Disclaimer: See chapter 1
A/N: Thanks to all who continued to read and review even during problems with the site. You're the greatest!
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"You called me," they again said together. A period of silence followed.
"I…I never called you," Reid stammered. "I…I got a message from Agent Street that you had called. I thought it was about some pathogen case you were working on and maybe wanted FBI assistance." He looked at her as if to say, your turn.
"Okay, I got a message from Sandy that you had called. I was led to believe the same thing, that you wanted my help with a case."
There was silence at the table again as the realization finally hit them. "It looks like we've been set up," Linda surmised.
"Yeah, and I think I know by whom." He told her about Garcia meeting him at Starbucks, conveniently leaving out the gist of their conversation. "I decided to leave when I found out the other girls were coming and on the way out I ran into Shirley, literally. I guess the six of them must have put their heads together. Garcia can get pretty determined when she gets her mind on something."
"It appears my nurses can too," Linda replied.
"Don't be too hard on them. Please don't fire them or anything. I'm sure it was Garcia's idea," Reid pleaded in the nurses' defense.
Fire them, I wish I could give them a raise. "Don't worry, I won't fire them," she said instead.
"I'm really sorry about this," Reid said hoping Linda wasn't too angry.
"Don't be. It's not your fault. You were as much a victim in this scheme as I was." She paused for a moment. "I'm not really that upset. Why wouldn't I want to spend an evening with a very attractive man that I've come to l…like and admire."
Reid could feel his face turning pink and was glad of the dimness of the restaurant. He prayed she couldn't see it. "I suppose you're right, we should make the best of it."
"Good," she agreed, "because I'm starving." She opened the menu as she spoke.
"I must admit I don't know what most of these things are," he said as he took in the offerings on the menu. Linda went about explaining the dishes, all which seemed to consist of fish.
"Oden is very good," she suggested. It's a hot pot made with daikon radish, hanpen fish cakes, chikawa fish cakes and boiled eggs." He seemed to turn green as she spoke. "What's wrong?"
"I'm sorry. Ever since Georgia with the burning fish hearts and livers, I haven't been able to eat fish."
"Oh Spencer, I never thought." Her tiny hands reached out to gently cover his large ones as they rested on the table in front of him. As small as they were they infused him with her inner warmth. He should have felt uncomfortable at this gesture, he thought, but somehow he didn't. "Would it be better if we left here and got a burger or something?"
Man, you can't even be a normal date. You go to a nice restaurant with a beautiful woman and you have to have issues with fish. "Why would you, think of it I mean, and, no, I don't want to go somewhere else. Is there anything on the menu that isn't fish and by the way, I'm uh…no good with chopsticks."
"Okay then, how about I order for us," Linda said, picking up the menu just as the waitress appeared to take their order. "We'd like to start off with fried wonton, then the miso soup and finally okonomiyaki," Linda told her.
"Very good," the waitress, a young woman of Japanese ancestry wearing a floor length dress of white silk embroidered with lotus blossoms, said as she went off to fill the order.
Reid raised his eyebrows. "The fried wontons you can eat with your fingers, the miso soup is eaten with a spoon and okonomiyaki is like a Japanese pizza made with beef and pork that you can eat with your hands. How did I do?" Linda asked.
"You did very well, thank you," Reid replied.
"No problem, they're all things I love," she told him. "Have you gotten over your anger yet?"
"I know they were just trying to do something nice for me," he moved his hand back and forth to include her, "for us, but I hate being outside my comfort zone. As you've probably guessed, I don't do well at dating."
"Why would you think that?" She raised her eyebrows in surprise.
"Because most women don't want to date a geek," he told her.
"Well this is your lucky day," she smiled up at him and he found himself drowning in the depths of her brown eyes. "I'm not most women."
No, you most definitely are not. "And I'm extremely grateful for that," he said barely above a whisper as the waitress arrived with the wontons.
Through dinner which Reid found delicious, if not totally unexpected, they discussed a plethora of subjects. Reid talked about schools he'd attended, work, hobbies and Linda was surprised to learn that he liked to draw. She talked about her work, moving to America when she was three, assimilating into a whole new culture and her passion for Ikebana.
"Japanese flower arrangement," Reid said, "an ancient art that dates back over 1500 years."
"Um hmm," Linda agreed. "My grandmother was an expert at it. She taught my mother who taught me. I always have a fresh one in my tokonoma." Reid looked confused. "That's a small sacred alcove in Japanese rooms. It usually contains a flower arrangement, incense and a candle."
"Is it difficult to be part of two worlds?" Reid asked as he sipped on sake served in a small black handleless ceramic cup that Linda had told him was called a choko.
"Most of the time I'm a totally American woman. It's only at home and with my family that our traditions are still, to some degree, maintained. But I guess the adherence to old traditions is part of living in this melting pot that's called America."
The waitress reappeared and asked if they would like dessert. "I think we'll have anmitsu and some green tea please?" She was smiling after the waitress left.
"Alright," Reid said suspiciously, "what's anmitsu? What have you gotten me into?"
"Don't worry; I think you'll like it. With a little twist," she winked, "it's a Japanese form of Jell-O."
Reid glanced at his watch when the waitress came with the bill that he'd succeeded in fighting Linda to pay. Was it going on for 11pm? Where had the time gone? They'd been here all evening. The patrons were thinning out. A large Japanese family was ahead of them with, what Reid counted as, eight children. Better you than me buddy he thought. "Lisa hold on to Jimmy's hand until we get in the car." The girl who appeared about ten grabbed her little brother's hand with a huge sigh. There were probably times when having siblings was a pain but he'd always felt it was something wonderful he'd missed out on. The early June night was dark now when they stepped into the street. The stars twinkled brightly in the night sky.
"Look," Linda pointed, "a falling star." She closed her eyes to make a wish although tonight it almost seemed like all her wishes had come true. Little Lisa looked up at the star too but Jimmy wasn't interested and broke free from his sister. He began to run into the street. Reid ran out to catch the young boy while his older brother leapt forward as well. In his attempt the young teen brushed roughly past Linda knocking the petite doctor off her high stiletto heels and Reid heard a sharp groan as she hit the pavement.