He rang the bell and a shorter, darker version of Joey answered. "Hi" she said through the closed screen door.
"I'm here for Joey. I'm AJ Chedwiggen."
"Oh" she said, "come in". She held the door open and he stepped into the living room. 'She was only living with us while the renovations were completed on her place. She moved back last weekend. But come in and I'll call her."
He followed her in to the kitchen. Supper was over, but there were still dishes stacked on the counter and a child a little older than Bud and Harriet's youngest was feeding himself macaroni off the tray of his high chair. AJ stood uncomfortably, that school boy feeling creeping back. The sister picked up the phone hit one button and put her phone to her ear. "Hi Joe, your date is here. No problem, I don't mind entertaining handsome Navy men, while Luke's away, but what will the neighbours think? Right. Maybe you should talk to him. OK. As usual. Bye."
"I'm Sam" she said addressing AJ, " Joey's older more sensible sister". She held out her hand as she set the phone back in it's cradle. "I'm afraid you're stuck with me for a few minutes. Joey's on her way." They shook hands and she found him a seat at the table and poured him a cup of coffee.
"Joey said she had a good time theother night."
"I did too." AJ responded. "Unfortunately so good I didn't get her number or find out where she really lives."
"That's ok" Sam laughed. "Her place isn't - what's the term - squared away yet. Boxes everywhere and only half the furniture. I think this weekend she's having all her girlfriends over to finish the job. Anyway that's why I didn't just send you on. I think she wants to make a good impression."
By the time Joey arrived 25 minutes later, AJ was drying the last dish in the rack and Sam was stripping the baby, Kyle, to get him into the bath. There was macaroni on the floor and in his hair. But he was happy. He held out chubby fists to Joey when she came through the door and she leaned in and kissed the cleanest spot on his face.
"Thanks Sam, I owe you."
"I'll add it to your tab Josephine. Funny way to go on a date, but I guess I'll be able to give you my actual opinion of him, now that he's entertained your nephew, made small talk with a lonesome housewife and dried my dishes."
"AJ I'm really sorry. But the way this afternoon worked out, I never thought until the phone rang about where exactly you were picking me up." He hung the towel on the rack and came around the counter. He shrugged.
"No problem." Kyle let out a squawk. Sam shifted his diaper clad bottom into the other arm.
"Nice to meet you AJ, you're welcome here anytime, no matter what happens with Joey." She smiled warmly. "Have a nice evening, what's left of it. I'm going to go get the macaroni monster into the bath."
"Did we have reservations somewhere that I've messed up?" There was a gentleness in her eyes that took him by surprise.
"No" he shook his head. "I had someplace quiet in mind. Like you suggested."
They got into his vehicle, leaving her's parked in front of Luke and Sam's. "Your sister's nice. Have you got other siblings. "
"A brother," she responded, "in Connecticut. He's the oldest, then Sam and then me. He's married too and has 3 kids. His wife's a saint. He works long hours and she's got three little kids to contend with all day. "
"What about you, do you have any family?"
"I have a brother. He's retired. Lives in Florida. And I have an ex-wife and a daughter who live in Italy."
"We're you married a long time?"
"About three years I guess from vows to divorce. It was a long time ago."
"How old is your daughter? Francesca is 28. She's a fashion buyer." He wondered if their age difference would strike her then. She and Francesca could be sisters.
He pulled the car into a spot on the street , got out and opened her door. She was dressed in a long flowing skirt that swirled gracefully around her legs. Over top an ivory t shirt that clung like a second skin, she wore a beautiful, moss green cardigan. He thought it was the same color as her eyes. Her hair was loose over her shoulders, cascading in curly ripples over her shoulders. She took his hand when he opened the car door, and held onto it until they were seated in the restaurant.
They ate a peaceful meal, talking about travel and the Navy but only in the most general terms. When he asked her about coaching, he was rewarded with a couple of stories about troubled kids, playing really great ball. It turned out that they agreed that baseball was the solution to all the worlds ills, and her knowledge and passion for the game rivalled his. Finally over dessert he broached the subject again.
"I'm sorry" he said sweeping the spoon through his coffee.
"You were doing your job and protecting my career. Bad enough to be dating, but worse to have you demonstrate overt favour. My career would be dead before weeks end if that was the case. This way our reputations remain intact and hopefully I'll think about all the ramifications before I open my mouth like that again". She smiled and spooned a piece of chocolate cheese cake in.
"Dating," he said and smiled at her. "I think I like the sound of that. Will you tell Colonel Mackenzie?"
"That you asked me out, but that I asked you out first?" Her eyes twinkled and the corners of her mouth turned up. He nodded sipping the scalding coffee carefully. "I suppose - in time. I told her I had a hot date, but I didn't tell her with whom. I think we can keep this quiet for a while yet." She pushed the plate away and took a sip of tea before continuing. "AJ, you said this afternoon that dating might have an impact on my career, what about yours?" she asked.
"Well I'm guessing the rumour mill will think I'm robbing the cradle, but I've moved up as far as I'm likely to and I've got 35 in. The Navy doesn't owe me anything and if it got to be more heat than I like, I'd retire." She nodded. "Does that mean you'll go out with me again?" He asked.
She smiled. "I'll do better than that AJ, I'll give you my home phone number." He laughed, but also took a piece of paper out of his wallet and slid it across the table with a pen. She wrote down her number and then tore the slip in half and handed the blank back to him along with the pen. He looked at her questioningly, and then caught on and wrote down his own number. They traded and then held hands across the table until the bill came. He paid and drove her slowly back to Sam's. There was a single light burning downstairs, but it was after 11 so, she slid into her own car and drove off. He'd wanted to kiss her, but it was awkward out on the street. He had her number and so maybe he'd get another chance.
When the phone rang a little after 0900 Saturday morning, he was sitting at the kitchen table reading the newspaper and eating toast. Dammit lay in a contented circle at his feet. It took him a moment to shift her and move the chair. The phone rang 3 times before he snatched it up. "Chedwiggen" was all he said.
"Hi AJ, it's Joey."
"Hi," his voice softened.
"I wanted to thank you for the other night. I had a great time," she said.
"Me too. Do you have plans today?"
"Yeah today my girl friends are coming over after lunch to finish unpacking my apartment. If you aren't busy, maybe you could come tomorrow and see what a great job they did. "
"I'd like that but I have another commitment. Maybe one evening next week?"
"Sure," she said. "I've gotta go. The buzzer's ringing. Likely the furniture delivery."
AJ said goodbye, but she'd already put down the phone. He wasn't raised to accept the idea of a woman phoning, but he liked it. He felt like he knew where he stood with Joey.