Chapter Four: On the Green, the Golden Brown, and the Sliverberg
BOTH: Good lovin' ain't easy
Good lovin' ain't easy
Good lovin' ain't easy to come by
HIM: Oh, darlin', that's the kind you offer me
It's just the love to be found
HER: 'Cause we're workin' on a buildin' nobody can tear down
BOTH: Look what we've got, ho-ho-ho-honey
BOTH: Good lovin' ain't easy
~ Good Loving Ain't Easy ~ Marvin & Tammi
THE NEXT DAY
Murphy sat in the corner diner waiting for Jerry. It was Saturday, and unlike usual Jerry had left early that morning for a meeting. What the meeting was about Murphy had no idea, it just didn't come up. Jerry told her that he would be finished by eleven and asked her to meet him for breakfast. Avery was in the park playing with Eldin and Murphy told them she would join them later.
Murphy looked towards the door and noticed Jerry making his way past the tables and other patrons. Murphy noticed him and the two made eye contact with a smile to signal the two had seen each other.
"Hey, there." Jerry leaned in and kissed Murphy lightly on the lips; his eyes aglow. He tossed his newspaper onto the table and plopped himself down in the booth. "Sorry, I'm late." Jerry jetted out his arms and then ran his fingers through his hair. "It took me longer to get up here then I thought. Did you order?"
"No, I was waiting for you."
Jerry opened up the menu and purposed it. "Have any trouble finding the place? You didn't end up in New Jersey did you?"
Murphy made a face while Jerry smiled into his menu.
"You know it's been a week? I think you can let up on it?" Jerry tossed the menu to the side and smirked at Murphy.
"No completes from me. I had a very nice. Relaxing. Quiet lunch, alone..." He teased her.
Murphy looked primed to give an even more equal response when the waitress came to take their order. "Order, Jerry!"
"What?! NO! Come on! I've been good." Sometimes, it was more painful to Jerry that Murphy didn't send a barb back to him when she knew he wanted one.
"Jerry! Order," Murphy smirked.
Unhappy that his barb had not been returned Jerry leaned back in his seat and turned towards the direction of the waitress, leaning his right arm on the edge of the booth. A waitress approached them.
"What's your name, honey?" Jerry leaned in to look at her nametag. "Joyce?" the girl nodded. "Ok Joyce. I want coffee. Black. No sugar, no milk, no nothing. And none of that caffeine-free crap. I want caffeine and lots of it. And don't even ask me if I want refills; just keep 'um coming. And… a cheese and onion omelet, rye toast. And I want it hot." He leaned back towards Murphy giving her the cue to order.
"Hamburger and fries," she said, raising her eyebrows, even thought she had seen it many times before, to Jerry's unusual way of ordering.
The waitress took the menus and left Jerry and Murphy alone.
Once she was gone Jerry took Murphy's hands across the table and kissed them. "So, what do you want to do tonight?"
"Tonight?"
"It's Saturday night? It's the one night we have to ourselves."
"Oh, well, I thought we would do what we always do, go out to eat. Why? Do you have a certain place in mind? Ah...There's a new play on sixth and 85th that looks good."
"What? That dump! No, no." Jerry shook his head. "I was thinking we could go someplace special this time…"
"Special?"
"Yeah, special. Different."
"Ok? Like where?"
"How about... Tavern on the Green?"
"Tavern on the Green?"
"Yeah, it's nice; it's near the park..."
"And every tourist this side of the Hudson goes there! Why don't we do what we always do, find some out of the way little bistro in… Soho…"
"I know, we always do that! I just thought we could do something spec..." Jerry let go of Murphy's hand and leaded back into the booth.
"Yeah, special you said that. What's going on, Gold?"
"What? I want to take my girl out to a classy joint, treat her to a night on the town…" Jerry started to stammer a bit. "I just thought that since well…"
"Spit it out, Gold!"
"Alright, Alright. If you look at it today. If you count. We've been together for a… two months that's sort of a record for us? Continuously, that is."
"You mean like an anniversary?"
"Yeah, one of those," he tossed the line to her as if it didn't mean anything, but of course it did.
"Wow, Gold, we've never had one of those before." Murphy was a bit surprised by the situation. Jerry adjusted himself in his seat and looked. "In fact, I can't remember the last time I had one of those with anyone."
"Yeah, I know. It was strange. I was looking over my calendar, doing something for work, and it hit me. I mean there it was in black and white. Two months. Eight weeks in a row. I was in shock. I kept meaning to bring it up, this week. Ya know, but I wasn't sure that it was even worth mentioning. I mean it is only two month, but for us that's a big deal, right? Longevity isn't our strong point." He paused for a moment, a bit uncomfortable. "So... I made us reservations. But if you don't want to go, we don't have to?"
"You made reservations, already? Why didn't you say so?" Murphy got a girlish and surprised look on her face.
"But… if you don't want to go."
The waitress came over and set Jerry's coffee and Murphy's water on the table.
"No I want - I mean. It's just not my kind of place." She paused to find better words. "It's gaudy and big and..." Jerry took a sip of his coffee. It was too hot and he set it down. Murphy looked at him. "But no, this is the new me." Murphy took a breath and made a gesture like she was shrugging if off. "You want to take me out for our… Anni-whatever. So be it. I mean it's in the park, there's a great view. With highly overpriced meals and shrubbery shaped like circus animals." Murphy tried to be pleased with her list, but it was hard. "How bad could it be?" Murphy leaned her elbows and hands on the table. "But it was your idea so it's really up to you?" Jerry looked at Murphy who had gone from convincingly realistic to uncomfortable unsubtle, as each item she listed about the restaurant made her dislike the idea more and more.
Jerry could always see through her. "The reservations are for eight." He smiled at her and picked up his coffee cup, as he readied it for his mouth. "And wear something nice. Preferably tight. And without any underwear. You know… it's a classy joint." He smirked in his king of trash TV tone - anything to get a rise out of her. If Murphy had been closer she would have hit him on the back of the head.
RACHEL'S APARTMENT
Rachel lifted her head off the pillow in a groggy blur. To her surprise her head felt like it had been hit upside the head with a lead pipe, a feeling she didn't like and soon wanted to forget. Rachel looked at the clock in the Cro-Magnon aura of her pre-shower, pre coffee, afternoon. Yes, it was the afternoon, but it felt like three a.m. She made her way to the kitchen after many unsuccessful tries and to her surprise found Miles nursing a cup of coffee at her kitchen table. She was surprised to see him as she racked her mind of the past night. She could hardly remember a thing.
"Miles?"
"You're awake."
"What are you doing here?"
"I wanted to make sure you were ok? You asked me to stay last night?"
"I did?" Rachel started to walk to the table when she stopped. "Miles, what have you done to my Kitchen - its spinning."
Miles helped her to the chair and got her a cup of coffee. "Don't you remember anything about last night?"
"No," she said, as she took a tentative sip of her hot drink. "I remember being at Morty's and then...did I go to the MOMA?"
"Yes, that's where I found you and took you home…"
"You took me home?"
"I sleep in a chair the whole night. You asked me not to leave." Miles was again trying to fish for some reinforcement of Rachel's words from the night before. Had they been true, some drunken hallucination, or perhaps a little bit of both.
"I did?" Rachel racked her brain for the thoughts she could not retrieve.
"Rachel, is there anything you remember about last night?" Rachel thought for a moment. "What you did? Maybe what you said?"
"No, I don't. I guess I went a little overboard?"
"I little overboard!? Rachel, you went from having never touched a drink to..."
"Ok, I became a lush, this has been established!" Rachel took her hand to her head, as her sudden burst of energy was not ready for the rest of her body. "But don't fret, that's the last time I'll be doing that." Miles looked at his watch and Rachel carefully sat herself down across from Miles.
"And you can't remember a thing about last night? Like something you've been trying to tell me for a long time?"
"No, Miles. Stop rubbing it in. I can't remember! You did a good think. Thank you!" Rachel was irritated and Miles was confused. Mostly Miles was sad that perhaps Rachel had not meant a word of what she had said the night before.
"I really need to get to work. I'll see you, tonight. I just wanted to make sure you're alright." He sat up and went for the for the door.
Rachel nodded her head and then looked up at Miles. "Tonight, what's tonight?"
"Dinner with Corky remember?"
