Reader in the Park

by Rachel Maldonado

  Without saying a word, Nikki leaned in close to Anna and placed a soft kiss upon her moist, tender lips. Anna, taken by surprise, closed her eyes and allowed for Nikki to kiss her, then slowly began to kiss her back. Nikki pulled away for a moment. “It is special,” she whispered. “It really is.” Then she kissed her once more.

  Anna stopped, pulled away slowly, then nervously said, “I think I better go get dressed.” She suddenly felt awkward to be kissing on the front porch in her bathrobe. Being half dressed made her feel as if she wanted to take things further, but she didn't want to overstep her boundaries. After all, it was only a first date.

  “I'll order a pie.” Nikki pulled out her cellphone from her purse and called the nearest Tony's Pizzeria.

  Anna walked toward her bedroom, she could hear Nikki placing her order as she grabbed her clothes and began to get dressed.

  “I want a large pepperoni pizza with extra cheese. Can you add some packets of Parmesan cheese and red peppers? Eighteen fifty-eight? No, I don't want to give my card over the phone. I'll pay the driver when he gets here. 66 Hammon Boulevard. Twenty minutes? Okay, thanks.”

  Anna grinned. Maybe their first date wasn't such a horrible experience. She did get Nikki to come over. She looked stunning in her red dress and red heels. And even though it wasn't the way she had planned it, they did get to dine on pizza, sip on wine, and talk. They talked late into the night. The conversation started off smooth enough once they settled in and got comfortable on the sofas with dinner.

  “I feel over dressed,” laughed Nikki as she took a bite of her pizza and a sip of white wine.

  “You look so gorgeous though. I'm not sure what I was expecting you to wear, but it was a surprise to see you walk through the door dressed in that.”

  Nikki giggled as she chewed. She swallowed her bite of pizza before responding, “And just what should I have worn? You did say it was a dinner date.”

  “I don't know. I guess I thought you'd be in something casual like jeans and a blouse. It's what I'm in.”

  “What might you have worn if we had gone out?” questioned Nikki. She took another bite of her pizza slice and grinned as the cheese stretched from her pizza to her mouth, then pulled it off the pizza with her fingers and shoved the cheese string in her mouth. She started to sip on her wine to wash down her food.

  Anna was sitting on the carpet in front of the coffee table while Nikki sat on the couch across from her.

  “I'd wear what you have on. A red dress with red heels,” laughed Anna. “I have that same outfit as a matter of fact.”

  “You do not!” laughed Nikki, nearly spitting out her wine.

  “Okay, I don't. But do you really want to know what I'd wear? You'll laugh if I tell you.”

  “Yes, what would you wear? I promise I won't laugh.”

  “Have you ever seen the movie Flashdance?”

  “Of course. Who hasn't? I think it's like a lesbian right of passage to have seen that movie especially since Jennifer Beals stars in The L Word. She has a large lesbian following. Why do you ask?”

  Anna giggled. “I have her tuxedo outfit.”

  Nikki stopped chewing. “The one she wore in the movie?”

  Anna nodded. “Yes, I bought it at an auction.”

  Nikki shook her head. “No way. I don't believe you. Let's see it.”

  Anna wiped her greasy hands with a napkin, then went to wash her hands in the kitchen sink. She returned with a dish towel in hand as she was still drying her hands.

  “I'll prove it. I'm going to go get it right now.”

  Nikki wasn't sure if she should believe Anna or not. But Anna did seem to be sincere. Why would she lie about it? And if she didn't own the outfit, what would she bring out instead? She was waiting on pins and needles with anticipation.

  After a few minutes, Anna stepped into the living room wearing the exact same outfit that Jennifer Beals wore during the dinner scene in the movie Flashdance!

  Nikki's tongue nearly rolled out of her mouth and hit the floor. “Wow! You really weren't kidding!”

  Anna removed her tuxedo jacket to reveal the backless shirt underneath it. Nikki nervously gulped down hard with her eyes open wide. She accidentally spilled some of her wine onto the floor as her wine goblet gently tipped over in her relaxed hand.

