Glimmers

by Barbara Brooke

  The crew embarks on their usual rounds. I avoid looking in the direction of his table. I’m successful at this for about one whole minute. Gee, this is gonna be tougher than I thought. What if I just sneak a little peek? Surely, he won’t notice.

  “This is a complete and utter nightmare,” I mumble to myself.

  Maybe, I was too rash. Maybe, I shouldn’t have canceled my date with William; maybe, I should give him a chance and not worry about my silly old job. Besides, by not dating him, it makes my working conditions extremely uncomfortable.

  What am I thinking? I can’t date him and that is that! I will pretend William isn’t here.

  I can’t stand it anymore! I’ll briefly look his way. He probably won’t even notice. Casually, I peer over with a sideways glance. Wait just a minute! Who is that?

  Some girl is laughing and edging her seat closer to William’s. Unfortunately, she’s pretty, too. Her hair looks annoyingly silky and smooth. Plus she’s blonde. What a complete nightmare! She’s the sort of girl who wears pearls and pink cardigan sets. I don’t like her, not one single bit.

  What’s he up to, anyway? Well, he can’t have us both! How dare he toy with my emotions! I can’t believe I was so charmed by him and didn’t see him for what he truly was! “What a jerk,” I say through gritted teeth and turn my back.

  Although I’m filled with (I’ll admit it) jealously, I’m determined to exhibit grace around my guests. I know I’ll get through this. In fact, I’ll just turn up my nose and pretend he doesn’t even exist.

  I mean, I realize he doesn’t belong to me; far from it, but I can’t believe he’s sitting with another girl right in front of me! As far as I’m concerned, he’s the rudest person on the planet! I feel so stupid for ever falling for him in the first place. What was I thinking? I should have been able to see through his fake lines and lack of sincerity.

  “Her name’s Camilla,” Lydia says quietly. “She comes here every summer with her family, only she doesn’t leave, she stays the entire time! She’s just itching to find herself a rich husband, and it looks like she’s got her claws into William!”

  “William doesn’t owe me anything. He’s free to do what he wants. Besides, we only just met last night.”

  “Right, you keep tellin’ yourself that. Well then, we best be gettin’ our butts back to work,” Lydia says eloquently.

  ~ * * * ~

  After the room’s been cleared, Lydia and I sit at our favorite table. I can’t wait to rehash tonight’s turn of events. It feels great to complain about William and that tart he’s seeing. In fact, I’m gonna purge all my frustrations—release all my negative thoughts and emotions—cast them out into the far reaches of the universe!

  “And for another thing, that little hussy he was with . . .” I’m midsentence, when I realize Lydia isn’t looking at me anymore. She’s staring over my shoulder and telling me to hush. “What’s the matter with you? He’s right behind me, isn’t he?”

  Lydia nods and I slowly turn my head. How embarrassing. William’s standing right behind me. I wonder how much he just heard. You know what? Quite frankly, I don’t really care.

  “Can we talk?” he asks.

  Lydia leaps out of her seat, excusing herself with some lame reason to run into the kitchen. I’m left alone to fend for myself.

  “May I sit with you?” he asks, but I don’t respond. In fact, I’m just gonna ignore him, all together. He takes the liberty of sitting right beside me. I’m not sure how much time passes, as I am picking at my nails. Finally, he speaks, “Did I do something to offend you? You’ve been acting like you’re mad at me.”

  “I’m not sure what you’re talking about. I’m perfectly fine,” I say.

  “Does that mean we’re still on for our date?”

  “Not a sunflower’s chance in hell sweetheart.” I’m not sure where I got that one, but it feels pretty darn good saying it. “You’ll just have to ask little Ms. Debutant to show you around town. By the looks of her, I expect she’d like that very much.”

  I wait, expecting William to become angry with my candid remarks. However, he begins to laugh. This is a little unsettling.

  “Why Delilah, is that a little green monster I see? You can’t possibly be jealous of her.”

  “How dare you suggest such a thing? I couldn’t care less what you do!” I raise my head, in an effort to look uninterested.