"Oh, no." Rachel tried to get up, but her splitting headache sent her back down. "Not tonight, Miles, I don't want to see anyone tonight..."
"But you told Corky you would. She's been looking forward to this all week. It would really mean a lot to her."
"Any night, but tonight Miles. I'm not up to it."
"You can't do this to me, Rachel..."
"I'm not going." Rachel buried her head on the table like a child.
"I'm picking you up at seven. So be ready."
"But dinner with Corky…"
"You really have to give her a chance. Please? Do it for me?" Rachel thought for a moment while Miles gave Rachel his puppy dog look.
"I guess... It can't be that bad, it will get me a chance to get out. At least I won't be the only one being fixed up. I'd hate it if someone did that to me. Left me hanging like that. Ahh, fixed up! I hate that, even the word sounds like I'm in need of repair."
"Yeah, that would be terrible…" Miles looked like he was hiding something and started for the door. "Oh, Rachel?" He turned around
"Yes," she said.
He looked at her as his nerve left him. "We're having dinner at Tavern on the Green so dress nice."
"Tavern on the green? That tourist trap?"
"Corky's idea."
"What time should I be ready again?"
"Be ready by seven, dinner's at eight." Miles went for the door and stopped like he wanted to say something, but edited himself. He shrugged it off and went on.
INTO THE WOODS...
Miles stood in the lobby of Tavern on the Green, the famous Central Park restaurant surrounded by what at night looked like a deep forest out of a fairy tale, or a Stephen Sondiem musical. And it felt like "every day a little death", as Miles waited for Rachel to arrive. She had made him leave without her, promising she would show up, he only prayed she would. He wasn't sure she would, but at eight o'clock sharp Rachel walked uncomfortably through the doors. She wore a lovely simple strapless black dress, with her hair pulled back. A very simple outfit except for the elaborate black heels she wore on her feet. Like most women in Manhattan with a little bit, or no money at all, she had a fetish for a good, interesting shoe. Miles walked away from his date and meet Rachel at the door.
"You're here?" he whispered to her.
"Of course," she whispered back. "So it that one yours?" She motioned her head towards Miles date.
"What?" He looked behind him.
"Your date?" Rachel looked her over. "Looks like Corky did a good job. Pretty. Not too tall. Have you seen mine yet? Have you talked to him?" Rachel looked around.
"Rachel, about that.."
"When Corky called this afternoon and asked me if I minded dating men my own age I should have gotten scared then? I could end up with some skateboarder who delivers her coffee and thinks Rancid is jammin'." Rachel leaned in closer. "I have an idea. We should make signals. You know, if we really can't stand our dates. Some sort of hand gesture or noise. And then one of us can excuses ourselves and go call the other's cell phone and..:"
"Rachel, I have to tell you something..."
"What?"
"Well. My date. Isn't a blind date?"
"You've met her before? How strange? Did Corky know that?"
"No. Corky didn't fix us up. I asked her myself."
"Miles?!"
"I know…"
"The only reason I agreed to this thing was because I thought we were both going to have to be fixed up. I agreed to equal humiliation - that was the deal! If I'm not enjoying myself either can you!"
"We've been out with her a few times. She asked me what I was doing tonight. I didn't want to lie."
"Oh…" Rachel took a gulp and then regained her hysteria. "Well, I'm out of her here…" She turned for the door just as Corky and her boyfriend Lester entered the restaurant, causing Rachel to run right into Corky.
"Oh you're all here!" Corky looked ecstatic.
Lester rested his hands on Corky's shoulders and smiled, his white teeth and blue eyes gleamed. Lester was a handsome man with dusty blonde hair that fell over his forehead. Corky introduced Lester to Rachel, while Lester and Miles made the usual I already know you "hellos". After it all they walked towards the hostess, along with Rachel, who had no choose but to follow, because she was caught.
Miles looked around for his date. "Vivian, there you are," he said, as his lovely brunette date walked down the stairs from the bar area and over towards Miles.
"Vivian Perez I'd like you to me…"
"Les?" Vivian noticed Lester right off the bat.
"Viv?"
"You two know each other?" Miles looked surprised and his voice raised an octave.
"Viv and I went to college together." Lester looked agog. "Isn't that uncanny, Corky?" He hit her arm.
"Wow! That is!" Corky's eyes lit up and she clasped her hands together.
"Yeah, really." Rachel felt that she had to include herself into the conversation, but her heart really wasn't in it. She even nodded her head up and down awkwardly.
"We even dated for a few years."
"A few years?" Miles stated a bit insecurely.
"You both dated?" Corky put on a large fake smile.
"WOW! Lester Brennon! After all these years..." She shook her head.
"Your tables ready. Please follow me," The hostess approached the group.
"We're not all here are we? What about Rachel's date? Is he not coming?" Miles looked around, excited about the prospect.
"Really, I'm fine. In fact, I don't need a date. I should go…"
"No, he's coming." Corky grabbed Rachel's arm, as she started to bolt. "Joseph called me on our way over. He's going to be a little late." Corky took Rachel's arm, as the group followed the hostess through the mirrored hallway with glittering chandeliers. "You're going to love, Joseph." Corky leaned into Rachel and linked her arm with hers, as if they had been best friends for years. "He's already sorry he's going to be late. See, he's a Rabbi and..."
"A Rabbi!?" Rachel's eyes bugged out and she gave Miles a dirty look.
"Sure! You know, I didn't know they could date?"
Rachel looked unnerved, as thoughts of her eighty-year-old Rabbi from her youth echoed through her head. "A rabbi? Did you hear, Miles - she got me a date with a Rabbi?" Miles passed by Rachel who she said the words with no enthusiasm what-so-ever.
"Yeah, I heard." Miles lowered his head, as he passed, trying not to laugh.
Corky smiled. "I wanted to make sure he was Jewish and you never can tell lately."
"You know, Corky, just because I'm Jewish… that doesn't mean I only date Jewish men, in fact Miles' was one of the only Jewish men I've ever dated. Not that I meant it that way. I mean it would be nice, it's just not preferred. You know…"
"Me too." Corky agreed. "Although, Miles and I never really officially dated...well… I suppose most of our marriage was a series of dates." She pounded her last thought for a moment.
"I just mean, I'm not the most religious person. I don't think I'd feel comfortable going on a date with a Rabbi..."
"But I really think you too would be perfect for each other."
The group reached their table, a round table at the center of the room. Rachel watched as the two men pulled out their date's chairs for them. It was very sweet and left Rachel with a melancholy look on her face, as she sat down alone. Rachel sat in a chair towards the door while Corky sat down next to Lester, leaving an empty seat between her and Rachel. Next to Lester sat Vivian and then next to her Miles.
The group decided to order a bottle of Merlot while they perused their menus. Corky looked up towards the door a few times to keep an eye out for Rachel's date. The group had been there for only ten minutes when one of Corky's peers towards the door turned successful. Joseph Greenberg walked up behind Rachel. He was tall, with dark hair and a rugged boyish look.
"Rabbi Joseph," Corky smiled at him.
"Please, Corky, call me Joe," he said sweetly
"Rabbi Joe?" Miles looked at him in shock.
"Miles, hello. How have you been?" He was equally surprised to see Miles.
"You two now each other?" Lester chimed in.
"Yes. Rabbi Joe is the Rabbi at my Temple." Miles didn't look too happy about the idea. Under his breath he murmured an aside for Corky's benefit, "Corky got Rachel a date with my Rabbi. My Rabbi?" His voice became louder. "Wow. How did you two run into each other? How could that happen? How funny?" Not only did Miles hate the fact that Corky had gotten Rachel a date with his Rabbi, but that she got her a date with someone as good-looking as Joe.
"Oh, I remembered him from that time I went with you for PESCA. And then we ran into each other last week."
"Pesce. Pesce," Miles grunted. Joseph tried not to laugh.
"Corky, I didn't know you were Jewish?" Vivian asked.
"Oh, I'm not. I just went with Miles once while we were married."
"You two were married!" Vivian looked at Miles in surprise.
Miles sunk down in his chair and gurgled, "Oh god." Miles looked up at the heavens, his voice in his gurgle mode again. He then proceeded to try and laugh it off.
"Hi!" Rachel shook her hand out towards Joe with a big smile on her face. "I think I'm you date?" She turned to Corky. "He is my date, right?" It looked like all of Rachel's ideas about dating a Rabbi had gone away when she saw how good-looking he was.
