Now Wouldn't You Like to Know (13 page)

“So, what time do you want me to take you to the bus station?” I asked, not wanting to ask but knowing that I had to bring the subject up.

“You’re trying to get rid of me again, huh,” she said teasing me.

“No, matter-of-fact,” the thought of you leaving me is eating at me.

“Yeah, I know that feeling,” she said growing solemn. “And I don’t like the prospect of leaving you myself. Honestly, I really don’t know what the future holds for us, Sheldon.”

“Look, my interview is not until tomorrow,” I said, facing her. “Why don’t we just hang out together all day long and then we can talk about the future, okay?”

“What are we going to do all day long?” she asked.

“What I can do is look up some of the major tourist attractions in the area and we can start with that.”

“Sounds like a plan,” she said using one of her favorite phrases.

“I’ll get my laptop out and look up some things to do and some places we can visit after we eat breakfast,” I replied enthusiastically. “But I cannot let the day pass by without buying a Philly cheesesteak and a Philadelphia Italian hoagie.”

“You can count me in on that,” she said, smiling as she reached down to clasp my hand. “And let’s not forget their soft pretzels. I’ve heard a lot about them from friends who had visited Philly.”

“Yeah, that’s right.”

Rising up, I took her by the hand and walked her over to the large window and wrapped my arms around her shoulders. Together we gazed out over metropolitan Philadelphia. It was a panoramic view to die for. With Diana by my side, it just did not get any better than this.

F
or breakfast Diana had a toasted onion bagel that she smeared with strawberry flavored Philadelphia Cream Cheese, two strips of bacon, and a glass of orange juice. I had a western omelet, a glass of chilled orange juice, and a toasted scone with raspberry jam spread over it. As we dined, I glossed over a complimentary Philadelphia Daily News paper I had picked up just outside of the hotel’s dining hall. Diana had just sat her glass down when a little girl about four years old walked over from an adjacent table and paused in front of her.

“Hi,” the little girl said smiling. Her parents seemed poised to reel her back in, but instead waited with smiles.

“Hello, what’s your name?” Diana asked, leaning forward.

“My name is Diane,” she said in a soft sweet voice. “What’s yours?”

“Well, isn’t that something,” Diana exclaimed. “My name is Diana and yours is Diane. We must be very special ladies.”

“Yep,” the little girl replied nodding her head. “You’re pretty,” she added unexpectedly.

“Why thank you, little Miss Diane,” Diana said smiling and looking at the girl then over at her parents.

By now Diane’s mother had trotted over to reclaim her daughter wearing a pleasant smile and offering a wholesome apology. Diana explained that no harm was done, that she really enjoyed meeting little Miss Diane. The two Dees waved at one another.

After breakfast, we headed outside of the hotel. It was still fairly cold. But it was expected to get into the upper 60s by noon. We located the valet, who immediately whirled off to collect our ride. Minutes later, she pulled the Navigator alongside of us. Diana insisted on taking care of the tip. She handed the young woman a $5.00 bill then we climbed into the Navigator and took off.

Diana and I spent the first hour walking around the downtown area. We visited the Gallery, a multi-level shopping mall blocks away on Market Street and City Hall. We then headed over to the Benjamin Franklin Institute, our first major stop. It was known to be one of the premier science museums in the world. After we made a whirlwind tour of the museum we headed over to the oldest zoo in the United States, the Philadelphia Zoo.

Unlike our controversial zoo visit in the nation’s capital, this visit was one for the record books, romantic, thrilling, and exciting. We walked hand in hand and took a ride on the above ground monorail. Flamingos, hummingbirds, falcons, sea lions, sea elephants, hyenas, and impalas were but some of the creatures we encountered there. Of course we saw the larger wild animals most people go to the zoo to specifically see such as elephants, rhinos, gorillas, lions, tigers, and of course bears.

