An Old Trope with a Different Twist

"Lark will explain it to you tonight."

I pivoted and went in with the others.

~~~

Lark

In the gathering darkness, I saw him coming around the corner of the cottage... and hurrying, searching for me in the moonless night.

"Hi," I said, and he was beside me almost immediately.

"Alex told me. I can't believe you guys decided to pull this off."

"I can't either, now. But, it only has to go on for a few more days."

"And after that?" His face was close to mine, and I could see the anticipation in his eyes.

"I guess that's up to us."

"I'm not waiting for then. I want to take you to dinner next week."

"Saturday is a good time for that."

"That's eight or ten days away. I don't think I can wait that long. You'll be home for the weekend. Can you get ahead with your studies so we can go out Monday night?"

Why was he in such a hurry? I mean, he got my heart pounding, and I'm sure my blood probably heated a little, but I didn't want to rush. But neither did I want to discourage him. I didn't have guys falling all over themselves to get at me, so when I had one that was interested, particularly one as interesting as Mick, I didn't want to take any chances.

"I think I can do that." I watched him smile. "On one condition," I added cautiously.

"Anything for my lady."

I was searching his words for any sign of sarcasm but couldn't detect any. I chastised myself for my pessimism. Why couldn't a banker find a college girl attractive? I had some work to do... on myself. While my mind was racing, Mick had taken hold of my hand.

I chuckled. "I started to say, please don't take me to a nice restaurant." I heard Mick snort. "But what I mean is, it would be easier to talk and feel comfortable at a, well... "

"I know just the place," Mick said, saving me.

I felt like I was fumbling along and not even sounding like myself. If he wanted to, I was willing.

"Okay then, I'm really anxious for next Monday night, but we'd better go inside before they come looking for us."

It was hard to ignore the expectant look on his face, so I moved a little closer as he lowered his head. When his lips touched mine, I think I shivered. It was different from kissing Alex, for sure. It wasn't a long kiss, but there was a gentle tenderness about it that I knew I'd never forget. It was my first kiss with someone that I knew I could care about.

1

Mick headed back around the cottage to the kitchen door while I waited a while, then went in the front door.

"What's going on out there?" Caroline asked as I sat down beside her on the couch.

"The moon looks different out here than it does in the city."

"Do you really think so?"

"It's the stars that fill up the background that makes the moon so spectacular." From the corner of my eye, I could see Mick watching us. I think Caroline could see him too.

"My brother thinks you're pretty cool," she whispered, giggling. "Actually, he thinks you're hot."

"No one has ever thought I was hot," I whispered back, sure my cheeks were pink.

"Mick does. And that reminds me of something. We need to get you into my bikini and see how hot you are."

I rolled my eyes and looked away. But I was a little curious about how I'd look in a bikini. I knew that might be a little weird. I wasn't skin and bones, nor was I overweight, so I probably wouldn't look out of place in a bikini.

"You can wear it tomorrow to swim... or to water ski."

Wearing it water skiing would probably produce a topless Lark, and that wasn't going to happen, and Caroline knew it. She was laughing as I pictured the possibilities.

We played a game of dominos, and it was bedtime. Time to share with my roommate.

I was upstairs before Caroline, so the bathroom was mine, and I was finished quickly and in bed when she appeared. She was as quick as I was and, in just minutes, was in the room but didn't turn off the light.

"You're not skipping the bikini try-on," she said, rummaging through her suitcase. "Ah, here it is. Get out of there and put it on."

Reluctantly, I crawled out of the bed. I had a story to share with Caroline, and it didn't involve a bikini. But, I'd sort of promised.

"It's a nice blue color that should look good on you," Caroline said as she handed it to me. I had on my pajamas and eyed the suit, then the door.

"Just put it on. I've seen naked girls before," she teased.

Other girls may have seen me in underwear in high school after those gym classes that I hated, but I'm not sure any had seen me naked. I sighed and took a deep breath. I guess it was time to grow up a little. I shed my pajamas, then slipped the bottoms up my legs and tugged them around my hips. Actually, the parts that went around my hips were so small I should call them an "it" rather than "them."

