Miles And Maya Ch 01

To single mothers

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I was injured in an accident three years before and my thyroid got a little messed up.

I have an appointment every three months with Dr. Jacobsen. The last couple have been brief and routine. Mostly labs to check on the effectiveness of the meds.

Two years ago, Dr. Jacobsen hired a new nurse--she might be a PA--named Maya. She'd always be the one to call me in the waiting room, do the weight thing and check blood pressure and temperature.

We always chatted. Kind of got to know each other. She's got a knack for remembering personal things, like where I travelled and where I was from.

She had two children, but there was never a mention of a husband. No ring.

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My quarterly appointment was coming up the next week, and I started thinking about Maya.

"Is it too weird to ask her out while she's listening to my heart and checking my blood pressure?"

"Maybe there's a quick way to just get her number."

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I had a double major in college: math and statistics and then went on to graduate work in stat. I was hired by a large insurance company, which is how a ended up in this city. Three years ago, I completed my studies by passing my last exam leading to my FSA--Fellow of the Society of Actuaries.

The FSA is tough to reach, but the rewards, especially for those who do well, can be substantial. I passed every exam on the first try. A lot of great actuaries don't.

With that in my pocket, the company promoted me to the number two actuarial position--putting me in line for a position as chief actuary--with a salary of about $200k.

Unfortunately, money doesn't buy happiness. I'm single and haven't had a serious relationship in years.

Most people think of actuaries as nerds. The guys with pocket protectors. My math and stat double major didn't dispel notions of nerd status!

However, in other ways, I'm not a nerd. I golf well, holding an 8 handicap. In putting together scrambles, guys want me in theirs.

I played varsity basketball in high school, starting at forward for three years. I didn't play at the college level. At 6'3", I would have had to move to guard, and I don't have guard skills. However, I played intramurals in college and always played on a team that was one of the top four. In a pickup game, my team usually wins. I still play once a week and stay in shape by running five miles each morning.

Of course, cheerleaders don't hang around golf courses or pickup basketball courts. So here I was, 31 years-old, near the top of my profession, but wanting to marry and have a family.

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On the day of my appointment, I paid a little more attention to how I dressed. One of the hazards of my work is I'm the numbers geek hidden away in the back. No need to dress up.

Today was different. I hoped.

I was attracted to Maya. She was about 5'7", with brunette hair, sometimes with highlights. Very fit. A beautiful smile. Perhaps a hint of Latina heritage. Her name is Rincon, but that might be a married name.

I checked in a few minutes early for my appointment. Right on time, the door to the exam rooms opened and Maya smiled at me.

"Miles, it's nice to see you. Come on back and tell me about your trip to Glacier."

We stopped to weigh me. Almost exactly the same as three months ago. I was following her to the exam room. Nervous as hell! Maybe I am that nerd!

"Just have a seat up here on the exam table while I check your vitals."

"Maya, before you do that, I need to ask a question."

"Sure! Fire away."

"I don't know a lot about your personal situation, like whether you're in a relationship, but I was wondering ..."

"Miles, in answer to that question and your next ones, I'm not in a relationship and I'd love to go to dinner with you," she was writing on a pad of paper, "and here's my phone number. Weekends are best for dates. Call me before 8 am or after 6 pm during the week. Please call me tonight.

"Now, let me listen to your heart. Hopefully it's not racing now!"

She looked up with that gorgeous smile. I decided I was a lot more suave than I gave myself credit for!

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The rest of the appointment was routine, and I headed back to work. Oh, my blood pressure was a little high. Maya winked when she told me that.

I wasn't worth shit the rest of the day. I couldn't concentrate on anything.

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"Maya, this is Miles."

"I'm so glad you called, Miles. I have something to confess. I've wanted to ask you out, but I was afraid it wasn't something Dr. Jacobsen would have thought very professional. Thank you for doing the hard work!"

I was laughing. "It's nice to be appreciated. I was so nervous, so it was great when you came to my rescue. I guess I asked you out to dinner."

It was Maya's turn to laugh. "I hope that's what you intended."

