A Super Romance

I'd see her at the Corner Coffee about once a week. I go there everyday for lunch. It's conveniently close to my office, but she's such a random element of brightness that walks in only sometimes during my afternoon hour. I'd be lying to myself if I didn't say that the only reason I did go there every day was because I knew I could count on her to show up at least part of the time.

Max was with me today, being a good work colleague he sometimes shares his lunch hour with me rather than his new wife. He'd go on about her sometimes, which is fine and I'm happy for them both, but it simply serves to remind me just how single I really am.

Today was my lucky day though. She showed up almost right after I did, and ordered a mint chocolate coffee and a muffin. Her name's Karen. I discerned that from her orders being called by the barista, but I knew very little else about her. She's as tall as I am, almost exactly, which is striking for a woman to be six foot two. Her blonde hair only fell to above her shoulders, the strands framing her face with the rest pulled back to a tight bun. Her eyes were the brightest blue that only emphasized her lazy smile and casual manner. She was athletic, to be certain, and one could tell by her defined legs. Not too muscular, but smooth and toned. The rest of her gorgeous figure was never on display. She wore more conservative clothing, perhaps a sign of a businesswoman or executive. The modest clothes couldn't do much to hide her sizable chest though. She was amazingly well-endowed and went to some lengths to hide that fact. Maybe she wanted to be recognized for her merits up the corporate chain rather than her assets?

"Thad, just go ask her out," Max said, breaking my whole appreciation process. "You've not heard a damn word I said, and you just keep staring. If she notices you she'd think you're a creeper."

My mouth agape, I came back with a witty retort. "Nuh-uh."

"Whatever. I seen you staring at her before, and it's always a challenge to keep your attention when she's here."

"Sorry, sorry, what were you saying?" I asked. She was wearing a lovely cardigan sweater today, a deeper reddish hue, with black pants that hugged her hips to a tantalizing degree. The sweater would help keep some of this New York winter's cold away, but not that much. She didn't even wear any kind of jacket! She must truly defy generalities of females and not mind the cold.

Max pointed toward his laptop. "Well, the invert elevations don't seem to match the reference points we set up the other day. I'm thinking it has to do with the building that superhero group moved into. They've probably got some kind of equipment throwing the readings off."

"Is it something we can send an assistant to re-do or do we have to recalculate the whole mess?" I was half paying attention to the surveying jargon coming from Max's direction, my head still tilted the other way.

"I'm not sure if the entire set is wrong or not, I just noticed it and haven't checked the rest of the sites yet..." Max trailed off, focusing on his computer.

Karen got up, and started walking to the door, stopping to fix her coffee before she left. I had turned around in my seat almost completely to watch her go, my heart sinking at the prospect of her leaving.

"Seriously man, just go," Max told me.

"What? No, I couldn't, she's gotta have a boyfriend or something," I muttered.

"You don't know that. Here, make you a deal," Max said as he leaned in, a grin on his face. "You go ask her out right now. If you do, I'll cover the recalculation on this grid, and I'll cover for you the rest of the day. Half day."

"All I have to do is ask? That's it?"

"Just go get it out of your system," Max told me, his tone serious. "Trust me, it'll be better for both of us."

"I don't know..." I said as she strode out of the shop, making her usual left turn toward next week.

"Half. Day. Dude! Thad, it'd be an early weekend!"

I faltered, I was nervous, but Max was right. Who was I to not try? And if he's gonna cover for me it's all the better. But... "What do I say? I'm not the pick-up line kinda guy."

"Just tell her you think she's beautiful, we both know that much is true. Hurry up man, she's getting away!"

"Okay. Okay. Okay," I stammered. I quickly strode toward the door, made the left outside, and saw her blonde head bob down the Manhattan avenue. I chased after her, making easy time since she wasn't in any hurry it seemed. The street was packed with people. Dodging other pedestrians was harder on a busy sidewalk, but people can tell a man in a hurry.

I didn't call out to her until I was almost alongside her. "Miss? Excuse me, miss?" She turned my way and looked in my eyes as I got lost in hers. She smiled at me.

"Yes?" She smiled at me. It was like my knees turned to liquid, my heart rose out of my chest, and my tongue caught in my throat all at once, but I kept it together. Right.

