Her 50th

The restaurant was lovely. Modern fixtures were integrated well with the 19^th century interior, and the ambiance was exactly what I'd hoped for. Most of the other patrons were dressed more casually than we were, but there were one or two other couples who had dressed up for the occasion. Laurie was enchanted. Even when something's right outside your front door, you often don't get to take advantage like you might hope. This was one of those places.

Reading the menu had my mouth watering as well as my cholesterol soaring. Unfortunately, good food doesn't mean good for you food, but what the hell: once in a while, you gotta splurge, eh?

"Order what you want," I said to Laurie, whose eyes sparkled while she read the menu, then glanced up at me, "this evening's all on me."

She laid down her menu on the table with a look of incredulity. "But you came all this way. You've already spent so much just to be here."

I put my menu down, too. "That may be, but I wouldn't have made a trip like this if I hadn't expected to put out some money. Besides, it wouldn't be fair to bring you to a place like this and then make you pay for the meal." I interrupted Laurie before she could protest. "It's your birthday. I came out here to celebrate with you. This whole experience is meant to be your gift."

That quieted her for a moment, but then she started, "But why did you come all this way? Surely it wasn't just for me. How long did it take? Did you drive the whole way? Didn't you stop to rest along the way? Did you do any sightseeing?"

I held up my hands to halt the flurry of questions. "Hold on there. Let me answer before you shoot another question at me." I took her hands in mine and looked her right in the eye.

"Why did I come all this way? I'm sitting across the table from it. Hopefully you realize I did come all this way exclusively for you. I wanted your birthday to be something special. Just seeing you in that dress, and the way you've been looking at me makes it all worthwhile.

"Mapquest said 29 hours, but that'd be with no stops. As it was, I think it took me somewhere in the neighborhood of about 35 hours or so. I pulled over a few times to sleep, so if you add it all up, I'm working on a tremendous sleep deficit here. I stopped to eat a couple times, where I could sit in a seat that wasn't moving, but for the most part, it's been me and the open road on my way here.

"While I wanted to stop and see the sights, my schedule wasn't going to allow it, unfortunately. Besides, I hoped to spend the bulk of my time with you if possible, so I wasn't going to waste it any more than necessary.

"And I can hear the next question before you can ask, though it hurts like hell to have to admit it: Yes, I have to be back on the road in the morning. By the amount of time it took to get here, and figuring it'll take roughly as long to get back, I can't stay longer. I wish I could, it's beautiful here, and more than anything, I wish I could have the prettiest tour guide for hundreds of miles... whatever her age."

Laurie gave me a chastising look. "You keep bringing up this age thing, as if I can't remember it, or as if it matters to you - especially my being older than you. Does it?"

Once she pointed it out, I realized I did keep mentioning age, as if it was something vastly important. I had to think a moment whether there was any tremendous significance to it in my mind, and if so, whether it did matter. If it didn't, why did I keep dwelling on it? The difference between us was less than the fingers on one hand, and if I had to actually admit it, it didn't really matter to me. I loved her no matter what, so what difference did it make?

"I'm sorry, it just keeps popping out. To me, like I said before, it doesn't matter. You're gorgeous, and you're so much more sure of yourself than a younger woman, which is pretty erotic in itself. I know you probably don't feel especially confident at times, but I can tell you have a pretty good idea who you are and what you want, and it makes you more beautiful yet.

"So, no more comments about age, and I apologize for having harped on it so many times already, whether I realized I was doing it or not."

Laurie seemed satisfied with that, and her look of consternation was once more replaced with the amazed satisfaction she'd exhibited all evening.

It dawned on me that while we talked, the restaurant staff hadn't bothered us. They apparently were keeping close watch on whether we were ready to order or not.

Picking up our menus once more, we started talking about what we were reading there.

"My arteries are clogging just reading the menu, but I want one of everything." There was butter and cheese and cream sauce, all those things the doctor would frown at me for even considering putting into my body, but this once, I was going to live it up. Truly good food is darn hard to pass up, and I could tell this was going to be just that.

