I'll Be Seeing You (3 page)

As I explain in detail, l pause at the thought of her. "She's blind," I say at last, taking a large bite of salad so I won't have to answer his next question.

"Matthew, are you playing Dr. Fix-it again?" he asks sitting back in his chair.

"See, Jess. I wanted to tell you about her. I wanted to tell someone about her but you had to go and say shit like that." I’m angrier than I’ve been in a long time and get up from the table and start walking back to the clinic. I don’t feel guilty leaving him with the check either. I don’t know if I’m angry because I don’t like him talking about her like that or if it’s because he’s right.

I can hear him running up behind me, out of breath, but he soon falls into step with me.

"You need to get to the gym more often," I say, listening to his heavy breathing from his jog.

"Screw you, Matthew. I go every morning, and you know it. You can't have a bod like this and not work out," he says, laughing as he flexes his arm muscles for me.

"Hey, Matt, I'm sorry, man. I can tell you really like her. I didn't mean anything by what I said. I just don't want you to get hurt again. Okay?" I listen to his apology and hit his arm accepting it

Just as we are turning the corner, Jessie bumps hard into a woman that’s rounding the corner at the same time.

She lets out a very unladylike "Fuck."

"Matthew, look what you did," Jessie yells at me when he sees her.

I stand there in shock with my mouth hanging open as he accuses me of his own clumsiness. As we help pick up her packages, about a dozen pair of lace panties spill out of the small, flat boxes. I quickly drop them, but not Jessie. He’s staring at her, practically begging her with his eyes to model them right there on the street corner.

"I'm so sorry, Miss. I apologize, but the culprit is this one," I say, pointing at my stupid, drooling friend.

"Jessie?" I say. "Jess?" I say louder. He doesn’t respond because he's in a trance. I’m about ready to buy a shovel to scoop his tongue off the sidewalk and shove it back in his mouth.

"Jessie, you’re making this young lady nervous staring at her and her purchases like that."

She’s just as entranced with him as he is with her, so, dropping the boxes I have in my hands, I leave them to their mental copulation.

Once I get back to the office, I pull my cell phone out of my pocket and program Joy's phone number in it.

I have Joy's phone number.

Please tell me I did not just sing those words in my head.

Having lived in Seattle all my life, moving to this neighborhood and discovering this small café directly across the street was a blessing. It was that first day I heard his soft and gentle voice. It’s when he ordered his double Espresso with a 'dollop'.

He orders the same thing every day and then takes his seat across the room. Sometimes he reads a newspaper, other times, I hear him shuffle papers as if he is working.

He’s late today, and I’m becoming more and more disappointed. Then, as soon as the door opens in a way that is totally his own, my heart pumps blood throughout my body so fast my fingers tingle. A breeze floats his unique scent in my direction, and I take a deep, long breath, inhaling it into my lungs. I also recognize his walk from the way the heels of his shoes connect with the tiled floor. I’d know his walk anywhere. He has a long gait, which means long legs, which means he's tall. He has somewhat of a heavy foot, as if he puts his weight on the heel with each step and now those familiar footsteps start heading my way.

When he asks if he can give Conrad a treat, I inwardly giggle because it is so typical of other men that have tried to talk to me. As soon as they find out I'm blind, however, they disappear. Like a Seeing Eye dog sitting at my feet isn't a clue. Some stick around and talk for longer though, thinking I'm blind and stupid.

When he introduces himself as Matthew Davis, I nearly fall off my chair. The Dr. Matthew Davis? The miracle doctor?

He’s very easy to talk to and feeling this comfortable so quickly with someone is unusual for me. My senses heighten when I feel him staring.

After a very pleasant visit with him, I’m disappointed when he says he has to leave. As we say our goodbyes, he slides something across the table toward me. Picking it up, I read the familiar pattern of Braille and smile. It’s his business card. Reading the information for a second time and detecting his scent on it, I can’t resist raising it to my nose. Spice with a hint of musk. My senses heighten again, making me smile — I know he’s looking at me.

I don’t know what this feeling is that I have, but it’s making my stomach happy.  I don’t stay long after he leaves because I’m meeting Laura at my apartment. She's going shopping for me ... again. Luckily for me that she's the District Manager for Femme, because I get the latest fashions. Today she’s bringing me lingerie that she insists I need. I’m not sure why, seeing as I have three drawers full of lace that no one will ever see.

Once inside my apartment, Conrad goes straight to his bed and while I wait for Laura, I go into my office to start my next book. After the transcript is scanned into the computer, I print it out in Braille, and then the door downstairs buzzes. I know its Laura and curse that she refuses to use her key.

