Like You Read About

by Mela Remington

  Chapter 13

  *tap tap tap tap tap*

  “Seriously, if you don’t stop I’m going to take away that fucking pen,” Kaelyn growls while throwing the stink eye across the conference room table. “What the hell is up with you today?”

  “I don’t think this is going anywhere. We’ve been doing this awesome flirty email thing for a week. But he still hasn’t suggested an actual date or even coffee, and he hasn’t stopped by my cube, and… oh I don’t know, I’m probably being paranoid. And then there’s the other problem, with all we’ve told each other in these emails I haven’t mentioned my Mom, or the giant barren elephant in the room. I know it’s too early to start having the heavy conversations, like do you want to have kids someday, because if you do you shouldn’t be dating me.” And with a sigh, Cora went back to tapping her pen.

  “Giving birth isn’t the only way to have a baby, and if he loves you in the end there are ways to move past that; but like you just said you haven’t even had a real date yet. There’s time for the heavier shit if a relationship comes out of this, but now is not the time to second guess yourself or chase him off because you’re scared.”

  “I’m not scared,” Cora huffed.

  “Oh please, don’t try to pull that shit with me. I’m your best friend, I know how you like to self-sabotage and that’s usually most evident when you’re scared.”

  “I just don’t want to be fifty, and alone living with three cats and eating ice cream while I watch '80s movies trying to recapture my youth.”

  “We’re not getting anything accomplished here. I’m going back to my desk, reschedule when your head is screwed on.” With that, Kaelyn picked up her things and left.

  Shaking her head at herself and sighing a deep, depressed sigh Cora picked up her notebook and coffee cup and trudged back to her desk. She’s had three voicemails; two were cold sales calls. Apparently word is out they are looking for a new HR vendor software rep, but she isn’t making that choice so those get forwarded along. The third is her mother, it rambles on for about ten minutes. It’s the same type she gets at least once a week, even though Mom knows she isn’t supposed to call the office phone unless it’s an emergency. It’s one of the boundaries Cora set up with her, but as always her mother tends to trample all over the boundaries and borders of Cora’s life, especially because Kathleen is so far away and she isn’t allowed to make long distance calls.

  Logging back in to her email there is an email from Dan, she moves her mouse and hovers the cursor over it. Her initial excitement tempered, he’s emailing her at work, so this is not fun and flirty and she doesn’t like the pouty way it makes her feel.

  To: Cora O’Malley

  From: Daniel Santagata

  Date: January 23, 2008, 11:30a.m.

  Subject: biting the bullet

  Cora,

  I have been enjoying our emails immensely. I honestly cannot remember when I’ve had as much fun, but now it’s time for me to man up. That’s right, Cora, I’m making the bold move, and asking you on a date, a real live I pick you up, take you out to eat, see if we’re as interesting in person date.

  Are you free Friday night? Dinner, I can pick you up at six thirty, and then I thought maybe we’d do something fun. How do you feel about bowling?

  So, what do you say bonnie lass, are you brave enough to try this whole thing in person without all these circuits and wires between us?

  Dan

  Was she brave enough? Ten minutes ago Kaelyn had basically called her a chicken, and as a species chickens are not known to be a brave bird. But fear was for the birds, she was a grown woman, so she hit reply and crafted something she hoped would convey her excitement but not make her sound overly eager or desperate, even though she was very much feeling both.

  *ping*

  Dan just about jumped out of his skin when the email alert tone sounded. He really needed to turn these speakers down. He hoped to hell she said yes. He’d been sitting at his desk for forty-five minutes waiting for a reply; didn’t she know he was dying up here?

  To: Daniel Santagata

  From: Cora O’Malley

  Date: January 23, 2012, 12:15 p.m.

  Subject: Be careful with those teeth

  Dan,

  Biting bullets is dangerous work, you have lovely straight teeth, which probably never suffered the indignity of braces or retainers or headgear.

