The waitress

[MelancholyBaby]

"Margaret Mary O'Reilly!" Certain things were only unavoidable for so long. Of course we were talking about Mama.

"Yes, Mama." I stopped and steeled myself for the lecture that I was sure would follow.

"Your father and I work very hard to keep this place going to put a roof over our head and food in our bellies. You need to work, too; we can't afford for you to sit down and talk to one man all morning. And flirt. I have seen him look at you."

"Of course you've seen him look at me Mama. I'm sure Dad looked at you before, too and I..."

Mama interrupted me, her voice stern and a touch cold. "Your father is a good man."

"So is Hal."

"Maggie, either you are too naive or you just don't care, I'm having trouble figuring out which one it is."

"It's not like that, Mama." I saw the restaurant alive around me now, even when Mama didn't. I needed to go work. "He's like us. He comes from a place like this. Now I have to get back to work." I didn't wait for her to reply, I just did what I had to do. I heard the jingle of the bells on the door and I looked over to see Mary entering. I remembered. She was here about a job. I felt my heart begin to beat hard in my chest. I watched her go see Mama and then I saw the two of them walk in the back to see Dad.

Now was my chance and I was going to take it. I hurried over to Hal's booth, sitting down across from him and leaning over the table so that I could whisper to him. Perhaps it was the rudest thing I had ever done. I hoped he would forgive me.

"Hal...the woman that just walked in...they may rehire her and then I could show you around. Can you wait? For me, please, can you?"

 

[susurrus]

From the far side of the room, I could hear Maggie's mother yell her full name: not typically a good thing. I watched as Maggie got a good chewing out, and as Maggie tried to stand up for herself. In the end, it appeared they were having an argument, but Maggie left the discussion to go to work. Then the door bell rang and a woman a few years older than Maggie came in the door.

The woman went to her mother and talked for a minute, then they both went in the back. Maggie's eyes lit up and she dashed to my table while they were in the kitchen.

Excitedly, she sat back down across from me and whispered, "Hal... the woman that just walked in... they may rehire her and then I could show you around. Can you wait? For me, please, can you?"

My heart started beating faster, and I couldn't help a smile from spreading across my face. I reached over and grabbed Maggie's hands, looked her straight in the eye and said, "You bet I'll wait." I wanted to lean in and kiss her right there in front of all her neighbors, but knew I'd better not. This was our chance to really get to know one another. I'm not typically a very religious guy, but I prayed that Maggie's folks decided to hire this other woman, at least on a part-time basis.

 

[MelancholyBaby]

I held on to Hal's hands longer than I should have. I couldn't help it. It was not long enough. It would never be long enough.

"She used to work here before...I'm sure they will, it's just that they're awfully particular about people. How is your oatmeal? Do you have enough orange juice." I reached over to take another sip of his drink. "Do you?"

I heard Jimmy's voice above the growing din of the diner. I needed to get back to work. "I have to get back to work." I squeezed his hands tightly before I got up. "You're sweet, Hal. I really hope I can show you around." I hurried behind the counter to pick up my orders and deliver them. I was glad that Mama was busy. I knew she would have had something to say about me holding hands with Hal.

"Maggie!" I turned to find Dad walking toward me. He lowered his voice. "We're going to go ahead and hire Mary, if you have no objection." I could hardly believe what was happening. I just shook my head. "I didn't think you would. Tell you what, I know you haven't had some time off in a few weeks. Do you want to head home or go shopping somewhere, you can use the truck?"

I hugged him. He understood. "I'll finish with my tables, Dad, and then I'll go. Thank you, thank you, thank you." I didn't need to say anything to Hal. He knew. It took an hour for everyone to finish up and for Mary to get reacquainted, but she had been waitressing her entire life. Finally the last table got finished and I rushed over to Hal. "Lets go!"

 

[susurrus]

I assured Maggie my breakfast was perfect. I loved seeing her drink from my glass, and could have simply sat there and watched her finish the rest.

Then there was a shout from the back. Maggie stood and said, "I have to get back to work." She squeezed my hands as if she didn't want to let go. I certainly didn't want her to. She then told me, "You're sweet, Hal. I really hope I can show you around." I caught a hint of a possibly longer statement in her brief hesitation, but she unfortunately had to get doing her job.

