"You're the only one I picked." Nathaniel admitted. "Can we walk outside for a few minutes?"
Not sure when or if the other two men would arrive, Nita agreed and walked through the terrace door as he held it open for her.
As they got to know one another, Nita and Nathaniel discovered they had attended the same elementary school and had some of the same teachers, although they were a few years apart in age. They both liked dogs and hated cats. They discovered they liked the same Major League Baseball team.
Still, Nathaniel seemed shy and much less confident than whoever wrote her the note she found on her chair.
Half an hour passed and their conversation came to a natural pause. Nita spoke up, "It was so nice to get to know you a little better. We have each others' e-mail addresses, so we can keep in touch."
Nathaniel nodded his head. "Since you're the only one I came to see, I'll be leaving now. It was so nice to meet you, too. I look forward to getting an e-mail from you really soon."
"You can count on it." Nita touched his arm, reassuringly.
As Nathaniel was leaving, Nita noticed Gina hovering near the entrance. She had positioned herself strategically so she could keep an eagle-eye on Steve's name badge and begin to captivate him with her beauty and charm from the moment he arrived. Unfortunately, the charm was dissipating as annoyance and impatience took over. Gina's happy excitement gave way to frustration and disappointment.
Nita wrapped her flower loosely in a paper napkin; as she laid it in her purse, she heard a voice. It was Wes, "Hi, you're Nita, aren't you?"
"Yes, hello! Wes!"
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you!"
"It's OK, really."
"So, what brings you here?" Wes said with a smirk.
"Oh, I guess, the same thing that brought you here..."
"A CAR!" the two of them shouted in unison, then erupted with laughter.
"I'll be here through Sunday. Get your tickets now! but, seriously folks..." He sounded as though he was a stand-up comedian performing his best material, but, he wasn't very good, even though he, apparently, rehearsed a lot before coming out.
Nita wasn't much for comedy, but she tried to keep up. When her efforts failed, she attempted have a serious conversation with him. Wes admitted to being so nervous at these events, he knew he resorted to making jokes a bit too much. Concluding that the conversation was never going to progress beyond the superficial, Nita bravely told him that she didn't feel like she had met the "real Wes". She confessed that she was not interested in e-mailing him in the future. He seemed to understand. They said their good-byes. She walked away, leaving him standing next to the bar.
By this time, Gina was talking to one of the organizers from KISS-LOVE 91 and she did not look happy. Nita walked closer. All she could hear her say was, "He R.S.V.P.'d, didn't he?" Just then, a hand reached out and touched her arm. Turning around, she was confronted by one of the servers, "Ma'am, I think you dropped something." He handed her an envelope.
"I didn't drop anything." she thought. Looking more closely, Nita read the words written, on the front, in handwriting she had seen before: "From your Secret Admirer".
Nita slipped out onto the terrace and found a secluded spot in a far corner beyond the fountain. She looked around to make sure no one would interrupt her. Her hands shook and her face became flushed as she opened this new envelope.
"Hello again, Beautiful!
Thanks for your e-mail. I am sorry I am not there to see you tonight, in person. Please accept this note, instead. You already know I like you. I hope you like me, too.
As much as I want to be looking into your eyes and maybe holding your hand right now, I believe we will meet one day soon. Until then, you may call me your "Secret Admirer".
I will be dreaming of you. Maybe, you will dream of me, too. Write back to me soon."
Nita was overwhelmed! She sat on the terrace staring at the note, touched by its direct but tender sentiment. Caleb had not yet appeared at the mixer. Could this be from him? After all, it is possible for one person to have more than one e-mail address. While the note didn't provide a lot of information, it was clear that whoever wrote it was not going to see her that night.
As her racing thoughts, and heartbeat, began to calm down, she decided she would stay a little longer just in case Caleb was able to come. She stopped at the buffet table and filled a small plate. She walked around the room, found a seat and munched on the sliced raw vegetables. For the first time since she arrived, she began to notice the other couples who were interacting around her.
In the corner of her eye, she noticed neon blue emergency lights flashing near the front door. A crowd gathered as the police escorted a handful of people out of the front entrance. Nita thought she would find Gina to make sure she was safe. She had been standing near the reception desk a few minutes earlier. When she moved closer, she could see that Gina was talking to one of the officers. Finding a position behind her friend, but near enough that she'd know she was there, Nita overheard a part of the conversation.
"Which one had the knife, ma'am?" the officer asked.
"The brunette with the blue skirt" Gina replied.
"What else did you see?"
"A lot of punching, slapping and hair-pulling. That's all."
"OK, let me be sure I've got all this down. The man, Steve approached the entrance and three women ran up to him; they started fighting each other over him and somebody pulled out a knife."
"That's right, and I tackled her from behind before she could hurt anyone" Gina added. "The D.J. from KISS-LOVE 91 came over and took the knife out of her hand."
"You prevented someone from being injured and probably saved someone's life." the officer concluded. "Thank you ma'am, for your efforts. We will need to get your contact information as our investigation continues in this matter."
