Chapter 4

Loren loitered by the entrance to the cafeteria. He saw Abrielle approaching. "Hi," he said.

"Hi."

They went inside and pushed their trays through the line. Loren found a table in the corner and she sat across from him. He extended his leg and pressed his ankle against her calf. She reached across the table and they held hands.

"My mind keeps wandering to this weekend," she said.

"Mine, too." He massaged her thumb with his as they held hands. "I do think we need to be careful not to set unrealistic expectations," he said. "I think what made that Friday so special was the absolute spontaneity of it."

"Right -- we looked into each other's eyes..."

" ... and we knew what would happen next..."

"It was such a rush," she added. "We'll never recover it."

"It was like reading Romeo and Juliet or seeing Star Wars for the first time. You can't un-read it or un-see it."

"Right," she agreed. "Don't you think anticipation can be sexy, too?"

"Anticipation is good," he agreed. "Unrealistic expectations are something else. I'm just looking forward to spending time with you."

"That's all I'm looking forward to, too."

"I'm anticipating we'll have a good time together."

"So am I." Abrielle released his hand and unwrapped her sandwich.

Loren dipped his spoon into his chili. "Abrielle -- what does Nicole like?"

"What do you mean?"

"What sort of stories or books?"

"Oh ... She likes fairy tales. She draws pictures of fairies."

"Okay ... Maybe I'll look for some books to have on hand."

"That's sweet ... She's a good reader for a six-year-old."

"That's right -- I'd want to make sure it's appropriate for her."

"We can bring some."

"Then, I can get an idea of what's right. What shall we do Friday evening?" he asked.

"I'll need to go home and pick her up from after-school care," Abrielle said. "Then we can drive to your house. I think we can be there around six."

"I'll get dinner started. If the weather forecast holds, it'll be nice. Maybe we can grill something."

"I'd like that. Nicole loves burgers and hot dogs. Is there something we can bring?"

"Just yourselves and whatever you need for an overnight." He held her hand again and looked into her eyes. "I hope this is real. I hope it lasts."

"I want it to be real. I want it to last." Abrielle squeezed his hand.

Loren scooped the last of his chili. "Ready to go up?"

"Ready."

They dumped their trays and headed, holding hands, to the elevator. Loren pressed the call button. The doors opened and they stepped inside. As the car started moving he embraced her and they kissed.

Abrielle stepped out on eight and Loren rode to twelve. He sat at his desk and began reviewing research material.

"Mail call..." He looked up at Erin. "Todd tells me he saw you and Abby canoodling in the cafeteria."

"Canoodling?"

"He said you were holding hands and gazing fondly into each other's eyes ... maybe even playing footsies ... a perfectly nauseating display, according to him. He said you looked like a pair of teenagers in puppy-love."

"Maybe we feel like teenagers in puppy love. Is that a crime?"

"I take it you worked through her other obligation."

"We did."

"Care to share?"

"Abrielle has a little girl."

"She has a kid?"

"Yes ... Nicole, age six."

"Loren -- do you know what it is you're getting into?"

"No, I don't. The fact Abrielle is a mother doesn't change how I feel for her."

"What about Nicole's father?"

"He's out of the picture."

"For good?"

"From what Abrielle tells me -- I think it's unlikely we'll see hide or hair of him."

"Good luck, Loren." She started to push her shopping cart down the aisle. "You will need it."

Loren watched from his front door as a white, older Plymouth Neon pulled into his driveway. The driver's door opened and Abrielle stepped out wearing a casual cotton dress. She opened the passenger door and helped Nicole out of her car.

He headed to the driveway and embraced her. "Shouldn't Nicole be riding in back?" he asked.

"It's a two-door and getting her in and out is such a pain," she replied. "Besides -- the passenger side airbag has been disconnected." She removed a couple of bags from the trunk -- a small, rainbow-colored duffel for Nicole and an overnight case for herself.

Loren led them upstairs. "This is where you'll be sleeping, Nicole," he said, showing her the guestroom. The little girl looked around the room with some apprehension.

"Such a big bed," Abrielle remarked. "You won't get lost in it, will you?"

Nicole giggled. "No..."

"Come downstairs," Loren said. "I have the grill going. We have burgers and hot dogs. I bought some sweet corn. It's from Florida or Georgia so it won't be as good as the local-grown product later this year -- but it did look pretty good. I'm a fair judge of cornflesh."

"I've never had it," Abrielle remarked.

"That's right -- you're French. You have no qualms about eating snails, frogs' legs or horsemeat, but you consider corn unfit for human consumption. I'll make a deal -- you try some corn on the cob and I'll try snails and frogs' legs."

Abrielle smiled. "All right, it's a deal ... but I don't care for snails either."

"You are in for a treat ... I also have some coleslaw and potato salad from the deli."

Loren carried a plate of burgers and hot dogs outside and set them on the grill. Abrielle joined him. "This is a nice back yard," she remarked.

"We could put up a swing set and Nicole could play back here."

"Aren't you getting ahead of us?" she asked.

"I'm thinking ahead. I'm thinking how nice it would be for Nicole to come home to a nice yard in a neighborhood where she could ride a bike. How if you needed someone to watch her while you run errands I could do it ... pick her up from school or day care. How if her bedroom is here, you and I could go out for an evening. My cousin Amanda is only ten minutes away. When we got home, Nicole would already be in bed. One of us could take Amanda home and we'd have the rest of the evening to ourselves. What do you think?"

