Saturday October 10 1992
Nick and Noreen arrive at Lombardo's on the main drag just a tad before 7. She couldn't resist a skirt and he couldn't resist an untucked shirt, so they're even. She's been growing out the bangs lately so she parts it wherever convenient and Nick has to look for her eyes.
After a word with the hostess they make it back to find Deej standing near a table and talking to a woman Nick doesn’t know. Deej sees them and lights up, lightly made up, hair pinned in an updated version of her classic look.
The other gal excuses herself and Deej walks toward to Noreen, "I'm Danni, Deejay, whatever, so glad to meet you finally! Just sorry you couldn't find a better date."
Noreen just beams. "You know how it is, all the good ones are taken...," she looks at Nick, "....or worse."
From there these colliding planets just lock eyes and exchange data telepathically as Nick finds a chair. "Is this us?"
Deej turns around, "Yipper doo, Scooby Doo, you two pick a side?"
The choice gets made for him as the gals sit down and start in. Nick takes a minute to look around, hadn't been here a while, at least to sit, usually they just pick up a pie for home now and then. Noreen said her family used to stop in when shopping or such.
About then the waitress stops by and gets their drink order and they do a pitcher. There's one more surprise guest on the way and Nick really hopes for the best, as soon as the waitress goes for the pitcher Deej lights up again. Nick turns around to see Vance walking up.
At first Nick just stares then stands up, they shake and Vance leans in for the shoulder tap.
"Dude you still at a car lot or something?"
"Just made manager."
"Dayamm."
From behind him, "Nick?"
"Hey this is Noreen - Vance from the good ole days."
They shake hands, "Nice to meet you finally."
Vance just nods and smiles and takes his seat. He's looking slick, sun has cleared the complexion, hair tamed down with some mousse, kinda that Garth Brooks thing with the boots, shirt tucked in.
The pitcher arrives, Noreen pours and they all fill up except Vance, he's trying to stay light these days so just half full, respectable.
Nick starts, "So which rock you been hiding under?"
Vance sips his mug, "I've been at three dealers, one up by Danville with the cousins, detailing mostly, word got around, you know, just got back here a couple months ago."
Noreen grins, "Ever do side work?"
"OH man, might be tempting now and then, whatcha got?"
She motions to the west, "Ever heard of McDonnells out a ways?"
"I've heard the name bounced around, one of the better body shops."
"We do it all, I can have Bart loop you in if you don't mind the drive."
He lights up, "Hey all right, sure, wow Nick where'd you find her?"
Nick shakes his head, "WHY does every one ask me that?"
Naturally the table explodes as the waitress shows up with the order pad. They go with large half veggie half meat, Nick tries to pick up Danni's share but Vance insists on covering half,
"Least I can do for dealing with this bum."
She pats his shoulder, "Well thanks, at least we have one gentleman among us."
And so it goes. Before long Noreen pipes up, "Have you guys heard about how Nick sealed the deal this year?"
Pretty soon we're picturing her at her desk on a quiet afternoon when British TV interviewer Alan Whicker strolls in and awards her a cassette tape, then her English department head gets into the act.
Deej is fighting for breath and Vance has his head down when the narrative progresses to the lake adventure (edited for TV of course), then how Nick behaves himself when they have to bunker down only to get jarred awake by banging on the door, all to find out the police are picking up a local drunk.
When she gets to Bessie at the fair Vance nearly splits a gut, "Ahh man, to think how many times I've steered clear of that barn over the years!"
The pie arrives and Deej is dabbing her eyes with a spare napkin, "Guys I needed this laugh, lemme tell ya."
They are all flushed and it seems warmer now, it's a cool windy day so, deep breaths help, gulp the water and sip the brew.
The conversation gets to die down as they stuff their gobs, Deej remarks how she's still getting used to skipping grace, part of her new outlook.
Nick thinks how a word of thankfulness is nice but this is not the time or place to bring it up.
Lombo's kitchen is definitely on a roll tonight, their pie is best enjoyed in-house. He's always fascinated by the old signs and posters, local heroes, ball teams, lodge boosters.
Vance inquires between bites, "So you work at the college?"
"Every day. Take care of the labs and they take care of me."
"You can't get enough of that electronical stuff can ya?"
"It's a disease. And it's in my blood."
"Yeah is your dad still out at that place?"
"You know it, he's over several teams now and might still get me in, but I might do more school, who knows. Hell, he's thinking of getting a degree. OH, and Mom is tempted to finish hers and get into teaching finally, if that ain't scary enough."
"Family business, well except your brother."
"Yeah the milkman's kid. That one is in his second hitch, guess he's good for something."
"Is he sergeant yet?"
"I don't think just yet, going for a specialty tho, it's all the same to me."
They go on catching up as Noreen moves her chair around the side closer to Deej, who seems to be venting, just as she needs to.
Nick is just about to reach for a drink when Vance looks up, all Nick can feel is two strong arms clamping his jaw and skull.
Vance lights up, "Curt?"
A rich voice from above Nick's head, "At your service. How you feel there Swanson?"
Nick squeaks out, slightly nasal, through clenched teeth,"Uhh a little compressed."
This gets a laugh and he notices Deej keeping a keen eye on the visitor.
The pressure lets up and he sees a hand reach for a firm shake, Stockton pats him on the back and pulls up a chair, he met someone here at the bar and wanted to pay respects before headin' out.
Once again Nick relates his brother's service record to date, Stockton had just completed his Navy tour and had been wondering.
"I may have to stroll out that way and see how they party."
"Good luck with that, tonight is his only night free and he usually calls home and falls asleep."
Stockton just grins, "Damn landlubbers for ya."
