Never Too Late (Open)

[AmandaAce]

Alissa rushed over to Kira as soon as she got to the party, leaving Brian standing awkwardly in the middle of the room.
Kira was sitting on a couch, talking to some incredibly hot guy. Saying hi to the guy, Alissa dragged Kira over to a corner of the room.
"Who's that guy?" Alissa whispered. "Never mind. Look at mine. Right there. The tall one." She raised her hand to point at him, and as she did so, Brian turned around and looked directly at them. Dropping her hand, she looked at Kira and they both dissolved into giggles.
"I'll see you later," Alissa said, and walked back over to Brian. She put her arms around his waist and pulled him out into the middle of the room.
"D'you wanna dance?" she asked.

 

[slowandeasy]

Red

I felt really relaxed sitting there at Murphys sipping on a cold beer and forgetting for a while about what the kids were going to be doing at that party. Donna seemed to be genuinely interested in hearing about me, so I told her my story.

"I married young too, while I was still playing ball in college. Alissa was our love child, not one that my wife and I had planned but when she came into our lives we made her our number one priority. I quit college before graduating to take a coaching job, leaving my ball playing days behind me and never lookng back, at least most of the time.”

Not wanting to ruin the evening with the details of Alisas mothers death, I reached across the table and put my hand softly on top of hers. “My wife died when Alissa was two.” I said. “Maybe some other time I will tell you more about that.” Donna turned her hand over and squeezed my hand sympathetically, I took a breath and continued. “ Now that Alissa is grown, it seems like it wasn’t all that hard rasing her alone, but I guess I’d have to admit there were a few rough times. I tried dating wanting to have a woman in our lives. I didn’t have much time or patience or maybe I was too fussy, I don’t know. At any rate the years went by and maybe... now it’s too late. I realized I was rambling on and sighed in relief when the pizza arrived and I could turn my attention to it. “Two more beers Murphy I said and lots of napkins.”

“Ladies first," I said waiting for Donna to dig in. “ By the way you can call me Red, all my friends do.” __________________

 

[princesslissa]

Kira

Alissa finaly arrived at the party with some really cute guy. He looked like an athlete to me. I introduced Zane to Alissa and she drug me off into the corner to talk to me about the tall boy she came in with. She told me that his name was Brian and I would never belive who is mother was. She told me how they ditched their parents at the resteraunt and that his mother was our favorite author. We burst into a fit giggles and she told me that she would find me later and ask me how good of a kisser Zane is. She grabbed Brian and druf him out on the dance floor. The looked really cute together.

I sauntered back over to Zane and explained to him the conversation.

"So what are doing tomorrow night?" Zane asked.

"I have dance practice all day, but after that I am free." I casually leaned over to scratch my calf allowing Zane a full view of my clevage right down shirt. He didn't miss his cue.

"What if I met you at dance practice and then we could go see a movie or something."

"That sounds great. We get done at six o'clock"

"Sounds like a date." Zane swigged the last of his beer out of the bottle. "Would you like another drink?"

"How about a shot?" I coyly asked him.

We got of the couch and Zane grabbed my hand. I felt a spark of fire shoot up my arm and into my chest. I couldn't keep the smile off my face. I could not wait for tomorrow.

 

[BlueEyedLady]

Donna

OOC: Sorry, everyone, lost my job and then my phone line. Hopefully I'm back for good.

IC: I gave Red a sad smile. At least he had had a partner to care for him and his daughter. I felt a kind of gnawing hole in my stomach and it wasn't from hunger. How I had envisioned that kind of life for me. But it wasn't to be.

Taking a piece of pizza, I lifted it to my mouth and took a bite of the gooey, greasy concoction and heard my stomach growl. Laughing, I shook my head.

"I didn't realize how hungry I really was," I said and then set to eating the slice with gusto, hoping that I wasn't horrifying Red in anyway with my table manners.

When my stomach had settled down a bit with some food in it, I took a drink of my beer and started the conversation back up again.

"You know, Red," I said, hoping that I wasn't putting my nose where it didn't belong,"I really don't think there is such a thing as it being too late for a person being in love."

I gave him a grim smile, well, at least not in my books. How many times had I written about some woman who had thought there was no love left for her only to find the perfect man. At least it worked out on paper if not in real life. But I wasn't going to tell that to him.

"One day you'll meet the right woman. You just have to have faith."

 

[slowandeasy]

Red

I watched her dig into the pizza and couldn't help but smile. Luckily she didn't see my amusement or she might have asked me what I found so funny. I couldn't tell her even if I had known her for a while, but I was remembering what I had read in some magazine, about watching a woman eat and discovering her sexual potential. If she was picky and fussy at the table she would be picky and fussy in bed and if she ate with real gusto... Shame on you Red for even thinking about it. You've been spending way too much time in the locker room. If your gonna date you'd better clean up your act or you'll scare every prosective partner away."

