by Tl Reeve
“Not tonight. Maybe one day,” I answer, absorbing the warmth of her touch.
“I’ll keep asking,” she promises.
“And one day, I will say yes.” I wink. “See you all tomorrow.” I turn to walk out of the kitchen.
“What are you doing for Thanksgiving?” Tina asks, stopping me in my tracks.
I shrug. “Since we’re closed, I was thinking of going to volunteer at a homeless shelter.”
“That’s nice, but you’re welcome to come to my house for dinner. We have a large family, so there’s always room for one more.” She walks over to me, nudging my elbow. “Think about it. I’ll be happy to introduce you to my brother. I think you two would be cute together.”
I give her a small smile and nod. “I’ll think about it.”
Her lips tilt up even more. “That’s all I can ask. See you tomorrow.”
“See ya.” Walking out of the kitchen with a small wave, I make a beeline to the front door, jitters jumping around in my stomach. I approach Dominic, who’s leaning on his cane, waiting for me. I stand in front of him and smile.
“You know, you don’t have to walk me to my car every night.”
“I want to make sure you make it to your car safely. What would I do if you weren’t there to wait on me every night?” He touches my elbow, causing gooseflesh to rise on my arm.
“I’m sure someone else would do it just as well as I do.” We stroll toward my car.
He’s shaking his head. “Nope. I tried it. I sat in that Miranda girl’s station once, and she couldn’t get my order right.”
I giggle. “She doesn’t get anyone’s order right. You should have tried Tina.”
“Tina’s not as pleasant to look at as you are.”
I look up at him as he chuckles. The dark southern California sky is clear, the stars sparkling down at us. I look all the way up and take it all in.
Leaning against my car, I gaze back at his handsome features. His dark hair reaches his shoulders, and when it’s light outside, his steel-blue eyes are amazing. His goatee is trimmed precisely around his pouty lips. A small cut mars his cheek, which adds to his appeal. He’s leaning on his cane, so his leg must be bothering him tonight.
“Thank you for walking me to my car. You’ll be here tomorrow?” I ask.
“As usual. Same time, same place. Get in your car.” I press the unlock button on my fob, and he opens the door. I get inside, setting my purse on the passenger seat and putting on my seatbelt. I put the key in the ignition and he closes the door. He waves and walks to his car. I wave back and pull off.
The drive to my apartment is short, and I pull into the garage, closing it behind me. I take the stairs up to my too-quiet one-bedroom apartment and walk inside. I place my keys in the bowl and hang my jacket on the hook.
Everything looks the same as when I left this morning. I turn on the television so I can hear something going on as I shower and change clothes.
Sitting in front of the television, I open my Kindle. I stare at the words, but my mind wanders. When did the quiet and being alone start getting to me? I settled it in my mind a long time ago that this is my life. I turn off my Kindle and switch to a mindless comedy until it’s time to go to bed.
I hope I can shake off this restlessness soon.
Dominic
I watch as the small blue car pulls out of the parking lot, like I do every night. The girls are looking out the window at me, so I get in my car and leave.
The highlight of my day is coming here to eat every evening. Maia’s a beauty inside and out. She wears her long black hair either in a ponytail or piled high in a bun on top of her head. Her blue eyes are always kind, and seem to absorb everything I say to her.
I make sure I’m her last customer every evening, so I can have all her attention. I walk her to her car every night when she gets off work, so I can spend just that much more time with her.
There’s a sign on the door saying they’ll be closed for Thanksgiving.
Another day to spend alone.
I pull into my driveway and go into my cold, lonely house.
2
Maia
My clothes in the washer, I sit and open my Kindle. Before reading, I look around the laundromat. There’s a family sitting by the television. The mother and father are talking to each other, while the kids are eating burgers and watching the cartoon that’s plastered on the TV screen. In the corner, a couple sit close to each other with loving smiles on their faces, whispering.
Even the attendant is sitting with someone, talking and laughing.
Here I sit, all alone, with no one. There isn’t anyone to call on the phone. Even in a room full of people, I’m isolated.
I take a deep breath, making a decision. Reaching into my purse, I pull out a pen and paper. At the top of the paper, I write, Life. I put a line under it. I’ll make a list to carry me through to the end of the year, and at the end of the year, I’ll make another for the new year.
I think about what goals I want to accomplish by the end of the year, and start writing.
Look for a job within my degree(Business).
Go out for drinks with the girls after work.
Look for groups that have the same interests as me and join one or two.
Try something new every week.
I look at my list and nod. That’s a good start for now. I feel better already. I gaze at my paper for a moment before putting it in my purse and opening my Kindle again. I read until it’s time to put my clothes in the dryer, and decide to take a short walk in the sunny weather while I wait for my clothes to dry.
Laundry finally finished, I take it home and put it away, my step feeling lighter already. Since I have a little time before work, I call Professor Moore. When I was in school, she was always giving me leads for openings at different companies, she thought I’d be perfect for.
She gives me a couple of leads, and I decide to update my resume tomorrow morning and send it out.
There’s a spring in my step as I walk into work.