She served a couple tables, bussed a few others (Yes, I was watching, what else did I have to do? Besides, I *wanted* to watch her.), then her dad came from the back and called her over.

There was a brief exchange between father and daughter, and I saw Maggie's face suddenly brighten, and an exuberance I hadn't seen yet radiated from her. She energetically hugged her dad, then started in with a whirlwind of activity.

It was exhausting just watching Maggie work, but she really went to town, and about an hour later, she appeared at my table, *without* her apron, grabbed my hand and almost shouted, "Let's go!"

Well, I sure didn't need to be told twice. I popped up out of my seat and followed her out the door and into the morning sunlight. An older couple saw us emerge, looked at our joined hands, stared at Maggie in surprise, me in suspicion, but said nothing as they went inside.

Outside, I turned to her and said, an enormous grin on my face, "Well, here we are. What do we want to do now?"

 

[MelancholyBaby]

I felt like a different person as I stepped out into the sunshine. It was the first day in I don't know when that I wasn't expected to work the entire day. And best yet I got to spend it with Hal.

I smirked a little as Mr. and Mrs. Crawford sent a disapproving glance my way. They woud tell Mama of course, but I didn't care. I knew who Hal was and I knew he was a good man and for once I was going to do what made me happy.

"If you wouldn't mind, I'd like to stop at the house and change. I hate smelling like the restaurant." I was glad that I didn't have to drive our truck. It was old and Dad was always tinkering with it. We could have bought a new one but Dad insisted on putting every penny we earned into the business and in paying off his medical bills. Thus we were stuck with that. "Our house isn't far, just a mile and half down that way. So can we?" I moved toward Hal but then stopped. It wouldn't do any good to get close to him here.

"And then we can go for a drive, there is a little park that I like to go to sometimes and, well, if you have any suggestions as to where to go or what to do. I'm not a good tour guide." I was eager to get away from the diner and I made my way over to the passenger's side of Hal's car. "I'm so excited to spend the day with you, Hal." I just hoped that today wouldn't be the only day.

 

[susurrus]

"If you wouldn't mind, I'd like to stop at the house and change. I hate smelling like the restaurant. Our house isn't far, just a mile and half down that way. So can we?"

My heart beat hard enough I thought Maggie would be able to hear it from where she stood. She wanted to show me where she lived? Her trust in me was fabulous. And she *could* trust me. I *wanted* to know where she lived.

If I'd been told before I left on my journey that I'd find a woman out in the boonies somewhere who would completely take my breath away, I'd have laughed in their faces. But, damn if I wasn't here, totally in love with a girl I'd only known for, what, around twelve hours? I wasn't the type who fell in love with anybody. I tend to be incredibly picky when it comes to women. Yeah, yeah, I look and like what I see, but as far as looking and saying, "I'd really like to go out with her," not really.

Not now.

I wanted to know as much as I could about Maggie, her favorite everything, I wanted to know and experience her annoying habits, I wanted to know her shoe size, her bra size, what her great-grandmother on her mom's dad's side of the family's maiden name was.

Damn, but I was smitten.

This whole thing was playing out like a romance novel, and I'd never really thought that kind of stuff ever happened for real. Yes, I was sexually attracted, too, I'd be lying if I said otherwise, but I wasn't dying for a fuck. I was still content to take my sexual frustrations out on myself for the time being. Kissing was definitely on the short-term agenda, though. If anything more came from that, cool. If not, I could wait.

Maggie made a quick move like she wanted to kiss me, but then thought better of it. I almost whimpered in disappointment, but managed not to. It finally dawned on me that the sooner we got away from the diner and her mother in particular, the freer Maggie would feel.

I took Maggie's hand again and said, "I don't mind at all." I started toward my car, which I parked around the side of the building, in case there were regulars with "designated" spots.

Shooting a glance back at the diner as we rounded the corner of the building, I saw Maggie's mom's face in the window, accompanied by her dad's. Her mom didn't look very pleased, her dad simply beamed.