When we left the zoo, Diana was carrying three stuffed animals of various sizes and a bouquet of flowers. Along the way back to the hotel we passed by the famous Philadelphia Museum of Art which was featured prominently in the Rocky movie series. Once back at the hotel, we dropped off the stuffed animals and headed out for another tour of the area. We purchased warm soft pretzels from a corner vendor. Not wanting to deal with parking issues, we decided not to take the Navigator out on our next venture. So we flagged down a cab instead. We asked him to drive us around the historic and colonial area of downtown Philadelphia. During our tour we drove through or by Rittenhouse Square, Independence Hall, Betsy Ross’s House, Constitution Hall, Ben Franklin’s grave, the President’s House, and the pavilion that housed the Liberty Bell.  Seeing these places put you back in time. Colonial time. Diana made certain that she took a lot of pictures of the places and of us.

It was late in the day when we asked the cabby to drop us off at an Italian restaurant a few blocks from the hotel. We were drawn in by the sign outside of it that read “Hoagies and Philly cheesesteaks Sold Here”. We ordered one of each, had them cut in half, and shared them. So we had both hoagie and cheesesteak between us. In addition to this, the combo came with seasoned fries, Cole slaw, and pickle slices. Diana had a small Sprite and I had a glass of beer. Diana could only eat the cheesesteak half. She had the hoagie half wrapped to take back with us. Afterwards, we walked the three blocks back to the hotel and collapsed on the sofa. It had been a long day and we were both exhausted.

“God, I feel stuffed,” she said.

“That makes two of us,” I replied.

“Just the same, that hoagie and cheesesteak was out of this world. I see why Philly cuisine is talked about so much.”

“You have a point there. I’m stuffed, too,” I said, rubbing my stomach in a circular pattern.

“We just outdid ourselves, that’s all. But it was worth it,” she chuckled.

“What time is your bus departure tomorrow morning,” I asked. Diana had made reservations earlier in the day to leave for New York in the morning.

“I believe it leaves around 8:45AM,” she answered, looking over at me sluggishly.

“God baby, I hate to see you go,” I said reaching over and taking her hand into mine.

Rotating her body, she laid on her back, the upper part of her body now resting across my lap. Looking up at me she gave me a dose of those dreamy brown eyes of hers, eyes set on a sad face. “What are we going to do, Sheldon? We’re in love. And personally, I am just as torn up about leaving you tomorrow.”

“So am I, Diana,” I replied, running my hand through my hair. “The thing is, we’re both at a crossroad in our lives. I may move up here, if I get the job, but if I don’t get the job, I’m back down in Orlando with my cousin Mike and unemployed. But you, you still have Jack to contend with. You know, I never asked but the place you stay at, is it your place or his?”

“It’s in my name,” she said. “But I can always have him evicted, I guess.”

“I imagine so, especially if you let the authorities know that you’ve been in an abusive relationship,” I said lowering my lips and kissing her on the forehead.

“Well, what do we do in the meantime?”

“Yeah, I’m heading back down to Orlando the day after the interview if I don’t get the job. If I do get it I’m hanging around for a few days to look for a place to stay, either here in Philly or across the river in New Jersey. How long are you planning on being in Brooklyn?”

“For about a week,” she said cupping my hand in hers and stroking it with her free hand.

“And then you have to return to Orlando and that asshole Jack.”

“Unfortunately, that is, until I can get him out of my place.”

“Look, I could hang around here a little longer if you want to hitch a ride back with me. I have nothing better to do. So, what is it going to be?”

“I’d love nothing more than to drive back with you Sheldon,” she said with a warm enticing smile.

“Then it’s settled. You can catch a bus back here to Philly or I can come up to Brooklyn and get you. Think about how you want to do this and call me when you make up your mind, oaky?”

Grabbing the remote I turned on the television and flipped through several channels until I came to a movie channel. Playing was a romantic comedy called
Fools Rush In
starring Matthew Perry and Salma Hayek. In a short while Diana fell asleep on my lap.

Later that night we revisited a world of passion many had dreamed about but few had ever experienced before. After another warm and relaxing bubble bath, we called it a night.

Chapter 12

W
e arrived at the Greyhound Bus terminal the following morning forty minutes before her bus was scheduled to depart for New York. Her cousin Victoria would meet her at the terminal there once she arrived. We checked her luggage in and meandered about the area, talking and reminiscing about our travels. For the first time since we met, we would face the remainder of our day apart. And even though I knew this wasn’t the end of the road for us, I felt a sadness I had not felt in quite some time. Diana had become a part of me and like any appendage we have to part with, it was painful.

