A Table for Two (9 page)

Dana appeared to be unaware of Ridley's discomfort. "I got a lot done this week. They delivered my furniture on Wednesday and I finished unpacking the rest of my things. Now, it feels more like my home."

"My place is finished too, Ridley," Tracy called out. She must have been listening to their conversation. "In case you're even remotely interested. If you ever feel like climbing all the way up those stairs, you can come in and visit me."

"That's Tracy's indirect way of complaining about living on the third floor, Ridley." Dana gave Tracy a penetrating stare. "You need to climb up and down those stairs, because you're always sampling your pastries and licking the icing spoons."

"Don't listen to her." Tracy stuck her tongue out at Dana. "You're a lousy traitor. Here I thought you were my best friend. You ought to decrease my rent or increase my salary, or both, for forcing me to live all the way up on the third floor."

Dana waved her finger back and forth and shook her head to the same rhythm. "Your rent's as low as it's going to get and your salary's as high as it's going to get and that's that, at least for now. A barely detectable smirk peeked out from Dana's pseudo-serious facade.

Tracy folded her arms across her chest. "I don't know what to say."

"There's nothing you can say. I guess you're stuck with me." This time, Dana let everyone see without a doubt that her exchange with Tracy was all in fun.

"Yeah, I guess we're both stuck with each other," Tracy said. She kissed her palm and blew it in Dana's direction.

LESS THAN AN hour later, Dana and Tracy arranged the chicken dish, the garlic bread and a huge salad buffet style on the dining room table. The guests ate wherever they could find a spot and after everyone finished, Laurie and Tracy carried the cake into the dining room and led the others in a loud and discordant rendition of
Happy Birthday.
After Karen blew out the candles and made a wish, Tracy plucked the candle stubs out of the icing and cut slices of the cake onto small paper plates.

After dinner, Ridley talked to some people she knew and mingled with the other guests, but no matter where she was, her eyes roamed the area hoping to get a glimpse of Dana. Whatever it was that drew her to Dana was strong and something new to her. A few times, Dana happened to drift through her field of vision and when she did, Ridley took pleasure in the curve of her hip, the soft swell of her breasts, the sheen of her hair and the radiance of her skin.

"Are you having a good time?"

Ridley jumped at the intrusion and discovered that Laurie had sneaked up beside her. "Sorry, I was deep in thought. Yes, I'm having a great time. You really outdid yourself with this party."

"Karen said the same thing," Laurie said. "I couldn't help but notice the way you've been watching Dana. What's up with that?"

"Nothing's up. She's really attractive, that's all."

"Uh-huh, I also noticed that. In fact, I think she's quite special."

Ridley turned to her friend. "Laurie? Can I ask you something?"

"Sure. Go ahead."

"I assumed Dana was a lesbian and I assumed she was with Tracy, but now I see Tracy brought a date with her tonight and I wondered if I was wrong about Dana. Is she a lesbian?"

"Damn, I knew it! You're interested in her!" Laurie squealed quietly as she pumped her right fist a few times in front of her. "This is very good news."

Ridley pulled Laurie into a corner. "Will you please lower your voice?" she demanded in a hushed tone. "And do you have to squeal all the time?"

"You know I always squeal when I'm excited. I can't help it."

"Never mind that, just answer my question. Is she?"

"Is she what?" Laurie asked.

"Come on, Laurie, for God's sake!"

"I'm sorry. You're such fun to tease. Yeah, she is and she's available, too."

"I didn't ask you if she was available. I'm just curious about her, that's all."

"Uh-huh. If you say so," Laurie said.

"Well, I do say so and you're making too much of a simple question. Please don't mention this to anyone, especially Karen. I don't need anyone else to know I asked. "

"I won't. I promise," Laurie said as she held her right hand up.

"Thanks. I'm going to get another beer," Ridley said. "I'll catch you later."

