Chapter 10

Tim felt nervous. He knew if he didn't do this fast, his sister would catch him, and then there would be explaining to do. When he saw Beck at school, without the usual friends around, she was in the hallway. He quickly walked up to her, before he lost his nerve.

"Can I talk to you for a sec?" he said, knowing his voice sounded shaky.

Beck gave him a little smile and said, "Sure."

Cyn had told Beck what his brother had said, about wanting a date with her and also knowing it wasn't anything more than a fantasy. Now Beck was curious as to what he might want.

The two took a couple of steps aside, so they were out of the rush of other students.

"Here's a phone number for Brad," Tim said as he thrust his hand out.

Surprised, Beck took it, just as Cyn walked up to the two.

"What's going on?" Cyn asked.

"It's your birthday in less than a week. You can't ask questions," Tim said, trying to sound more confident than he felt.

"Birthday! That's no fair," Cyn said, trying to pout, but doing a poor job of it.

Beck took up the tease and said, "If we get this much reaction from you, I guess we'll need to..."

"Hey, no way. Besides, your birthday is coming up in three weeks. You want me to do the same back?" Cyn asked her friend.

"Ok, truce. But you still can't know what your brother is doing, now get out of here," Beck said to her friend, with a big smile on her face.

"Fine, but you'd better hurry or you'll be late for class."

As soon as Cyn took three steps away and dissolved into the crowd, Beck demanded, "What's this about?"

"He wants ideas for his next date with Cyn. Hell, he's got me calling her that."

Beck giggled and then said, "You know that's what she likes now, so I guess you'll need to get used to it. I'll give Brad a call after school."

"Ummm," Tim mumbled. Then pleaded, "Can you call before lunch?

"I'll try," Beck said as the bell started to ring. She ran and slipped into the classroom.

Tim ran down the now empty corridor, knowing he was already late. Fortunately he had PE and it took time to change. He'd just have to be quick about it so he could get out on the field with the rest of his class.

Beck almost laughed. She knew better, but the look on Cyn's face!

The four girls who sat together at lunch had all seen Cyn jump when she got notification of a text. Beck had used the age-old excuse of needing a bathroom break in the middle of class to talk with Brad. It had been a short, but fruitful conversation. So Beck knew what that text said, before Cyn read it.

Soon it was the talk of the table. Even if Beck had suggested the place as something Cyn had mentioned she wanted to go to, it was hard not to get caught up in the exuberance that transpired.

Lunchtime flew by and they were off to class, but not before the girls made Cyn swear that she would email them all about the date as soon as she woke up Saturday. None of them wanted to wait 'till Monday.

The week went slow. I'm sure it was because for the first time, in a long time, I'd been looking forward to the weekend. Well, Friday evening. At about four, my boss told me to get the hell out of there, as I was useless. I could have been offended, or worried. The smile on his face, as well as several others in the hallway, told me differently.

I didn't mind at all, leaving an hour early. I'd miss the normal traffic, for one. Then I could get the kids settled, as well as myself. I was nervous.

Didn't make a whole lot of sense. Last week's date was ... well ... planned. It was comfortable. Yes, it did get a bit out of hand at the end, but it was something where I was more in control. This date was going to a place I had no clue about. This was a place Cyn wanted to go to. I was out of my 'comfort zone', and I knew it. Flowers? Last week I knew what would be acceptable. This week, no clue. What to wear? Last week, a breeze. This week? I had to look up their website, facebook, and any review I could get hold of, just to get a clue. I almost broke down and drove by last night. Kimberly falling asleep early threw that idea out the window.

Thinking about what kind of place Cyn would like, made me relax just a bit. Certainly not fancy. Down to earth. Casual. Jeans type of place. I was getting a handle on this, I kidded myself. Jeans and what? Now-a-days guys wore jeans with white shirts, a tie, and sports coat. They were also worn with a flannel shirt.

Brian and Kim were no help tonight. I'm sure their fussiness was do to my uneasiness. One would start to cry and the other would start. This went back and forth all through their dinner. It took a lot of my patience not to yell at them.

I was cleaning them up when the doorbell rang. I told Brian to behave as I set him in the playpen. With Kim in my arms, I opened the door.

Tim said, "I never thought I'd be babysitting my sister's boyfriend's children."

I almost laughed as I replied, "You practiced that one, didn't you?"

He grinned as he stepped inside, then said, "Yeah. I knew I'd never get it out if I didn't say it all at once."

"Thanks for getting Beck to call me."

He nodded.

"If you don't know, I already paid you for that one."

His eyebrows raised as he said, "Yeah?"

"I knew you were going to suggest that you get a date with Beck."

He looked surprised.

I chuckled and said, "I was your age once. If I'd have been in your shoes, I would have done the same thing. Cyn was pretty steamed about it, that's when I suggested Cyn help you get a date."

"Oh," he said, sounding kind of embarrassed, and went over to where Brian was.

