much?
She didn’t think he had. David still seemed like the anxious
computer science major she had known years ago. There had been that
brief moment at the entrance to the dorm when before she’d
learned of her father passing away where she thought it might have
turned into something more. Over the years she had thought about
David and how her life could have been different. It wasn’t
unusual to see mixed race couples these days. She remembered her
mother talking with disgust about a local man who had taken up with a
white woman, so the old prejudices still remained, but they seemed to
be fading.
It had
been a long day for her with several classes she had in the city
being rescheduled due to some bad weather. The storms had come into
Pittsburgh early and swept across the hills, sending huge torrents of
rain through the streets. Some of the intersections flooded and cars
had to be re-routed. The lightning was fading as she looked out the
window of her apartment and thought about David.
Jada
walked into the bathroom and looked at her natural hair. Should she
get it done for Saturday? She liked keeping it natural and smooth.
Maybe she would get it braided. She remembered David looking at her
hair in fascination the last time they were together, but she had it
much shorter at the time for college, not the thickness it was now.
Yes, getting it braided might be the right thing to do.
David
lay on the couch in his condo and thought about Jada. He had been
with a few women over the years, but she was always in his mind. Even
the ones he’d dated didn’t stay around very long because
they were always being compared to his image of Jada. It wasn’t
a question of wanting to see her again; he desperately needed to be
with her. How could he let her know how much she had meant to him all
those years ago? So much had happened in the meantime, but he didn’t
care. When she had walked those girls out of the studio and he saw
her, it was as if the clouds had parted. He felt his palms grow
sweaty. The old anxiety was returning, making him nervous beyond all
understanding. He feared it would destroy him, making his attempts to
woo her feeble. Even with all the money he and his company were
worth, one disappointing look from her would destroy him.
Jada was
ready Saturday night and looked up the location of the restaurant on
line. It was in the city, near a very swanky part of town. She
checked her bank account and made sure she had the money needed to
get her there and pay the parking ticket. She expected David would
foot the bill, he seemed traditional enough in that respect and he
had no money troubles as far as she could tell.
She
checked out her outfit and liked what she saw. It was a tight dress
which showed off her cleavage to anyone who wanted to check it out.
She’d bought it on a whim last year and had saved it for the
right occasion. It fit her dancer’s body to perfection. She
liked the way the color set her off. It was just enough red to draw
some attention, but not too much. Her make-up might need a little
fixing, but the rest of her face was in order. She picked up her
purse and went downstairs to catch the cab she had called to take her
to the restaurant. She didn’t want to risk parking downtown and
a cab was a good alternative. It might be a little on the expensive
side, but this was an important date. In some ways it was a reunion.
David
had the valet park his SUV and went in to see the hostess. She asked
if he wanted his usual seat and he told her no he was expecting a
female friend and could they put them some place a little more
private. She found a small table in the back of the restaurant which
overlooked the river and he thanked her. Now all he had to do was
wait for Jada.
While he
waited for her, David checked his cell phone for any important
messages. There were none he needed to attend to right away. The
email was routine and could be dealt with in the morning. He thumbed
his tie and hoped the knot in