by Gail Sattler
Her lips tightened, but she didn’t say anything. Now more than before, he considered it a mark in his favor to have obtained her cell number so easily.
She pulled into the parking lot. Mike couldn’t help but smile when she parked in a spot far away from the rest of the other cars. He always did the same thing to preserve the pristine paint on his car’s doors for as long as he could.
She handed him the keys, and he pushed the button for the alarm.
“I can see why you alarm your house, but your car?”
“It’s better to be safe than sorry.”
He guided her up the steps and escorted her inside his favorite bistro where a table was waiting despite the lineup.
“You made a reservation?”
He shrugged his shoulders and patted the cell phone hanging on his belt. “They know me here.”
Unlike the last time they had dinner together, Mike didn’t complain about a single thing, even in jest. This time he didn’t have the pressure of going to an AA meeting hanging over his head. Also, he wanted to make it up to Patty for being so difficult the last time they were together, because he usually wasn’t so hard to get along with, nor did he usually complain so much. His behavior embarrassed him, and he wanted to make it right.
When the waiter asked what they wanted to drink before he took their order for their meals, his usual drink order nearly slipped out of his mouth before he thought about it, it had become so ingrained in his routine. Patty ordered coffee, and before he had a chance to speak, asked him in front of the waiter if he wanted a coffee as well, sparing him the awkward moment.
The warm coffee didn’t feel right, so he pushed it aside and concentrated on entertaining Patty. Today she was there as his date, and he treated her as such.
When their meals came, he hesitated when Patty stopped to pray before they ate. This time was different than when they were at Sir Henry’s, because the restaurant was crowded. However, either because of the crowd, or out of consideration for him, she made her prayer quick and to the point, and it was over so fast he barely noticed.
He had to admire her. It was important to her to say grace before each meal, even in public, and she was sticking to that. She had not backed down even though she knew he really didn’t want to pray. Despite the possibility of his protests, she had done what she considered the right thing, which was to thank God for the meal, not caring that people might stare at them in a public place.
As the evening progressed, it wasn’t difficult to make Patty smile. It was important to him that she enjoy herself, and it was easy to get her to do so. Her face was an open book. In the same way he could tell when she was annoyed with him or nervous in an unfamiliar situation, he could also see that she was enjoying herself now, and he was encouraged. He very carefully steered the conversation away from his troubles and anything that might be considered business or to do with church, and simply had a good time.
Mike was extremely pleased when she didn’t argue with him about the bill, which was the smallest he could remember, because there was no alcohol consumed with the meal.
He left his credit card on the tray with the bill and turned to Patty while the waiter completed the transaction. “You’re certainly a cheap date. We’re going to have to do this more often.”
Instead of an answer, Patty held her palm to her mouth and yawned, and then her face turned red. “I’m so sorry! I’m really tired after running around all day, and all this good food is putting me to sleep. I have to get up early for church in the morning. We should be going.”
Her response didn’t do wonders for his ego, but Mike chose to conclude that since she hadn’t given him a negative response, they would indeed do this again.
When she pulled his car into the driveway, instead of turning it off, she started searching under the seat and behind the visor.
“What are you doing?” he asked.
“I’m looking for your garage door opener. I assume you’re going to want to keep your car in the garage rather than the driveway for the next few months.”
He hadn’t really thought about it. “Actually, the battery was dead, so it’s in the house. I’m sure the limits of not driving don’t include moving the car from the driveway into the garage. After all, it’s on my own property. Don’t worry about it.”
They both exited the car, and Mike waited for Patty to come around to his side.
“Can I use your phone book?” she asked.
“Sure. What for?”
“I have to call a cab so I can go home.”
Mike stopped in his tracks, and Patty also stopped walking.
“No. Don’t do that.” He glanced at his car then back to Patty. “Take my car.”
“Take your car? But …” Her voice trailed off. “I can’t do that.”
“Why not? I’m obviously not going to be using it.”
“You trust me with your car?”
“You’re a good driver. Take it.”
“I can’t.”
“I already said you can. You’ve got to get home.”
She looked back and forth between him and the car. “How do you know I won’t abuse it, or drive carelessly, or sell it and take off with the money or something?”
Mike laughed. “Just by saying those things, you’ve proved that you wouldn’t.”
“But you barely know me.”
His mouth opened, but no words came out. It was true—he didn’t know her all that well in some ways, but in others, he knew her better than she thought. Dozens of Patty’s finer qualities ran through his head as he considered what he could tell her that he already knew about her.
She was kind, yet firm. She’d gone out of her way to be helpful, but at the same time knew where to draw the line. He thought she had a great sense of humor, although at times she bordered on sarcasm, but her sharp wit only proved her intelligence. Her sense of right and wrong was as solid as black and white. He even admired her for her unwavering Christianity, which, by itself, said a lot about her. She was a good leader, although she tended to be bossy, but by being so, she also displayed confidence and a great strength of character, which she would need. After all, he knew how headstrong he could be, and that was what she was up against.