"I do remember those days. Not knowing how to talk to girls. I also have a sister, even if she's a good bit older. She helped me, by telling me things I'd never have had a clue about. It's good to use the resources around you. Cyn had no clue you didn't know things. Girls don't get how mysterious they are to guys."

Tim had been nodding his head while I talked.

Going on, I said, "Sorry I don't have anything new for you to read..."

He caught my meaning and grinned. Then asked, "Why not, writers block?"

"Um, well ... You see I think you may have noticed that the last story turned sort of dark."

"You could say that."

"Well, now, I'm not sure what to write."

"Why?" He asked and then stopped playing with Brian and looked at me. "You're feeling happy because of my sister."

"You think?"

He laughed. Then his face changed expression.

"You..." I could tell Tim was trying to choose the right words. I let him. We didn't say anything for a couple of minutes.

"Letters Written was pretty true to your feelings. Those chapters were unbelievable when I read them the first time. Knowing they came from you put new meanings to the words and I understood ... I got what my parents told me ... about what you were going through. Reading your story online didn't have the same impact as knowing how those words were written." Tim paused, trying to get the next words right. "So now, if you wrote, you'd be writing feelings that included my sister. Yeah, that would be weird to read."

"And your mom is reading my stories, now, too."

"Yeah," Tim said with a big grin on his face, "that would be like her finding my sister's diary or something."

"Your sister has a diary?"

"Uh, yeah, I guess," Tim stammered out.

I was laughing, and he knew I wasn't buying that lame excuse. He'd found it and most likely read it.

"So what does it say about me?" I asked.

"No way I'd tell you!"

I shook my head, and he groaned, realizing he just admitted he knew something that was in it.

Trying to change the subject, he asked, "How long are you going to be out?"

I put a thoughtful expression on my face as I said, "I think Cyn was going to ask your mom if she needed to come home tonight."

"What!" Tim practically shouted.

Then he dropped his shoulders, and his face went slack. He shook his head when he realized that I'd just got him good.

"The real answer is, before midnight. I'm not sure what we're doing after dinner."

"Ok."

What does one say about dinner in a college hang out place? I felt out of place. I was past college, Cyn would be there soon. So I could understand the attraction for her. In retrospect, I felt like a cradle robber, there. Guys were looking at Cyn. Hell, I was looking at her. She looked hot. Other gals there looked good, too. While I may have glanced, I never stared. The college aged guys stared at Cyn. It made me feel nervous. Sort of like when I found out her mom had taken her off to San Diego, off to see what college could offer her. Insecurity raised its ugly head, big time.

The meal itself was surprisingly good. I guess there was a reason for the reputation, after all. Nothing really fancy, simply twists on classic foods that the college aged kids would be missing. Like a mac and cheese, but nothing like what your mother would have ever made you at home. Hell I'd never make it like that at home. I didn't want to know the calorie content in each bite! Which tells you that indeed I ordered it. Another thing this restaurant had going for it. Someone was very evil, the descriptions of the food offered made me want to order a lot more than I would ever be able to eat. Cyn laughed when I ordered the mac and cheese as an appetizer, but we fought over the last bite!

In a way I was glad it was busy and we felt a need to vacate our table. Outside, Cyn took my arm, pulled me into her and then gave me a kiss. Well! That felt pretty nice. I figured guys were still looking at her and she had just claimed me. At least that's how I wanted to take it.

I had taken Cyn to a dance place last time. There is nothing more sexy than a gorgeous female on the dance floor. The way they can make their body move 'defies description', as the saying goes. I'm sure that was part of why, on the way home, we got going a bit more hot and heavy than either one of us was ready for.

This time it was miniature golf. I know a lot of guys would think movie. Sorry, I want to be able to talk with my date. In high school, a movie would have been the choice. Girls scared the hell out of me and trying to talk to them for long, was way out of my league. Now, the last thing I wanted to do is spend time not getting to know more about Cyn, in a way that is outside of her having babysitting duties, or being neighbors.

There was also another thing I had learned along the way. Don't try to win. What's the point of that? You are there to have fun, not compete. This part of the date, Cyn didn't know about. When we pulled into the parking lot, she looked at me.

"Brad, I haven't played miniature golf in years."

"Oh, well then ... I guess I'll need to wrap my arms around you and show you how to swing."

That response got the laugh I was expecting, and the visible relaxation in her posture.

It was sort of funny that we were the only ones there in our age range. The others there were young teenagers, and parents with kids. After the third hole, Cyn stopped and looked around, noticing this fact.

"This is so much fun. I don't know why I stopped coming. I'm going to have to get some of my friends down here."

After she realized what she said, she looked at me and sort of blushed.

"I didn't mean to say you're not my friend. You are, but you're a lot more than that and ... Does it sound bad that I'm not sure I'm ready for you to be introduced?"

"No. Cyn it's just fine. I can understand."