Catering Girl Ch. 01

"But Chelsea is going to be the innkeeper, it's her stable that baby Jesus is born in."

Whitney tried to suppress a giggle, but she couldn't hold it in. Madison looked over at her with a funny look on her face.

"Madison, this is my friend, Whitney. She is the one who gave us the Christmas Tree."

"Really?" Madison jumped from my lap and ran around the table. She climbed into Whitney's lap and gave her a hug. "Thank you. I love our tree. It feels like Christmas now."

"I'm glad you like it. Seeing you happy makes me happy."

"Well, pumpkin, I think we best get going. You need to get to bed soon."

"Aww mom, do I have to?"

"Yeah, it is going to take a bit to walk home and then it will be bedtime, ok?"

"Ok mommy." I had such a little trooper. I know most kids would have fought or fussed, but this one never did. Somehow she just always understood what needed to be done and did it.

"I can give you a ride home. You're just a couple blocks from my place. But I don't have a car seat. Is that going to be ok?" Whitney suggested, looking hopeful and beaming at Madison.

I looked out the window; it was really pouring rain now. The thought of walking home with a soon to be exhausted Madison was not appealing.

"Thanks, it's kind of yucky out there."

Whitney drove us home, with Madison chatting excitedly about being an angel. Once at our door, I thanked Whitney for the ride home and we both dashed in to get out of the rain. I got Madison ready for bed. As she lay down and tried to go to sleep, I contemplated what had happened. I'd opened up to this woman like I had to no one else. For some reason, I was just putting it all out there. Why did I feel so comfortable around her? I replayed the evening over again in my brain. There was the reassuring touch, her smile, the look in her eyes. Everything said 'I care about you'. I don't think I ever had a feeling like that before. Not even from my mother.

My book was still open to the same page an hour later when my phone dinged.

Whitney: Thanks for the tea tonight.

Me: You're welcome.

Me: It was nice to get together. I don't get out much.

Whitney: I know the feeling. You're the first person I have hung out with in over a year that I don't work with or am related to.

Me: Do it again? Soon?

Whitney: Yes

My hands shook as I thought of what to say next.

Whitney: I didn't scare you tonight, did I?

Me: Scare me???? About?

Whitney: that I like women?

Me: There are much scarier things than that in the world.

Whitney: Whew

Me: What scares you?

Whitney: Spiders and walking into a spider web

Me: LOL

Me: Rats

Whitney: Ugh I hate rats

Me: I know. I sometimes have to take the garbage out from the diner late at night. I'm always afraid of one running at me, crawling on me.

Whitney: yuck

Me: I know, and the rats back there are the size of aircraft carriers.

Whitney: 🙁

Whitney: What else?

Me: running out of money

Whitney: yeah that can be scary

Me: I do better now. I learned how to plan, spend and make it last, but it still scares me.

Whitney: That's cool.

I was about to type some more when the little bubbles came up, showing she was about to type something.

Whitney: Rejection

I paused when I saw this. She is afraid of rejection? Who would reject her? She has to be the most well-spoken, thoughtful, caring person I have met. She is pretty, no drop dead gorgeous, even in just the simple jeans and thick green sweater she had on tonight.

Me: Really?

Whitney: Really

Me: Who would reject you?

Whitney: U

Ok, enough texting. I hit the dial button. Some things are just better discussed verbally.

"Hi Jennifer" There was sadness in her voice, something deep down was bothering her.

"I would never reject you."

"Even though I'm a l..." I cut her off.

"What the hell does that matter, Whitney? You are a person with a future, you have a new job you are going to start, you're pretty, you have a good family. You're everything I wish I was." Oh shit, did I just say that? I didn't hear anything on the phone. "You there, Whitney?" I think I heard a couple muffled sniffles in the background.

"You really wish you were me?" her voice was unsteady and meek.

"Whitney, do you know how many nights I cried myself to sleep in a strange shelter trying to protect my baby? Do you know, even now, how I wish I had a good job and didn't need help?" there was another long pause.

"Jennifer?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry. I guess my problems aren't so bad."

"I'm sorry I got on a soapbox." I replied.

"Can we still be friends?"

"I would love to be your friend Whitney."

