Chapter 4
“Over here,” Becky mouthed, waving her hand.
I saw her from the distance. “My friend is already seated,” I explained to the hostess. She gave me a warm smile and gestured for me to go. As I weaved around the tables, I noted that Nicole and Kate were already there, as well. Nicole and Becky wore their work clothes, but Kate was in casual attire since she didn’t work in an office.
Excitedly I paced faster. It had been a couple of months since the four of us had gone out together. Days turned into weeks and weeks turned into months as life sped by. We were all busy with our own lives, not like it was when we were in college and it was easier to be under the same umbrella. After hugs and kisses to each of them, I pulled out my chair and sat. Drinks were already on the table.
“Sorry I’m late. I had to catch up since I was out half the day.”
“So, how was your interview?” Nicole asked, taking a sip of her water.
“Who knows? I think I did okay, but you never know about these things. I thought I had a terrible interview with my current job, but I got the offer.”
“True,” Becky muttered.
The conversation stopped when the waitress came by.
“Hello,” she smiled at me. “Looks like everyone is here. May I take your order?” After we ordered, she left.
“Anyway, it’s not the end of the world if I don’t get it,” I continued. I gazed at my friends, who were intently listening and giving me the “I know you’re lying” look. “Okay…it will be end of my world if I don’t get it. I’ve had my eye on that company for so long.” Exhaling a heavy sigh, I plopped my head on my crossed arms.
“It’s okay, Jenna. Think positive. There’ll be other opportunities if you don’t get this one. Everything has its right timing. Everything folds into its place the way it was meant to be at the right time. Geez, I sound like a Hallmark card. Maybe I should write a book,” Becky snorted.
I strongly believed what she’d said, but I had needed to hear it from a friend’s mouth. With that, I sat tall and enlivened the mood. “So, how was everyone’s day?”
“Breast feeding and feeling like a cow,” Kate sputtered.
We all broke into laughter, except Becky laughed a little harder. Liquid sprinkled out of her mouth from trying to hold it in. “I’m so sorry,” she laughed, dabbing the table with her white linen napkin. Thank goodness dinner hadn’t arrived yet.
“It’s fine,” Katie continued. “I get spit up on by my baby all the time. I’m used to it.”
Giggling, we calmed ourselves down. Kate was the first one of our group to get married, and the first one to have a baby. Her being pregnant was one of the reasons why she’d married her college boyfriend. I still remembered her beautiful wedding as if it had happened yesterday. Becky and I were in her wedding party, and Nicole was her maid of honor. Having been placed in a group project together in college had brought our band together.
“That’s all I do all day long. Feed, burp, diaper change, and clean spit ups. Don’t get me wrong…I love my baby, but I’m so glad I’m out here with all of you. I miss just hanging out,” Kate continued. The wetness in her eyes made her eyes twinkle. “We should do this more often.”
“We need to set the next date now,” Becky suggested, taking out her cell phone. “Cause….” She paused as she clicked away. “We say that all the time, but it’s difficult and time just flies by. Next thing you know, months have gone by.”
The rest of us took out our cell phones, punched some keys, and marked the date on our phone calendars. After about fifteen minutes, the waitress came back with our dinners. Becky and I had ordered the same seafood salad, Kate was having seafood linguini, and Nicole had ordered salmon with assorted vegetables.
“Becky told us you’re seeing someone,” Kate said suddenly. “What’s his name, what does he do…give us his history.”
I shot my eyes to Becky then shifted my gaze to Nicole and Kate. “His name is Luke, and I met him about a month ago. His company is one of the companies I deal with. He’s cute and nice.” I didn’t have much to say after that.
“Do we get to meet him?” Kate asked, turning her fork, making a ball with the linguini.
“I met him already,” Becky blurted. “He’s no good for her.”
I nudged Becky on the shoulder and gave her a look.
She ignored me. “You need to date around. Don’t be exclusive with him. If you don’t you won’t know what you’re missing…like that guy we saw last night. You need to do this while you’re young and not officially in a relationship. I know you don’t have much experience.” She paused. “Hardly,” she giggled. “But that’s okay. Our little miss innocent here is finally adventuring out.”
“Let me ask you this.” Kate leaned over. “When you kiss him, do you see stars and fireworks? Do you explode…way down there?”
Becky and Kate giggled, but Nicole was keeping to herself. She had been quiet, which was unusual, but I didn’t ask. Instead, I kept one eye on her facial expression, which was pretty much blank. Her fork played with the broccoli, but never entered her mouth. While our plates were already a quarter empty, she had hardly touched her food.
“Well?” Kate twitched her brows, demanding an answer.
I didn’t say a word…I didn’t have to. My roommate sitting next to me did, since I told her practically everything. “She hasn’t kissed him yet,” Becky shared.
