My Favorite Midlife Crisis (Yet)

by Toby Devens

  I laughed as I watched him gallantly steering Mrs. Talbot back to the table. “He’s such a great guy, he’s probably taking it all in stride. That was sweet of him, agreeing to be here without Connie.”

  “There is no Connie,” Fleur said.

  “What?”

  “Well of course, there is a Connie. That kind dies only with a stake through its heart. What I meant is our Dan isn’t dating her anymore. He put it more kindly, but bottom line is Connie gave him a raft of excrement about coming to the wedding when she wasn’t invited. I smelled the pungent odor of an ultimatum. Her or my mother. Being Dan, he chose not to disappoint my mother.”

  “Is he all broken up?” I asked.

  “Nah, it never would have worked anyway. Beauty and Constanza the beast. So he’s currently at liberty. But you do know he’s not going to be sitting at home twiddling his various appendages for long. The man is a major catch.”

  Fleur sucked a deep breath. “On the off chance you might be interested, he thinks you’re pretty. No, really, he said that when you walked in this afternoon. And bright. I distinctly remember he said bright.” She leaned across to the breadbasket and snagged a roll.

  “Come on, Fleur, you’re making this up. Dan Rosetti? You don’t honestly believe...”

  “Yeah, actually I do. Why not? You’re free, he’s snap-up-able. You’re a doctor, he’s a doctor. You can examine each other.”

  “Boy, are you reaching. I told you I don’t need a man to make me complete.”

  “Who said anything about complete? We’re talking about having some fun. If something more is meant to be, it’ll be. Then again, maybe Dan’s not right for you. On the other hand, you never can tell.” She swept a storm of crumbs off her bosom. “While you’re thinking that through, heads up, baby. He’s coming our way.”

  So he was, smiling his wise smile and looking directly at me. “Gwyneth, I’ve been meaning to say hello all evening but I kind of got sidetracked. My cheering section.” He gestured towards the old folks’ table. “I heard that your clinic is really coming along. Congratulations. Which reminds me. I got a tentative yes from Eli Hunt, the cardiologist, for giving you four hours a week.”

  Fleur drew an audible sigh of impatience, drummed her fingers on the pink tablecloth, and gave him the googly eye.

  “Uhm, well, what I really wanted to tell you is that you’re looking exceptionally nice this evening.”

  Fleur allowed him the thinnest placated smile.

  “You too,” I said. “The dinner jacket. Very Cary Grant.”

  “Mrs. Talbot says Rudolph Valentino.”

  “Whatever. Can’t you people continue this small talk on the dance floor?” Fleur grumbled, poking me to stand. I didn’t budge.

  Dan grinned at me. “Good idea,” he said. “Do you cha-cha?”

  “Of course she cha-chas,” Fleur answered for me. “She mambos, she rumbas, she boogaloos, she...” I sent her a numbing look and she grabbed a breadstick. Dan reached down and took my hand.

  The band swung into a slow tune. “I guess this is going to be a fox-trot. You game?”

  I nodded.

  “I have to warn you I’m not a very good dancer,” he said. “I’m notorious for my two left feet. Actually, none of the Rosettis can dance. It must be congenital.”

  Notorious. Congenital. The man was polysyllabic. Plus he had two left feet. Just my type.

  So I did what I’d done all my life. I picked myself up, dusted myself off, and moved on. Right into his arms. And he stepped on my toes once or twice, but we danced.

  Ah, did we dance.

  About the Author

  Toby Devens graduated from The American University in Washington, D.C., with a B.A. in English literature. She returned to Manhattan where she earned a M.A., also in English, from New York University. She was a writer and senior editor at Harcourt Brace publications when she met her future husband interviewing him at a medical conference. The couple moved to Maryland, where Toby worked in corporate and health-related communications until the birth of her daughter, Amanda. Her poetry, short fiction, and articles have appeared in such publications as Reader’s Digest, Family Circle, McCall’s and Parents magazine, among many others. Most recently, she served as senior vice president for an international network of transplant banks, supervising public relations and media outreach. Traveling extensively, involved hands-on, she had a front row seat to cutting-edge biotechnology and medical advances around the globe. Her writing related to medical issues has appeared in numerous professional publications and scientific journals. She continues to write and consult in the medical field.

  The inspiration for My Favorite Midlife Crisis (Yet) emerged from her most recent sojourn into singlehood. She currently lives in a Maryland suburb halfway between Baltimore and Washington, D.C. Find out more at www.tobydevens.com.