"I'm so sorry I'm late. I had some business to attend to. It couldn't be avoided." He took hold of Rachel's hand as they looked into each other's eyes.
All Rachel could think about was how he didn't look like any Rabbi's she had seen before. Perhaps there was a whole section of the male population she had ignored. Joe looked completely enamored by Rachel's beauty and Rachel by his. There was one thing that made Rachel go to pieces and that was a good-looking man, especially one who seemed to like paying her attention. Joe looked just a few years older than Rachel. He had deep blue eyes and dark hair. If you looked up tall dark and handsome in the dictionary one would think that Joe's picture would be the first entry.
"I'm surprised you two didn't meet before!" Corky chimed in and then looked at Miles. "Didn't you ever take Rachel with you when you two dated?
"You and Rachel use to date!?" Vivian sent dagger eyes in Miles direction.
"Ugg." Miles slid further down in his chair. Vivian didn't look happy and Miles could tell. He then proceeded to laugh it off and picked up his menu, sitting up straight. "Why don't we order?" Miles buried his face in the menu. "Oh, look they have lobster. Ohh, I think I'll get that. Corky, Corky… how about you?" He tried to change the subject quickly.
"Well… I don't know it all looks good."
By this time Joe had sat down and began perusing his menu. Rachel stared at Joe in a way that angered Miles, as he sulked behind his menu. The green monster seemed to be rearing its ugly head.
Miles watched as Rachel hung on Joe's every word, the same way she used to behave when they dated. He proceeded to do so all through dinner, making Vivian feel very ignored. Intern this caused Vivian to spend more time catching up with Lester then talking to Miles. Not that Miles even noticed the least bit because his thoughts were on another couple: Rachel & Joe. Corky just reveled in her matchmaking skills.
"So, Joe." Rachel turned to Joe and smiled. "Do you lead services over the entire congregation? It must be a lot to do?" She didn't know what to ask. "Are you called on a lot by your members?"
"While I'm just the Assistant Rabbi so I don't lead services too much. But I am called on a lot by the members for counseling, which I love. Being able to give advice in a spiritual ways, as well as trade knowledge. But I do lead the Friday night services."
"Rachel, hasn't been to a Friday night services in years…" Miles chimed in with a gurgle and a snort.
"Miles, that's not true." She looked at Miles. "That's not true…" She looked at Joe.
"You're always working! You came with me once!"
"I've had to work on Fridays and so worth that's true, but I really want to try and get back into to going."
"She didn't fast on Yom Kippur this year either…" Miles said loudly and pointedly.
"Miles, what are your talking about?" She looked over at Joe. "Of course I did…" Rachel tried to quiet Miles from revealing her secrets.
"It's all right, Rachel. I'm not offended. I think religion is a very private thing. People should be free to express themselves in different ways. If anything it's a spiritual thing we can come back to anytime, but it is always within us."
"Oh, I so agree." Rachel seemed captivated by Joe.
"Oh, brother..." Miles had failed.
"How long did you and Miles date?" Vivian entered the conversation with much curiosity, as well as hurt, from the fact that Miles hadn't told her she would be having dinner with two of his axes.
"Not, that long..." Miles tried to avoid it. "Where's that waiter with our drinks?" Miles looked around for a waiter.
Rachel noticed Miles was trying to avoid the conversation. "We dated for almost a year wasn't it? Miles? I'm surprised he didn't mention it?" Rachel tried to give it back to Miles.
"A year!?" Vivian was not happy.
"It didn't seem that long," Miles tried to protest.
"Maybe that's because you're not counting the month we lived together." Miles was frozen while Vivian huffed.
"You told me you only lived with one woman, Miles."
Rachel smirked. "I guess it slipped his mind considering how small he felt the time was we spent together. Well, I guess compared to your many other relationships it seemed small!" Rachel looked over at Vivian. "I'd watch out for this one, Viv, his relationships are shorter than he is!" Rachel leaned forward. "Unless you count his relationship with his work, that's an ongoing love affair. Kind of like the Internet and Forty-second street whores, it's cheap, it's easy and its always there when you need it with no consequences afterwards."
"I thought there were no more hookers at Forty-second street since Disney moved in." Corky asked, completely confused by Miles and Rachel sudden bust of anger. In fact, the whole table was embarrassed by the entire passing of events.
"Disney. Prostitutes. Same thing," Rachel answered, while still looking in Miles direction.
"Joe was engaged three times!" Miles couldn't believe what he had just said. It just came out. Rachel eyes shoot out and so did Miles' and Joe's. "I mean. I'm sorry. I. I…" he stammered.
"It's ok, Miles…" Joe looked like he was trying not to be embarrassed. "Yes, I was engaged three times, but they all unfortunately ended…"
"No, Joe it's alright you don't have to explain." Rachel put her hand on his arm.
Miles threw his napkin on the table. Vivian noticed this.
"No I want to. I'm not ashamed of it." Joe turned to face Rachel. "The first was my high-school sweet-heart, we were too young. The second cheated on me two days before the wedding, and the third, Nancy. I'm afraid was killed in a boating accident off of Martha's Vineyard. She was a championship swimmer." All the women "aww", in sympathy, and Miles slide sideways into his chair, in the agony of having made the situation better for Joe than worse.
The night continued on pretty much the same way until dessert and coffee had been ordered and the table looked like a disheveled mess. Corky clung to Lester's arm full of the wonderful food. Rachel and Joe seemed to be having a very healthy conversation, which only irritated Miles and his date who of course felt neglected. Vivian excused herself to "powder her nose" as Joe's beeper went off. The entire group looked around themselves and their belongings to see if it was theirs.
"It's me." Joe lifted his beeper off his belt loop and looked at the screen, changing his face along with it.
"Is something wrong?" Rachel inquired.
"I'm afraid I'll have to make my early leave."
Miles feigned his sadness while Corky, Rachel, and Lester served up their disappointment to his early departure. Joe stood up and thanked everyone for the lovely evening, especially Corky for inviting him.
"Rachel?" Joe looked over at her "Would you mind walking me to the door?"
"Oh, not at all." Rachel stood up and followed Joe out.
MEANWHILE….
Outside the restaurant, Jerry waited impatiently for Murphy. She was late. He brought his lit cigarette to his lips, as he paced the damp pavement. It was dark and the street lamps in the park, along with the moonlight, made streaks and blurry images in the newly formed puddles on the pavement. Just then a cab came screeching up to the front of the restaurant, breaking the calmness of the puddles in half. Jerry popped his head up as he heard the car stop short. Jerry could see through the side window that it was Murphy and he threw his cigarette to the ground. The door flew open and a disgruntled Murphy half exited the cab.
"You're late!" Jerry speedwalked over to the car.
"You think I don't know that!" Murphy threw a few bills at the cab driver and exited the cab with a loud slam of the door. She flattened out her red dress, as Jerry reached her and the cab drove off.
"Where have you been!? Another twenty minutes and we'd lose the reservation for good!" Murphy and Jerry walked towards the door as they fought.
"Hey, I called you!"
"Yeah, about an hour ago telling me you'd be thirty minutes late! What? Were you on U.S. Mail time! If this is your way of getting back at me, Brown?"
Murphy stopped at the doorframe of the entrance. She adjusted the strap on her dress that had fallen over her shoulder. "Jerry, if you're insinuating that I was late just because I didn't want to come to this stupid restaurant, that's ridiculous!"
"Stupid restaurant?! Oh, yeah, you're not bias!"
"Jerry, you would not believe the last two hours I have had. Eldin was late. Then he got paint all over my new dress, so I had to change...I got my heel stuck in a subway grate because the doorman was too busy, so I had to hail my own cab! Yeah, like helping an old woman with her groceries has precedence over me! Not to mention the fact that I had to sit for twenty minutes in traffic with the cab driver from hell. So don't tell me I'm doing this on PURPOSE!"
"Wait a second," Jerry's voice flared up. "What is painter man doing painting in my apartment?"
"He's painting a mural for Avery room!"
"He's what?!"
INSIDE….
Joe walked over to the coat check and handed the woman his ticket.
"Rachel, I really had a wonderful time."
"So did I," she said with a slight surprise in her voice.
"I really like to see you again." The woman handed Joe his coat.
