Moving past the First Date

Here it is Monday again - I know there are other days in the week but it seems like Monday comes much quicker every week.  Does anyone else have this problem?  I thought that was supposed to go away once you retired.  

I left continuing this week's story until yesterday.  Pressure - no not really.  My muse had given me a few ideas as I was cleaning up the kitchen.  Ray and I were planning an outing and I told him I'd be ready at 1:00 and lo and behold my muse came through - I was ready AIC (ass in car) on time.  The story drags on - I had full intentions of ending it this week but it didn't happen - we are getting closer though - I feel it.

Hope you all have a good week and enjoy this ongoing story.



She would never have called herself a coward but when she saw Charlie Gentry coming toward her the only thought in her head was to get out of there and fast.  She didn’t want any confrontations right now.  She put the car in reverse and promptly backed into a vehicle that was in the parking lane behind her.  ‘Damn it.’ Was her first thought. ‘Now you did it, dumbass.  You’re not only going to have to come face to face with Charlie but have to deal with the person whose car you just backed into.  Thank God, I wasn’t going fast enough to cause too much damage to the car or the driver.’  

She wasn’t quite finished unbuckling her seat belt when Charlie was at the car door.  She was glad it was locked because it gave her a minute to gather herself together before facing him and what she was sure would be the ‘angry’  car driver.

“What the hell did you think you were doing?” she heard the other driver yelling before Charlie said a word.

“I’m sorry.  I didn’t see  you.”

“How the hell could you not see me?  Did you even look in your rearview mirror because I’d be damn hard to miss in that truck?” the driver said as he pointed to his now dented vehicle.  Diane was appalled – the other vehicle was a tow truck and it was true she had never looked in her rearview mirror.  She was face to face with two angry men.  Her mind was racing and when her phone buzzed she quickly glanced down and saw the call was from her boss at the paper.  She could barely breathe.

The next thing she knew she was lying on the ground and those angry faces were above her asking if she was okay.  Too shocked and not knowing what happened she couldn’t answer and stared blankly.  Another face came close to hers and the strong smell of ammonium inhalant brought her back to reality.  The stress of what had just happened caused her to faint.  It had happened to her often in her early years when she was confronted with situations that were stressful but it hadn’t occurred in years.  She was helped to a sitting position and assaulted with questions about her well-being.  Once she had recovered enough to suit them, they helped her to stand.   Still somewhat in a fog, she docilely walked with Charlie Gentry as he began leading her away from the scene.  With each step, her mind became more and more clear.

“No, no. What about my car? What about leaving the scene of the crime?”

“Diane, I’ll handle it.” Charlie said in his most soothing tone.”

“Okay,” and then she remembered this was Charlie Gentry. “How are you going to handle it?”  He laughed then.

“No worries, Diane. Our personal issues will happen at another time and place.  Right now, I only want to make sure you’re okay.  My assistant will bring your car up to the building after sorting through and handling the particulars.” Diane knew she would be grateful but that niggling fear still hung back in her mind.

True to his word Charlie brought her to the reception area and sat with her until his assistant returned and handed Diane the keys to her car.  “All settled, Ms. Randolph.  Your insurance company has been called and notified with the information from the other driver.”  Since the accident occurred on private property, so to speak, there will be no charges.”

Charlie Gentry told his assistant that he was going to take Ms. Randolph home and asked that she follow them in his car.  “If that is okay with you, Diane.”

“Yes, I’m a little woozy right now and I’m not sure I’m fit to drive.”

Charlie drove her home without incident.  He was the perfect gentleman and Diane understood why he was so well thought of in the community.  She was still reeling from the details of the day when her phone buzzed again and she saw the face of her boss. 

‘Shit, I forgot about that,’ she said to herself. Expecting to be berated at the very least and fired at the most because of her harassment complaint to the county supervisor about Charlie Gentry, she dreaded facing the inevitable but she immediately clicked on the phone anyway.  “Are you okay?” she heard her editor say.

 “I’m fine - sorry I didn’t get back to you sooner.”

“Just so you’re okay.  Mr. Gentry’s assistant phone and explained about the accident.  What I was calling about was another story I wanted you to cover, but it can wait until tomorrow.  Take the rest of the day and we’ll  meet in the morning.”

Diane breathed a sigh of relief.  Apparently, he didn’t know about her visit to the County Supervisor and she hoped he’d never find out.  Now all she had to deal with was Charlie Gentry.  Knowing what she did, she didn’t blame him for being upset – she had almost ruined his reputation over a trivial matter.   But angry or not, he had just helped her out of a real jam and in the most gentlemanly way.  He was a conundrum or was it her that couldn’t seem to separate the fact that he was a gentleman but that he could also think she deserved a spanking.

‘There was that niggling thought again.’  This time she felt a shiver as the thought of him giving her a spanking formulated in her mind.  ‘After all, how bad could it be?’

Later that evening, Charlie called to check on her.  He asked if he could bring dinner by so that she didn’t have to think about fixing something for herself.  She told him not to go to any trouble she could always open a can of soup.

“A can of soup is not dinner.  Do you have a preference, if not, I thought I’d stop at Asian Kitchen and pick up some Chinese.”

“Why are you being so nice?”

“Because I am nice and I happen to like you, even if you have proven to be a handful.”

“Charlie, you have no idea and if you ask for references I’m sure you’ll back off in a hurry.”

He laughed.  “Chinese it is. I’ve always like a challenge.  I’ll be there in about thirty minutes.’

When he arrived with two very large bags filled with food she was ready.  She had spent her thirty minutes primping herself and the apartment.

“What did you do, buy out the menu?” She asked when she took the bags from his hand.

“I wasn’t sure what you liked and what we don’t eat we can always donate to the shelter.  Do you have anything to drink?”  Diane still had trouble realizing this guy was for real.

“There’s some beer and an open bottle of wine in the fridge. Is that okay?”

“What kind of beer?”

“The kind I drink. What you thought perhaps I might have stocked up on your preferred brand after reading up on you as background for our last interview?’

“There’s the feistiness I know and have come to expect from you.”

“Charlie, before you make me sorry about having you come over and I’m pretty sure you will, I want to thank you for today.  I really appreciate your kindness.”  He laughed.

“What are you laughing at?”

“You.  You seemed to except the worst of me.”

“You threatened to spank me.”

“I didn’t,  I only asked if you thought your behavior earned a spanking.”

“Isn’t that the same thing?  Besides the second time, you mentioned a spanking would be of great benefit to me.”

4

 He laughed again. “You’re correct and I still feel that way but I didn’t threaten merely mentioned my thoughts on the matter.” 

There was that nervousness in her stomach again and something else – a certain wetness that was a telltale sign of her excitement.  She rolled her eyes.

See you later for more Aimless Ramblings.