We hung up, and I crawled under my blankets and tried to go to sleep. I had to get us up for the morning shift at the diner. But I couldn't sleep. All I could see were images of Whitney in my mind. At first they were the confident Whitney I saw at her company party, but then I saw an image of what she must have been like on the other end of the phone tonight. All I wanted to do was reach out and give her a hug.

Whitney

The smell of stale coffee filled the break room. I think by this point it was part of the paint. I dumped out my cold coffee and washed my mug and headed back to my desk. One more day to go. This gave me the holidays off, and then I would start my new gig in January. I must have been rather deep in thought as I walked back to my desk when I heard my favorite baritone voice.

"Is everything ok, sweet pea?" That snapped me out of my thoughts. I can't remember the last time he called me that at work. We have both been careful to be professional in the office. I think the last time I called him dad or daddy in the office was when I was visiting as a teenager.

"Sorry Dad, just kinda deep in thought."

"It shows. I said 'hi' to you three times and nothing registered. I thought you were reverting to sullen teenage Whitney for a moment. Say, you got lunch plans? It's almost noon."

"Nothing special, I was probably just going to get a salad with Molly."

"How about your dad takes you out for lunch today? Not going to be able to do this anymore." He grinned at me and put his hand on my shoulder. I smiled and nodded my head. "Great, meet me in my office in five minutes and we will head down."

I headed back to my desk and set my cup down and grabbed my coat.

Me: Can't do lunch today. The old man wants to take me instead.

Molly: 🙁

Molly: I get it. But can we do lunch tomorrow, ok?

Me: Absolutely

Molly: 😊

I poked my head in his office. "Ready?" he was already putting his coat on. He stopped at his executive assistant's desk as we left.

"Marci, I am taking my favorite daughter out to lunch. I'll be back in an hour or so."

"Ok, just be back for your two pm call."

There was a small table against the wall we sat at with our lunch. The deli was one of his favorite places, as usual he got a Ruben. Good thing mom wasn't here, she'd have a conniption with all the fat and the salt content of his lunch; dad has been taking high blood pressure meds for years. I stuck with my chef salad with balsamic vinaigrette.

"So, what had my daughter so deep in thought that she ignores her dear old dad?"

"Just something a friend said to me last night. Sort of been bugging me ever since. Do you think I had it too easy?" I set my forkful of salad back into the paperboard container. My appetite had vanished.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, we never really had to worry about anything. I mean nothing serious, right?"

"Your mother and I worried a lot about you. How you would do in school, would you come home before curfew, who you chose to date."

"Dad, I mean we never worried about would we have enough to eat. Or could we pay the bills? Stuff normal people worry about."

"So, my little girl is getting perspective?"

"I guess. I was all worried that she wouldn't like me because I like girls. But it was a total nothing to her. She is literally worried about having to move back into a shelter with her preschooler and being able to put food on the table. Sort of puts my problems into a new perspective."

"Sounds like a good friend. How did you meet her?"

"At the company Christmas party."

"Really?" I could see him think.

"Not someone who works for you."

"Oh?"

"No, she was one of the caterers. But she starts a new job next week as a receptionist."

"And she is already getting into your mind?" I could see excitement in his eyes behind his wire-rimmed glasses. I picked my fork back up and stabbed a stem of romaine, more to distract myself than anything.

"Yes," the crunch of my lettuce broke the silence and then my eyes went wide. "Not like that, Daddy."

"You sure? You're rather red right now." My daddy could always tease me about such things. He was way more goofy than mom. She was the serious one.

"Ok, maybe a little," I said sheepishly. "But don't tell mom yet. Yeesh, she would have me walking down the aisle tomorrow. It was one get together and not really a date."

"Ok Whitney, mum's the word. So, are you wrapping stuff up here? Only a day and a half to go."

We kept talking about work, and how things would be at my new job. And it is not like we are going to stop talking about work related stuff. I was heading to a most important client and would be their new controller. There already was an iron clad relationship between the client and the firm that was only going to get stronger with me there.

"Ok Whit, you've dodged me long enough. Spill the beans girl, how is Catering Girl?" I was back at the deli for my last lunch there, Molly sat in the same seat dad did yesterday. This time there were two salads on the table. I had decided on the Taco salad today; I don't know what they put in their dressing for it, but crap, I was going to miss this.

