Donna sipped her drink again. Her eyes were beginning to glaze over. She continued, “So that brings us up to date. The facts are that I’m trying to get pregnant with someone that I could love and be loved by. Believe me when I say, I haven’t run into many that fit those requirements. There have been many that wanted to take their shot, so to speak.” She giggled at that thought. “I work at the diner and restaurant just to meet potential candidates. God help me but I assess each potential guy and rank them. All these years, you’ve been at the top of my list, but you always seemed so despondent and unapproachable.” She was getting intoxicated and she swayed slightly on her stool. “I’m sorry Jack. I wasn’t going to tell you any of this and see how things worked out. But with Sylvi’s interrogation of you at the Diner, I had to explain.” She sipped her vodka and stayed silent as she stared at me waiting for my response.
Her story had filled in the color of the picture I had pretty much already formed in my mind. I liked Donna, a lot. I didn’t know yet if I could love her like she deserved to be loved. I was still in love with Anna. As stupid as that was, it was a fact. I was making headway though. I reached across the bar and wrapped my hands around hers as she still held the shot glass. Before I could say anything, Donna burst out sobbing and blubbered out, “I’m so sorry Jack. Please forgive me.” I took the shot glass from her and tightened my grip on her hands as I bent forward and lifted her hands, palms up and kissed them. She cried even harder. She was bringing tears to my eyes too.
I stood up from my stool and came around the bar and pulled her into my arms. Her arms went around my neck and she held me tight as she sobbed. Tears flooded down her cheeks to land on my neck. Between sobs, she whispered again, “I’m so so sorry. I’d be amazed if you could even look at me again.”
I kissed her neck and said, “I’m looking at you right now and I’d like to look at you again on your one night off next week.”
She pulled her face back from my neck and stared at me with disbelief in her eyes. “Are you asking me out on another date?”
I grinned at her and nodded and said, “If you’d do me the honor of accepting.” I wish I had a photograph of Donna’s face right then with the grin that washed across her face from ear to ear and from hairline to chin. I said, “I think we need to talk more about this. I’m still processing the implications and the ‘what-ifs’.” She nodded hard and burst out crying again but it was short lived and she gathered herself quickly. To lighten the mood, I went way off topic and asked, “Which of the cars in your driveway last night is yours?”
Donna sniffled and wiped her nose on her hand. She grinned as she knew what I was doing. She played along and said, “The BMW 650iC. Do you want to see it? It’s outside in your driveway.” I nodded and helped her off the barstool and led her out through the breezeway. She was pretty unsteady on her feet. Last night, in the dark, it looked black; but in the sun it was a deep cobalt blue. It was gorgeous. The top was down displaying a very light crème colored interior. She watched me admire it with a smile on her face. My dust covered red Nissan Murano was parked inside my garage with the door still up. Her BMW was quite the contrast.