Chapter Nineteen: The Townhouse and A Date

We moved to the bedroom together, in silence. Blue Eyes fell asleep immediately, curled around me, his arm wrapped around me, cupping my breast. I listened to the familiar sound of his sleeping hum and chanted to myself, "Nothing you say during sex counts."

I was up early the next morning, pumping milk for Zelda, when he finally stirred. "Want to go by the hospital on the way to lunch?" he asked while stretching.

"You're still going?"

"Yep."

I nodded. "Okay, but you're buying."

After showering, I searched through my meager wardrobe and finally pulled on an oversized, black, v-neck sweater over my black jeans. As I was forcing my foot into one of my red cowboy boots, I felt B.E.'s gaze on me.

"Why aren't you wearing one of your old t-shirts? You're trying to impress this guy," he accused.

"Yes. I'm trying to convince him I will take good care of the expensive, furnished townhouse of his colleague so he will let me rent it. Why are you so jealous?"

He shuffled uneasily, popping one of his pills into his mouth. "This guy is going to take advantage of you."

"You mean," I asserted, "he's going to try to take advantage of me. Give me some credit, Blue Eyes."

"You're not always the best judge of character."

I raised my eyebrows. "Which explains why I'm here with you."

"So you get my point."

I smiled, and we left to visit Zelda.

We were the first to arrive at the Main Street Bistro. We grabbed a large table and examined the menu of the frou-frou café. B.E. leaned against my shoulder and said, "Ph.D. guy picked this place; he must be gay."

I laughed unwillingly.

Mother was next to arrive with Jim in tow. B.E. and I exchanged curious glances as Jim held Mother's chair for her. Mother pulled out a cigarette and handed Jim her lighter, which he also held for her. Mother inhaled gratefully on her cigarette, and released a long stream of smoke into the air above our heads.

"How nice to see you two," she said congenially to B.E. and me.

David walked into the restaurant then, and Mother turned her attention to welcoming him. Blue Eyes grabbed Jim's arm.

"What are you doing with Sweeney Todd?" he demanded.

Jim shrugged. "I think she thinks I'm her chauffeur."

I shook my head in amazement.

"Actually, she's very interesting. Did you know she graduated summa cum laude with a BS in physics?" Jim whispered to B.E.

David took the seat between Mother and me. We all placed our orders while Mother directed the conversation.

"David," she began, "I believe you said this townhouse is in your subdivision. Does that mean you live nearby?"

"Yes. My townhouse is only a few blocks away from Dr. Burmeister's. Audra and I would be neighbors," he concluded, bestowing a toothy grin on me.

I felt Blue Eyes stiffen beside me.

"But it's already furnished, right? Because we will need room for baby furniture," Blue Eyes insisted in a demanding tone.

"A crib doesn't take up much space," I said.

"If you want to remove any of the furnishings, Todd rents a storage building where we can store anything you don't want," David said.

Blue Eyes looked disappointed. "And how much is the rent?"

David smiled at Blue Eyes but directed his words to me. "After you see the townhouse, we'll discuss a reasonable fee. Todd mainly wants someone reliable to keep the place occupied so no one vandalizes it."

Our bridge-lady lunches arrived.

"Audra," David said, "Joel let me read a draft of the paper you have coming out next month. I was wondering if you'd like to get a jump on your doctoral work with an independent study this summer?"

I perked up. "Relating to Simon Gray?"

He nodded. "You know contemporary American Lit is my specialty, so I thought you might want to do some research and expand the thesis of that paper, perhaps including other plays and comparing them to American fictional characters. It would give you a chance to do some research you could use in your dissertation, plus you'd certainly get another published paper out of it."

Blue Eyes leaned around me. "Whose name would be on that paper?"

David regarded B.E. mildly. "What are you implying, Dr. House?"

I tried to subtly elbow Blue Eyes. "I'm sure I would get credit for any independent work."

"Is she correct, Dr. Mebane?"

David looked back to me. "You can think about it, Audra. If you're interested, write a brief proposal, and I'll look over it."

Mother tried to make peace. "You know, Audra has always been passionate about literature, but her strongest subjects in school were always in mathematics."

"Oh, Mother," I groaned.

"I tried to persuade her to major in math theory, but she has always been strong minded."

"Greg and I are the liberal arts throwbacks," I said.

Mother laughed. "Both of my children are strong minded."

"Imogene," Blue Eyes began, "I tried to get your son to let me run some diagnostic tests on him, but he refused. Perhaps you could change his mind? I'm sure I can . . ."

Mother interrupted him. "Thank you for your offer, Gregory, but my son is an adult. I wouldn't dream of trying to persuade him to do something against his own wishes." She nodded dismissively at him.

"If everyone's finished, we can go on to the townhouse," David said.

I watched the maneuvering over the check; not surprisingly, Jim ended up with it as well as with Mother.

