-5-
The next few weeks flew by incredibly fast. Brie returned from London, and between her bed and Dee's, my sex life was wonderfully full at the moment. Thanksgiving was around the corner, yet another day to deal with the 'when-is-Lynn-going-to-find-Mr. Right' drama that is my family.
Walking into the mail center, my 'mystery blond' was at the standup table, sorting her mail. We had seen each other a few times since that Saturday afternoon, a couple of weeks back, nodding or saying a polite 'hi' to each other in passing.
"Milly's." I heard from behind me as I retrieved my mail. Turning towards her, I said, "Excuse me?" looking between her and my mail.
"I've been driving myself crazy-and that's a short trip-trying to figure out why so seem so familiar to me. It was at Milly's, a couple of weeks ago; that's where I saw you, why I thought I knew you," looking up from her mail, a bright smile on her face directed at me.
Walking over to the table, but across from her, I put my mail down. "Don't feel alone; I've been trying to place you as well since I saw you in here the first time." Extending my hand in greeting, I introduced myself, adding, "And yes, it was in Milly's; I was with a girlfriend and I also saw you, briefly, but your face must have stayed with me."
"I'm Natalie, but please call me Nat," taking my hand in greeting, softly squeezing it, as opposed to 'shaking' it, "I'm surprised you remember me, we didn't talk, did we?"
"No, just two ships passing in the night," I joked, and she laughed with me, her green eyes smiling.
"I haven't seen you back there since then, why?" she asked as she looked at her mail, as I was.
"Been incredibly busy; thought about going by myself a couple of times but just haven't gotten around to it," I said, stacking my 'keeper' mail and pushing the junk into the can next to the table.
"I was thinking about dropping in there tonight if you'd like to join me, my gal-pal bailed out on me tonight and I hate going out alone." She said, dumping her own trash mail into the can.
"So, I'm your backup date, huh? I jokingly said, snickering a bit
"Yep, I guess so," laughing, "so do you want to join me for a couple of cocktails and a bit of people-watching?"
I chewed my lip a bit, deciding; what the hell, I thought, it sure beat my planned evening of doing laundry.
"What the hell, what time?"
She'd drive, and pick me up behind my place, at the garage entry at eight; that'd work, give me time to shower and relax a bit.
Nat is a little package; she's no more than 5'4", I'd say, and maybe 110 lbs. Her blond hair is shoulder length and frames her face nicely, I'd say. Her age? I'd guess her to be between the late twenties and early thirties.
Those were the thoughts bouncing around my head as I toweled dry from my shower when the phone rang; running naked to my bedroom, I grabbed it on the fourth ring.
"Hello?" I answered.
"Hi, it's me, Nat-we had exchanged numbers-looks like we have to come up with a plan B," I heard her say, "Milly's is closed until the Monday after Thanksgiving for remodeling."
"Damned inconsiderate bastards," I joked.
"Bitches, actually," she corrected me, "Milly's is owned by Milly and Jackie, a couple of older butches."
"Bitches? Or Butches? Make up your mind," I joked.
"Well, they're all Butch who can be bitches, at times," she said.
"Got it. So's what's plan B?"
"Like movies?"
"Yeah, though my tastes tend to run towards the 'Indie' films," I said.
"Cool, there's a new bill starting at the Art Cinema tomorrow night, want to check it out?"
Confused, I sought clarification, "I thought you were talking about tonight."
"No, tonight I thought we'd grab a couple of 'pops' at another place I know since Milly's is closed."
"So the movies?" even more confused.
"Oh, tomorrow night? Sorry, that's a different date, a second date."
"Oh." I said.
The other place was a west side bistro in the arts district, called 'Lez's'. Yes, the name says it all. It was upscale, had a DJ working the small dance area, offered nibble fare and lots of beers. Nat and I chose a 'tall table' in the bar area, away from the dance area.
Toasting each other with our drinks, we both took a long pull.
"So, my story, huh?" Nat said when she put down her glass.
She had heard my 'story' on the drive over, when I answered her question about my orientation. She agreed with me that my newness means I'm at the exploration stage, personally. She also agreed with me that the fact I haven't really questioned the continuation of my explorations is very telling.
"You'll know," she said, "and you'll either accept the truth about yourself, or spend your life trying to hide it, but
you will know
."
"I had my first lesbian experience as a freshman in college, with a professor; she was very seductive in her quest of my chastity," she jokingly said, "but after one of our evening discussion group sessions, I stayed to help her clean up. She turned me on to pot and 151 Rum, and I woke up the next morning lying next to her in her bed, both of us naked."
Tilting her head to one side, "The strange thing is I clearly remember being not as much shocked, as I was disappointed that I didn't remember what happened between us."
Taking another sip, she added, smiling, "Thankfully, she woke up and gave me a refresher course that morning," laughing a bit.
Now, Nat's a professor herself, at a private college in the city and at thirty-four, she's pretty much okay with her life, "Nothing winning the Lottery wouldn't make better," she had joked.
"How did you know that I was 'in the life', as you refer to it?" I asked, sipping my own Scotch over rocks.
"Well, being at Milly's was a clue, though 'straights' do come there for the calamari, but you and your friend just looked like you were on a date."
"Hmmph," was all I said.
The night went well, for the both of us it seemed, with a lot of laughter and generally, just a good time. Signaling our waitress, we paid our tab and left.
As we drove home, she said, "Just so you know, I don't put out on the first date," laughing afterwards.
"I've told you of my introductory three weeks so, clearly, you know that I do," I joked.
Laughing with me, she retorted, "But, since our second date is tomorrow night, I'd like to prolong the mystery for a night, if you're okay with that," looking at me sideways.
"I'll suffer through it," I said, "but it won't be easy," laughing again.
We shared a very nice goodnight kiss when she dropped me off. "Sure you don't want to come in for a while?" Kissing me again, this time longer, she answered, when her lips left mine, "Ask me again tomorrow night."
I had just rolled and lit my doobie when the doorbell rang. "Shit, she's early," rushing to put out the joint, fanning the air as I answered the door. It didn't do any good because she stopped and sniffed the air within her first three steps inside.
"Well, if you don't offer me a hit, there'll be no pussy for you tonight, my dear," looking at me with a mock, stern look.
Picking up the joint from an ashtray, "Well, we can't have that can we?" lighting it, and passing it to her. I had switch suppliers to the lady that Brie uses and the herb was so much better.
"I know I'm early," handing it back to me and letting a bit of smoke out of her mouth, "but that's who I am; an early freak, sorry." I assured her that it wasn't a problem and that, now, we can both get a buzz on before the movie.
We did, and it was splendid.
Nat is a popcorn freak, and so am I, especially when I have the munchies, and I did. The seats were comfortable at this complex, able to swivel back and forth a bit, and very plush. The popcorn was gone in a heartbeat, both of us wasting no time satisfying those herb induced cravings.