"You forgot this," I said holding up the paper coffee cup sleeve I'd grabbed on my way out after I noticed she didn't take one.

"Wow, how thoughtful," she said with a mark of disbelief, but the smile remained.

"Please, allow me," I offered, since her other hand was holding her purse and take out bag with her muffin.

"Well thank you, kind stranger, I don't know what I'd have done without you," she joked as she handed me her cup.

"Well, it's a tough job keeping the citizens safe from evil coffee cups, but someone has to do it," I said as I handed her cup back, now well protected. "I'm Thad, by the way."

"Karen," she responded. "Nice to meet you Thad."

"I, uh, just wanted to tell you that I think you're gorgeous, Karen," I said, the nervousness returned to my voice ever so slightly. I felt like a child, like I should be looking down, hands behind my back, twisting my foot in the sandbox, yet I couldn't keep my eyes from hers.

Her smile vanished, her mouth opened, and her eyes rolled skyward before they closed. My heart sank a little, but I pressed on just the same. Some good had to come of this, right?

"...and I'd like to take you out sometime," I finished. I waited and read her ever-changing expression. Her eyes came back to mine for a moment before they dropped, and she smiled smugly.

"Sure, Thad. That sounds nice," she said, taking on an air of apathy. "I like Chinese. Meet me at Xiauyu's on Atlantic in Brooklyn tomorrow night at seven. But for now I gotta fly." She dashed me a smile, a real one and not a simple pleasantry, and walked away. "See you tomorrow!"

I must have looked dumbstruck, with some silly grin on my face, but I didn't care. I jumped and pumped my fist in the air. I did it! The most beautiful woman I'd ever laid eyes on is meeting me Saturday night for a date! I almost ran back to Corner Coffee, but I was too enthralled with the notion of tomorrow night.

I opened the door to the shop and looked Max dead in the eye. "I'm taking the rest of today off, sucker! Ha ha!"

---------

I made sure I was early, and even checked to see if I could make reservations, something set off to the side so as to be as intimate as possible. I checked my wool overcoat at the door, and went to the bathroom for a pre-game solo pep talk. I checked my hair in the mirror, adjusted my tie, cuffs, and waistline. I even applied a bit more cologne so it was still noticeable. Jittery nerves don't even begin to describe what I was feeling.

The restaurant was definitely a step up from simple American dining. Perfectly dimly lit in reddish hues, it had Chinese artwork, statues, and arrangements all over its somewhat small interior. The prices on the menu I checked out online beforehand suggested it was nicer than your average restaurant, and it did indeed impress. Even the bathroom was clean, scented, and had a small waterfall decoration built into the wall. Perhaps it was more of an aid than a decoration.

When I came out of the bathroom, there she was, looking around, waiting for me. She was radiant. Since it was winter she had another sweater on, this one a light blue, cut at the neck to the exposed right shoulder. She was still doing well to cover up her bosom, which in many ways made it even more sexy. She wore a plain white skirt that had frills at the bottom, showing her lovely calves, and blue flats. I suppose she didn't want to appear any taller than she already was. She wore her hair well styled, combed straight down but with a flip upward at the bottom. The whole look was kind of fifties-housewife, with the exception of the somewhat suggestive cut in her sweater. It truly worked on her. Then again, I think she could pull off just about anything.

Eight o'clock on the nose. Certainly can't fault her for punctuality.

"Karen?" I asked as I approached her. She turned to me and smiled. "I'm really glad you came."

"You think I'd stand you up?" she said, looking confused.

"Well, I'd really hoped not, since you were incredibly specific about the where and when..."

"If I really wanted to blow you off, I could have just given you a fake phone number, that's my usual M.O.," she said as she glanced around looking at the art.

"I'm, uh, flattered?"

She looked back to me, a bit embarrassed. "Sorry, it's just that it happens and there's a lot of creeps out there," she said. "But you seemed nice!" She shrugged with an apologetic smile.

"I suppose that's points for me, I guess."

She grinned. "Yeah, it is."

I turned to the host as he approached and let him know we had a reservation, and for a specific table at that. He was most agreeable and sat us immediately. I let the lady lead, for on every count I wanted to be seen as a gentleman. And I loved her curves under that skirt.

