I am ready (or not)

Robert sat at the piano, tapping out a rough rendition of the Rondo from Mozart’s Emperor Concerto. He stopped in the middle of a measure –

“Are you ready yet, Alex? We don’t leave in the next sixty seconds, we’ll miss the movie.”

“Just one second,” he heard from the far bathroom. She must’ve been brushing her teeth, Robert thought – sounded like marbles in her mouth.

Robert went back to Mozart, but before he could get past the development section, Alex came out of the bedroom. Wearing a knee-length off-the-shoulder white dress with blue trim, she looked smashing. And he felt a jolt of electricity travel down his abdomen. Even the dog got excited, jumping up and down and barking.

“Told you I’d be ready in a second,” she said, sticking her tongue out at him. “Now let’s get going.”

April in Philadelphia had been unusually cold, so Robert got her mink stole from the closet. She put it on and fumbled in the pockets. “Just a moment. No Chapstick. Have to have Chapstick in this weather.”

Back to the bedroom she went – forty-five seconds later, back out. “Okay, all ready. But wait, Robert – that chocolate stain above your lips?”

He rubbed it out and then raised his hands. “Okay, all out!”

“No, Robert, you’ll have sticky fingers,” Alex said. “Go wash your hands.”

They went into the kitchen. Robert went over to the sink and Alex said. “Goodness, Robert, we forgot to feed Lucy. Let me put out her food …”

And three minutes later, they were ready again – and finally got to the door. It had started to rain. “Better get the umbrella,” Alex said.

“No way will we make it to the Ritz in time,” Robert said. “Let’s just stay home and watch Singin’ in the Rain.”