Caroline Jantzen had enjoyed seeing Thomas Marks. She wanted to see him again. She held the receiver and listened to the rings: one…two…three…
“Hello,” he said.
“Thomas, this is Caroline. How are you?”
“Fine. And you?”
“Very well, thank you.” She hesitated and then added in a softer tone, “I enjoyed seeing you.”
“Same here. To be perfectly honest, I thought I was making a big mistake by agreeing to see you. But I was hoping you’d call.”
“Thank you, Thomas. I had doubts, too. But I’m glad I had the nerve to pick up the phone.” She tried to keep the excitement from her voice but couldn’t. “I'd like to see you again. That’s the reason I’m calling.”
“When?”
“How about now?”
“Now?”
“Yes. Now,” she said firmly.
“Fine. I can be there in five minutes.”
“I’ll be waiting.”
* * *
He saw her pale oval face in the window as he parked his car. A smile formed on her face. As he approached her door, she opened it. She was dressed in a white blouse and red skirt. “What took you so long?”
He glanced at his watch. “Long?”
“Just teasing,” she said as she reached for him.
They kissed―tenderly at first, then passionately. She pulled him into the living room. He heard the door slam shut behind him. Then she kissed him again.
He held her at arm’s length and looked at her. “Slow down,” he finally said.
Caroline searched his eyes. “I―I’m sorry. I just wanted to kiss you. It’s been so long―”
Thomas smiled. “Caroline, we were together just the other night.”
“That’s not what I meant,” she said. Then she moved to the sofa and sat down. “Come here. Join me.”
Thomas sat down beside her.
“I meant that we had not seen each other for several years,” she said. Then she searched his eyes again.
“Oh,” he said. “I understand.” He didn’t desire to bring up the past, so he changed the subject. “Would you like to go out?”
“Where?” she asked.
“A movie?”
She put her left arm around his waist. “No. Let’s stay here.”
He smiled. “What are you doing?”
“I'd like to hold you,” she replied teasingly.
He turned and put his arms around her, bringing her to him. Then he kissed her on the lips.
Caroline’s mood suddenly changed. She broke from his embrace. “How about some bottled water?”
Thomas was confused but nodded. “Sure, some bottled water would be nice.”
Caroline went to the kitchen.
Thomas remained on the couch. What happened? Why the sudden change? He shook his head in disbelief.
Caroline returned with two glasses partially filled. “Here. I hope you like it,” she said.
Thomas reached for the glass, brought it to his lips, and tasted it. “It’s good,” he said. Then he drank the water.
She watched him, nodded when the glass was empty, and sat on the couch beside him. She studied him for a minute. “Thomas,” she finally said.
“Yes?”
“Where do you think this will lead?”
“What do you mean?”
“Our seeing one another?”
“I don’t know, Caroline.”
She turned away from him and appeared to be deep in thought.
“Caroline, I enjoyed being with you the other night―”
She turned toward him and smiled. “I enjoyed being with you the other night, Thomas.” She put her glass on the small cherry wood table beside the sofa. “Will you kiss me, Thomas?”
Thomas brought her to him and kissed her. Suddenly, he thought he felt his body begin to jerk. God, he thought, not again. Then he saw a bright light just before he lost consciousness.