CHAPTER 7
May
One week later
“How’s everything going with the doctor?” he asks as we settle into our table for dinner. It’s a nice Italian spot outside the city a bit where we can go over the plan while enjoying a meal in dimly lit peace.
“Good. Thanks. He’s just waiting on the paperwork and then we can proceed.”
“I’m expecting that by the end of the week. HR is rushing it through we should be set on that soon.”
“Have you thought about the best way to go about it?”
“I have. There’s a window where I need to have a physical taken every year. I’m in that window right now so once the paperwork goes through I’ll schedule my physical and you can come with me and have a physical of your own.”
“That’s a good idea actually,” I say. He doesn’t immediately reply as the waiter fills our wine glasses with a nice Cabernet. Once the waiter leaves I prepare my follow-up. “Are you still okay with everything?”
“Yeah. I am,” he says.
“Thank you again for doing this,” I say, putting my hands palms down on the table.
“You know you don’t ever have to thank me,” he says laying his palms in mine. “But you’re welcome.”
He big hands engulf mine. He gives me a gentle squeeze and everything feels right. I feel so protected and safe whenever I’m around him, and so small and exposed to the whims of the world when I’m not.
He suddenly laughs and then pulls his hands back, placing them on his head.
“What?”
“I almost forgot to tell you. One of the ladies at work asked me about our vows. She asked me if I’d started writing mine yet.”
“And?” This could get interesting.
“I told her I was going to go with the standard ones.”
Steven takes a drink.
“And?”
“She didn’t seem very thrilled with that idea. Said only a generic girl gets generic vows and asked me if that’s the message I wanted to send.”
“But we’ll never actually get to the actual wedding part anyways…will we?”
“I mean…I’m in unchartered territory here. I haven’t exactly done this before so I don’t know how it’s all going to play out. All I know is that she’s going to hound me until she sees my own set of original wedding vows.”
“So maybe we should…?”
“It could be entertaining to say the least,” he says.
“A verifiable pattern of romantic behavior, right?” I ask.
“I’m pretty sure that qualifies,” he says.
A simple meeting to check-in turns into a three hour dinner. When we’re finished we get to pay only to find out, “another gentleman who left earlier had already picked up the tab.” We both have puzzled looks on our faces until the waiter describes what he looked like. “Thank you,” Steven tells him.
“My pleasure, sir. He said to tell you it was a pleasure to see two people so much in love,” the waiter says before taking off back to the kitchen.
We both look at each other. I raise my palms toward the ceiling.
“Officer Russo. He loves Italian food and knows every place in L.A. where he can get it. He must have seen us.”
“But he didn’t approach,” I say.
“Because he thought…well, you heard what the waiter said,” he says.
Two people so much in love. That’s exactly what he said. And I can’t lie. My deep feelings for Steven are intensifying even more. I don’t want to put the “L word” on it yet because I don’t want to get my hopes up. I mean I’m not even sure this is going to work out or that I’ll even be around this time come next year, let alone find myself in a real relationship with the man of my dreams.
But what is real? The lines seem to be blurring quickly, or am I just crazy?
He didn’t bring up the kiss at dinner even though it was the thing I most hoped we get a chance to address. He’s steering clear of it entirely. Is it because it was no big deal? Just part of the act? Did it mean something more to him? Did it mean a lot more actually?
“Shall we,” Steven says offering me his arm.
“We shall,” I say.
We walk outside and the fresh air hits me in the face making me realize I might be a bit more buzzed than I realize.
“Where’s your car parked?” he asks.
“I took an Uber.”
“You did?”
“Yeah, why?”
“I did too.”
“You did?”
“Yeah, in case we had something to drink.”
I look up at him and try and hold it in but can’t. I start giggling uncontrollably and he quickly pinches me in the side. It’s like we’re two high school kids on a date and does it ever feel fun.
“As in in case we had two bottles of wine to drink?”
“Something like that,” he says. “Here, let’s walk it off for a few blocks and then call a ride.”
“Sounds good,” I say holding onto his arm even tighter and pressing my body against the side of his.
We take off down the street. And it’s just like the song “Nobody Walks in L.A.” And this time it’s perfect. We have the entire sidewalk to ourselves which I’d definitely need to walk with him. I’m a bit tipsy and doubt I could walk in a straight line. Thankfully I’ve got him here to support me and keep me on the straight and narrow. We make a good team. Too bad it’s only until my treatment and then things will go back to the way they were.
If that’s possible.