Chapter 2: Reunion

The brunette looked at Mark, and furrowed her brow.

"Nannette Himmlefarb?" he asked again.

Her eyes opened wide.

"Marky?" she asked, "What are you doing here?"

"Uh," he said sheepishly. No one had called him 'Marky' in years. "Just, you know, having a drink," he motioned to his tea. "Would you like to join me?"

"Sure!" she laughed, sitting down across from him.

"So," Mark began, "how long have you been in the city?"

"Well," Nannette said, thinking, "About three months? That sounds about right. I can here in August to an art auction, and loved it."

"You're into art?" he asked, becoming more interested.

"Well, more like I'm married to art. All I do is make, sell, and buy art, it seems."

She blushed.

Wow, Mark though, she's really pretty when she blushes.

"Art," she continued, "and dancing."

Mark grinned. "Hey, thanks for teaching me to tango." They both laughed. "Seriously, though. I know that I hated it when I was fifteen, but now I'm glad that I know,"

"Oh, well, you're welcome," she answered. "Do you tango often?"

"Not really," he sighed, "but I did the other day, and I forgot how fun it is."

She laughed. "You just tangoed the other day. Just because?"

Mark smiled. I was a funny thought. "Well, it's a long story…"

"People always say that," she said, "even if it's not."

"Well," mark laughed, "this one is long and complicated."

"I wouldn't mind hearing it," Nannette told him.

Is she flirting with me? he thought.

They sat in the Life Café, drinking tea as Mark told his story. Nanette laughed almost the whole time, finding it hilarious that two people who just met would simply tango.

"So," she asked, after his story, "How long have you been here?"

"Oh, about three years. I live in a loft with my best friend, Roger."

"Oh," she said, and after a moment, asked, "Are you seeing anyone right now?"

Mark smiled smugly. "What part of 'I just met my ex-girlfriend's girlfriend' makes you think that I'm seeing anyone?" Nanette laughed.

"Oh, yeah. Sorry," she said.

"Don't be," he told her. She smiled again.

Man, I love her smile! he thought.

Nannette looked at her watch and sighed. "Oh, I have to go," she said, not bothering to hide her disappointment.

"Oh," Mark replied, not bothering to hide his.

"Well," she said, as she pulled her coat on, "I had a great time seeing you again."

Here," Mark offered, pulling his coat on, too, "I'll walk you out."

She smiled.

They walked out the door of the café, and onto to brisk street. Mark began to unlock his bicycle.

"Good idea," Nannette complimented, "that's what I should do."

"It's good for the environment," he said, and when she didn't respond, de continued, "and I can mount my camera right on it. I sometimes film as I ride, when I—"

She cut him off with a kiss.

"You talk a lot," she giggled, after they'd parted.

"Only when I'm nervous," he explained, turning red.

Nannette turned to walk away. "See you around," she called, "Marky Cohen."