"I hope you don't mind taking my car. I saw you ride home with your folks last night, and figured you got here today the same way."

I opened the passenger door and helped Maggie in, then got in the car myself. As I started it, I told her, "Just point me in the right direction."

 

[MelancholyBaby]

He was such a gentleman; he had even helped me into his car! Dad did, of course, but none of the other guys I had known let on that they even knew you were supposed to do something like that. Or open doors. I was sure of it, he was a good man. Manners said a lot about a person, Mama always said. I would be sure to inform her of Hal’s perfect ones when my scolding began.

“Go right out of here.” I could only give directions in little pieces. Dad could have recited the directions from the diner to our house without taking a breath or a second thought but I needed to see landmarks to know where I was. It was a reason why I hadn’t been more eager to venture out on my own. For awhile Dad wouldn’t let me drive the truck to town as I seemed to get lost and would end up calling my parents from a pay phone. Of course I didn’t have a cell phone. I doubted we would get reception out here anyway.

“Thanks for taking me home, Hal,” I said softly. “Oh, at the stop sign go straight!” I had almost forgotten that I was directing him somewhere. “Do you want to go to town? Or should we stay around here?” My thoughts raced as I realized I didn’t really have anything very nice to wear. I would find something, I would have to. “Now go right at this next road with the white house on the corner. Our house is further down on the left side of the road past the railroad tracks.” I paused for a moment. “The next house, yes, right there.”

The car slowed to a stop near the front door. I waited as I watched Hal hurry out of the car and come around to my side to open the door for me. I was giddy. I felt like a princess or something very similiar. "Thank you, you're so polite." I smiled at him. I stood up on my tiptoes and brushed my lips against his cheek softly. I lowered, standing flat on my feet again. "Let's go inside. I dug in the pocket of my jeans for my keys and led the way toward the house.

 

[susurrus]

Maggie's mind must have been racing, because the directions to her house were only dealt out in small, last-second spurts. I didn't really care, because there weren't really that many other vehicles on the road, so I didn't feel like I needed to keep up with traffic.

I noticed that Maggie seemed to like it when I opened the car door for her and helped her in. It wasn't something that I was used to doing, but it seemed like the thing to do at the time. What the heck, it didn't hurt to have a few manners once in a while.

Somewhere along the few-minute trip, she asked, "So, do you want to go to town?"

At first, getting to know the place near where Maggie lived seemed like a pretty decent idea, but as we pulled in to the place she indicated was her house, I noticed what originally must have been a porch swing hanging from a tree off to the side.

"That might be nice a little later. How about we sit in the swing over there once you've changed?"

Maggie blushed a little. The sudden shyness was very becoming.

When we were pulled in, I hopped out of the car while Maggie grabbed for the door handle. I almost received the corner of the door in the crotch, but jumped out of the way in time. Like I had a few minutes earlier, I helped Maggie out of the car again, much to her obvious delight.

"Thank you, you're so polite," she stated happily, then gave me a light kiss on the cheek.

The place where she'd kissed me felt warm, as if my skin didn't want to forget the feel of her lips on it. She then said, "Let's go inside," and headed for the door, digging in her pocket for a key.

Actually, after having met Maggie and her dad, I wasn't really surprised that the house was what it was. It was spotless, but it was fairly old-fashioned looking, at least in the kitchen. It reminded me of my grandma's house when I was a kid. It choked me up. I hadn't thought about her in a long time. I could actually feel my eyes tearing. I sort of felt like a fool.

 

[MelancholyBaby]

I was going to give Hal a quick tour of the house but I stopped in my tracks as I noticed a change in his demeanor. At first I didn't really believe what I was seeing but as I moved closer I realized Hal was crying. He was a man and he was...crying.

"Hal!" I rushed over to him, unsure of what possibly could have moved him to tears. "Are you ok, is there anything wrong?" My eyes searched his face, desperate for some clue as to what was going on. "Don't cry Hal, don't cry." I wrapped my arms around him tightly, drawing him to me. "Come over here," I said, leading him toward the living room and our comfortable couch. "Sit down." I reached for a kleenex and dabbed at his eyes. I hoped I wasn't being too personal but some things just came naturally to a person when another was crying.

