Coffee in Common

by Dee Mann

  Lisa had been nervous about the four of them sitting together around a table, but to their credit, her parents really made an effort to get to know Rob. So much so, she found herself being ignored as they told their stories and listened to Rob tell his.

  Only half hearing them, she thought about how close she'd come to breaking up with him and of his promise to spend the rest of his life making her happy if she'd let him.

  That was last Thursday and now, just three days later, she was really putting him to the test. A day with the parents. He hadn't even blinked when she mentioned it and even suggested driving down last night instead this morning.

  "Lisa!"

  Her father's voice broke through her reverie.

  "I'm sorry, daddy. I was thinking about something. What did you say?"

  "I asked you about Tony DiBennedetto. Rob said you talked with him Friday to set up some date for a friend of yours."

  Lisa told them about asking if Tony could find some space for her friends, and about his offer to let them use one of the private dining rooms. "He's such an old softy. I should have known he'd do something like that."

  When her mom started clearing the table, Lisa rose to help. Rob pushed his chair back and offered his assistance, but Elissa waved him back into this seat. "This time, you're a guest," she told him, then drew a laugh when she added, "Next time, you get to wash."

  As the women cleaned up, Chad and Rob continued to talk, or, more properly, Chad asked questions and Rob answered. After listening to almost five minutes of her father's terse, probing questions, Lisa thought he sounded like he was cross examining Rob. She was about to say something when Rob interrupted her father.

  "Excuse me, sir." He sounded quite serious. "Before we go any further, don't you think it would be a good idea if I were sworn in?"

  Lisa almost dropped the dish she was drying. She turned away so her father would not see her contorted face. She caught her mother's eye and saw that she, too, was trying not to laugh.

  For almost half a minute Chad stared at Rob, during which time he asked himself if he heard the boy correctly, decided he did, wondered if the boy was being funny or impertinent, caught his wife's struggles in his peripheral vision, decided it was the former, and broke into a broad smile. "Very good. Very good. Not many people can leave me speechless."

  That was all the encouragement the women needed as they let loose. Laughing all the way, they walked over to their men and wrapped their arms around them.

  The ice had been broken, Lisa knew, and when her father caught her eye, she thought she noticed the slightest glimmer of respect for Rob. It wasn't the open-armed, admiration she would have preferred, but it was a start. A good start.

  MONDAY, MAY 10

  6:45 AM

  "Who the heck is calling me at quarter-to-seven in the morning?" Jillian ran from the bathroom, dripping wet, to grab her cellphone. As much as she loved her job, she hated Monday mornings. She invariably kept hitting the snooze button on her alarm until she was late getting started, then had to rush through her shower and dressing so she wouldn't be late for work.

  Metro Magazine wouldn't have cared, but Jillian set standards for herself and one of them was to get to work on time. She tried to towel herself off as she moved. She was running late, it was her turn to get the coffee, and now a phone call would eat up more minutes. She'd be skipping a leisurely breakfast today for sure.

  One hand toweled her hair while the other flipped open the phone. Without even a glance at the display she barked, "Hello, who is this?"

  There was silence for a few seconds, then, "Uh, maybe I should call back later." She recognized the voice and immediately felt terrible.

  "Oh, Paul, I'm so sorry. Please, can we start again?"

  "I…ah…guess so." He didn't sound too sure.

  "Ring, ring," Jillian said brightly. "Hello?"

  Paul laughed. "Good morning. I was going to ask if you wanted to get breakfast, but from the way you answered before, either the world is about to end or you're running really late."

  "The world is not ending." She did her best to dry her legs and feet with one hand as she sat on the edge of her bed.

  "Well, if we can't have breakfast, may I at least ride to work with you?"

  "Yes! I'd like that very much!"

  "When will you be ready?"

  "Twenty minutes. I'll meet you downstairs in twenty minutes."

  Twenty-five minutes later, she walked through the front door of her building to find him leaning against the side in the exact spot they'd stood when they kissed goodnight Saturday morning.

  "It's still warm," he said with a grin.

  Jillian blushed, remembering the heat of their passion as he walked over and kissed her lightly on the lips. "What a great way to start the day."

  A shiver of pleasure flashed through her. She wondered for the twentieth time since meeting him if he ever said the wrong thing. It hadn't happened so far. Paul slipped his hand in hers and they strolled to the subway station.

  It took the train twenty minutes to travel the six stops from Fenway Station to Park Street. As they rode, he told her again how much he enjoyed meeting her sisters, and speculated on how much fun he would have escorting Jessie to the prom. He suggested meeting her for lunch, but she already had a lunch date.

  "Priya and Lisa! I'm not sure I like that idea."

  "Why not? Are you afraid I might learn something you don't want me to know about?"

  "Well, duh. Who knows what could happen when three women get together to talk about men. It can only mean trouble."

  Jillian laughed, but didn't deny it.

  The line at Coffey's was surprisingly short for a change and by five minutes before eight they'd placed their orders.

  Two minutes later, Barista Ralph set their coffees and eats on the counter and asked, "Will there be anything else today?"