"You've been here before?" she asked.

"No, but I checked it out online and just asked if we could get more private seats - I hope that's okay with you?" I asked with concern.

"Yeah, yes, it's very okay with me," she said almost to herself as she looked over the menu, lips upturned. "Bonus points, even."

I smiled back. The cuisine was fine, the company the finest. We talked for the couple hours we were there. She told me about her company (her company!) Starr Enterprises and how it was doing scientific research to help the environment, but they're just getting started. She's got hiring to do, and working with certain people is a nightmare, and the interviews she's had, and how she's just not as organized as she ought to be...it was actually very interesting. Not only is she gorgeous and pleasant, but motivated and confident enough to tackle a whole company on her own! She told me about her new apartment here in Brooklyn, and how she picked this place because it was close to where she lived. She talked about her cat, who was up until recently nameless, but is now called Stinky. It was the mangiest ugliest excuse for a cat, but she loved it anyway. I told her about my work as a surveyor, my place in Queens, my office in Manhattan, and my friends and co-workers. We discussed current events, like the effect superheroes are having on global trends of terrorism, why they're needed in today's society, and if their price of power is too high. She jokes about them like she knows them, and perhaps she does, considering her influence as a CEO.

Dinner came to an exquisite close with red bean ice cream. "May I give you a ride back to your place?" I asked.

She faltered a bit, a smidgen of worry on her face as her eyes darted away. "Uh, I think I'm just gonna walk, it's not very far."

"Isn't Park Slope like, more than twenty blocks from here?" I asked.

"Yeah, but I like the walk," she looked down, "especially after a meal, you know, metabolism and such."

"Well," I started, "at least let me accompany you home?"

She smiled as she exhaled, and looked back up to me. "As long as you don't mind the walk."

For her? Not even the slightest.

We continued our conversation as we walked, our talk moving to focus on our common interests in music and movies. She's into a lot of jazz and electronica, whereas I'm more into classic rock and alternative. She likes horror films, I like comedies. In the end though there were several things which we both enjoyed, and we talked about them more. Occasionally I'd have to reboot my brain so as to stop staring at her and remember to continue with the conversation.

We arrived at her place, and I walked her up the steps to her front door. It was similar to the other old brownstones in the area, with trees lining the sidewalk that bordered the row homes with the stylized railings and landings.

"Thank you for a lovely evening," she said as she pushed her hair back and looked for her keys. She looked up at me with a soft smile.

"Thank you for saying yes," I said. I had myself all worked up for this moment. I thought things had gone exceptionally well, and I was going to at least try. It was almost compulsion at this point. I leaned in to give her a kiss, but she shied away.

"Oh, boy," she said, exasperated. "Listen, Thad, I like you and all but we only just had dinner and I'm not sure I'm ready for...that...and all that that entails and you do seem really nice-"

"No, I'm sorry, it's okay, really, it's quite alright..."

"-but I don't think I'm ready for all this right now, oh god I'm sorry..." her hands went to her face.

"Really, it's okay," I assured her. "I just really like you, is all. I figured you did too, and maybe you are but just not yet, either way it's..."

Her hands came away and she had a determined look about her. She kissed me right then, mid-sentence, while I was pretty much unaware. It wasn't really sexy or passionate per se, but it did grab my attention and after the initial shock, proceeded to melt me. But it was almost over before it began, like some kind of elongated peck on the lips, but I swear, when it was over I felt something electric, and I think she might have as well.

That is until she pulled away, that same determined look on her face, but a degree softer, and said, "There, ya happy now?" and walked in her building without any further ado.

I stood on her porch looking up at her building, just stunned at what happened. "Well, no, not quite," I said to myself as I realized I never even got her phone number.

---------

I came back to my usual routine in vain hopes of seeing her again at the Corner Coffee, but she never showed. I even tried going by her building a few times. I would knock and ring, I even checked with her neighbors to see if they knew anything, but to no avail. I left a note with my phone number asking her to call me in the side of her mailbox, and then just waited.

I couldn't figure out what happened. I thought everything that night went amazingly well! We talked, we laughed, we even walked together real slow back to her place. I made my move too soon, but was that enough to have her never hear from me ever again? Depressed, I found myself in that same old rut a few days afterward, but now things were worse because I'd blew my chance with my dream girl. Max tried to lift my spirits and get me to go out to the bar with him, but apparently I'd just sulk.