I got up and hurried into the kitchen, my eyes searching it for what could have prompted such an emotional response. I was confused. We had some lemonade in the fridge so I poured him a glass, I knew he would like that. I sat back down next to him and placed the glass down on the table next to us. "Now..." I looked up at him. "I know that you don't know me, but if you want to talk, Hal, or share with me, I'm a pretty good listener." He was quiet and I didn't want to push him to speak to me before he was ready.

"The remote is there if you want to watch TV or there are some crossword puzzles there...I will be back in just a little bit." I stood up without thinking I placed my lips gently over his. As quickly as I had kissed him I pulled away and hurriedly made my way to my room. I got changed and ready in record time, dressing in a pale blue short sleeved blouse with eyelet lace trim, my cute jeans (as opposed to the ones I wore to work) and a pair of tan sandals with a slight heel. My hair was down and it curled naturally around my face. I put on mascara and lip gloss, too, although in retrospect the lip gloss may have been a bad idea as I planned on kissing him again. And again. Nothing more. Just kissing. I loved to kiss.

He seemed to be in better shape and I sat beside him. "Are you better now? Can you talk now? I really want to listen." I placed my hand over his and hoped he would trust me and let me be there for him.

 

[susurrus]

Maggie noticed my reaction to the kitchen and the memories it triggered, and suddenly she was my mother. It was nice. Not that my own mom hadn't been good to me, far from it, but I hadn't felt that way for years. My dad had hammered into me the whole, "Men don't cry," bit from when I was little, and eventually I got to where that was one emotion that I normally managed to subdue before it could take over.

She hustled me out of the kitchen and into the living room, where she sat me down and tried to comfort me. I felt like an idiot, but it felt really good to have Maggie hold me while she whispered soothingly to me. Once I got going, I shocked myself at how much I'd managed to repress over the years.

Maggie then went out into the kitchen, came back with a cold glass of lemonade, then said she'd be back, I assumed to change. When she placed her lips on mine, for just the briefest of moments, I never wanted it to stop.

Shortly after she left the room, I managed to get a handle on my runaway emotions and tamped them down little by little. The lingering sensation of her lips against mine helped transform my sadness. By the time I heard Maggie return I was better in control of myself.

When Maggie appeared in the doorway, time stopped for me while I assessed the change.

While she looked perfectly feminine in her work clothes, she now looked beautifully woman. The entire effect of what she had on, compared to before, accented the curves of her body wonderfully, and she'd put on a little makeup, which just highlighted the beauty I'd seen the previous night, but what really set the whole thing off was her hair. At the diner, her hair was up and out of the way, with a few stray wisps that never seemed to want to stay tamed, regardless how hard the woman tries. With it down, it fell about her shoulders and face, framing the looks I'd fallen instantly for the night before. I wanted to kiss her, hold her close (my cock, of course, started getting hard, I'm a guy, after all). Even though, as I stated long before, she was no beauty queen, but god *damn* was she gorgeous!

And for however long this lasted, she was mine, and I, hers.

I couldn't help but just sit and watch, astounded, as she made her way across the room and sat back down beside me on the couch. Her look was half relief, half concern over my dilemma earlier.

"Are you better now? Can you talk now? I really want to listen." She then placed her hand over mine. I liked the feeling of her touching me. 'Boy,' I told myself, 'you got it bad.' Then I further said to myself, 'And I don't care in the least.'

I hoped she'd feel comfortable enough to do more than just hold hands, eventually, and I realized, I wasn't even talking sexual stuff. Man, I *did* have it bad.

I took a sip of the lemonade she'd brought me. It was good. "Yeah, I'm okay.

"Sorry about that. It's just when I walked in and saw your mom's kitchen, I was eight years old again. My grandma's kitchen was set up almost exactly the same. She had a gas stove as opposed to your electric, but it sparked memories. She died a couple years after we moved for Dad's new job. It hit me hard, because my mom needed to come back and take care of "family stuff" after the funeral. It was hard because the last time I'd seen Grandma, I was a little kid, and she'd made me mashed potatoes almost exactly like I had last night. I love the hand mashed ones, where you can tell they started with real potatoes, and didn't come out of a box. Grandma didn't believe in mashed potatoes with all the life beaten out of them.