Rachel looked down and then up before she spoke. "I really would too but…"
"Oh, I see. It's ok…"
"No, no. Joe, I like you. I mean I really like you. The truth is... I'm just getting over a relationship and... Well… I don't think… I'm just not ready to date yet."
"It's Miles, isn't it?"
"I'm sorry about the way he acted back there. He can really be an ass some times."
"It wasn't just that, Rachel. I saw how you reacted to him and Vivian."
"I did? I didn't think. I mean. Joe, I..."
"No. It's ok. I just got over a pretty bad break up myself." Joe took a card out of his pocket and handed it to Rachel. She took it in her hand. "When you're ready? I'd still love to see you again." Joe slipped into his brown leather jacket and left the restaurant.
Rachel savored the sweetness of the moment, as she held onto the card in her palms. She watched him leave, wishing she was ready to see him again, but she knew she wasn't. But the next thing to happen was never what Rachel had expected to happen next -Jerry and Murphy walked into the restaurant.
Rachel noticed Jerry first causing her eyes to bug out if they could have. She quickly turned around, leaning her hand on the edge of the coat check, thinking it would mask her somehow. She took in quick breaths not sure what to do. Then it hit her. Had she seen him with Murphy Brown? Could that be true? She just didn't want to turn around and double check in fear he would see her. "No," she though, "That would be crazy?"
Jerry and Murphy, still continuing their argument, walked over to the hostess stand. Murphy stood apart, miffed, holding her purse on her hip, as Jerry talked with the woman about their table. As this was happening, Rachel kept her back to them at all times. She crept past the stairs to the bar, next to the coat check, and hid behind the presiding wall which led to the bathroom. Rachel was able to peer out from the corner of the wall to see Jerry and Murphy's back, as they were led down the hall to their table.
Murphy led the way, as Jerry motioned her forward with his arm, a loving gesture, for her to walk ahead of him. All Rachel could see was her father with a blonde woman.
Rachel waited a moment, ready to make her great escape when she realized she had left her purse at the table. She had to go back. Rachel took a breath and tentatively made her way through the hallway. She poked her head around the corner of the main room, where her table was, looking for Jerry and his date. There was no sign of them. They must have been taken to another room, but Rachel didn't want to be too careful. She needed to get out of there as fast as she could. When she approached the table Miles could tell she was distressed.
"I think I should be going." Rachel leaned down and took her purse off the edge of her chair.
"Rachel, you don't have to leave," Corky assured her with her happy tones. "We just ordered dessert."
"No, I'm not really feeling well. I think I should get home. But thank you, Corky, for everything. Miles." Rachel turned to Miles. "I'll see you." She noticed Vivian was missing. "Please tell Vivian it was very nice to meet her." She turned to Lester. "Lester."
"Rachel," Lester responded.
Rachel smiled and made her quick, yet paranoid, exit.
"I'm just going to check my messages…" Lester took his phone from his pocket, before excusing himself from the table.
"Did Rachel look upset to you?" Miles looked off and past Corky.
"Well, I think it's obvious," Corky whispered. "She liked Joe, but I think he found her too abrasive."
"She's not always like this all the time. She's been very stressed lately. It comes out when she's stressed. She has a lot on her plate."
"Stress from work?"
"Well, yeah, but I think the real reason…"
"It's ok, Miles, I know."
"know what?"
"Give me a little credit, Miles. I mean I'm in the business too!
"Oh! You mean about Rachel getting fired," Miles whispered the word fired.
Corky rolled her eyes. "Yeah, what else would I be talking about?"
"Well, her father showed up on her doorstep, she hadn't seen him since she was I think fourteen."
"Well, that's great! Why would she be stressed out about a thing like that?!"
"It's more complicated than that. She won't tell me the whole story, but he apparently has a reputation in her family as being a real jerk, not to mention the fact that when I say she hasn't seen her father since she was about fourteen. I mean she saw him once when she was fourteen and a few times before that not seen she was about ten and he left town… or when her grandparents got legal custody – she's iffy about the details."
"Oh."
"She feels she can't trust him and I think it's eating her up inside. I hate to see her like this. She's told me in the past she always wanted to meet him, but because of what he did - in the past - she can't..." Miles stopped his thoughts and looked straight ahead.
"Miles? What were you going to say?"
"I think I should go check on her. I should see if she's alright. Do you think I should?" He looked at Corky. "I'm going to take her home. She's had a tough night."
"What about Vivian?" Corky asked as if to say, "You can't just leave."
Miles stood up. "Tell her I'm sorry. She'll understand." Miles patted Corky on the shoulder and in almost a daze walked away, leaving Corky alone at the table.
"Excuse me, Ms. Sherwood?" As soon as Miles was gone Corky heard a male voice next to her. She looked towards her left and looked up at a handsome man in a dark suit and dark hair looking down at her. He had a thin, yet husky build and broad shoulders. Corky smiled at him, as he smiled back with his square jaw. He looked of money. Corky observed his details so distinctly because she felt she recognized him from somewhere, but she couldn't figure out from where. "My name is Victor Champion, I'm sorry to interrupt your dinner, but I just had to come over and introduce myself."
"Victor Champion?" Suddenly, she placed his face by the name. "The media Mo-" She stopped herself.
"Mogul. You can say it. It's alright." He lowered his head in embarrassment. "It's not like I haven't heard it before."
"I mean..."
"It's alright, really... I happen to be on way out, so I can't talk long. But I hear rumors you're not so happy at ABC." He sat down in the empty chair next to Corky.
"Where did you hear a thing like that?" Corky laughed off the comment with her southern politeness.
"It's all right, Ms. Sherwood." He leaned in and whispered, "I am in the business." He then looked up and Corky followed his gaze towards the door. Corky noticed a tall curly haired, buxom blonde, impatiently singling Mr. Champion. He stood up and looked back at Corky. "I have to get going." He took a business card out of his pocket. "I'm starting a new cable station and I'm looking for someone to flagship the channel. And I feel you could be that person."
"I'm flattered, but I'm really fine where I am." Corky was lying through her teeth.
"Well, at least think about it." He handed her his card and Corky took it. "I have a feeling if you hear what I have to offer you may reconsider."
As he walked away Corky thought about why she told the man what she did – that she was happy at ABC. Sure Victor Champion was considered a mogul, but it was in name only. He had some money, but his company was just starting out again, the last cable station he started caused him to go into bankruptcy and Corky didn't want to be a casualty of that. It just didn't make any sense. Corky had a reliable job, which once she became establish in, would lead to better stories. Sure, she was unhappy now, but it would get better. Corky was always taught that a seedling just needed some water and some love and it would sprout big and strong. And her job would be the same way. Her family taught her stability and god were the most important thing in a person's life. Another thing her family always affirmed was the reliable choice is the best choice. Not that Corky always kept to that advice much earlier in her life, then later, but lately Corky didn't feel like taking to many chances. Everything now was so good she didn't want to shake things up. Another thing she was taught, "If it ain't broke don't fix it." This was of course what she was telling herself –not what she believed.
OUTSIDE…
"Rachel!" Miles yelled to Rachel, as he passed through the door to the restaurant, leaving it behind him.
"Miles, what are you doing here?" Rachel cleared the awning of the restaurant
"You looked upset?"
"Miles! What is wrong with you?!"
"With me? What about you! I can't believe the way you acted!"
"I acted? What about you!"
"Me? Me? What about you? Fawning all over him. "You're so smart, Joe you're so funny,"" Miles voice was mocking.
"Miles, I never did that!"
"You did! Yes you did!" Miles voice became agitated.
"Miles, get over it!" Rachel stepped into the car park and looked around for a cab.
"Rachel?" Miles called and ran after her, grabbing her arm in the middle of the driveway.
"Let me take you home."
Rachel pulled her arm away. "I'll take a cab." The two had stopped in the middle of the driveway and a car came honking towards them. Miles and Rachel got out of the way. "What is with you?"
"You just seemed so distracted and hurried when you left I thought you were upset."
"Yeah, Miles, with you- for the way you embarrassed me and Joe. And yourself. Not to mention your date. "
"You don't have to hide it, Rachel."
"Hide what?! You know if we're going to stand here like this I have to have a cigarette." Rachel pulled her sliver case, with the letters J.A.G on them, from of her purse and took out a cigarette and her lighter.
"Do you have to do that?"