Nita looked outside. Three women had been put in the back of separate squad cars. Their clothing was torn and their hair was a mess. An officer took Steve into the coat room out of view, since the commotion had been about him.
The event organizers decided to close the event early after the violent outburst. Those who were not witnesses were allowed to leave.
"Are you alright?" Nita asked Gina.
"I'm fine. I text messaged Elle; she's on her way to get me."
Nita waited with Gina until her ride arrived.
Chapter 13
Planning Together
When the women gathered at Hannah's for another potluck, the mood was more thoughtful and subdued. The Baggins cousins seemed to have become comfortable enough around Nita and Hannah that they didn't always sit next to each other exclusively. Sometimes, they allowed enough space for someone else to sit between them.
Everyone heard about what happened at the mixer. Gina had also been interviewed by the TV and radio news outlets and her picture appeared in the newspaper with a story on the social page. She was aware that she might be subpoenaed to appear in court, but was not excited about any of this.
"If I had not been standing where I was..." Gina began to explain, "I might have been the fourth woman to be arrested. I was so stupid-crazy about Steve! What is wrong with me? I was so foolish to think I'd have a chance to spend any alone-time with him at the mixer. Do you know that he picked nearly half the women at the speed-dating event? Then, he showed up late, just when everyone was starting to have tizzy fits waiting for him! It was like he thought he would have an instant harem or something with women fawning over him. He was nothing more than a player."
"But, you were in the right place at the right time, Gina. You were the one who diffused a dangerous, volatile situation no one could see coming. You had the courage to take down someone who was holding a weapon." Hannah tried to console Gina. "I think God put you in the right place at the right time, just behind that girl with the knife."
"Yeah, I guess so." Gina conceded. "But, what does that say about me that I would act like that over a man?"
"Don't be so hard on yourself, Gina." Nita chimed in. "I think most women find themselves acting that way, at least once in their lives... or twice, or three times, or all the time." she said making a funny face.
"Well, I need to rethink my approach. I could have been injured or killed if I'd been standing just a few feet to one side or the other, where she might have seen me. It isn't worth it to be so out-of-control. I think I'm ready to balance my new ideas with some old-fashioned, time-tested concepts."
"What are you going to do?" Elle asked, surprised that her cousin didn't discuss it with her before they arrived at Hannah's.
"There is a single's conference at church. I wasn't planning to go before the incident at the mixer. Now, I'm registered and I'm going. I will listen to whatever they talk about at that thing... even if they want to fit me with a chastity belt! Well, maybe I won't go that far."
"I'm glad you're going, but I don't think the conference will be that extreme." As she spoke, Hannah noticed Nita was looking at her phone. "What's happening, Nita? Are you phubbing us?"
"Oh, I'm sorry, I was distracted, checking for an e-mail." Nita put her phone away. She was still not quite ready to share with her friends about her secret admirer and she didn't want to be rude by diverting her attention away from the conversation.
Elle asked, "How did the mixer go for you, Nita?"
"Pretty well... I met Wes and Nathaniel." Nita pulled a pillow from the sofa and placed it on her lap. "Wes was a disappointment. He wouldn't let himself be serious. Everything was a joke with him. Sure, he made me laugh, but that's all he did. He admitted that it was his nervous habit. I talked to him about it and told him, as nicely as I could, that I would not be keeping in touch with him."
"Wow, that was straight-forward of you." Elle said, wide-eyed.
"Yeah, I didn't want to waste his time, or mine. If he couldn't relax and get comfortable with me after half an hour at a mixer, who knows how much time he would need?"
Gina spoke. "I noticed you talking to two men that night."
"Yes. Nathaniel was there and he even gave me a flower."
"Awww!" the women said in unison.
"And he wasn't creepy at all... maybe, just nervous."
"Sounds like you're going to see him again." Elle wondered out loud.
"Yeah, I think so. He is a nice guy, and I think he deserves a chance."
"OK, ladies, are you ready?" Hannah had prepared her friends for an important announcement she wanted to make when they were all together.
"We're all Christian women, right? We know what the Bible says about dating, right? And we know that we've ignored a rule or two from the Bible concerning dating and sex." The women nodded in agreement.
"And it seems so unfair that our faith leads us to put restrictions on ourselves, while everyone else does whatever they want. Although dating can be a challenge, for Christians, it seems even more challenging! But, that doesn't mean we can't enjoy finding romance! Can I get an 'Amen'?" Hannah winked as she delivered the humorous phrase.
"Now, after some very interesting experiences with dating lately, I think we can help each other." The ladies were hanging on every word Hannah spoke.
"Here it is: I think we should plan a group date."
Gina and Nita were pleasantly surprised as they considered the idea.
"After so much dating drama and danger, this sounds very safe. How's it gonna work?" Gina asked.