The townhouse was lovely. The subdivision of renovated townhouses from the nineteenth century was insulated and intimate with tree-lined streets and communal flower beds now dusted with snow. The home David took us into was two-story, with the master bedroom and bath along with another bedroom on the first floor; the second floor had another bedroom and bath and a large office space. The backyard was small but appealing with a stone patio and a covered parking area. The furniture was mostly antique; David had been accurate when he said the owner's wife had good taste. Even Blue Eyes, as resistant as he was to the idea of my moving near David, was impressed. Of course, the baby grand piano in the family room had immediately caught his eye.

"Audra, although I would prefer you and your fiancé moved to Alabama, I have to admit, this would be a lovely place to start a marriage and a family," Mother said as we concluded our tour.

"Mother, I'm not getting married. We haven't even dated."

"Darling," she said, "your relationship with Gregory may have begun untraditionally, but that's no reason to reject the family values we've raised you with."

I rolled my eyes.

Surprisingly, Blue Eyes agreed with her. "Imogene, you've made a good point." He turned to me. "We should date."

"Are you asking me out?" I asked.

He nodded. "Yes. Tomorrow night. A date."

"You realize you're doing this in front of witnesses?"

Jim chuckled. "She's right. There are witnesses."

Blue Eyes nodded. "Your answer?"

I nodded.

David coughed. "I don't want to interrupt, but I need to be going. You have my phone number, Audra. Call me and we can negotiate the rent. And I'll be happy to help you with any moving chores." He smiled kindly and patted my arm.

I thanked him and assured him I would be in touch very soon. As we watched him drive off, I turned to Mother.

"How would you like to go to the hospital and see your granddaughter?"

She was holding another cigarette, waiting for Jim to light it, but she stopped and looked at me. "I'm sure your daughter is lovely, Audra, but I don't want to see her fettered with medical wires and tubes. You know I'm not comfortable around babies, anyway."

Blue Eyes looped his left arm around my waist and squeezed me. "Of course, Mother. How silly of me to ask."

Mother, exhaling smoke, turned to Jim. "I hope you don't mind driving me back to the hotel, James. I think it's time for a cocktail."

Jim held out his arms helplessly. "Of course, Imogene."

Blue Eyes and I stood together, light snow dusting us, as Jim helped Mother into his car.

"Do you think Vlad has drugged Wilson?" Blue Eyes asked me.

I leaned into him. "I know she's awful to me, but when she wants, she can be quite charming."

"Tiger, your voice lacks all sincerity. Let's go feed Zelda."

"Blue Eyes," I asked as we walked to the truck, "are you serious about a date?"

"Yes, Little Mama, I am."

I spent Sunday early moving my possessions to the townhouse. Blue Eyes, not surprisingly, went to the hospital to sulk. Mother and her new companion, Jim, assisted me in the transition. Nothing of my own was nearly as fine as what existed in the townhouse, so I allowed my dishes and linens to remain in storage. As for the evening date, Blue Eyes had been cryptic but had said to dress casually but warmly. He was scheduled to pick me up at the townhouse at six.

Mother, who was apparently moving into the townhouse with me (on the second floor), stopped me after lunch.

"Audra, sit down and have a beer," she said, which was her way of saying she wanted to talk.

I got myself a Corona and sat at the table in the dining nook that looked into the back patio. "When are you going home, Mother?"

She glanced around to make sure Jim wasn't nearby, then said, "Audra, I'm not in a hurry to leave. I don't doubt that comes as no surprise."

"Mother, you can't hide with me. If you have problems with Daddy, you have to go through them with him. Not me."

She sighed and played with a cigarette, which I wouldn't let her smoke inside the townhouse, "You're right."

"I'd just feel better if you weren't hovering around when Blue Eyes brings me home tonight. First real date, you know."

"Audra, why do you want someone who doesn't appreciate you?"

I didn't have an answer for her. She was, as ill as it made me feel, correct.

Jim, while we were talking, retrieved a beer and joined us.

I looked into Mother's watery eyes. "Why don't you think he appreciates me?"

She turned her stare to Jim. "James, do you think Dr. House feels the same way about Audra as he felt about Stacy?"

Jim turned his beer bottle in his hands, examining it. "His feelings for Stacy are complex. They have a long history together."

Mother put her hand over mine. "That would be a 'no,' Audra."

"Does anyone mind if I go on this 'date' with a positive attitude?" I asked testily.

"House doesn't ask people out on dates. I think you should be optimistic," Jim tried to salve my feelings. "I truly believe he cares about you and Zelda."

Even I knew there was a difference between being cared about and having someone in love with you. I remembered our tryst on his sofa; I had told him what he had wanted to hear. Did I mean it? Why was it so important for him to hear it? If he wanted me to be solely interested in him, what need of his did that reveal? Was it just ego?

"Do you think he's capable of having a healthy relationship with a woman?"