"Yes, I do!" she said, as she lit the cigarette with her sliver lighter. "Now, what is it I don't have to hide? I happen to be an open book, thank you!" She placed the sliver case back in her purse along with the lighter.
"Oh yeah, an open book," he scoffed sarcastically.
"Good-bye, Miles!" She started to go.
"Wait!" Miles stopped her. "I know about Rabbi Joe... Dumping you."
"He didn't dump me, Miles? He was called away." Rachel took a puff on her cigarette.
"Well…"
"In fact, he asked me for another date," she said with confidence.
"Really?"
"Yes!"
"Did you accept?" Miles tried not to show how flustered he was.
"I don't know... he's not my type."
"Oh, come on, he's so your type - smart, well educated..."
Rachel gave Miles a look. "Don't forget good looking." She took a drag off her cigarette.
"…Can get you in to all the swanky Bar Mitzvahs in town," Miles tried to make a joke.
"Very funny, Miles. You should be on Leno." She looked into his eyes while he smiled back at her. "I have to go." Rachel began to walk the wrong way, away from the exit and closer to the woods.
"Rachel!" He yelled back at her. "It's ok. I know!"
"Know what?"
He caught up to her. "I wasn't sure if you meant it, or if I still did, but I always have and the way we both acted tonight proved it."
"Miles, what are your talking about?"
He walked closer to her, as she took another puff and held her cigarette away from Miles. "I know...you love me." Miles got that cocky look in his eyes.
"Excuse me?" Rachel sent a few ashes from her cigarette to the ground and scratched her thumb on her fourth finger - something she did when she was out of herself.
"But it's all ok! Because I still love you too." And Miles kissed Rachel.
BACK INSIDE
"How's your food?" Jerry asked Murphy, as they sat eating their meals.
"Does this taste funny? Jer, taste this? Does this taste strange to you?" Murphy began to pile up some food onto her fork.
"Why do people do that? They don't like the way something tastes, they offer it up to someone else to taste it. Like hey, I just ate horseshit - here partake in the mystery."
"Just taste it!" Murphy shoved a fork in Jerry's direction.
Jerry took a bite. "That's fine, Brown, really it tastes fine…." he said after taking a bite.
"Can I try yours?" She pointed to Jerry's plate.
"Sure, but I don't know about this sauce?" Jerry handed Murphy his folk. "I could make better than this. There's not enough seasoning in it." Murphy took a bite and Jerry took his fork back to his plate.
"And what makes you such the expert all of a sudden," Murphy said, as she pushed her food aside.
"BecauseI actually know how to cook the food I'm digesting!" Jerry smacked his fork back on his plate.
"So do I!" Murphy shot back.
"I wouldn't call what you cook food, Brown. Kind of like calling what you do to Aretha Franklin records singing."
"You know you always think you know everything!"
"Well, when it comes to cooking I think I know a little more about it then you. In fact, I'd venture to say a giant heaping portion more than you do!"
"If you call what you do cooking?" she asked, in her sarcastic tone, blowing off the comment as if there was no way Jerry could counter it.
"Hey! I thought you liked my cooking? I believe you once referred to it as heavenly!" His head titled on his last word.
"Well, there are a lot of things I lie about when were alone, Jerry!"
This worsened Jerry's mood. "Hey, my mother was half Italian...'
"Oh, that's always your answer when it comes to this. My ethnic heritage. I'm sorry, but I wouldn't brag about having pasta and peas as a family heirloom to pass down to future generations!"
"Hey! That's a valid Italian dish! And what delicacy have the Irish brought us… Haggish?!"
"Haggish is Scottish, GOLD! NOT Irish!"
"Oh, I'm sorry - am I confusing my Anglo-Saxons! You know how easy it is to tell you all apart!"
"What's that supposed to be some kind of..."
"Why are you always looking for an argument, you never complained about my cooking before?" Jerry got an evil look on his face, like a bull ready to charge. "And if memory serves me here, Brown, you had no complaints when I cooked for you on our THIRD date! But then again I forgot foreplay for you consists of "hi, how are you!" He gestured with his hands.
"I was faking, Jerry! Fake ING!" Murphy perched up in her chair and into Jerry's face.
Jerry's face shook with anger and Jerry gesturing downward with his index finger. "I know faking, that was not faking!" Jerry leaned forward in his chair, until his and Murphy's head met at the center of the table.
"Oh, yeah! Wanna see!?"
"I'd like to see you try. This place closes at eleven, you know! You think we have the time!" Jerry gestured with his fingers
"WATCH ME!" Murphy's head shook, as she slammed her hand on the table.
AT THE SAME TIME
Outside Rachel pulled away from Miles' kiss. "Miles, what are you doing? You're talking crazy?"
"Come on, Rachel. It's ok. I know." Miles got that shy confident look in his eyes.
"know what?"
"Last night..." Miles lowered his head like a schoolboy and then looked Rachel in the eyes. "When I was putting you to bed you told me you still loved me." Rachel opened her month half way and stepped back. "I tried to pretend it didn't mean anything to me, but it did." Miles walked closer to Rachel, as she started to back away.
"Don't be so cocky, Miles, I'm sure I said a lot of things when I was drunk. I WAS DRUNK! I probably said I the loved the homeless man on my corner." Rachel tripped on a pothole."… and the Beach Boys. I think quoting me in that's state is not a smart option." Rachel took a drag off her cigarette and continued to walk farther into the woods.
Miles followed. "You said you were hiding something and then you said it straight out! "Miles, I still love with you and…""
"Well, I was drunk!" Rachel looked at her cigarette. The dampness of the air had blown it out and she threw it to the ground, making sure to stomp it out firmly with her foot.
"Yes, and people tend to tell the truth when their drunk."
Rachel spun around and faced Miles. "And people tend to show their true feeling for others when they would rather spend their nights and weekends in a cold office building then..."
"Rachel, we're in the news business, you know just as well as anyone how time consuming…"
"But Sunday, Miles! You promised me Sunday's! I trusted you. All I wanted was one day. That's all I asked for. You couldn't even give me that. Maybe you just didn't want too!"
"Of course I did! But, Rachel, you're just enough to blame on that end as I am..."
"I may be, but I tried to make time, Miles. Sunday, Miles. Sunday!? That was supposed to be for us, Miles. We promised that! And you took that promise away! Who works on a Sunday?!" Rachel continued to walk away from Miles.
"Rachel, don't walk away from me!"
Rachel stopped and looked around. Not because of what Miles had said but because she didn't know where she was. "How did we get here?" She turned to Miles as he approached her. They had ended up somewhere in the park.
BACK INSIDE
Corky sat alone at the large table for six. She felt like she had been waiting there forever. Corky had a funny feeling in her stomach which she wasn't sure was from the food or something else. She decided to go to the bathroom and check up on Vivian. Corky made her way past the tables and into the hallway leading to the lobby and the bathrooms. As she past one of the rooms she heard the faint noise of muffled yelling. For a moment she thought the timbre of the shouting sounded familiar, but she shook if off, even after a few scared waiters fled in and out of the room. This was followed by someone who looked like the manager rushing in behind them.
Corky turned past the coat check, opening her purse as she walked, to make sure she still had her compact and lipstick. She closed the purse closed as she made her way towards the bathrooms. Just as she did Corky stopped in mid foot. Her eyes were wide and her month gapped open at what she was seeing. Up against the corner of the wall, and the bathroom, between a potted plant and the door that read "women" were Vivian and Lester making out like teenagers on prom night.
"Lester!" Corky screeched.
Upon hearing Corky's voice Lester looked over at Corky, breaking away Vivian's lips. Both Lester and Vivian looked frightened and ashamed.
"Corky…" Lester spoke, as if his next words would be some sort of explanation, but Corky wasn't standing around to hear it, for in a flash she was gone.
After Corky had made her way out the front door, fifteen minutes later, Jerry and Murphy exited the restaurant as well – also not in the best of moods.
LATER
"Well, thanks a lot Gold! Another place we've been kicked out of thanks to you. The Russian Tearoom, the Zoo and now this!" Murphy noticed Lester and Vivian making out by the front door. "HEY, get a room!"
"And I did it all by myself, huh, Brown! Hey, I didn't go to the Zoo with you?"
"Oh, that was just me," Murphy grumbled for a moment.
"Well, it's still early, why don't we take a carriage ride through the park?"