The best thing to do was to dig into my pizza, and remove such thoughts from my mind. I was hungry too and the pizza disappeared in no time and the beer glasses almost empty. Again as I looked at our empty plates and crumpled napkins, I was reminded of the article. It had said, the test was true for men also and I wondered if Donna had read the same article.

Fortunately for both of us she turned the conversation serious by offering her condolences and puting a positive slant on my situation.

"It isn't faith I need I replied wanting things to not get too serious and feeling more at ease every minute. "I't's more evenings with girls like you in places like this."

I raised my hand in a flourish only to bump it into my beer glass spilling its contents on the table. "Oh shit!" I said spontaneously as I jumped up to try to contain the spill before it ran off the table and into our laps.

Donna reacted just as quickly and our hands busily dabing at the table occasionally bumped together and our faces were inches apart as we bent down to make sure we had captured the last drops.

Did any splash on you? I said asked genuinely concerned and finding myself looking down at the top of her dress. I couldn't help but notice the gentle curve of her neck and throat, her smooth skin where it curved to form the rounded top surfaces of her breasts. I drew in my breath and looked quickly away.

 

[BlueEyedLady]

Donna

I was kind of glad for the accident with the glass. It covered up my blush when Red complimented me. Jumping up, I started helping to mop up the spill when I looked at him as he spoke and noticed where his eyes were headed. This time I couldn't contain the blush and I tried to hide it in activity as we got the spill cleaned up.

Shaking my head, I laughed and said,"Doesn't matter, really. Everything I wear is wash and wear. Good old department store stuff."

Though I made good money writing books I didn't splurge often and when I did it was usually on Brian rather than myself. I didn't tell Red this, though. I wasn't sure if he had heard me discuss my books with his daughter and Brian but I didn't want to seem conciented about what I did. And, actually, all I did was bring in a paycheck just like any other person trying to survive.

"So, when do you think the kids will be back?" I asked, wondering at my own boldness,"I was just...well...thinking that it might be nice to walk off this meal and I don't know the town..."

My voice died off and I looked away, embarrassed by being so assertive. "Orrr I could just go to the motel and unpack and not presume you don't have a life to get back to." I added with a self concious laugh.

 

[slowandeasy]

Red

Her spontaneity and unpretentiousness made me want to do everything I could to extend this evening with her, get to know her better, and see if what I was feeling would last, maybe even develop into a relationship. I wasn't exactly sure of what I wanted, much less what she desired, but I was willing to give it my best shot. Somehow I felt that she would let me know that if what I was doing wasn’t acceptable to her. I’d take it one step at a time.

“No!’ I said abruptly even surprising myself with my decisiveness. There’s no rush, I don’t have anyplace special to be, unless you count an evening with Jay Leno and a bowl of popcorn special.

I found myself holding her hand again as if to keep her from leaving. Besides, I’ll just sit and worry about Alissa and Brian, not that I don’t trust Brian but you know these kids today, lot more temptations than when we were their age.”

She squeezed my hand and I grinned knowing she understood. “Lets take that walk.” I said. Murphy had brought the bill and I dug some cash out of my billfold, and dropped it on the table.

It was a beautiful night as we stepped out into the street. A warm balmy breeze seemed to be inviting us into a park near the campus. “This is my favorite part of the city.” I told her as we followed a well worn path past towering trees and fragrant garden areas. A small pond glimmered in the moonlight ahead where the path circled around its edge. A bench beckoned us to test the warmth of its wooden seat and curved back. As soon as we sat down we heard the crickets serenading us in the nearby grass. “A perfect night for young lovers.” I thought and I could see there were a few enjoying the beauty and solitude, strolling around the pond stopping occasionally to pull each other into a passionate embrace or playfully tease and taunt each other into an stage of sensual excitement.

I looked over at Donna and noticed she was watching the lovers too. When she felt me watching her, she turned and smiled at me. I put my arm around her and hugged her. The warmth of her body against mine felt so good that suddenly I wanted more. I raised my hand to her face and cupping her chin leaned down and kissed her, lightly at first and then as I felt her accept my kiss moved my hand around her neck and pulled her closer, my mouth seeking hers and finding it open and inviting. For what seemed like an eternity the kiss continued, a kiss I never wanted to end. I was sharing something with a woman that I hadn’t shared in years, feeling feelings I never thought I’d ever feel again.

“Take it easy Red.” I admonished myself as the kiss ended. “Don’t screw up.”

