meet you at your place”
It’s about noon or so by now. We meet up at my place; I’m in the kitchen pouring everyone Gatorade. Ice pounds the Gatorade, then another while standing still dripping with sweat. She then proceeds to take her clothes off, in the kitchen, leaving them on the floor and walk naked to through the living room to the shower in my room. Keara looks at me with a confused, “oh, I see it’s like that”, look. I

and say “that’s Ice”. Keara heads to the guest room and I go to my room to join Ice in the shower (it was just a shower). Ice gets out of the shower and struts naked to the 3rd bedroom looking for clothes (Ice manages to leave several outfits at my place year-round; I keep her stuff in the 3rd bedroom that usually goes unused).
We all get in my car and head to brunch; while we’re driving:
Ice: “What are those? (looking at my shoes)”
Me:
“pecan color Cole Haan’s, trying them with the jeans and polo shirt look”
Ice: “It’s a bit preppy for you”
Me: “Don’t like it?”
Ice: “No, looks fine.”
Keara: (speaking up from the back seat) “Are you two dating?”
Ice and I: (in sync) “NO!!!”…Ice goes on
Ice: “Dear God no, I don’t date boys (smiling devilishly at Keara – Keara clearly uncomfortable now).
We get to brunch: “Party of 3?”