Elevator Valentines

Eileen couldn't stop herself from smiling as she walked toward the bathroom. It seemed Tad was going to keep surprising her. When Eileen left the bathroom, she noticed the small room across the hall was an office. She couldn't resist a peek. Several documents on the wall caught her attention. B.S. Mining Engineering and Geology, M.S. Geological Engineering. Doctor of Philosophy, Geophysics. All were awarded to Thaddeus G. Barrett. But Eileen thought the dates were off. She had guessed Tad was about thirty. He would have been about fifteen when the B.S. was awarded, seventeen when he received the M.S. and twenty when he received his PhD. He must be older than she thought, at least late thirties.

Eileen left the office hurriedly and as promised, she located the kitchen by following the noise Tad made. Tad was picking up two pots he'd knocked off the overhead pot rack when she found him. She guessed it was because he bumped into them. Eileen looked around the kitchen. Everything was neatly organized and spotless. Two huge refrigerators took up part of a wall. The stove had enough burners to support a restaurant kitchen. The appliances were all high end, though not new.

'What do you want for breakfast?' Tad asked. He was holding a cast iron frying pan.

'I'm easy. I'll eat almost anything. Make what appeals to you,' Eileen told him.

'How about something easy? If I don't cook, there's an outside chance you survive.' Tad joked. 'Bagels, cream cheese, lox, onion and tomato? It will be quick, too. You can get out of here and go home.'

'Sounds good. I smell coffee. Can I get a cup?'

Tad showed her where to get a cup for her coffee and began gathering the fixings for breakfast. Eileen watched closely while she nursed her coffee. He was obviously comfortable in the kitchen. He knew where everything was and assembled breakfast like a pro. The bagels were toasted at the same time everything else was prepared. Tad picked up their plates and led the way to the breakfast table.

'I have to admit, I snooped a little in the office across from the bathroom,' Eileen told him as he bit into his bagel.

Tad's eyebrow arched. He chewed his bite and swallowed. 'Find anything of interest?'

'I only looked at the diplomas on the wall,' Eileen told him. 'How old are you?' she asked as she picked up her bagel and took a bite.

'Dates don't seem right?' Tad asked with a smile. 'I'm twenty-nine. Thirty in a few months. And yes, they're my credentials.' Tad didn't seem perturbed that she had snooped in his office.

Eileen was taken aback. And her face showed it.

'I finished high school at twelve. It took two years to complete my B.S. Another two to complete my M.S. The doctorate took a little longer. I was nineteen when my thesis was accepted.'

'Wow. You're a world-class nerd!' Eileen blurted. She regretted it immediately. 'I'm sorry. That didn't come out the way I meant it.'

Tad was grinning widely. 'Relax. I've heard worse. There was a graduate assistant I worked with when I was an undergrad that was downright cruel. I had the last laugh, though. I finished my M.S. before he finished his. I got into a doctoral program. I heard he didn't.'

'It looks like you're doing well, financially,' Eileen said.

'I'm doing okay, I guess. Don't be too impressed. I don't own the apartment. At least not yet. It belonged to my parents. We'll get it when I turn thirty-five. My sister and I hope to keep it, but I don't think either of us can afford it alone. Tara lives here, too.' 'Where are your parents?' Eileen asked.

Tad was quiet for a moment. 'My mother died from complications of childbirth when my sister was born. I was four. My father remarried when I was twelve. He and his second wife didn't have any children. When I was sixteen, they went out in his sailboat. The Coast Guard found it capsized off Montauk. They found Phoebe inside the boat. My father was never found.'

For the first time since they'd met, Tad didn't seem cheerful. 'I'm sorry I asked,' Eileen apologized.

Tad shrugged. 'I barely remember Mom. I miss my father. I liked Phoebe but she wasn't a mother. If you know what I mean. My sister and I lived with our grandparents after my mother died. We spent weekends with our father.'

Eileen changed the subject to the impressive collection of minerals in the living room. Eileen was pleased to find she made a good choice of topics. It brightened his mood. Tad was proud of his collection. He collected most of the specimens himself over the course of his career. He told her the details of each specimen he showed her. But, much to her surprise, he didn't get carried away with the topic.

'Come,' he said after he showed her a half-dozen pieces. 'I'll walk you down and get a cab for you. You'd probably like to get home.'

'Just walk me to the subway. There's a stop just across the street from my apartment,' Eileen told him.

