The Pickup Chapter3

 

   We were lying on Normas bed.There was a candle on the other side of the room. It gave off a warm glow. Norma put the ashtray on the headboard and turned her hip into mine, one arm draped lazily across my chest. "What do you think of the music?"

   "It's beautiful, mostly old standards..."I said.

   " My Funny Valentine...maybe the most perfect song ever written...in my book anyway.Do you hate it when a woman you've just had sex with asks you what you're thinking?"

   I smiled, "not a thought in my head...just listening to Chet Baker and watching the shadows on the ceiling. How about you?"

   " I was thinking about that girl?"

   " The wedding girl? Why?"

   " I don't know...it's weird but did you notice anything about her?"

   " What do you mean?" I turned to her so we were lying face to face.

   " I mean what did you talk about when you went back to the table?"

   "A little about being a D.J...I told her about some weird weddings I worked at and other things I've done."

   " And then you danced, right?"

   "Yeah, we danced...two slow ones and then we left."

   " Did you ask her what she did?

   I sat up for a second and refluffed my pillow. " You know...I definitely remember thinking

about it but it didn't come up."

   "Whose idea was that?"

   " Going home? you mean... my idea, I was tired...why?"

   "  And when you got her home, you kissed her on the cheek?"

   " Yeah, I told you earlier."

   "Just kissed her cheek and then came over here?"

   " Yeah...," I leaned forward and softly kissed her."our lips fit together nicely,don't they?

She ran a hand through my hair and I could feel her nails lightly scraping my scalp.We stared into each others eyes for awhile.

   "You don't think it's weird that she never gave you her name?"

   I laughed then. "What is it with you and this girl anyway?"

   She smiled back, "think about it...isn't it strange that you meet a woman,drive her to a club,dance with her, talk a bit..." She sighed, Then drive her home...and never get her name?"

   " Yeah, you're right,it's a little strange...I guess"

   "And even stranger that until now...you didn't even realize it...did you?"

   " No I didn't. It wasn't a big thing with me, Norma...the night was young, she wanted to dance...I took her to the Red Room"

   "Well I'm sure glad we reconnected tonight," she said

   "I am too."

   She put her palm on my chest. It was warm."One more thing and then I'll drop it. When you were at my table in the club and I saw her...well, she was very cool looking I guess you could say.And the thing is...I don't think she would have looked any diferent if you would have been sitting next to her"

   "That cool huh?"

   " I wouldn't call it cool...I don't know what you call it. Power maybe...you watch yourself with that one Joe." Before I could reply she hopped out of the bed, turned off the music and doused the candle. A few minutes later, she was asleep and just as I was about to take that last step into unconsciouness, I heard wedding girls voice in my mind. The thing she said to me after I kissed her cheek and turned to walk back to my car.

   "Thank you Joe, it was nice meeting you. I'm sure we'll see each other again."