by Alexis Gold
“Fine whatever,” Calvin said ungraciously. “I’m still not going to fall for this woman.”
“How can you be so sure?” Steven asked seriously.
“Because I feel… I don’t know… removed from her beauty. I admire her, I respect her, but I don’t feel emotionally tied to her.”
“Like you do with Sasha?” Randy asked.
“Well…”
“Oh come on Calvin,” Steven cut in. “How can you have an emotional link to a woman you’ve barely said ten words to in almost four years?”
“Okay it’s definitely been more than ten words,” Calvin said defensively. “And it’s not something I can explain to you guys.”
“Try,” Randy told him challengingly.
“I just… I don’t know. I felt something when I saw her.”
“Was this feeling perhaps in your pants region?” Randy asked with a wink in his direction.
Calvin ignored him, “It’s like you see this woman, and she’s absolutely perfect. She’s got this amazing smile, this great face, and you just know, instinctively that she’s right for you.”
“Whoa,” Randy observed. “Dramatic.”
“I have a question,” Steven said. “If this woman is supposedly perfect for you. Why haven’t you just walked up to her and asked her out?”
“Have you met me?” Calvin asked.
“No I’m serious,” Steven replied. “If you believe in this instant connection of yours, then it stands to reason that perhaps you’re meant to be together? So the chances of her saying yes are pretty high.”
“I’m not willing to risk it,” Calvin said.
“Calvin,” Steven said. “In all seriousness. Don’t you think you’ve built this woman up in your head?”
“Nope,” Calvin replied immediately.
Steven sighed. “Okay, so you undergo your ‘image’ transformation,” Steven said. “And then what?”
“Then I finally make my move,” Calvin said confidently.
“Which would be?”
“Asking her out.”
“And then what?” Randy asked looking thoughtful. “You’ll live happily ever after?”
Calvin sighed. “I know you guys think I’m completely insane for feeling this way about her, but it’s not like I can help it. My feelings for her are just there, and it’s been a part of me for so long that I don’t know how to get rid of them. Which means the only option left to me is to do everything I can to try and meet her.”
“You can meet her now,” Steven pointed out.
“I need to become the kind of man she deserves,” Calvin said.
Calvin turned to his window, looking in the direction of Sasha’s desk. She was sitting there, typing furiously into her computer. She was the reason he had hired Morgan. She was the only reason he was willing to put himself through this process.
***
Morgan dressed carefully for her business date with Calvin. She chose dark blue jeans and a pair of black ankle boots. The blouse she picked out was light and feminine, with an intricate floral pattern snaking through it. She put a touch of eye shadow on and some light mascara. She dabbed on some lipstick and perfume. When she was satisfied, she gave Mowgli a pat on the head and headed out towards their designated meeting spot.
She saw him standing at the corner of the street, waiting for her. He was wearing baggy jeans and a shirt that was far too big. He seemed to have run a brush through his hair. He had his hands in his pockets and his eyes cast downwards on the pavement. His shaky silhouette made Morgan smile. She wondered why she had taken such an instant liking to him. Perhaps it was the way he held himself, as though he were trying to blend into the background so that no one would see him.
Calvin kept pacing around the corner, trying to calm his nerves. He looked up and saw Morgan walking towards him. She looked so intimidating in her high heeled boots and short dark coat. She could have been a model on a runway. His palms began to sweat.
“Hi Calvin,” Morgan greeted. “Thanks for being on time.”
Calvin smiled in response, while Morgan looked at him pointedly. “What?” he asked, instantly cursing himself for the abrupt and slightly forceful question.
Morgan tried to keep a straight face. “Well I was hoping you would tell me where we’re going for dinner?”
“Oh,” Calvin replied sheepishly. “Of course. I’m sorry, I forgot. Umm… well there’s this place not far from here. Do you like Chinese?”
“Sure,” Morgan replied. She was in the mood for Asian food.
“I’ll… lead the way then,” Calvin said zooming off ahead of her.
“Calvin?” she called his name.
“Yes?” Calvin looked back and saw Morgan coming to stand beside him.
“Perhaps it would be better if we walked together,” she said with a slow smile. “Instead of you having to lead.”
Calvin felt the blush run full-fledged onto his face. Morgan thought it might have been the most endearing thing she had seen in a while. Apart from watching Mowgli trying to get at the kitty treats of course. They continued the walk. Morgan could tell that Calvin was not about to attempt conversation.
“So Calvin,” she said. “Tell me about yourself.”
“Uh… what would you like to know?” Calvin asked.
Morgan shrugged. “How about we start with your family?”
“My parents live in Florida. I have an older brother. He’s married.”
Then silence. Calvin knew he was killing the mood, and fast. He had started the night with so much promise. He had felt almost calm, but somewhere along the way something had managed to fluster him, and now he felt there was no going back.
“That was short and to the point,” Morgan observed.
Calvin sighed, “I’m sorry, I’m terrible at keeping a conversation going.”
