by Naomi Niles
“See?”
“I have Renni,” she said after a moment.
“I’m already aware that you have a daughter Mia.”
She laughed. “I know. I just meant that… I don’t have a babysitter lined up. And, Vanessa’s going to be busy for the next week.”
“Bring Renni along,” I said readily.
Mia paused for a moment. “Really?” she asked, sounding very surprised.
I knew this was the way to her heart, so I insisted a little harder. “Of course,” I said. “Renni seems like a great kid, and I haven’t seen her in awhile. You should definitely bring her along.”
“Wow…okay,” she said. “I suppose I could do that.”
“Is that a yes?” I asked quickly.
“Umm…”
“Come on, Mia,” I encouraged. “It’ll be fun.”
I heard her sigh and then her voice came through clearly. “Alright then,” she agreed. “I’ll go out with you.”
“Great,” I said. “How about tonight? I’ll pick you two up at eight-thirty?”
“Umm… Renni’s only five, Sam,” Mia said gently. “She gets hungry a little earlier.”
“Of course,” I said, shaking my head. “How about seven, then?”
“Seven sounds good,” she agreed.
“See you then.”
“See you then.”
I hung up and punched the air with my fist. “Yes!” I crowed. I had a moment of unadulterated triumph before the nerves started to set in. And eventually, that led me straight to Peter’s place.
I found Peter in the back yard, tending to a couple of repairs. He was shirtless despite the cold and didn’t seem to be aware of it.
“You look like a right asshole,” I informed him as I leaned against the porch railing.
Peter rolled his eyes at me. “At least I don’t remove my shirt for an audience,” he shot back.
“Why else would you remove your shirt?”
“Is there a reason you’re here?”
“Actually, there is,” I nodded. Then he glanced back towards the house. “Where are Madison and Mom?”
“Madison’s still at work and Mom went down to the store for groceries,” he replied as he set down his tools and walked over to where I stood. “Something wrong?”
“No,” I said. “I just…need some advice.”
Immediately, the teasing look on Peter’s face faded, and it was replaced with brotherly helpfulness. “Shoot, little brother,” he said. “I’m listening.”
“I asked Mia out today,” I admitted.
Peter raised his eyebrows. “Wow…you actually asked her out on a real date?”
“I know, right?” I said, giving him a shy smile. “Who would have thought?”
“Actually… Madison did,” he said.
“Madison?” I said. “It’s true what they say about women: they have this sixth sense.”
“They do,” he agreed. “What advice do you need, exactly?”
“Just general advice,” I said. “I’m not sure, really. I’ve never actually been on an actual date.”
“You are shitting me,” he said in surprise.
“Think about it,” I told him. “My relationships in high school were just one long string of make out sessions in various places. And after that, I’ve just had a bunch of hook ups and one-night stands that never led to anything.”
“Wow, you really haven’t been on a real date,” Peter said in amazement.
“Yup.”
“Okay, well this is what you do,” he said, jumping into advice mode. “You pick a nice restaurant. Nothing too fancy – fancy places tend to be overpriced and stuffy. You don’t want to come off as being pretentious, and you also don’t want to look like you’re trying too hard.”
“Right,” I said, trying to take it all in. “Nothing too fancy.”
“Which is not to say you take her to a McDonald’s,” he said quickly. “No fast food joints. It has to be a decent restaurant, good food and nice ambience.”
“Any recommendations?” I asked.
“You can’t go wrong with Cheesecake Factory,” Peter said. “But there’s also a nice Chinese restaurant down Burke Street. If you’re looking for Western options, then Casa Elvira’s has great Italian and Spanish options.”
“Do they have a good kid’s menu?”
Peter looked at me pointedly.
“Renni’s coming, too,” I admitted.
“She’s bringing her kid?”
“I’m the one that suggested it,” I said. “She sounded reluctant to agree to go out with me, and I think including her daughter is what cinched the deal. Not that I minded…her kid’s pretty cute.”
“Wow… This is a big commitment for you, huh?”
“I wouldn’t say that,” I said quickly. “I mean, this is only our first real date.”
“That includes her child,” Peter reminded me.
“Well…yeah.”
“Okay, well, then I would recommend Casa Elvira,” he said. “They have great pizza options and they even make mini pizzas for kids.”
“Excellent,” I nodded. “Any other valuable tips for me?”
“Pay the bill,” he said immediately. “Even if she offers, make sure you pay everything. It’s important to do, especially on the first date.”
“Right.”
“Give her your undivided attention,” Peter continued. “Ask her about her life, her job, her childhood. Show an interest in the details of her life. Let her know that you’re not just some guy trying to get into her pants.”
“Okay.”
“When you drop her off, walk her to the door,” Peter said. “Give her a chaste kiss, nothing that would lead her to believe you’re expecting anything from her.”
I rolled my eyes. “It’s not like I can do anything more with her kid right there with us.”
“Oh, right,” Peter smiled. “This is going to be interesting.”
“Yeah,” I sighed.
“Is it my imagination or are you actually a little nervous?”
I shot him a look. “Cut me some slack, okay?” I said. “I’ve never done this before.”