Most things I wore nearly covered my navel, but when I looked down, there had to be eight or ten inches of skin between my navel and the top of the suit. I moved slightly and wondered if the back had slipped between my butt cheeks.

Caroline handed me the top.

I put it over my boobs and tied the string at the back of my neck. She tied the strings in the back.

"Turn around," she said, which I did.

"You may not think so, but girlfriend, you are hot. Walk across the room and walk back."

I did as directed.

"See, your boobs jiggle when you walk toward me, and your butt jiggles when you walk away."

"Caroline, I'm not sure I want to jiggle. I mean, I don't think I've ever jiggled before... I know I haven't. And no one wants to see me jiggle." I put my hands over my face, totally embarrassed.

"You don't have to wear it, but I think it's a waste of a great-looking body not to show a little more of it. But, if you decide to wear it, you might want to do a little trim job in a strategic area."

I'd read about trims but had never needed to actually do it. I didn't think I was ready for this new and modern life that Caroline was talking about.

She stepped forward and gave me a quick hug. "I don't mean to embarrass you, but I'm just telling you what I see."

Caroline grabbed her pajamas off the dresser, pulled off her clothes, and was quickly ready for bed. Obviously, being naked in front of someone else wasn't a problem for her, although she hadn't done it in front of me before tonight.

We crawled into bed.

"I have something to share with you," I said, actually eager to do it.

"Cool. Share away."

And so, I carefully related the entire story of what had happened and why Alex and I had done it. And then I told her about what was happening with Mick.

"My brother?" she said when I was finished. "I told you what he thinks about you. I guess he must have sent you his vibes or something."

"I don't know. I think he wants to go a little faster than I do. I'm kind of stumbling my way through this."

"I'll corral him a little for you. I think he'll listen to me, and if he really cares about you, he'll be more careful. I like you already, and I'd be happy to have you in the family."

"You don't have to do that, Caroline. I'm nearly a college graduate. I should be able to handle a simple relationship." Have me in the family, she'd said. That was moving pretty fast, too.

"Relationships like this are never simple, and that's what friends are for, to help each other."

"Thanks."

"Wait till I tell him how your boobs and butt jiggle in that bikini."

"Caroline," I squealed. "If you do... "

"That's what friends are for, to help you out." She had her head under the covers, laughing hard.

I couldn't keep from laughing at that. I wished we'd have been friends long ago as we seemed to get along so well together. And she sure seemed related to Alex with her teasing.

Sleep came quickly after that, and I slept so soundly that if I dreamed of Mick, I couldn't remember it in the morning.

The rest of the week was fun, if a little frustrating. I was still supposedly Alex's girlfriend, and we tried to act that way, but not constantly glancing at Mick was nearly impossible. We solved part of the problem by the four of us, Mick, Alex, Caroline, and myself, doing lots of things together, which allowed us to separate from the others and allowed Mick and I to be together to talk and laugh and do those things that young couples do.

At the end of the week, when we were leaving for our homes, I had to say goodbye to Mick as he had ridden with his parents. So, Alex and I rode together, probably for the last time.

"Thank you so much for agreeing to do this and for actually taking me to the cabin with you. It's worked out well."

Alex laughed. "Well for you," he said with a chuckle. "I'm losing a girlfriend."

I laughed. At least he was being good-natured about the whole thing. He was really a good guy, and I was thankful to have him as a friend. But I was anxious for Monday night and dinner with Mick, by ourselves and away from family and others.

"I'm going to keep an eye out for a girl for you."

"Do you think you know what I like in a woman?" he asked, and I noticed he'd substituted woman for my girl.

I'd have to keep that in mind. I expected I'd be making new friends in my classes, and they'd be the right age. He'd be an excellent catch since his father's real estate business was there and waiting for him. I'd share that with my prospects, as well as that he was considerate and even-tempered. The teasing part was a maybe.

When he helped me carry my suitcases to my room, I thanked him again and kissed him on the cheek. We'd kissed on the lips several times at the cottage, but that was a requirement of our charade. That had ended, but Alex was still a dear friend, and there was nothing wrong with a kiss on his cheek.

When he climbed into his car and drove away, I knew I was embarking on the next segment of my life.