"A carriage ride? Wow, Gold, that's… romantic?" She seemed pretty shocked.
"What? I'm romantic! I pride myself..."
"Yeah, but you're not... Conventionally romantic! And a carriage ride?"
"As I was saying I pride myself on my originality."
"Yeah, you're an original, that's right," she said sarcastically.
"Hey, any yuckle can bring flowers, and besides, I like to surprise you, make you laugh. And don't tell me I didn't just surprise you?"
"You don't think this is a bit too, domestic for us – normal?"
"I'll yell rude comments at the driver," he smirked with his eyebrows, if that was possible.
ELSEWHERE...
"We can try Rachel?" Miles followed after Rachel. "We both can. I can try not to spend so much time at work..."
"The same way you tried with Corky and with Audrey and Jackie..." Rachel stopped walking again and looked at him.
"Hey, hey, don't do that...that's not fair! I could just as well bring up all of your past relationships as much as you... how about Tom, Eric…"
"Stop it !"
"Jeremy, Tony."
"MILES!"
"You know I was fine with our relationship ending because I assumed that all the reasons you brought up about our jobs and me working all the time, and conflicts of interest, which made us argue all the time and the age thing and so on - was because they made you fall out of love with me! I figured that was something I couldn't change."
"You have a significant track record for putting work over your relationships, Miles!"
"And you have a track record for leaving men before they leave you." Miles hit a nerve.
"That's not true."
"But… you said!"
"I was drunk!"
"Hey, you didn't even know what I was going to say. You remember don't you? You remember what you said last night?" He pointed at her.
"This is crazy!"
"Do you love me, Rachel?"
"I will not be second fiddle to your work, Miles."
"I can change! I want to change, Rachel!"
"As I said Miles, you have a long track record for…"
"That was different."
"HOW?"
"They weren't you!" There was a pause of shock from Rachel, which gave Miles the leeway to put his arms on Rachel's shoulder without direst. "Ok, so we both have a problem. But I think if we both want to change - we can do it. I know you think right now you can't trust me. That you can't trust anyone who let you down. But you can. I mean, when will it stop? When will you be happy if you keep doing this?" There was no answer from Rachel." I see. You're just going to go on leaving them before they can leave you. So you make the decisions! You're the one in charge!"
"Yeah I control it, I say yes. It's my life! I'm tired of giving second changes, Miles! I always get let down and back where I started. "
"Just because you feel the world turned its back on you doesn't mean you have to go turn you back on it. And I'm the last person who wants to jade you any further then you already are."
"I am not jaded! I'm just scared. I mean! Oh! You're right! Ok, you're right! You see it's more than that, Miles. I mean? I...I… began to not trust myself around you. I started to become a different person with you, Miles. I mean more different then I have ever been with any other man and it scared me!" Rachel began to pace. "I felt like myself, but not… It was like you were inside of me, for real. In my head. And all I could think of was if it felt this good now, it would feel ten times worse when you left." Rachel stopped and absorbed her last thought. She turned towards Miles. "I guess I never really realized that 'till you were gone."
"And I guess the more I began to love you the more I took you for granite. I realize that now too. I love you, Rachel, and I know you love me."
"I want to trust you, Miles, I do..." She whined.
"Trust me... please... I trust you." He moved in closer. Rachel took off Miles glasses, and they both leaned in for a kiss. This time both parties were willing. They broke away for almost a moment for Rachel to speak three words to Miles.
"I love you." And Miles leaned in and kissed her again.
SOMEWHERE ELSE IN THE PARK
"Well, that's just great!" Murphy walked down a white, lace looking footbridge deep in the park, with Jerry close behind. "You had to get us kicked out of the carriage ride too!"
"Oh and I did all by myself right, Brown?"
"Yes! Yes you did!"
"Don't give me that! You were laughing…"
"I was not! Do you always have to be soo belligerent…"
"Me?! Who is it who can never let anything go without a fight!?"
"Ohhh… Me?"
"New Year's Eve nineteen..."
"Oh, not this again! You always bring this up!"
"Because, it's a prime example of how you can never let anything go without a fight!-"
"Ohh, give me a break."
"You'd think once. Just once you could let one thing slip by, but no! Everything is a criminal offence!"
"And I suppose I'm the only one who-"
"Hey! At least I try. You don't-"
"Like you try when were around my friends! You think you could make a little effort! Could it kill you! You have to be so difficult. It's a totally lack of respect on your part!"
"Respect!? Respect!?"
Murphy and Jerry walked up the hill towards the street, arguing the entire way, and soon they disappeared into the night. Somewhere in-between the park lights and the street lights Jerry and Murphy found themselves making up in the bushes in-between sixtieth and sixty first. They argued some more and then found themselves in their designer duds sitting in a small pizza shop and talking the night away, while across town Rachel fell asleep in Miles arms.
AS FOR CORKY
Corky had ran so fast out of the Green, wiping her tears as she went, that she hadn't even noticed which way she was running - and that was directly into a wooded area and away from the street. Far away from the streets, lined with their yellow cabs that could surely double for that knight in shining armor Corky so desperately wished for at that moment.
Once Corky stopped running she wandered around trying to find her way out, but at every turn got herself more and more scared and more and more lost. She couldn't hold back her tears, as she walked from park lamp to park lamp, her mascara running. Suddenly, Corky noticed a small footbridge. She thought perhaps if she stood on it she could see her location from its height. So she approached it, walking the beautiful white bridge, with details like lace, to its center. Corky looked over her surroundings still having no idea where she was. She could see nothing that might be acknowledged as the street or a building and she was tired. Corky decided to rest for a moment and plopped herself down against the bridge's edge
"Well, this is just great!" she yelled to the heavens and then collapsed her arms on the bridge's edge.
Corky opened her purse and took out a tissue, tabbing it around her eyes. She was so flustered that as she searched for another tissue she dropped a lipstick on the lower level of the bridge. Corky leaned over the edge knowing that the she could reach it easily.
The next thing Corky knew she heard something behind her and before she could even respond to it her body, along with someone else's, was thrust over the railing and into the dark water. They hit the water with a loud splash. Corky didn't know what hit her – literally. It was all a blur. She emerged her head above the water and took in a breath, coughing out the water in her lungs, as a body pulled her to shore. Corky crawled onto the shoreline, taking in large breaths, as her clothes cling to her like ten-pound weights.
"Corky?" said the man. "Corky are you alright?" Corky had her eyes closed, as she lay on the muddy shore, and the man laid his hand on the side of her face. Corky opened her eyes and gawked at the man hovering over her - it was Peter Hunt. His sweet smile looked down at her with the wetness from the pond running down his chin and just about all of him.
"Peter?" she said dazed.
"Corky, are you alright?" He sounded a little out of breath from having pulled Corky to shore.
"What!?" Corky was very confused.
"Let me help you up." He took her hand and helped her up, she was winded. "Are you alright?"
"Am I alright?" She got her conciseness back "Am I alright?! Well, let's see!? I just got pushed off a bridge into the cold water. I'll probably get walking pneumonia!"
"Corky, I…"
Corky burst up with attitude. "And let's see what other wonderful things have happened on this wonderful day to complete my life!" Corky threw her arms about, as she did when she was upset. "I found my boyfriend and another woman," Corky began to whine and cry.
"I'm sorry, Corky. Maybe it wasn't what you thought?"
"Sure. Maybe if he was looking for her tonsils! Orally!"
"Corky, I'm sure things aren't that bad?"
Corky started to walk about as if she was looking for a way to exit, but stopped to answer Peter. "Let's see. I'm alone! My childbearing years are going straight out the window! I'm in a city where I know nobody! I'm alone!" Corky made a sweeping hand gesture, as her voice entered her nose. "I hate my job! And I'm wet!" She looked down at herself.
"Corky, I understand you're feeling low, but that's still no reason to end it all." Peter rested his hands on Corky's shoulders. He too was equally soaked.
"What?"
"Jumping off a bridge is not the solution...I know that now it may seem hopeless…"
Corky was starting to get it. She pulled away from Peter. "I didn't jump!? You pushed me!"
"Pushed you? I saved your life! You could have... Wait a second." Now, in his boyish embarrassment Peter was starting to get it. "Push you? You weren't going to jump?"
"Jump! No? Why would you think a thing like that!?"