"Anyhow, when I went back into Grandma's house to help after the funeral, it was missing something I remembered from that last time I'd been there. When Grandma was there, you could feel the love in the place. It was as if she gave it part of her spirit. With her gone, it was just a house, it just had all her stuff in it. At any time I expected her to come in and ask me if I had a girlfriend yet. She'd been doing that since I was probably three or four. My response from the very beginning was that I already had one. I was fourteen or fifteen, and I wanted to hear her ask me if I had a girlfriend. I kept watching the doorways for her to come around the corner. I wanted to hear her voice. I wanted to hear her laugh. I wanted to hold her hand one more time, because that mannequin in the casket in the funeral home wasn't her. She was somewhere, and it wasn't there.

"It took a few years for it to dawn on me that she *was* still alive. It wasn't quite the same, but I finally realized she lives on in my memories of her. There are still times that I long to hear her voice again, even though I was little the last time I heard it. She helped make me who I am. In fact, everybody I've ever loved, in whatever context it may have been, has made me who and what I am.

"I'm sorry it triggered such an outburst. I don't normally wear my emotions on my sleeve like that."

 

[MelancholyBaby]

I blinked away a few tears that had found themselves in my eyes as I listened to Hal talk about his grandma. I could certainly sympathize. I was still fortunate to have both of mine around, but I was no stranger to losing my grandpa. When you’re close, it’s tough. It’s as if there is a part of you, that their presence in essence completes you, defines you. I can’t explain it, it’s just something you have to feel. And I knew that Hal felt the same way as I did.

I squeezed his hand tight. “Don’t worry, Hal. Sometimes you can’t help it when emotions come out like that. It’s good to let them out, to feel them.” I handed him a kleenex. “Whoever said that men aren’t supposed to cry or have feelings has got to be the most wrong man ever. I would never hold it against you that you cried. It just reinforces the fact that you’re sensitive, that you’re human.” I met his eyes with mine and smiled. “Of course I know what you’re thinking. ‘She’s a girl of course she would say that, she probably cries at everything.’ Well, I do. But it would be ok even if I didn’t.

“We can go somewhere if you want, or we can stay here. Or go outside. There’s a swing out there, we can talk. I want to know all about you, Hal.” I looked down quickly. There was a question that was burning in my mind right now. I just had to ask it, no matter how stupid it may make me look. In retrospect, it could save me a lot of heartbreak. And I knew just how to do it.

“So, as your grandma would ask, do you have a girlfriend yet?” I smiled widely, hoping that it wouldn’t upset him.

 

[susurrus]

I felt my ears heat up at Maggie's question. My heart thumped in my chest so
hard I thought it'd pop right out. Maggie hadn't struck me as the kind of
woman who'd be put off by a man having an emotional outburst, at least not
of the kind I'd had. In fact, she'd taken it pretty much as I'd hoped and
expected. I was glad.

But throwing Grandma's question at me...

I hadn't had a real, honest-to-goodness girlfriend for over a year, and that
one had left me for a formerly ex-boyfriend. I'd dated off and on, but
nothing that had gone for more than two dates.

I decided to ignore the burning question at the moment and said, "I think
I'd like to go out to the swing. It's way too nice out to sit inside." I
then looked directly in Maggie's pretty eyes and quietly and seriously said,
"As far as the other thing, it depends who you ask."

 

[MelancholyBaby]

“Oh... you’re an awfully cryptic one, aren’t you?” I asked as I got up and took his hand, pulling him toward the door to go outside. It was the time of day where the sun is at its height and it warmed me. It was soft without being too hot. It was the kind of sunlight that you like to wake you in the morning; that just kind of covers you like a blanket. “Over here, be careful of the step, I forgot to warn you before, it’s a little wobbly.” I sat down in the swing and when Hal sat down beside me I probably snuggled in to him a little too closely.