He liked her, and he liked her a lot. He couldn’t think of a single thing to say that wouldn’t sound sappy, so he stuck with “I trust you.”
Instead of the fast comeback he expected, she stood before him with her mouth hanging open. Her confusion only magnified her sweetness.
He wanted to kiss her.
“Well, I guess I should go home. Good night, Mike.” She jingled his keys in her hand.
Before she turned around, Mike glanced at his car, then back to Patty. “This is so backwards. I’m supposed to be the one to say good night and drive away.”
She shrugged her shoulders. “Life seldom goes the way we think it will.”
Mike stepped closer. “Thanks for picking up my car. More than that, I really enjoyed being with you tonight.” He’d enjoyed himself more than he had in a long time. They’d discussed nothing important, only relaxed in each other’s company, enjoying the moment exactly as it was—simply spending time together. He wondered if this was what it was like to really fall in love.
Patty smiled, sending a warmth through his heart. “Yes, it was nice.”
He was hoping for a better summary than nice, but Mike decided to take what he could get. “May I kiss you good night?”
“Sure.”
Before he could move closer to embrace her and kiss her properly, she turned her head all the way to the side, tilted up her chin, and tapped her index finger to her cheek.
Mike smiled. If she wanted to play games, that was fine with him. He was good at playing games.
Instead of a quick peck on the cheek, he nuzzled his face into her hair, inhaled the apple fragrance of her shampoo, and smiled as he nibbled and kissed her ear. Very slowly and gently, he rested his hands on her shoulders and moved his mouth t
o her cheek, brushing gentle kisses closer and slower as he worked his way to her mouth. Gently, he brushed the underside of her chin with one finger, then two, until he was ready to turn her face toward his and kiss her fully.
Just as he was about to claim her mouth, she stepped back, breaking contact except for one hand remaining on her shoulder, preventing him from doing what he wanted.
“Watch it. I know karate. I took a women’s self-defense course. Of course, I could always call my brother on his cell phone and tell him to come and beat you up.”
Mike let his hand drop from her shoulder. “Beat me up? But …” He couldn’t imagine anyone asking such a thing of a probation officer, whose job held very rigid restrictions against violence and using unnecessary force. Unless she was speaking of Bruce in the capacity of a big brother, protecting his little sister from unwanted advances. “Not funny,” he muttered.
“I didn’t mean it to be funny. Good night, Mike.”
Mike watched the taillights of his car disappear in the distance. Patty Norbert won this round, but he’d win the next.
Chapter 5
Patricia sighed as she hung up the phone. In the back of her mind, she had hoped that Mike would have shown up at church yesterday, but he hadn’t. She didn’t want to miss him, but she did.
She buried her face in her hands. She’d almost melted in his arms the last time they’d been together. She thought she was being so smart, offering only her cheek when she knew he wanted more, but he had quickly turned that situation to his favor. She’d given him an inch, and he’d taken a mile. The trouble was, his actions had heightened all her senses. For the moment, she really had wanted him to kiss her.
She wished she knew what had been going through Mike’s head. It seemed her inexperience with men was inversely proportional to his experience with women.
Michael Flannigan, Jr., was dangerous.
If it was anyone else, she would simply refuse to see him again, and that would be the end of it. But she couldn’t. She had his car.
She had underestimated him.
It would never happen again.
The phone rang again, bringing her attention back to where it should have been in the first place, away from Mike and back to her job, which was the administration of serving God’s people.
After successfully dealing with a parent who insisted that her child was too developed for the toddler class, and kept insisting the three year old be moved into the grade one class, Patricia needed a break.
Today was a day that demanded an early lunch break. Nothing would soothe her nerves more than the friendly little squirrel at the park bench, who hopefully had missed her handouts all weekend.
Patricia gathered a few slices of bread along with her sandwich and went outside.
Sure enough, the little brown squirrel appeared not long after she sat down. Just like every day, she leaned over, holding a small piece of bread gently in her fingers, encouraging the little creature to take it from her hand. When he finally approached and took it, Patricia slowly sat back on the bench, picked another morsel of bread out of the bag, and waited for it to finish the treat, all ready to give it the next one.
“Hi, Patty. Mind if I join you?”
Patricia screeched, and the bread flew out of her fingers. The squirrel fled.
“Oops. Did I startle you? Sorry.”
Patricia pressed her palm to her pounding heart. “Mike! What are you doing here?”
He shuffled beside her on the bench. “I was just in the neighborhood and thought I’d stop by. It wasn’t like I had anything better to do.”
She wasn’t sure if she was supposed to feel complimented, so she said nothing.
“Cute little chipmunk. I guess I scared it away.”
“It’s a squirrel. Chipmunks have a stripe down their backs, and their tails are short. A squirrel has a long bushy tail, and they come in all colors.”
“I knew that.” He grinned. “I was just teasing you. Can I feed him with you?”
“I’m not sure he’ll come back, but if he does, you’re welcome to try. He’s still really shy about taking the bread out of my hand, but we’re working on it.”
