UNTITLED FOR NOW – AN ADDITION #3

NICOLE AND ADAM — HAVING WATER

Adam takes Nicole’s hand with his right hand, stands up, cups her elbow with his left to help her down from the barstool. The pretty waitress brings them to the table Nicole and Alex reserved. He is thinking about how did he just get this to happen and how is he going to not screw it up? She is asking herself how did she just agree to this? They spend the next ten minutes reading the menu in silence. As it turns out, the menu needs quite a bit of concentration.

Nicole looks up with a chuckle, “what is roasted flying pigs pork presse?”

“That must just be a name,” Adam laughs with her. “What is pecan foam?”

She shakes her head, “NO idea.”

“Well, I’m going to have that, roasted skate with pecan foam.”

“Um, since I can only have an entree, I think I will skip the flying pigs and have the halibut with crusted sea scallops.”

The waitress is there before they even attempt to look for her. She takes their orders quickly and disappears. Nicole and Adam spend the next couple of minutes looking around the room and touching the silverware in pretense of adjusting the placements.

Adam clears his throat, “I work around here. This is my second time here. They really do have a decent wine list.”

“Did you have plans?”

“No, I was going to come in for a drink to relax and go back to the office,” he paused, “but now, I’m not going back.”

“It is just an entree,” she smiles a teasing smile, “you have time to go back to it.”

“Yes, but no longer the focus.”

After another long minute, he volunteers, “I’m in finance.”

“Oh. That’s ….impressive. I don’t understand any of that stuff,” she shifts in the seat, careful not to understand more.

He thinks this is going to be like pulling teeth but presses on, “give me a little picture……please. Do you sit in a cubicle? Share an office?”

“No, I have my own office.”

“OH. Your own private office!! Have you and the hubby ever done it in your private office?”

Nicole’s mouth opens, her eyes and face in amused astonishment. After a long pause, she answers, “yes.”

They both laugh and then she asks, “And you?”

“I have an office. It is totally transparent; you know, all glass, pretty much. And no, I haven’t. But I wouldn’t mind trying that.”

They both reach for their water glass. Avoiding each other’s eyes, they play with silverware placement once again.