Wendy the Good Witch

"Mmm," I raised my perfect eyebrows, pushed back my glasses, and grinned at the three of them, I was enjoying myself already.

Dinner was quite nice and afterward, we talked about movies, and music, and more restaurants. All new places they all wanted to take me. We talked about their vacations and pets, we talked about their jobs and apartments, the only thing we didn't talk about was me. I was surprised about how little they asked, but I wasn't going to bring anything up. I wasn't going to start talking about my hair salon appointment, or my dates at the beach.

Daniel was being extremely gracious, he kept my glass filled up and he complimented me several times, I loved that. I hardly ever get people saying nice things about my voice, my earrings, or even my sense of humor. All my neighbors always complimented me on my dress choices, they thought everything I ever wore went so well with the New Jersey weather.

Soon we were having coffee, I could feel the date was winding down, and the restaurant was getting even quieter. I was getting distracted by the long nails on my pantyhose, I was thinking how much I liked rubbing them, feeling my heels tap the table legs, feeling the hem of my dress drift up to my thighs. I tried to pay attention as Daniel started telling us about his adventure from California back to New York and I took this opportunity to look at him, really look at him. I was wondering if the people around us thought we were a couple, could we be a couple? He was quite tall, taller than me, even in my heels, he must take after his mother. I also found him quite attractive, I mean for someone I just met. He had such broad shoulders and thick arms and I thought it was cute that he kept on stretching his collar, obviously, his mother probably told him not to unbutton his shirt or loosen his tie. I wanted to reach over, rip off his tie and unbutton him all the way down, I wanted to see what his chest looked like, I wanted to see how hairy and hard he was. I wanted to compare him to Tim. To the only man, I have ever touched before.

"And then the pilot threw them all off the plane." He grabbed my hand, waking me up. "Everyone of them. Ha. They were holding a case of 'Doritos,' ha." We all laughed, I realized I was having a wonderful time.

"So Wendy where do you work?" Justine was looking at me, I glanced back at Daniel, they were waiting for an answer. I wanted to tell them I was a witch, I didn't have to work. A little magic, a little spell, everything I needed was at my fingertips, everything I needed was in a tiny make-believe town in New Jersey.

Instead, I kind of lied. "Um, at the college, Princeton, I work in, um, administrations." I lifted my shoulder. I did have a work ID for my femme self. Being in IT I had access to many areas others didn't. I had made myself a female school ID, a work ID, and even a library card. I used them all the time. The work ID had a picture, my address, and even my social security number on the back. It also let me into most of the buildings, I would probably get fired if someone found them.

"Oh, that's great, do you work with, um..." My father started a question he didn't want to finish, I thought it was cute, he wanted to ask about my other half but he didn't want to embarrass Daniel.

I stopped him, "Well I work in registration and admissions for the college." I smiled. Maybe I was a good liar too.

"I'll be right back." He got up and moments later my phone buzzed, I had a feeling it was him. I put it on silent as I talked to the others. I was so glad he didn't call me from the table.

I asked Daniel, "Are you moving back to the city?"

"Kind of, I got a job in Trenton. I will be working for the governor."

Justine grabbed his hand. "I am so proud of you. Plus you will be so close to Wendy. You can visit."

My eyes widened, "Mmm, Princeton is probably less than a half hour away from me."

"That's even better. I knew it was a good thing to take that job." They laughed and my father came back, they told him what we were discussing. My heart beat a little faster, I was becoming a little self-conscious, then I became even more.

"I was just talking to my daughter, she wants a group shot." My father called over the waiter and asked him to take a picture. He and I stood and hovered over the other two. The waiter took about ten pictures, I was dreading getting a call from Terese, she would probably make fun of me. She would probably say Daniel was going to steal 'my girlfriend.' She would tell me he is falling in love with her.

After we sat back down I felt my phone vibrate, it was definitely Terese, she was definitely prepared to tease me.

*

I had to go to the ladies' room, I excused myself, I wanted to read what Terese said, I wanted to know what my father was telling her. I loved the way everyone smiled at me as I made my way through the crowds at the bar. The ladies' room was very big, it wasn't that crowded. I used to get so nervous walking into one, but now I loved it, it was an oasis, a little casual break from the world.

I sat in the stall and looked at my phone. I had three texts from my father and three from Terese: 'Wendy is so hot, you better send her flowers, perfume, and jewelry tomorrow before Daniel steals her away from you, LOL.'