"Well, we have been texting each night. I have never met someone so grounded. She is making me see the world in a whole new light."

"Sounds like you like her."

"Yeah."

"As in like like?" I giggled at the reference to Garfunkel and Oates.

"Not sure about that. But she didn't go running for the hills when I came out to her."

"But you wouldn't stop it from happening if it did, right?"

I put on my best little innocent girl voice, the one I honed for years as a teen trying to get stuff out of my dad. "Who, me?" Molly almost choked on a piece of chicken.

"So, what's next with Catering Girl?"

"Jennifer, she has a name. And her daughter is Madison, she's four."

"Again, my question, you ain't going to weasel out of it, Whit."

"I invited them last night for dinner on Saturday."

"Good idea."

The rest of the day drug on. I just wanted to get done and text Jennifer. There was a text waiting for me when I got home. It was a picture, done in exquisite crayon, of me and Jennifer sitting in the front seat of my Jeep with Madison in the back. In the background was a picture of her Christmas tree.

Me: Love it! 💗

Jennifer: Just so you know, you're the topic of conversation around here, like all the time. 😊

Me: Uh oh 😉

Jennifer: It's all good. Madison is excited to come over for dinner tomorrow.

Me: You know, you don't have to wait until dinnertime to come over. If you like, we can make some Christmas cookies or watch a movie.

Jennifer: I like the sounds of that. Maybe after lunch? We have to go to the grocery store and laundromat tomorrow morning.

Me: sounds good. I have some errands to run as well in the morning. Did you want me to pick you up?

Jennifer: Nah, you only live a couple blocks from us. Easy walk. Can I bring anything?

Me: Bring a Madison. I'm all out. 😊

We spent the rest of the evening texting on and off. We had to take a break so Madison could watch some Elmo on Jennifer's phone. Some things are important, you know? I pulled out my Test Kitchen cookbook and got a batch of sugar cookie dough made and in the fridge for the next day.

Eventually, I found myself snuggled up in my chair with a glass of wine. I had turned off the lights, so the room was only lit by the lights on the tree and flicker of the gas fireplace. Skipper had asserted her right as queen of the house and planted herself in my lap. The sounds of gentle purring relaxed me.

What a year it has been. This time last year, Heather was next to me and we were getting ready to visit her parents. If I had only known then that everything would have fallen apart just a few days later. I still don't know what happened in those conversations with her parents. I just know that shortly after we got back we had a big fight over essentially nothing, and when I came home from work two days later all her stuff was gone and her key was on the kitchen table. No note, no nothing. I tried calling, texting, and a day or so later, she blocked my number.

Knocking on the door to her parents' house only got me a yelling at from her father, who barely stuck his head out the door and told me to go away and never talk to them again. I spent the next month a total wreck. Molly was a frequent visitor after that, and we indulged often in ice cream therapy.

Mom was also there for me. We rediscovered our mutual passion for shoe therapy together. On the bright side, at least with Heather gone, there was more space in my closet for them.

As I scratched Skippers ears, Jennifer popped back into my mind. Ok, she never completely left it. But I had to decide what I wanted here. For sure, there was a friendship forming between us. That much was clear. And it was mutual. She initiated the texts and chats as much as I did.

Reading her, and her intents, was something altogether different. Flirting with her appeared to be totally lost on her. I have said a few things I have felt have had a very explicit double entendre and they appear to have sailed completely over her head. And I just don't know what to make of it.

I finished my wine and headed to bed. Tonight, though, I didn't even try to go to sleep right away. I reached into my nightstand and pulled my purple friend out. Slowly tweaking a nipple with my left hand, I thumbed her on. Her gentle vibrations did their best to satisfy me.

Dimples. That was all I could see in my mind's eye were Jennifer's dimples. Fuck me. I slid my purple friend down and rested her on my hood. Hitting the speed button, she began her oscillating pattern from low to high, and my butt muscles twitched. My hips reflexively thrusted back and forth, trying to eke out each bit of enjoyment. I let my thoughts and my vibrator have their way with me and finally found relief for the night. It was a temporary, but enjoyable, satiation. Blissful sleep soon took me.

"Ouch! Skipper!" I swatted at the paw on my face. I tried to roll over and go back to sleep.

