for E.
She must be a fixture at the pub because you see her there almost every time you go. She sits at the end of the bar, sometimes with another person, often alone. She seems normal enough: a little shorter than you, maybe a bit older, oval face, waist-length red hair. Her build is hard to tell because she's always wearing a sweater, but there does seem to be some meat on her bones. Not that breasts matter to you, but since Pat started joking about your problems with men meaning you might be better off with a woman, you've found yourself looking. Each time you come to the pub, you notice her.
This night is different. When you come to the pub, you find only one seat available to you: the one right next to *her*. You order your pint and turn to look around the pub. What a crowd. Lots of people talking to each other, but no one you recognize. Except *her*. When you turn back to pick up your glass. Damn you wish the stuff at home was as good as this. As you put the mug down, you notice in the mirror behind the bar that the woman is looking at you with her sparkling green eyes. Nothing especially threatening, more hopeful than anything else. It may be that she has no one else to talk to either. You put the drink down and turn to look at her and smile.
"Hi," you manage. Simple enough start.
She blushes and smiles in return. "Hello," she responds in a lilting Irish accent. Her voice is lovely.
"I'm Sara Beth. My friends call me Sara." That seems to go well.
"I'm Lorien, but call me Lauren. Are you from America?"
You nod.
"Where?"
"Upstate New York. Where are you from?"
"Ireland, Kilkenny. But my mum teaches here and I like the crowd, so I moved in with her. Do you like it here?"
"Oh yes," you answer, enthusiastically. "I like the crowd, too."
So your conversation seems to go well. She tells you she's 24 and works in a music shop around the corner. She asks you a lot more questions about home and what you do and you tell her about the pharmacy. She tells you she had a lover who once worked in a pharmacy. You find that you both have a lot more in common. When she mentions Tori Amos, you tell her you just got the new album and she's bummed because she hasn't heard much of it yet and she can't buy it because her mum's going to get it for her birthday. Without even thinking about it, you ask:
"Would you like to come over and listen to it?"
Lauren seems very shy about imposing, but you'd like the company and think she probably would too. So you pay your tabs and head out into the cold night.
Long after the Tori Amos CD has played, the two of you are still laughing and talking. You've rifled your CD collection and played all the ones you both like. Conversation covers everything from music to sex (the latter subject being something she blushes at). You find that, despite her apparent shyness, there is a wonderful personality underneath waiting to spring out. Maybe she just needs to be in the right company for it to emerge.
It's way after midnight before Lorien even looks at her watch. When she sees what time it is she tells you she has to work in the morning and apologizes for having to leave. She was having a really good time. You take her to the door and she turns to ask you something before she goes.
"Sara," she pauses, her shyness showing again, "could we do this again sometime?"
You smile, amazed at her polite timidness. "Sure, but next time we raid *your* CD collection!"
She smiles back with a blush and clutches your hand for a moment, then dashes off without saying good-bye.
* * * * *
The next afternoon, upon returning from the lab, you find an envelope taped to your door. You take it off and go inside, putting your stuff away and plopping down on the bed. You open the letter and find a card inside. It says:
Dear Sara,
Thank you for having me in last night. I had a really great time, hope to do it again soon.
Lauren
You're surprised by her thoughtfulness, but inside you're pleased to know that someone thinks so highly of you. It must go with the territory of being such a generous and compassionate person.
The two of you meet again a couple of days later and have lunch. Lauren doesn't ask about the card, so you tell her you got it and that you appreciated her being so thoughtful. She seems embarrassed, but thanks you for your kindness. That evening she comes by with some of her discs and you have another night of fun.
"Sara," she asks as she's getting ready to leave, "do you mind if I tell you something? It's kind of personal, but you seem like, you now, like someone I can talk to."
"Sure. Go ahead," you reply.
Lauren turns away to look at the door. "I've been dating this bloke, Randy. We've been going out for almost four years now. He's great. Even my dad likes him, and that's a miracle in itself. But he's kept putting off asking me to marry him, so I asked him when and that's when he told me -- told me," she begins to cry, "he'd found someone else, but that he couldn't find a way to tell me about it."
You gasp, then sigh, putting your hand on her arm. "Oh, Lauren! What did you do?"
"I threw him out of mum's house! He took my heart and dragged it along and then stomped on it!" She puts her arms around you and cries on your shoulder. You hesitantly put your arms around her and let her sob for a few more minutes, until she composes herself. Then she lets you go.
