A Love Like That

Excerpt - Chapter 1

Mary's tears mingled with the hot, steamy water as she closed the book she was reading and laid it on the small vanity next to the bathtub. What a wonderful story. Such a happy ending.

Slowly raising herself out of the water, she reached for a towel and began to dry her body. An image in the mirror across the small bathroom caught her eye. I'm sure not much to look at anymore. I used to have a body that made men stop and stare. Where did the time go? It seems like only yesterday.

Mary's thoughts traveled back to when her husband was alive. She tried to drum up good memories. This is crazy. Here I am trying to convince myself that my marriage was so wonderful. I better stop reading those romance novels before I begin to believe that love should be like that. People don't really talk things over when there is a problem, find a solution and live happily ever after.

Even Donna and her husband, Bill, don't have that kind of a marriage; they are always arguing. It drove Mary crazy. She almost hated to see her daughter come to visit. Donna has been telling her that she shouldn't live by herself in this big house; it's too much for her to take care of properly. What does she think I've been doing all these years? Sure, it's not as easy as it used to be, but this has been my home for almost forty years, and I'm not going to move into one of those apartment complexes for old people. I'll die right here. At least she didn't have to put up with anyone's ramblings but her own. Bill keeps telling Donna to leave her alone, but she keeps picking at Mary, thinking she'll give up sooner or later. She just wants the house for herself. She thinks I don't know, but I overheard her tell Bill she wanted to move here as soon as she could talk me into going to Sunnydale Apartments. What a name for a place for old people, sounds like some kind of insane asylum -- the Sunnydale Institute for the Criminally Senile.

Laughing, Mary stepped in front of the mirror and brushed silver strands of hair in place. "There," she said, "I'm sure glad I let that nice girl down at the beauty shop talk me into this short new style. It looks a lot better. Now, I better get going or I'll be late for the meeting."

Once outside, Mary began to feel better. The sun shone brightly on rose bushes lining the sidewalk to her front door. She breathed deeply. The sweet scent reminded her of the part in the love story where Brent had covered the bed with rose petals before carrying Serena into their honeymoon cottage.

"What are you daydreaming about, Mary?" Sylvia's voice startled her.

"Oh," she laughed, "I've just finished reading the best love story. You've got to read it!"

"Humph. It's a bunch of nonsense if you ask me, all that mushy malarkey. They make up all that junk so they can sell books to old fools like us. Well, I'm not buying them. If you want to waste your money, I guess that's your business." Changing the subject before Mary had a chance to say anything, Sylvia continued, "Say, have you seen the gentleman who just moved into the old Hanley place down the block?"

"No, I haven't met him yet, but I hear he's quite a looker."

Sylvia scowled. "Aw, who cares about that at our age? I have to get back to weeding my flowers." Sylvia's hand searched the bed of zinnias and came up with a lone weed as she asked, "Where are you off to all dressed up?"

Mary smiled at her neighbor and answered, "To a meeting of the Environmental Committee."

"You sure get involved in things, don't you?" Sylvia said as she stood, pulled off her gardening gloves and walked away without waiting for an answer.

"Well, somebody has to," Mary mumbled as she started to walk toward City Hall. Deep in thought about the agenda for the meeting, Mary didn't see the speeding car. She only heard the sound of screeching brakes.

The sight of a body lying on the ground made Mary shiver with dread. She fought the arthritis in her legs as she moved quickly toward the accident.

A young man was standing over the still body. As Mary approached, he turned toward her, his eyes glassy with fear. "I didn't mean to hit him. He walked right out in front of the car and I couldn't stop in time."

"Pull yourself together now and go call an ambulance." Mary leaned down to the man's face. "He's still breathing. Hurry up! Go!"

Blood was trickling from a cut above one of his eyes. Mary found a tissue in her purse and wiped it away. A lock of dark hair streaked with gray had fallen down on his forehead. She gently pushed it back. No five-o'clock shadow fell on this face. It was really tempting to run her hand across his clean-shaven cheek. It had been a long time since she had touched a man. Could this handsome stranger be the man Silva was talking about? Mary wondered. The man's eyes opened, but before either of them had a chance to say a word the ambulance arrived and the attendant rushed over to them.

After strapping the man on a cart and loading him in the ambulance, the driver said to Mary, "Okay, let's go. Here, let me help you in."

Mary began to protest, but the driver lifted her into the back of the ambulance and closed the doors.

"Your husband's full name?" the attendant asked.

"This man is not my husband," Mary answered.

"But, I... since you came along..."

"Young man, the driver did not give me a chance to say anything before he whisked me off with you. I was only helping. I saw this man get hit by the car and went to give assistance."

"I'm really sorry, lady."

"That's all right, but if you could call me a cab when we get to the hospital I would appreciate it."

"And I appreciate what you did to help me," came a deep voice from the cot.

The attendant started questioning. "I need your name, address, and phone number, but first, how do you feel?"

The man chuckled, "Like I've just been run over by a car."

Mary laughed with him, and noticed that although his face was scratched and he would have some bumps and bruises, it did not affect his handsomeness. She began to blush at the thoughts that were going through her mind. What nonsense, I must be going through my third childhood. I'm too old for a second one.

