Celebrations With Jake and Joe

by Roger W Buenger

  “Works great for me if you’re sure it’s ok with you. Do you want to throw some things in a bag and stay out there tonight then? I don’t think either of us ought to be driving later.”

  “That’s what I was thinking too, if it’s ok with you,” Millie agreed. “I’ve got the bag I always carry in my trunk with some sweats in it but if you don’t mind, maybe we could drop the car off at my house and I could get something a little nicer to wear.”

  “No, I don’t mind at all.”

  “Then you could bring me back in the morning before we come here. That way, my car won’t sit here on the street all night and get people talking.”

  Henry sneered. He couldn’t imagine that anyone cared much about his or Millie’s social life, but he respected her wishes and gladly assented to follow her to her house. He had been extremely excited about their date when it first came up but now he was almost giddy. It was shaping up to be a night they’d never forget.

  Henry thought that Millie’s idea about pizza and a movie was brilliant. While she put together her overnight bag, he called ahead to Lou’s Tavern and placed an order for an extra-large supreme. When it came to pizza, Lewis had several options to choose from including two national chains. However, Lou’s Tavern had been around for decades, and the old-timers preferred their thin crust old-school Italian pies to most anything else.

  By the time Henry hung up the phone, Millie was already waiting to go with a large bag with long handles draped over her shoulder. He had no idea what she had in there, but he was highly impressed with the speed and efficiency she had shown in packing it.

  “Good girl. Man, that was fast!” he praised her as they walked out to his Explorer. “I thought the gal always made the guy wait on a date?” he jested as he closed the door behind her before walking to the driver’s side and getting in himself. She waited for him to shut the door completely before she answered.

  “Well, I’m no goofy teenage girl trying to make a boy suffer. I’m a tired old woman who’s hungry for pizza and wants a drink, so I hustled!”

  Henry burst into laughter as he started the truck and backed into the street. There were certainly some negatives to getting older, and he was feeling some of them as he’d begun to stiffen up from the day’s labor. However, one of the positives to being a mature man was that he did not have to play the same games and endure the same frustrations as men a fraction of his age did when it came to the pursuit of the opposite sex. Henry was glad that he and Millie were older. He was glad that they could talk plainly and be straightforward with each other about their feelings. Henry reached across the console and took her hand. He knew that he was with the right tired old woman and it made him very happy.

  As they drove across town toward the tavern, they discussed their possible movie choices for the evening. Henry was firmly in favor of viewing one of his many John Wayne VHS tapes for the umpteenth time. While Millie did not dislike “The Duke,” she asserted that she was in the mood for something a little softer and more appropriate for a date. Henry argued unsuccessfully that a John Wayne movie was indeed romantic and in short order the Explorer was parked in the lot of Lewis’ newest video rental store. Henry waited in the SUV as Millie vied inside with a bevy of hormonal teenagers for one of the meager selections still available at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday night. To her credit, she emerged rather quickly with two videos in her hands and looking no worse for wear. Once again, Henry thought, it proved that he’d rather be with this old woman than anyone else half her age.

  “All right, let’s roll,” she said as she climbed in the truck.

  “Let’s roll?” Henry repeated.

  “Yeah, let’s go get the pizza. Sorry, I guess I’m a little amped up from being around all of those kids. They’re crazy!”

  Henry laughed as they pulled out of the parking lot and proceeded down the street.

  “So what’d you get?” he asked.

  “A comedy and a romance; I’ll let you pick,” she answered.

  “Well, what are they about?”

  “One’s about a guy who loses his leg in WWII and then falls in love with his nurse. The other is about a girl who gets hit by a car and marries the guy who ran over her.”

  “Holy cow! So which one is the comedy?”

  “Whichever one you think sounds funny,” she dryly replied.

  Henry shook his head in amazement. When he least expected it, Millie always seemed to catch him off guard.

  “Slim pickings, eh?” Henry observed.

  “I had to wrestle two cheerleaders just to get these,” Millie cracked as they both chuckled.

