Chapter 12
Nora was in the kitchen that evening, cooking her dad’s favorite meat loaf with mash dinner. She heard the doorbell ring and then her father’s voice booming from the living room.
“Stay for dinner. Let me go check with Nora,” she heard him say and even though she hadn’t heard Theo’s voice, she could feel her heart racing. Her dad came into the kitchen.
“Honey, Theo’s here. He came to drop off a book he’d borrowed and I’ve asked him to stay for dinner. Do we have enough?” he said. Nora turned to him and then saw Theo at the kitchen door behind her father. He was staring at her, expressionless again.
“Of course. Dinner will be ready in a few minutes,” she said and turned back to making the sticky sauce she usually lathered on the meatloaf.
“Great! Let me go pour us some drinks,” her dad led Theo out of the kitchen, while Nora set up the table. She was a little ashamed knowing that he had heard her conversation with Jack that morning. Also, she had expected him to keep his distance from her. Having him in their house, in such a personal setting again was a jolt to her system.
When the table was set, she wiped her hands on the apron at her waist and walked to the living room. Her father and Theo were sitting on the couch, thumbing through the pages of the business book they were discussing. Her father was drinking alone and neither of them noticed when she had walked to the door.
She watched Theo for a few moments, drinking him in. The width of his shoulders, his large hands as he gripped the book. Those same fingers had been inside her, that mouth which was stretched in a smile now was lapping at her pussy just twenty-four hours ago. Nora felt Goosebumps erupt on her arms and she cleared her throat.
“Dinner’s ready,” she said and turned and walked back into the kitchen.
Her father and Theo entered together, still talking. They sat around the table, with her dad sitting at the head and Nora across from Theo. He had very seldom met her eyes, and when he did, he was quick to look away. It was very evident to her, that he was guilty about what had happened; but he had never seemed like the kind of man who apologized easily.
They made small talk as they ate. It was mostly Nora talking to her father directly and Theo doing the same. She kept her eyes glued to the plate, not hungry anymore and pushed the food around with her fork.
Theo had his tie loosened at his neck now and his made-to-measure shirt had its sleeves rolled up to his elbows. He looked handsome, with the stubble, the green intelligent eyes, the square jaw…he was Nora’s ideal man and now she had lost her chance with him.
Dinner was done with, and they remained seated around the table. Her father had been drinking heavily the whole night and Nora noticed that he had begun to slur his words happily and his eyes had begun to droop.
“Dad, do you think we should call it a night?” Nora asked, and stood up from her chair to clear the dishes away.
“I should head home anyway,” Theo said, but Andy stopped him.
“Stay for a bit, Theo. Let’s have a game of poker,” he said.
“Don’t think you can play right now, Andy. You need to go to bed,” Theo said, standing up. Nora glanced at him and saw him smiling at his friend.
“Of course I can play!” her father tried standing up, unsteadily to his feet and Nora and Theo both rushed to him and caught him by his elbows.
“Steady, Andy,” Theo said, scolding him humorously.
“I’ll take you to bed, dad,” Nora said.
“I’ll take him,” Theo said and their eyes met again. Nora released her grip on her father’s arms and Theo hugged him to himself, and then throwing Andy’s arm around his shoulder, he started dragging him swiftly out of the kitchen.
Nora watched them leave and wondered how often Theo did this for her father. How much she had missed while she stayed away from home. As she cleared the plates and loaded the dishwasher, she heard Theo and her father upstairs in his room. She could hear Theo’s deep calm voice and her father’s slurring as he was being helped into bed and a soft smile grazed her lips. She couldn’t think of one friend who was as close to her as her father and Theo were. And had been for all these years. As much as she tried not to think about it, they shared a special kind of friendship that she had never experienced herself. No wonder he was so guilty about what had happened between them.
Then she heard the bedroom door shut, and Theo’s heavy footsteps on the stairs. With her back straightened and turned to the door, she washed her hands and packed the leftovers away for the fridge.
“He’s asleep,” she heard his voice and turned her head sideways to acknowledge that she had heard. She was expecting him to leave right away, but instead she could still sense his presence in the room. Then he was walking towards her.
“Do you need help with that?” he asked and Nora crinkled the aluminum foil on the dish and walked over with it to the fridge.
“It’s all done, thank you,” she said and when she turned, she saw that he was watching her closely. Nora stared back at him, her throat drying because she could feel a surge of emotions rising in her again. Ever since she was a teenager, she had wanted this man and she had finally come so close to having him and now it was ruined.
“Do you want a beer?” she squeaked, surprised by what she had just said. Theo’s shoulders rose softly with every breath he was taking. He looked at her in silence for a few more moments.
“Sure,” he replied and Nora smiled.