  “Oh, dear! I'm so sorry!” she shouted. “I can't believe I did that.” She grabbed some napkins and began to dab the floor.

  Anna was beaming. She was glad that the tables had turned. She no longer felt as though she was the awkward clumsy date with two left feet. Now it was Nikki who was falling all over herself. “Here let me help you with that,” said Anna, grabbing extra napkins to help.

  Nikki couldn't help but look down at Anna's blouse. Anna's breasts were practically bulging out the sides of the white tuxedo shirt. It was primarily a shirt front and nothing more with the sides and back exposed.

  Anna glanced up at the same moment that Nikki was checking her out and grinned. “I take it that you like my outfit?”

  Nikki stammered. “Wha—What? Oh, yes. Very much so. It looks great on you.”

  “Better than it did on Jennifer Beals?”

  Nikki cleared her throat, then averted her eyes from Anna's chest making sure to turn her attention to the hardwood floor as she cleaned up the last of her wine spill. “Yes, much better.”

  “You're very sweet,” whispered Anna as she kissed Nikki. Nikki felt her anxiety diminish as quickly as it had appeared. All at once she felt as though she melted onto the hardwood floor as Anna kissed her.

  “Maybe you better change back into your jeans,” offered Nikki as she was left breathless.

  Anna giggled. “Why? Do I make you nervous?”

  “Just a tad,” remarked Nikki, holding her right thumb and pointer finger up about an inch apart.

  “Okay, but only because I don't want to get my tuxedo outfit full of pizza grease. If it were up to me, I'd keep it on just so I could watch you squirm.”

  Nikki smirked. “Really? Like I didn't watch you squirm when I walked up wearing this dress?”

  Anna laughed. “Okay, you got me. I guess we're even.”

  Anna left the room to change clothes and reemerged from the bedroom in the jeans and blouse she'd been wearing at the start of the evening.

  Nikki was sitting on the sofa grinning. “It's been a pleasure. It's been an amazing first date.”

  Anna laughed. “Really? With me running around in a bathrobe and nearly burning the house down?”

  Nikki nodded. “Yes, really. But I really have to get going. It's getting late, and I promised to have breakfast with my grandparents tomorrow. Would you like to meet me in the park for lunch? I'll bring my book.”

  Anna grinned. “I'd like that. Same spot tomorrow around noon?”

  “Sounds good. I'll be there.” Nikki rose from the sofa and walked toward the door. She kissed Anna on the lips one last time before she exited. Anna stood at the door and watched her drive away into the night. She closed her eyes and sighed. It had only been one date, and she was already feeling butterflies.

  Chapter Three

  That night Anna tossed and turned. She had trouble falling asleep. She couldn't stop thinking about Nikki and their night together. When she finally started to drift off to sleep she began to have a nightmare. In her dream she was in a panic and driving along the side of a hill. The posted signs read SLOW DOWN and 15MPH. At some points the signs read 10MPH. She was anxious and frustrated. She was desperately trying to get down the hill, but knew that the posted signs were meant for her safety and for the safety of others. She took deep breaths as she slowed her vehicle. She felt herself becoming impatient. She just needed to get back onto the main highway. Why did she have to be surrounded by so many hills and twists and turns? She had thought it to be so beautiful a location. There were trees everywhere and the wildlife was plentiful. It was much more peaceful than the bright lights and noisy city where she had once lived. But now that she was in a
hurry to get somewhere, she wished she was speeding down the I-10 freeway instead of driving at a snail's pace down a winding road.

  Just as Anna nearly reached the bottom of the hill, making a final turn down the last corner on the road and near the last slope, she awoke with her sheets drenched in sweat.

  She got out of bed, walked to the kitchen for a drink of water, then wound up falling asleep on the sofa.

  When she was sound asleep, she began to dream again. It seemed to be a continuation of the same dream. She was in a car driving along the side of a hill. The road was winding and the oncoming traffic was endless. She tries to slow down at every turn, but she quickly realizes that her brakes aren't working!

  “I can't stop!” she cries. “I can't slow down!”