Jim took a drink from his beer. "He's been hurt by his family, and then by Stacy. There's a lot to get through for him to be ready for someone like you, Audra. But I think he wants to try with you. When he was 'dating' Stacy in the fall, it was totally at her demand, and she controlled the level of intimacy they had. He's voluntarily asked you to go out with him, through no manipulations of yours. I think that's a good omen."

I smiled at him in gratitude.

"Go get take a hot bath and get ready." Mother ordered.

As I put my empty bottle in the trash, I heard Mother tell Jim, "Why don't you pour us a cocktail, James, and we'll see what we can find on the plasma tv. It is high def, isn't it?"

I chose a pair of green corduroy trousers, which I was proud to be able to get into, with a paler green, ballet-neck top. I hoped it showed off my collarbone and my eyes. I felt awkward, applying eyeliner and mascara. I left my hair loose, restrained by a narrow headband. I was much more anxious than I could understand.

I didn't hear Blue Eyes' knock, but Mother, apparently, let him in. He joined Jim in the kitchen, where the latter was cooking beef enchiladas with a tomatillo and guava salsa. Mother knocked on my bedroom door, a tumbler of something alcoholic in her hand.

"Your doctor is here," she said.

I met him in the kitchen where he was making faces at the bubbling pots Jim was overseeing.

"Hi," I said, still nervous.

He turned when he heard me. "Did you know Wilson was endeavoring to peel the wallpaper from your rented walls?"

I smiled at Jim. "It smells delicious, Jim. Ignore Blue Eyes."

"I always do," he replied.

Blue Eyes crinkled his nose in distaste. "Come on, Tiger, let's find some food that's more palatable."

"Mother," I called as I was closing the door, "don't be up when I get home."

Blue Eyes had his battered, old car. "Where are we going?" I asked.

He smiled as he slid into the driver's seat. "To a hockey game. Princeton versus Penn. It should be a close game."

"In Alabama, we don't have many ice hockey teams. Of course, we don't have a lot of ice."

"That's why I'm not letting you drive. You're dangerous on winter roads."

I bristled. "Fine. Not being the designated driver has its advantages."

Supper consisted of hot dogs and beer at the ice rink. The game was, indeed, close. "I never thought about it before," I told B.E. "but hockey players are hot."

He swallowed a pill and glared at me from the corners of his eyes. "Like the no teeth look, do you?"

"I think I'm responding to the overwhelming amount of testosterone."

"You're a NASCAR fan, aren't you?"

"Haven't been. Of course, Talladega is in Alabama."

"You like monster trucks?" he asked.

"Don't know. Never seen one."

"We'll have to go. Monster trucks are killer."

I liked this version of Blue Eyes. He was still prickly, but he seemed more relaxed.

Princeton tried for a tying goal in the last seconds, but missed badly. I was obscenely disappointed.

"I can't believe they took such a f#cking bad shot!" I screamed at him. "Even I could see Harper was open. Why not pass, for pete's sake? I'll be dammed!"

Blue Eyes laughed at me. "Calm down, Tiger. There'll be other games."

I stared at him, full of adrenaline and rage. "You've never been to a SEC football game, have you? We're raised on competition. Not winning is never okay, especially not when the game is close. We should have won this f#cking game."

He just laughed harder. "It's a game. Take it easy."

I pummeled his chest with my fists. "How can you accept defeat so calmly?"

He wrapped his free arm around me, leaning heavily on his cane. "I don't accept defeat, Tiger. I just know we'll get another chance."

I shook my head. "No. I don't buy that. I'm not a 'wait till next year' kind of girl. Everything is about now."

As I opened my mouth to criticize his easygoing acceptance of the final score, he moved his hand from my waist to the back of my head, holding it still while he kissed me. I was still in hyper-fan mode and wanting to battle, but the determination of his hand in my hair and his tongue in my mouth eclipsed my preoccupation with the game. I leaned against his chest, running my right hand through his hair, and succumbed to a different sort of passion. When he lifted his head away from mine, I was out of breath and weak in the knees. "So, everything's about now, is it?" he whispered.

I licked my lips. "Yeah. Everything."

"Is Ms. Hyde spending the night in the townhouse?"

His hand stayed in my hair, helping to tilt my face back to look up into his seductive, blue-eyed gaze. "I think she's moved in."

He leaned over and hastily brushed my lips with his, pulling back before I could do more than graze him with the tip of my tongue. He smiled tantalizingly at me. "Would you like to go to my apartment?"

"What do you have there that I'd want?" I teased him.

"I'll play the piano for you and ply you with alcohol."

I rubbed my hips against his, feeling the beginning of his erection. I ran my hand from his hair down the side of his face, finally resting it on his chest. "This is just a first date. Besides, I have to be at my office early in the morning since classes begin tomorrow. I guess I really need to go home."

To my surprise, he removed his hand from my hair. "Whatever you want, Little Mama."