Driving Mrs Barker (BWWM)

Chapter Five

"Why shouldn't you write with a broken pencil?"

Ariane refused to answer the twentieth joke that he had told since they left the gym. They weren't even funny but yet she laughed at the ridiculousness of them.

"Because it's pointless!" The answer hadn't come from Beau's lips. Instead, they were said by Ms Betty who stood at the door with her hands on her hips.

"Hey, she's got a funny bone," Beau approached Ms Betty and took her hands before kissing both cheeks. "How are you this evening, Ms Betty?"

"I am well, dear. Did you look after my Ariane?" The elderly woman opened her arms for Ariane to step into and she enveloped her in a motherly hug.

"I had her laughing all day, ma'am."

Ariane gave him the side eye. She hadn't been laughing all day. That was an exaggeration but he had made her day much brighter.

She couldn't remember someone having such a good sense of humour that she enjoyed every conversation. Beau was the first person in years to even try to amuse her and make her laugh. She was grateful for it because she needed to be in high spirits. Being cooped up in the house with no real form of entertainment made her miserable and he had offered her a sliver of salvation from that.

There was a sense of dread as she realised that she would probably be facing an empty house again. Gerald was going to come home late and Ms Betty went home early on Mondays.

She would be alone again.

No laughter, no conversation - nothing.

Nothing but her own thoughts.

"Same time tomorrow morning, Ariane?"

She nodded as he removed his hat and bid them a good night. Within seconds, he had driven away and it was just the two ladies left.

"If only I were younger..." 

Ariane gasped as they walked into the brightly lit house. "He is handsome and charming but way too young for me!"

She said nothing as she was led to the kitchen where a plate was waiting for her. Chicken and Ham pasta bake with all her favourite vegetables and a rich, creamy white sauce. As delicious as it smelled, she knew how high the calorie count was.

Stratospheric.

And it would all go straight to her thighs and her stomach.

Before a protest could escape her lips, Ms Betty passed her a fork and started speaking. "I haven't seen you this happy for a while."

"It's just nice to speak to someone who's not bothered about making a good impression for Gerald," Ariane shared, deciding to take just one bite of the food. "And someone who doesn't go on and on about the latest Givenchy collection or the next fundraiser. It was a good day."

Ms Betty stared at her silently with a knowing smile on her face.

"What?"

"It's nice to see that you've made a friend is all. Now you have two."

Ariane frowned. "What about Gerald?"

Ms Betty scoffed. "That demon is no friend of yours Ariane. Now eat up and we can go and watch some wedding shows afterwards."

She didn't bother to correct her calling him a demon.

***
The very next morning, the sun rose, the birds sang and Beau showed up just when Ariane needed him to.

She rushed him out of the house quickly so that she wouldn't have to deal with the mess that was her marriage.

He didn't complain nor did he pry but she could tell that he was curious by the way he kept eyeing her through the rearview mirror.