'No, I offered a cab, my treat. I'm going to get a cab for you.'

When they got to the street, Eileen looked at Tad and smiled inwardly. She couldn't help herself. She liked him. He was the first guy she'd met since moving to New York that wasn't a jerk. She found herself hoping she'd run into him again. Maybe she'd pop into his office and surprise him with an invite to lunch.

Tad surprised her again when he asked if she was free for dinner on Saturday. She said she wasn't sure because she might have to work. They exchanged phone numbers. When Eileen got in her cab, Tad handed the driver some money.

'Is this enough to get her to the Grand Concourse?' he asked the cabbie.

The cabbie counted the money. He responded with an enthusiastic, 'Yes, sir!' Tad said goodbye to Eileen and slapped the door on the cab.

Eileen had a good day at work on Friday. She was nervous when the partner she worked for sent for her. Mike seemed distracted when he told her to go to Attorney Dana's office. Dana always struck Eileen as officious and bitchy. Other female partners were more pleasant, if not exactly friendly. The male partners ran the gamut from snobbish to rude, and flirty to crude. A few acted as if junior associates didn't exist.

'I asked Mike for an associate he thought was ready for their first case. He recommended you. I admit I was surprised. You've only been here seven months. But I trust Mike's judgement,' Dana began. Over the next half-hour, Eileen got an overview of her first case, pro-bono representation of the battered wife of a New York City police patrol sergeant. Eileen was given a budget that included three hundred hours of her time, two expert witnesses to consult with, and sixty hours of the firm's detectives time. Dana would supervise and expected regular written summaries. If the case went to trial, they would discuss how to proceed. The meeting went well, but her opinion of Dana didn't change.

When Eileen got back to her cubicle, Mike was nearby, talking to another associate.

'Why didn't you tell me why she wanted to see me?' Eileen asked breathlessly.

'It was fun watching you get nervous,' he laughed. 'I think she's an overbearing witch, too,' he whispered. 'But she'll be fair and won't hesitate to support you if you do a good job on this. Let me know if I can help. I know you won't make me look bad.' Mike turned to leave.

'Thanks, Mike.'

'Oh, by the way, I reassigned the Deakins file to Joe. I waited until this morning to give it to him. Get together with him and give him what you've already done. You don't have to come in Saturday. He can work the weekend. Joe pissed me off when he bad-mouthed Terry when he wasn't in the associates meeting Monday morning because his kid was sick, and his wife is out of town.'

After Mike left, Eileen sent a text to Tad. She would be free for dinner Saturday. They spoke that evening and planned an afternoon and early dinner together.

Tad hired a town car for the afternoon and evening. The driver called at ten in the morning to confirm the twelve o'clock pick-up and get the address. Eileen fretted over what to wear.

Tad knocked on her apartment door at noon. He looked pretty much the same as the night they met, except that he had shaved and didn't have his leather bag. He held a wet umbrella in his hand, though. Eileen hadn't realized it was raining. When they got to the street, it was unseasonably warm and pouring rain.

When they got in the car, Tad told the driver to go to the Museum of Natural History. Eileen wasn't impressed. She wasn't sure she wanted to spend the afternoon looking at rocks. But Tad surprised her yet again.

They took in the show at the Hayden Planetarium and then went to the Butterfly Conservatory. In an amusing coincidence, Eileen had worn colorful enameled earrings in the shape of a butterfly. Eileen and her mother both loved butterflies. Her mother had an entire shelf of reference books on butterflies. Tad bought a small pocket reference of North American butterflies for Eileen as a souvenir.

Eileen was hungry by the time they finished their tour of the Conservatory. She'd skipped lunch. When they left the museum, the rain had stopped, though the streets were still wet. Tad gave the driver an address in a part of the city Eileen was unfamiliar with. When they got out of the town car, Eileen looked around. The faces on the street were mostly Asian. Thai, she guessed. The storefront signs were in a script she didn't recognize. Tad told her they were going to his favorite Thai restaurant.

Tad told the driver they'd be about ninety minutes but would call when they were ready. He also told the driver not worry about how long it took to get back. They weren't in a hurry and the neighborhood was one of the safest in the city.

The street was jammed with people. It was nearly impossible to navigate the narrow sidewalk without bumping into someone. Tad took Eileen's hand, the first time he'd done so, and led the way across the street. Eileen got an unexpected rush when Tad took her hand. Her body flushed almost uncomfortably warm. It alarmed her slightly. She'd never experienced anything like it when she held hands with a date.

