Meant To Be (13 page)

“Oh my God,” she said. “We saw bottles like this at the Curious Cat when we were in New Hope, months ago. I mentioned how much I liked them. I can’t believe she remembered. That’s really nice of her.”

“What’d you get?” Justine gestured toward the still-wrapped package in front of Daniel. He stared as if it had cast some spell over him. “Open it.”

He unwrapped it slowly, wanting to prolong the anticipation. As soon as it was clear that it was a book, Justine snorted. “Giving an English professor a book is a bit cliché,” she said. “I’m exhausted. And full. I’m going to bed. I want to hit the gym early tomorrow morning. Have to burn off those damned cookies.”

“Good night.” He placed the book on the coffee table and stood up. “Merry Christmas.” He kissed her, his hand closing on her waist.

“Good night, Daniel.” She yawned. “I really need some sleep tonight.” And with that she turned and headed upstairs.

Normally Justine’s code for ‘we’re not having sex tonight’ would have annoyed him, but this time Daniel was glad to have a moment alone. He gingerly picked up the book, running his fingers over the binding before opening it. Justine hadn’t even asked what it was, but the answer made all the difference in the world.

It was a hardcover early edition of
Great Expectations
, his favorite childhood book. He’d found the same book at The Strand over a month earlier, after years of searching. He had tried to buy it, but they were only accepting cash, of which he had none at the time. He had run to an ATM, but by the time he’d returned, the store was closed for the night.

When he went back the following day, the book had been sold. He’d kicked himself for not asking the clerk to set it aside, and he remembered complaining to Marienne about how stupid he’d been. Clearly she remembered. And likely she’d had to put forth a great deal of effort to find another copy. He couldn’t believe she’d done so successfully, and could believe even less that all that effort had been for him. He settled into the couch, and began to read, feeling more special and cared for than he had in a very long time.

Chapter Fifteen

Daniel was relieved it was finally Friday. It had been a stressful week, and he’d been looking forward to ‘Dinner and a Movie’ night for days. He headed over to Frank and Marienne’s house straight from the train station. Justine was already there, margarita in hand.

Marienne was standing at the stove, stirring an enormous pot of chili. “Hey, you made it,” she said. “We were wondering where you were.”

“The train was delayed in Newark. We sat there for an hour. I was about to get out and walk. I’m starving.”

“Here.” She handed him a basket of tortilla chips. “Start on these. The chili’s ready. I have to bring everything into the family room.”

There were heaping bowls of homemade salsa and guacamole. Everything smelled fantastic.

“What’re you drinking?” Frank asked. “I got a case of Coronas, and I made margaritas.”

“Fresh lime juice,” Justine said. “They’re really good.”

“Margarita,” he said. Frank poured him one and handed him the glass.

They ate in the family room, slurping down drink after drink while they watched the first movie. By the time the credits rolled Daniel was feeling quite relaxed. He noticed that Frank had fallen asleep.

“I don’t know about the rest of you,” Justine said, yawning. “But I’m exhausted.”

She stretched and arched her back, then turned toward Daniel. “I’m heading home. You coming? Or you gonna watch another movie?”

“I’ll go with you,” he said, though he was not at all tired.

“No need.” She yawned again. “I’ll be asleep before my head hits the pillow.”

There was no hiding the meaning behind what she said. She was going
to sleep
, not
to bed
so he might as well stay and watch TV because he didn’t have a better offer at home.

“You sure?” he asked, walking her to the back door. He kissed the side of her neck as he helped her on with her coat.

“I’m positive,” she said. “Watch the movie.” She spoke louder. “Goodnight, Marienne. Thanks for dinner.”

“Glad you could come.” Marienne waved from the couch.

Daniel watched Justine walk across their yards and waited until he saw her enter the house before he turned back to the family room.

Frank had woken up and was finishing the remains of his beer when Daniel strolled into the room.

“Want me to grab you another?” Daniel asked.

“Nope, I’m done. I’m toast.” Frank rubbed his eyes. “I got about eight hours sleep all week this week. I’m heading up.”

“I should go,” Daniel said, but Frank interrupted.

“Hey, we only made it through one movie so far. You might as well watch another. We already paid for them.”

Ever-practical Frank.

Daniel looked at Marienne. She was sipping her margarita.

“I’ll be up for hours,” she said. “You’re welcome to stay.”

“Go ahead,” Frank said. “There’s still a whole pitcher of margaritas.”
Again, ever practical.
“Goodnight, babe.” He gave Marienne a quick kiss. “Daniel.” He clapped him on the shoulder. “G’nite.” He trudged out of the room.

“Seriously,” Daniel said. “I should go. I don’t want to keep you.”

“Seriously,” Marienne said, mirroring his tone. “Stay. Let’s watch another movie.”

“Okay.” It felt good to be wanted somewhere. He picked up the remaining stack of movies. “What should it be? Serious, well-acted drama?” He held up
The Shawshank Redemption.

She crinkled her nose. “Too serious.”

He nodded. “Action packed but somewhat less well-acted drama?” He held up
Speed
.

She shook her head. “Too tense.”

Again he nodded. “Ahhh.” A grin spread across his face. “Romantic comedy starring very talented actors who apparently have occasionally questionable taste in terms of scripts?” He held up
Joe Vs the Volcano
.

“Yes,” she said, then added with an impish grin. “And we drink every time they say the name ‘Joe’.”

They clinked glasses, and each took a sip before Daniel got up to put in the DVD. He was already happier than he’d been all week.

They watched the movie for about an hour, laughing and drinking each time the name ‘Joe’ was spoken, which was very, very often. Daniel was buzzed enough that it was becoming difficult to concentrate on the television screen. He was glad when Marienne started talking.

