An Unexpected Reunion, Part Seven

As soon as dinner was over, I got Simon’s phone number and called him.  My tummy was full of butterflies and I was afraid my voice would shake when I got on the phone.  I once more went out on the cold porch to get away from the noise of the family crowding the house, bringing a cozy quilt along with me so I could curl up on the porch swing.  As I listened to the ringing on the line, I took a deep breath and braced myself much as I would before a major presentation.  Show no fear, I told myself.

“Hello?” Simon answered. I tried to say hello back, but my voice croaked.  I cleared my throat and tried again.

“Hi, Simon?”

“Dana. I wasn’t expecting to hear from you again,” he said.

“Yeah, I’m sorry. That scene at the mall was embarrassing.” Damn. Did he have to bring that up?  Did I have to mention it? We needed to move on quickly, so I didn’t blunder into revealing something I didn’t want to reveal.

“No, I’m sorry.  You never know what will come out of a four year old’s mouth, but I never would have dreamed Effie would say what she did.” He sounded rueful.

“Kids say the darnedest things,” I muttered. Maybe humor, I thought, would get me out of this part of the conversation sooner.

Simon snorted and agreed.

“Anyhow, that’s not really why I called, Simon,” I said, changing the subject.

“Ok. What’s up?” He replied.

“Tomorrow’s Christmas Eve.  Would you like to come over for dinner?  My mom would especially like to meet your daughters and catch up with your mom. I think she even misses you.” I grinned.

“Didn’t you say everyone is home for the holidays?” He asked.

“Yeah, my brother and sisters, all of their spouses and children are here.  There will be plenty of other kids for Effie to play with, so she won’t get bored.”

“Ah, she never gets bored anyhow.  She always has some plot hatching in her brain.”

“Sounds a lot like you,” I teased him.

He laughed and said, “Yes, I guess she is.” He paused. “Did your mom ask you to invite me? I don’t want to come if it will be uncomfortable for you.”

“It was my idea, actually.  You and I didn’t have much of a chance to talk the other day, and I feel like there’s still something to be said.  I thought with all of the willing hands here to watch the girls and keep your parents occupied, we might be able to slip away for a little while to talk.”

“Kind of like in the old days,” he said softly.  I snuggled deeper into the quilt, tucking my cold toes into its warmth. I sighed.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“Oh, nothing. I was just trying to get warmer.” I didn’t think I’d sighed so loudly.

“Warmer?  Are you outside?”

“Yes, on the porch swing, under a quilt.”

“Oh.” He fell silent.

“Simon?”

“Yeah, Dana?”

“Do you remember curling up under the quilt with me that time, after we’d gone ice skating?” I spoke softly, afraid he’d forgotten what I’d always remembered as one of the most beautiful nights of my life.  We had laughed and teased all afternoon, exhilarated by the skating.   I had been aroused by every accidental touch, not to mention all of the purposeful touching he and I had done all day.  By the time we’d gone back to my parents’ house for dinner, I had felt like a guitar string that was wound too tight. During dinner, Simon had sat beside me, with his thigh and shoulders brushing against mine.  Neither of us had been able to talk very coherently through dinner.  Afterwards, we’d helped clear the table in a hurry and then retreated to the porch swing.  It was too dark and cold outside for my mom to let us go down to the bridge that night.

Simon groaned, interrupting my memories, “Yes, I remember.  I don’t know how I remember anything from the day though.  My blood was definitely not flowing to my brain then.” I could hear the smile in his voice.

“I remember how we cuddled together under that blanket.” I stopped.  Even with my mom peeking through the window occasionally to check on us, he had managed to put his hands on bare skin and touch all sorts of places I’d never let a guy touch before.  It had been electrifying and beautiful.

“I remember,” he said roughly. “I have to go, Dana.  I’m sorry.  I, uh, have to put Effie to bed.” I heard him gulp.

I closed my eyes and smiled with satisfaction.  “Ok, Simon.  You’ll come tomorrow, right?”

He coughed, and I had to hold back the chuckle that was threatening to bust from my belly.  I had purposefully used the phrase with the double meaning, but I wanted him to think it was all in innocence.

“Um, yeah, I think so.  That is, I need to check with my folks about joining you guys, but I think they miss your parents too.  I bet they’ll say yes.” He spoke quickly, as if trying to talk his brain out of the gutter into which, I was sure, it had fallen.  I could not stop grinning.

“Ok. Well, call me if there are any problems.  We’ll be around all day, so you’re welcome to come,” I paused and swallowed another laugh. “You’re welcome over here any time tomorrow.”

“Bye, Dana.” He said.

“Sleep well, Simon!” I hung up the phone and grinned into the darkness, wanting to laugh and laugh.  The butterflies had settled down after the first few exchanges and all that was left now was the satisfaction of a job well done.

Phase one of my plan was in action: convincing Simon that he was in love with me still or again or whatever.  I figured I needed to dredge up all of the good memories to get him back in that groove.  And we’d have to make some new memories too, so tomorrow we’d have to take a walk to the bridge and hope none of my siblings got there before we did.  I snuggled into the quilt, wrapping my arms around my belly.  I looked out into the darkness of the night, feeling warm despite the cold breeze nipping at my nose.  I contemplated my plot for the future and hoped that I could pull it off.  Getting Simon to fall in love with me again seemed the easiest part of the plan right at that moment.

Read the whole story here: Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four, Part Five, Part Six, Part Seven, Part Eight, Part Nine, Part Ten, and El Fin