  “For your information, I’ve known Camilla my entire life. We were childhood friends. Our parents have known each other since before I was born.”

  As his words sink in, I blush and feel a little foolish.

  “Well, it looks to me like she has other intentions towards you.”

  “Maybe she does.” He shrugs his shoulders, before adding, “She acts that way with every guy I know. No one takes her seriously. Besides, she’s more like a little sister to me.”

  “I’m not sure that’s a whole lot better. After all, big brothers tend to be pretty fond of their little sisters.”

  “I believe the word I used last night was protective, not fond. If you’re going to quote me, you should at least do it correctly.”

  “Whatever, same difference,” I say, while glaring at him. “What is it you want from me? Can’t you just leave well enough alone?”

  “I had a great time last night; we connected. I don’t want this to be over with before I even have the chance to take you on a proper date. Delilah, I’ve done nothing wrong. Give me a chance.”

  “It’s not gonna work out this time. I’m sorry,” I say and rise out of my chair.

  He stands before me, hovering a little too close.

  “I’ll pick you up tomorrow at 11:00 AM,” he says and his smile brightens.

  “You’re awfully determined aren’t you?”

  “I find in life I have to be, if I’m to get what I want. Yes, I’m very determined. Look, how about we keep our date for tomorrow? We can see if this is worth pursuing. If you’re still uncomfortable, then I’ll back off. What do you say about that?”

  “This is a bad idea, but you win,” I say and walk away, flinging my hands up in the air. “Besides, I’m not gonna tell you where I live. Good luck finding me.”

  Although I sound smug, I’m guessing nothing I say can throw him. He’ll find my home and be there to pick me up in the morning, just like he said. I can feel my spirits lift. I don’t say another word, and although it takes effort, I leave him standing alone in the main dining hall.

  Four

  It’s morning, and William will be here soon! I spring out of bed! My heart’s overflowing with excited anticipation! Within seconds, I’m racing for the kitchen. I can’t wait to put together our picnic lunch. Thank goodness, I started planning our meal last night. Although, I don’t want it to look like I tried too hard, I want something that sings romance.

  Which blanket should I pack? This one with pink flowers is adorable. No, I need something more masculine. Perfect, I’ll use the one with oversized fish all over it! I mean, who doesn’t like to fish? Now, my nicest silverware rolled up in a blue napkin, and this white ribbon will look so cute tied around it. Glasses, glasses . . . these will work. Maybe I should tie a little bow around their stems. No, that would be overdoing it.

  I’m so glad Shep gave me this set of storage containers for my birthday. It didn’t hurt that a few weeks ago, I left a catalogue on the counter—opened to just the right page. I wasn’t surprised Shep bought the powder-blue bowls for me, only that he gave them to me a whole month before my eighteenth birthday.

  I close my eyes and imagine the picnic spread I’m gonna put together. This is gonna be the best lunch William has ever had.

  I want to look good, too, without letting on like I’m trying too hard. I find my pink t-shirt, with a large neckline that hangs nicely off one shoulder. A brown skirt adds a touch of elegance, but still looks casual. I put on my tan ankle boots before checking the mirror. My feet move from side-to-side, and I have to admit the outfit’s flattering.
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br />   The hands on the clock are moving at a snail’s pace. After running around working on small tasks, I look back at the clock . . . it’s only 10:42. I can’t believe only twelve minutes have gone by! Dramatically, I fall onto Shep’s favorite chair and flip through his book. At last, I hear the sound of tires coming up the driveway.

  Anxiously, I grab the basket and leap for the door. After flinging it open, I look down and straighten my skirt. Casually, I glance up, but what I see isn’t good. It’s not William; it’s Shep coming home for lunch. The idea of introducing my father to my date is mortifying!

  “Dad, what cha doin’?” I ask.

  “What was that?” he subtly reminds me of my grammatical mistake, as he often does.

  “Hey Daddy, what are you doing?” I correct.

  “I thought it’d be nice to have lunch with my little girl,” he says, as he unloads some objects from the back of his truck. After getting a glimpse of me, he freezes mid-stream. “Now, there’s a pretty woman. What’s the occasion?”