They both sat back on the bench, talking quietly about nothing in particular while they waited for the squirrel to return. After awhile, it didn’t, so Mike leaned back, crossed his ankles, clasped his hands together over his stomach, and generally made himself comfortable. The breeze ruffled his hair, and he closed his eyes and sighed contentedly. Just looking at him made her think how much he must have needed this stress break. It was the same reason she enjoyed taking her lunch outside with the squirrel.
“How did you get here?” she asked.
He didn’t open his eyes. “I rode my bike. For two reasons. First, I cashed in my membership at the gym to save money, then I thought I’d get some exercise. And I missed you.” He opened one eye and smiled. Patricia’s breath caught. “I guess that’s really three reasons, and they weren’t in the right order.”
She didn’t want him to miss her.
“I see my car in the parking lot. I’m glad you’re using it.”
“Uh … yes …” She felt her cheeks heat up. It was a rare treat to drive such a car, because she would never be able to afford such a machine, even if she ever had an inclination to own a car like that. She also wanted to drive it when no one she knew would see her with it, so she figured that taking it to work and back on Monday would get it out of her system.
“Claude called me this morning. He said that special group is starting tonight, and we’ll be meeting at his house. I called Bruce, and he’s going to come with me to the first few meetings. So I won’t be able to see you tonight.”
Patricia wondered why he was telling her this, because even if she had plans for the evening, they wouldn’t have been with Mike. But still, part of her wanted to know what he was doing, strictly because she was concerned for him as one of Bruce’s cases, of course.
He checked his watch. “I think your lunch break is over, it’s time for you to get back inside. I’ll phone you or something.”
To Patricia’s shock, he simply stood and walked away. As she gathered up her lunch containers, out of the corner of her eye, she watched him mount a mountain bike that had been set near the side wall and ride off.
Patricia sighed as she sat down at her desk and pulled out the notes her father had made from the budget meeting. It was going to be a long day.
Patricia leaned forward on the park bench, her hand outstretched. Just as the day before, the little brown squirrel approached slowly. She loved it when it took the bread from her fingers, and now she would have to handle the little creature with patience, until the day it wouldn’t run too far away to eat the treats she gave it. One day she hoped she would be able to take a picture of it from close range while it was eating.
When it was mere inches away, it froze.
“Hi, Patty. Mind if I join you?”
Patty screeched, the bread once again flew from her fingers, and the squirrel darted away.
She leaned her elbows on her knees and buried her face in her hands. “Hi, Mike.”
“Are you trying to feed that chipmunk again? Do you feed that thing every day?”
“It’s a squirrel, and yes, I do feed it every day. I’ve been working very hard to get it to take the bread from my fingers.”
“Oops. Sorry.”
She straightened and took a sip of her juice as he slid beside her on the bench. “How did the meeting go yesterday?”
His whole body stiffened. “I don’t know how to describe it. At first, it was a kind of a get-to-know-you thing. By the end we’re supposed to be pouring our guts out to each other, so we can’t be total strangers. Claude opened with a prayer, which was okay, I guess, and then we went over AA’s first step, which is ‘We admitted we were powerless over alcohol and that our lives had become unmanageable.’ It was so strange. We could all relate to each other, and we all could admit that. But it was diff
erent to actually say it out loud. Know what I mean?”
Patricia nodded. “Confession is good for the soul. There is tremendous value in verbalizing your feelings to solidify your position in a difficult situation.”
He blinked and stared at her. “Okay… .”
Her cheeks burned. She hadn’t meant to turn into counselor mode. That was Bruce and Claude’s responsibility. “Sorry. I sometimes get carried away. There’s an old saying that confession is good for the soul.”
“What was really different was praying about it. Thinking about it is one thing. Telling someone else is another. But to close my eyes and talk to God about it, well, it’s something I’ve never done before.”
She laid one hand on his forearm as she spoke. “You can talk to God about anything, Mike. The best part is, He’s always there to listen.”
“I guess. Hey! Look. Your chipmunk is back.”
Very slowly, Patricia bent at the waist and held out the piece of bread. The little squirrel took the morsel and scampered a safe distance away. They sat in silence watching it eat. When the critter was done, instead of approaching for more, it scampered off into the bush.
“So, what are you doing tonight?”
“This is Tuesday. Every Tuesday I go to a Bible study meeting. Want to come?” She forced herself to smile, but inside, her heart pounded, and she nearly broke out into a cold sweat. She wanted him to come. She would have preferred to talk to him about God one-on-one, but she also knew that he would benefit from a group situation with other believers. Mike believed in God, but at the time, he had been more than a little sarcastic as she told him about God’s love for His children. She didn’t know how much he participated in the prayer, but he did say he talked to God, which was encouraging.
“I don’t think so. I’m not really into that kind of thing.”
She tried to hide her disappointment but knew she wasn’t doing a very good job when he leaned forward and grasped her hands within his. “Is it important to you that I go?”
