Friday Night
After another week of ping ponging between two gigs, as he’s come to think of each realm, Nick sits across from Sam going through the guitar stuff, and alas, something seems off.
As the number comes to an end, or more to say, stumbles to an end, since they haven’t been able to work that out, he can’t resist.
“You been OK lately?”
She keeps her gaze at the floor and her arms go limp.
“Sambo?”
She smirks.
Nick stands his instrument and pops off the amp, then takes a place by her side, slips an arm around her shoulder,
“Spill it, toots.”
She chuckles then leans back on the bed.
“There’s this dude at school….”
“Mmmm hmm.”
She pauses. “He makes a huge deal when he sees me, must be this stupid haircut.”
“I happen to like the haircut.”
She glances up at him with an exasperated smile along with the smirk, exhales, “Anyhow…it’s embarrassing, no one ever did that since like, grade school.”
“Maybe he sees what the rest of us see.”
This gets a look, well, beyond expectation, it’s more of a moment of truth. No pressure.
“Sam, you’ve been more….womanly…lately.”
Her eyebrows raise and, almost on cue, her smile takes on a, well, womanly glow. She draws a breath, keeps her face out of his view, then grabs the guitar and gets up.
“Sam?”
“Think I’ll turn in, been a long day.”
Seems we opened da pandora’s box here. “Hey,” then he catches her, pulls her face around, plants one on her cheek, and maybe, just maybe, she sorta gave one back.
But then she quickly recoils and retreats to Tim’s room.
And so….
Well, this really calls for consultation. Deej should be home, but, man, too bad she doesn’t have a modem so they can type and he doesn’t have to talk. The only place that might be secure is the garage, and - well, that would seem a bit obvious.
But alas, this is probably overthinking; Sam likely needs alone time.
He hits the shower since she usually does that before coming over, and once the water is off he hears her talking softly. That little stinker beat him to the punch.
So Nick heads downstairs to make an instant decaf and grab a brownie.
At the top of the stairs, she cracks the door but stays out of view, “Can you pick up the phone? It’s Danni.”
“What if I don’t want to?”
“I know where you sleep.”
“Likely story.”
So he sets his stuff down and picks up, “Got it.” He hears the click, but still wonders.
“Hey,” as he flips on the stereo and puts it on 106 for some cover.
“Dahhhling…”
“Yaess?”
“WHAT am I going to do with you?”
“Do I get a choice?”
“Well, I think you have an idea, and I’ll try not to make you talk, but is she acting kinda weird now?”
In a resigned tone, “Ya think?”
“You sure have a way with the ladies, don’t you?”
“What did she say?”
“Nick, it’s…you know, it’s a girl thing.”
“When is it NOT that?”
“Now now, but yea, our gal is starting to bloom, and you seemed to have validated it, so she may be awkward for a while.”
“Great.”
“Aren’t you happy for her?”
“Just hope she’s OK.”
“She will be. And remember she still thinks the world of you, but just even more now.”
“Another bonus babe?”
“Pretty much, stud,” followed by the expected gale of laughter.
“Why is there no technical manual for this kinda thing?”
“Stick around and you may get to write one.”
“I guess. So how’s your evening?”
“Oh, just chillin’ with Mom, we settled on the news stories, not really paying attention though.”
“Sounds about right. Waybill…you still free tomorrow?”
“Until you capture me.”
“Your voice dropped.”
“Mmmmm.”
“Well, at the moment I can’t really think about that, you know…”
“I’ll see what we can do to remedy that.…although, um, Uncle Frank is about due unfortunately.”
“Yeah it’s on my calendar.”
Silence.
“Or howbout, seems about right.”
“That’s better, soldier. Nite you”
“Love you.”
“Love you.”
As soon as he hangs up, there’s a knock-knock.
“Yeah?”
Another knock-knock.
Nick cracks the door, Sam pulls his face down, plants a reciprocal smooch, then scampers off behind Tim’s door.
The only thing he can do now is finish the brownie, find the classical station, finish the decaf and try to fall asleep. Sometime in the night that 8-10 ounces of decaf will want out, but until then he recalls that time he ran into Noreen this week at the cafeteria. She was on her way out but he insisted on pulling her to a secluded spot, squeezed her heartily and they shared just one more two-beat smooch.
“Nick, this is the one time you get away with this, and thanks.”
“You still on track?”
“Yeah getting there, Thanksgiving weekend will be the last hurrah - hope you guys can come out to the shop for dinner?”
“I bet that can be arranged.”
She pauses a fat second then taps his nose, “Good, see ya.”
After a mutual cheek peck he lets her walk on and stands there a few, then heads in to lunch, and then back to lying on his bed.
Deej didn’t work that day and so that chance encounter felt a tad clandestine, but she seemed glad he made an effort just the same.
However, it’s not long to his thoughts shift to when he responded to a strong leading to check in on Steve Stass since Nick hadn’t seen him around this term, only to find his office occupied by someone else.
Nick didn’t feel right asking around, so he caught Deke on the phone,
“Oh man, didn’t I mention that? Yeah they’re both up north, Tish joined a practice and Steve is, well, enjoying a sabbatical I bet.”
Maybe it’s time to try and reach Marci.