Laurie laughed, "Yes, but if you have one of everything. Then you'll be too stuffed to do whatever you've got planned for after this." This comment got my attention, and I looked up to see her blue eyes twinkling naughtily over the edge of her menu at me. I couldn't see her lips, but I knew there was a saucy smile on that gorgeous face. Was that an invitation? Did I even have to guess? My heart started pounding all over again and I felt myself getting hard at the implication.

Fortunately, the waiter came over and saved me from making a vocal response to what she'd said... that is, if one came to me. While the innuendo in Laurie's statement was certainly in the back of my mind, I was still making the attempt to not take this farther than either of us were ready to deal with later. We were both well beyond the age of consent, but regret's never out of the question if you end up doing something that changes a situation you never wanted changed.

Laurie ordered a glass of wine, and I've lately been sticking mostly to water, so I maintained that. We admitted we weren't ready to order even an appetizer yet, so the waiter went to fetch our drinks while we tried to decide on something to eat.

"I suppose we should discuss food, if we're going to eat."

Laurie asked, "How hungry are you?"

I admitted, "Any more, it doesn't seem to matter much. I can feel famished and still not eat more than I would normally. I guess the primary question is: how good would you be at eating leftovers, including mine? I probably won't be able to take anything I don't manage to eat along with me, which leaves it for you."

"Well, I hope you order something I'll eat then."

Deciding to throw my own hat into the innuendo ring and up the ante a bit, I responded, looking Laurie directly in the eyes, "I don't know if it is, but I sure know what I want." I waited a beat, then continued, "I suppose I'd better stick to what they'll bring from the kitchen, though."

Laurie squirmed a little at that, and her face darkened just a bit. I had a feeling this joust would go on all evening, and where it would lead, who really knew? I had a good idea where I hoped it would go, but maybe we'd just end up teasing one another all night and that'd be it. I found myself okay with that notion. It'd be frustrating, sure, but it was worth it, considering who I was dueling with.

I carried on like there was no double meaning to what I'd said a moment earlier. "So, how would you like to do this? Could we decide on a single entrée to share? I guess one thing I'm not too sure of with you, is what kind of food you like. The five-course option sounds like it'd be fun, but I'm afraid we'd both end up too stuffed for anything later."

Finally, Laurie said, "Sharing would be fine. I'll eat whatever you order. That way, neither of us will be too full to enjoy anything after this."

While my wishful mind was reading plenty into that, I didn't dwell on it too much and decided on what to order.

When the waiter came back with our drinks, I ordered the blue cheese crème brulee appetizer, the seared tuna and an extra salad. I held off ordering dessert, though I was sure - comparing everything else - that it'd be fantastic.

"So," I turned to Laurie as the waiter left with our menus, "you didn't have to work today. What did you do with yourself?"

She took a sip of her wine and started, "Oh, that was the best thing they could have done for my birthday at work. It wasn't that long ago that I got done with the end of fiscal year stuff, so I was more than ready when the boss poked his head in yesterday and told me to take the day off. I'm sure when I get in tomorrow, they'll have some kind of celebration, complete with black balloons and everything.

"As far as what I did all day, I can proudly say: not much. I rolled out of bed without the aid of the alarm clock, and first thing I did was get myself a shower." She gave me a significant look. I'd written her emails with detailed scenarios of what might happen if the two of us ended up in such an enclosed environment together. The shower had become something of an event for Laurie, I could say proudly.

"After a very satisfying shower..." another significant look, "I had breakfast and did a little straightening up. Had lunch with my mom, then had a couple visitors. My son was the last person to come see me before you showed up so unexpectedly." Her hands stretched out onto the tabletop. I took them in mine. "...And it's the best present anyone could give me. Thank you."

I gave her hands a gentle squeeze. "You're very welcome. I'm just glad I could be here. I never thought I'd ever make this trip, see you for real..." I couldn't help my voice getting low and husky. "...See how beautiful you really are."

We sat there for at least a full minute, in silence. I could see Laurie's eyes glisten a little, and it made me truly happy that I touched her so much, at the same time feeling an empty tug at the fact that I wasn't going to be able to be with her long.