"Totally. Are there any foods you avoid?"

"I like everything, including steak."

"Do you prefer casual, or would you like something dressy?"

"It would be wonderful to dress up. I get tired of wearing scrubs every day."

"All right then, Would Saturday at 7 be a good time to pick you up?"

"I'm taking my kids over to my parents that afternoon, so 7 is perfect. I'll text you my address, and thank you again for asking."

It was Tuesday night. I realized I hadn't thought about my suit since I was asked to speak to a large gathering of actuaries a few years ago. I practically ran to my closet to check.

There was a layer of dust on the shoulders! I tried brushing it off, with limited success. First things first, though. I tried it on to make sure it fit.

I made it through that hoop!

I put the suit in a sack to drop off at the cleaners in the morning.

Next I checked on a shirt and tie. No problem there but could use a little fashion freshening.

Shoes? Ok, that's an easy fix. More on my shopping list ... but that was one I could still take care of that night. I was out the door, on the way to my favorite shoe store ... If I only had one!

I returned home an hour later with a nice--and expensive--pair of shoes. And a new tie.

Lying in bed that night, I was thinking about Maya--and realizing I know next to nothing about her. She has two children, and I don't even know their genders or names. I can think of a lot of questions, but she probably can as well.

She knows my health history, current medication, my pharmacy, and ... not much else. She might have questions, too. Oh, she knows I went to Glacier a month ago.

I tried to put Maya out of my mind for the next three days, but dropping off my suit and picking it up again were reminders of our date on Saturday.

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I was at work, thinking about setting up pages in a template spreadsheet to enter pricing for underwriting classes. I had always used a prior product spreadsheet and made a zillion modifications. The danger was overlooking a special formula buried somewhere. I had worked through enough product pricing cycles to know what a basic template should look like.

I was in the middle of contemplating that, when my mind wandered far afield.

Flowers?

Should I bring her flowers? Maybe a bouquet for her home?

Saturday couldn't come soon enough, because my concentration was total crap!

I went running Saturday morning. It felt good to pound the pavement, so I stretched my route to about ten miles. About a half mile from home, I stopped and bought a large bouquet of flowers, then jogged home and put them in a vase.

I was shaved, showered and dressed a half hour before I needed to leave to pick up Maya.

Once again, nervous as hell!

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Maya's address was an apartment in a cluster of four buildings. I parked and found the correct building, then walked up the stairs to the third floor. I rang the doorbell. My hand was shaking.

Maya opened the door, and I saw a gorgeous woman. No hospital scrubs tonight! She was wearing a classic little black dress with beautiful heels that made her much taller and emphasized the beauty of her legs. I was going to struggle not to stare at her breasts, too.

"Hi, Miles. Are those for me?"

I handed her the bouquet. "I thought you might like flowers to brighten your home."

"You are so sweet!"

She kissed me on the cheek.

"Maya, you are far more beautiful than in hospital scrubs!"

"Thank you. I really appreciate that ... and this date tonight."

"Shall we go?"

She put her arm through mine and I opened the car door for her.

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Our reservation was for 7:30 at Crossroads Inn, a wonderful steak house dating back about 80 years. As we walked in, I noticed a lot of people watching Maya. She was easily the most beautiful woman in the restaurant.

This was an experience unlike any other in my life. Nerds don't normally have a beautiful woman holding on to their arm.

We ordered our steaks. I ordered mine medium rare and Maya likes hers medium. I made a mental note for possible future use. I had a lame thought, wondering what percentage of people like their steaks medium rare.

"Maya, I have something of a confession to make. I first met you two years ago, probably soon after you joined the staff at the clinic. Since that time, I've wanted to ask you out. I considered hanging out in the parking lot until you got off work, but that felt too stalkerish."

Maya was laughing. "Indeed!"

"I considered calling you at the clinic, but personal calls are not always appreciated by bosses. That left me with my normal appointment. I hope you didn't mind the way I handled it."