~~~

°Alex

We'd decided to wait three weeks before the breakup announcement, and at that time, Mick would move into the picture. I'd plead with my parents that I needed some time, and I was actually hoping that Lark might find someone for me.

We'd still be in the Personal Finance class for the next two weeks. After class and sipping our coffee, Lark told me she was nervous.

"You two hung out together for three days, so it's not like a blind date or something."

"Hanging out is different from a date." Lark seemed to be staring at the ceiling.

"What's the difference?"

"I don't know what to expect... and what he might expect."

I wanted to chuckle but didn't. I understood her concern, or at least I thought I did, but I knew that Mick wouldn't expect sex on the first date. Plus, I remembered that Caroline had cautioned him to go slowly.

"Have you thought about your expectations?"

She looked at me. "Not really, I guess." She sighed. "No wonder I'm nervous. I have a few hours to work on that."

"And you have no control yet over what Mick might expect. Depending on how things go tonight, you may be able to supply a few hints regarding that."

"I don't know if I could do that. Too timid and nervous."

"You may surprise yourself."

"It's so easy for you to say that, Alex. I just don't know."

"I probably won't see you again today, so good luck and have lots of fun. It's a first date."

"I know, and thanks."

I didn't see her again, and in the evening, when I was trying to study, I couldn't help but wonder how things were going. I'd known Mick for what seemed all of my life. I knew him to be a strong-willed and slightly driven person, always striving to be successful in whatever he did. I had a feeling that he'd achieve success in his chosen profession -- banking. Anyway, I was anxious to hear how it went.

~~~

Lark

Mick had called and said we were going to a restaurant that he hoped I'd like. He said he'd debated about a fairly straightforward family restaurant but then decided to go to a place that he really enjoyed. He hoped I'd enjoy it too. When he said it was a crab boil and oyster bar specialty place, I was a touch hesitant but decided that I should give it a try if he thought it was a good place.

He'd said casual was fine, but it was getting a little cooler in the evenings, some much more than others, and tonight was predicted to be one of those. Just a few days ago, we had been swimming in the lake, and the weather was very warm, bordering on hot. Tonight, they were predicting it would drop into the forties after sundown, so I was taking no chances. Slacks and a long-sleeved sweater would serve me well, I was sure.

We'd finally decided on seven, and Mick knocked on my door at twenty minutes before seven, which upset me a tad since I wasn't quite through dressing. My clothes were on, but I needed a few minutes for my hair and makeup.

"Is that you, Mick," I yelled from the bedroom. No answered.

I hurried to the door and opened it.

"I'm a little early, which isn't unusual for me," he said as I stepped aside and let him come in. I'd cleaned, so things looked reasonably good for my meager place. Plus, being early for a dinner meeting or a church social might be okay, but being early for a first date might not be the best etiquette.

"I need to finish getting ready," I said. "The remote is on the table."

It went quickly, as all I needed were a few brush strokes for my hair, a touch of lip gloss, and some perfume. The mirror said I looked pleasantly presentable, so I went back to the living room. The TV was still off, and Mick was looking at his phone, which disappeared quickly into his pocket.

"You look fantastic, Lark. But then, you always look fantastic, ready to go out for the evening or not."

"Thank you," I said, and we headed for his car and our evening together.

There was lots of light chatter during the ride, Mick recounting how much he had enjoyed the time at the lake, particularly after he had been informed about the arrangement Alex and I had come up with. He was complimentary in subtle ways, and I was feeling very content by the time we parked and went inside.

The moment we went through the door of the restaurant, it was apparent its specialty was seafood. It wasn't just the odor of fish but the seasonings used as well that created the unique aromas that were now surrounding us. We were ushered to a table covered with white paper and a bucket containing a plastic bag.

"The best thing to get here is the special," Mick began enthusiastically. "It's like a low country boil if you're familiar with that."

I'd never heard of low country boil and had hardly ever had fish or seafood of any kind. My conservative parents ate beef, pork, and chicken ... lots of chicken because of its slightly lower price. No feesh at our house.

"What's in it?" I questioned cautiously.

Mick grabbed a menu. "It has one-half pound of shrimp, crawfish, sausage, potatoes, and corn, all in your choice of sauce."