  I’ve heard about this date thing you’re talking about but always thought it was an urban legend like the chupacabra, or Area 51.

  I am free, and I’d love to have dinner with you. We can put out laptops and cell phones on the table while we eat if you think we might still need the circuits and wires to bolster our confidence.

  Using work email, a bold move. I’ll text you my address so you’ll know where to find me.

  Cora

  To: Cora O’Malley

  From: Daniel Santagata

  Date: January 23, 2007, 12:30

  Subject: I made that headgear look *good*

  Cora,

  Sometimes bold moves are necessary when you want someone to know you’re serious. Friday night, I can’t wait.

  Dan

  Wow, ‘serious’, okay. Cora could handle serious, hell, she was all about serious when it came to Dan, and after just a week of heavy flirtation, after two years of unrequired lusting she had to remind herself to put the brakes on her brain, for a while at least.

  She made an appointment for a haircut after work and then decided a new outfit was in order as well, nothing too fancy since bowling was apparently the plan, but she didn’t want to look like a slouch either.

  “Kaelyn, cube, now.”

  “You can have Tinkerbelle when I’m done having her log back in,” a familiar voice comes over the cube wall. Oh crap, didn’t think he’d have the guts to do it. Best plan to wander over to the Starbucks across the street and buy a big fat gift card. Also, she’d probably have to do some damage control with Kaelyn.

  “Never mind, Kay, we’ll catch up later. I’m going to head out for a coffee, can I grab you a cocoa?”

  She so wanted to gloat to Kaelyn, and she knew Dan knew she wanted to gloat to Kaelyn. Did he plan that, seemed like far too coincidental to her. Bundling up she snuck out the back door next to her cube and walked over to Seattle’s ubiquitous coffee shop to made good on her bet and buy back some love.

  Luckily, Kaelyn was on the phone when she got back. She gently placed the cocoa on the desk, backed out of her cube, and headed for the elevator, hoping his office was empty and she could drop it off and sneak off.

  No such luck, he was on the phone as well but waved her in. She came in and had a seat. She’d never actually been in his office before, he had a Red Sox World Series pennant on the wall, a picture of him standing next to what looked like a giant ball of…twine? A picture of him next to a giant frying pan, another next to a giant baseball bat. Okay, he was a road less traveled kinda guy then.

  “Thanks for being patient, I usually have to walk Mr. Jameson’s assistant through logging in to the server at least once a day. I’m not sure that woman should still have her driver’s license, let alone a job. So what brings you up to the fourth floor?”

  “Well,” she says peeking out the window, “I understand the view up here is far superior to ours on the third floor. Plus a bet’s a bet, and I’m no welcher, also thought I’d grab you a coffee since I was getting one for myself and making nice with Kaelyn by buying her love with cocoa. I described you to the girl at the counter and she knew your usual coffee order, which is apparently just plain old black coffee.” She put his coffee on top of the gift card and slid it across his desk.

  “Oh, that wasn’t necessary.” His smile nearly took her breath away. How was she supposed to make it until Friday?

  “Of course it was, well I won’t keep you, I’m sure you’re busy and I’ve been away from my desk long enough.” He still made her skittish, and he knew it. “Enjoy your day, Dan,” she said as she scurri
ed out the door.

  “Friday, Cora,” he said loud enough for her to hear on her way out, and quite frankly he didn’t care who else heard him.

  Chapter 14

  Time simultaneously raced and dragged between the coffee delivery and the date. Cora got her hair cut, found an adorable dress, a cardigan and made sure she tucked a pair of socks in her bowling bag and put it next to the door. Dan might have thought bowling was a fun activity where he could show off a little, but she’d give him a run for his money.

  She was ready at six. She didn’t want to sit down because then she’d end up covered in cat hair, so she paced and peeked out the window every three minutes while listening to the soundtracks to Garden State and The Last Kiss on random, no one puts together a soundtrack like Zack Braff. Cora often wondered what it would cost to have him put together a soundtrack for her life, probably more than she made at Boston Pharma in ten years’ time so that was a no go.