  I reach into the depths of my mind to come up with a good reason for my appearance. I’ve come up with nothing. Not one single good reason. I guess it’s best to tell him the truth, “I‘m going to lunch with a new friend.”

  “Would this friend be of the male persuasion?” My father’s a clever one, I’ll give him that.

  “Yes, he would. It’s nothing serious, though. In fact, you could just leave now and not even have to meet him.”

  “And pass up the opportunity to embarrass my daughter? Nah, I’ll stay put right here. I’d like to meet any boy who can manage a date with Delilah. No offense, but rumor around town is it’s nearly impossible to get a date with Delilah Jones.”

  “Funny, Dad,” I say and even though I try to get rid of him, deep down, I know that will never happen. Why is he beaming like that? Great, he’s gonna humiliate me. I’m sure he’s wondering if he ought to clean his shotgun in front of William, just for effect. “Dad, please don’t embarrass me.”

  “Don’t you worry; I’ll make myself scarce once I’ve met the boy.”

  The sound of crushed gravel reaches us. In unison, we look down the lane at the black car heading in our direction.

  Shep leans toward me and asks, “Nice ride. Where’d you meet this fella?”

  “I’ll tell you all about it later,” I whisper, as Shep is still gazing admiringly at the fancy car.

  William exits and confidently approaches my dad. He extends his hand towards

  Shep, and says, “Hello sir, I’m William Berringer.”

  “I’m Sheppard Jones, Delilah’s dad, it sure is nice to meet you,” Shep says, shaking William’s hand. My dad peers down at me with a look of mischief on his face. I pray he won’t choose this moment to tease me.

  “Delilah and I have planned a date for today, with your consent, of course,” William says sweetly, and now, I can’t shake this silly grin off my face.

  “Why certainly! You two have fun!” Shep exclaims, sounding a little too enthusiastic for my taste.

  “All right Dad, I’ll see you later. Remember, I have the day off. So I don’t know when I’ll be home. Don’t worry about me, okay?” I kiss him on the cheek and whisper, “Thanks.”

  “It’s nice to meet you,” William says to my dad.

  “Have a great time,” Shep adds.

  “Thanks, Dad!” I say, and as William holds the car door for me, I slide onto the seat.

  My palms are sweaty, and my feet shift around each other. I look down at the leather interior and run my hand over its surface. It’s soft…this is calming. After studying the seat a little further it dawns on me, I’ve never been in a car this luxurious before.

  William takes his place in the driver’s side and gazes briefly in my direction. “So, Ms. Delilah, what do you have planned for us today?”

  My stomach is in my throat, but I think I can manage to sound composed. “That’ll have to be a surprise. I’ll let you know which way to go.”

  “I’m glad you’ve decided to go out with me,” he says with a sweet smile, and I’m not about to admit it out loud, but I’m glad too.

  “At the end of the drive, take a right,” I say and stare at my long driveway.

  After heading down the double lane road, I instruct him to turn left past my favorite cattle and horse farm. We drive through a covered bridge and then up along the base of a mountain. We swerve along a few switchbacks, and I have him pull over near a large maple tree. Like many trees in this area, it is centuries old and has an ancient spirit. Birds play in its branches and leaves dance with the breeze. I close my eyes and inhale deeply, filling my lungs with sweet aroma from wild flowers and fresh green grass. When I reopen my eyes, I see dragonflies zip through the air, and . . . William Berringer is staring at me. Why isn’t he looking at the valley, rolling hills, and sheep?

  “I’ll say one thing is true for West Virginia, it’s overflowing with beauty,” he says.

  “Ah-hem, right,” I say, busily setting up the perfect picnic—anything to avoid William’s intense stare.

  After a few minutes, I realize there’s nothing more I can do. The food, desert, blue and white dishes, flower centerpiece, and fish blanket look perfect. I peer up to watch William’s reaction.

  “Lunch is ready. I hope you like it,” I say, softly clapping my hands together once.

