Chapter 8: Now What?

It was much later when we moved. What was left of the fire had been nice and the music had been soft. It was suppertime Gail said, “I guess I need to start some supper.”

“I’ve been fine with you here. We don’t have any pressing appointments so we can eat late.”

“Todd, you could follow me into the kitchen and help. We could talk. I think being vertical would assist our vocal cords.” I grinned, helped her up, and followed her into the kitchen.

She had taken chicken out this morning to defrost. “Todd, I have a project for you. You can take out all your frustrations.” I looked at her questioningly.

She placed the chicken on the counter on some plastic wrap. More wrap was placed over it. Gail handed me a small hammer looking implement. “Take this and hammer the chicken to flatten it. It breaks up the muscles and makes it more tender and better able to absorb the spices I will use.”

I nodded and commenced hammering. I quickly realized that you really did have to hammer it to accomplish anything. While I was doing that, Gail was preparing other portions of the meal. She looked over and said, “Very good. Thank you. Why don’t you sit at the kitchen table and speak to me.”

I sat in a chair and said, “Woof.”

“Todd, that was an old joke with Erb, the caveman.

“Tell me what you think about the two of us.”

I said, “That’s not a simple subject. I enjoyed our interactions at work. You are a nice, intelligent, attractive person with a great voice. This week has done nothing to change that opinion but rather has reinforced it. I have enjoyed your presence more than I had expected. When you wore that dress Thursday, I found out that you are hotter in the looks department than I had thought. Your clothes at work weren’t dumpy but were quite conservative in showing your figure. Even your shorts here aren’t over tight nor do your tops reveal a lot of cleavage. You dressed today in an attractive but conservatively appropriate dress. I am comfortable with you in public.”

I paused and grinned. “However, I don’t think that’s all you want to hear.” She shook her head.

“In private, I have enjoyed our time together. We work well together and have agreeable habits. I was surprised about your liking radio. I have never met a member of the opposite sex who was even slightly interested. I think your interest was and is genuine.”

“It is.” She interrupted me. “Todd, how do you feel about me?”

“I’ve been working up to that. I am examining my feelings as I talk.

“Gail, it has been intense. I have enjoyed getting to know you more deeply. I hope you have enjoyed being here with me. But...” I stopped. “I’m not sure how to go on. We need to go slowly in my mind. It could be real good or could devolve into a shambles. We need time to know each other better. I have been accused by other people than just Marilyn of being old before my time. As you have figured out, I am serious about my faith and made one mistake about that issue. We don’t have to hurry. I think we shouldn’t. I’m willing to take the time to get to know you, the good and the bad. We’re in the funny position of living together without living together.

“I really didn’t plan on this situation nor was I thinking about it when I offered you an opportunity to live here. I have always controlled my thinking about people with who I work and worked. An office romance was and is never going to happen with me. When I told you that you are pretty, I admitted that I had thought that before but had and would have never said anything to you or about you to others since we worked together.”

She placed a cover on the pot and turned. “Todd, that’s saying a lot. I enjoyed going to Sunday school and to church. I like the Methodist church so far. The church where I was raised and where my parents still go isn’t open like I found the Methodists to be. Regardless of our future or lack of one, I will continue to be part of a Methodist church. I never felt at fault for my divorce so much as my marriage. I think my parents feel uncomfortable about that relationship since they had initially pushed it hard before backing off just prior to my marriage. They were against my divorce simply because it was a divorce.

“I had never heard of ham radio. I would like to think that, if I had, I would have been interested and would have gotten involved. Your explanations of it touched on something in me that fed my interest. I thank you for that and for showing me your church. Those two things will survive regardless or whether we become a couple.

“I have found you a bit old fashioned. I find it endearing and calming. You’re right though. We need time to get to know each other. We should know each other’s foibles as well as those points where there is a positive emotional contact.” She turned and inspected the pot or pan.

“If you would set the table and open a white wine, we will be ready by then.”

Setting the table was quick and opening a white wasn’t much longer. As I was pouring our wine, Gail was serving our plates. We sat down. She prayed for us and for our food. We ate and I enjoyed another great meal. I helped with clearing the table and putting dishes, pots, and pans into the dishwasher. As we left the kitchen, she started the dishwasher. We went into the living room and I switched on the TV to hear the late news. The local Fox station gave an hour of the latest shootings, the weather guess, and a little sports. When the full forecast was given indicating that the clearing weather would continue though cold, I stood. “I’m going on to bed. Gail, do you want to stay up and watch?” She shook her head and moved to standing. We went down the hall to our separate bedrooms. I undressed and slept peacefully the night through.

Monday dawned bright, clear, and cold. I rose and slipped on a pair of shorts to head into the kitchen to start coffee. To my surprise, it was already starting. Apparently, Gail had beat me up this morning. I went back to my bedroom to shower, shave, and dress. Once made presentable, I went into the kitchen for coffee and she was there.

“Good morning, Todd.” She greeted me with a smile and a hot cup of coffee.

“Good morning, Gail. It’s good to see you this morning, Thanks.” I lifted my cup in salute.

“Todd, I’m making a breakfast with eggs, bacon, and toast. Would you like any?”

“Just the bacon and toast, please. Tell me when to start and I can toast the bread.” She nodded.

After I had a few sips and a few minutes had passed, she said, “Todd, please start the toast. I would like two.”

I began to toast bread making two for each of us. I set out paper plates in their plastic holders. Gail placed bacon on each and scrambled eggs on hers. She sat down across from me as I finished the toast. I prayed and we began to eat. “Todd, we could carry this into the radio room.”

I smiled and said, “Yes, we could. We can talk to folks and each other, too.”

We got up and moved to the radio room after refreshing our coffees. In the radio room, I switched the radios on. I pointed at her and she checked us in. We had to be relayed because Ed in Birmingham couldn’t hear her. We waited our turn.

Finally, it was our turn via relay from Bob in Florida. Gail said, “Todd isn’t talkative this morning. I kissed him last night and, perhaps, he is still speechless.” She gave the temperature and made a few other statements about waiting for news of her license. Bob asked if I had anything to say.