“Over here,” Becky mouthed, waving her hand.
I saw her from the distance. “My friend is already seated,” I explained to the hostess. She gave me a warm smile and gestured for me to go. As I weaved around the tables, I noted that Nicole and Kate were already there, as well. Nicole and Becky wore their work clothes, but Kate was in casual attire since she didn’t work in an office.
Excitedly I paced faster. It had been a couple of months since the four of us had gone out together. Days turned into weeks and weeks turned into months as life sped by. We were all busy with our own lives, not like it was when we were in college and it was easier to be under the same umbrella. After hugs and kisses to each of them, I pulled out my chair and sat. Drinks were already on the table.
“Sorry I’m late. I had to catch up since I was out half the day.”
“So, how was your interview?” Nicole asked, taking a sip of her water.
“Who knows? I think I did okay, but you never know about these things. I thought I had a terrible interview with my current job, but I got the offer.”
“True,” Becky muttered.
The conversation stopped when the waitress came by.
“Hello,” she smiled at me. “Looks like everyone is here. May I take your order?” After we ordered, she left.
“Anyway, it’s not the end of the world if I don’t get it,” I continued. I gazed at my friends, who were intently listening and giving me the “I know you’re lying” look. “Okay…it will be end of my world if I don’t get it. I’ve had my eye on that company for so long.” Exhaling a heavy sigh, I plopped my head on my crossed arms.
“It’s okay, Jenna. Think positive. There’ll be other opportunities if you don’t get this one. Everything has its right timing. Everything folds into its place the way it was meant to be at the right time. Geez, I sound like a Hallmark card. Maybe I should write a book,” Becky snorted.
I strongly believed what she’d said, but I had needed to hear it from a friend’s mouth. With that, I sat tall and enlivened the mood. “So, how was everyone’s day?”
“Breast feeding and feeling like a cow,” Kate sputtered.
We all broke into laughter, except Becky laughed a little harder. Liquid sprinkled out of her mouth from trying to hold it in. “I’m so sorry,” she laughed, dabbing the table with her white linen napkin. Thank goodness dinner hadn’t arrived yet.
“It’s fine,” Katie continued. “I get spit up on by my baby all the time. I’m used to it.”
Giggling, we calmed ourselves down. Kate was the first one of our group to get married, and the first one to have a baby. Her being pregnant was one of the reasons why she’d married her college boyfriend. I still remembered her beautiful wedding as if it had happened yesterday. Becky and I were in her wedding party, and Nicole was her maid of honor. Having been placed in a group project together in college had brought our band together.
“That’s all I do all day long. Feed, burp, diaper change, and clean spit ups. Don’t get me wrong…I love my baby, but I’m so glad I’m out here with all of you. I miss just hanging out,” Kate continued. The wetness in her eyes made her eyes twinkle. “We should do this more often.”
“We need to set the next date now,” Becky suggested, taking out her cell phone. “Cause….” She paused as she clicked away. “We say that all the time, but it’s difficult and time just flies by. Next thing you know, months have gone by.”
The rest of us took out our cell phones, punched some keys, and marked the date on our phone calendars. After about fifteen minutes, the waitress came back with our dinners. Becky and I had ordered the same seafood salad, Kate was having seafood linguini, and Nicole had ordered salmon with assorted vegetables.
“Becky told us you’re seeing someone,” Kate said suddenly. “What’s his name, what does he do…give us his history.”
I shot my eyes to Becky then shifted my gaze to Nicole and Kate. “His name is Luke, and I met him about a month ago. His company is one of the companies I deal with. He’s cute and nice.” I didn’t have much to say after that.
“Do we get to meet him?” Kate asked, turning her fork, making a ball with the linguini.
“I met him already,” Becky blurted. “He’s no good for her.”
I nudged Becky on the shoulder and gave her a look.
She ignored me. “You need to date around. Don’t be exclusive with him. If you don’t you won’t know what you’re missing…like that guy we saw last night. You need to do this while you’re young and not officially in a relationship. I know you don’t have much experience.” She paused. “Hardly,” she giggled. “But that’s okay. Our little miss innocent here is finally adventuring out.”
“Let me ask you this.” Kate leaned over. “When you kiss him, do you see stars and fireworks? Do you explode…way down there?”
Becky and Kate giggled, but Nicole was keeping to herself. She had been quiet, which was unusual, but I didn’t ask. Instead, I kept one eye on her facial expression, which was pretty much blank. Her fork played with the broccoli, but never entered her mouth. While our plates were already a quarter empty, she had hardly touched her food.
“Well?” Kate twitched her brows, demanding an answer.
I didn’t say a word…I didn’t have to. My roommate sitting next to me did, since I told her practically everything. “She hasn’t kissed him yet,” Becky shared.