"Miles, I loved it, but I also should confess. I have wanted to go out with you since your first visit after I started there. I thought of looking up your phone number, but a patient complaint would have ended my employment. I thought of passing you a note, or just asking for your number, but there was always my fear of a patient complaint that way, too. I was thrilled when you asked me, or started to ask me. I guess I never let you finish!"

"It was mutual attraction from day one. We've been in this relationship for two years, then."

"I suppose we have, but we know almost nothing about each other. I hope you're not a pimp or a drug dealer, a convicted sex offender or a serial killer."

"If I were a pimp, at least you'd have a shot at making more money!"

Maya barely escaped shooting Coke out her nose. She was laughing.

"Sorry about the timing of that crack. However, Maya. I'm none of those. I'm an actuary."

From long experience, I knew the look on her face: What the hell is an actuary? I explained the work I did and my double major in math and statistics.

"Wow, my first true nerd!"

"Ok, now that makes me want to ask a few questions, but let me counter your perception."

I told her about my athletic experience, my golf handicap and my basketball, high school to the present.

"I normally run five miles every morning, but today I did ten."

"Why more today?"

"I was feeling so nervous about going out with you tonight."

"Then I should have run as well! I've been worried and nervous, wanting to impress you. All of that. However, you're not the stereotypical nerd. Do you own any pocket protectors?"

"Never have, never will. Ok, I have to ask. When you said I was your first nerd, how did you mean that?"

"The first nerd I've dated ... and if we ... well, I mean ... wow, I walked right into that! If we ever have sex, my first that way as well."

Maya turned bright red!

"Maya, tell me about you. Who is Maya Rincon?"

"Well, you asked, so here goes. My maiden name was Bolton and I'm not a Latina. People start speakng Spanish to me when they see my last name!

"I was married to a man from Colombia, named Alejandro Rincon, who came to the USA when he was about 10 tears old. I was a cheerleader in college, and he was the star running back. I was foolish, caught up in myself and society. He got me pregnant, married me, and we had another child two years later.

"I was only a few hours shy of a degree in history when I had my first child. Alejandro thought he would be drafted in the NFL, but he wasn't. He flew around to some training camps, but no one offered him more than a walk-on opportunity. He went to Seattle, made the team his first year and earned the league minimum. It was good money--about $700,000.

"Unfortunately, he was cut at the end of the season. He decided to try the National Arena League, but only earned $200 a week. He came home and started drinking and got abusive. When he hit me, I made him take me to the hospital for x-rays. I admitted to the doctor what had happened and he called the police. Alejandro was taken from the hospital in handcuffs. I agreed to press charges.

"After a while, the prosecutors met with me and asked whether it would make sense to settle the case in a manner beneficial to me. I understood what they were trying not to say, so I asked to meet with Alejandro in that conference room.

"He came in crying and pleading for one more chance, but I told him he had crossed a line a husband must never cross. I was done. We agreed he would accept a divorce in which I got $200,000 and custody of the kids. He understood there would be child support because that was in the sole control of the judge in the divorce, but I would ask the prosecutors to drop the case.

"The court awarded me child support of $500 per month for each of our children. I got the $200,000 and the divorce, and he made child support payments for six months and then disappeared. I've assumed he's in Colombia."

I was wiping away a tear. Maya was wiping away quite a few.

"I'm sorry, Miles, I know this is a lot. I'll be right back. I need to fix my makeup."

While she was gone, our food was served. I waited for her.

"Maya, I'm so sorry for all you went through. It's taken a lot of courage. How did you become a PA?"

"I used some of the money to get through a program as quickly as I could. My parents live close by, so they pitched in and let me move in until I got out and found a job. They watched the kids for me. I owe them a huge debt of gratitude."

I could see her makeup was at risk again, so I changed the subject.

"How's your steak?"

"It's so good! I've only been here once before. Thank you for choosing this. I'm sorry to be so depressing, but I knew I needed to explain my children."

"Tell me about them."

"Emma is six and a total sweetheart. She's in kindergarten this year. Colton is four and my mad man. Boys are so active! I grew up with two sisters, so I had no idea."

"Do they go to your parents when you work?"