“So it depends on who I ask?” I narrowed my eyes. “So who should I ask? Where’s your little black book,” I added, playfully, my hands interlocking with his. Sure he hadn’t really answered, but I was pretty sure that if there was something going on with some girl somewhere he wasn’t as into her as she was to him. If there was a girl, anyway. Somewhere in there the little ever present voice reminded me of our unlikely match – our ages, locations, and so many more things I was sure that would come between us. But for now, it was fun and I couldn’t remember feeling like this for…well, forever. Never before. So of course I didn’t know how to act. But I didn’t need to. I could just be me, the Maggie that my mom is so insistent to keep reserved and proper. Not that the real me wasn’t a good girl. I was. But it was just being silly and being with Hal, like I was now, that just felt so right.

“I know what I’d like the person I ask to say.” I looked up at Hal. “But if there is a girl... she’s awfully lucky.”

 

[susurrus]

Maggie liked my not-an-answer. I was glad. It left her to think for a while what I might mean.

The warmth of her hand felt good. It’d been too long since I’d touched a woman for anything but to shake hands. She led me out into the sunshine, warning me about the loose stair just as my foot hit it. I wasn’t in any danger of falling, but it sure did wiggle when I put my weight on it. I hadn’t noticed anything before, but it was one of those things that you didn’t notice until it was either pointed out to you, or you ended up on your butt.

The sun was warm, but not too much. Give it another month and it might be that way. Under the tree in the swing, there was a little patchy shade, and a slight breeze was blowing, so it was going to be a beautiful day to sit outside. And with such lovely company, it would be simply perfect.

It was great in the swing. I hadn’t been in one of these porch swings since before my dad got the job that made us move. Maggie snuggled up to me real close. I was sure her mom wouldn’t approve, but I didn’t care, I liked it. The feel of a pretty female body against mine is too delicious a thing to turn away, and Maggie felt darn good cuddled up against me. There was a great impulse to put my arm around her shoulders, but I refrained - at least for the moment - not knowing how familiar she wanted to get. I know that putting an arm around a girl is hardly “getting familiar,” at least not in *most* adult senses of the term, but in this situation, it seemed to be that way. Besides, we still hadn’t even known each other for a full day.

So, there was the “nearly strangers” thing niggling at the back of my brain, there was the fact that Maggie could practically be my daughter, and there was the devastating fact that, eventually, I’d have to go back to my computer job, and I didn’t know for sure if we’d be able to make a long distance relationship work for long, if it turned into that.

For the moment, though, we were happy to just enjoy each other’s company. I still wanted to know as much about Maggie as I could, and she probably wanted to know more about me, too. I wasn’t sure how much she needed to know, or how much I wanted to tell her. It wasn’t that I was a murderer or child molester or anything, but there are some things that just need to be found out over time. I hoped we’d both get those opportunities.

Maggie took my hand and said, “So it depends on who I ask, eh? Who should I ask? Where’s your little black book?” The playfulness then left her voice. “I know what I’d like the person I ask to say.” She then looked up at me, her eyes hopeful and regretful at the same time. “But if there is a girl... she’s awfully lucky.”

This was my cue. One hand held Maggie’s, the other was still free. With it, I reached around her shoulders and pulled her tighter into me. My god, she felt good against me. It had been far too long. I still wasn’t going to lose my cool or anything, that was the weird and wonderful thing about this whole situation. I was content to just *be* with Maggie. While I’d felt ashamed at my outburst earlier, looking back at it, it felt good to be able to do such things in front of a woman. I didn’t expect I’d be bawling at the drop of a hat or anything, but Maggie hadn’t been put off or upset, and she didn’t think any less of me as a man for having done it. That freedom was something I couldn’t remember having had in my adult life.

With the arm I had wrapped around her, I brought my hand up and caressed Maggie’s hair. It was silky and beautiful, and I was glad she’d let it down. I laughed a little. “Actually, I had a little black book once. I bought it in college, when I thought I was going to conquer the female world. I think I actually had six entries in it. One of them was my mom, one was my Aunt Doris and Uncle Harold (my namesake), one was my cousin, and two of the others were friends from back home that I wanted to keep in contact with. There was only one female in it that wasn’t related to me, and she left school a month after I entered her name.