I held her for as moment her head nestled against my shoulder and chest, my hand holding hers lightly. I took a deep breath and started to speak, to apologize for my impulsiveness. Her hand came up to my face and her finger pressed against my lips cutting off my speech.

A cool breeze from the lake made us both shiver, and as if by some unspoken agreement we got up and began walking again.

 

[BlueEyedLady]

Donna

I nodded and laughed. "Popcorn and Jay, been there...done that...wayyyy too many times."

He held my hand and it seemed kind of natural so I let it be. In fact, I even squeezed it as he spoke of his concern for his daughter. If he was anything like me, those late night shows were viewed because he had a child out doing God's knows what, with heaven's knows who and he had to sit there and hope he had taught her enough to get out of any situation and try not to inact the Spanish Inquisition when she got home.

The night was beautiful and I was glad that he agreed to the walk. I don't think I would have been able to go to sleep for a long time if I had gone back to my hotel room.

The bench we sat on gave a great view of the people around us and I became lost as I watched them. Most times when I watch people it's to get ideas for my book. But here, tonight, with Red, it was simply because I was enjoying myself.

His arm felt good around my shoulders but I was taken aback for a moment when he kissed me. I stiffened for just a split second but then I melted into him and his kiss. It was almost like in one of my books and, by the time it broke, my head was swimming.

With a sigh I leaned against him and prevented him from saying anything. If he broke this moment...well, even if it was just for this moment, I wanted to remember it because it had been such a long time since anyone had made me feel this way.

When we finally began walking again, hand in hand, I tried to find something to say to him but I couldn't. What did you say to a man you had just barely met, gone out to dinner with and then kissed? All in a few short hours.

I am sure that any of my many characters could have come up with a quick, snappy comment but my tongue was tied. So I simply let the silence envelope us as we walked toward a small bridge that overlooked a running river. I was sure that lovers of all ages came here to stare at the moonlight and I leaned against the bridge looking out on it's reflection in the river.

"It is so beautiful," I said with a sigh,"You just want to capture it and hold it for as long as you can." Maybe I should plan on capturing it in one of my books but, for now, my mind was as far away from my work as possible.

I sighed and looked over at Red, nudging him with my shoulder. "I guess we should head back. We might get a lecture from the kids about staying out so late."

The smile on my face and sparkle in my eyes said I was teasing. But the truth was that they would probably freak if they couldn't find us when they came back. Still, a little part of me wanted to try and see what would happen if I played hooky for just this once.

 

[slowandeasy]

Red

" It is so beautiful, you just want to capture it and hold it for as long as you can."

I though about what she had said and it suddenly made more sense to me than anything else I had ever considered. One moment one kiss one look one tender touch. more precious than hours spent alone hours spent waiting for something to happen that would change your life. All it took was one moment and then if you wanted it enough, capture it and then another and another until you began building a night a day, a year, a lifetime of captured moments.

I knew what I wanted, what I needed, not just a few moments but more. not for this night to end with only a few brief moments captured but something more something that could maybe lead to hours, days, years and a maybe a lifetime of captured moments. But how could I tell her and if I did would she want the same need the same.

Her motherly instinct kicked in and reminded me of our obligation to our children, but then I wondered. " why?" Maybe it was time, maybe this was a signal for us to let them make their own way and for us to find ours. It was now or never I knew if I let her think about it long enough she would shut me out to let her son back in. And I too would make the choice that would lead me back into my daughters life and out of Donna’s.

Taking a deep breath I began, telling her just as I had thought it moments ago. “It is beautiful and what makes it so beautiful is having someone to share it with, so that you can hold on to it by sharing it again and again. For one night let’s let the kids go their way and let’s go ours. Let them have their moments while we make some of our own."

Realizing I had practically propositioned her I looked off into the night sky, letting her have her space to think about what I had said. A shooting star crossed the horizon, I heard her catch her breath and knew she had seen it too. I couldn’t help but speak my mind. “If I could catch a falling star and put it in my pocket, I’d like to have someone to share it with every time I took it out to look at it again.”

 

[BlueEyedLady]

Donna

I chewed on my bottom lip, thinking about what he had said and then laughed a throaty laugh at his comment about the shooting star.

"I don't know," I said with a sigh,"I've spent so much time alone. Brian has been my only concern for so long...I honestly don't know if I would know what to do with a life of my own."

I shrugged. "Maybe I have been clinging to him because I'm afraid to let go. Afraid to see what would happen if I struck out on my own, no child to worry about, no restrictions or obligations..."

I didn't know if I was explaining myself as well as I wanted to. "Brian's life isn't the only one that's changing. And I don't know if I can handle it!"