I smiled, I knew she would tease me, I knew her so well. I liked that she thought I was hot though, that made me giggle. If they only knew. When I checked my father's texts, they were all just pictures, which was good, I didn't want to know what he was thinking at all. I decided to answer them both quickly, tell them I was going to bed early, I didn't want to tell them that I knew my make-believe girlfriend was having the best time of her life.

After leaving I went to the sink, I looked in the mirror. I smiled, I looked pretty good considering my makeup was applied that afternoon. I put on a little more lip gloss and brushed the ends of my hair, I was ready, I was more than ready to enjoy the rest of 'this date' as a 'woman.'

*

Justine and 'Mr. Landon' were ready to go back home. I could tell Daniel wanted to stay out, he was telling me about all the places he knew in the area. I felt I would be a little more confident being with him alone so I agreed to do whatever he wanted. Both Justine and my father were ecstatic.

"Mmm, thank you so much again for coming out with us," He hugged me, "And here is the card for the car service back to Jersey. Just give them fifteen minutes they will pick you up wherever you are."

"Okay, thank you." I smiled, Daniel helped with my jacket, we got ready to go.

Justine fixed my collar, she took my hands. "Thank you for letting me meet you, and you are SO pretty, dear. I am SO glad you two are getting along so well." She winked at her son and she kissed my cheek, she hugged me tightly. We said goodbye. We waved once they got into a cab. "Let's do this again," She called before they pulled away into the traffic.

Could I do this again? Could I have two completely different lives?

I started thinking, it was kind of weird but I felt they both hugged me a little too tightly, for a little too long. Maybe they felt there was a chance they would never see 'Wendy' again. I was thinking was that even a real possibility?

*

The two of us walked through the park, we walked toward Fifth Avenue, we were getting closer to Terese and her family, closer to my childhood neighborhood. As we crossed Fifth Avenue, Daniel took my hand, we intertwined fingers. Once we were on the other side we were still intertwining. I was enjoying my time in this blue dress, with my incredible hair holding onto a man. I loved all the people we passed thought we were a couple, thinking we were in love.

"That is such a great jacket, you are so glamourous and the denim makes you look so approachable."

We stopped I looked at him and smiled, he was being cute.

"Usually beautiful women look so exquisite, almost fake, ya know? But you, well you are quite perfect." I could tell he was looking at my eyes, my long lashes, even my glasses. I liked where he was focusing.

We started to walk, I was feeling quite nice, and content, but I think he might have called me glamorous, beautiful, and or perfect, and it was doing something to my body I wasn't prepared for, so I had to keep quiet. I let him hold my hand a little tighter, I let him take me wherever he wanted to go.

*

"Dan, come in. When did you get back?"

"I pulled into the city about two and a half hours ago, and then I found this." And he held up his hand, I was attached to him. They laughed.

We were standing outside of a crazy little bar, it looked like a trailer park inside. Daniel introduced me to Hank as his friend Wendy from Princeton. It made me smile.

"Well come on in Wendy from Princeton let me get you a drink." We walked to the back, it was quite crowded but Hank found us two seats at the bar. Okay move down," He told two men arm wrestling, "What would you like?"

"Gotta be two beers, something great," Daniel told him.

"Mmm, something we will love." I giggled, my eyes slightly closed. I moved closer to the bar, crossing my legs and taking off my jacket. I put my clutch down on the bar with a clunk and smiled at Hank. He put up one finger and then went into the back. Soon we had something strong from a bottle. It was thick, copper-colored, and delicious. "Perfect choice." I smiled we clinked glasses.

We ended up drinking and talking for almost two and a half hours. Sometime after the second beer, I moved closer to Daniel, I took off his tie, whipped it off from around his neck, and rolled it up into one of his pockets. I then undid the top button of his stiff shirt, I undid two more. I saw just a little hair.

I smiled, I felt a little chill, "There, much better." I looked up slowly, I patted his cheek. I was feeling like I was flirting and I figured I had better stop.

He smiled big, he held my hand. Soon we got roped into playing a trivia game, we came in second. We got caught up in a crazy, loud conversation about bad heavy metal bands with several people from Illinois while walking to the restrooms. I even sat at the bar and painted one of the servers' nails the same mauve as mine, she loved the color. I even let her use my lipstick and lip gloss. The only other thing besides my brush in my clutch was mascara and I let her try on that too. We took pictures together it was nice, I sent it and a couple more to Marilyn, I hoped I didn't wake her up.