  Anna begins to pump the brakes, but it's useless. The car begins to pick up speed. The next turn is coming up on a downhill slope. She is near the bottom of the hill, but not quite! She tries in vain to turn the wheel, but she's going much too fast! Like a scene from the movie Thelma & Louise, she flies off the side of a cliff in her dark blue sedan. Just as the car angles downward and she sees the tops of the trees below her, she awakens and jumps up kicking over her glass of water that she'd set on the coffee table.

  Anna is breathing heavily and clutches her right hand to her heart as it pounds loudly in her chest like a drummer beating a drum in a parade. She wonders, Why do I keep having nightmares? What do my dreams signify, if anything at all? She goes back into the kitchen to retrieve a dish towel, then returns to clean up her water spill mess.

  After clean up, she turns down the air conditioner, then grabs her knit throw blanket off the back of the sofa and jumps back on the couch after glancing at the digital clock. 3:30 AM.

  Anna sighs, then finally falls back to sleep. Luckily, no more bad dreams that night.

  Chapter Four

  The following day Anna was anxious to meet Nikki in the park. They really hadn't discussed whether they would purchase food from a vendor or go out to eat at a restaurant, so Anna took it upon herself to pack a picnic. She pulled out her picnic basket from the kitchen pantry and added grapes, strawberries, cheese, crackers, bread, and salami. As she stood in her kitchen she wondered if Nikki liked salami. Unsure as to if Nikki would like salami sandwiches, she walked back to the refrigerator and also grabbed a package of ham, then added some cold beverages. Even though she had a nice picnic date planned, she still couldn't shake the nightmares of the night before. Why had she been having those dreams?

  Anna couldn't stop thinking about her nightmare as she drove to the park, but as her anticipation and excitement of seeing Nikki again grew, she quickly shook the memory from her mind. She set down her blanket in the grass near a large tree stump, then set her picnic basket atop of the tree stump and sat down on the blanket nervously anticipating Nikki's arrival. She felt anxious, but all of those jitters immediately dissipated when she saw Nikki walking toward her with a wide grin across her face.

  “Hi,” she said smiling. She had a glow about her. Her eyes seemed to light up, the same way her smile did. Anna felt as if Nikki's eyes and smile could surely light up any room just as they were starting to bring a warmth and light to her life.

  Anna felt her heart skip a beat. She stood up to greet Nikki. “Hi. I packed a picnic for us.”

  “I see that. Now look who's here early this time?” Nikki smirked as she sat down on the blanket. Anna plopped back down to sit beside Nikki.

  Anna smiled, looked down at the ground bashfully, before looking up once more to meet Nikki's eyes. “I was hoping for a second chance at a first date.”

  Nikki giggled. “Another first date? Just how many first dates are we going to have?”

  Anna laughed. “How about as many as it takes until I can finally do something right.”

  This time Nikki burst into laughter. “I wouldn't necessarily say that you did anything wrong. I love the fact that you tried so hard to cook for me. It wasn't a bad experience at all. I'd say it was...” She paused for a second as she searched for her word. “...memorable.”

  “Memorable? Is that good or bad? Bad experiences can be memorable too you know?”

  Nikki laughed. “I'm here for a second first date, aren't I?”

  Anna felt her face flush with heat as she blushed. “And I appreciate that. This could be a regular thing for us, I think.”

  “What's that?” asked Nikki curiously. “Having several first and second dates?”

  Anna shook her head and blushed once more. “No, silly. I was thinking reading and picnics in the park could be a thing for us.”

  “Are we talking about every single date now? Because I might have to reconsider this whole dating idea,” said Nikki laughing.

  “No, not every...” Anna's voice was cut short as Nikki interrupted.

  “I'm just messing with you! I know it wouldn't be every single date. But I do love the idea of reading in the park with you and sharing time together on a romantic picnic.”

  Nikki brought out her copy of Lakeville and showed it to Anna. “I remembered to bring my book.”

  Anna nodded as she grabbed the picnic basket off the tree stump and set it in between them. “I see. I saw it when you first walked up. Where did we leave off?”

  Nikki grinned playfully. “I knew you weren't paying attention. You were too busy trying to ask other questions.”

