Lucky Connection
Trevor watched Maggie and Jacob talking from the end of the bar. He had his fingers crossed that this match would stick. He was getting tired of being on Earth. He was watching the couple so closely he didn't hear Claire at first.
"Trevor, are you listening to me?" she asked, snapping him out of his daze.
"What?" he asked.
"I said you should probably avoid your room for a day or two. I don't want you sitting there like a zombie staring at the damn beads," she said.
"Ok, ok. I get it. You don't want me obsessing. Look…I'm not obsessing. I'm not even near them," he said, pointing to Maggie and Jacob. Claire just shook her head. Over at the other end of the bar Maggie and Jacob were deep in conversation.
"So you're a teacher?" she asked, sipping her beer.
"Yeah, middle school special ed," he answered. Maggie nearly choked on her drink.
"You're joking right?" she rasped.
"No. Are you alright? Do you need a glass of water?" he offered but she shook her head 'no'.
"I didn't mean to startle you or anything," he apologized.
"No need to apologize. It's just…my daughter, Katie, has Downs Syndrome and so it just took me by surprise when you said you teach special ed," she explained. She'd never been this open with a stranger before.
"I can't believe I'm saying this but the bartender told me I should talk to you," he said after a minute.
"He's something of a match maker…from what I've heard," Maggie added with a smile.
"Is that so?" Jacob questioned with a raised eyebrow. They fell into silence, contemplating their drinks.
"I should be getting home. My daughter's sitter has to be home in an hour," Maggie said after a while. She stood up and reached for her purse. Jacob stayed her hand, pulling a couple bills from his wallet.
"I got it," he said, tossing the bills on the counter. He caught Trevor eyeing him and just shook his head. The pair headed outside and he walked Maggie to her car. They reached it and she stood there, rummaging in her purse for the keys. Just as she found them and unlocked the driver's side door, Jacob placed his hand on her arm, stopping her.
"Do you…want to meet for dinner tomorrow night?" he asked, unsure of whether he should have asked. She contemplated it for a minute.
"I think that would be ok. If you don't mind eating in," she replied.
"I love eating in," he assured her. She pulled a piece of paper out of her purse and scribbled down her address.
"How about you come over around six thirty?" she suggested and he nodded.
"It was great to meet you," he said, bending down and shutting her door for her. She smiled and waved at him as she pulled out of the parking lot. He couldn't help but smile to himself as he headed for his own car.
Trevor had watched the pair head outside and as now running outside to catch Jacob before he left as well. He caught him just as he had opened the driver side door.
"So…how'd it go?" Trevor asked, catching his breath.
"We're having dinner tomorrow," he answered before climbing into the car. Trevor stepped back so he could pull out. Once the customer was out of sight, Trevor pumped his fist in the air and headed back inside. He slid into the seat next to Claire.
"They've got to give this one to me," he sighed.
"Don't get cocky, Trevor. Don't want to let yourself down," Claire chided.
"Yes, Doctor," Trevor teased.
'Just don't go snooping around spying on them," she added as she stood up. With that she gave him a wave and headed out the door.
The following day Trevor tried to focus on work but all he could think about was Maggie and Jacob. He knew he shouldn't interfere. Claire would find out and never let him hear the end of it. He was sitting at the bar in Taggerdy's when he decided he needed a change of scenery. He headed outside and strolled along the Chicago streets, heading for Claire's office.
"Oh, hi Trevor," Jackie greeted when he walked up to her desk.
"Is Claire around?" he asked.
"She's in her office. I think she was about to go to lunch," the secretary answered. Sure enough Claire walked out of her office, jacket and purse draped over her arm.
"Trevor, to what do I owe this disturbance?" she asked. He smirked and followed her to the elevator.
"Just wanted to see how you were doing after the big shebang," she answered as the door closed behind them.
"Uh huh, sure you are. What do you really want?" she retorted.
"I guess I'm just nervous. I never thought about how nerve-wracking this whole match-making thing was until I came this close to going home," he sighed.
"Coming to grips with your delusion is a good thing, Trevor. It means you're getting better," Claire tried to tell him.
"I'm not delusional," he grumbled as the doors opened and they stepped off on the first floor.
"So what makes you so sure that Maggie and…" Claire trailed off as they headed down the street.
"Jacob," Trevor supplied.
"So what makes you think they're a match?" she asked.
"Well they are both good people and he's the kind of guy she needs. He understands where she's coming from with her daughter and he can help her too," Trevor answered, pausing at a pretzel stand.
"Like I said, I sure hope you're right," she muttered, waiting for him to buy the pretzel.
"You want one?" he offered. She smiled and nodded. He ordered one.
"Don't think you're off the hook," she said, waving the pretzel in his face.
"Off the hook for what?" he asked.
"Missing sessions," she answered.
"I already said I was sorry," he whined as they continued down the street.
"So what are you going to do when you make one hundred matches? How will you know when you can go back to Olympus?" she asked.
"Well it should just happen. And you're just flattering me aren't you," he answered.
"Can't get anything by you can I?" she sighed.
"So what you'll just disappear?" she asked.
"Something like that. Oh face it, you're going to miss me when I'm gone," he snickered.
"Just don't leave before I finish my book," she teased.
"But it would make a great ending," he laughed.
"Some how I don't think my editor would appreciate 'and then he disappeared into thin air and I was proved wrong. He wasn't a poor delusional man. He was in face Cupid'," she chuckled.
