by Katy Kaylee
That was until Christina crossed my path. She made my heart go aflutter the moment I laid eyes on her in the elevator. It was as if there was a little light shining at the end of a dark tunnel. That light was just for me. Last I saw Christina she seemed sad and hurt. I definitely didn’t want to start there with our conversation. I knew a text message would probably freak her out a bit. Definitely didn’t want to come off as the creepy old guy stalker. I planned to call her around eight o’clock in the evening. I figured that would be the most ideal time since she probably wouldn’t be in bed yet or in between work/class.
To pass the time, I decided to go grocery shopping at Whole Foods and make a lemon pepper shrimp scampi. I always made just enough for myself and a little left over for Macon. Some days he’d pop up with an empty belly and bright eyes. I was concerned about my son. The worry lines on my forehead increased every time he walked out of my front door. Each time he looked thinner than before. I’d ask if he was doing okay. He’d nod and his head and swear to me that he was doing just fine. I had nothing to worry about.
As his dad, I was always worried every second of the day. One thing I knew about my son Macon was his wild and restless spirit. He lived life with a powerful impact each day. He wasn’t afraid of anything or anyone. I guess I was partially to blame for his brave spirit. Growing up without a mother made any man tough-skinned, even in the softest places. I didn’t try to get too deeply inside his head when he came over. I just made it known that if he ever needed to come home, he was always welcome. I left a key inside the third plant on the porch for him to come in late at night. When we would hug goodbye, I squeezed him just a little tighter and slipped a $100 inside his pocket. The next day he’d text me thanks. That was our thing. I just needed our thing to work for as long as possible. Macon would always be my kid.
After dinner was prepared, I sat down at the dining room table with a glass of red wine and ate. My dining room table was set for four people. I always ate alone inside my earth-sheltered home. When I told my clients or friends that I lived in an earth-sheltered home, they were always confused and concerned. It was not your typical home structure. However, it was possibly the most efficient way to deal with the current global crisis of the earth. I always told my friends that earth-sheltered homes use dirt, rock, and vegetation to protect the house from the elements. Such homes can offer significant advantages over conventional approaches when it comes to reducing heating/cooling costs and needs, indoor temperature variation, and durability. It remained unaffected by high winds and storms, including the notoriously wicked blizzards of a Wisconsin winter.
My friends thought I lived in a bat cave. I liked to think I was just preparing for the worst-case scenario. It wasn’t that easy to explain to my female romances, that was something I’d deal with later.
With my belly full, I jumped into the shower and prepared to unwind for the night. I climbed into bed and grabbed my notepad with Christina’s phone number. After a few practice trials, I dialed her number. Her phone rang twice, and she picked up on the third ring.
“Hello, this is Christina.”
“Hi Christina, it’s Nathan…Um, we met in the elevator at Skytop Restaurant last night,” I respond.
“Oh hi…How’d you get my number?”
“From the online dating site…I hope that doesn’t sound too weird.” I laughed nervously.
“Only slightly creepy. Let’s see how the rest of the conversation goes, shall we?” she replied evenly.
“Understood,” I affirmed. “How’s your day going?”
“It’s going great. Tonight’s dinner is an upgrade. Instead of Ramen chicken noodles, I could afford to buy the shrimp flavor.”
“I can definitely relate. I’m sure it tastes twice as delicious tonight than ordinary.
She laughs. “Yep, I would have to say so. Tell me about your day. Besides getting my number from a dating site.”
“Can I get some credit for going the extra mile? It’s not easy for me.”
“Hmm.. I’ll give you half a point for originality and effort. A whole point is for the first date.” Christina replied sarcastically.
“Oh, so I have a chance to take you out on a first date? I’m getting closer!”
“Down boy! You’re still on probation.” Christina joked.
“Fair enough. Well, may I say you were the most stunning woman I met last night. I would love to take you out for dinner sometime. If you will let me…”
Christina paused for a few seconds. I could hear her breathing through the phone. Her hesitation was common and understandable since she didn’t really know me or understand my motives. I waited patiently for her response. “Can I think about it for a bit?” she replied.
“Sure, you can take all the time you need. May I ask why the hesitation?”
She paused and released a deep breath. “I was stood up last night. I’m not really looking forward to that happening again anytime soon.”
I cleared my throat and adjusted my posture in the bed. I straightened my back and pulled back the covers from my feet. “I’m sorry that happened to you. Trust me, my date showed up, and it wasn’t fireworks like I expected. I’m certain there won’t be a date number two,” I confirmed.
“Ouch! That bad, huh? What went wrong? Did she pretend to be someone else instead of who you met on the site?” Christina questioned.
“I’ll spare you the gory details for now.”
“Good call,” Christina agreed. “Online dating is tricky, you have to be careful.”
“I would agree. That’s why when I saw you I knew I wanted to see your beautiful face again. There was just something about you that just caught my attention,” I confessed.
“Wow. No one has ever….that was sweet. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. I hate to sound like I’m begging. But, at the risk of embarrassing myself, I will ask you out again,” I admit.