  Ray LaMontagne was playing as Dan knocked on her door. She had actually lost track of time in her pacing and hadn’t heard him pull up.

  “Hi,” she said, much breathier than she should have sounded.

  “Hi, you look lovely. I brought you these.” He held out a bouquet of what looked like red foil roses. “They’re chocolate truffles; I know you’re allergic to flowers. The woman at the chocolate shop in Faneuil Hall said they were to die for, and then she wished me luck.”

  “Come in for a minute, I’ll just put these in water,” she chuckled.

  While she headed for the kitchen, he pulled a little catnip mouse out of his pocket and tossed it towards the fluffy cat glaring at him from the back of a giant chair. With true cattitude she got up, wandered over, and sniffed the offering. Picking it up in her mouth, she carried it back to her throne and gave him a less menacing look this time.

  He closed the door behind himself and came into the living room. “It’s exactly as you described. Who is this?” pointing to the stereo.

  “This is Ray LaMontagne, ‘Hold you in my arms’, like I said, there’s always music.” She picked up the remote and turned off the stereo and went to grab her coat, Dan walked over and took it from her.

  “Here, let me help you.” He didn’t think, he was pretty sure they were both holding their breath. After he settled it on her shoulders he put his hands under her hair and slid it out from under her coat, the intimate gesture shocked them both, and he pulled his hands back and cleared his throat, “Let’s head out.”

  “Sure thing, would you mind carrying this?” She handed him her bowling bag and he looked a little startled. “Yeah, I’m a bowler, probably best not to wager on this one. My pride is on the line after the coffee loss.”

  After settling into the car, he’d of course opened her door for her after putting her bowling bag in the trunk and buckling in an awkward silence filled the car, maybe they couldn’t do this without wires and circuits.

  “I thought we’d go to Trattoria Di Monica in the North End if that sounds okay to you?” He reached up and changed the sports talk radio to some soft jazzy music.

  “It sounds delicious, and kind of decadent, so very okay with me.” She knew he couldn’t see her smile, but she was both happy he remembered her mentioning her love of Italian, and a little nervous that she’d end up making a fool of herself by pigging out. Nope, she could handle this. It was just food, and she wasn’t going to let a little panic and let old bad habits ruin this date. She’d do what she always did, and then tomorrow she’d work out a little longer if need be.

  After the initial awkwardness, the conversation flowed all the way to the restaurant. At the valet, Daniel got out, opened Cora’s door and led her to the restaurant with his hand at the small of her back, even through her wool coat she could feel the heat coming off him in waves.

  They were seated in a quiet corner and ordered some wine while they perused the menu.

  “I know you said this was the type of food you enjoyed when you liked to be bad. I hope you don’t mind being a little bad tonight,” he said with a wink.

  She gasped. Oh she wanted to be a little bad and a whole lot bad with Daniel, but this was not a one off and not a fuck and run. She was going to go nice and slow, well not too slow, but there would be absolutely, positively no sex tonight, nope, not even a little.

  Carefully perusing the menu, she picked the tamest items she could, both calorie wise and post dinner breath wise. Based on what Dan ordered, he was doing the same, no onions or anchovies for anyone.

  The waiter took their menus and wandered away leaving them with wine and bread and oil.

  “To possibilities,” Daniel raised his glass. Cora smiled and clinked glasses, giddy with the weight of that word.

  Conversation flowed through dinner and they eventually started to talk more about their families. Daniel talked about the close relationship he had with his parents and although she had already told him her father was dead she decided to throw it all out there and see his reaction. She had family drama galore; he might as well be forewarned.