  Following a last brief stop to pick up their Saturday night feast, they were finally cruising down the county road as the sun hastened toward the horizon. The aroma of the pizza was overwhelming, and Henry convinced Millie that they should each eat a slice on the way to tide them over. Both Henry and Millie had eaten untold numbers of pizzas in their lives before that day, but neither could recall a time when it had ever tasted better.

  Henry unlocked the door and then moved aside to allow Millie to enter first. As she stepped into the kitchen and put her purse and bag on the island, Joe scampered down the staircase to welcome Henry home.

  “Hey, baby!” Millie greeted the little cat warmly. Joe didn’t expect to find anyone other than Henry and stopped next to the kitchen table to study her with a clearly distinguishable look of befuddlement. “Bet you weren’t expecting me.”

  “Hi, Joe!” Henry addressed his pal as he entered the room and set the pizza box and movies next to Millie’s things.

  Joe let out a series of small cries to acknowledge that she was indeed happy to see them both, even though she was still unsure about what was going on.

  Millie stepped over and scooped her up as Henry walked past and gave Joe a quick pat on the head. He energetically darted around the kitchen and family room flipping on lights to combat the early evening darkness that was overtaking the house.

  “All right, who wants to talk to Jake?” Henry asked, already knowing the answer.

  “Count me in!” Millie declared jubilantly. “I’ve got lots to tell him,” she said as she pulled a chair from the kitchen table and sat down with Joe still in her arms.

  Henry poured the drinks and then grabbed the pizza on his way to join Millie and Joe at the table.

  “Thank you, sir!” Millie said as Henry put a glass in front of her. “Gonna have to put you down for a little bit,” she explained to Joe as she gently released the cat onto the floor.

  Joe decided that it would be a good idea to retire to her cardboard box and sauntered over to it. Once there, she hopped inside and nestled into a comfortable position that allowed her to keep an eye on things.

  “To a great night!” Henry toasted as he held his tumbler aloft and tapped it against hers.

  “I’ll certainly drink to that,” she said with an amorous smile while bringing her glass to her lips.

  The couple ardently dove headlong into the meal and savored ample quantities of food and drink. All the while, they talked and delighted in one another’s company as Joe leisurely looked on. For Henry and Millie, this was more than just an ordinary “meeting” with Jake and Joe. It was a celebration.

  With his appetite now fully satisfied, Henry’s attention turned to the matter of getting himself cleaned up and getting the evening moving along.

  “Well, that was excellent!” he announced, noticing that it was now fully dark outside.

  “It sure was.”

  “We better get ourselves cleaned up and get to that fabulous double-feature you lined up for us,” he joked as he stood and carried the near empty box to the stove.

  “You wanna go first, or do you just want to jump in the shower together to save time?” he asked with a straight face.

  Millie nearly spit her drink. She wasn’t offended, but she hadn’t expected Henry to be so forward. For his part, Henry wasn’t actually suggesting that they bathe together; he was simply attempting t
o bring his game up to her speed.

  “Tell you what, sailor, let’s shower together,” she replied sassily without missing a beat, “it’ll be fun and save time.”

  Henry’s face flushed slightly. His joke had backfired. He was still a little nervous about pursuing a physical relationship with Millie, and this latest overture was a leap ahead that he wasn’t sure if he was ready to make. Millie knew what he was up to and was simply toying with him. Before he passed out, she let him off the hook.

  “You jump in your shower, and I’ll use the one in the spare bathroom and meet you back here,” she explained while grabbing her bag and heading toward the stairs.

  Now that he was able to breathe once more, Henry recovered his wits and realized that she had gotten him again. Over the years, he had always believed that he had the upper hand in their relationship, but suddenly he was starting to wonder if that was truly reality or just what she had wanted him to think. With his tail momentarily between his legs, he followed her lead and headed for his bathroom to rinse off and regroup.