Christina released a soft laugh through the phone. I could tell that she was warming up to me slowly. There was a special smile in the way her tone came through to the other end. Just the sound of her voice caused me to crack a smile like a teenage boy.
“You seem like a pretty cool guy. I’d be open to going out with you under one condition,” Christina stated.
“Name it!” I replied eagerly.
“I get to pick the location.”
“You got it, beautiful!”
Christina laughed, “ I like that.”
“What?”
“When you call me beautiful, it makes me smile.” Christina confessed.
“That’s all I want to ever do.”
“I would like that. Thank you,” Christina affirmed.
“Once you pick a location, I’d like to take you out on Friday night. If that works for you.”
“Sounds like a plan. I look forward to seeing you soon,” Christina confirmed.
“Likewise. Have a good night.”
By the time Friday rolled around, I was as giddy as a fifteen-year-old schoolboy. Christina had inspired me to enjoy life once more to feel comfortable and confident, stepping out of my normal routine. Every fiber of my being felt like it was on fire. I believed this part of me had died with my wife, Cynthia. I knew she would want me to love again. I knew she was somewhere in heaven smiling down on me that night.
Christina wanted to go to one of my favorite Italian restaurants in Milwaukee, The Starlight Room. It was a small intimate dining restaurant that served some of the most exquisite Italian food I’d ever tasted. The one thing that made the restaurant so exclusive and unique was the in house wine. Wine so fresh and delicious your taste buds would be jealous for days. In the back of my head, I didn’t want to overwhelm Christina with too much all at once. I knew if she was eating Raman noodles for dinner, she was on a limited budget. I was sure her circumstances would come up at some point. It just didn’t need to be a focal point of our evening. I offered to pick her up in my Chevy. But, she declined. I figured she was either embarrassed
or was concerned for her safety. I respected her decision and opted to meet her at the restaurant. Instead of meeting her on the inside, I waited out front with a bouquet of yellow tulips. I’d asked a few days prior to our date what her favorite color and flower was.
She wanted to know why I was curious. I just replied that it was a random question I wanted to know about her down the line. The night air was chilly and brisk for a late August night in Milwaukee. The summers were never too long up here. Over the years, I’d adapted to the weather and always prepared for the unpredictable. I stood patiently outside the restaurant as the sun began to set. Passersby complimented me on the flowers. Boyfriends and husbands tossed their head approvingly in my direction. I was anxious to see Christina. I wore my lucky black socks for good luck underneath my black slacks. I always favored the color blue against my olive skin tone.
I opted for a light blue polo shirt and rustic brown jacket to complete my look. I wanted to appear comfortable and modern at the same time. I knew onlookers would immediately question Christina’s and my relationship. So I wanted to appeal to her and make sure she was also comfortable.
Christina arrived in a red Ford Fusion—with a driver. She smiled at me brightly as soon as she recognized my face once more. Her beautiful blonde hair rested evenly on her shoulders as she stepped out of the back seat of the car. She’d obviously hired an Uber and I knew that had cost her dearly. She was keeping up appearances.
Crystal-studded earrings adorned her ears. I couldn’t take my eyes off her beautiful, curvy body. Her knee-length burgundy dress hugged her waist and accentuated her hips and short legs. She greeted me with a warm hug as her head was buried against my chest. I towered over her small frame as she wrapped her arms around my waist.
“These are for you,” I added, passing Christina the bouquet of flowers.
“These are beautiful, thank you, Nathan.” Christina cooed.
“You’re welcome. Let’s go inside and start our evening,” I stated.
Christina slid her hand into mine and followed my lead inside the restaurant. Just from her soft touch, my heart began to melt. Within a matter of minutes, we were seated at a table near the window. Christina quickly tossed a smile in my direction as her sparkling blue eyes pierced my heart. “You can’t smile at an old man like that….You make my heart race,” I joked.
Christina laughed and apologized. “My mistake.”
“Only jokes, I promise.”
“Good to know,” Christina replied, relieved. Our waiter soon appeared to take our order. He vaguely resembled my son, Macon. He was just a bit taller with more muscles. He introduced himself as Derrick, our waiter for the evening.
“Nice to meet you, Derrick, I’m Nathan. This is my date, Christina.”
Derrick smiled and bowed his head, respectively in each our direction. “What would you like to start off with tonight sir?”
I glanced over at Christina. “Whatever the lady wants is fine with me,” I replied.
“Excellent, sir,” Derrick retorted. “What would like to start to drink with this evening, Miss?”
Christina turned a bright shade of red and averted her eyes into the menu. “I’ll need a moment to think about it. If you don’t mind coming back in a few minutes?” she requested.
Derrick nodded his head and walked away.
“Do you drink wine?” I ask timidly.
Christina blinked her eyes a few times in my direction. I could tell she wanted my approval and feared embarrassment. I shrugged my shoulders lightly and reaffirmed that she should not to be nervous. “No pressure. We can start off with some sparkling water and work our way into the wine. What do you think?”
Christina cracked a smile. “Sounds like a plan.”
I nodded in her direction and leaned toward her across the table. “I want you to have a great time,” I whispered in her ear.
