The phone rang in the kitchen and Linda picked it up. She wedged the receiver between her shoulder and her ear as she slid a casserole dish into the oven. “Hello.”
It was her cousin Jill. “Linda. Oh my God, you won’t believe it.” she sounded like a teenager who just got her driver’s license.
Linda chuckled, furrowing her brows. “What won’t I believe?”
Jill hesitated as something occurred to her. “How come you never properly introduced me to Peter before?”
“Peter Flannigan?” she played dumb. “Larry’s friend?”
“Yes. Him.”
“Um…I don’t know. You’ve been introduced at our house before, haven’t you?”
“Maybe in passing. Anyway, my point is that he’s fabulous.” Jill gushed.
“Fabulous, huh.” Linda adjusted the oven timer and sat down on a wooden chair. “This is sudden.”
“I know! Isn’t it?” she sighed. “It’s so crazy. He took me to Steinman’s last night! In a white stretched limo!” Jill squeaked.
“You’re kidding!”
“Nope. He’s got class, he’s spectacularly good-looking, sophisticated and man is he great in b—“.
Linda interrupted. “I don’t want to hear it..lalala!” she laughed.
“Oh, please! Like you didn’t force me to listen to all the juicy details when you and Larry hooked up.”
“Ahem…that’s true I suppose.”
“Anyway, I thought we could have dinner together? The four of us, sometime?”
“Sure. We’re not busy this Saturday, does that work?” Linda asked, checking the calendar tacked to a corkboard on the wall beside the phone.
“I’ll check with Peter but that works for me.”
“Sounds good. Listen, Jill, I gotta go. Larry had to slip into the office for a bit and I have to finish making dinner before he gets home.”
“Talk to you later.”
Linda hung up the phone and smiled, thinking One down, five to go!
***
Meryl was shelving books as she waited for the first bell to ring. Her desk was already filled with cards. Today was a special day…her birthday. At the very least the children would sing to her and one of her colleagues would bring in a homemade cake. Louise, her daughter, would likely take her out for lunch or dinner and they may even catch an early movie.
All that sounded fine to Meryl, the forty-five year old single mother who had a penchant for old books and movies and had a house full of cats. But every now and again she missed that little something in her life. She hadn’t been involved with a man in so many years she couldn’t remember. Louise’s father died very suddenly in a car crash when Louise was just a baby. Meryl raised her alone, setting all other personal needs aside.
She watched her daughter blossom into an adult and was very proud to have Louise follow in her footsteps and become a teacher. Meryl, or Mrs. Longfellow, was once a full-time teacher, but now she taught as a supply teacher and worked in the school library. The work was extraordinarily fulfilling and made her happy each day. She always longed to have more children but couldn’t bear to bring a strange man around her daughter. Her tight bun already made her head ache and it wasn’t even nine o’clock in the morning. A make-up-less face was hidden behind wire-rimmed glasses and bright blue eyes reflected shyly through the lenses.
The bell sounded and Meryl watched the children parade into the school. It caused her to inadvertently smile. She waved to a grade two teacher, Mrs. White, and held up her hand, signalling she would be ready to take the children into the library in five minutes. Meryl chose two first-reader picture books and placed them on the padded rocking chair in front of the big rainbow coloured rug.
After taking attendance, Mrs. White directed the children into Meryl’s area and waved as she headed into the teacher’s lounge for a meeting. As Meryl sat and instructed the children to sit criss-cross-apple-sauce, she heard a knock at the door. A young man wearing a blue uniform handed Meryl a bouquet of flowers while the children cat-called, causing Meryl’s face to turn red.
Setting the flowers aside on her desk she rejoined the children and read them both stories before Mrs. White returned and took the children back to the classroom. Knowing it was her birthday, Meryl assumed the flowers were from her daughter or maybe even her brother Paul. But when she read the card her eyes bulged.
It read: “Happy Birthday, Meryl. To help you celebrate I’d love to treat you to dinner at the Warden Inn Hotel Restaurant at 6:00 p.m. I’ll be the only man wearing a pink corsage. Can’t wait to meet you. Barry.”
Meryl’s heart pounded. At first she panicked, thinking what on earth would some strange man want with me? She didn’t know anyone named Barry. It was ridiculous to think that a sensible woman like Meryl would agree to meet a stranger at a restaurant alone, whether it was her birthday or not. How did he even know who she was? Was he some kind of stalker? Had he been following her? How did he know where she worked? Then her mind reeled: maybe it was a prank. Her friend Larry was known for pulling stunts like this.
Suddenly annoyed, she dialled Louise’s cell phone number. She knew her daughter would be teaching but Meryl figured leaving her a voice message wouldn’t hurt, Louise would call her back during her morning break. Surprisingly, Louise responded with a text message less than a minute later. It read: “Go, Mom. What have you got to lose?”
She knew that something was up, Larry and Louise must be in cahoots, fixing her up with a birthday prank.
***
Later, still feeling agitated, Meryl decided to humour her old friend and her daughter and go on the date. Despite her reservations, Meryl was up for a meal at such an establishment. The Warden Inn was a very fancy place and it had been years since she’d been there. She put on her Sunday best; a below the knee length navy pencil skirt and a powder pink blouse. Her hair remained in a tight bun but she puffed a small amount of rouge on her cheeks.
She arrived at the hotel fifteen minutes early and locked her car. As she reached the sidewalk before the entrance she got as far as the bench just on the other side of the curb before scoffing and attempting to turn back. How ridiculous was this? She’d never been on a blind date before and what was she in for? Then it hit her: maybe it was a surprise birthday party and all her friends and family were in there.
