Chapter 4

Over the next few weeks, as promised Jordan was outside to wave at me. Sometimes she even ran with me the last stretch from her house to mine. One day I missed seeing her and wondered if she was sick but the next day she was back.

I knew that Trish worked Thursday to Saturday one week and Wednesday to Saturday the next. Monday would work for my plan, I thought as I called Trish on the phone.

"Hello Brian" Trish said as she saw the number. "What can I do for you?"

"It's not what you can do for me, it's what I can do for you. I'd like to invite the two of you over for supper next Monday, if that day will work for you?" I replied.

"What's the occasion?" Trish asked.

"No occasion. Just thought it might be nice to have a couple of lovely ladies share my dinner table?"

Trish started to laugh. "Flattery will get you everywhere," she said. "What time would you like us to be there and what can I bring?"

"How about 5:30 and just bring Jordan and yourself. I'll have everything else ready." I said then asked "Oh, is there anything you don't like or are allergic to?" Getting assurances that anything would be okay, I hung up and started planning the menu.

Monday was here and I looked at my wine selection and decided I need to make a trip and get some for tonight. 'Flowers' I thought as I was leaving the wine store and made another stop to get a nice arrangement. Back home I started getting things ready. A garden salad to start with followed by a nice roast of beef slow cooked, some baked potatoes and some asparagus with a nice creamy sauce; to end the evening, some tiramisu.

I noticed it was after 5 and a final check of the arrangements was in order. I looked at my dining room and saw that everything was ready. The nice red wine I'd purchased had been uncorked and was breathing and in view of Jordan's age, I made sure a bottle of sparkling non-alcoholic wine was available. I decided to wait until the ladies arrived to get Trish's okay on the wine. I went to the kitchen and brought out the salads and set them at each place. Back in the kitchen, the roast was resting waiting to be carved and the balance of the main course was in covered dishes. There was nothing to do now but wait.

'Ding Dong'

"Come on in" I called and soon Trish and Jordan came around the corner.

"Oh my, this smells absolutely wonderful. I was quite surprised when Jordan told me you said you enjoyed cooking."

"It's something that I've always liked doing and now that I'm here on my own, it's either eat out, order in or microwave dinners. I'd sooner make my own and with me setting my own hours, I can juggle my money earning work to allow me to spend time in the kitchen."

I looked down and sure enough, there was Maxie waiting to be petted. Once Maxie was petted and cooed at, I looked at the two ladies.

"Please, let's go and eat. I have a salad already set out. Trish, will you allow Jordan to have a glass of wine with us? If not I have a bottle of non-alcoholic wine."

Trish looked at Jordan "Just one glass, okay?"

Jordan nodded and we sat down and ate. The meal went off spectacularly and the ladies were awed by the tiramisu.

"Can't have this too often," Trish said, "or I'll never be able to get into my uniform."

I just smiled.

Over the following months, the three of us spent time with one another on a semi regular basis. We got into a rhythm of a meal at my place then the next time a meal at Trish and Jordan's. I admitted to myself that the main reason to keep up the closer contact with Trish was a desire to see if there was any spark of romance in our relationship. Sadly (or so it seemed) the spark just wasn't there and while our relationship never went any further than a threesome trip to the aquarium or a picnic, we became fast friends and often chatted on the phone a couple of times a week.

In addition to the times when the three of us were together, I frequently had a visit from Jordan. I laid down a rule that she couldn't come over before 1pm to allow me uninterrupted time to do my work. On occasion I'd still be working and I'd either get Jordan to sit in the den and read or watch TV or if the weather was nice, take Maxie out into the yard and play with her. As happened on a couple of occasions, sadly I had to apologize that I couldn't take the time to visit with her as I had a deadline to meet. Trish had talked to Jordan and explained that a situation like this might happen and to not feel upset. On the occasions when that happened, I made it up to Jordan the next time she was over by doing something special with her.