  “So my parents divorced when I was 13 years old, they should have divorced when I was 13 months old, or even 13 days old. They were a horrible pair, both were addicts and my father was really abusive. It wasn’t an easy way to grow up and I think it made me an adult a lot sooner than I needed to be.” She took a swig of her wine and carried on, “It also really did my mom serious damage. She always had problems when I was growing up, she was depressed, and I know now, although I didn’t then that she was abused as a child as well. Over time it got worse, and around the time I was fourteen or so I was basically running the house, making sure we ate, had clean clothes, that my sister went to school. It’s why I went to college locally and lived at home. I couldn’t leave my sister alone to take care of everything at that age. My dad died when I was sixteen, by then it had been almost two years since we’d spoken; he was still using and refused to acknowledge his part in any of what went on.”

  If he was freaked out, his face sure didn’t show it. “How is your mom? How are you?”

  “Me, I’m actually really okay. I dealt with it through therapy and I know none of it was my fault. I suppose I am the typical adult child of addicts who is always eager to please and a peacemaker. My mom fared less well, she’s currently in assisted living. She’s bipolar, and suffers from a cornucopia of diagnoses from the DSM IV, we tried her living on her own for a while after I moved out and my sister got married and moved away. It was clear pretty quickly that didn’t work, and as selfish as it might sound I wasn’t ready to take her on; I needed to start my own life.”

  At that point he looked a little stunned, but he collected himself quickly. “Well, I’m glad you’re okay. I can’t imagine any of that was easy, to go through it, or to talk about it. You aren’t selfish to want to have your own life. You’ve done what you can and she’s probably safer where she is. If you hadn’t told me I wouldn’t have thought you’d been through anything so wild, sure you’re shy, and I think maybe sometimes a little sad, but you’re more normal than the rest, present company included.”

  “Thanks, it’s a lot to say, and probably a lot to hear, certainly not light first date dinner conversation, but I felt like not saying anything while you talked about your parents was wrong and lying about them or glossing over it all was worse.” She was trying really hard not to tear up at how sweet he was being about the giant crazy bomb she just dropped.

  “Cora, this is the first time we’ve sat at a table, just the two of us, no work purpose in sight, but I don’t feel like this is a first date. I mean, there is that nervousness and that rush, I’m not too macho to admit that, but we’ve exchanged over a hundred emails in the last week and a half, we’re not strangers, we’re friends, with potential, and friends should be able to talk about just about anything.” He reached across the table and put his hand over hers, rubbing his thumb across her knuckles. “You shouldn’t be afraid to tell me anything.”

  “Oh, I think we all have thi
ngs we keep locked in our vault that almost no one knows about us. Things we won’t even say out loud to ourselves, but I appreciate your kindness.” She turned her hand over and squeezed his, and he didn’t let go, they just sat there holding hands and looking at each other until the waiter arrived with salad.

  “I suppose you’ll want your hand back,” Daniel said with a wink.

  “Well, this is a new dress, I’d hate to ruin it on its inaugural run.” Chuckling she gave a squeeze and reluctantly pulled away.

  “And a new haircut I see. I’m feeling very flattered here, Cora, all this effort seems wasted on a schlub like me.”

  “You are hardly a schlub. A schlub doesn’t replace candies he steals, doesn’t bring truffles instead of flowers, or toy for the cat. Way to suck up to the true lady of the house by the way, if that thing is filled with catnip you’re a rock star in Guinevere’s world forever. I’ll have to repay the gesture if I ever meet your cat.”

  “When you meet my cat, not if,” he mumbles while looking down at his salad.

  “So do you think they are having a clandestine affair and we don’t know it yet, did they orchestrate all of this? The cats, I mean…” She couldn’t help but laugh, I mean really, this deserves a text to Kaelyn when she heads to the ladies' room for her promised mid-date check in to make sure Dan wasn’t really a creeper or serial killer.

  Salads were cleared, entrees arrived, and as they were finishing Cora excused herself to the ladies’ room, mostly to text Kaelyn. Before going into the stall, she shot off a quick message.