He smiled. “Remember to open doors for her and hold out her chair for her to sit – they’re old fashioned gestures. But they work.”
“Noted,” I said, glancing at him self-consciously for a moment.
“What?” Peter asked, obviously having noticed my look.
“I just…”
“Yes?”
“Umm… I was wondering…”
“Come on,” Peter said impatiently. “Spit it out.”
“What the hell do I wear tonight?”
I instantly regretted the question when he burst out laughing. “Shut up,” I yelled at him, as though I was five years old.
“Come with me,” Peter said the moment he was done laughing.
I followed him into the house, and he led me to his own closet. He rifled through his drawers and pulled out a couple of different shirts.
“Jeans are fine,” he told me. “But I’d pair it with a button down shirt so that you’re not overly casual.”
“You mean, no t-shirts?”
“No t-shirts,” Peter said firmly. “Again, you need to show her that you’ve made an effort. You need to show her that she’s important to you.”
“Right,” I nodded. “Okay… So jeans and a button down…”
“And a nice pair of shoes,” he said. “Pop your coat on over it and you’re good to go.”
“I don’t know if I have any button down shirts,” I admitted.
“That’s why I’m laying out some choices for you, you moron,” Peter said, gesturing to the options he had laid out in front of me. “I’m not just laying out those shirts for decoration.”
I shook my head and looked through the shirts on the bed. “Nothing checkered, please,” I said. “I’m not an old man.”
“How about the gray one?”
“Kind of boring ,don’t you think?
”
Peter rolled his eyes at me. “I don’t even know why I bother.”
I smiled. “Thanks, big bro,” I said sincerely. “I really appreciate this…even though it’s extremely weird and kind of girlie.”
“Girlie?”
“Isn’t this what women do?” I asked. “They discuss outfits and borrow clothes from one another?”
He smiled. “I guess it is,” he said. “Always new you had a feminine side, Sammy boy.”
“Fuck off,” I said, as I grabbed the shirts on Peter’s bed and headed for an empty room.
“Don’t forget aftershave and cologne,” Peter called out after me. “No offence – but you reek.”
“Fuck you very much,” I yelled back, unable to stop myself from laughing.
Chapter Eighteen
Mia
“Hi, bunny,” I greeted Renni as she walked towards me. I reached for her backpack and slung it over my shoulder. “How was school?”
“It was good,” she nodded, slipping her hand into mine. “We painted today, and we have a new hamster.”
“I thought you already had a hamster?”
“This is a new one,” she replied. “So that Lincoln will have company.”
“That’s nice,” I smiled. “What’s this one’s name?”
“Obama,” Renni smiled.
I laughed. “I like it.
I helped Renni into the backseat of the car and strapped her in. While I was putting her seatbelt on, I gave her a smile.
“So what do you think about going out to dinner tonight?” I asked.
Her face broke into a huge smile instantly. “That sounds like fun.”
“It does,” I nodded.
“Is Aunt Vanessa coming, too?”
“Umm…no,” I said. “Actually, Sam is the one who’s taking us out to dinner.”
“Really?” she asked as her eyes went wide.
“Yup,” I nodded, watching her face carefully. “Are you okay with that?”
Renni nodded emphatically. “Uh huh… This will be my first date.”
I couldn’t help but smile. I leaned in and kissed her forehead. “I suppose it will be,” I agreed.
Renni clapped her hands together. “I’m so excited. Can I tell Aunt Vanessa?”
“Uh…sure you can,” I nodded. “Maybe you should wait until after the date, though. That way you’ll have way more information to share with her.”
“Good idea,” Renni nodded seriously.
I closed the door and walked around to the driver’s seat, surprised with just how excited Renni seemed to be. A part of me was also slightly worried about that fact. I didn’t want her getting overly attached. The moment we started the drive back home, Renni started talking about the date.
“What should I wear, Mommy?”
“Whatever you like, darling,” I replied. “Anything you’re comfortable in.”
“Should I wear a dress or pants?”
I smiled. “How about we go home and look at our options?”
“Okay,” Renni nodded. “How much longer till we get home?”
I laughed. “Are you that impatient?”
“Yeah…”
“Six more minutes,” I said, being as precise as I could.
We got home in seven minutes. Renni raced for the front door while I got her backpack, locked the car, and followed her to the house. The moment we were inside, Renni headed straight to her room to pick out an outfit.
“Sweetheart,” I called, following her into her room. “It’s a bit early to get ready right now. Why not pick out something to wear in a few hours?”
“Please, Mommy,” she said, looking up at me imploringly. “I really want to look pretty.”
I smiled. “You are pretty, angel,” I assured her. “Trust me, you don’t have to try.”
“Can you do my hair?”
I laughed. She obviously wasn’t listening to me, so I nodded and just decided to let her enthusiasm play out. “Of course, I’ll do your hair. Why don’t you pick out some options, and I’ll help you decide when we need to get ready?”
“Okay,” she agreed readily.
I left Renni with her head in her drawers and headed to my own room. I slid back on my bed and stared up at the ceiling for a moment. I had been nervous that Sam had just wanted sex from me, that he’d just been another guy looking for a good time.
