Chapter 2: Love Blooms

I drove home, and got ready for tonight. I showered, shaved, and wore nice slacks, a dress shirt and sport coat. I had stopped and was going to pick up some flowers for Monique, but since she was at work, I ordered some to be sent to her the next day. I just hoped that the evening turned out okay.

I was astounded that Monique had called Antonio's for a reservation and that we had a corner table in the back where there was hardly anyone near us. The meal was fantastic, and the conversation was spirited and enlightening as well. I found out a lot about Monique that night and I told her some of my tale of woe about my early life, mostly since my family died.

Monique was a year older than me by four months, and her mother was French, hence the name Monique Marie. She had an older brother who was a career officer in the Army, and her parents lived in Longview. She was single and still looking for the right guy. She had been engaged once, during college, but found him cheating on her and immediately ended it. She had been semi-active in the dating scene, but hadn't found anyone who she wanted to date more than a couple of times.

I thought that we got along well, and when I brought her back to her car on third floor, I asked for another date for the next Friday or Saturday evening. She said she would let me know on Monday. We shook hands, then she got into her car and left.

I figured that I would probably not get another date with the brush off I received. It was too late to cancel the flowers, so I would have to cancel them in the morning. Oh well, at least I had one date with a woman.

The florist didn't open until nine, so I got busy with another project, then it was time to go to Stevenson and I forgot to cancel the order. Too late to do it now, so I would just have to hope that they didn't get thrown at me sometime during the day.

Sean and I met with Kevin and we started in on the changes that were needed. It was after two before we got to a stopping point and sent down to the deli for some food. I asked for a half a ham and cheese, and an unsweetened tea, then it was right back to work. Kevin explained that Sam, Dan, and Ted were fired with prejudice yesterday, and that charges would be filed with the DA's office sometime today.

We broke again at eight and called it a day. Sean, Kevin, and I would be in on Saturday to finish installing all the programs needed, and setting up for everyone to change their user names and passwords starting on Monday. I went home and crashed.

Saturday was another long day, and I poured myself into the work. I just knew that Monique had dumped me. I guess she was like all the rest; they just go away and never come back once they're around me.

I slept late on Sunday, well late for me anyway. I got up at 8:00 AM. I made breakfast, read the paper, and did laundry. I could walk some, but not far, and I couldn't stand still for very long. I mainly used a cane or walker at home. My house had ramps at the outside doors, and all the inside ones had three foot openings instead of the normal thirty inch doorways. I made my lunches for the week on Sunday afternoon, and planned out what I would have for dinner the rest of the week. Things can get pretty boring without a real social life, and I felt that I needed some order in my life. I'm not anal about it like that Sheldon character on TV, but I like things that make sense.

I got a huge surprise when I arrived at Stevenson, Stevenson, and Hoyt (SS&H) on Monday. Monique was there to greet me at the reception desk where I receive my badge so I can travel the other floors. She came over to me, hugged my neck, and kissed my cheek.

"I am so glad I caught you before you had to bury yourself in work, Bill. I really loved the flowers and the card. I too had a great time Thursday night. I'm so very sorry too that I didn't explain why I couldn't tell you if we could go out this weekend until today. The new assignments for junior associates are usually released on Mondays, unless some emergency comes up. I got my assigned case, and after a quickly review it, I will be free this weekend. I heard that Junior Brown will be at the Continental Club in Austin this Sunday. I would really like to see him, if that is agreeable with you?"

"Wow, Junior Brown, yes. I have all his albums and I enjoy his music. I really love his song, 'My Wife Thinks You're Dead'. I would love to go and see him in person. I do know that we will have to get there early or we won't find a seat. I heard that he really packs them in when he plays there. I think we need to be there by six. We can make arrangements for when and where I can pick you up later, but I think we both need to get to work now."

"We'll talk later, maybe you can take me to lunch downstairs again, I really liked that a lot. Bye, Bill."

Needless to say, I was on cloud nine for the rest of the day, though I was able to do my work without a problem. Kevin and Sean worked on the video that explained how to create a username and password, and the importance of having a personal unique name and password. We have a basic one that we use in our business, but we customize it for each business we use it for so that they have a copy as an initial logon for their new hires.

I worked on getting the new software updates installed and setting their new firewall up with tracking software that contained traps for hackers. The next thing I knew, Sean and Kevin were asking me if I was going to go home for the day. I glanced at my watch and it was almost eight. It had to be nighttime, because we started just after eight-thirty this morning. Time flies when you're having fun or you get involved in your work.

The week kind of went like that, except for Wednesday. Gary called me at home Tuesday evening, and explained he had run into a problem with the new equipment he was building for AMD and Samsung. He asked if I could help him out the next day. I said sure and we spent Wednesday and Thursday working the bugs out of our new machine. We had it running smoothly and ready for demonstration by Thursday evening.

I went back to SS&H on Friday and finished up my part of that job. Monique called me Friday and said she had the times for the show at the Continental Club, so I would have to pick her up at 5:00 PM on Sunday, unless we wanted to eat first.

That's how we started. We dated sporadically for four months, then on Valentine's Day of the next year, I asked her if we could be steadies; you know date each other exclusively. I knew that Monique did have a few other dates, and I wanted us to move on into a more exclusive relationship. She accepted, then we drove up to Longview to meet her parents on Memorial Day weekend. I made reservations at a nearby motel, since Monique's parents had an older home with steps and was a two story as well. I felt that I could probably get along with my cane if I could mostly sit and had time to make the stairs.

I dropped my bags off after checking into the motel and drove to her parent's home. I was warmly greeted, and we became friends before the weekend was over. Monique and I had still not had sex, but I thought that the time would be fast approaching. The weekend was very pleasant, and James, Monique's father, and I really hit it off well. I asked his permission to seriously court his daughter before the weekend was over, and he wholeheartedly gave his approval.

I was invited back for a barbeque during the Fourth of July celebration. We both had a four day weekend since the fourth was on a Thursday. I said I would be glad to come, so we made plans and I made reservations for that stay before I left the motel.

We got back to Austin late Monday evening, and I dropped Monique off at her apartment. I went home and slept like a baby, secure in the knowledge that Monique and I were a team, soon to be partners in life.

We were eating at a picnic table outside during the barbeque in July, and I got on one knee and asked Monique to marry me. Her mother was ecstatic, her father praised me, and her older brother slapped me on the back, then helped me to rise again. I really didn't hear Monique's answer in all the confusion.

"Monique, I was in a trance when I asked you to marry me, and I'm afraid that I didn't hear your answer. I assume from your family's reaction that you said yes, but I must have missed it. It was a yes, wasn't it?"