"Laura, I wish you would use your key," I say with exasperation into the intercom.

"But my hands are full, Joy. Let me in, dammit," she growls. I can hear the bags rustling in the background and know she has gone overboard again.

As soon as I let her in, she drops the bags and immediately goes into a story about how a handsome doctor bumped into her today.

"You should have seen him, Joy. He’s gorgeous. His name is Jessie. He’s about a foot taller than me, and you know that's a bonus in my book. He must work out every day to have pecs like that," she rambles while fussing with the paper bags. "His friend was trying to help me pick up the packages I dropped, and you should have seen the look on his face when he touched your panties. As soon as he saw what they were, he dropped them so fast as if they burned his fingertips. I couldn’t help but laugh at him. Jessie just held them up and inspected them."

"Laura! That man saw my underwear?" I yell. Covering my mouth, I can’t suppress my giggling until we both burst out laughing.

"Jessie thought they were mine until I told him I was getting them for a friend. He particularly liked the black ones." The heat rises up my neck into my hairline.

"Anyway, he said he was going to the club on Friday and asked if I would be there. I told him no. I can't because I have a weekend date in Vancouver. Plus, he looks like he might be a player and lord knows I don't need any more of those. I'm tired of that type," she continues to ramble.

"Here, I'm taking the price tags off of these and replacing them with the Braille clothing tags and putting them in the laundry for you."

"Thanks, hon,” I say, so grateful for her. 

"So, did you see your mystery man today?" Laura asks as she continues to remove the price tags.

"Yes, and he actually talked to me, using Conrad as the conduit of course. Why can't a man just walk up and talk to me?"

"Joy, you don't know how beautiful you are. That intimidates men. They think you’re unapproachable, and they need an icebreaker," she explains.

"Hey, what are these?" Laura asks, surprising me with the quick change of subject.

"What?"

"This beautiful arrangement of Honeysuckle and baby’s breath all wrapped up in a pretty yellow bow."

Smiling, I’m happy that she’s describing the arrangement for me. I spend a lot of time trying to guess what color the bow was. Yellow is a pretty color.

"Um, those were delivered today from my mystery man," I say with a grin, feeling the heat rise again from my chest to my cheeks.

"Are you kidding me? There's a card, what does it say?"

"It says that he enjoyed meeting Conrad today and can't wait to talk to him more tomorrow," I recite, giggling at his choice of words.

"Oh my god, Joy! He likes you!" she exclaims, jumping in front of me.

"No, he’s just being kind," I say serenely, secretly hoping she's right.

"A man doesn't send flowers just to be nice, doofus. A man sends flowers to say something. In this case, he was thoughtful. He wanted you to enjoy them in the only way you can, with your sense of smell. That, my friend, is very thoughtful, and if he didn't like you, he wouldn't have done it," she admonishes me.

"Really? Do you think he does?" I ask, feeling the excitement building in my chest.

"Call him then, Joy. Make that next move," she advises eagerly. I can hear the enthusiasm in her voice.

"I already did," I confess sheepishly. "I told him that Conrad couldn't wait to see him tomorrow as well."

"He likes you,” Laura sings, taking my hands and dancing me around the room, chanting the three words over and over. I smile with the hope that she may be right.

"Now, tell me about this doctor guy," I say, sitting down next to each other.

“His name is Jessie Montgomery, and he works at that Davis eye place."

"The Davis Institute?" I ask, correcting her.

"Yeah, that's it. Anyway, it was like magic. We couldn't quit staring at each other. That other doctor that was with him? God, he was hot, too, but Jessie really does it for me. Anyway, he asked me out this weekend, but I had to turn him down. He said he would call me next week."

I recall my conversation with Matthew on the phone and he said something to Jess about needing to take my call.

"Laura, the guy that was with Jessie? That's my mystery man."

"Shut. Up," she yells. "Are you saying you’re meeting Matthew Davis for coffee tomorrow? Because Jessie said he was Matthew Davis, the founder of the clinic. Joy, he is stunning."

"Do I need to be nervous?" I ask, about ready to bite off what little nails I have.

"No. If Dr. Davis wants to date you, be honored because he is beyond handsome. I bet he will let you see him … ask him." I can’t believe she said all that seemingly in one breath. “And your mystery man is drop dead gorgeous.”

"What about this Dr. Montgomery?” I ask, waiting for her answer.

After not receiving a response and sensing something is heavily on her mind, I ask again.

"What is it, Laura?"

