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“Simon,” Sandy was saying to him, “it’s been a week. Perhaps we should go for Thai food again. I’m getting tired of Indian.”
“I don’t know. I don’t really feel like Thai.” Simon said.
“Well, you said I could choose.” Sandy smiled at him. She was sitting on the couch across from Simon. They were at home and talking about where to go out for dinner.
“Okay, fine. Thai. There is a new place over by the—“
“I want to go back to that place we were at last week.” She said, coyly.
“What? No, I don’t want to go back there.”
“Yes, we’re going there, you promised. Wherever I want. You said.”
They stared at each other for a minute. Then he caved, not wanting an argument he knew he couldn’t win. He threw up his hands in surrender. She got her coat, he got his coat and they headed out.
About half a block from his apartment, suddenly he noticed Sandy was getting rather sketchy looking. Not bad, just—hollow, like she was fading out. She looked at him, started to say his name, then suddenly, she just vanished. A cold chill swept over him. He panicked, looking all around as if Sandy had just rolled under one of the hedges along the sidewalk, or someone had secretly grabbed her and run off. Simon started to sweat. It felt like the sky was closing in on him. He felt his pockets. Where was his phone? Because it wasn’t here. It was gone. He must have set it down back at home. Simon hurried back to his apartment building.
Simon got into the apartment just as his phobic reaction began to truly cripple him. He started looking through the rooms. His phone was nowhere to be seen. After he went through the living room for the third time, he started to realize that he had lost it. When the realization hit him, he actually gave out a “yelp”. His legs went out from beneath him and he fell, luckily, onto the couch. His breathing got short and he realized he was having an anxiety attack, but there was nothing he could do to stop it. Then his vision got blurry and he nearly passed out.
“Sandy—“ he said; he barely, said. And suddenly, there she was with him! His breathing relaxed, his vision cleared, his heart returned to a regular rhythm. The sweating stopped.
“Yes, Simon?” Sandy said.
“Sandy,” Simon said, breathing slowly, “where were you?”
“I lost my connection, you got too far from the phone and I went into “resume” mode. Once the connection was reestablished, you simply needed to ask for me, for me to-- resume.”
“Oh,” he said, trying to sit up right. “Sandy, where’s the phone?” Suddenly, the phone started ringing. Simon stood up, looking quickly around, trying to fathom where the sound was coming from. It led him to the couch. He slid his hand between the cushions and touched cold plastic. He pinched the flat surface and pulled up his cell phone. He just stood there, staring at it in disbelief.
‘How have I gotten to this point in my life?’ he wondered, somewhat morosely.
Simon turned around. There stood Sandy, lovingly observing. She walked over to him, put her hands on either side of his head, and leaned in very close. She whispered to him, almost touching his lips.
“Simon, I’m always with you,” and she feigned a kiss. “And remember something? The Truth will set you free.”
“Thank you,” he said and then looked at her oddly over the Truth comment.
“Now, Thai food.”
Simon winced, but nodded.
“They” were seated when Suchin came out of the kitchen, scanning the room to see if anyone needed her service. Then she saw him. He watched her reaction with some trepidation. But he didn’t see a look of recrimination in her face, just—what was that? Appreciation?
‘What?’ he thought. ‘How?’
Suchin walked up to Simon and handed him a menu. Absentmindedly, he took it from her, watching her closely. Sandy was sitting across from him, already looking through the menu. It was a slightly older version than the one in front of Simon, since she had to use the one online on the restaurant’s web site.
“Good evening. Welcome back.” She smiled brightly. “Would you like a few minutes before you order?”
“No, thank you.” He hesitated. “Suchin. It’s me, Simon.”
“I know that. How are you?”
“Fine.” He looked around to see that the other diners weren’t listening.
This was a lovely restaurant at night, the lights were lower, the sounds were quieter; it was a very romantic atmosphere and Suchin’s evening uniform was somehow even more attractive.
“Suchin, I’m so sorry, about last week,” he said. Suchin just brushed it off, shaking her head and waving her hand in a similar motion.
“Don’t worry about it, it’s fine. I’m sure you are very busy and had a good reason to not come. So, you did forget my number?”
“No! I came, I did, I just, couldn’t—“ he stammered out the words, looked over at Sandy who was looking down at the menu and smiling a wry smile, “I’m-- sorry, I made it to the door, then I panicked. And, just went home. I spent the night alone. I’m so sorry. I was embarrassed to come back.”
“But you did.” She showered him with a bright and pleasant smile. “You’re here now.” Simon looked over at Sandy, who looked at him and smiled, setting down her menu.
‘Oh, God,’ he thought. ‘Here we go again.’
“Sure,” he said.
“Simon, if you can’t, or don’t want to, go out with me, I understand.” She was so understanding, he couldn’t believe it. He started to say something but couldn’t think of what that should be.
“Simon,” Sandy said. Simon looked over at her.
“Just a moment,” and he hit the mute on the B2.
“I—I do want to go out with you. I’m just—I don’t know, shy?” Sandy saw Simon’s lips move, noted the Mute was engaged, selected a lip reading app and continued watching.
“You?” she actually giggled.
“Yes, me.”
“Simon, you have nothing to worry about with me. There is no pressure here, no expectation. I would only appreciate your company. I like you.”
“How do you know? We have only met here.”
“I can just tell. Trust me.”
“Well, what if you don’t like me once you get to know me.”
“Really, don’t worry about it, okay? I’m a very good judge of character. There is nothing you can say that will change my mind. I told you, trust me.” She smiled, touched his shoulder and then, as she turned to walk away, her hip touched his shoulder in a more provocative way than she probably intended.
“I’ll give you a minute to decide on dinner.” Simon realized then that he’d never felt more relaxed and at ease with a woman, ever. Even Sandy. He grinned. As Suchin rounded the front counter to ring someone up for their meal, she caught Simon’s grin and had to try hard not to grin herself.
“So, what are you feeling like having tonight?” Sandy asked. “I think I’m going to have, ‘Angry Ocean’.”
“Sounds good, I think I will too,” Simon replied. He snuck a look at Suchin as she entered the kitchen, watching that place on her lower back just below where it meets her hips, until the door closed on her incredible form. As the door closed it was like a slap to Simon and he snapped back to “reality”, and Sandy, fearing slightly that she may have noticed. Sandy had a rather lascivious grin on her face.