Curt noticed the sudden redness of the woman's face and wondered what she was thinking about that made her face turn that color. Blushing had gone out of style, or so he had thought. "Anyway, I meant what I said about you being so nice and helping out. If there is ever any way I can repay you, please don't hesitate to ask. And I'll gladly pay for a cab to take you wherever you were going."

Before they were able to introduce themselves, the ambulance arrived at the hospital and Curt was sped away on a gurney into the emergency room.

The attendant called a cab and soon Mary was at a meeting that was well under way. But her mind couldn't concentrate on what was happening; instead it stayed on the man she had left at the hospital. She got up, left the room as inconspicuously as possible and went to the pay phone in the hall.

"Memorial Hospital," answered a smooth voice.

"Hi, Jenny, this is Mary Kain. I came upon the scene of an accident a little while ago and the man was rushed to hospital. I didn't get his name but can you tell me how he is doing?"

"I'm not really allowed to, Mary. All these new privacy laws prohibit us from telling anything about anyone." Jenny lowered her voice to a whisper, "But since you volunteer here at the hospital, you're almost an employee, so I will tell you that there is no need to send a card to the hospital for Mr. McRight."

Mary said, "Thank you," then began to tell Jenny the whole story. Suddenly she felt very foolish. She was rambling again, just like Donna always told her she did.

"Just tell him Mary Kain called and I'm glad to hear he's all right."

Butterflies were flitting around in her stomach and her heart was pounding as Mary read the note for the third time. It said, "Thank you so much for your kindness. I would like to repay you by taking you out to dinner. Please call me at 555-8398. Thanks again. Curt McRight."

She picked up the phone, and then set it back down. This is silly. He only wants to thank me. It's not exactly a date. It's just that I haven't been out to dinner with a man in such a long time. Maybe I shouldn't go. I'll probably make a fool of myself, spill something or start to say something and forget what I was talking about, like I do so often.

Mary jumped as the phone rang. What if it's him? What will I do? Oh, this is stupid, she thought as she picked up the telephone.

"Hi, Mother. What are you doing?"

Mary sighed with relief as she heard her daughter's voice. "Not much. Just reading a note from a man I helped the other day. He wants me to go out to dinner with him."

Donna's laughter jumbled some of the words, but Mary understood the meaning of them all. "You aren't serious, Mom. Go out with a man at your age? I'd say you were a little too old for such foolishness, wouldn't you?" Donna's laughter suddenly vanished as she continued, "I called to let you know they have an opening at Sunnydale and you can move in by the first of next month."

"I told you I am not moving to that place, not now, not ever, so just forget it. And for your information I am not too old to go out with a man. I'm not exactly dead you know. I still have a lot of living to do." With that said, Mary hung up the telephone. Crazy kid. She only thinks of herself. Does she care what I want?

Mary picked up the telephone once more and dialed the number on the note.

"Hello."

"Mr. McRight, this is Mary Kain." I'm going to make a fool of myself, but here I go. "I would like to accept your invitation to dinner." No response came. Mary heard only the faint tick, tick, tick of the clock on the wall as silence stretched out. She began to panic. Oh, no, he's changed his mind. I shouldn't have called. Donna's right. I am too old for this.

"Oh, yes," came the reply at last. "I am sorry. It seems like I get more forgetful every day. Now, how I could forget you is beyond me." He chuckled. "I'm glad you called. Would Saturday night be all right? Say I pick you up about seven o'clock?"

"Yes, that would be fine. Where are we going, so I know how to dress?"

"Well, I hear there's a good dinner and dance place in town. How's that with you? Do you like to dance?"

"I love to. I mean I used to love to. I haven't been dancing in a long, long time. I'm not sure if I still can," Mary stuttered.

"Sure you can. It's just like riding a bicycle, once you learn, you never forget."

Mary laughed as she answered, "I never learned to ride a bicycle, but I'll be looking forward to Saturday night. Good-bye now."

"Good-bye. Now don't forget, seven o'clock."

Mary hung up the phone and jumped up from the chair. She suddenly felt young again. The record player beckoned. She flipped on the switch and the voice of Frank Sinatra filled the room. Holding out her arms as if she had a partner, Mary waltzed her way into the kitchen. A million thoughts bumped around in her head as she fixed lunch.

I need to get organized. This is Wednesday already and I have a lot to do before my big date. I know he is only taking me out to repay me for helping him. He'll probably never call again. But it's not likely I'll ever get a chance like this again. Before you know it, Donna will find a way to get me into that old people's place, so I intend to enjoy every minute of Saturday night. Let's see now, I need to make an appointment to get my hair trimmed and go shopping for some new clothes. Maybe a bright-colored dress and shoes to match. Yes, that would be perfect. So what if it costs a lot of money, I can't take it with me. Mary laughed at herself. She had always been so careful with her money; it seemed as if someone strange had suddenly taken over her body and her mind.

I think I'll go find Sylvia and tell her about my date. I can't wait to see the expression on her face. She'll be green with envy.

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A Love Like That

DiannaNicolai

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A Love Like That

Excerpt - Chapter 1