"I don't want to go away this weekend,” she finally answers. “I had this … connection with Jessie and now —”

"You’re serious, aren't you?" I hold out my hand, and she takes it immediately.

"I’m very serious. I just don't know if I should get in touch with him now. I would love to see him this weekend. He said he would call me next week."

"Well, I do have the number to the clinic. Maybe you can call him and tell him your plans have changed.”

“Give me the number, and I'll call him now."

Giving her the card Matthew gave me, Laura dials the number.

"Hello, this is Laura Reed, is Dr. Montgomery available please?" She whispers to tell me that his secretary is getting him. I lean in when she puts the phone next to my ear.

"Laura?" he answers, surprised to hear from her.

"Hello, Jessie, so you remember me?" I stifle a giggle when he shouts over the phone.

"Hell yes, I remember you. How could I forget?" he answers, excitedly.

"Well, I wanted to let you know that I've had a change of plans this weekend and was wondering if you still wanted to get together." He shouts again causing me to pull my ear away.

"Absolutely," he replies through a chuckle. He has a nice laugh and there’s sincerity in his voice.

“Perfect. Call me Saturday morning, and I’ll tell you where to pick me up. We’ll go from there." Laura grabs my hand and squeezes it in a death grip.

“I’m looking forward to it," he tells her before he hangs up. As soon as Laura ends the call, I rub the blood back into my hand.

"There. That wasn't so hard, was it?" I say to her as she begins jumping up and down squealing. "Don’t forget, you still have to break the news to your date in Vancouver," I remind her.

“I'll go back to my office and do that. I don’t need you hearing how creative I’ll be just to get out of it. Thanks for all your help, babe," she says, kissing my cheek.

Drop dead gorgeous, huh? I don't even know what that means. I only know about the heart and soul. Dr. Davis has a good heart. It takes a special person helping people to see and get through tragedies.

~.~

‘Wednesday … Wednesday. What appointments do I have this morning?’ I ask myself, mentally scrolling through my calendar. Krista’s going to have to make sure she doesn't schedule any appointments between nine-thirty and eleven-thirty from here on out. I have to be available for what could possibly be a standing coffee date.

Stepping into the shower, the rain head directly above me streams over my face. My head sags forward and my body finally relaxes. Closing my eyes tight, trying to get her image, her smile, her laugh out of my mind, but it doesn't work.  More visions of her enter my head and if she knew she was the star of my shower fantasy this morning, she probably wouldn't speak to me again.

Drying myself, I look in the mirror to shave but am too lazy this morning. Besides, I hear the girls like it. Even wet, my hair has a mind of its own so I work a small amount of gel into the unruly mop, just to give it some sort of order. It didn't work yesterday, and it isn’t working today. After splashing on my favorite cologne, I make my way to my walk-in closet. Laughing at myself because I have so many suits that I’ve had to color coordinate them. Stepping into a pair of boxer briefs, I select a white shirt, black Armani suit, deep purple tie, and black tie up shoes. I step back and give myself one last inspection. The humor out of all of this primping is that she can't even see the effort I'm putting forth to look nice for her. Looking and feeling good for her is important though.

In the kitchen, I drop a K-cup in the Keurig before throwing a bagel in the toaster. Smiling as a reminder of meeting Joy at nine-thirty flashes into my head, I check my watch again. -It’s going to be a long morning but at least I have a seven-thirty appointment to occupy my mind until we meet.

~.~

"Come on, Matthew, come out with me Friday. Those girls are a package deal, man. One won't come home with me unless the other gets some, so I need you to keep the other occupied." Jessie whines, following me through the automatic sliding doors leading inside the Institute's lobby.

"I suppose you want me to fuck her in the same room with you?" I say looking around the lobby, making sure no one heard that. I nod good morning to Eugene, who mans the security desk, and walk to the elevators.

"Hey, if that floats your boat, sure," he replies smugly.

"Jess, listen, I'm not into that right now. I really like this girl. I mean like, really like her. She's a good girl, and I’m not going to mess this up before it gets started," I explain stepping into the elevator, pushing the button for the tenth floor.

"Okay, okay. Oh, well, it's all right. Laura called and said that her plans had changed this weekend anyway. She wants to hook up on Saturday, so maybe I can tap that instead." Listening to him talk like this is disgusting, and I wonder how these women put up with it.

"Jessie, do you think Laura would let you 'tap that' if she heard how you were talking about her? You make me sick listening how you regard the female species." He really does repulse me sometimes, and this is one of those times.

Jess follows me into my office, and wanting to change the subject, I jump into the subject of the woman we will be meeting with this morning.