Apparently New York had been struck by some kind of crazy alien attack that had the news abuzz all over town. They called themselves the Zydians and according to the interviews that some of the heroes gave they were a race of humanoid aliens who were trying to reclaim their home. I didn't care. Earth had been "overrun by the stink of humanity" one was quoted as saying to one of the heroes. It was pretty self-contained I suppose, no civilians were harmed. The property damage was pretty extensive, though none of it came close to my place in Queens. Even with it being the talk of the town, I pretty much stayed away from the chatter, lost in my own murk.

Work had kept me busy enough, and I dove right in and made myself that much busier. We were contracted to do survey work on some downtown Manhattan buildings, doing some reset work for the damage that was caused. I'd set up my equipment on an abandoned roof, taking height measurements for precision work for differential leveling, doing stuff that GPS isn't accurate enough to accomplish.

Looking out over the city gives you some perspective. It was a clear, sunny, and cold day. The winds were stronger on the rooftops, gusting at times, and it reminded me of how things can flow so briefly by in life. I suppose I should have considered myself lucky for even getting the chance to have a date with such a bombshell, much less an interesting, funny, and charming one. Hell, when you laid the facts out, she did kiss me, and that's a definite plus. For an average Joe like me it's not half bad.

I looked down at the people and cars below, going about their day, and I wondered what Karen what doing. Not the usual thoughts of why she won't call me, or is ever at home, but just what she was actually doing. Is she at work? Getting her company above water has to be some monumental task. I could have looked the building up where she works and tried to visit her there, but I knew to take the hint. She didn't want to be found. Got it.

Right then the rooftop door slammed open with a gust of wind, which was odd considering it was shut. The super had given me the key to get back down. I looked back toward the opened door, only twenty feet away.

Time froze as we looked at each other, both completely speechless. She held a purse, and was pulling something out of it, then slowly pushed it back in as an afterthought, our gaze still locked. She was in a clean black blazer, red scarf, and white top, complimented by red and black plaid boots that stopped mid-calf to her blue jeans. It looked as if the scarf was ready to come off. I dropped my level, it's clanking noise jarring us from out of stupor.

"Thad?" she asked slowly.

"Hi," I said with a smile, my incredible social prowess coming to bear with such a witty and intelligent means of greeting. I might have tripped standing up, I can't be sure.

"What're you doing up here?" she walked toward me.

"Uh, working," I fired back in retort, full of rambunctious gusto. Onset dizziness is a common affliction, no? "Wait, what are you doing up here?"

She looked around, as if to find a clue, her previous interrogative nature disarmed. "I, uh, I went the wrong way. This is the roof."

"Yeah, yeah it is," I acutely confirmed.

"Crap, I'm late, and apparently I went the wrong way," she stated to the air, hand on her hip.

"Karen?" I said, her eyes full of concern turning my way. "Can I ask you something?"

She looked as if she was steeling herself for some kind of onslaught the way she shifted backward on her one foot. "Yeah?"

"What happened? Why didn't you even call me?" I asked as I stepped toward her.

"I've been really busy," she said, casting her eyes downward. "Damn that sounds so horrible, but please believe me, it's true."

"Okay..." I was feeling more distraught by the second.

"Besides, on your note you didn't leave your area code. I tried it with a couple different ones but never got you."

My heart stopped. Stupid, stupid, stupid! How could I have been so dumb! I've had my cell phone ever since I moved here, so naturally the area code was different. I've done that a thousand times, and apparently one thousand and one is the time I'll learn, considering the stakes of what I might have lost.

"Omigod, I'm so dumb, I'm so sorry. All I wanted was to hear from you again, and I thought you didn't want to see me!"

She shifted again, still obviously uncomfortable. "What I said that night is still kinda true, I'm not sure if I'm okay to date. I mean, when I say I've been busy, I mean it. It always seems like there's never time."

"I understand, really I do," I said, which was kind of a lie. I had no idea what it was like to be so busy you couldn't fit some kind of social schedule in, especially if it was her I was considering. "But...if you tried to call, then it seems you were wanting to make time, right?"