“What are your students up to this term?” she asked. “Anything interesting?”

“They’re an entertaining group. My sophomore lit class had a big discussion yesterday based on the premise ‘If you could spend one day as a member of the opposite sex, what would you do, and why?’”

Marienne let out a snort.

“I know,” he said. “I figured for certain they’d all say they’d spend the entire day shagging, but that’s not what they said at all. I was shocked. For three hours they debated gender identity and societal roles, and only one daring soul even mentioned that if he was a woman for the day he’d spend a fair amount of time staring at his own breasts.”

Marienne giggled and he was pleased, he loved to make her laugh. “But honestly,” he said. “I’m pretty sure that even as a guy that particular student spends a good deal of time doing exactly that.”

She giggled again, sounding even more impish.

“So,” he asked. “What would your answer have been? If you got to spend an entire day as a man, what would you spend it doing?” He lifted his glass to his mouth, licking his lower lip.

She paused for a moment then, just as he took a mouthful of margarita, she said, “Probably jerking off.”

The tequila-lime liquid singed the back of his sinuses, threatening to shoot its way out of his nose, but he managed to spit it all back into his glass instead. Still sputtering he set his glass down on the coffee table and grabbed the pitcher.

“That’s it,” he said. “I’m officially cutting you off. This is now my glass.” He took a swig straight out of the huge blue jug, beyond amused by the words that had left her lips.

Marienne grinned, looking quite proud that she’d gotten such a dramatic reaction out of him.

Daniel took a deep breath. “You were saying….”

“Yesss.” Her eyes fluttered innocently.

“Jerking off?”

More giggles escaped as she said, “Yes.”

“That’s it?” he asked, growing more amused, and aroused, by the second.

She nodded.

“The entire time?” he asked.

“Well, if I spent enough time doing that then I’d, by nature, spend the rest of the time sleeping, so, yes, probably the entire time.”

“True enough.” He chuckled. “And why? Can’t forget the second part of the question, Ms. Valeti.” He was teasing her, but attempting, with the use of her last name, to remind himself that she was Frank’s wife.

Frank’s wife, Frank’s wife, Frankswife
.

The words blurred together as he repeated them without effect. All he wanted was to hear her reply.

She paused, running her finger along the edge of her glass in a thoughtful way that seemed insanely sexy.

“Okay,” she said, looking right at him. “I can’t believe I’m going to tell you this. I’ve never told anyone before.”

“Am I at risk of snorting margarita out my nose again?” He was intrigued.

“Probably.” She laughed as he put the pitcher back on the table.

He turned to face her. “You have my full attention. Tell away.” His hand moved before him as though the tequila had given it a mind of its own.

“Okay,” she said. “My first sexual experience.” She hesitated, and he felt his eyes widen in anticipation. “Was an act of….accidental voyeurism.” His mouth fell open, which elicited fresh giggles from Marienne.

He stared at her.

“When I was thirteen I was good friends with my neighbor, Felicia. In the summers we spent pretty much every day together, usually at her house, so I could get away from my mom.” The raw, truthfulness of the last part of that statement seemed to catch her by surprise, and she stopped for a second. Daniel heard it, and allowed her to skip a beat before prodding her to continue.

“Go on,” he said. His mind tumbled over itself as he tried to figure out where she was going with this story. The words ‘sexual experience’ and ‘voyeurism’ bounced around his brain.

“Felicia had an older brother, Rodney, who paid no attention to us. Felicia annoyed the crap out of him, and he spent most of his time in the garage fixing up his crappy old car.” She took another sip of her drink. He couldn’t take his eyes off her.

“One day Felicia and I were out on her deck, tanning—I used to tan back then.” She gestured to her pale skin.

His eyes raked over her, and she shuddered ever so slightly.

“She decided we needed to flip through her brother’s yearbook to make a list of cute high school guys so we’d be prepared for freshman year. She sent me into the house to get the book. She said it would be on the desk in Rodney’s room. I told her she should go get it, but she said she couldn’t because of her wet toenails—Felicia was kind of a princess—so I headed to her brother’s room. I didn’t think anyone was home. Rodney was supposed to be at work. But as I was about to push open his door I heard a noise.” She paused and took another sip. “I froze, thinking there was a burglar in the house, then I heard the noise again. It sounded like a moan, and I was about to freak out and run screaming out of the house when I looked through the crack in his open door, and I saw Rodney lying on his bed. At least I assumed it was him. The door was only open a few inches, and I could only see half his body.”

Daniel’s jaw had gone slack, his mouth completely dry. “Which half?”

“The lower half,” Marienne said, sipping again

“And he was….”

“Naked.”

“And?”

She paused. “Busy.”

“And you…watched?” He was still unable to take his eyes off her.

“I couldn’t move. I was shocked.”

“And you watched,” he said. His heart thrummed faster.

“Well, yes.” She flushed. “I couldn’t help it.”

They sat in silence.

“Anyway,” she said. “That’s my answer. Ever since then I’ve wondered what that would feel like, as a guy. And don’t give me any bullshit about ‘penis envy’ because that’s not what it is. I’d just be curious.”

He laughed. He’d been about to make a joke about how ‘Freud would say…’ He loved that she knew him well enough to call him on it before the words had even left his mouth.

“Besides,” she said, “everyone knows what a popular pastime it is for men, so if I got to be one for a day I’d think it would be worth trying.”

“You never cease to amaze me.”

“You mean that in a good way, right?”

“I mean that in the best of all possible ways.”

“So.” The playfulness returned to her voice. “If you were a woman for a day what would you spend it doing and why?”

“Same as you.” He grinned. “Only it would surely take much longer, as I wouldn’t know what I was doing.”