“What’s put a smile on your face?” Miranda asks. “Did you finally get laid last night?”
I ignore her, putting my things away and clocking in. I tie my apron and walk into the dining area, getting my notepad and pen together. The dinner rush is busier than usual, and before I know it, time has flown by.
“Your tarnished knight is in your section.” Emma laughs.
I smile at her, then get Dominic’s drink and walk over to his table as he’s studying the menu.
“What are you having tonight?” I set his drink down in front of him.
“I think I’ll have the Spanish rice tonight.” He smiles at me as he hands me the menu.
“I’ll be right back.”
I walk over to the register and place his order. Another party is seated in my section, and I walk over to get their order and put it into the register. I get their drinks and take them to their table before walking back over to Dominic, who’s frowning.
“What’s wrong?” I sit across from him.
He shakes his head like he’s coming out of a trance, “Nothing. I was just thinking about an issue at work.” He waves it off.
“Do you want to talk about it?” I ask.
He shakes his head. “It’s nothing really. I’m sure it’ll be taken care of before morning.”
I nod. “Your food should be up shortly. What are you doing for Thanksgiving?”
He shakes his head again. “Nothing. I was going to work, but my company is closed every holiday.”
A light goes off in my head. This is the perfect opportunity for me to come out of my shell. I’m alone on the holiday and so is he. I need to ask him over for dinner. This will be great! I take a deep breath. I can do this.
My stomach flutters, and I swallow before asking, “Would you like to have Thanksgiving with me?” I place my hand on my chest.
He looks at me, startled. “Really?”
I nod firmly. “Yes. I don’t have any plans either. Why
don’t we spend it together? I can make us a traditional Thanksgiving meal.”
“Are you sure?” He looks closely at me.
I nod again, more excited at the prospect. “Yeah! It’ll be fun, and we won’t be alone on Thanksgiving. What do you think?”
He nods. “Okay, but you have to let me bring something.” His eyes light up. “I’ll bring a pecan pie.”
“Cool! I like pecan pie.” I look at the service window and see his order waiting. I stand up. “I’m going to get your order. I’ll be right back.”
Tina meets me at the window. “I’ll take care of your other table for you. It looks like you’re having a pretty serious conversation over there.”
I press my lips together and look around, making sure neither Miranda or Emma are around. I lean toward her. “I invited him over for Thanksgiving.”
Her eyes widen. “Really?” She looks around to make sure no one heard her, then looks back at me. “What did he say?”
I nod, smiling. “He’s coming over.”
She smiles and does a mini-dance. “That’s great!” Her smile drops. “Do you know how to cook?”
I roll my eyes. “Of course I know how to cook. I wouldn’t have invited him over if I didn’t.”
She looks relieved. “Good. Now take his food over to him before it gets cold.” She pushes me in his direction.
I walk over to his table and set his food down in front of him. I take his drink and refill it, bringing it back to him. We spend the evening planning the menu, and he insists that since I’m cooking, he’ll pay for the food. The more we talk, the more excited I get.
I make myself get up from the table to do my side-work so I can be ready to leave as soon as possible. Dominic finishes and waves me over so he can pay the bill. I clear the table and wipe it down, talking to him all the while. He tells me he’ll be waiting outside for me, and I let him know I’ll be out shortly.
I manage to finish my work without any more jabs from Emma and Miranda. Saying goodbye to Tina, I make my way outside to a waiting Dominic. As always, his hand touches my elbow, leaving goosebumps in its wake, as he escorts me to my car.
He turns in front of me, facing me fully when we reach my car. “I’ll need your telephone number so we can go shopping this weekend.”
We exchange phones, inputting our telephone numbers before swapping back.
“I’ll see you tomorrow. Be safe going home.” He opens my car door for me and watches as I get in, getting myself settled.
“I will. Have a good night.”
I put the keys in the ignition and start the car as he closes my door. I wave at him and pull off with a smile on my face. My insides buzz. I can’t believe I just did that, but I’m happy I did. It wasn’t even on my list.
There’s a spring in my step as I walk up to my apartment tonight. I still turn on the television, but the place doesn’t seem as still as it usually does. I know the change is inside me, as a result of that small step forward.
In the shower, I enjoy the warm water massaging my tired muscles as I continue to think about my day. Ever since I decided to make a difference, things have changed for the better. I took a chance that I wouldn't normally take, and it paid off. I smile again, putting soap on my body and rinsing it off before getting out of the shower and drying myself off.
Changing into a pair of shorts and a T-shirt, I walk into the kitchen and make myself a small sandwich. I take it into the living room, getting comfortable before opening my laptop. I pull up my resume and do a little research about how to make it shine. With the information I find, I update my resume and send it to the prospective employers my professor told me about. I write them down on a sheet of paper so I can keep track of what I'm doing.
Dominic
I look at her telephone number staring back at me. I want to call her so bad, but I'm not sure how it would be received. I smile at the thought of spending Thanksgiving with her. My holidays are usually spent alone, but I have plans for this one. I feel hope rising in my chest, and no matter how hard I try, I can't push it back down.