They entered a bustling restaurant. It was crowded and noisy. Everywhere Eileen looked, people were eating or carrying on loud, animated conversations in a language she'd never heard before. The kitchen staff was behind a counter, in clear view of the customers, adding to the noise level. The fragrant aromas she smelled were unfamiliar but still made her mouth water. There was no hostess and few empty tables. Tad and Eileen looked about and chose the only table that wasn't in a heavy traffic area.

As soon as they sat down, a tiny little woman of indeterminate age with jet black hair and nearly black eyes seemed to materialize out of thin air. She greeted Tad by name. Tad responded with 'Nice to see you again, Sasithorn.' She gave them menus and asked in broken English for their drink order. Eileen had a hard time understanding her.

Tad stumbled through a few words of Thai and finished with the word Snapple. A few minutes later, the little woman reappeared with two glasses of iced tea and two bottles of Lemon Snapple, then disappeared as quickly as she appeared.

'I ordered Thai iced tea and Snapple just in case. Some people don't like Thai tea,' Tad began. 'Do you like spicy food? As in hot spicy?'

'To a point,' Eileen answered. 'I like Mexican food. But not four-alarm hot. I've had Thai spring rolls, but they weren't hot. I've never been to a Thai restaurant.'

'You're in for a treat. The food here is outstanding. Trust me to order?' Tad asked. 'I promise I'll go easy on the heat.' Eileen nodded her assent.

When the tiny woman returned to take their order, Tad stumbled through ordering in Thai. Sasithorn wrote the order, smiling benignly behind her pad. She confirmed the order in broken English. Tad nodded and thanked her. She smiled at him and turned to go. Eileen almost swore Sasithorn vaporized instead of disappeared into the crowd.

Eileen enjoyed the meal thoroughly. Tad had ordered spring rolls to share, a small bowl of Coconut soup with shrimp, and Pad Thai with chicken for both. The portions were more than generous. Everything was made with fresh ingredients. The meal rivaled any she'd had since moving to the city.

The pandemonium in the restaurant made conversation difficult. Eileen and Tad both tended to be soft-spoken, but they somehow managed to continue to get better acquainted. Eileen talked about her much younger sister, who would start high school next year. Tad told her about growing up with his sister and living with their grandparents in Westchester after they lost their mother. He told several funny, fish-out-of-water stories about going to college at such a young age.

A few minutes after they finished eating, Sasithorn returned to ask about dessert. Tad deferred to Eileen. She wanted no part of more food. The waitress left the check and vanished once again.

Eileen and Tad talked for a few more minutes before getting up. Tad took the check up to the counter. He greeted the energetic old woman working the register as Malee. She was Thai, like the rest of the staff, but spoke fluent English. She joked with Tad while she rang up the check on an antique cash register that displayed the total on metal flags. Eileen was amazed at how little the check came to. Tad left a generous tip for Sasithorn, and told Malee that the food was excellent, as always.

The temperature had dropped while Eileen and Tad ate dinner. Tad called the driver as soon as they were on the street and suggested meeting around the corner a short walk away. Despite the cold, a small group of street musicians was working a few hundred feet away in the direction they walked. A crowd had gathered around, listening, dancing, singing along to the music. Eileen stopped to listen for a few minutes, Tad holding her hand to make sure they didn't get separated. Tad dropped a couple of dollars in their basket before they continued their walk.

When they got to the corner, they turned and walked to a spot where the driver could stop without impeding traffic. This street had more vehicle traffic and fewer pedestrians. They'd been standing there for only a moment when Tad suddenly grabbed Eileen in a tight embrace and pivoted forcefully. Before she could protest, she felt cold water drench her feet and the bottom of her slacks. Tad didn't get off as easily. His hair, coat, pants, and shoes were soaked. Eileen detected a faint petroleum odor.

While Tad tried to shake some of the water off himself, Eileen fought an urge to giggle. She felt guilty that she was amused by his predicament, but when she looked at Tad, he was shaking his head while smiling wryly.

'Damn, not another date catastrophe!' Tad said. 'I thought this one was going well, too.'

Eileen couldn't restrain herself once she saw Tad's combination of amusement and dismay. When she started laughing, Tad did, too.

'Do I want to hear about any of these catastrophic dates,' Eileen asked between giggles.