"Crawfish?" I think my uncle talked about using them for bait when he fished.

"Yeah, they're great. You'll love them."

"I see they have steaks and things. I might feel more comfortable with that."

"You need to step out and explore. Be adventuresome. Give this a try."

I debated while Mick was talking. I could try it, but I didn't want to hurl on my first date with him. And I was afraid I might do that from just looking at crawfish on my plate or in a bag as the menu mentioned. I was sure I had a panicked look on my face.

"I'm not going to let you say no to this," Mick said very definitively.

I looked at him, not totally happy to hear him say that, but I demurred and mumbled okay. I quickly rationalized that I might like it. I'd had a few shrimp cocktails, so I knew I liked shrimp, at least the shrimp in the cocktails. I had a feeling these shrimp could be different, though.

For some reason, I felt a little more secure after the server had taken our order, I guess because there was no chance of changing it. And Mick seemed very happy to order two of the same things, I guess because it seemed that we wereunited in some way. I knew I was reading a lot into things, but sometimes I did that.

"Do me a favor if you would, please." He leaned toward me, a big smile on his face.

"Okay," I answered, wondering what in the world.

"Take your glasses off for ten seconds, and look at me."

"Mick, what?"

He simply raised his eyebrows and cocked his head to the side in a "why not?" gesture.

Why not? I thought and removed my glasses, smiling at Mick.

"Wow! The lights reflect on your lenses and hide those beautiful eyes."

"Thank you, Mick. I've never thought of my eyes as being beautiful." Actually, I'd always thought of my eyes as being nearsighted and not in any way beautiful.

"Stay that way through dinner." He was nodding his head

I folded my glasses and put them in my purse. I thought I could navigate my way through dinner glass-less. Still, it seemed weird to be without the safety of my glasses.

"Lark, you're a jewel." Mick leaned back in his chair, looking very satisfied.

Our meals arrived, and I eyed the puffed-up plastic bag that held my dinner delicacies. I couldn't keep from glancing at Mick.

"Open it and dump it into the bowl."

I did just that and was sure I'd be haunted for weeks by shrimp eyes stalking me and crawfish claws waiting to pinch me endlessly. I recognized the potatoes and sausage, and there was a segment of a corn cob as well. I had to admit that the aroma of the Cajun seasoning was tantalizing. The shrimp looked about ten times the size of the ones I'd had in my shrimp cocktails.

"Watch me because there are a couple of things you need to know."

I watched him rip the head off of one of the shrimp. He pulled the tail off, too, and then peeled the shell away. He took a bite and smiled. Next, he took one of the crawfish and separated the tail from the body, and carefully pulled the meat from the shell. He ate the meat, smiling again.

"Some people pull off the head and eat the inside. It's called crawfish butter because it's kind of yellow. I've never cared much for that thought."

If he thought I was going to suck something yellow out of the head of a crawfish, he was out with the wrong woman. Ripping heads off shrimp would probably have me feeling guilty for weeks. But it had to be done. The fact that they were already dead didn't help much.

I tried to think of myself as a vicious predator, picked up a shrimp, and, as delicately as possible, pulled on the head. Nothing. I pulled harder and heard a crackling noise. One more pull and I tossed the head into the bucket at the end of our table. The tail followed, much simpler now, and quickly, I was tearing at the shell, which eventually yielded, and I was holding a rather large piece of pinkish-white flesh in my hand. I smiled at Mick, who had been watching me the whole time.

The rest of the meal went fairly smoothly, with taking a bite of sausage or potato seeming normal The corn looked familiar, but I'd never had sweet corn cooked in a cajun sauce before. At least the feel of it was what I was used to.

I was imagining telling my parents about my meal. My very straightforward father would leave the dinner table if someone mentioned the word "rat." Telling him about eating crawfish would have my dad worshiping at the porcelain altar, I'm sure.

I'd done it, but just for Mick. I'd never eat there again unless, I suppose, Mick insisted. I'd already noticed that he had a way of making me acquiesce to things he wanted me to do.

We went back to my place after dinner. Mick lamented that he hadn't brought a bottle of wine and some good cheese to savor while we watched a movie. I had no wine and two slices of Kraft American cheese that I used to make grilled cheese sandwiches for myself. My mother had given me a large container of party peanuts, so we munched those and had diet cokes instead of wine.