“So, you might say I’ve never been a great ladies’ man.

“As far as if there *is* a girl...

“Do you have a mirror?”

 

[agedmac]

Maggie liked my not-an-answer. I was glad. It left her to think for a while what I might mean.

The warmth of her hand felt good. It’d been too long since I’d touched a woman for anything but to shake hands. She led me out into the sunshine, warning me about the loose stair just as my foot hit it. I wasn’t in any danger of falling, but it sure did wiggle when I put my weight on it. I hadn’t noticed anything before, but it was one of those things that you didn’t notice until it was either pointed out to you, or you ended up on your butt.

The sun was warm, but not too much. Give it another month and it might be that way. Under the tree in the swing, there was a little patchy shade, and a slight breeze was blowing, so it was going to be a beautiful day to sit outside. And with such lovely company, it would be simply perfect.

It was great in the swing. I hadn’t been in one of these porch swings since before my dad got the job that made us move. Maggie snuggled up to me real close. I was sure her mom wouldn’t approve, but I didn’t care, I liked it. The feel of a pretty female body against mine is too delicious a thing to turn away, and Maggie felt darn good cuddled up against me. There was a great impulse to put my arm around her shoulders, but I refrained - at least for the moment - not knowing how familiar she wanted to get. I know that putting an arm around a girl is hardly “getting familiar,” at least not in *most* adult senses of the term, but in this situation, it seemed to be that way. Besides, we still hadn’t even known each other for a full day.

So, there was the “nearly strangers” thing niggling at the back of my brain, there was the fact that Maggie could practically be my daughter, and there was the devastating fact that, eventually, I’d have to go back to my computer job, and I didn’t know for sure if we’d be able to make a long distance relationship work for long, if it turned into that.

For the moment, though, we were happy to just enjoy each other’s company. I still wanted to know as much about Maggie as I could, and she probably wanted to know more about me, too. I wasn’t sure how much she needed to know, or how much I wanted to tell her. It wasn’t that I was a murderer or child molester or anything, but there are some things that just need to be found out over time. I hoped we’d both get those opportunities.

Maggie took my hand and said, “So it depends on who I ask, eh? Who should I ask? Where’s your little black book?” The playfulness then left her voice. “I know what I’d like the person I ask to say.” She then looked up at me, her eyes hopeful and regretful at the same time. “But if there is a girl... she’s awfully lucky.”

This was my cue. One hand held Maggie’s, the other was still free. With it, I reached around her shoulders and pulled her tighter into me. My god, she felt good against me. It had been far too long. I still wasn’t going to lose my cool or anything, that was the weird and wonderful thing about this whole situation. I was content to just *be* with Maggie. While I’d felt ashamed at my outburst earlier, looking back at it, it felt good to be able to do such things in front of a woman. I didn’t expect I’d be bawling at the drop of a hat or anything, but Maggie hadn’t been put off or upset, and she didn’t think any less of me as a man for having done it. That freedom was something I couldn’t remember having had in my adult life.

With the arm I had wrapped around her, I brought my hand up and caressed Maggie’s hair. It was silky and beautiful, and I was glad she’d let it down. I laughed a little. “Actually, I had a little black book once. I bought it in college, when I thought I was going to conquer the female world. I think I actually had six entries in it. One of them was my mom, one was my Aunt Doris and Uncle Harold (my namesake), one was my cousin, and two of the others were friends from back home that I wanted to keep in contact with. There was only one female in it that wasn’t related to me, and she left school a month after I entered her name.

“So, you might say I’ve never been a great ladies’ man.

“As far as if there *is* a girl...

“Do you have a mirror?”

Very well done.....I want to note a few things: 1) Lovely finish because it can stand alone or be ready for a second part. 2) co-writing---most of the time they don't work because it tends to be uneven in writing skill AND in where each person is taking the story. 3) Sweet story and generally they don't appeal to me, although one of my fav movies is a classic 'chick Flik', Sleepless in Seattle. On the other hand, the other one with Tom Hanks as well.......You've Got Mail...... I turned that into a 'amateur porn' Flik quickly (GRIN)