I look down at my phone and pull up her number again. I type in “Hi” and look at it. I take a deep breath and press send. Then I wait. Shortly after, I receive a text back:
Hi.
My eyes widen. Okay, what now? It's been a while since I talked to a woman on the phone, but this is texting. Um...
What are you doing?
Maia: Updating my resume.
Me: Why?
Maia: I'm looking for a job in my degree.
I frown. She's going to quit the diner. She should. She received her degree six months ago; she should be looking for a proper job.
Me: Good luck. I just wanted to say goodnight. Sleep well. I'll see you tomorrow.
Maia: You too! :)
Grinning, I turn the channel on the television to the local news.
3
Maia
The rest of the week goes by the same way, except there's a spring in my step that wasn't there before. The girls notice and start bugging me about what's going on, then they tease me that I finally got laid.
"I wish," I whisper to myself. I put my hand over my mouth and look around, making sure that no one saw or heard me, and sigh when I see that no one's around.
Dominic still comes in every night for dinner and texts me after we get off from work. We spend time talking about our likes and dislikes and our pasts, and I feel like I'm really getting to know him better.
"How are the dinner plans coming?" Tina asks when we have a moment alone.
"They’re going well. We're going to the grocery store tomorrow to pick up what we need," I lean in and tell her.
Her eyes get wide. "You're going grocery shopping together?"
I press my lips together and nod.
"Are you nervous?" she asks, taking in my expression.
I nod again.
"It'll be fine. You're already friends. It's about time you started stepping out of your shell. I'm proud of you."
I give her a tight smile. "Thanks. I'm really trying. I even wrote a list of what I want to accomplish by the end of the year," I admit.
"Can I see it?" She looks expectantly at my pockets.
I shake my head. "It's not here, and I won't bring it in. I don't want anyone to make fun of me." I sink my hands into my apron pockets.
"Well, since you’re spreading your wings, why don't we have lunch next week and you can show me then?" she coaxes.
I nod. "But it'll have to be after Thanksgiving. We'll both be busy until then."
She looks at the calendar on her phone. "How about the Saturday after? We both have a four-day weekend due to the holiday."
"That works for me. I don't have anything planned on Saturday; we can do it then," I agree.
She smiles and bounces. "I can't wait! It'll be so much fun!" The balls bouncing around in my stomach hope so too.
I wake up with butterflies in my stomach. Excited to go grocery shopping with Dominic, but also nervous to go on my first excursion with another person since I was in foster care. After I aged out, I went off to college. I interacted with people in my classes, but when I was invited places, I would decline, being too scared of the interactions. I go through my morning routine and get dressed as quickly as I can. Looking at the clock on the wall, there's still two hours before he's due to pick me up.
I walk around my small apartment, cleaning the already spotless rooms and moving things around. What will he think of it? He probably lives in a large house someplace. I don't even know what he does for a living. I'll ask. Part of my new plan. I force myself to sit down and watch television until he arrives.
At eleven a.m. on the dot, there's a knock on my door. I hop out of my seat, hurrying over to answer it. I remember to peek through the peephole to make sure it's him before opening the door.
I force myself to open the door slowly. I peek out, and on the other side, his handsome, smiling face greets me.
"Hi." He lifts a h
and and waves.
"Hi," I say quietly, opening the door the rest of the way to let him in. He steps inside, taking in the small space while I close the door behind him. I wring my hands, then wipe them on the sides of my shorts.
"Nice place," he says.
"Thanks. There's not much space, but it's perfect for just me." I wipe my hands on my shorts again.
He smiles. "It's very nicely decorated. You did an excellent job. I’ll need to have you decorate my house."
"Thanks, but I know you're kidding." I blush and look down, putting my hands in my pockets.
He laughs. "You'll see. Ready to go?"
I nod and pick up my purse.
I turn off the television and turn to him, smiling. "Let's go."
He follows me to the door and walks outside in front of me. I close the door, locking it, and we head downstairs to the car.
"This is a nice neighborhood. I'm glad you don't live in one of those dank places on the wrong side of town," he says.
"Thanks, I guess." We step onto the elevator.
"I didn't mean it that way. It's just not what I expected," he says. I let the subject drop, because I don't want to hear anymore.
The rest of the elevator ride is made in silence. We’ve walked out the door and all the way to his car before I decide to change the subject. “Which grocery store are we going to?”
“We’ll go to Sprouts. It won’t be as crowded on a Saturday morning.” He opens the car door for me and I get inside, buckling my seatbelt.
He closes the door and walks around to the driver’s side, getting in and closing the door behind him. “Is that okay with you?”
I nod. “I’ve never been there before. I usually just go to the store on the corner.”
This will be like a new adventure. I smile and settle into the soft leather of the seat as he pulls off. Most of the car ride is made in a comfortable silence. I hum along to the top forty radio station.
Dominic clears his throat. “I didn’t mean to offend you earlier. I just meant that most people in your situation don’t have the money to live in a nice a place in a decent neighborhood like you do. You just graduated from college and my mind went to the starving student. But I know you, and you’re so much more than that. You’re intelligent and, from what I can see, very resourceful.”
