“Time to enter the universe?”
“Yeah.”
“Well, first off, thanks for asking. You passed your first test,” she laughs. “You know that feeling you get when you’re about to have sex? Remember, I’m talking about before, so there’s no preconceived notions only possibilities. When your blood is pulsing through you, your breaths become shorter and more controlled.”
She puts her bike down and moves toward me, gently placing one hand on my chest and the other behind my neck, massaging my shoulders. I’m in the biggest city in the world and it feels like I’m running out of oxygen.
“It’s alright, just relax,” she says softly. “Allow yourself to be in the moment, feel it out. Now, take a deep breath.” I oblige, inhaling deeply. “Ok, hold it … and release. Open your eyes.”
I find her inches from my face, her eyes locked on mine. “How do you feel?” she whispers.
“I feel … strange.”
“That’s how you’re supposed to feel. Now, do what comes to your mind first. Don’t overthink it.”
My hands find her hips like it’s the most natural thing in the world, like it was part of the plan all along. I start to gradually move them down her hips but stop myself. Even though I want to go on, I’m scared of her reaction.
She rubs her hand over my heart as it pounds furiously inside my chest. She looks me in the the eye and smiles, caressing my face with the back of her free hand. “That’s what it feels like.”
I pull away and offer her a smirk, hopefully conveying confidence; it’s also an invitation to a cat and mouse game for her to discover who I really am. She smiles back willing to play the game, no matter the odds. The moment between us is left hanging like a dinner tab between two frugal friends at an expensive restaurant. She heads off to the restroom, and if she never came back, I wouldn’t blame her.
John and Lily swore that it was only a date and nothing more. I know I’m an over thinker, but this is definitely more, and the gravity of it scares me. In reality, I need time to work through my feelings and reconcile everything. If I’m smart, I can hold onto Melody while I figure myself out. One thing is for sure: My life is about to get complicated.
Melody seems to understand this will be a process, but apparently she’s game because she actually comes back from the bathroom. Instead of asking me if I’m an idiot, she grabs her bike and asks me if I’m ready to go. We ride for a bit before we get back to our conversation.
“So,” I begin, “how does a single girl manage to live in New York City.”
“Stripping,” she shrugs, and I laugh at her joke.
“I was at a strip club a couple nights ago, you don’t seem like the type.”
“Oh yeah?”
“They’re all running some game, except for one that was a little mysterious. I actually thought she was hitting on me, but then she told me I should call you. It was definitely one of the weirdest conversations I’ve ever had.”
“Really, why do you think she said that?” she sounds intrigued.
“Apparently, in my drunken state, I kept going on and on about you.”
She gives me a smile, “You were thinking about me.”
“Yeah, and then Lily agreed to look into a permanent living arrangement if I asked you out, so my hands were tied.” We both laugh. She tells me there’s a vintage record shop not far from us, and we agree to change course.
“This stripper, what do you remember about her?”
“Let’s see …” I rack my brain, trying to remember what I can, “not much. She danced great to T-Pain, wouldn’t accept my money until I practically forced her to, and she knew my sister pretty well. They all wore masks so there’s not much to remember, features-wise at least.”
“I think we were meant to meet Miles, it was destiny.”
I’m offended for a second because all I heard was, “your wife and children had to die for me to come into your life.” But, I know that’s not what she meant.
“I agree. The French roast from Tanzania called out to me like it never had that morning.”
“No, I mean it’s like the universe wanted us to meet.”
“You believe that?”
“I do, actually. Think about it. You could’ve stopped at a Starbucks because, let’s be frank, all coffee tastes the same; but, something made you step in dog shit that morning. Trust me, all the pieces matter.”
We roll through an underpass where we decide to take a break. To my surprise, there’s an outdoor gym tucked beneath it and two basketball courts—one holding a spirited game. Merchants line both courts, selling hats and knockoff sunglasses. It’s another beautiful layer in this complex city.
“This city amazes me. Every time I think I’ve got it figured out, it reveals a new part of itself,” I say.
“Kinda reminds me of you. If you decide to stick around, maybe I can show you more of the city.”
“I’d like that.”
“Me too.”
We sit for awhile, resting and watching the games, each one more competitive than the last. Melody grabs my hand and rests her head on my shoulder, telling me again that she’s happy I called. For the moment, my world feels whole again. My phones buzzes in my pocket. When I glance down at it, I’m surprised to see that it’s a call from my mother. I press ignore.
Not today Satan.
When I get back to the hotel, I find Lily lounging in a sports bra and pajama pants, looking so comfortable that you’d think she actually lived here. I was hoping she’d be asleep so I could sit in silence and mentally agonize over the first date—like men do.
“Hey, Hey,” she says a little too excited, in my opinion. She jumps off the couch and approaches me with open arms, before bending down and taking a whiff of my crotch. “Well, we all can’t be so lucky.”
“There’s something wrong with you. Literally, you’re not right in the head.”
“You had a pretty girl give you her number—basically offering her ass on a silver platter—you couldn’t close the deal, and something is wrong with me?”
“Every date doesn’t have to end in sex,” I reply, sounding like a guy that got shot down and is trying to save face. But before I can expand on that, Lily pounces.
“I forgot, I’m talking to Mr. Monogamy over here. Why—” she catches herself, giving me a frustrated sigh before relenting. “In the spirit of our rekindled relationship, I’ll let you live with this one.”
“You’re so considerate.”
“Did you tell her about your … situation?”
I hesitate longer than I should and Lily pounces again, “Dude, you didn’t tell her?”
Now, I thought my train of thinking was sound. My ‘situation’ isn’t something you just spring on a first date. It’s creepy and will likely end up an answer in a drinking game that her friends play when the topic is ‘weirdest first dates.’ That isn’t to say I feel comfortable leaving it out—because I don’t— but it’s a lot to digest, even for someone as caring and free spirited as Melody.