"I saw you run pass me upset. And then you were leaning over the bridge and ..." Peter started to feel very stupid. "Oh. I guess what we have here is a little misunderstanding." He tried to laugh it off.
"Please! Misunderstanding? A misunderstanding was my cousin Guthrie spending an hour and a half trying to milk a boy cow! This was just plain stupid!"
"Hey, that's not fair. I thought you were in distress. I was only trying to help a friend."
"Well, I don't need help! I don't need help from anyone. I'll just live out the rest of my life alone. With my cat. My whole group of cats! That's how they'll find me. Just me and my two dozen cats." She sighed in a distressed tone. "Alone. Smelling of cheap liquor and kitty litter."
"Corky, don't say that. Remember how upset you were when you turned thirty. Life always comes in flows and ebbs…"
"You took me sky diving," she moaned
"Yeah. And sure things seemed bad then, but look what happened after that. It got better! Things will always get better. And that was almost ten years ago..."
"Ah, god! That means I'm almost forty!" Corky doubled over in the agony of it all. "And look at me nothing. I have nothing," she wept in her way.
"Corky?" Peter tried to get her attention. "Corky?"
"Go away I don't need your help! Or your sympathy!"
"Stop this! You have a career. And good friends…" Peter gestured and sent some of the water off his person to the ground.
Corky was about to respond to Peter when she realized how strange it was to see him. She hadn't seen him in about six years. "Wait a second! What are you doing in New York!?"
"On business…"
"Business? Yeah, I was here on business! I was here on love! And look what happened to that! Nada!"
"Will you stop saying that!?" He went towards Corky.
"No, you stay away!" She backed away from him. "You've done enough! I don't need any help! Not from you! Not from anyone!" She tried to regain her composure. Peter rolled his neck and head at Corky's response. "I'm going to change this around! You'll see!" She pointed her finger at him. "Sherwood's don't give up! We just make baked goods and keep on keepin' on!" Corky was so upset she had to stop to breathe and look for her next thought.
"Keepin' on?" Corky's wording confused Peter.
"I may be destitute, and alone, and old! But I'll be happy! You mark my words! You haven't seen the last of Corky Sherwood! I'm going to do this myself! All. By. Myself!"
"See, Corky, you have the right idea. Only you can change your life." He walked toward Corky again.
"No. Go away! I don't need any help!" She put her hands out.
Peter decided that he should finally agree with her request. Corky started to walk up the bank of the water, but stopped and turned around. She started to say something to Peter only he knew what she was about to ask before she could even opened her month to form the words. She was looking for her purse and in place of words Peter handed it to her. The same soggy purse he has just found on the shore while Corky had her back to him.
"Thank you." Corky tried to calm her embarrassment by pushing her wet bangs off her forehead. It only made her look foolish. She then took the purse and walked away.
Peter watched as Corky tried to walk up the muddy hill with little success. Every time she caught her footing Corky would slip in the mud. Peter waited, trying not to laugh, for Corky to ask for assistance. After a long stay of similar type events Peter finally said something.
"Would you like some help, Corky?" He raised his eyes brows in her direction.
"Oh, alright!" she whined and Peter helped her up the bank. "But this is the only time!" When they reached the top Corky broke away and composed herself. "Now, if you'll excuse me. I don't need your help." Corky pushed the strap of her dress up on to her shoulder.
"You don't?" he smirked.
"Well, not anymore! I can make it out of here by myself, thank you!" And Corky walked off in a huff.
Peter waited for a moment knowing the next possible outcome when moments later Corky returned in a huff.
"I just need to know which way that would be!"
Peter pointed to his left with his boyish grin and a bit of a face. Corky threw back her head and walked past Peter, only to drop back two moments later, as Peter tried to follow behind her. "And don't get too cocky. Because this is the last time I'll be asking anyone for help!"
THE NEXT DAY
"Murphy, I need your help!" Corky leaned her head into Murphy's office.
Murphy was looking around her office franticly searching for something. She looked under stakes of papers that had piled up over weeks in her new office, under books on the ledge in front of her large window, and everywhere possible keys could lose themselves. She even looked in her fishbowl. So when Corky popped her head in it looked like Murphy was ignoring her, or didn't hear her, while she kept investigating for her lost keys. Corky walked in further as Murphy noticed her.
"Hi, Corky," she sounded totally uninterested as she continued looking around. "Where are my keys!?"
"Murphy, can we talk?"
"I have to meet a source, Corky. Now is not the time." Murphy looked over her desk again. "Now where are my papers?!" Murphy started to pile through a stake of papers on her desk. "Shouldn't you be at work, Corky?"
"That's the thing, Murphy. I really need to talk to you. See I..."
"They were right here, I came in… I put them down." Murphy went through her past actions with her hands in an attempt to find her keys.
"I guess you heard I broke up with Lester?" Corky sat on the edge of Murphy's over logged desk. Even though Murphy had only been there for a week her office looked like she had been there for years. Murphy circled her desk, and past Corky, to some papers on a file cabinet near the door.
"Lester who?"
"My boyfriend."
"Yeah. Tough break, Corky. Too bad. Now get out!" Murphy lifted her bag up off her desk and began sifting through it, as she circled back behind her desk.
"I found him with another woman. Vivian. Miles girlfriend! They were college sweethearts. And I brought them back together!" her voice squeaked. "How romantic!" She really didn't find it romantic.
"Yeah. Tough break, Corky. Too bad. Better luck next time."
"Murphy! You're not listening to me!"
"If you want me to listen, Corky, you're going to have to do something that benefits me in some way. So help me find my keys! Find Keys! Ears open! Now start looking!" Murphy continued to search endlessly, as Corky started to help. Murphy had abandoned her bag by this time for what was behind her desk.
"Why do you need you key's anyway, Murphy? Did you bring your car with you?"
"No, Jerry got me one of those computerized organizers..." Murphy said it as if she was much begrudged to actually use the damn thing. "And I wrote... I mean I put the address where I'm meeting this source." Murphy crossed the room to her wall unit. "In it. I forget the password and I think." Murphy reached around her television and then very quickly around the wall unit it was housed in. "I wrote it on the back of one my keys- I mean chain." With no luck Murphy crossed back to where she had been before and started to sift through a set of drawers next to her desk.
Corky only had to look down to find Murphy's keys on the floor in front of her desk. "Ok." Corky leaned down with a sneer in her smile and snatched up the keys in her hand. "I'll help you find your keys, only if you listen openly and honestly to what I have to say?"
"Ask whatever you want, Corky, but once I find those key's I'm out of here."
Corky closed her fingers around Murphy's keys hiding them from view. "I thought you'd say that," she whispered. "Ok." Corky leaned on Murphy's desk. "I..."
Murphy looked up at her. "You're not looking! Keep looking!" Corky began to pretend to look around the room.
"I'm not happy, Murphy!"
"Join the club!" Murphy went back to her purse for a second shot.
"I'm serious, Murphy. For the last couple of days I've really been reevaluating my life. I really thought that I was happy. I had a good job and a great boyfriend. I thought. Then when I found Lester and Vivian together it all fell apart. Nothing was what I thought it was. So I reevaluated things. And I'm not happy. Now my problem is I don't know what to do about!"
"Is there a point to all this, Corky! I really need to get out of here!" Murphy emerged from her bag without her keys. Disappointed she began to replace everything back in her purse.
"My life being torn upside down really made me realize how stuck I am in my life. So, today I took a stand. I matched right into my boss's office, and I...quit." She was shocked by her own actions. "I never thought I'd have the guts to do it. My father always said that stability was the most important thing in life and that's how I've led mine. But then my mother always said all she wanted was for me and my sisters to be happy? So, I just did it. I still don't believe it! I did it! Should I have done it, Murphy?"
"Listen, Corky, I'm not the best person to ask for advice. Ok, I'm the worst person to ask for advice..."
"But not on this, Murphy, not on work. On everything else… Yes!" Murphy rolled her eyes. "But on work. No. Please, Murphy?"
Murphy stopped looking for a moment and took Corky's gaze." As I was saying. I'm not the best to give advice, but there's one piece of advice I know is true. If it doesn't make you happy, move on. You are the controller of your own destiny. You are the only person you have to look at in the mirror every morning. Sure, it's not always going to be pleasant to leave a good thing. It may hurt, but if it's right you'll know it's right. And why? Because, you have to think that there's always going to be something better in the other direction. That's how you succeed in life. There, I'm done. Now get off my notes." Corky sat up and Murphy picked up a yellow note pad under Corky. "Hey, my papers!" Murphy picked up some papers under the pad and took her purse off her chair to sort them into the bag.