  Henry had been highly impressed earlier by Millie’s speed and efficiency in packing her overnight bag and also when it came to quickly procuring videos. However, he was now learning that when it came to hygiene she apparently fit more within the guidelines of the popular stereotype associated with women. Long after he had showered, shaved, combed his hair, and dressed, he was still waiting for her to come downstairs and join him. As he sat in his chair watching some sort of documentary on television to pass the time, he sipped on a drink and contemplated what might be taking her so long. Occasionally, he glanced at his watch or the clock as the minutes seemed to crawl ever so slowly by. Finally, he could hear the wood of the steps creaking and correctly assumed it was Millie finally coming to join him.

  “I thought maybe you went home,” he called out to her.

  “Oh, now you stop. Was it really as bad as all that? I wanted to look nice for you,” she said as she breezed into the room.

  Before she passed by him, Henry was preparing a clever and crushing reply but once he saw her, he was rendered totally speechless. Whatever time it had taken her to get ready for their “movie night,” it was time very well spent, in his opinion. Millie looked refreshed and relaxed and wore a well-fitting pair of long-sleeved, button-down navy blue satin pajamas with matching slippers. Her hair was pulled back, and she had small diamond studs in her ears that sparkled like her light brown eyes. Her face was perfectly accented with just the right touches of makeup and her lips glistened in the light. Henry had long known that Millie was a true natural beauty. However, he thought to himself that he had never seen her look more beautiful, and he had never felt more attracted to her.

  “Holy smokes! Those are some fine-looking pj’s you’ve got there,” he complimented her with obvious excitement.

  “I figured I might as well get comfy. You like them?” she asked playfully. She turned and modeled for Henry, allowing him a complete look at both her attire as well as her curvy figure. It had been a long time since she had dressed to woo a man, and his reaction was fun for her.

  “Man, I’ll say! I’m sorry I overdressed. If I’d have known it was a pajama party I’d have showed up in my boxers,” he said, humorously referencing his own attire, which consisted of a dress shirt and pants.

  “Never know, the night’s still young,” she flirted as she stepped to the television where Henry had put the rented movies. Indeed it is, Henry thought to himself.

  “Do you want a drink?” Henry asked as he stood from his chair with his empty glass. Typically, he stopped after two talks with Jake but on special occasions or at social gatherings he was at times inclined to carry the conversation with his friend further. On this night, he was both nervous and excited, and a lengthy speech from Jake might not have been enough to settle his increasingly frazzled nerves.

  “I’d love one, thank you,” Millie replied as Henry headed to the kitchen. While he was gone, she studied the backs of the movie boxes to determine which of the two films might be a better choice.

  “Which one of these classics do you want to watch?” she called to him.

  “Makes no difference to me; put in the comedy,” he joked referring to the fact that apparently neither was a comedy despite Millie’s original sales pitch.

  “Very funny!” Millie laughed in approval. “Ok, wise guy, we’ll watch this one.” She slid one of the tapes into the VCR and picked up the remote control before moving over to the couch. Henry walked back into the room with a water pitcher, two glasses, an ice bucket, and a nearly full bottle of whiskey.

  “Somebody’s having a party!”

  “Yeah, we are! You want popcorn?” he asked as he put the items down on the coffee table in front of Millie.

  “Ok, that sounds good, I’ll make it,” she said as she hopped up instinctively.

  “Hey, you’re not on the clock. I’ve got it,” he protested as he put his hand on her arm gently and tried to stop her.

  “I know, that doesn’t mean I can’t help out,” she said as she gave him a peck on the lips and slipped by. “Give me three and a half minutes and I’ll be back. How about you fix me up with Jake while I’m gone?”

  “Right on, it’s a deal.”

  Henry poured a pair of highballs and took one for himself before slumping into his chair. He listened as Millie hummed while popcorn kernels exploded in the microwave oven. The two different sounds combined to make an interesting and pleasant melody, and it amused him. Meanwhile, Joe was awakened by the commotion and climbed from her box to investigate.

  “Hey, darling!” Millie called to the sleepy cat who was leisurely stretching her stiff muscles.

  “Yes, dear?” Henry called back tentatively, not understanding that Millie wasn’t talking to him. The nicknames sounded awkward and weird to both of them, but neither told the other for fear of causing hurt feelings.