I loved meeting Daniel's friends. I loved that some people in the bar were from the area, Chelsea, where I was born, where I grew up. I wanted to tell everyone within the sound of my voice, I wanted to stand and balance on the stool in my dainty heels and yell 'I'm a native New Yorker, I'm just living in New Jersey because my Aunt died.' I was dying to tell Daniel my stories about the neighborhood. I wanted to tell him about Billy Tomlin, Leon on Twenty, and Mrs. Ramos, but of course, I couldn't. I wanted to be completely myself but I couldn't, I tried, but it wasn't easy. I was so afraid I was going to say something wrong, something weird, something that would prove to him I was a faker. I didn't want to be a faker, I didn't want to have a secret anymore. But I kept quiet, I let him get drunk, I let myself get drunk with him.

He had his arm around me, I was getting tired, I was leaning against him. "Why don't you stay in the city and go home tomorrow?" He kissed the top of my head.

I looked at him, I started to move my closed mauve lips around my face, which meant I was thinking, thinking hard. I wish I could just call Terese, and tell her I am going to stay over, stay in the extra room, but I didn't want her to see me in this royal blue dress. I could stay with my father, Mr. Landon, he had room, he was probably staying at Justine's place anyway. I could probably even stay at Mrs. Ramos's apartment, but no one ever went to visit her, ever, except me.

"Mmm, I don't know, it's late, where would I go?" I bit my lip, I felt I was trying to be cute again, I think it was working.

He smiled, he stood up, and made a call, while I talked to Hank.

"So Wendy are you married?"

"No, not yet." I wiggled my jewelry-less fingers. "Why do you know someone perfect for me?" We laughed, he gave me water, I was completely done drinking beer.

"I do. If this whole thing with Daniel doesn't work out, I will find you, someone, I have a gift. I know things." He put a finger to his temple. "See those two over there." Then he pointed behind me. "That's all me, it's me all over it." He laughed.

"Now that's impressive. They look very happy."

Then he yelled, "KERRY!" And Kerry walked out, new nails and all.

"Yup, what?" She smiled at me, she made a face towards Hank.

"Tell us, how did you meet your husband?" Hank asked.

Kerry looked bored, she shook her head, "Tsk, you. Can I go?" And she left. We laughed again, as Daniel walked back over.

"Okay all settled, I got you a room at the Chelsea Hotel."

We tried to pay the tab but Hank wouldn't take any money, so we gave a huge tip to Kerry, you know for her husband. "Ha, Hank is my husband, ha." We laughed, I would miss them.

We said goodbye to Hank and the bar. I even said goodbye to the tourists from Illinois, I invited them over to my house, to my little backyard, to meet my neighbors, especially Mrs. Kim. I realized what I did, and hoped Daniel wasn't listening to me. Hank then took my hand and did a little conspiracy-hand maneuver. I winked, "Shh. I won't say anything." I whispered.

He waved, "Good girl, keep it all hush hush."

*

"There are so many songs about the Chelsea Hotel?" I told Daniel, we were still holding hands, I was very comfortable with him. I didn't want to tell him I went to school one block away from there.

"Is there?"

"Mmm, I am betting it is a magical place, just like this one." I then took his hand, I brought him to a storefront, the glass doors were open and we walked through a long hall. We passed a number of people, we climbed over a couple more. I could tell he was confused about where we were going. "Come on this way, are you nervous?" I teased, I smiled, I bit my lip.

"A little, but as long as you hold my hand I should be okay."

"Mmm, I don't know, do I look like you could trust me?" And he laughed. We had to go down another flight of stairs and soon we were in a yard, a small group of people was milling about, talking, eating. We looked up, we could see the night sky and stars. It was beautiful, it was hidden. We were smack in the middle of the apartments and stores, we were surrounded by walls and windows.

"I hope you like it here and I hope you love Italian ice." We moved to the end of the line. I turned around and waited for his answer, my hand on his chest. He kissed me, I wasn't ready for it. He had his tongue in his mother's, boyfriend's, son's, girlfriend, well that's what he assumed. He had his tongue inside of me.