Of course, I stayed with her until her destination was called.
‘The Philadelphia to Brooklyn and Manhattan, New York and on to Boston is now ready for boarding. Please assemble at Gate 5’
the masculine voice over the PA system announced.  A lump appeared in my throat as I walked her to the boarding area. There, like several other couples, we hugged and kissed like there was no tomorrow.

As she stepped away, our hands gripped the other until only our finger tips were touching. Then the final break came and she climbed aboard the bus. Facing me, she mouthed the words,
‘I love you’
.

I left the terminal lost in my thoughts and made my way back to the hotel to prepare myself for my interview that afternoon. It wasn’t easy, though, getting in the right frame of mind. So far it had felt like I was on a honeymoon more so than a business trip. Now that Diana was gone, the reality hit me and right smack in the face. I was here for a major career move, not a damn honeymoon, and I needed to get in gear.

Reaching into my attaché case, I pulled out some paperwork to review and I also went over my notes. Before leaving, I had a light lunch, then relaxed. After showering, I put on my dark brown suit that I had placed in dry cleaning the first day of our arrival. And then I grabbed my freshly polished brown shoes and put them on. By noon, I was ready to head over to my interview, which was being held about twelve miles south of center city. Though I fought my way through heavy traffic, I arrived there with fifteen minutes to spare.

The name of the business was
Clairton Computer Technologies.
  It was a large company that had contracts with the Defense Department, NASA, and private corporations. It boasted well over two hundred people on staff. A lot of what it did was classified but there were some areas that were main stream such as systems analysis and repair.

The interview went extremely well. It lasted a little over an hour. Afterwards, I was given a tour of the company and introduced to numerous suits in lower and upper management, some I was meeting for the second time for they had sat in on the interview. Before leaving, they told me that they’d call me the following day to let me know if I had gotten the job. In the meantime, they urged me to enjoy the accommodations at the Hyatt hotel. They even said that if I were selected, they’d extend my stay an additional two days so that I could search for housing while I was in town. With that, I was on my way.

Diana called me shortly after the interview to say that she had arrived in New York safely and that she was settled in at her Cousin Victoria’s place. Victoria was Diana’s first cousin on her mother’s side of the family. She was born in Orlando but attended college in New York. While there she met her future husband, they fell in love, married, and stayed there to raise a family. From what Diana had told me, Victoria’s husband was a native of New York. The couple had two little girls.

“How was the ride up?” I asked her, sitting down on the sofa and leaning forward.

“I couldn’t stop thinking about you Sheldon, I swear I couldn’t,” she answered, a touch of loneliness evident in her voice. “There was a guy in his forties sitting next to me who tried to hit on me on the ride up but I told him that I was in love with a wonderful man named Sheldon and I continued to talk about you and how much in love I was with you. After a point, he grew tired of hearing me mentioning your name and pulled out a
Jet
magazine and read it.”

Amused, I chuckled lightly.

“So, how did the interview go?” she asked.

“It went very well,” I said, leaning back on the sofa. “I should know if I got the job by tomorrow afternoon sometime.”

“Oh, you’ll get it,” she assured me. “I have no doubt about that baby.”

“I hope so.”

“Do you miss me as much as I miss you Sheldon?”

“I miss you even more than you could ever miss me,” I answered.

“Oh Sheldon, you don’t know how much that makes me feel-so-much-better,” she nearly sang at the end.

“I’m here for you Diana, always remember that.”

“I know, honey,” she replied. “Have you heard from Mike lately?”

“Matter of fact, I talked to my cousin just before my interview. He’s doing great.”

“You tell him about us yet?”

“This time I did Diana. And believe me, he chided me for just getting this news to him.”

“Oh, well,” she sighed. “Better late than never, I guess.”

Diana and I went on for another hour talking before she told me that her cellphone power was getting low. I told her that I’d call her the following day to let her know the outcome of my interview. She said that she and Victoria were going to go and pick up her husband Brandon in a short while from work, then go out to eat dinner. We exchanged pleasantries then disconnected our call.