“Well lucky for you, I’m great at it,” Morgan informed him, trying to make him feel more comfortable. “How about you tell me a little more about your parents? What are they like?”
“Dad was really strict when I was growing up,” Calvin said, “But Mom doted on me. It’s a wonder I didn’t turn into a mama’s boy.”
“You didn’t?” Morgan asked.
Calvin laughed, “Okay, well, I grew out of it.”
“And your brother?”
“There was a big age difference between me and my brother. Richard’s ten years older than me, by the time I reached eight, he was already off in college.”
“Were you never close then?”
“Not really,” Calvin admitted. “I guess we could have been later on in life, but by that time he had moved to another state and I had moved to California. There just wasn’t time to attempt a relationship we never really had in the first place.”
“Did you miss it?”
Calvin thought about that, “When I was younger I did at times, but I had Steven, he was my real brother.”
“Steven?”
“My cousin. Mom is really close with her older sister. They ended up living down the same street from one another. Which worked out well for me in the end.”
“That must have been nice, having Steven around.”
“It was,” Calvin nodded. “I know you’ll probably find this hard to believe, but I was a nerdy kid. I was quiet and shy and I didn’t have any real friends.”
“And Steven helped with that?”
“He was the complete opposite of me,” Calvin explained. “He was outgoing and brave and charming. I aspire to be like him one day. He just made sure other kids treated me well. So even if I never had friends, I was never bullied either.”
“Is Steven older than you?”
“Only by a year,” Calvin answered. “But we ended up doing everything together.”
“How did you manage that?” Morgan asked.
“I may not be the most social person out there,” Calvin replied. “But I’m more than a little smart.”
“I can tell,” Morgan said with a smile.
“Can you?” Calvin asked, flattered.
“Definitely,” Morgan replied. “So where did you two go to college?”
“Right here in California. I started my business here too.”
Morgan was impressed but she hid it well, “What’s your business?”
“It’s called Maximus Enterprises,” Calvin answered proudly. “It’s an app company I developed with Steven and Randy.”
“Randy?”
“When we moved here, we rented out an apartment. It was too expensive for the two of us to pay for, so we brought in another roommate. That was how we met Randy. He fit our little duo perfectly. Turned out to be a match made in heaven.”
“It would have to be, wouldn’t it?” Morgan observed. “To have created a company. What apps are you responsible for? Would I know any?”
“Have you heard of Fitness Freak?”
Morgan’s eyes went up in impressed surprise, “You’re the creator of Fitness Freak?”
Calvin smiled, enjoying her reaction, “That’s me.”
“Whoa,” Morgan breathed. “That’s amazing. What else?”
“Creative Cook,” Calvin said. “It’s an app that comes up with unique recipes based on limited ingredients.”
“How did you come up with that idea?” Morgan asked.
“Everyone has to replenish their pantry from time to time. Sometimes, you end up with a bunch of weird ingredients that you don’t know what to do with. The app just helps you find creative ways of combining them.”
“Interesting,” Morgan said thoughtfully. “I should download that one. I could make real use of it.”
Calvin smiled shyly.
“What other apps are you responsible for?”
“It’s our most recent one actually,” Calvin explained. “It’s called Fun Facts, and it’s more of an entertainment app than anything else.”
“Gives you fun facts?” Morgan guessed.
“Exactly.”
“That must keep you busy,” Morgan observed.
“It did in the beginning,” Calvin told her. “When I was starting and things needed to be developed, but now I have more free time than I care to admit.”
“That’s a blessing,” Morgan said. “You should be happy about that.”
“I would be,” Calvin replied, “if I had someone to share all that free time with.”
“Well, luckily for you,” Morgan assured him, “I’m here to help you achieve that.”
Calvin nodded. They turned the corner and came to a Chinese restaurant that was bursting with color, music and noise. The place was packed, there were several families crowded into the space, all talking loudly over one another. Calvin wondered momentarily if he had made the right choice. Morgan looked around happily, knowing that he had.
“Do we need a reservation?” she asked, raising her voice to be heard above the noise.
“Not usually,” Calvin replied. “They usually have a few tables in the back.”
They were eventually shown to a table, and while it was considerably less crowded, the noise still reached them from where they sat. Calvin was suddenly conscious of himself all over again. They spent the next few minutes looking down at their menus.
Once the order had been placed, Calvin kept thinking of conversation starters, but it was amazing how nothing seemed to come to him. He was saved from taking the lead, because Morgan did.
“So do you use your own apps?” Morgan asked, leaning in so that Calvin could hear her better.
“I do actually,” Calvin replied. “All of them. Not as often as I used to, but often enough.”
“You must be so proud. These are huge accomplishments,” Morgan praised.
They were both aware of the blush on Calvin’s cheeks. He was mortified by it and Morgan was amused, but she acted as though she noticed nothing.
“I am.”
The two of them exchanged a look over the table.
“Calvin?”
“Yes?”
“Would you like to ask me a question?”
“Umm… like what?”
Morgan shrugged, “It can be anything. Anything at all.”
