Molly and Lew

Crouched behind a square column of the porch of an old late-Victorian frame home, now shelter for squatters, Lew was watching for Molly. Molly is an unassuming yet attractive young woman who makes her living dancing at a local ‘gentleman’s’ club called the Lucky Lady. She lives in a second floor apartment of The Hanright Home, a rundown Gothic Revival house split into six apartments. Lew lives in the apartment next door.
Lew, a 30-year-old part time adjunct art instructor who hasn’t painted since graduate school. A man of medium stature with a good-natured expression, a big round face, and short dark hair. Earning scantly enough at the university to pay $300 in rent and buy food. When he’s not teaching he sleeps all day, watches old movies or plays video games all night. Intrigued by Molly since he moved in two years ago.
“She doesn’t look like a stripper,” he said to a friend.
Lew hadn’t seen her dressed in anything but drab oversized sweat pants, jeans and t-shirts. Her general attire, dirty blond hair with a pixie cut and no makeup made her appear androgynous. Not like any stripper he had seen in the movies.
Lew had memorized Molly’s schedule. He knew that Molly arrived home at 3:15 am and left again at 5:00 am. The creaking stairs alerted Lew to Molly’s comings and goings.
“What business does a stripper have at 5:00am?” He wondered.
Even though their doors were only 10 feet apart, Lew and Molly had crossed paths no more than a few times. Their first meeting went something like this:
“Hey, I’m Lew.”

“I’m Molly.”

“How long have you lived here?”

“Five years.”

“Have the stairs always been like this?”
“Yep” she said as she opened her apartment door and walked inside without speaking another word.
Ever...

... middle of paper ...

... is you."
Calming down Molly replied, "Do you think so?"
Loraine continued, “Your spirit fills the room just as the paintings do. Haven't you noticed, you've captured the eye of everyone here?"
“It can't be!" Feeling vulnerable Molly started toward the door to leave.
Loraine called after her, "What's your name?"
Molly walked faster. Lew glimpsed Molly as she ran out the door. He tried to run after her, but he couldn't get away from the dean who was more than impressed with Lew’s work.
Later that night when Lew arrived home, Molly was gone. Over the next few days, Lew heard Molly come and go, but he didn’t look out his window. Two weeks had gone by when Molly knocked on his door with her basket in hand.
When Lew answered she asked, “Would you like to walk to the bridge with me this morning?”
Lew smiled from ear to ear, and answered, “It would be an honor.”