  William kneels down on the blanket and gawks. “Are you kidding? Everything looks great. No offense, but I didn’t expect you to make more than PB&J sandwiches. You really outdid yourself.”

  “It’s nothing, really. I just whipped all of this up this morning.”

  “You must have woken up pretty early.”

  “A little,” I say with a smile and scoop up some pasta with olives and feta cheese, placing it on his plate. I add a spring-mix salad along with my homemade salad dressing: dill, olive oil, garlic . . . . I leave the French bread, cheese, ham, and grapes on a wooden platter. I figure we can just nibble from it.

  “This looks delicious.” He takes a bite of pasta and grins. “Where did you find this fish blanket?”

  “It’s great, isn’t it?” I begin before realizing he is looking at it questioningly. “Don’t you like it?”

  “It’s interesting.”

  “I figured you’d appreciate the blue fish, since you’re a guy and all guys like to fish, right?”

  “I guess,” he says and shrugs his shoulders.

  “You don’t like to fish?”

  “I’m not sure; I’ve never been,” he says casually. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

  “You mean to tell me, your father never took you out fishing?” I say with my eyes still large.

  “We never got around to it. What’s the big deal?”

  “I’ll tell you what, I’m gonna take you fishing, and you can see for yourself.”

  “It sounds like we’ve just planned another date,” he says with a grin. “All right, show me the magical and mysterious world of fishing.”

  “You may tease now, but you’ll see how rewarding it is.”

  “I’m sure I will,” he says before tasting the salad. I wait nervously for his reaction. He grins and quickly takes another bite.

  “Would you like some lemonade?” I ask overeagerly and reach for his glass.

  “Let me guess, you squeezed the lemons yourself.”

  “But of course!”

  “I like how you made ice-cubes around lemon slices.”

  I pass him a glass, and for the briefest moment, our fingers touch. Did I just feel a ripple of electricity? I look away, trying not to blush.

  Thank goodness, he says something right away, “This tastes amazing. You know, I’m surprised you haven’t opened your own restaurant.”

  “I hope to, one day, but you have to start somewhere, right? My boss told me, after a few weeks of proving myself I’ll be able to help more in the kitchen!” I say excitedly and pop a grape into my mouth.

  “Do you have to go to school to become a ch
ef?”

  “This is a serious profession. I’m gonna go to culinary school and then do some training with a great chef. And one day, I’ll open my own restaurant,” I say enthusiastically.

  “Where would you like to open your first restaurant?”

  “Well, I suppose somewhere more tropical, maybe near a beach in Florida. And my second restaurant will be right here,” I say with a smile.

  “You want to return and open one here? I thought you were ready to run off to explore distant places. Why do you want to come back?”

  “I want to make a name for myself in a bigger city, and I will travel to foreign lands. And maybe after I open up my first restaurant, I’ll come back. The people I love are here, and they deserve an opportunity to have great food just like everyone else. You know…just because you live in a small town doesn’t mean you can’t appreciate exotic food.”

  I wait for William’s reaction. What does he think about what I’ve just said? Will he laugh at my crazy ideas? Maybe he’ll understand. But what if he doesn’t? I can’t hang around with someone who doesn’t support my dreams.

  William continues shoveling in mouthfuls of pasta, as I wait and wait.

  Finally, he clears his throat and says, “I’m sure you will accomplish all of that. But before you open your restaurant, I think you should travel the world. Live off the land. See how other people live. Try strange and exotic cuisine.”

  “Is that your dream, William Berringer?”

  “I must admit, I would like to travel for a while. But once I have that out of my system, I’d like to design buildings.”

  “You want to be an architect?”

  “Yes, I do. My father still believes I’ll follow in his footsteps by becoming a politician. But that’s not for me.”

  “Well, the way I see it, you have to follow your own path and only your heart can show you the way. In fact, I’m sure your parents will be proud of you, just so as long as you work hard and find your own kind of success.”

  William shifts his gaze away from the valley and focuses on me. “And who cares if I destroy the dreams of both my parents in the process,” he says, and I’m not sure whether or not he’s serious.