“What did you study in college?” Calvin asked, feeling as though that might be the most boring question in the whole world.
Morgan didn’t seem annoyed by it. “I planned on majoring in Business,” Morgan explained. “But in the end I changed to the Arts and Humanities. It was much more my speed.”
“How did you end up in this business?”
“By accident actually,” Morgan replied. “I had a friend in college who I made over for an especially important date. She went on to become a successful entrepreneur. She had a couple of clients who she felt were in need of some help and she asked me if I would help them like I had helped her. So I did it, just because, and it turned out that I was a natural. More importantly, I loved it. After that, things took off for me once word got around.”
“You really must be good then,” Calvin said.
Morgan smiled, “Did you ever doubt that?”
Calvin’s next blush was hidden partially by the appearance of the waitress with their dinner. The next few minutes were spent in silence till the edge had been taken off their hunger.
“Do you have any pets? Morgan asked, finishing a mouth of rice.
Calvin looked up, “No.”
“Why not? Not an animal person?”
“It’s not that,” Calvin said. “I like animals and I love dogs. I’ve just never thought about owning one.”
“Ever?”
“Ever.”
“Hmm… interesting,” Morgan said.
“Is it?” Calvin asked.
“Well, I guess not,” Morgan said. “I’ve just never been able to picture my life without an animal in it.”
“I’m guessing you grew up with animals?” Calvin asked.
“We had five cats during my childhood and adolescence,” Morgan informed him.
“Whoa! Five?”
“Not all at the same time,” Morgan clarified, “But yes. Do you like cats?”
Calvin wondered how to answer the question diplomatically. “Umm… sure,” he replied unconvincingly.
Morgan’s face contorted in mock horror, “How can you not like cats?!”
Calvin smiled sheepishly, “They’re just not the friendliest animals on the planet.”
“To be honest,” Morgan countered, “I think they’ve been grossly misunderstood.”
Calvin couldn’t help laughing at that one. “Misunderstood?” he repeated.
“Yes,” Morgan said firmly.
“Maybe,” Calvin conceded. “They are pretty interesting.”
“Interesting?”
“Did you know that a cat’s brain is more biologically similar to a human brain than a dog’s?”
“I did know that actually,” Morgan said in a self-satisfied way.
“You did?” Calvin asked.
“Yes.”
“Well did you know that a cat can jump up to five times its own height in a single bound?”
“Yup.”
Calvin felt a strange and irrational competitiveness burst through him. “The largest known cat litter produced nineteen kittens—”
“Fifteen of who died,” Morgan finished smugly for him.
Calvin’s jaw set in a determined square. “A cat’s heart beats nearly twice as fast—”
“As a human heart,” Morgan finished.
“Do you know why cats hate water?”
“Because their fur doesn’t insulate well when they’re wet,” Morgan replied with a self-satisfied smile.
“How do you know all this?” Calvin asked in defeat.
Morgan laughed aloud; Calvin was struck by the sound. It was like a peal of bells.
“I love cats, remember?” Morgan replied. “How do you know so many cat facts?”
“Inventor of the Fun Facts app, remember?” Calvin reminded her.
“Of course,” Morgan said, slapping her forehead against
her hand. “How could I forget? But still, you researched cats?”
Calvin shrugged, trying to conceal his embarrassment, “I’ve been lonely a lot the past year.”
“When I moved here I was really lonely too,” Morgan said candidly. “I hated it. I spent the first year in California crying.”
“When did you move here?”
“Ten years ago,” Morgan replied. “When I was eighteen.”
“Oh.”
“You know people always talk about what an amazing experience college is,” Morgan said thoughtfully. “And I suppose for a fair number it is, but not for me.”
“Hey I get it,” Calvin said quickly, enthusiastic to be able to say he shared something in common with her. “I know exactly what you mean. If it hadn’t been for Steven and Randy, I would have been completely lost.”
“You were lucky to have them,” Morgan told him. “My college years were rough.”
“Didn’t you make any friends?” Calvin asked. “You don’t seem to have my social awkwardness.”
Morgan smiled. “I had friends, but none that turned into the lifelong kind. I surrounded myself with them because I didn’t have a choice, but the truth was, if I had had a choice, they were probably not the people I would have chosen to spend my time with.”
“How did you cope?”
“My mom gave me pep talks almost every other day,” Morgan replied. “They visited as often as they could and I went back home as much as I was able to. It was just adjusting to this complete independence was a lot for me.”
“But you eventually got over it?”
“Yes I did,” Morgan replied. “But mostly because of one very special little feline.”
Calvin raised his eyebrows automatically. “A cat helped you get through the confused college years?”
Morgan smiled, “Hard to believe, but true.”
“How?”
“Simple enough,” Morgan replied. “I was so lonely, that I decided to get myself a roommate.”
“Of the feline persuasion?”
Morgan laughed, “Yes. That’s how my little Mowgli came into my life.”
“Mowgli?” Calvin asked questioningly.
“I loved the Jungle Book growing up,” Morgan explained.
“The book or the movie?”