On that note he stands up to head out, glad to meet the ladies and gives Deej a non-subtle wink that gets no reaction till he's out of sight when she shakes her head at Noreen, who picks up right away,
"I can find you much better, dear."
"Hmmm well at least the scenery ain't bad," bumps her eyebrows as she takes a swig of water.
Nick just shakes his head and goes back to Vance, "Hey remember that thing at the Y? What were they thinking?"
So they relive some old glories a while and sooner or later, as if on script, Fred and Mary Cribb float by to check up on his modem-ing, how are the folks doing, and so on. What a cavalcade tonight. He never sees these folks, runs into anyone hardly, Deej comes home and everyone but Art Linkletter shows up.
The Cribbses move on and Nick takes one of his last sips of the pitcher, it's close to 9:30 now and the fateful night at the church never came up. It seems like it needs to come up. Five years, damn.
Keeping it safe, "So you still doing sports?"
"Well just golf these days, you play?"
Nick's eyes get big. "Just on the computer, seems just as frustrating at a fraction of the cost. Dad still has his bag stuffed away in a closet but less and less time to get back into it, doesn't really have a gang anymore."
"Gotcha, well we could get one or both of you in at Chauncey some time, just for laughs, they have sticks to rent even."
"Yeah that could be a deal, pretty sure Tim plays on the base now and then if you can imagine."
"I'm imagining Caddyshack," which opens up the usual can of worms.
The place clears out as it gets closer to 10, the check has been long paid, any beer left is pretty flat, time to mosey. They get a promise from Deej to call Nick's when she gets to Dawsons.
The call comes in after Nick's shower and Ned relays it up the stairs as Noreen takes her turn. The original plan was to shower together, as Nick put it, he would use the downstairs bath and hog all the water. All this got him was,
"That Danni, where did you find her?"
He just kept driving, and now is propped up on his pillows reading the sheets of folded notebook paper That Deej handed him in the parking lot. He already has jazz on and Noreen pops out of the hallway bath in a long tee with the obligatory towel on her head, to which he quips,
"I could never pull off that look."
And just keeps reading as she gets comfy.
"Do you need a moment with that?"
"Actually I'd like you to read it when I'm done."
"Not if it's too personal."
"Nope, it's...more like a term paper."
"Ohh, someone's been thinking."
"Yeah probably too much, but her world is upside down."
"We did a great thing tonight and it was a blast, so glad it came together."
Nick reads on and tries to soak it in but after a full night with some beer he'll have to table it for now.
"Here, if you wanna take a gander, I'll have to go through it some tomorrow, had a dull headache all day and ready for sleep."
"Sure," and she starts reading while he heads to brush the teeth, too tired for a late snack even.
Nick returns to find her deeply engaged with the third page. "I'd say she has been thinking, wow...and in the middle of a huge life change."
"Yeah. I'll probably call her tomorrow."
She looks up at him. "Nick you are so sweet to stick by her."
"Well we shared a lot and she's a good kid."
"Did you know that good kid has her blue belt?"
"Doesn't surprise me, she started that a while back and must have stayed with it."
"Wants to go further."
"No doubt."
"No doubt we need some rest, may I join you for a lil jazz kind sir?"
"Hit the light young lady."
She floats to the door and nudges it closed before killing the light and snuggling her head onto his chest.
Nick is already half asleep.
She sighs.
He draws a deep breath. He licks her forehead.
“Umm, can we just chill?”
“Sure.”
Only his receiver light is on but she’s far from dozing off. Pretty soon he feels her oscillating to the beat, must be swinging her legs into the air. Pretty soon she draws a breath.
“Hon…” she starts.
“Jaess?”
She draws a deep breath. “I’m starting to think the deal with Doris was somewhat of a...I dunno, the wind is changing.”
Nick pauses. “Ummm…”
She draws another deep breath. “That poor sweet old gal, she kinda became part of our relationship didn’t she.”
“Yeah I suppose so, still trying to process it.”
She pauses. “You know, nomatter what, this has been absolutely the best.”
“Yes it has.”
“We haven’t talked much about our future.”
She draws a really long breath. “A lot is up in the air. I need to ask some questions this week.”
“Yeah.”
“Nick, you know I had a really good talk with Deejay, I think she needs you more than I do.”
Nick’s blood runs cold, because, hell, she’s probably right.
“But you’re here tonight.”
“And I couldn’t be happier, you know that.”
“I know-”
She slides up to meet her lips to his, plants a two-beater, then asks, “Um, do you need me to do anything?”
“Up to you.”
“Gee thanks.”
“Howbout you?”
She pauses, “Howbout I go talk to your mom for a bit, then see if you’re awake?”
Things are starting to feel like they did back before he graduated, so he gives her back a two-beat smooch, “Deal, partner.”
“Mmm, that’s nice, but I’m gonna bolt for now, ‘kay?”
“’Kay.”
And so she does, and left with his own thoughts, in the jazz, well, damn, is she feeling, like, guilty, or in the way now that Deejay reappeared?
Nick realizes, with a twinge of guilt – or is it shame? He hadn’t really stirred when she was close just now. She looks better than ever and he knows how to pull all her triggers, but then, yeah, since the Doris encounter things have felt a bit strange, and the other evening felt a tad forced even.
So…shit.
He briefly fights the urge to try and summon her back up here...but for what? What would words or actions mean or achieve?
All of a sudden, either from dozing off from the lively evening and some beer (some of which will need drained before long…) he has the epiphany, clear as a bell, Deej is BACK, and on a similar footing to him, and yes, she needs support, and more and more it feels like he’s the one.
That’s a scary prospect, but then...hasn’t this year been one hell of an adventure? After a quick pee, Nick succumbs to the jazz.