Standard disclaimers apply.
Second Chance
Kaitlyn and Marissa were talking when Gary came up to the table. He noticed that they seemed to be laughing with ease. He smiled. "I'm afraid to ask what is so funny?"
Kaitlyn turned and saw Gary standing behind her. He was wearing a pair of jeans and a light blue, short sleeved button down shirt. She returned his smile.
"Marissa was just telling me, how it is not unusual for you to be standing in this room soaking wet." Kaitlyn laughed.
Gary looked at Marissa. "What did you tell her?" He said.
"I was just telling her about the time Patrick was cleaning the windows and you got so angry at him you kicked the ladder and the bucket fell on your head." Marissa laughed.
"Sure get a cheap laugh at my expense." Gary smiled.
Marissa got up and said, "I'll leave you two alone. It was nice to meet you Kaitlyn. I hope we'll be seeing more of each other." She touched Gary's arm as she walked passed and smiled.
"It was nice meeting you too Marissa."
Gary sat down in the booth across from Kaitlyn. They both just stared at each other for what seemed like a lifetime. Kaitlyn finally broke the silence. "I hope you don't mind that I asked Detective Armstrong where I could find you." Kaitlyn said.
"No not at all. I was going to call him myself to find out if you were okay. You are okay, right?" The way he looked at her showed that he was concerned.
"Oh, I'm fine, no worse for the wear. Thanks to you." Kaitlyn blushed.
"So, um when would you like to have dinner."
"When?" Kaitlyn got speechless.
"I actually don't have anything planned for tonight? There is a little Italian restaurant down the street that serves great pasta." Gary smiled.
"Tonight? Um, well." Kaitlyn pushed a lock of hair behind her ear. "Well, um, do you like baseball?" She asked.
Gary chuckled, "Baseball? Who doesn't? It is America's pastime you know?" Gary leaned across the table towards Kaitlyn and whispered, "What I want to know is," He hesitated then continued. "Are you a Cubs or a White Sox's fan?" He smiled.
Kaitlyn started to laugh. "Well actually I just love baseball. You see my brother-in-law is Greg Madison, the pitcher for the Mets." Kaitlyn could tell that she had Gary's attention, so she continued. "I would have to say that I am a Cubs fan, unless they are playing the Mets and my brother-in-law is pitching, well then I am a little torn. So, um, about dinner I was thinking more on the lines of a hotdog, beer, and baseball. You see I have tickets for tonight's game and um would you like to go with me?"
"Are you kidding? I couldn't think of a better way to spend the night." Gary blushed.
"Well actually it wouldn't be just me that you would be going to the game with. It would sort of be me and my two daughters." Kaitlyn looked down at her hands. Gary could tell that she was nervous.
"Gary I was married. I'm not anymore, it's been over for a long time, but I have two daughters.
Gary looked at her and smiled. "You have two daughters, huh? How old are they?"
"Jessica just turned six last month, and Casey will be four in September." Kaitlyn grinned. "Although they can be a handful at times, they're the best thing that ever came out of my marriage. Kaitlyn shrugged. "They're my life."
"Well I think that is swell. I'd very much like to go to the game with you and your daughters."
Gary could tell by the look on Kaitlyn's face that she was shocked at his last comment.
"I'd like that too."
"Kaitlyn so you know I've also been married before. No kids though. I've been divorced for almost six years now." Gary rubbed his hand across the back of his neck. It was something Kaitlyn already noticed he did when he was nervous.
"Well I guess we have something in common then don't we." Kaitlyn smiled. "Okay, I have to take care of a few things before the game and pick up the girls at my mothers. So, can I meet you here at say 6:00?"
Gary suddenly remembered that he had to stop a man from being pushed off the EL platform at 6:30. "6:00 would be okay, a, we can take the EL to the game. Because you know it wouldn't be a real ballgame experience unless we took the EL to Wrigley." Gary smiled.
Gary had such a little boy in a candy store look on his face. She couldn't resist his request. "Okay. I'll meet you here at 6:00 then.
Gary nodded. He watched Kaitlyn walk towards the door. Before she left she turned around one last time and waived. Gary smiled.
After she was gone, he quickly pulled the paper out of his back pocket. Walking towards the bar, he began to scan the articles to make sure nothing new had appeared. The cat jumped onto the bar in front of him. "Meow."
"What? There is nothing new here. I just have to stop that fight and I'm home free. Don't you go messing this date up for me, you hear me?" Gary groaned.
"What date?" Marissa asked.
"Oh, Kaitlyn and I, and her daughters are going to the Cubs game tonight. That is if the paper and that cat don't screw it up." Gary waived the paper in the air.
"Her daughters?" Marissa asked surprised.
"Yeah, two daughters Jessica, 6 and Casey soon to be 4." Gary smiled.
"I like her Gary." Marissa smiled. "Who knows maybe tonight is the first of many nights to come."
"The way my life goes, don't hold your breath on that." Gary hoped that she was right. "I have a little time do you want me to help you with those invoices?"
"That would be great." The both headed off to the office.