Chapter 8

At 10:40 exactly, the door opened and Sherry stepped inside. She was wearing a long winter coat, but I could see a denim skirt peeking out from underneath. So far, so good.

She paused just inside the door and looked around, a bit frustrated by her glasses fogging up. She took them off and peered around owlishly. Her face was flushed from the cold but she appeared apprehensive. I decided it was time to start the action.

I got up and strolled over to her- she saw me coming and squinted, trying to make me out.

"Hello Sherry, fancy meeting you here" I said cheerfully "how are you?"

I must have gotten close enough that she could see me clearly, because she gave me a little half-smile of recognition.

"Hi neighbor" she said as she craned her head around, trying to look past me.

I pitched my voice lower, as I'd done on the phone. "What're you doing over here?"

Her head snapped back around as she finally realized what was going on.

"YOU... ! " she said, her face going pale as her eyes widened.

"Yes, me" I said in my normal voice. "Why don't you come have a cup of coffee with me?"

I reached out and took her by the arm and led her to my booth. She followed me numbly too shocked to protest.

"Here we are" I said, guiding her to a seat facing me across the tiny tabletop, "have a seat and I'll get you something to drink. Would you like some coffee or a soft drink?"

Sherry swallowed a couple of times, trying to get her voice to work. "A coffee" she squeaked out.

"OK" I said, "I'll be right back."

I grinned a bit to myself at her obvious confusion- she clearly hadn't recovered her composure yet.

I went back up front to the counter and ordered a medium coffee to go. The counter gal handed me a cup and a bag. Customer service at its finest.

"That will be $1.29. Would you like a Danish or something else with that?" she said perkily.

"No thanks, the cup will be plenty", I said, handing her two ones.

She looked at me with a mildly confused expression. I'd obviously not followed the script.

"Seventy-one cents is your change, sir. Thank you for choosing our McDonalds. Have a nice day", she chirped, getting back on message.

I dumped the coins into my pocket and walked over to the beverage station. I filled the cup with coffee, put a lid on it and picked up a couple of creamers and some sugar packets. A few napkins completed my burden.

I walked back to our booth.

"Here you are Sherry. You didn't say how you took your coffee, so I went ahead and got some cream and sugar", I said as I set the stuff in front of her.

Sherry looked up at me with some confusion in her expression- she had apparently got her glasses unfogged and gotten herself under some control.

"I just use some cream", she said. "Tell me, why are you being so nice? You coerced me into coming here!"

I took the opportunity to take me seat across from her. I put my elbows on the table and leaned in.

"Why Sherry, I'm deeply hurt! We're both civilized people here. It's not like one of us would hurl vile insults at a man having a severe heart attack, a man who happens to be one of the best friends I'll ever have, while she's doing the very thing she's cursing him for, now is it?"

This apparently struck home. I could see her blanch.

"Just because we're meeting under less than perfect circumstances is no reason not to be civilized about things", I continued.

"OK, you've shown me what you have, and you've gotten me to come over here. What do you want?"

"Why, not much Sherry, my dear. Not much at all. Just you."

"Me?"

"Yes, you. You're going to do exactly what I want you to do, when I want you to do it, for as long as I want you to", I said.

Sherry got even paler.

"Wha... what will you want me to do?"