Love Made Over
Part 3
Cast of Characters:
Wendell Davis Anders
Gwendolyn Rene Jacobs
Marylinn (fellow waitress at the diner where Gwen works)
Life is full of twists and unexpected turns of events. Often, they are not welcomed or even wanted, but sometimes they are truly amazing... Such are second chances... An opportunity to set wrongs right, to make amends and to experience happiness and joy. For Wendell and Gwen, it might be life changing.
Gwen seemed like a different person today, at least to those regular customers who had grown accustomed to her world-weary aura on an average day. It's not that she was surly or curt with most people but rather just tired and resigned to making it through another day. So, the smiles and cheerfulness were like the difference between night and day to them. For every smile she shared, more were returned to her in kind. The happiness fed on itself and grew with each passing hour.
After Wendell drove away from the diner, he had wondered where he might take Gwen to dinner that evening. Thinking of food made him remember that he had next to nothing in his fridge or pantry at the house yet. Conveniently, he was passing a supermarket when this thought struck him, so he made a quick turn into the parking lot and found a place to park near the doors.
As he got out of his jeep, he realized that he was still dressed in his dress uniform from the day before. Now that he was officially retired, he felt as though he didn't need to be fully presentable as such. I took off his jacket and folded it over the back of the front seat. He rolled up his sleeves and took off his tie and loosened the top button of his shirt. Now feeling a little more casual and relaxed he smiled at himself in the side view mirror and closed the door before heading into the supermarket.
Wendell grabbed a buggy and started shopping in the produce department. A bag of potatoes, a bag of onions, carrots, celery, some tomatoes, and a head of lettuce. From there it was to the meat cases, as an idea was forming in his mind, and he smiled all the more as it took shape and began to be a plan for tonight. Along with a pound of bacon, some rolls of breakfast sausage, and a package of chicken wings, Wendell selected two thick bone-in ribeye steaks.
Up and down the aisles of the market, Wendell pushed his buggy adding to his purchases almost at a whim. Canned goods, sugar, flour, cornmeal, pasta, cans of soup, even some breakfast cereals. He got some milk, cream, sour cream, butter and a tub or cottage cheese. In the bakery department he got a loaf of bread, some croissants and a couple of French baguettes. Ticking off items in his head, he realized that he'd better get some kitchen essentials... like aluminum foil, some cling wrap, wax paper, olive oil, and shortening. Passing by the spices he took a moment to add salt, black pepper, garlic powder and a haphazard collection of other spices and seasonings.
By the time he was headed to the check out, his buggy was nearly overflowing. He made one more stop before heading to the registers though, in the floral department. His first inclination was to get a single rose. Knowing that a single rose often meant more to the recipient than a whole dozen or more. I smirked to himself, though he did want to get that message across loud and clear to Gwen, it might not be just the right time yet, so instead he bought a large bouquet of mixed variety of blooms as a centerpiece for the kitchen table. He had to carry the bouquet because there was no room in his buggy.
The teenaged girl at the register was nearly in awe of one, Wendell standing there holding a large bouquet of flowers, and two his heaped to overflowing buggy as he placed item after item onto the belt for her to ring up. It took two people to bag up his purchases and two buggies once it was bagged to get his goods to the jeep.
Once home, Wendell had to make several trips from the jeep up the stairs of the back deck, both levels, to the back door and into the kitchen. First things first though, he found a large bowl, a punch bowl of all things, one his mom left with the house. There were no vases big enough to hold the flowers. Improvising worked well. Next was the food in the pantry and fridge. He left the steaks out and a couple of potatoes and the makings of a salad. He washed and wrapped the potatoes in foil and put them in the oven, checking the time first.
The steaks were removed from their packaging and seasoned liberally on both sides before being put on a platter and covered. He left the platter out to bring the steaks up to room temperature, again checking the time. He opted to leave the salad to be prepared as the steaks were cooking later. Speaking of which, he stepped out onto the deck and pulled the gas grill around to set it up for its debut performance. It wouldn't take long to heat up to cooking temperature, so he left it off. Had he not had to go and pick up Gwen later, he would have opted to use the charcoal fired side of the grill instead.
While the food was either cooking or getting ready to be cooked later, and the grill was ready to go... it was time to check on the hot tub. Wendell pulled the padded cover off the top of the tub and folded it to set it aside. He checked that the water level was good and then turned the temperature up to a comfortable 100 degrees. He tested the jets to see that they were all working properly then smiled and shut them down for the time being. He flicked a switch on the privacy enclosure to see the lights in the tub turn on and the little accent lights around the enclosure turn on as well.
Happy that the tub was ready for use later, Wendell again checked his watch and noted the time. Just a couple of more things to take care of yet. One, a shower, shave and change of clothes. Then to select some music for listening to later. Not knowing for sure what Gwen was into listening to these days, he opted for some old classics and some music that he remembered her liking from their childhood and teenage years.
At two thirty that afternoon, Gwen was positively giddy with anticipation. Not that she could have hidden that if she tried, but it seemed everyone noticed it. Including Marylinn, the same waitress who had lent her and Wendell her umbrella last night. Marylinn was again Gwen's relief for her shift at the diner.
"Honey, you look like you are about to burst!" Marylinn said with a teasing smile.
"Do I?" Gwen asked and blushed slightly though she returned a sheepish grin.
"I don't even have to ask what happened last night, girl, it's written all over your face. Good for you!" Marylinn said with a wink and a knowing smile.
Gwen didn't know what to say to that, so she just kept silent and fidgeted all the while watching the clock, and the front door of the diner. Marylinn didn't miss that either.
"Is he coming by again this afternoon?" Marylinn asked as she sidled up a little closer to Gwen and rubber her shoulder to Gwen's to nudge her to speak.
"Yes. He's taking me to dinner tonight." Gwen gushed and smiled again. She couldn't help herself.
"Oh my! Two days in a row? Just how serious is this guy?" Marylinn teased, though she was very happy for Gwen.
Instead of saying anything, Gwen just held up two fingers that were crossed and smiled again. To be honest, she couldn't have said much if she wanted to. The feelings, the emotions, the thoughts and hopes were all a jumble in her mind and heart. The butterflies in her stomach seemed to just complicate everything else. All the happiness and joy were tempered yet somewhat by the one remaining secret that she knew she had to share with Wendell. She wondered how he would handle that.
It seemed that she was checking the clock almost every minute as the time got closer and closer to the end of her shift at three. Marylinn noticed too, and she giggled to herself realizing that Gwen was a ball of nervous energy.
"Honey, Gwen... why don't you go on and get cleaned up and primp a little bit. It's not busy right now and I've got it. Go!" Marylinn prompted with a hip check to the fidgety Gwen behind the counter.
"Why am I so nervous?" Gwen whispered then smiled and whisked off to the back room to take off her apron and clean up a bit.