Abrielle bit her lip. "It sounds too good to be true. When something sounds too good to be true, it usually isn't."

"I'm thinking about what's possible. It's up to us to make it happen." Loren flipped over the burgers and turned the hot dogs. "I think these are about done."

Abrielle sat beside Nicole at the kitchen table. "Does she need a phone book or something to sit on?" he asked.

"No -- she's fine." Loren set an ear of corn on Abrielle's plate. "Okay -- so how do I eat this?"

"First you need to slather it with butter and then add lots of salt. You want it dripping with butter and enough salt so it coats your lips. Then, pick it up and take a bite." He demonstrated with an ear on his plate. "Not bad for corn that's been shipped in."

"Oh, this is good," she said. "Nicole, let me help you..."

Loren flipped the last card from his hand onto the pile. "Ha!" he exclaimed. "I finally won a hand. Nicole, you and your mom can play for second place." Nicole pouted. "Hey -- don't be a sore loser. How many hands have you won already?"

He sat back and watched as Abrielle played with her daughter. "This is a frustrating game," she remarked. "You think you're about to go out and then you draw a half-dozen more cards..."

Nicole placed the last card from her hand on the pile. "I won!" she said.

"You came in second," Loren replied. "Get used to it."

Abrielle picked up the cards and slipped them into their case. "Go upstairs and get ready for bed."

Nicole bounded up the stairs. "Do you want anything?" Loren asked.

"How about a couple of those drinks?"

"Fourth degrees?"

"Mmm ... Let's get Nicole settled, first."

Holding hands they ascended the stairs and stepped into the guest room. Nicole slipped into the bed and handed Loren a book. He glanced at it and handed it to Abrielle. "It's in French," he remarked.

Abrielle sat on the bed and read the story. She kissed Nicole's forehead and turned out the light. "It's too dark," Nicole protested.

"It's not any darker than your room at home."

"It's too dark," the girl repeated.

"Do you have a nightlight?" Abrielle asked Loren."

"I don't think so," Loren said and switched the light back on. "Hmmm ... Maybe she needs someone to keep her company."

Abrielle flashed a glance at him. He opened the closet and removed a large, plush toy dragon. "Nicole," he said, "your maman tells me you like fairy tales. Do you like dragons?"

Nicole's eyes popped. She reached for the toy and embraced it. "What do you say?" Abrielle asked.

"Merci beacoup."

"S'il te plait," he replied and turned out the lights. "Bonne nuit, Nicole."

Loren mixed the drinks. "Shall we take them outside?" he asked. "I like this time of year. It's mild enough to sit outdoors and too early for the mosquitoes to be out."

"You never mentioned mosquitoes. Are they bad?"

"Worse some years than others. Do they bother you?"

"Do they! I get huge, itchy welts."

"Wear repellant," he suggested.

"I can't -- it makes me break out."

"Aha! Now it's no longer too good to be true, isn't it? It's just good enough to be true." He sat at an outdoor table and held her hand.

She sipped her drink. "Loren -- have you noticed anything?"

"Noticed what?"

"How many cigarettes have I smoked today?"

"I haven't seen you smoke any."

"My last was on Wednesday."

"Congratulations. I thought your kisses were sweeter today. How are you doing?"

"All right. I want one but I don't need one. I guess that'll be the way from now on." She looked into his eyes. "I did it for your sake, Loren."

He shook his head. "No -- you did it for YOUR sake, Abrielle. As time passes, you'll realize what a good thing you did for yourself."

"You were my inspiration, then."

Loren drained his glass. "Care for a refill -- to take upstairs?"

She emptied hers. "Sure. I want to freshen up first. I brought my own robe this time."

He closed and bolted the back door and fetched some ice from the freezer. Loren watched as Abrielle climbed the stairs. He mixed another couple of drinks and filled the glasses.

In his room he undressed. He had spent the day tidying the whole house. Into a hamper he placed his clothes and then slipped into a robe. Then, he turned down the covers on the bed.

Abrielle stepped in wearing a white satin robe that came to her knees. "I just checked on Nicole," she said. "She's out like a light -- clutching that dragon. That was really sweet of you, Loren. I just hope she stays put tonight."

"Let me show you something." He closed the bedroom door and pressed a button on the knob. "There -- at least she can't just barge in here."

"And catch us in flagrante dilecto?"

"That's right." He handed her a glass and they clinked rims. "Did you ever catch your folks in the act?"

"Never," she replied. "You?"

"Nope. Obviously they were doing it or else you and I wouldn't be here."

"I've been thinking about tonight all day," she said.

"Me, too. How do you want this to go?"

"Whatever comes naturally. I know you're a caring lover, Loren. I'm trusting your capable hands." She drained her glass. "This is so good -- it goes down so smoothly." She turned her back to him, untied her belt and slipped out of her robe.

From the back Loren saw she was wearing a short, sheer, black nightgown that barely covered her buttocks. She turned to face him and he saw that it was open in front with a sheer bodice covering her breasts but baring her midriff It had a matching G-string, tied with bows on each hip. He let out a whistle. "You look sensational. Did you buy that for this weekend?"

"This weekend -- and others. You said you like my tummy ... why I can't fathom ... but I picked this because I thought you'd like it."

Loren placed his palms against her abdomen. "I like your tummy because it's flat and smooth and soft ... and with a delectable navel."

She giggled. "Do you have something, personal, against abs?"