  Paul squeezed Jillian's hand and they said simultaneously, "Whatever you're giving away for free."

  They burst out laughing, oblivious to the strange looks coming from Ralph and the other customers. This was the place, and that was the line that had brought them together the previous Wednesday morning, and they both knew it would be a joke they'd share for as long as they were together.

  8:07 AM

  Shandra and Marie fidgeted impatiently, anticipating Jillian's arrival.

  "Where have you been girl?" they demanded when she finally arrived. "We've been dying to hear about the big date. Hell, that's all everyone has been talking about. But now we don't have time. Cathy called the whole department into a meeting at 8:10."

  Inwardly, Jillian groaned. The arrival of the flowers last Thursday followed by Friday morning's drama pretty much ensured she'd have no peace today. Everyone would be asking her about Paul and the date and she still had a big ad to finish.

  They strolled down to the break/meeting room to find it packed with the other members of the group. Cathy was seated at the far end of the long table. When she saw them walk in, she said, "Great. Now we can get started.

  "We have two issues to cover today. The powers that be have decided it's time the magazine had a makeover and they want design ideas from us. But even more important than that is the need to resolve something I'm sure we've all been thinking about all weekend."

  She stared straight at Jillian, as did everyone else in the room.

  "First, we need to find out what happened on Jillian's date last Friday."

  12:50 PM

  "I was so embarrassed. Everyone was staring at me, waiting to hear the details."

  Jillian, Priya, and Lisa were seated around a small table in Coffey's enjoying lunch, which consisted of a cup of coffee each and a Cinnamon-Apple muffin and a toasted bagel with cream cheese, each split three ways.

  "How much did you tell them?" Lisa asked.

  "Well, I gave them a rundown of the evening, but nothing like what I just told you two."

  Priya snickered. "I hope not. I can see the pantyhose story being in
cluded in your company newsletter!" She paused for a few seconds then asked Jillian, "So, was I right?"

  Jillian knew exactly what she meant. "Oh yes! He is the most amazing kisser. If he's half as good horizontally as he is vertically, I'm not sure I'll be able to stand it! He had me so hot Friday night I'd have done him on the beach, in the limo, hell, in the bushes in front of my building if he'd asked me to. And I am so not that kind of girl."

  Lisa laughed. "Jillian, for the right guy we're all that kind of girl. Believe me, I know."

  It was Jillian's turn to laugh. "My yoga instructor said the same thing last Thursday after I told her about Paul. I guess you'd both be right if he'd accepted my invitation. And if you know, that means…"

  A chance glance out the front window caused a wide-eyed double-take. Both of her new friends turned to see what caught her attention, but there was only the usual stream of people walking by.

  "What was that about?" Lisa asked.

  "Nothing. I…I thought I recognized someone, but it couldn't be him."

  "Him? Anyone interesting? A high school sweetheart, maybe? Or some guy you had a hot one-night stand with?"

  "Just someone I knew at college."

  And thank God it wasn't him. He's the last thing I need now that I have Paul.

  "Now I want to know how you know that what you said is true."

  "Huh?"

  "That every girl is that kind of girl for the right guy."

  "Oh…right."

  Lisa was many things, but shy wasn't one of them. She spent the next ten minutes detailing the time she and a local rock star did it between some packing crates behind the stage during a concert at the old Boston Garden while his band-mates played on without him.

  "What can I say? I was eighteen and he was so gorgeous I would have done him in the middle of the stage if he'd insisted. You know how it is when you get so hot you just kind of lose control?"

  Jillian nodded as she and Priya, who just sat there smiling, shared a quick look.

  Lisa's eyes darted back and forth between her lunch companions as she asked, "Am I missing something?"

  Priya nodded slightly in answer to Jillian's raised eyebrows.

  "Priya's never been that kind of girl."

  Lisa stared in disbelief. "Do you mean never as in never ever?"

  Priya nodded and explained about her vow.

  "Wow! I never imagined a girl as pretty as you would still… I mean, I could never… I mean, I can't go two days without jumping Rob. Don't you ever get like, really horny or anything?"

  Priya laughed as her head bobbed. "Sure, all the time. But I have this friend who visits me when I take a bath." She held up her hand. "His name's lefty."

  Lisa nearly choked on her drink and Jillian turned bright red. That was not a subject she wanted to explore, especially in a public place.

  "I have more news," she announced. At that moment, the radio started playing Could I Have This Dance.

  "That's so strange. Before last Friday, I couldn't tell you the last time I heard this song. Probably years. But Paul and I danced to it Friday, and then Saturday, when I was shopping with my sisters, I was thinking about Paul and the song came on. And now here it is again, just as I'm about to tell you guys something about him."

  "That is a little weird…" Lisa was more interested in the gossip than strange coincidences. "…but what's the news?"

  "Paul's taking my sister to her prom this Friday."

  5:20 PM

  The prom was on Paul's mind as he put his computer into sleep mode, stacked the pages of the manuscript he was working on, and reached for the telephone. The receiver almost reached his ear when his cell phone rang. Replacing the handset, he flipped open the cell and smiled.