The longer I sat looking at Laurie, who seemed to be getting more emotional by the second, the more I thought about our rather unusual situation and the consequences and limitations of it, I felt myself starting to get choked up, too. I was amazed at how much I loved her, a woman I'd only truly met a little over an hour previous, if physical proximity was necessary for the word "meet" to really be applicable. I thought about the conversations we'd had over the computer, the things we'd shared, the secrets we'd revealed to no one but the person on the other end of the connection. Sure, we played, letting the innuendos and suggestive talk lead us to having to take matters into our own hands, but the most meaningful part of those exchanges were the ones where we'd learned more about who the other was.

Now, I don't consider myself uber macho, but the idea of coming to tears in a public place doesn't exactly appeal to me, so I was relieved when the waiter finally brought our appetizer, breaking the somber mood that'd set in between us.

The blue cheese crème brulee was amazing. I'd never tasted anything quite like it. I've had the regular kind, but this was far different from that. From the look on Laurie's face, I could tell liked it, too. "Good choice," she told me between bites.

"Thank you," I returned, enjoying just watching her enjoy herself.

Suddenly, she noticed me not eating, my attention focused on her and what she was doing.

"What?" she asked, self-consciously.

I remained silent a moment more, then answered, "Just enjoying the view," which elicited a smile and a blush.

"I can't help it. I just can't believe you're here, in front of me. I know I'm the one who set this all in motion, but I half expected you to be so freaked out by the fact that I came all this way just to see you, that I'd be sitting here alone tonight.

"Yet here you are." This time, I couldn't help the hitch in my voice. The emotions were starting to overwhelm me, and I was proving unequal to the task of combating them.

I tried to excuse myself, not wanting to blubber all over the place in a nice restaurant a long way from home, but Laurie grabbed my hand. "Wait, Allan," she said softly, earnestly.

"I am a little freaked out, to be honest, and have been since you appeared at my house, but in a good way. I can barely remember the last time I was so happy. Of all the people in the world that I know, you happened to be the one that I most wanted to see, that I knew I never would.

"Yet here you are."

I smiled, hearing her use the phrase I'd used earlier. The emotional attack was over for me, between hearing Laurie's voice and her clever use of my own words. Would it come back? I didn't know. I'd just have to wait and see. If it did, I could tell Laurie would be okay with it. She seemed far from repulsed by my near miss a moment earlier, so I took a deep breath and got myself back together.

"Thank you," I said, both for her kind words and her defusing of what could have been a really ugly and embarrassing situation.

"You're welcome," she replied with a smile. "Now, help me eat this before our salads get here."

I laughed and we finished off the crème brulee just as the salads hit the table.

Now, I'm not much of a salad eater. They're more a necessary evil in my book, but this wasn't at all bad. I wrapped mine up at about the time the tuna was served. Laurie finished a little after.

Now, the tuna was terrific stuff. I love fish anyway, but this was simply tremendous. Laurie liked it, too, and before too awfully long, it was gone.

When the entree plates were taken away, I wasn't sure about Laurie, but I was pleasantly full. Splitting the entire meal was the way to go. I hoped she agreed, though I was pretty sure I'd never know.

Before Laurie could ask about dessert, the waiter brought two cups with some of the inn's specialty ice cream. One had a single candle in it, which he lit. Now, I'd requested that no big fuss be made, no "everybody sing" or anything like that. All that was said was, "Happy Birthday, maam," as the cup was placed before her.

When the waiter left, I sang to her quietly,

"Happy birthday to you.

"Happy birthday to you.

"Happy birthday pretty Laurie,

"Happy birthday to you."

A tear formed at the corner of Laurie's eye as she closed them both tight, this time having emotional difficulties of her own. "My wish has already come true. But if I have to, even though this one's more unlikely, I'll give it a try anyway." She then leaned over and blew the candle out.

When she sat back and opened her eyes, that one rogue tear let loose and streaked down her cheek.

Reaching out, I wiped the tear away for her. "Want to tell me what that new wish was?"

She shook her head. "I can't. It won't happen. It won't happen and I don't want to throw a huge wet blanket over this evening by saying it."

Immediately, I had a fair idea what that wish was, and it tore my heart in two. I knew what she wanted, and I wouldn't be able to give it to her.

