Chapter 4

I had just stripped for shower after a phone chat with Chelsea, during which she reported her recent activities in New York, when my phone rang. It was Diana.

"I'm sorry," she said. "But I'm desperate, and dad won't listen to me." Her voice sounded anxious.

"What's the problem?"

"I'm bidding for another job," Diana said. "I uploaded a wrong version. I have to correct it before it's too late. I can't find anyone right now. I mean anywhere I can go to. And dad doesn't want me to touch his computer."

"Oh," I said. "What can I do?"

"I saw a computer at your place," she said, breathing a little heavily. "Do you think I can use it for just one second?"

"Sure," I said. "But first, I don't know if it's working. I don't even think it's hooked up. Second, you can't have it done in one second, can you?"

I heard Diana sniggered. "Well, a couple minutes," she said. "Can you check? Wait, can I come over to check? I'm not at home."

"Where are you?"

"I'm borrowing the neighbor's phone," she said.

"Do you want me to come over to pick you up?"

"Nah," she said. "I'm coming now, thanks."

I put my clothes back on and went to check my computer. I had not used it once since I moved into this apartment. I wasn't sure if I had it hooked up when I lived at Mrs. O'Carroll's house. I was still working on the wires and plugs when I heard the buzzer.

Diana was panting with a bag on her shoulder when I opened the door. "You jog here?" I asked.

"Yeah," she said, mixing her puff with laugh. "Is it working?"

"I don't know," I said. "You're too fast."

Diana giggled. "Mind if I take a look?" she said.

"Go ahead," I said. "Coke or Sprite?"

"No, thanks," Diana said, as she went over to my computer.

"That means beer," I said from behind her. "Right?"

"Nah," she said. "Not when I'm working."

"You drink beer?"

Diana giggled as she bent down to inspect my computer's wirings. "Well," she said. "My dad said a girl should be able to stay sober before a guy gets drunk, so he's been training me since I was like seven."

"Oh, okay," I said. "So coke, or sprite, or milk, or water?"

"You plugged it wrong," Diana said. "Okay, Sprite then, thanks."

I gave Diana the soft drink and watched her connect the wirings and turned on my computer.

"Shit," I said, when she was checking the system's operation. "I don't think I have an Internet connection."

"I knew it when you said you didn't know if it's working," Diana said. "Do you mind if I install a free trial on it?" She opened her bag and looked into the dozen or so CD-Roms inside.

"No, not at all," I said. "Treat it like your toy. I don't use it anyway."

"Do you also mind if I install some other software on it?" Diana said.

"No," I said. "Do what you want to do. But I want to go take my shower, if you don't mind."

"Of course not," Diana said. "It's your apartment."

"Okay. Help yourself."

Diana was staring at the monitor when I came out of the bathroom. "What's the problem?" I asked.

Diana didn't respond.

I went closer and looked over her shoulder. Diana jolted while I was looking. "Oh, sorry," she said. "What did you say?"

"Problem?"

"Yeah," she said. "I think I know where the problem is now." She switched to another program and started working.

I did have to use computers at work, but mainly to retrieve information from various databases, and I never had to bother about how they worked. I knew I wasn't going to be of help.

"Do you mind if I turn on the TV?" I said.

"No, of course not," Diana said. "It's your home."

I turned on the TV and tuned down the volume. I watched a movie before Diana said she was done.

"Oops," Diana said, when she checked her watch. "I'm sorry. I didn't know it would take so long."

"No problem," I said. "You leaving now?"

"Yeah."

"I'll take you home."

"Nah, thanks. I'll walk."

"No," I said. "You are riding with me." I grabbed my keys and my wallet.

"Thanks, again," Diana said.

"Why don't you get another computer and another line?" I said on the way to my jeep.

"We don't have much spare money," Diana said.

"So what if you get some jobs? How are you going to share the time with your dad?"

"I'll have to go to school. The computers at the public library won't let me save to a disk. But even at school, I can't get all the tools I need. I'll have to think about it."

"Well," I said. "Will you buy me a Sprite if you get the job?"

"Of course," Diana said, smiling. "I'll buy you a case. But it may take quite a while, and even so, I'll still have to get the paycheck first."

"You know I was joking," I said, as we got into my jeep. "Don't you?"