"Meow!" the hot stinky breath of a needy cat inches from my face jolted me the rest of the way to the land of the awake.

"Fine, I'll feed you soon." Stumbling into the bathroom, I took care of my morning necessities. Yoga pants. It was a stretchy comfy fabric kind of morning. A cup of coffee from the Keurig gave me the final burst of energy I needed. Skipper was busy with her dish of tuna surprise as I looked around my kitchen.

Never having made Christmas cookies at home, that was always at Mom's place, I put a shopping list together.

Cookie cutters, rolling pin, sprinkles, frosting. Hmm, what else did I need? I have a cookie sheet. Oh yeah, need some chicken nuggets and tater tots for Madison. Rummaging through the pantry and fridge caused few more items to be written down. I put on some sneakers and a hoodie and grabbed my purse and keys. Reviewing the list, I thought of one more important item. Hopefully, this one would see lots of use.

Battling the crowds at Target this time of year stinks, but I could get all my shopping done at one spot, and there was a garage attached so no need to go outside. For those that don't know, you can describe December in Seattle with one word, wet. I pulled out my phone and texted Jennifer.

Me: Heading home from the store. Where u at?

Jennifer: About done at the laundromat.

Me: need a ride home?

Jennifer: Please, don't want to have to dry clothes twice.

Me: send me the address and I'll be right there.

The address popped up quick and I realized she had to go ten blocks to get her laundry done. I shook my head in amazement at what she has to go through just to survive. Yet another example of life not being fair at times.

"Whitney!" a pair of little arms wrapped around my leg as I entered the laundromat.

"Hiya, munchkin. Are you being a good helper?" I bent down and gave her a hug.

"Yup, I folded the towels all by myself." I saw the pile of somewhat haphazardly folded towels on top of a laundry basket.

"And a very fine job you did". I saw Jennifer pop up from behind a clothes dryer. "Hi there."

"Hey, thanks for coming by. Just pulled the last load out."

"Great, I got a good spot out front. Madison, I have something just for you in the Jeep."

"Really?"

"Yes, help me with a basket and you will see." The three of us headed out and a moment later, as Madison opened the back door, there was a squeal of delight.

"Mommy, mommy, look, a seat just for me. And it has Elsa on it."

"Whitney, you didn't need to do that." Jennifer whispered.

"What? If I am going to have my friend's daughter in my car, she needs to be safe, right?"

"I suppose." She was rather quiet as she buckled Madison in. We listened to a four-year-old sing us songs from the popular movie all the way to their apartment. I had Jennifer stack a second basket in my arms so she could more freely open her door and let us in.

I looked around their apartment while they put their stuff away. So small and spartan. But the tree made the place feel like a home.

"Jennifer, if you don't mind me asking, how do you get your stuff to and from the laundry normally?"

"Ever wonder why there are always shopping carts in front of cheap apartments?" It was the matter-of-fact nature of her response that made me realize how little I knew about how others live. Not counting the laundry room in my college dorm that was the first laundromat I had ever been in.

As Whit put the last of her laundry away, I felt a tug on my hand.

"Is it time to make cookies yet?" Her little teeth shown through her anticipatory smile.

"Just about munchkin. As soon as your Mommy is ready." Moments later, when Jennifer put the last basket away, a small hand grabbed mine and pulled me towards the door.

We were again serenaded for the quick trip over to my place and pulled the Jeep into my garage. I could see that Jennifer was biting her lower lip as she looked around.

"Nice place, Whitney."

"Thanks, it's bigger than I need. My life's plans were a bit different when I bought it." I hadn't really talked about Heather with her. I figured it would come out sometime.

"You could raise a family in a place like this." We had climbed up to the second floor where the kitchen and great room were. Skipper was sprawled out on the floor again, fixated on what I now considered her gold ball hanging near the bottom.

I wrinkled my mouth at the thought. "Yeah, that was part of my plan when I got the place." I let out a long breath. Might as well get it out in the open. "Heather and I had been together for five years. We met in college. I thought we were really good, you know? Well, I bought the place and was planning on proposing on New Year's Eve. Had the ring and everything. Not sure if she figured out what was coming, but right after Christmas last year we had a fight. Next thing I knew, she had grabbed the few things she had here and left. Never told me why. Wouldn't answer my calls. Just left like I never existed to her."