"I'm sorry," I said. I wished I could reassure her that she was wrong, but I hated to admit that she wasn't. I'd have to be on the road in the morning, and she'd have to go to work, and once more we'd be in the same situation we had been before I hit the road to head out this way.

Once again, I reached for her face, cupping her cheek in my hand. Laurie pressed her face against it as I said, "I'm here now. I don't have to go for at least another twelve hours...

"And our ice cream's melting," I said, looking down into Laurie's half melted dessert. The candle had tipped over and was leaning against the rim of the dish.

As it had me, the change in mood brought a chuckle, and we finished off the rest of the meal once more simply enjoying being together.

Before too long, dinner was over, the bad news was placed on the evil plastic card, and we were again on the street of the historic city that Laurie called home.

"Well, that was perfect," I said, "I don't feel like I ate a bus or anything. And everything was fantastic!"

Laurie snuggled up against me, taking my arm and squeezing it. Her face turned up to look at me. "It certainly was," her words conveying a meaning far beyond the food we'd just eaten.

I released my arm from Laurie's hands and slipped it around her waist. She still looked simply incredible, and my hand on the sensuous curve of her hip felt tremendous. "There's still some daylight yet. Is there anything else we can do?"

"If there is, I'd rather not do it in these shoes," she replied. "I like them, but I don't have occasion to wear them very often, so I'm not really used to them."

"Even so, you look great in them. Heck you look great, regardless.

"So, back home, then?"

She looked up at me and asked, "Is that okay?"

I pulled her in tighter to me, saying, "Baby, it's your day. We can do whatever you want."

Laurie wrapped her arms around me and hugged. "I was hoping you'd say something like that."

On the way back to her house, we chatted a little bit more, but the conversation stopped suddenly when I felt her hand on my thigh.

Oh my, the feeling of her warm hand on me was spectacular! And we were both fully clothed! I started to respond immediately.

There was nothing overtly sexual along the way, just Laurie's hand resting gently, almost innocently, on my leg. A glance to my right showed me a nymph-like smile on her face. She was pleased by how the evening had turned out, she was especially ecstatic by my presence, and she wasn't ready for her birthday to be over quite yet.

This time, I got to be the vehicle pulled in behind Laurie's in the drive. Continuing to be the gentleman, I rushed around to the passenger's door and helped my lovely date out of the car. Halfway to the house, Laurie's shoes got the best of her, and she stopped, dragging on my arm. She started to bend over to pull her footwear off, but I took a chance and scooped her up off the ground and carried her to the door.

"But, Allan, your back..."

"I'm being as careful as I can. I've always wanted to carry a woman across the threshold. It's something I've never been able to do." From the look of Laurie's face, she was concerned for my well-being. I've had low back problems in the past, and she was afraid I'd aggravate that by carrying her. I loved her concern for me, but the deed was done.

We giggled a little when she had trouble getting the key in the lock in her sideways orientation, but eventually she got it accomplished, and we were inside.

Once I placed Laurie gently on her feet, she plopped onto the couch and got her shoes off. She then threw her head back and lounged, stretching her legs and feet as much as she could. Me, I was just taking in an eyeful of her gorgeous legs as she relaxed.

"Oh my gosh, that's so much better!" Laurie exclaimed. "I love those shoes, but ouch..."

"Here, let's see if I can help a little..." I knelt and took first one foot and rubbed it slowly and thoroughly, then took the other and gave it the same treatment.

"Oh, god! Are you sure you have to go tomorrow? You could stay here the rest of your life and do that."

I massaged Laurie's feet until my fingers started getting tired. Then, before I lowered the foot I was working on back down, I gave her a wicked grin that she couldn't see with her eyes closed, and tickled her foot just enough that she sat up with a squeal and a giggle.

For a little bit, we laughed together, our eyes locked on the other. My god, she looked good. Even as short-lived as this whole encounter was going to be, I felt like the luckiest man alive. I could have walked out of the house right then and there and have been perfectly happy. I'd been with her. Touched her. Breathed the same air she had. I knew what she looked like and who she was and was satisfied.