“So far, so good.” Christina replied with a smile.
I winked and returned to my menu. Within a matter of minutes, Derrick returned to take our orders. Christina ordered the creamy Tuscan garlic chicken and I had the Tuscan sausage pasta. As soon as Derrick left I memorized how beautiful Christina was once more. Her lightly scented floral perfume wafted by my nose. I imagined myself kissing her pouty moist lips softly under the moonlight. I knew I could fall deeply into the wonderful blue sea of her dazzling eyes. A tiny arch in her back caused her round perky breasts to push out through her dress. Each nipple was more supple than its twin. The delicate smoothness of her skin reminded me of white sandy beaches. Her dainty hands and feminine energy aroused all of my senses. She was absolutely perfect in my eyes. I watched her meticulously hold her hands as she scanned the room around us. Her manicured nails captured my eye as I wondered how long it took for her to prepare for tonight. We were surrounded by love in various stages. The dim lighting and the flickering candle on the table set the tone for a romantic evening of falling madly in love. “Christina, you look beautiful tonight,” I stated in between breaths.
“Thank you,” she blushed. “You look quite handsome, too.”
“Well, I had some help…” I joked.
Christina leaned forward and folded one arm on the table and the other underneath her chin. Her eyes opened just a bit wider with anticipation as she pursed her lips in my direction. I could tell by the shift in her body language that I had her full attention. “There’s this thing called Google. Have you heard of it?”
Christina laughed and kissed the back of her chair with her backside. I watched as an eruption of laughter caused her body to quiver. She swept an untamed loose hair strand behind her right ear and looked back at me. “Good one. Are you always this funny or just on first dates?” I chuckled a bit and ran my fingers nervously through my mane. I leaned into the table so that my voice would not project.
“Depends. If I’m feeling comfortable with my company, my fun side sneaks out occasionally.”
Happy, Christina leaned forward in her chair and slowly bit down on her bottom lip. She looked up at me and smiled with her eyes. “As long as you’re enjoying my company, that’s all that matters to me,” she said lightly. She picked up her glass of sparkling water and took a sip. I followed her lead and sipped slowly from my glass of sparkling water. I watched intensely as her mouth progressed the glass and her hands held the glass carefully. Her every move was angelic and decadent.
“Did you grow up in Milwaukee? “ I asked, breaking the momentary silence.
Christina placed her glass onto the table and said, “I’m from a small town outside of the city called River Hills. It’s in South Milwaukee. I moved into the city a few years ago to go to college.”
“Oh, yeah! I believe I’ve heard of River Hills before. Which college did you attend?
Christina was smart. “I went to the University of Milwaukee. Cheesy and predictable, I know, right?”
“Not quite. Maybe it was the best choice for you at the time. No judgment,” I affirmed.
“Tell that to my parents. They practically brainwashed me into attending the university from the time I could talk.”
I laughed. “It’s true. My parents are your typical all American family when it comes to education and planning for the future. Makes me want to puke, I swear.” Christina begrudged.
“I know the feeling all too well. I wish my son had half the guts you did to attend college. He dropped out and cost me money. It’s tough, trust me,” I admit.
Christina furrowed her brow. “So you have a son….Hmmm. How old are you by the way?”
I removed my foot from my mouth and stared back into her perplexed expression. With a deep breath, I responded to her question. “Forty-four.”
“Oh,” she says, alarmed.
“Is that…is that a problem?”
She paused and shifted a bit in her seat. Christina began to avert her eyes and stared out of the window. She began to tap her foot beneath the table. Her nerves were apparently a bit taken aback from my news. I gave her a moment to pr
ocess everything.
“So…you’re like old….old?” Christina joked.
I sipped my sparkling water once more. I nodded my head and said, “ Um, yeah I guess you could say that.”
“I’m sorry. I’m not trying to offend you. I’ve never dated someone much older than me.” Christina explained.
“I understand. Not offended at all.”
“It’s not a problem with me,” she added.
“Good because I’d really like a chance at winning your heart.”
Christina reached her hand across the table. I met her hand in the middle of the table. Our fingers intertwined as our eyes met. Christina whispered, “You have my word.”
I squeezed her hand and smiled back. Within that moment I knew the date was going to be great.
Our dinner soon arrived and we began to exchange more need to know information with each other. As the night progressed, Christina sipped slowly on a glass of red wine. She shared with me her passion and desire to travel abroad. She’d always imagined living in a tiny house in Sweden surrounded by plush farmland and friendly blue skies. Christina loved old film noir, especially Mitchum and her food weakness hit her when she was stressed; she ate cookies. She collected cookie recipes, as though that somehow legitimized her obsession with them. Fresh out of college with a degree in psychology she dreamed of a career working with children. I found it charming and uniquely beautiful that her favorite time of the year was Christmas. Her eyes lit up brighter than a Christmas tree in New York when she shared that all of the decorations and singing warmed her heart. But, more than anything Christmas was the one time of the year children all over the world had their dreams realized on Christmas morning. It was so natural for her to open up to me. I could tell by her third sip of the red wine that she was starting to let some of her walls down.
