The Manly Man Journal of Joe Lucas - Part Nine.
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August 21st, Friday - Continuation.
We reached right on time for our reservations and as I was talking to the maitre'd in what was hopefully a smooth man of the world voice, out of the corner of my eye I could see Nick and Stella, already seated at their table. Theirs was a cozy side table and there was single lit candle on the table along with the flowers. In the dim light of the restaurant, I could see Stella's face, lit by the soft glow of the candle. She looked so softly radiant, a smile playing on her lips, hopeful and fervent. And I could see the look on Nick's face as he gazed at her. To anyone else it would have seemed that my brother was looking very serious. But I knew better. The look on Nick's face was one of adoration. Complete and unequivocal adoration. As if Stella were the very reason he breathed in air and the very reason he wrote his songs.
I knew that look. I had experienced it so many times. I turned to look at Macy who was gazing at them with a happy smile. It was tender and loving and I knew she was so happy for the two of them. It only made me smile all the more and if possible love her all the more.
The maitre'd led us to our table and as I faced Macy over the glow of the scented candles and aromatic roses, I decided today would be the day that I told her everything.
"They look so happy," Macy said, her eyes shining with happiness. I was going to say something very dignified but then I remembered the advice that Kevin and Frankie had given me just before I left the house. Macy already liked me and I had to be myself. Not some pompous old geezer who used fancy words to show off just how awesome he was.
"Yes, they do. And it's because I'm a superb matchmaker darling." I said with an exaggerated wriggling motion of my eyebrows, and drawling on the word drawling. Macy giggled in delight and smiled. Well what do you know? It turns out Kevin and Frankie were right. Being myself was how Macy liked me.
An emcee came onto the stage and introduced the band. There was an old guy who looked much too handsome for his own good and a prettily graying middle aged lady and they were going to sing the first song of the evening which was a duet called Something Stupid. I mentally groaned when I heard the last line of the second stanza.
And then I go and spoil it all by saying something stupid like I love you.
That was exactly what I was going to say and Mr. Sinatra deemed it a foolish and stupid thing. It did tons of stuff to bolster my timid confidence, please note the sarcasm. But I wasn't going to let that stop me.
To quote a JONAS song, I was speechless, over the edge and breathlessly in love with Macy. Telling her was no longer an option but rather a necessity that stemmed from a desire to see her kiss me right on the lips in breathless delight. (I may have read a romance novel or two in preparation, which would account for my rather flowery prose. Or maybe I was channeling John Donne or this dude called Byron, who Macy informed me during Literature class, had been in love with his half sister. Weird guy. And I don't want to be the dude that channels Byron cause, hello, messed up or what?)
But I didn't how to start because after all romance for Dummies wasn't a book that existed. So I began with this little gem of an opener.
"So…"
I know. I wanted to stab myself over and over again.
"It's okay Joe, you don't have to make this like an official date or something," Macy said, smiling at me widely as if me not being able to talk properly didn't matter at all. I was a little thrown off and I looked a little closer at her. You know how sometimes when people are hurt they smile so wide so show everything is okay but their eyes glisten with hurt showing that everything is not okay.
"There's no place else I'd rather be," I assured her truthfully. Macy looked at me uncertainly and then smiled. And this time I could tell it was genuine and it allowed me to press on further.
"Seriously Macy, I'm sitting with the prettiest and most awesomest girl in the room. I'm sure there's not a luckier guy than me in the room."
"You sure are a charmer Joe," Macy said laughing and blushing.
"No, I just like speaking the truth," I told her, looking at her meaningfully. I think that was when she realized, you know, that there was stuff I felt for her and suddenly for a moment, old awkward Macy had come back. She looked down into her food, fingering her cutlery and also dropping it a few times. She was flustered but from the one small look I caught of her face, she was also happy.
That made me too a very happy guy.
I think by that point, both of us had forgotten about Nick and Stella. I knew I had forgotten about them completely because I was completely absorbed by Macy sitting in front of me and talking to me like I was the only guy in this world who mattered. Macy on the other hand gave them cursory glances from time to time but other than that, she left them to their own devices.
It was like the reason we had even come here in the first place had disappeared.