  "Hi, Jilli. I was about to call you. Had the phone in my hand and my finger poised over the number pad. Are you done for the day?"

  "Hi, Paul. Actually, no. It looks like a bunch of us will be stuck here for a few more hours at least. There's a development meeting tomorrow and we have to be ready to present the ideas we came up with today. I have a feeling we'll be here until ten or eleven tonight."

  "Well that stinks. Now I have to eat alone. I had visions of enjoying a succulent shrimp stir-fry and a salad with a nice bottle of wine for dinner and then savoring some very sweet lips for dessert."

  Jillian giggled. "Oh really? And where had you planned to find these lips?"

  "They come attached to this absolutely lovely face I found recently. But now I'll have to spend the night dreaming about them instead."

  She heard a sigh before he continued, his voice more serious. "You know, I have to call Jessie. I have to make sure my black tux is okay and find out what color her gown is so I can get the right flowers."

  "You own a tuxedo?"

  "Of course. Doesn't everyone?" When he didn't get an immediate response, he told her, "I bought it last year. I was going out with this girl Krista and we kept getting these invitations to society dinners and fundraisers and such. It was cheaper to buy one than to keep renting them. Fits better, too."

  "Well I'm impressed. I think I might like to see you all dressed to kill."

  "You will Friday. Aren't you and your sisters planning to be at your parent's house to help Jessie get ready?"

  It's uncanny the way he seems to know women.

  "Yes, of course we'll all be there. I‘m going to take a personal day Friday so I can head out there right after Thursday-night dinner."

  "Speaking of which, I hope you'll be setting the record straight with all those girls who still think of me as a worm."

  Jillian's sweet laugh tickled his ear.

  "That's right! Some of them don't know the truth about you and Priya. They still think the two of you are lovers."

  "Lovers? Given the way Marie all but took my head off last Friday morning, I expect they have a wide variety of more colorful words in mind."

  Jillian laughed. "You're probably right. So tell me, is she pretty?"

  "Huh?" Paul was confused by the abrupt segue. "Is who pretty?"

  "The girl you went out with last year. Krista."

  Paul covered the phone as he groaned. He'd broken the Cardinal Rule of new relationships. Never, ever, ever mention an old girlfriend. He'd been seduced into indiscretion by the ease of their relationship, by the incredible comfort he felt with her, and forgot that no matter what else she was, Jillian was still female.

  Damn, now she'll work on me for days, or weeks or months until she finds out everything about me and Krista. Damn! And Krista would give Priya a run for her money. And she was so smart and… Damn! Too bad she had that one big flaw…dumping me for that six-figure investment banker.

  "Would you like me to tell you about her?"

  Of course I want you to tell me about her. I want to know everything. Why did you like her? Why did she like you? Who chased who? Who dumped who? And why? Was she prettier than me? Did she kiss better than me? Did you sleep with her? Was she good?

  "Only if you really want to."

  Had she said yes, Paul would have told her everything she wanted to know right then on the phone. He'd learned from experience it was so much easier to fess up right away instead of enduring the poking and prodding at odd moments when you least expected it. And he knew she really wanted to hear it all, but probably thought it was too soon in their relationship for her to appear even remotely jealous. But she hadn't said yes. She'd been coy, and now Paul would have a little fun.

  "Oh. Well, if you feel that way." He paused for a few seconds. "I guess she's okay. Do you think Jessie would be home now?"

  It was Jillian's turn for a silent groan.

  Damn! Why didn't I just…but it's too late now. And now this Krista person will be bugging me all night.

  They chatted for a few minutes longer and said goodbye after she gave him her parent's phone number and promised to call him later.

  5:50 PM

  Jessie lay on her back across the patchwork quilt on her bed, her head and arms h
anging over one side, her feet over the other. The quilt had been a 16th birthday gift from her paternal grandmother, Gramma Florie. Jessie treasured it as much as she treasured the woman who made it.

  A relaxed, dreamy smile was the outside reflection of the happiness she felt. Paul's offer to escort her to her prom completely banished the blues that had plagued her since her breakup with the Dung Worm. She giggled out loud as she'd been doing each time Paul's name for him popped into her head.

  All she could think about since Saturday night had been Paul and the prom. He was so cute, so nice, so funny, so sweet, so everything! Her imagination had been running full tilt as she visualized the two of them at the prom, making their entrance and walking to their table as the other girls looked on in envy. She fantasized about him holding her close as they danced, what he'd feel like, what he'd smell like. She even dared to dream about him kissing her right in the middle of the dance floor where Ethan and everyone else could see how much he wanted her. She knew it would never really happen, but it was fun to imagine.

  Normally, she would have leapt to answer the phone when it rang, but thinking about Paul was far too enjoyable, so she didn't even open her eyes. Her mother would get it. Jessie was wondering how far she could carry her fantasies without starting to feel as if she were betraying Jillian when she heard her mother yell up the stairs for her to pick up the phone.

  It must be one of the girls. But why didn't she call my cell?