  “Not you, Henry, I was talking to Joe,” Millie explained as the popping slowed, indicating that her wait was nearly complete.

  “Ahh, I understand,” Henry hollered back before muttering softly, “That makes a lot more sense.”

  “What?” Millie asked. She was standing next to his chair and had heard the first part of his reply but couldn’t make out the other. Her immediate presence startled Henry, who thought that she was still in the kitchen.

  “Hey there, I didn’t realize you were back. Are we ready to start the movie?” he asked, attempting to change the subject.

  “Don’t try to change the subject; what did you just say? I couldn’t hear it.”

  “Oh, it was nothing.”

  “No, it wasn’t. It was something; please tell me what you said,” she pressed. Seeing that he was caught and unwilling to lie about it, he laid his cards on the table.

  “When I thought you’d called me darling, and I answered back ‘yes dear’, it felt weird. That’s all. I was just saying that you calling Joe darling made more sense than you calling me that. That’s all it was.” Millie laughed.

  “Oh, that? Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. After all of these years, it might take a while before we can talk all lovey-dovey to each other. It’ll come natural someday,” she cackled as she moved to the couch and took a seat.

  “Really? Ok, good. I’m sorry, I just didn’t want to kill the mood we’ve got going.”

  Millie smiled and took a handful of popcorn from the steaming bag. “Not a chance,” she assured him.

  “What did you think I’d said?”

  “I was wondering if maybe you thought I looked fat in these jammies and were saying I didn’t need any popcorn,” she confessed. Henry chuckled and shook his head.

  “Hell no, darling, you look perfect.” Henry’s sincere compliment embarrassed her a little but the way he said it and the nickname he used was anything but awkward.

  “Wouldn’t you like to come over here and sit by me?” she asked, coyly patting the cushion to her right.

  “I certainly would.” Henr
y switched off the lamp next to his chair and then stood with his glass in hand. On the way to join Millie, he stopped and switched off a second light leaving only the glow of the television in the room.

  “There. Now it’s more like a theater,” he said as he sat down next to her and put his left arm around her shoulders.

  Millie picked up the remote control and hit the “play” button to start the movie. She eased forward to put the device on the table and picked up her drink and the bag of popcorn. When she leaned back, she moved her body much closer to his. Henry welcomed the contact and embraced her more firmly.

  “So which one did you end up picking?” he asked.

  “You don’t care, do you?”

  “Nope. I’m more worried about what time my parents are going to be home,” he whispered.

  Millie couldn’t help but giggle. His joke was funny but had a morsel of validity. It felt almost like they were a couple of love-starved kids, and they were doing something forbidden. It was exhilarating, but it also brought with it a strange sense of uneasiness.

  “Henry, can I tell you something?” she asked gently.

  “Of course, you can tell me anything.”

  “You know my past and all, right?”

  Henry nodded. He guessed that she was referring to her illegitimate son and the reason she had left Georgia so many years before.

  “That was a real long time ago, and I haven’t been with a man since then.”

  Henry turned from watching the movie previews and looked at Millie. Her eyes were sad and almost scared as she gazed back at him.

  “That’s all right. Why are you telling me all of this?” he asked tenderly.

  “It’s just that, I know I want to be with you… I just promised God a long time ago that I wouldn’t ever be like that again unless it was with my husband. Now, I have all of these feelings and I just… I just don’t want to disappoint you is all.”

  Henry now fully understood what Millie was explaining and why she felt afraid. He recalled that she had told him about being left at the altar in her youth and then going on a “wild” spree, which resulted in the child she ultimately gave up for adoption. She was ashamed of her choices and the promiscuous period of her life and to this day was still paying for it. He now realized that she had taken a self-imposed vow of chastity at that time as a form of penance for her sins. Her angst stemmed from the fact that she feared Henry might not understand or might be unwilling to tolerate her commitment. She hadn’t expected things with him to go so smoothly or quickly, and it left her feeling very unsteady.