I wasn't sure what kind of response I would get once that door was opened.
Let's just say the last time we talked, it didn't go all that well.
There was no answer. I rang the doorbell again.... giving up, I had just turned to leave when I heard my name...
I stopped, stood there for a moment, then turned around.
"Hey," I said, not knowing what else to say. I waited to see what kind of response I would get. What happened next surprised me. She put her arms around my neck, pulling me to her as we hugged one another....Nicole and me...who would have thought? It was nothing like the times we'd spent together before. When we finally let go one another, I saw a small smile on her face, almost like she was apologizing for something...why I didn't know.
"You want to come in?" she asked. Maybe this wasn't going to be so bad after all. The place hadn't changed much since I was last there.
"I, uh, I talked to ma tonight," I said, getting right to the point. "I just wanted to say thanks...thanks for being there for her." From the look on her face, I could tell she knew what I was talking about.
"Believe it or not, I think she was there for me as much as I was for her. Deep down, she really is a strong person."
I didn't respond, still caught up in being there, seeing her, and that hug. We both sat down, she sat in the chair across from me. She was the first one to talk. When I realized what she was talking about, I let her continue without interrupting.
"When the planes crashed into the towers, I had no idea what to do. Somehow I made it to my parent's home. I was sitting there, all alone, watching the news. Thousands of people were missing...among the missing were firefighters and police officers. I was in shock. Despite everything that'd happened, I still worried about you. I kept trying to call you...I just wanted to know if you were okay. Of course the phones weren't working...eventually I thought of Angela. If something had happened to you, I figured she would know. It took hours to get to your mom's bar. When I finally got there, she was sitting in front of the TV, just staring at it. I called her name a few times but she just kept staring at the TV. Finally, I sat down on the barstool next to her and took her hand in mine. I could tell from the look in her eyes that she didn't know anything. We sat there for hours, watching the TV. Sometimes we talked; other times it was very quiet. Too quiet. At some point, I tried my phone and found it was working. I dialed my father's phone number. He answered on the second ring. I don't remember what all was said except that I asked if he could call someone. I needed to find out if you were alright."
"You called your father to find out about me?" I had asked.
"Yeah, crazy huh? I remembered him talking about playing golf with some Chiefs or Sergeants or something. I could tell he was shocked by my question. I don't remember his exact words but I remember telling him "this is important to me." He must have believed me cause two or three hours later he called me back. He didn't have any details other than that you had been on duty following the collapse of the towers."
"Before, during, and after they collapsed," I added.
"It was a tragic day for a lot of families," she commented before looking at me, "But I'm grateful that you're okay."
"I'm just glad ma wasn't alone," I added.
"I like your mother," Nicole replied, a smile on her face. "To tell you the truth, I missed her.
"Oh no, not the two of you."
"What? I always liked your mother. At least she cares about you. I wish my mother showed half the concern for me as Angela does about you."
"She worries too much."
"She loves you Maurice."
"Yeah...you two talked since then?"
"No, not really," Nicole explained. "She's your mother. She and I being friends would only get complicated."
I guess I understood what she was saying. What Nicole and I had was really just great sex. But she'd been there for ma and I owed her for that. If she wanted to be friends with ma, what could I say?
So, ma and Nicole hung out with one another. She even spent Thanksgiving with ma and me. Her folks were off somewhere and ma didn't think she should spend the holiday alone. Dinner was great. I never knew Nicole could cook. Then again, the only time we spent in the kitchen didn't include cooking. The countertop and table maybe, but that's another story. Ma likes to think of Nicole as the daughter she never had. As long as it doesn't involve Nicole, the Justice of the Peace, and me well, that's okay by me.
There was no answer. I rang the doorbell again.... giving up, I had just turned to leave when I heard my name...
I stopped, stood there for a moment, then turned around.
"Hey," I said, not knowing what else to say. I waited to see what kind of response I would get. What happened next surprised me. She put her arms around my neck, pulling me to her as we hugged one another....Nicole and me...who would have thought? It was nothing like the times we'd spent together before. When we finally let go one another, I saw a small smile on her face, almost like she was apologizing for something...why I didn't know.
"You want to come in?" she asked. Maybe this wasn't going to be so bad after all. The place hadn't changed much since I was last there.
"I, uh, I talked to ma tonight," I said, getting right to the point. "I just wanted to say thanks...thanks for being there for her." From the look on her face, I could tell she knew what I was talking about.
"Believe it or not, I think she was there for me as much as I was for her. Deep down, she really is a strong person."
I didn't respond, still caught up in being there, seeing her, and that hug. We both sat down, she sat in the chair across from me. She was the first one to talk. When I realized what she was talking about, I let her continue without interrupting.
"When the planes crashed into the towers, I had no idea what to do. Somehow I made it to my parent's home. I was sitting there, all alone, watching the news. Thousands of people were missing...among the missing were firefighters and police officers. I was in shock. Despite everything that'd happened, I still worried about you. I kept trying to call you...I just wanted to know if you were okay. Of course the phones weren't working...eventually I thought of Angela. If something had happened to you, I figured she would know. It took hours to get to your mom's bar. When I finally got there, she was sitting in front of the TV, just staring at it. I called her name a few times but she just kept staring at the TV. Finally, I sat down on the barstool next to her and took her hand in mine. I could tell from the look in her eyes that she didn't know anything. We sat there for hours, watching the TV. Sometimes we talked; other times it was very quiet. Too quiet. At some point, I tried my phone and found it was working. I dialed my father's phone number. He answered on the second ring. I don't remember what all was said except that I asked if he could call someone. I needed to find out if you were alright."
"You called your father to find out about me?" I had asked.
"Yeah, crazy huh? I remembered him talking about playing golf with some Chiefs or Sergeants or something. I could tell he was shocked by my question. I don't remember his exact words but I remember telling him "this is important to me." He must have believed me cause two or three hours later he called me back. He didn't have any details other than that you had been on duty following the collapse of the towers."
"Before, during, and after they collapsed," I added.
"It was a tragic day for a lot of families," she commented before looking at me, "But I'm grateful that you're okay."
"I'm just glad ma wasn't alone," I added.
"I like your mother," Nicole replied, a smile on her face. "To tell you the truth, I missed her.
"Oh no, not the two of you."
"What? I always liked your mother. At least she cares about you. I wish my mother showed half the concern for me as Angela does about you."
"She worries too much."
"She loves you Maurice."
"Yeah...you two talked since then?"
"No, not really," Nicole explained. "She's your mother. She and I being friends would only get complicated."
I guess I understood what she was saying. What Nicole and I had was really just great sex. But she'd been there for ma and I owed her for that. If she wanted to be friends with ma, what could I say?
So, ma and Nicole hung out with one another. She even spent Thanksgiving with ma and me. Her folks were off somewhere and ma didn't think she should spend the holiday alone. Dinner was great. I never knew Nicole could cook. Then again, the only time we spent in the kitchen didn't include cooking. The countertop and table maybe, but that's another story. Ma likes to think of Nicole as the daughter she never had. As long as it doesn't involve Nicole, the Justice of the Peace, and me well, that's okay by me.