If you read parts one and two you will recall this adventure took place before the seven taboo words had been defined. Coffee was perked and a pack of cigarettes was sold for less the today’s sales tax. Some things have not changed.
“Look, I’ve got a paper to write,” I said in a rather harsh tone. It was true, I was behind on work in three out of four classes and did not have time to chat.
The telephone was off limits to me on week nights. It had always been that way while Marcie lived there; the practice continued when she moved out and my friends knew that I did not take calls. However, there were exceptions.
What if there is an emergency? It could be one of any number of business associates, a supplier with news of a delivery or one of my funeral home contacts.
Mothers of the bride are my specialty. They are all the same, hell bent on planning the wedding. Since one of the first things they want to take care of is the floral arrangements, they sometimes call us even before the engagement hits the paper.
‘Who would be calling me a 7 p.m. on a Monday night, just as I was sitting down to study?’ I wondered. The phone call could bring new business. Or.....It could be Wendy. I picked up the phone on the forth ring.
“You didn’t finish the story!” She had an annoying habit of demanding a response without the courtesy of ‘a how do you do.’ If she ever gets in front of a judge I thought; the scene made my rib cage tickle.
“Sure I did,” I answered, thinking I knew which story she was talking about.
“Well, did you?”
“Did I what?”
“Did you do step five?” Her voice was tentative but I knew it was only for effect. There was nothing tentative about Wendy. “With Ellen, I mean.”
That is when I told her about the paper, it was not due until Friday but I was smothered with other work and wanted to convey it to her.
“What’s the subject? I went to college you know, perhaps I can help.” Her tone was sympathetic, consoling.
“Business Law,” I answered sarcastically. I had taken a course in business law the previous year and had enjoyed it. It was that introduction to the law that made me see the necessity for a special contract with the plant suppliers. I did not volunteer the actual name of the course or the subject of the paper.
Not hearing a response, I got a little anxious. The silence was uncharacteristic. Had I hurt her feelings? Unlikely, I thought, but still....
“Yes, we did step five. It was the greatest 30 seconds of my life.” I said, pausing, expecting a laugh. Wendy mumbled something about me needing to do my paper and said goodbye.
“Hey Fab, hold up.” It was Benney Farmer. We had become seat mates in a history class the year before. The instructor insisted on seating us alphabetically so there we were in the F section, Benney was behind me. I had not seen him since the class. “What’s up?” I asked, a little annoyed at being stopped, my next class was on the far side of the campus and I was invariably late getting there.
“Are you going to the game?”
“Football?” I laughed, “Is that why you stopped me?”
“Remember Sandy Merrid?” he asked, a look of excitement on his face.
I blinked. Of course I remembered her. She sat across the aisle from me in the class we took together. I nodded.
He must have seen that I was in a hurry so he got right to the point. He and his girlfriend were going to the game on Friday night and needed a date for her friend, Sandy. He already had the tickets.
“Why me?” I grinned, looking for the catch. “Does Sandy know about this?”
“Sure she does,” he said with a confident grin. “She suggested you.”
I agreed to the date and I turned to leave. Benney placed a hand on my shoulder.
“Bring a blanket Fab. It will be cold out there. Think about it, you and Sandy cuddling under a one!”
Later that day I sotted Sandy. I wondered if it was a coincidence as I we had not seen one another since the last school year. I had forgotten how cute she was; she was a small girl with a narrow face, making it seem long for her body. Her hair was jet black with a silky texture. She spied me and came my way.
Her dark eyes fairly twinkled as she peered up at me and said, “I hear that we’re going to the game with Benney and Joyce.” Her knit sweater had highlighted my day; it clung to her upper torso, accentuating her small breasts.
I did not mention the Friday night date to Wendy when she called. Just because she had invited me over the past two Fridays did not mean she would expect it to be a ritual, would she?
“You weren’t sure about the color of the robe?” Her tone was accusatory as if she was a queen scolding one of her subjects.
“I was making the whole thing up, remember?”
She let her breath explode and exasperated she said, “Cotton! What am I going to do with you, how am I going to get it right. Can’t you see this is important to me?”
“Cranberry,” I said. “The robe was darker than the night gown but not dark pink or red; I think you would call it cranberry.” Of course I remembered the robe, how it looked, how it felt to the touch and how it always seemed to come open as we danced. “The material was satin,” I added, recalling how it felt.
“Makes sense,” she said. It was evident she believed me. “I guess you weren’t making it up.”
The next day I stopped by the library to check a reference. On the way up the front steps I saw that Sandy was coming down on the far side. She did not see me.
“Sandy,” I yelled to her. As she turned her hair swished across her face before reversing its course and gently coming to rest against her thin neck.
She ran toward me and stood one step above, very near. We stood eye to eye.
“Is this your free period?” she asked, handing me her books to hold. She raised both arms to the back of her head and with a swift move, rearranged her hair to her liking. She then gave her head another shake and smiled at me.
Sandy placed one hand on my chest, inside the jacket I was wearing. I felt her small hand press against my shirt. She had a mischievous look on her face as if she would give me a shove. I held my ground or step, as it were.