"That's just what Peter told me…"
"Peter?" Murphy stopped in her tracks. "Hunt? You saw Peter Hunt? You saw Peter? Where?"
"Yeah."
"Where?"
"I... ran into him in the park…"
"Whoa! Wait a minute! Peter was in town?" Murphy began to ponder. "Why didn't he call me?"
"I was so rude to him. I was mad..."
"I told him he could call me?" Murphy circled her desk with her bag on her shoulder.
"But I see what I was trying to do? I was just so mad at everyone for letting me down... So I decided to leave my job because it wasn't making me happy. But now what?! I did it, but now I don't know what to do? I understand what you're saying, Murphy. And I believe it. I do. But what do I do about it Murphy? What's the next step?" She looked at Murphy.
"Jerry, must have scared him off? It couldn't be me?" Murphy leaned her back against her desk and next to Corky.
"Murphy, did you hear what I said!?"
"What? No?" She looked Corky dead in the eye.
"Murphy, I'm at a crossroads and I don't know what to do!" Corky looked at Murphy.
"Yeah, right – listen, Corky if you were engaged to another person and then you and that other person broke up - you wouldn't feel funny - say calling that person if they were say… living with another person, right?"
"Murphy, you said you'd listen to me until you found your keys!"
"You're right; I'll never find my keys this way." Murphy went for the wastepaper basket.
"Murphy, I asked you a question!"
"Corky, please, I need to find my keys!" Murphy dumped the contents of the basket on the ground.
"You mean these." Corky dangled Murphy's keys in front of her.
Murphy reached for the keys, but Corky pulled them away. Murphy stopped and rolled her eyes.
"Murphy, what should I do!"
""Murphy, what should I do?" I'm telling you! Those are worst five words in the English language!"
"Murphy…" Corky looked at her with her pathetic puppy dog look. "From a friend to a friend. One journalist to another journalist. Woman to woman. I'm asking for your advice. What do you think I should do?" Corky sat down in one of Murphy's leather chairs.
Murphy walked over to her with a serious face. "What should you do?" She sat down next to Corky "What should you do?" Murphy tried to take the keys away from Corky by putting her arm around her.
"Murphy!" Corky gave her a horrible look as she pulled her hand away.
"Ok! OK! You want advice on what to do?" Murphy got serious and tough. "Here's some advice. Don't ask for advice. Corky, you're a smart grown woman. And you have your own mind and your own life. You have to trust yourself. Do what you want to do. You want to be happy? Be happy? You want to quit your job? Quit your job! If you want to change your life? Change your life! You can't decide what to do? Just find something new and do it! Don't worry about the consequences. Believe me, Corky, I didn't get where I am today by waiting around to find out what other people thought before I pounced. You know why? Because it's like I told you before. In the end, it only comes down to what one-person thinks. And that's you. "
"Murphy, I know you're right. I guess I'm just scared. And then I just start to think. I mean if my life just keeps happening this way I'll never find my soul mate. I want to succeed, but I guess there a part of me that fears that if I keep going for the career like this I'll never find him."
"So, you're going to just settle in the common place in the meantime!? Corky, you can't just sit and wait around for a man who doesn't exist! That's crazy!"
"Murphy, you can't tell me you don't think that everyone has that soul mate - that one person they were meant to be with!"
"Corky, give me my keys!?" Murphy tried to snatch her keys and Corky jumped off the couch.
"No!"
Murphy stood and grabbed her purse from her desk. "That's it! I'll just get that kid from the mail room to hack into the damn thing!" Murphy went for the door as Corky ran after her.
"I know you won't admit it, Murphy. But I know you're a hopeless romantic at heart." Corky caught up with Murphy only step beside her.
"Corky, if there is anything I'm hopeless about. It's hopelessly feed up with this conversation!" Murphy held onto her large purse with her right hand to stop it from shifting, as she walked towards the elevators.
"What am I saying? You'll settle for anything. Look who you're with! Next thing you know you'll be dating bums off the street."
Murphy about-faced Corky as they reached the elevators. She gave Corky an evil look and then hit the elevator button. "Listen, Corky, you're going to have to figure out sooner or later that the man on the white horse is not going to ride up and save us. We have to make our own way in the world." Murphy remembered that her mother had told her that.
"Come on, Murphy, I gave up a long time ago on the idea that he'll ride up on his white horse." Corky got despondent, like a girl who was told she shouldn't believe in Santa Claus and knows he's not real, yet still wants to believe. "But he will come, Murphy. He has to."
Murphy pushed the elevator button again. "Then if you believe that, Corky. This "soul mate" of yours should be able to find you no matter what you're doing," Murphy said begrudgingly.
"Do you really think that, Murphy!?" Corky was excited.
"No! I just want my keys back!" Murphy put out her hand.
"You may say that, Murphy, but I know different." Corky handed Murphy her keys.
"Murphy!" Miles walked at a quickening pace towards the women.
"Oh Jeez, does the onslaught never end!" Murphy cursed to the heavens.
"Murphy!" Miles was agitated, but then stopped to notice corky. "Hi, Corky."
"Hi, Miles."
The elevator door opened. "What is it, Miles, I'm late!" Murphy stepped into the elevator.
"I wanted to thank you for the gift in my office!" Miles said sarcastically.
Murphy grinned. "I'm sorry Miles I have no idea what you're talking about?" Murphy was playing dumb.
"Murphy," he whispered. "I am the executive producer of a national news broadcast. Not your whipping boy set out for your personal amusement."
"Oh, come on, Miles. I don't see why you can't be both!" she smiled slyly. "You did say you wanted to start multi-tasking." She laughed at her own joke. "Besides, it's not that bad. I'm sure the stains will come right out."
"I should have known what would happen if we started working together again. I guess I thought some of us had grown?"
"Me too, Miles? Are those lifts in your shoes?" Murphy was gloating.
"Ok, are we done?"
"Miles, come on. I was just feeling a little nostalgic. Bringing back a little of the old times. You know I could have done a lot worse. I was nice to you with that one."
"That is all you did? Right?"
"You know I'm not sure?" She smirked. "In my old age I've been forgetting a lot of things, like which dry cleaner I took my cleaning to, how many steps in the Lincoln Memorial, whose car I had towed this morning? You know things like that." She grinned like a Cheshire cat.
"This is because I got you that subscription to Longevity magazine for your birthday, isn't it?"
"Miles, I have to meet a source." Murphy pushed the elevator button and Miles put his placed his hand between the open doors to stop them.
"Wait, I need you back by noon. We're doing a news break." Miles firmly held onto the elevator door.
"By noon, sure." Murphy thought for a moment and squished her eyes and nose together. "Oh, I'm supposed have lunch with Jim! Could you call his hotel for me and tell him I'll be late."
"Murphy, I'm not you secretary. I think I'd be criminal insane to do that? Ugg," Miles laughed at his own joke and Murphy didn't. "You're having lunch with Jim? Can I come?"
"When did Jim get into to town?" Corky asked.
"Yesterday." Murphy was excited.
"I'm sorry, Miles, but I sort of want to have lunch with Jim alone."
"Oh, come on. I want to see Jim as much as you do. And he's only in town, for what? Two days? Don't be selfish." Miles laughed, "Hey, but then asking you not to be selfish is like..."
"Ok! You can come! Now, will you please let me go?!"
"Oh, I wish I could go." Corky's voice tripped with disappointment. "But I have something to do on my own." Murphy and Corky smiled at each other. "Say hello to Jim for me."
"Will do!" Murphy looked at Miles who was holding the door. "Let go of the door, Miles!"
"I need to get in."
"Then get in, Miles!" Miles stepped in the elevator and said goodbye to Corky. When the elevator door closed Corky took a business card out of her pocket, from the night before, and stared at it intently. She had made a decision. She was going to make her own way. And she really meant it this time.
Through the mirror of my mind
Time after time
I see reflections of you and me
Reflections of
The way life used to be
Reflections of
The love you took from me
Oh, I'm all alone now
No love to shield me.
Trapped in a world
that's a distorted reality
Happiness you took from me
And left me alone
With only memories
~ Reflections ~ Supremes