"I know. I am not."

"Silly. Don't even think about it."

Diana giggled. "Okay."

I sent Diana home and went back to my apartment and went to bed. I actually almost dozed while watching the movie on the TV.

I just came home from work a few days later when I got a call from Diana.

"Guess what?" Diana said. Her voice showed excitement.

"You got the job?" I said.

"Yeah!"

"Cool," I said. "Congratulations."

"Thanks," Diana said. "And thanks for letting me use your computer."

"So are you buying me a dinner?"

Diana giggled. "Okay. But not now. I don't have money now."

"I was kidding. But when you are done with this job, I'll buy you one to celebrate."

"Thanks," Diana said, still giggling. "Well, it's a very small job, and a very low paid job."

"It's a beginning. That's the toughest part."

"Yeah. I know. That's why I still bid for it."

"How much? If I may ask?"

"It's one hundred twenty five for the whole job, which comes down to about three and a quarter per hour if you use the usual scale."

"That's even worse than Wendy's."

"I told you," Diana said. "Wait. Hey, dad's home. I'll talk to you later."

"Okay. Let me know if you need my computer again."

"Actually," Diana said. "If you don't mind..."

"Now?"

"No," Diana said. "I have to cook first."

"Okay," I said. "Call me... Well, just come over after your dinner. I'll be home all night."

"What are you eating tonight?"

"I don't know yet," I said. "Pot pie, I guess. Why?"

"I'll make you a pot pie," Diana said. "Not the frozen ones."

"Nah. Don't do that. If I see a pot pie, you're not coming into my place."

Diana giggled. "Okay. Thanks again."

Diana gave me a cookie sheet wrapping when I opened the door about two hours later.

"What is it?" I said. "I hope it's not a pot pie."

"No," Diana said, smiling. "Biscotti, cookie like dessert."

"I don't like it," I said. "It's like taking advantage of you."

"It is not," Diana said. "We ate them. These are leftovers." She giggled.

I laughed. "Okay," I said. "That makes me feel a little better."

Diana closed the door and lowered her voice. "Is it okay if I do something illegal?" she said.

I laughed again. "Like?"

"Installing pirated software on your computer," she whispered. "These graphic software packages are very expensive."

"Will the cops come knock on my door?" I said teasingly.

"Do you keep green pot here?"

"No," I said. "I haven't used pot for ages."

"Then I don't think so," Diana said, smiling.

"Okay," I said. "You go ahead. If the FBI comes, I'll tell them I don't know who you are."

"Okay," Diana said, giggling, and went for my computer.

I gave her a soft drink and got myself a beer. I ate the cookies and watched a couple movies on the TV, dozing most of the time, until Diana patted me on the shoulder telling me she was done. I gave her a ride home.

Diana began using my computer nearly every day the following week or so. She usually bought me some treats, like homemade desserts or snacks. She stopped coming over when her project was completed and submitted.

"Where is Ely?" I asked the soccer head coach during the first practice of the new season. Ely was the girl who lived not far away from Diana.

"She's moved to Louisiana," Glenn said. "Yeah, I'm also thinking who's going to play left wing. What do you think if we move Diana there."

"I don't know," I said. "We don't have many lefties who can play that position. But if we move Diana there, the middle will be even weaker. We're already weak in the middle."

Glenn bit his lip after a sigh.

"What about Kristen?" I said. "She's not a lefty, but she can still drive left, and she's fast."

"Kristen is fast?" Glenn said. "Oh, you mean the new Kristen. Yeah, possibly. Yeah, Okay, I think I'll give it a try."

During a break, Diana approached me and tapped me on the shoulder. "Can I ride with you after practice?" she whispered.

"Sure," I said. "Need water?"

"Yeah," she said. "Thanks." She took a few bottles of water from the box and went over to some other players.

"So," I said to Diana, at my jeep, after we confirmed everyone was gone. "Home?"

Diana gave me a beaming smile. "Guess what?" she said.

"What?" I said. "And let's get inside first."

Diana got into the jeep. "The web page is up and running," she said, still beaming. "He's sending me the check."

"Cool," I said. "Let's go celebrate. You'll pay."

"Yeah," Diana said. "I have some money with me."

"I was joking," I said. "I'll pay." I pulled my jeep out of the parking lot.