"Well, it is more like a group of people going out to have some fun together, but it is still clearly defined as a 'date'. I thought we would make lists and pair off accordingly. Nita could invite Nathaniel, but she doesn't have to. I might know someone who would be a good fix-up for Gina or Elle and any of you might know someone you'd like to introduce to me. We'll piece it together."
Hannah stood up to refill the snack tray, but continued to speak. "We will be responsible for knowing what God expects of us when considering a potential date or boyfriend. And I'm certainly not going to judge any of you for choices you make, even if I disagree with them. I hope that you will do the same for me. In any case, we should be allowed to speak freely with one another when we disagree, as much as we would when we agree."
Everyone, except Elle, seemed to be enthusiastic about Hannah's idea.
Hannah sat back down. "Let's pick a day and time, then choose an activity and location together. Next, we'll invite people until each of us has a companion. But, all of us should feel free to get to know everyone who attends. No one person should feel like they have to stay tethered to one other person the whole time. We will arrive together and return home together. And, yes, it is safer than one-on-one dating. Shall we?"
The women made lists of the men they knew and wrote the names of the male friends they thought might enjoy an evening with them the most. After calculating a comfortable budget per person, they proposed destinations and activities they could afford. After agreeing on the details, all that was left was to buy the tickets, make the reservations and invite their dates.
Chapter 14
Writing a Reply
Although she hadn't intentionally been putting it off, Nita felt it was about time she wrote to her secret admirer again. In her mind, she had been debating what to write. She knew she needed to just sit down and start jotting down her thoughts. Otherwise, she might procrastinate and another week would pass with her having done nothing.
The handwritten words she received were precious to her. Nita thought it was exciting to have a mystery man, whom she had never met, give her so much romantic attention. The fact that he chose to write his second letter on paper, even though he had her e-mail by that time, made her feel even more special.
Nita's imagination tried to run wild with ideas about the identity of her mysterious suitor. At one point, she wondered what he did for a living and what neighborhood he lived in. She assigned him the perfect height for her (3 inches taller than her) and the right age (2 years older than she was). She envisioned how he dressed (very well, thank you). She imagined him meeting with his tailor monthly and going for shoe-shines weekly. And of course he had a dog, a golden retriever, which he would take for walks every morning, on a path next to the creek.
"Stop!" she shouted to herself, alone in her apartment. "Even if the Bible didn't warn us not to let our imaginations get out of hand, it is just weird that I was able to come up with all of these details from two small notes, and no photograph. He could just as easily be half my height, or 6'9" and 19 years old, or 91, with a cat! I am never going to find out before we meet, so let's get on with it."
Picking up her phone, Nita opened her e-mail app and clicked "Compose".
"Hi Secret Admirer,
Thank you for both of your letters. I enjoyed reading them.
I'm happily anticipating seeing the face of the man who sent his heart to me on paper.
How about at the Bookstore Bistro & Bar next week?
Let me know what day works for you.
My name is Nita."
She clicked, "send", plugged her phone into its charger and set it on the table. She thought to herself: "Now we can meet, and I won't have to guess anymore. And I can start practicing all the dating tips I am learning." She laughed at herself, "That is, if we like each other enough to date in the first place."
Chapter 15
Going Through the Closet
Nita's excitement about the group date was increasing daily. She began going through her wardrobe to plan what she would wear on the special evening. She posted photos of her most promising combinations on Instagram, hoping that her on-line friends would help her pick the best outfit. Gina found and followed Nita. They began clicking hearts on each others' clothing photos. Soon, Hannah joined in and, before long, the three women were posting, commenting and sharing their preparations for the big night.
Nita had begun chatting with Nathaniel by phone and via text. They planned to meet for lunch during the week since they worked only a few blocks apart. Caleb hadn't replied to her e-mail
after the mixer, and she concluded that he was no longer interested, for whatever reason. This was a relief because she had no more doubts as to whether he was her secret admirer.
As she was putting some clothes back into her closet, she stumbled and fell onto the pile of shoes on the floor. The impact jostled some loose items on the upper shelves. A few of them fell to the floor around her. While tidying up the mess, she discovered the unopened envelope Henry had sent. Suddenly, the memories of everything that happened flooded her mind. She realized that the pain had begun to subside and she was moving forward with her life.
Sitting down in the middle of her bedroom floor, she opened Henry's envelope, took a deep breath and started reading.
"Dear Sweet Nita,
I figured because you blocked my calls, that you saw me with someone else after I left you at your door after our last date.
The truth is I had fallen in love with 2 women, and I tried to maintain both relationships, keeping you secret from her and her from you. It all fell apart when you both found out the same night.
Sorry doesn't even begin to express my regret for the pain I caused you. I wrote this to ask you to forgive me please. I beg.
I am not worth your time and I can't ask you to take me back, but I wish you the very best . I hope you find someone who will be good to you and give you lots of good things. You deserve them.
Please accept my apology. I have to live with myself for what I've done. You are a wonderful woman. I will always love you.
The Romantic Misadventures of a Modern Woman Page 4