Chapter 57
Goodnight Kiss
Celia seemed nervous through most of their dinner. She kept looking around as if someone was watching them. It wasn’t until they were finished and ready to leave that Mike figured out what was going on. She was looking for the paparazzi. He wasn’t sure what to do so he decided he would make a comment. “Sorry. No one will care that you’re out with me.”
She looked up and gave him a questioning look. “What?”
“I thought you were looking for those nosy people snapping pictures.”
“Oh, no,” she laughed. “Well, maybe a part of me. But mostly I feel out of place. I’ve never been this beaten up before. I feel like everyone’s looking at me.”
“You look beautiful. Don’t worry about them,” he said, nodding his head to a table occupied by several women. “They couldn’t even get a date,” he said with a smirk.
“Thanks. That makes me feel better.”
“It should. After all, I’m quite the catch.” With this comment he reached up and wiggled his tie. In reality he couldn’t wait to get the thing off, but he had thought it might impress Celia. He was right. She liked the way he looked; he could tell.
“You’re terrible.”
“Hey, it’s not bragging if it’s the truth.” She gave him a soft smile. Thankfully she seemed to have momentarily forgotten about the women at the nearby table.
They finished their coffee and dessert that he had finally talked her into getting. He paid the bill and they were on their way to the car. He pushed the chair, talking to her as they walked along. One of the women gave a sneer as they walked by. He had thought it was just her imagination, but maybe they were talking about her.
He wanted to say something but wasn’t sure they’d care or hear, so he put them out of his mind. “Are you ready to go dancing now?”
“Sure,” she said, as he helped her into the car. “I can’t wait.”
“Maybe at a later date,” he said, tucking part of her skirt into the car so it wouldn’t get caught in the door.
“I think I’ll have to pass. I’m worn out. But I do like to dance. Could you help me with this seatbelt? I had a time with it earlier.”
“Sure,” he said, reaching for the belt and carefully pulling it across her. “Too tight?”
“No,” she said in such a soft tone that he stopped and looked to make sure he wasn’t hurting her. He could see in her expression that she was not in pain. There was another look in her pretty eyes. A look that he hadn’t seen in a long time but that he knew very well.
He wasn’t sure if his timing was right or if she cared about timing. For now, he just went back to the buckle and hoped that if he got up the nerve later, she would still want to kiss him. “There you go. Now to get you home and into bed.”
The moment the words were out of his mouth, he stumbled to correct himself. “I meant help you get into bed.” She didn’t say anything but he thought he heard a small laugh escape as he closed the door. He was so flustered he almost forgot to put her wheelchair in the trunk and he hoped she hadn’t noticed.
If she did, she didn’t mention it as he put his seatbelt on, started the car and pulled out. He said the only thing that came to his mind. “Do we need to stop at the store on the way? Is there anything you need?”
“No, thanks. I’ve got everything I need.”
Mike didn’t answer and neither seemed to mind the other didn’t have much to say. It wasn’t until they pulled into the driveway that Celia spoke, and he could hear the sigh in her tone.
“I will miss this house but thanks to Roger and my mother, I now realize that I don’t need a place this big. I think I can move out and not feel too much regret.”
“That’s a good thing. It means you’re growing.”
“At my age?”
“Sure. My mother says things all the time about learning something new, or why in the world had it taken her so long to realize this or that? As we grow older, we can still learn. I think when we stop learning, that’s when we have a problem.”
Celia let out an audible sigh this time and he could feel her looking at him. Mike parked, took out the keys and turned in the seat to look at her. “What’s on your mind?”
“Life didn’t turn out like I thought it would. Then again, my ‘thoughts’ have changed over the years. When I was young, I thought I would have a ‘happily ever after’ - that I would meet prince charming and we’d ride off into the sunset together. When I turned seventeen, I started noticing how Mom and Dad lived and I wanted a man to take care of me, love or not. I didn’t want to work from daylight to dark cleaning and cooking.”
“And now?” Mike asked.
“I’m not even sure I want a man. I want to make it on my own. I don’t want to depend on anyone, but I don’t see it happening out here. Everything is so expensive. I might have to go back with Mom and Roger.”
“You’ve given up on selling cars?”
“No, but I can’t see it happening. I can’t afford rent. Not the first month or the last month or either. I don’t have a car. I’m not sure what the insurance is going to pay and I may end up with a lot of hospital bills.”
“Is this a pity party?” he asked, with a smile.
“No, a reality party. I’m trying to see things clearly. I’m tired of disappointment and I don’t want to go back to my old life. I didn’t like what I saw when I looked in the mirror.”
“I’ve had those moments, but we can’t give up.”
“I’m not. I’m just trying to make a plan where I won’t fail. If I go home, I can live with my family until I’m able to find a job.”
Mike didn’t like what he was hearing, though he could understand. He was starting to see a bit of the real Celia and he wasn’t going to give up. He didn’t want to ask her to stay with him, and suddenly, another idea emerged from nowhere. “You could live in the house we’re working on. It’s not finished but that would give you a way to get on your own two feet.”
“That’s terrible,” she said, shaking her head but at least she was smiling so he went on.
“I know everything would hinge on you selling cars, but there are other jobs.”
“I hadn’t thought about that. It does have electricity and water. I don’t care about cable. Roger could move in, too, if you don’t mind. We could share expenses.”
“Yes, you could, and, no, I wouldn’t mind.” He could see her coming more alive.
“I think there is even a bus that runs by there. We could get work soon, well, he could. Maybe I could work from there doing something or dabble at selling cars. I think I could work a few hours a day.”
Mike nodded. “I could drive you and maybe stop off for supper on the way home.” He wanted to reach out and take her hand or kiss her.
“That would be nice. Really nice,” Celia said, and she seemed to have an idea what he wanted. Maybe it was the look on his face, or the electricity between them. No matter, she had turned and was looking at him.
“Then it’s a plan. In the morning I’ll go to the house and start looking around to see what you’ll need - a bed frame and mattresses, some curtains and maybe get the guys started on a ramp.”
“Why are you so good to me?”
“I don’t know. I’m trying to figure that one out myself.”
“When you figure it out, will you let me know?”
“Sure will,” Mike said, leaning in close enough to kiss her.
“I don’t think we should . . .”
“Yes, we should,” he interrupted. He leaned in touching his lips to hers. He was ‘going to keep it light’ but she moved as he pulled back and kissed him. He wasn’t expecting this, but he should have. Celia was a take-charge kind of girl and he didn’t mind admitting that he didn’t care one bit.