"Yes and no. I take them there two days a week and then they go to daycare the other three. The challenge is Emma. I drop her off in kindergarten, and Mom picks her up and takes her to daycare, or takes her home. I pick them up after work."

"You're very busy. Do you feel stressed at times?"

"A little. Mostly, I feel lonely."

More tears.

I moved over to the side of the table so I could put my arm around her. She leaned into me and cried on my shoulder.

"I'm so sorry, Miles. This isn't what you bargained for."

"You're wrong, Maya. I hoped to meet someone real. We all have disappointments, sources of pain and things that make us cry. It makes you real. There's no shame there."

"What makes you cry?"

"Cheerleaders don't hang out on golf courses or intramural basketball courts. In college, everyone figured I was a nerd. I didn't have many dates, but I got turned down a lot. I'm 31 and single, but I want to be a husband and a father.

"I'm nearly at the top of my profession, earning more money than I know what to do with, but I'm lonely."

She saw my tears and put her arms around me.

"Aren't we an interesting pair tonight, on our first date. Miles, I won't blame you if you decide I'm more than you bargained for."

"Let me ask you this. If I understand you correctly, you've thought about me, at least from time to time, for two years."

"Probably more often than not, if I'm truthful."

"Same for me, thinking about you. What did you hope for if we dated?"

"I'll only answer that if you answer it also."

"Deal."

"I need a husband and father for my children. I'm impressed with you and have been since we met. It doesn't hurt at all that you're tall and handsome. My best-case result of us dating is that. Your turn."

"I had no idea you were gorgeous. That intimidates me a little ... no, a lot. However, I want to be a husband and a father. I noticed you immediately, and I'm hopeful you're the one."

"Do you want to keep seeing me, Miles? I know I want to see you!"

"Yes. I'm more attracted to you now that I know more about you. I'm especially impressed you were willing to be vulnerable tonight in telling me all you did."

"You said earlier you were near the top of your profession. What does that mean?"

"When someone is hired out of college, or in my case, out of graduate school after I got a masters in statistics, they are hired as actuarial students. They are working on actuarial projects and taking brutal courses online, just so they can take even more brutal tests. They become Associates of the Society of Actuaries, first, and then choose one of six tracks focusing on specialized courses for a particular industry. I was 28 when I became a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries, or FSA. That's a worldwide standard.

"I'm in the life and health insurance industry. An insurance company has a Chief Actuary. I'm the Assistant Chief Actuary for our company. The chief will retire in a year or two. I'm not guaranteed the spot, but I'm easily the front-runner."

"Can I be really nosy and ask how much you make?"

"Sure, I have no reason to keep secrets from you. My salary right now is about $200,000. If I become Chief Actuary, it will be more, obviously."

"Wow, that's even more than I make."

We both laughed hard over that.

"Hey, let's pay our bill and get out of here. Do you want to come over to my place so we can talk more?"

"I'd like that. My kids are spending the night at my parents. ... I'm sorry, I didn't mean that like it sounded. I only meant I don't have a deadline to pick them up."

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When we arrived at my home, I gave her the tour. It's a nice home. Very nice. Three bedrooms, swimming pool and hot tub. The lot is nearly a half-acre.

"You have a pool?"

"And a hot tub."

"Will you invite me over to swim?"

"So I can see you in a sexy swimsuit? Absolutely!"

"Don't forget, I get to see you in a swimsuit as well."

"Maya, let's sit and talk about things we can do together so we get to know each other better."

We sat on the sofa. I had my arm around her.

"This feels so nice, and it feels so natural to be close to you with your arm around me. It feels right."

"This is the wildest first date of my life. Absolutely the best ever."

"For me, too."

"I'd like to get to know your kids, when you feel the time is right. We can play in the park, take them to the zoo, go to the aquarium, or just go to McDonald's."

"I'm looking forward to that. I think you'll make a great dad."

"Maya, do you want to have more children?"

"I do. Especially when I remarry. I want that experience together."

"Would you like to see me tomorrow, or is that too much?"

"Yes, I want to see you tomorrow. Maybe we can take the kids to the park and have a picnic. Play with them on the little kids' playset."