"You will not," Diana said, smiling.

"I will, or you're going home. Wait, You're not going to Wendy's?"

"No," she said. "I don't work at Wendy's since the season started."

"Okay," I said. "You pick a place, I'll pay."

Diana dropped back into her seat. She thought briefly, then turned to me. "Any place and you will pay?" she said.

"Yeah," I said. "But don't tell me you want to go to Miami."

"Nah," Diana said, smiling. "Not that far. Pathmark."

"Huh?"

"Pathmark."

"Pathmark is not a restaurant," I said. "It's a grocery."

"I know," Diana said, giggling. "And you'll still pay."

"You're not going to cook a meal, are you?"

"I am."

"Where is dad?"

"Night shift."

"I don't think I like this," I said.

"I do," Diana said. "And I hope you'll enjoy it."

"Red lobster," I said.

"Pathmark."

"Molson's Gourmet."

"Alex's Gourmet."

I laughed. "Okay, okay," I said.

We went to the grocery and bought the food. Then I was told to watch TV while Diana made the meal in my kitchen. It took her more than an hour of busy work.

"Tastes good," I said, when I saw Diana's expression as I picked up my fork at the table. No doubt she was expecting a comment on her cooking.

Diana laughed. "You're silly," she said. "You haven't even tried it."

"I can tell," I said, smiling, and stick my fork into the pasta in my dish. "What do you call it?"

"Bolognese Pasta Rigatoni," she said. "It's not very original because I didn't want you to starve for another hour."

"You know what?" I said after swallowing the food.

"What?" Diana said, leaning forward. She hadn't touched her fork yet.

"You're comparable to Mrs. O'Carroll," I said. "This is marvelous. I haven't had anything this good for a long time."

Diana beamed at me again. "I'm glad you like it," she said. She picked up her fork.

"I envy your dad," I said, after swallowing another mouthful. "This is so good."

"I can do more for you if you don't mind."

"Nah. I don't mean that."

"I do," Diana said.

"Well," I said. "Are you still bidding for more jobs?"

Diana giggled. "Okay," she said. "Of course I am. And now I'm in a slightly better position, because I have a reference now. They won't know it's a hundred dollar job. I spent a lot of effort on it."

"I can tell," I said. "You did spend a lot of effort. For that hundred and twenty five dollars, you probably made a dollar an hour."

Diana giggled again. "Yeah," she said. "Probably. But I really like it."

"That's good," I said. "It's always best when you like your work."

"Yeah, I know," Diana said. "By the way, do you think I can ride with you tomorrow, too?"

"Sure," I said. "Do you also mean the day after tomorrow?"

"Well," Diana said, smiling. "Only if you don't mind."

"I won't mind," I said. "Actually, talking to myself during the drive is rather boring."

Diana laughed. "Okay," she said. "Will you go to next Sunday's home game?"

I had not thought about it yet. In the past I went to the weekend games because Chelsea made me. If I had a chance to vote on the issue, I would have voted against doing so.

"I don't know yet," I said. "Well, okay, I think I will. It's our first home game anyway."

Diana smiled at me. "Thanks," she said. "By the way, have you got Chelsea's residence address yet? She told me she would give it to you for distribution."

"Yeah," I said. "Sorry, I forgot. She called me last night. I'll give it to you after the dinner."

"How is she doing?"

"She's doing fine," I said. "She's not complaining about lonely anymore. She's either too busy with work or too busy with guys. Her class will start one day after yours."

"Okay," Diana said. "Next time tell her I miss her."

"Sure, I will."

We finished the dinner, talked for a while, and I took Diana home, before returning to my apartment for my shower and bed.

Diana was beaming at me again after the practice on the following Thursday. I knew she had some good news to tell.

"Okay," I said, after starting the engine. "What's the good news?"

"I got another job," Diana said, smiling. "This one is much bigger, six hundred if I can manage the rich media."

"That's indeed very good news," I said. "Are you worried about the rich media thing?"

"A little," she said. "But I think I can handle it."

"Let me know if you have problem with them," I said. "I know nothing about it but I can ask some people at work."

"Okay," Diana said. "But you can help by allowing me to use your computer again."

"That's no problem," I said. "On one condition."

"What condition?"

"You don't cook for me to pay for using my computer."