to a nice dinner. He went to the nicest
steakhouse he could think of, tipped the maitre d’ to get a table, and indulged
in a porterhouse big enough to feed two. On the side he polished off an order
of creamed spinach and braised spare ribs.
He had three glasses of scotch to wash it all down. The
maitre d’, returning the favor of the generous tip, insisted that he try
dessert. Even though he was already well beyond his usual capacity, Brody
managed to finish the complimentary slice of German chocolate cake as well. He
had never been so stuffed in his life. If this proved to be his last meal it
was certainly one hell of a way to go out.
Brody went home to get a good night’s sleep. He would need
all his energy the next day. He briefly thought about calling Hannah but
quickly ruled it out. The temptation to not leave the next morning would be too
great. He also wanted to get an early start the next day and it would behoove
him to sleep in his own bed on this night. He laid his head down on the pillow
and closed his eyes. Even though he couldn’t be with her on this night, images
of Hannah still filled his dreams.
FOURTEEN
Hannah's Night
Hannah had her own preparations to make that day after Brody
had left to take care of his own. She didn’t have class until that afternoon
and was able to spend the morning catching up on her work. For the first time
all week she was able to concentrate. Her talk with Brody hadn’t exactly been
encouraging, but it at least put to bed the many questions she’d been
struggling with all week. Feeling him inside her again certainly helped to ease
her tensions as well.
It was time for her to start repairing the damage she had
done to her future career that week. She sent her adviser an email apologizing
for her actions. She caught on some of the work that she had been neglecting.
She even found a little time to give her apartment a much needed straightening
up. Her high level of productivity made her feel better about her prospects.
She took comfort in the fact that she was still capable of living a normal
life.
Her run of positive achievement continued through her class
that afternoon. She was able to pay attention and even participate in the
discussion group. It was an admirable rebound from where she had been earlier
in the week. She even began to think that she would be able to keep it up the
following week. There was no way of knowing, of course. It was always possible
that her debilitating fever over Brody could return. Still, it felt as if she
had truly turned a corner. Now that she understood the nature of his work she
was able to accept it, if not quite fully embrace it. She wasn’t sure that she
would ever be able to completely make peace with it. At the very least,
however, she was now confident that she would be able to close herself off from
it as long as Brody didn’t bring his work home.
When she got home that evening it dawned on her that it was
Friday night. That is, it was exactly one week since she had first met Brody.
To think, she hadn’t even wanted to go out that night. Now she couldn’t even
imagine what her life would have been like if she had declined as she
originally intended. It was even possible that she owed Julia a “thank you” for
forcing her to go out that night. Serendipity was a powerful thing, just not
powerful enough to overcome her locking herself in her apartment that night.
She thought about what he might be doing at this very
moment. He could be behind the wheel of a stolen car right now. She caught
herself beginning to worry about him. She knew he could take care of himself.
She knew this wasn’t the first risk he’d ever taken. In all likelihood whatever
job it was would go off without a hitch, allowing them to be together without a
specter hanging over their relationship. She just had to make it through the
uncertainty of this weekend. Then, and only then, could she breathe a sigh of
relief and make some attempt to
steakhouse he could think of, tipped the maitre d’ to get a table, and indulged
in a porterhouse big enough to feed two. On the side he polished off an order
of creamed spinach and braised spare ribs.
He had three glasses of scotch to wash it all down. The
maitre d’, returning the favor of the generous tip, insisted that he try
dessert. Even though he was already well beyond his usual capacity, Brody
managed to finish the complimentary slice of German chocolate cake as well. He
had never been so stuffed in his life. If this proved to be his last meal it
was certainly one hell of a way to go out.
Brody went home to get a good night’s sleep. He would need
all his energy the next day. He briefly thought about calling Hannah but
quickly ruled it out. The temptation to not leave the next morning would be too
great. He also wanted to get an early start the next day and it would behoove
him to sleep in his own bed on this night. He laid his head down on the pillow
and closed his eyes. Even though he couldn’t be with her on this night, images
of Hannah still filled his dreams.
FOURTEEN
Hannah's Night
Hannah had her own preparations to make that day after Brody
had left to take care of his own. She didn’t have class until that afternoon
and was able to spend the morning catching up on her work. For the first time
all week she was able to concentrate. Her talk with Brody hadn’t exactly been
encouraging, but it at least put to bed the many questions she’d been
struggling with all week. Feeling him inside her again certainly helped to ease
her tensions as well.
It was time for her to start repairing the damage she had
done to her future career that week. She sent her adviser an email apologizing
for her actions. She caught on some of the work that she had been neglecting.
She even found a little time to give her apartment a much needed straightening
up. Her high level of productivity made her feel better about her prospects.
She took comfort in the fact that she was still capable of living a normal
life.
Her run of positive achievement continued through her class
that afternoon. She was able to pay attention and even participate in the
discussion group. It was an admirable rebound from where she had been earlier
in the week. She even began to think that she would be able to keep it up the
following week. There was no way of knowing, of course. It was always possible
that her debilitating fever over Brody could return. Still, it felt as if she
had truly turned a corner. Now that she understood the nature of his work she
was able to accept it, if not quite fully embrace it. She wasn’t sure that she
would ever be able to completely make peace with it. At the very least,
however, she was now confident that she would be able to close herself off from
it as long as Brody didn’t bring his work home.
When she got home that evening it dawned on her that it was
Friday night. That is, it was exactly one week since she had first met Brody.
To think, she hadn’t even wanted to go out that night. Now she couldn’t even
imagine what her life would have been like if she had declined as she
originally intended. It was even possible that she owed Julia a “thank you” for
forcing her to go out that night. Serendipity was a powerful thing, just not
powerful enough to overcome her locking herself in her apartment that night.
She thought about what he might be doing at this very
moment. He could be behind the wheel of a stolen car right now. She caught
herself beginning to worry about him. She knew he could take care of himself.
She knew this wasn’t the first risk he’d ever taken. In all likelihood whatever
job it was would go off without a hitch, allowing them to be together without a
specter hanging over their relationship. She just had to make it through the
uncertainty of this weekend. Then, and only then, could she breathe a sigh of
relief and make some attempt to
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