We talked about everything under the sun. From school to music, from Kevin to Frankie and even she agreed with my theory about Frankie. That my little but admittedly awesome and most of the times sneaky brother was a part of an intelligence agency—the kids division of course. It was the only way I could explain his knowledge and all his cleverness. Because sometimes, the real boss in our house was Frankie and not Nick—who liked to believe he was. Maybe Frankie let him believe that.
Oh the mystery.
But do you know what the best part of all was? The fact that Macy agreed with me. That she didn't think I was some conspiracy nut--Nick seemed to think so and Kevin's theory had something to do with brain transplants by aliens.
Wasn't that a wonderful sign?
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For once it was nice to have Macy all to myself. I was basking in the glow of her wonderfulness, like a cat in the sunshine. At that very moment the emcee came on stage and announced the next song. I had passed a few songs by because I was so caught up with Macy and everything about her that I didn't pay attention to anything else but this song caught my attention.
It was called, 'I love you.' Now, I know it was cliché but sometimes, clichés could be your best friend. I immediately knew that this was the moment I had been waiting for all along. It was now or never. I quickly stood up and Macy looked up at me surprised and concerned. I just grinned and offered her my hand.
"Can I have this dance?"
A blush bloomed along Macy's cheeks and she accepted. It was as if even she had understood the significance of the dance and the song. It made my heart skip a couple of beats.
She fit in my arms perfectly and as the music began playing, I truly felt like I was floating on air, with something exquisite and precious in my arms. Macy.
Each line and every word resonated within me and though I never said anything I hoped my eyes would convey the depth of what I felt so badly and so deeply.
I love you. I love you.
Is all that I can say.
I love you. I love you.
The same old worlds I'm saying in the same old way.
I love you. I love you.
Three words that are divine.
And now, my dear, I'm waitin' to hear
The words that will make you mine.
Little girl, I love you.
Can't you see I love you.
I love you. Can't you see I love you.
I love you. I love you.
Three words that are divine.
And now, my dear, I'm waitin' to hear
The words that make you mine.
By the end of the dance, Macy was staring at me with shining hopeful eyes. I smiled and eased my damn collar which was beginning to choke me.
"Is that what you wanted to say Joe?" she asked tentatively, her hands clasped in front of her like an obedient nervous school girl. Wait, she was a school girl but you get the point right?
I nodded and somehow managed to speak—because my brain seemed to have deserted me because apparently dancing with the girl you love tends to turn you into a brainless puddle of mush.
"Three little words. I love you. For the past two years, one month, twenty four days, eight hours, fifty six minutes----"
Her lips where suddenly on mine and tonight it felt so right. Like we were meant to be and that everything that had ever happened was just supposed to lead up to this wondrous moment.
I don't care if the tone of this was chick like. The point was, I had been waiting for this ever since I fell in love with the girl with big brown soft sparkling eyes.
To have it happen finally made my heart feel it would explode with joy.
"I love you too," she whispered breathless against my lips and I sighed as I spun her around in happiness, not bothering about the fact that dignified dudes didn't act in such an un-dignified manner.
I had my girl? Did they?
Therefore, no comments from the peanut gallery.
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From the time we kissed to the time I dropped of Macy home, I felt like I was in a dreamlike state. It was only after I dropped Macy off on her doorstep—and after a prolonged kissing session which we wont apologize for because we had to catch up on lost time—did I remember Nick.
It turned out stuff had gone well for them too.
There were no declarations of love but they were at least boyfriend and girlfriend. This made me happy because I finally got the girl and I set my brother and best friend up too.
It did wonders for my ego.
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When I reached home, I think the silly grin on my face gave away everything. Kevin couldn't stop grinning as he hugged me in congratulations and Frankie shook my hand and muttered with an air of relief, "Finally."
And as I dropped into my bed that night, I send up a quick prayer of thanks and blew an air kiss in the general direction of Macy's house confident that she would receive it and treasure it. Because like Frankie said—
Finally.
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So that was the end of the date. One more chapter and I think I'll be done. Hope this was decent. Mistakes, I'll fix tomorrow because I'm supposed to be in bed now and fast asleep.
Also, I made a banner for this story. Link is on the profile. it's quite bad but check it out, I like it at least. :)