But apparently, that was not the case. He seemed to want to get to know me, and more importantly, he seemed completely unperturbed by the fact that I had a child. Men scared easily, and I was glad to see he wasn’t one of them.
I gave myself only five minutes of thinking time, before I forced myself off the bed. I tidied up the living room and the kitchen, did a load of laundry and checked in on Renni a couple of times. By the time my chores were done, it was time for me to get ready, too.
“Mommy,” Renni called, running into the living room.
“Yes, honey?”
“Come help me pick out what to wear,” she said.
Nodding, I followed her into her room. There were two outfits that she had laid out on her bed. They sat side-by-side, complete with the shoes she wanted to pair them with.
“Wow,” I said, impressed with the care she had taken. “Some good choices.”
The first outfit included a spaghetti strapped white dress with little yellow daisies on the bodice and the hemline of the skirt. There was also a denim jacket that Renni loved and her favorite pair of yellow boots. They were the ones she had been wearing the night of the accident, when we had first met Sam.
The second outfit included her light blue jeans, a pink t-shirt with hearts on the front and a white denim jacket with pink details on the arms. She had paired that outfit with her blue sneakers with the glittery laces.
“What do you think, Mommy?” Renni asked. “Which one do you like?”
“You’re becoming quite the fashionista,” I smiled down at her.
Renni beamed as I turned my attention to her two choices. I gave the situation the gravitas it deserved and studied both options carefully while she watched my every move.
“I think I know which one is the better pick,” I said.
“Tell me!” she said, jumping up and down.
“The dress,” I said, pointing to the right. “I think Sam will like seeing those yellow boots of yours again.”
Renni beamed and nodded. “I think he will, too.”
“Great,” I said. “Then you’re all set.”
“What about you, Mommy?” Renni asked, turning to me. “We need to decide what you’re wearing too.”
“That’s right,” I nodded, feeling the nerves kick in. “Would you like to help me?”
“Uh-huh,” Renni said enthusiastically.
She grabbed my hand and led me to my room. We rifled through my closet for ten minutes before she turned to me with a disappointed look on her face. “These are mostly your work clothes, Mommy,” she said accusingly.
“I know, baby,” I nodded. “My clothes are either work or casual.”
“You don’t have any party clothes?”
“I can wear the same thing I wore to Aunt Vanessa’s gallery exhibit?” I suggested.
She frowned. “But Sam has already seen you in that.”
I smiled at how discerning she was, and then something struck me. I had a box of clothes that I’d packed up ages ago and stuck in the back of my closet. They were clothes I’d worn in college, clothes that had belonged to a period of my life when I was still getting drunk regularly and partying often. After I’d had Renni, I’d packed most of them away, but for some reason I’d never got rid of anything.
“Hold on,” I told her, as I felt around in the back of my closet and pulled out the box I was looking for. “Here we go.”
“What’s that?” Renni asked, with interest.
“A box of memories,” I replied.
Renni peeked into the box and her face lit up. “Mommy!” she gasped. “You have to wear this one.”
She dipped her hand into the box and pulled out a red strapless dress with a fitted bodice and flowing skirt. I eyed it uncertainly.
“I don’t know, sweetheart,” I said. “I don’t know if I’ll be able to fit into that one anymore.”
“Just try it on, Mommy,” Renni insisted.
Turned out, it did fit, and I stared at myself in the mirror, feeling a small hint of nostalgia. I actually looked pretty good and was starting to feel it, too. Half an hour later, our doorbell rang and Renni ran straight through to the living room.
“Come on, Mommy,” she called. “He’s here.”
I slipped on my black wedges, grabbed my purse, and headed for the door. I opened it to find Sam standing on my threshold with a small bunch of flowers in his hand.
“Flowers?” I said, touched by the gesture.
Sam smiled. “These are for Renni,” he said, bending down and offering her the small bouquet.
Renni’s face brightened instantly and she accepted the flowers with a small blush on her face. “What do you say, honey?” I prompted her.
“Thank you,” she said, suddenly quiet.
“You’re welcome,” Sam replied. “And may I say, you’re looking beautiful this evening, Renni.” Then he straightened and turned his gaze to me. “As do you, Mia.”
He reached inside his coat and produced a single long stemmed red rose, which he offered to me. “A rose for a rose,” he said.
“Thank you, Sam,” I smiled appreciatively. “It’s beautiful.”
He led us to his pick up and helped both Renni and I into our seats. Then we started the drive to the restaurant.
“So tell me, Renni,” Sam asked. “Do you like pizza?”
“I love pizza,” she nodded enthusiastically.
“Fantastic,” Sam said. “Then we’re headed to the right place.”
The restaurant he had picked was a nice place, nestled in the middle of the city. It was Italian Spanish fusion and they had a lot of different things for kids. Renni was given a special coloring book when we walked in, as well as a puzzle sheet to complete. I could tell that she liked the place instantly.
The booths were wide and spacious with enough room for Renni to spread out with her things and work on the puzzles. I watched as Sam spent half the night helping her get through the paper mazes and color the animals in the book she had been given. The food was delicious, and I could see what a huge effort Sam was making with Renni. It was obvious that she was having a blast.