  Anna laughed. “I was too paying attention....to you, and to the book, and to your smile, and especially to your laugh when there was something funny. I pay attention to everything.”

  Nikki was about to open her book to the page that was bookmarked, but as an after thought, placed the book in her lap. “Uh huh. So what happened last in the book that you remember?” She continued to hold the book firmly in both hands as it was upon her lap.

  “The woman and her kids were checking out the house in Lakeville and they had already met Sheriff Lee. There was some type of family issue going on with the caregiver of the house.”

  Nikki's eyes lit up. “I see. So you were paying attention.”

  Anna flashed a bright smile, then winked. “But of course.”

  Nikki began to read the story of Lakeville as Anna began to prepare cheese and crackers and made a couple of sandwiches. Every now and then Nikki took a bite of a strawberry or a grape as she read or sipped on some water to prepare for the next few pages.

  Anna found herself lost in her words. It was no longer necessary to search for questions or try to distract Nikki. She found that the more Nikki read to her, the more she could see and hear the joy and wonderment in her voice and eyes as she read. It was as if the pages were coming alive as she was reading them. She could picture the story unfolding in her mind as if she was watching a movie on television. But what made it all the more meaningful was that it was Nikki's words that were telling the story.

  Nikki paused for a moment when she felt Anna's eyes upon her. Anna was smiling as she listened to the words, but it was more than just watching Nikki read and turn the pages, it was a connection. She too had a love of books and reading, but her issues with dyslexia had often kept her from reading too much when she was young. As she grew older, she found that she loved audio books. Anna had listened to hundreds of audio books. There were different voices and various different ages of people that were reading the books. But right now, at this very moment, there was nothing more beautiful than the sound of Nikki's voice as she read to her.

  “What are you staring at?” asked Nikki grinning.

  Anna's eyes glistened as they filled with tears. She shook her head. “It's nothing.”

  “I want to know. What is it? You were looking at me with a certain expression.”

  “What expression?”

  “It's hard to say. But it was more like you could see me.”

  Anna grinned. “I can see you. You're sitting right there.”

  Nikki shook her head. “No, that's not what I meant. On a deeper level somehow.”

  “If I to
ld you, you'd only think it sounded crazy.”

  “Come on, tell me.”

  “There's a sense of familiarity. Somehow...it's as if we've known each other before.”

  “Oh? Really?” Nikki raised her eyebrows in surprise.

  “See, I told you you'd only think it sounded nuts.”

  Nikki giggled. “No, it doesn't sound crazy at all. Sometimes people get deja vu or a sense that they've met someone in the past.”

  “Well, have you ever felt that way? Be honest.”

  “No, not at all. But you do have a certain charm about you that I like. You're very charismatic.”

  “You think?”

  “Maybe.”

  “Maybe, huh?”

  “Yeah, just maybe.”

  “I don't mean to change the subject, but have you ever had strange dreams?”

  “Sure. Who hasn't?”

  “No, this is a recurring nightmare that I have where there is a winding road on a hill and I'm driving in a hurry to get somewhere, then all of a sudden I realize that the brakes don't work.”

  “That's scary. What do you think it signifies?”

  “I'm not sure. But I've had it nearly every night for the past few weeks.”

  Nikki grinned. “How about we get a book on dream analysis?”

  Anna grinned before playfully asking, “Does it have a chapter about driving on a winding road and falling off a cliff? Because then I think I'd have to say 'yes', let's get a book on dream analysis.”

  Nikki smirked, then shook her head. “Not exactly. Maybe it will help you figure out why you keep having this dream. Maybe it's part of something in your life that only surfaces in a nightmare.”

  “I think you might be on to something. I'll have to look into it when I get the chance.” It was something that Anna had also been thinking about. Talking to someone about her nightmare, but she always seemed to prioritize her list of things to do with the most important first and looking into a nightmare never quite made it to the top of that list with work and home life and other things always occupying most of her time. When she wanted to find time to read or listen to audio books, it was more for her own personal enjoyment. Especially now. Now that she had met Nikki, she wondered if her life would change. If so, perhaps maybe her dreams would also begin to change for the better.