Pressing her nose up against the glass window she scanned the restaurant and observed several couples dining privately. Off in the distance, by the exit, was a lone man. He was about Meryl’s age. His short hair was slicked back and he was cleanly shaven. He had beautiful olive-coloured skin, something Meryl always admired in men. Neatly dressed in a three-piece suit he sported the tiniest ponch in front.
Meryl looked closer, thinking how sweet-looking he was. He was like a little Mediterranean elf. His shy smile as people walked by his table melted her heart. What an interesting looking man, she thought, just as she noticed the small pink corsage poking out of his breast pocket. Placing her hand on her heart she saw the look of disappointment in his eyes; he must have thought he was being stood up. Meryl did not want to be responsible for making such a sweet man feel bad.
The older woman figured she’d at least grant him a chance, after all, it was her birthday and he’d gone to all the trouble of sending her flowers and arranging such a special date. She opened the door and gave the hostess her name. As she was directed to the table, the olive-skinned man rose and bowed. “You must be Meryl.” he said politely. “I’m Barry.” He took her hand in his and kissed the back of it.
Meryl’s heart leaped. She always had a soft spot for gentility, her late husband was that type and that was part of the reason she fell in love with him. “Pleased to meet you, Barry.”
He pulled out her chair and gently pushed it into place as she sat. When he took his seat across from her he smiled, examining her face from his vantage point. “You’re even more beautiful than in your picture.” he said, making her blush.
“My picture?” she questioned delicately.
He nodded. “Yes, Mr. Cogsworth’s wife was kind enough to show me a picture of you.”
So Larry and Linda were involved in this.
“How do you know Larry and Linda?” she asked as the waiter brought their menus.
“I work at the County Registration Office. Larry often comes by to have me look up details on his clients. He and Mrs. Cogsworth invited me to dinner last week.”
Meryl was instantly taken in by his inherent politeness and respect for her two best friends. “And my name just came up?” she asked cautiously.
He looked downward sheepishly. She couldn’t stand watching him squirm. “It’s okay, Barry. I’m flattered.” she said, touching his hand briefly.
Relief washed over his face and he glanced at her. “I’m glad.” he grinned.
“Are you ready to order?” The waiter asked, approaching the table.
Barry looked up at the man dressed in a tailored suit. “What do you recommend?”
“The chicken parmigiana is exquisite.” he offered, placing a hand out for emphasis.
“That sounds lovely.” Meryl said, handing the waiter her menu. Barry ordered the same and a bottle of white wine.
Once the waiter left their eyes met. Barry had long eyelashes that swept across his cheek when he looked downward, which was often, given his shy nature. He had a small dimple in the middle of his left cheek, which was highlighted whenever he smiled. When he looked at Meryl he glanced straight into her eyes with such intensity it made the forty-five year old feel completely in touch with him.
“So I hear you have a daughter.” Barry said, breaking the silence, despite the fact that they seemed completely at ease simply looking at each other.
“Yes, her name is Louise. She’s twenty-two and a teacher as am I.” Meryl answered and then she suddenly wanted to know more about him. “Do you have any children?”
“No. My wife died very young, before we had a chance to try for children.” he answered earnestly.
“I’m so sorry.” Meryl grasped his hand.
“It was a long time ago.” Barry said, placing his other hand on top of hers. “Larry told me you’re also widowed.”
“Yes.” Meryl said. “He died in a car crash twenty years ago.”
“My wife had a brain aneurism. Died instantly.”
They were holding hands without realizing it. When Barry looked at the stack of fingers piled on the table in front of him he chuckled. “Feels nice, doesn’t it?”
Meryl nodded. “It does.” She reluctantly removed her hands from his, not wanting to lose the warmth from his touch. “Can you excuse me for a moment?”
“Sure.” Barry said.
Meryl headed straight for the washroom. Inside her purse was a small hairbrush. Pulling out the pin that held her bun together, she began voraciously brushing her long locks until they were slick and smooth. She then relentlessly scoured the inside of her handbag for a tube of lipstick, knowing Louise had left one in there from the New Year’s party. When she found it she nearly shouted out with glee. Painting the muted plum colour on her pale lips, she smiled at herself.
The transformation was incredible, it easily took ten years off her face. Meryl unbuttoned the top two buttons of her blouse, revealing her throat and the tiny diamond pendant on a gold chain her mother had given her years ago. The stone glinted under the overhead lamps, setting her cream skin alight. Last, she removed her glasses, placing them in the case just inside her purse.
Her eyes shone brightly, they seemed bluer than usual. The lipstick brought out the hue, accenting it along with the colouring in her cheeks. She pulled her medium length brown curls forward, so they rested above her breasts. “There.” Meryl said, pleased.
When she rejoined Barry at the table, he stood up and gasped. “God…you’re so…beautiful.” he complimented, staring at her as if she was an angel.
Her cheeks coloured as she sat. He took a seat afterward and spontaneously reached for her hand. As if by rote, she put her hand in his. “Thank you.” she said, and then their dinner was served.
***
“That was a birthday I’ll never forget.” Meryl said as Barry walked her to her car. “Thank you for a lovely evening.”
He took her hand and kissed the top of it, “The pleasure was all mine.” Lifting her hand, sandwiching it between his on his chest he asked. “May I see you again?”
She leaned closer to him, searching his eyes. “Absolutely.”
Barry drank her in as he drew in a deep breath. Freeing one hand he stroked the side of her cheek with his index finger. “Happy birthday.” he whispered, and then kissed her on the cheek tenderly.