'Which one? The date when a waiter dumped an entire pitcher of beer on me? It wasn't even our beer. Or our waiter. How about when the woman sitting behind my date suddenly needed to get to the ladies' restroom and couldn't get there fast enough? She tossed her cookies all over Allison. It sure made Allison's evening memorable. Or the time my date and I left a movie theater to find the police investigating a high-speed collision involving my parked car? But my all-time favorite was my date with Diane, a big Knicks fan. I got courtside seats for our second date. She got a broken nose and a fat lip when she got hit in the face with an errant pass when the ref standing in front of us stepped out of the way to avoid the ball. My sister says I should stop dating before some poor woman ends up a corpse.'

Eileen laughed unrestrainedly as Tad cited his litany of catastrophic dates. 'I've been on some bad dates, too,' she managed to giggle. 'But none with epic mishaps. I just got stuck with jerks. At least you'll have funny stories to tell your children.'

Tad smiled. 'They're funny in hindsight. They weren't much fun at the time. Well, Diane's broken nose isn't funny.'

'By the way, Tad, this one is going well,' Eileen smiled up at him. Damn, he's tall, she thought. 'I think your sacrifice quite valiant.'

Tad looked down at her, curiously. When Eileen started laughing again, he did, too.

The town car pulled up and stopped. The driver got out and hustled around the car to open the door for them. He stopped short when he saw Tad was soaked. 'What happened Mr. Barrett?'

'I got slimed by a malevolent taxicab,' Tad answered.

The driver went back around the town car and popped the trunk. He returned with a blanket and offered it to Tad. Tad took off his coat and handed it to the driver. Tad wrapped himself in the blanket and followed Eileen into the car. The driver put Tad's coat in the trunk.

'Grand Concourse and 169th Street,' Tad said to the driver.

As the car started toward her home, Eileen considered whether she was ready to end the night. It was still early, just getting dark. And she was having fun. Something there hadn't been enough of lately. After a couple of blocks, she leaned toward the driver and said, 'Take us to 145 Central Park West, instead.' The driver nodded.

Tad looked at Eileen curiously. He was surprised when she leaned toward him and kissed him. It wasn't a passionate kiss. But it wasn't a sisterly peck either. After the kiss, Eileen slid away from him and wrinkled her nose.

'I'm sorry, Tad. I'd sit closer, but you smell terrible.'

Tad couldn't argue with her. He knew he smelled bad. What he didn't know, was Eileen's internal distress as she struggled to understand the intense thrill she had just experienced when she kissed him.

Tad expected Eileen to say goodnight when they pulled up in front of his building. Instead she followed Tad out of the car.

'Will there be anything else tonight, Mr. Barrett?' the driver asked.

Eileen looked at Tad. 'I can get a cab home later,' she said quietly.

Tad told the driver they were done, traded the blanket for his coat and led the way to the building entrance. The doorman wrinkled his nose when Tad passed by. 'With all due respect, Mr. Barrett. You have the worst luck on a date. Worse than anyone I've ever met or even heard of.'

'Thanks for pointing that out, John,' Tad responded. 'I might not have figured that out on my own. Pass the word on to the rest of crew, too.'

Eileen noticed there was no annoyance in Tad's voice. His response was joking, light-hearted, delivered with a self-effacing grin.

'I think they already know, sir.' John was grinning.

Typical guys, Eileen thought. They have to needle each other at every opportunity

As soon as they were in the apartment, Eileen kicked off her recently relocated cross-trainers and socks and left them on the marble tile. Tad told Eileen he'd meet her in the bathroom when he returned. Eileen went into the bathroom and waited. She found it odd that she didn't wonder about his motives. Tad returned and handed Eileen a pair of sweat pants that looked a little short for her.

'These are my sister's. If you'll change into them, I'll wash your slacks, trainers, and socks with my wet clothes. I hope you don't mind being stuck here until they're done,' Tad told her.

'I don't mind. Better than going home with wet feet. Besides, I'm not stuck,' Eileen responded. 'I chose to come here.' Eileen went into the bathroom and changed into the sweat pants while Tad waited in the hallway.

'I'll be back after I shower and change. Make yourself at home,' he said, taking the wet slacks and heading up the hallway.

When Tad returned, he found Eileen at the window in the living room, looking at the lights on Fifth Avenue across the park. His hair was still damp. She liked his fresh-scrubbed smell. 'Would you like something to . . .' Tad didn't get to finish his offer of something to drink.