Ridley hurried into the kitchen to get away from Laurie and that 'I know more than you're telling me' message on her face. Laurie's imagination was probably already running wild with the prospect of her being with Dana and all it would mean to their close-knit group of friends. The door that led out to the backyard was cracked open and through the screen, Ridley saw Dana on the back deck with her head tilted toward the sky. She grabbed two beers and quietly stepped onto the deck. "I thought you might need one of these after standing in front of a hot stove for so long." She handed Dana one of the beers. "Do you need a glass?"

"No, this is fine." Dana took a long swig. "Thanks."

"Care to share your thoughts?"

Dana turned to face Ridley. "Trust me, you wouldn't be interested in my thoughts." She tapped her head with the neck of her beer bottle. "Nothing much in here but a pile of worn-out memories and a few cobwebs, I'm afraid."

"But you're wrong. I would be interested."

"Just the same, it's not worth the effort." Dana glanced up at the sky again.

Because she sensed Dana was uneasy, Ridley moved on to a less personal subject matter. "That chicken dish you made for Karen was delicious."

"Thanks. I made that dish for Karen a long time ago when she and Laurie visited me in Chicago and she always remembered it so Laurie asked me to make it for the party. What did you think of Tracy's cake?"

"That was the best carrot cake I've ever had."

"She's the best. She never runs out of ideas." Dana was quiet again.

After a few awkward moments, Ridley said, "The stars are bright tonight, aren't they? You can't usually see them this well in the city because of all the lights. I love when the sky is that deep blue-black and the trees look as if someone sketched them in black ink."

Dana met Ridley's eyes in the darkness. "I love it, too. The universe is so timeless and it reminds us of how insignificant we all are in our little world, living our little lives. It kind of makes you put your problems in the proper perspective, doesn't it?"

Ridley dove without hesitation into the depths of Dana's eyes. A sadness lived in them and she got the impression that Dana was holding back the way people do when they're protecting themselves from being hurt. "What problems do you have?" she asked even though she knew Dana would never tell her.

It took Dana a fraction too long to answer. "I was speaking in generalities and not about myself. I don't have any problems."

"I thought..." Ridley wanted to know all about Dana and she wanted to be there for her if she was hurting, but they didn't know each other that well and it was wiser not to push. "Never mind. How are things at the restaurant?"

"Great. Business only gets better and better."

"I'm glad to hear it," Ridley said. This new topic had visibly lightened Dana's mood. Small crinkles flashed like flint sparks on both sides of Dana's mouth as she talked and when she smiled they burst into a dazzling display of dimples. Blindsided by a surge of desire, Ridley gripped the deck railing to stabilize herself. Her heart hammered in her chest and her legs felt unsteady. She'd never experienced this strong an attraction to anyone.

Ridley's hand rested on the railing close to Dana's. A strange energy made Ridley's fingers tingle and a force like a powerful magnet made her afraid her fingers would move without her permission and touch Dana's hand. She found it hard to breathe.

"Are you all right?" Dana asked.

Ridley's next words came out like a whisper. "Dana, I..." It took all the strength she possessed not to reach out and touch Dana. As if the railing had suddenly burst into flames, she yanked her hand away and stuffed it deep into the pocket of her jeans. She was in deep trouble.

"What did you want to say?" Dana asked.

"You're still coming to my school tomorrow, aren't you?"

"Of course I am. What time should I get there and where should I go?"

"Do you know where the school is?" Ridley asked.

"Yes, I've been by it many times."

"Why don't you come around twelve-thirty? Go to the main office. It's on the right, just inside the front entrance on 10th Street. I'll tell the secretaries to call me when you get there." Ridley was relieved to concentrate on something other than her physical response to Dana. "I'll come down and take you to the classroom so we can get set up. You'll be talking to my last two classes from one to one-fifty and from two to two-fifty. Is that okay?"

"That's fine. Where should I park?" Dana asked.

"You can park on any of the streets around the school or in the schoolyard if you can find an empty space. It's all legal parking."

"I came up with some ideas, but I'll let you be surprised."

"Do you need me to bring anything or pick anything up?" Ridley asked.

"No. Leave everything to me. I'm bringing one of my other chefs along. I've never talked to high school students, so I hope I won't be too nervous."

