Amiable Ch 02

When I got to my desk that day, I took the card she had given me out of my bag and laid it gently upon the cold metal surface. It was heat itself, spreading its fingers of warmth over that ice and melting it. I stared at that card "Amy Drexler, Attorney" for what seemed like hours. But apparently it was not.

Finally I tore myself from my revere and went to the break room for my morning cup of coffee. My friend Jenny was there. I smiled, wished her good morning and then filled my cup while I told her about my morning commute.

"I met someone on the bus today," I told her knowing as I said the words they seemed silly and innocuous. Jenny would be thinking in her clinical mind that we meet people on the bus every day so why would this day be different than any other. I sighed in response to her nonverbal question, "A girl."

Certainly that would resolve the issue, clearing up any confusion. Jenny knew I was a lesbian and proud of it. I had been out since high school and did not choose to hide my orientation from anyone. I did not wear a pin that said "Hi, I'm gay" but I also did not deny it if asked. I waited for what seemed like forever for Jenny to reply as she sipped her coffee looking up at me over the rim and under her brows as she finally pronounced, "Nice".

"Yes, nice. She is gorgeous. She gave me her card. I think I will call her," I couldn't seem to shut up, my words poured out of my lips like sugar into my coffee.

"Not yet!" shot Jenny. "You don't want to appear too eager."

"But what about your favorite saying that the morning bird gets the worm?" I asked her.

"It's the early bird gets the worm," she corrected me with a chuckle. "But anyways, in relationships that is not always the case. You just met her this morning. I wouldn't call her for a day or two."

I groaned loudly, "I don't think I can wait that long. She only gave me her work number. If I don't call her today, I'll have to wait until tomorrow." At this point I actually started rising and falling on my toes like I was about to leap into some fray. It felt like that. I wanted to open whatever we had started on the bus. I wasn't willing to wait. I wanted to get going now!

"Alright, it's your choice," nodded Jenny as her hands cradled her warm cup of coffee. "I was merely making a suggestion." Then with a little finger wave, she turned and left reminding me we had work to do.

I sat at my desk trying to work and not think about Amy for the entire morning. It was hopeless. I have never been fond of romance stories or those people that claimed they fell in love at first sight. I found it to be a bunch of nonsense taught to us by greeting card companies who simply wanted to make money. But something about Amy had already invaded beneath my skin like little tiny fleas making their way to my heart. I couldn't wait. I wouldn't.

Lunch time rolled around and I dialed the number on her card. "Amy Drexler's Office, may I help you?" It was the cool professional voice of a secretary and not the one that had poured over me like warmed syrup on the bus.

"Ah yea, my name is Paige Stoddard. I'm an acquaintance of hers. May I speak with her please?" I managed to get out without stuttering. Oh God I hope I didn't stutter.

"One moment," then the proverbial hold button with music from the 1980's started in my ear. I was becoming more nervous by the minute, my right leg pumping under my desk, up and down, up and down, the knee banging into the underside as it rose. I was starting to feel like my skin was too small for my body and I needed fresh air, not the recycled crap filtered into my office when suddenly the efficient one returned. "I'm sorry but Ms. Drexler is unavailable. May I take a message?"

I hadn't planned on that. Unavailable? What did that mean? Did it mean I had read her signals wrong? Was she in a committed relationship? Was she unavailable to me? Would I be forced to think of her only randomly on dark nights as I lay in bed alone? Then I thought wait, she's at work. She's unavailable. Maybe she just can't come to the phone! I breathed an audible sound of relief which I was hoping Ms. No Nonsense would take for breathing. "Certainly, please tell her Paige Stoddard called. I'll give you both my work and home number. Ask her to call me back at her convenience."

After the numbers had been given and given back to me so I knew Ms. No Nonsense had them down correctly, I hung up. I was still a bundle of nerves and realized I chewed my nails down to the quick but at least I had taken the first step towards seeing Amy again.