47 Destinies: Finding Grace by Marlies Schmudlach Perez

cloth, was adorned with a fresh flower and held a small candle.  The setting burst forth with the essence of classic romance.  Grace couldn’t remember the last time her heart was this full of happiness.
    Grace opened the menu and was pleasantly surprised by the variety of tempting choices.  She wanted to sample each item, but knew that wouldn’t be possible.  She was happy to see the fixed menu which enabled her to order an appetizer, soup/salad, entrée and dessert.  She ordered the Saganaki cheese, ‘moody soup’ which was a Greek chicken rice soup, Niman Ranch coulette steak and the chocolate decadence cake.  Todd ordered the grilled prawns, Mahjaic salad, fresh wild salmon and the West Coast cheesecake.
    “Would you like a glass of wine?” the waiter asked after taking their order. 
    “Do you carry any local varieties?” Todd asked, aware of a few wineries in the area.
    “We have a full-bodied Cabernet from David Girard Vineyards, which is on the other side of Coloma.”
    “I would like a glass.  Grace?”
    “Please,” Grace said, impressed with Todd’s interest in tasting the local variety.  The man was a dream.
    After the waiter brought the wine, Todd made a toast.  “I have thoroughly enjoyed our time together.  I would like to make a toast to getting to know each other better.”
    “I second that!”
    The waiter came back over to the table.  “Is this a special occasion?  Perhaps a birthday or wedding anniversary?” he asked, noticing Grace’s wedding ring.
    “No.  We are just passing through,” Todd answered quickly in an attempt to avoid Grace any embarrassment.
    “Wonderful.  Enjoy your meal,” the waiter replied.
    Grace looked down at her left hand.  Her ring shone brightly in the soft lighting.
    “Does it bother you that I still wear my wedding ring?” Grace asked, realizing what it implied.
    Todd reached over and grabbed both of her hands.  “Your marriage is a large part of you and not something I would ever want to replace.  I am glad Derek brought you so much joy.  I wish I had the same experience in my marriage.  Unfortunately, I was not as lucky.  You should wear your ring until you don’t want to wear it. And, no one can decide that, except you.”  Todd squeezed both of her hands.
    Grace stared at Todd and tilted her head to the side.  She was genuinely touched by his thoughtfulness.  “I don’t know what to say.  You are very understanding.  Thank you,” Grace said.
    “I know. What can I say?” Todd replied in jest.  “If I could date myself, I would!”
    “I wouldn’t blame you, but right now how about I take on that duty?”
    “So, you want to go on another date with me?”  Todd said rubbing his thumb across her wrist.  He wanted more days like this.
    “I sure do,” Grace admitted.
    Grace and Todd continued their discussion while each scrumptious portion of their dinner arrived.  Grace devoured the cheese and stuffed herself full of the fresh made bread.  It all tasted delightful.  The wine gently eased Grace into a relaxed state and loosened her tongue even more.  Todd liked watching her face flush a pink hue around her cheeks as the meal progressed.
    Grace was breaking out of her shell and he relished in every moment.  The candlelight flickered softly across her face and reflected in her eyes.  She was picture perfect in every way.  He was no doubt falling very fast.  She, too, seemed caught up in him.  Everything went smoothly; he was struck by the connection that had already developed.
    After dinner, they drove back towards the city.  The stars were out and the moon was full.  They spent part of their drive in silence and part in a full-fledged debate over which tasted better: the cheesecake or the chocolate decadence cake. 
    They were almost disappointed when Todd pulled up in front of Grace’s house.  It felt like they had been gone for a week, yet it had only been a day.
    “Would you like to come in?” Grace