*

"I remember you well in the Chelsea Hotel

You were talkin' so brave and so sweet

Givin' me head on the unmade bed

While the limousines wait in the street"

"That's the words? Or are you making them up?" He watched me, he was eating vanilla with jelly rings in them, I had a cup of pineapple and coconut.

"Ha, do you think I would rewrite Leonard Cohen? That would be blasphemy."

"Mmm, I believe you would, you have that look." We walked closer, we were a half block away from the hotel. I wanted to finish my ice, I wanted him to kiss me, I wanted to give him head on the unmade bed.

We walked in and I showed my work ID, Daniel gave them a credit card. They gave us a key and we went up to the third floor by elevator.

"That was nice, you didn't have to do that." I held his arm, I was sticky.

"I don't have to do this either, but it is all I can think about." And he kissed me again, the flavors of the ice were nicely meshing. I put my hands around his neck, gripping the straps of his backpack, while my clutch squeezed between us. When the door opened, we didn't move, we kept on kissing, we kept on tasting each other. We went back downstairs and the man at the desk pressed the button for the third floor.

"Thank you," I told him breathlessly.

*

"I remember you well in Chelsea Hotel

You were famous, your heart was a legend

You told me again you preferred handsome men

But for me you would make an exception"

Daniel was laughing, he found the words to our song on his phone and he found a stanza he loved. "Ha, this could be me singing to you."

"Ooh, now you sing? Go 'head let me hear." And I fixed my dress, showing off my legs as I moved back onto the bed. I was smiling, I was in a hotel, I was on a bed, and a man was going to sing to me. "Well?"

"Ha, you don't want me to sing, I'd love to, but I'm terrible." He crawled up on the bed, I realized we had to take this slow. I would love to have him stay the night with me, making love in the Chelsea Hotel. Nothing would be better, but how would I explain it, explain things to his mother and her new boyfriend?

I put on the TV for some company, and I went to the bathroom. He talked to me the whole time, he told me about every commercial that came on. he was keeping me informed. "I don't want you to miss anything."

"Thanks, you are so thoughtful" I brushed my hair, I brushed my teeth with the new toothbrush we got from the front desk. I put on a little more lip gloss and then took off my glasses and washed my sticky hands. I realized I had hardly any makeup, how would I look tomorrow without foundation, concealer, and blush? Then I started to realize how was I going to go to work on Monday with this hair, with these eyebrows and lashes. I started to shake, I couldn't think about it. When I walked out the door Daniel was still giving me the rundown.

"And that's it." He looked up, "You are beautiful with glasses or without."

"Am I? That sounds like a line you have used before." I squinted my eyes.

"Does it? Let me think." And he put his finger to his chin, he was thinking.

I turned around, I lifted my hair, "Can you unzip me? I don't have anything to wear, I'm going to put on a robe I found in the bathroom." He got up, I felt his fingers on me, he helped me slip off the dress. He saw the back of my little white bra, white panties, and my beige pantyhose. I came out a minute later in the robe and lay next to him. He was so quiet. I put my head on his chest and he ran his fingers through my hair.

"I never dated a woman in glasses before."

I looked up at him, he was serious, he was being so cute. "No?

"Actually I never dated a blonde woman either."

"Are we dating?"

He laughed, "No but it could be arranged. I know my mother would be thrilled." He smiled big, and he kissed the top of my head. Marilyn was so right to fix my hair, she was so right to not let me wear my larger breasts with the seam under my chin, she was so right in making me wear my denim jacket and the new thin gold glasses.

I sat next to him, I kissed him. My lip glossed lips dried and it felt wonderful having a man so close to me. "Daniel where are you staying tonight?"

"Me? Right here."

I stopped and looked at him, I pulled away from his cheek and lips.

"I'm right above you on the fourth floor." He grinned, he picked up his phone he read some more lyrics.

"I remember you well in Chelsea Hotel

That's all, I don't even think of you that often" He laughed again.

My mouth was open wide. "Well, I never."

"Never?"

"Yup, never," and we kissed some more. I let him rub my breasts through my thin bra, he let me explore his body with my long nails. He started licking my neck, kissing my ear, sucking on my fingers. When they were all wet, I ran them along his cheek, then his lips, then I started to unbutton more of his shirt. He had a marvelous hard hairy chest for such a young man. I let my fingers wander, I reached his stomach and I stopped, I moved closer to him. He put his arm around me and we cuddled.