"You'll be fine. There's nothing to be nervous about. It will be informal and the students are going to enjoy it. I guarantee it."

"It sounds like we're all set then." Dana's pronouncement was followed by an awkward gap in the conversation and then she said, "Ridley?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you for asking me to come to your school.

I..." Dana paused as if she intended to say something from the heart, but instead she said, "We'd better go in and join the others before we're missed." Dana held the back door open for Ridley.

Ridley went inside with Dana behind her. "I'll see you tomorrow, then?"

"You will. I'm going to go find Karen and Laurie. I've been so busy with Karen's birthday dinner, I haven't had a chance to talk to either one of them. Are you coming?"

"I'll be out in a minute. I need to use the bathroom."

"Okay. See you later." Dana left Ridley in the kitchen.

Ridley closed her eyes and wondered what the hell was happening to her. She wanted to spend more time with Dana, just to talk, just to breathe the same air and occupy the same space. How could she crave being with her this much when they'd only met a few weeks ago?

After she regained her senses, Ridley threw her empty beer bottle in the recycle bin outside the back door and went into the living room to find Laurie and Karen. They were in plain view, but Dana wasn't with them. Worn out and too tired to think about her feelings for Dana, she said her goodbyes, handed out kisses and hugs and went home. With any luck, a good night's sleep and a new tomorrow would bring her some blessed relief from the tempest of emotions she had to contend with every time she was anywhere near Dana De Marco.

THE NEXT DAY, during the free prep period Ridley had before her lunch, she and a few student volunteers were working to set up the health classroom for Dana's visit. She leaned against her desk as she gave instructions to the boys who had skipped part of their lunch period to assist her.

"Tyriek and Brian, please get that big folding table in the back and set it up down here in the front. And I want you guys to move the first row of chairs back about three or four feet so they're not real close to the table. Our guests need some room to move around."

Ridley had slept well after she got home from the party and some much-needed emotional distance had restored her to a more normal state. Today she felt confident she could be around Dana without the emotional turmoil she'd experienced while talking to Dana on the deck at Karen's house. Strong attractions were sometimes fleeting and they often fizzled out before they ever amounted to anything. At least that's what she told herself. Besides, Dana hadn't given her any reason to believe she was interested in anything more than being friends.

Just after twelve-thirty, one of the secretaries summoned Ridley to the main office where Dana waited with a young man Ridley recognized as one of the other chefs she'd seen at Café De Marco. They both wore white chef's jackets and black and white checkered pants.

"I'm glad you guys thought to come dressed in your chef's outfits. I forgot to tell you that I wanted you to do that," Ridley told them. She saw they had their names embroidered on their jacket pockets. The only difference in their outfits was that Jimmy wore black sneakers and Dana had on her black clogs.

"We wanted to impress the students," Dana replied. "We even brought chef's hats with us although we don't always wear them when we work."

"You had one on that day I came over to watch you work," Ridley said.

"That was because you were coming and I guess we like to put on a show," Dana said. "You remember Jimmy don't you?"

"I sure do." Ridley offered her hand. "Thanks for coming. I really appreciate it."

"No problem." Jimmy shook Ridley's hand. "I told Dana I'd do this with her because I like helping young people and it sounded like fun."

"I hope it'll be fun for all of us." Ridley glanced at the clock. "We'd better get upstairs and get the classroom set up. The first class starts in twenty-five minutes."

Dana had four large tote bags on the floor by her feet and she lifted two of them. "Do you think you can you carry these other two for me?" she asked Ridley.

"Sure." Ridley picked them up. "You need any help, Jimmy?"

"No thanks, I've got these." Jimmy picked up two large plastic containers he'd set on the office counter and balanced them in his arms.

"What's all this?" Ridley asked as they carried everything to the elevator.

"We brought all the ingredients to make a couple of easy recipes," Dana answered. "We're going to make a fruit salad with a yogurt dressing and a carrot raisin salad. They're both healthy things your students can make at home without too much trouble."

"I think they'll like that," Ridley said. "I know they like fruit and yogurt."