Scott and Charmaine

It happened in only a moment.  He saw her as she passed and quickly he thought, That was Charlie!  He turned as she passed and he called out, “Charlie!”

She almost didn’t hear, but something broke through her thoughts.  Did someone call me?  She turned and saw a familiar face.

He saw her turn slowly.  Damn!  It is her.  He walked towards her as she stopped and he saw the glint of recognition in her eyes. 

“Hello, Charlie.  What a wonderful surprise.  How are you?”

“Scott!  Of all people.”

They stood on Chicago’s, North Michigan Avenue.  It was a sparkling fall day in late September.  The morning sun made the “Magnificent Mile” a bright, delightful venue for remembering a love affair.  A gentle breeze suggested the tweed sport coat Scott wore, and her camel jacket. 

As they shook hands, Charlie added her left hand to emphasize her pleasure in seeing him. 

“Charlie, no ring?”  Scott queried. 

“Oh, no.  That ended about a year after you ran away.  What are you doing in here?  You’re a long way from New York, or wherever ….” 

“Rhode Island, Charlie.  I’m here on business.  So you never married?” 

“No.  Bernard thought there was someone else in my life that would keep me from being the total wife he was looking for.”  Should I tell you?

“Oh, Charlie, I’m sorry.  Listen.  Are you free for a drink later?  It would be fun to catch up.  I’d like to know what’s been going on in your life these three years.”

She was a lawyer.  Majored in math in undergraduate school, became interested in computers, then law.  Now practicing computer law.  And recognized as gorgeous!  Charlie’s real name was Charmaine.  She was Eurasian, the daughter of a French importer who spent most of his adult life in Hong Cong dealing in “goods”, which were never described in polite company.  Her mother was Polynesian.  Charlie had coal black hair and just a little more than a hint of Polynesian features.  The color or her skin made it clear than her ancestors had spent a lot of time in the sun.  She was tall for an Asian woman, 5’7” or thereabout, and svelte.  Scott’s friends used to say she had a figure to die (or kill) for.  He agreed.   

“Ah…yeah, if we can make it a little later”, she answered.  “I have some things to take care of in my office, but if you can wait until seven, or so, I can.  I’d like to hear how someone spends an entire life playing with sailboats.  That is what you’re doing, isn’t it?”

He smiled.  “If designing and building million-dollar sail boats is ‘playing’, yes.  Your clients have to have somewhere to fashion their internet piracy schemes.”

She returned the smile.  “Touché!  How about Sage’s East?  Remember it?”

“Remember it?  How could I forget it?  That’s where I fell in love with you, Charlie.  Do you think it’s a safe place?” he responded.

“Are you asking if I think you might fall in love with me again if we have a martini there, Scotty?  Don’t you think we’ve aged a little beyond ‘falling in love’ after a drink?” she chided.  And I don’t think there’s any risk that we’ll fall into the sack after a drink at Sage’s.  No, I think we’re safe”.

“Ok.  Sage’s at seven.”  Taking her hand again he said, “I’m glad I saw you.  You make this “mile” magnificent.” 

“Still the bullshit, Scott.  I’ll see you later.”  

Sage’s was a subtle, upscale bistro on the curve Chicago’s picturesque lakeshore drive makes around its popular Oak St. beach.  No sign in front - people who arrived at the door aren’t there by mistake.  Set on the first floor of a very exclusive condo building that provides a view north along the Lake Michigan’s in-town beaches, it was a favorite of the up-and-coming professional and executive set.  The atmosphere was designed as a place for after-work and late-night liaison.  At seven the clientele was changing from the after-work, happy hour crowd to the before-dinner-and-theater cocktail set.  The lounge looked as much a hotel lobby as a bar.  Comfortable chairs around small tables made it a place set for intimate conversation.  A piano bar situated in the center of the room created a romantic atmosphere without being intrusive.

Scott arrived a little early, not wanting Charlie to have to sit alone waiting for him.  He chose a pair of chairs away from the door where they could have privacy.   

She arrived just on time – she hasn’t changed.  He stood and walked toward the door to meet her.  She saw him as soon as he moved and met him.  As they met, he took both her hands in his.

“Your wardrobe, Charlie,” he said.  “I’m surprised.  I thought you were coming from your office.”

“I just felt like something more comfortable than a business suit,” she said.  “You look good in fall clothes, Scott.  You always did.  Tweed goes well with your sandy hair and perpetual suntan.  But I’ll bet you’re not wearing socks, are you?”  She looked down and saw his characteristic boat shoes, sans socks. 

He grinned.  “I don’t put socks on until Christmas - part of the culture.  Clients expect it.”

They faced each other over a small, low table.  Scott harbored an anticipation that he could fall in love with Charlie again.  Hell, I’ve never been out of love with her, he thought.

The waiter approached.  “Still drinking margaritas, Charlie?” Scott asked.

“No.”  Then to the waiter, “Vodka martini with a twist.”

“Beefeaters martini, up, very dry,” Scott added to the waiter.

“So, Scott.  Tell me everything.  Where did you run away to, what are you doing, are you married – tell me everything about your life these last three years.”

“Where did I run away to?  I’ll come back to that”, he responded.  “I live in Newport, Rhode Island.  I’m designing and building high performance cruising and racing sailboats.   I live in a cottage overlooking Narragansett Bay.  It’s actually on a little bluff, so the view is pretty dramatic.  I’m not married – I’ve never been in love with anyone but you, Charlie.  Working is my hobby too.  I love to sail and I spend a lot of time on the water always trying to develop new design ideas.  I read a lot.  God, when I hear myself saying that, it sounds pretty boring.  But I’m having fun, working hard, making too much money.”

“And you, Charlie?” he asked.  “I know about your law practice – you’re famous among people interested in internet publishing.  But what’s going on in your real life?  What happened to Bernard?”

“As I said this morning, he suspected there was someone else in my life.  Actually, I uttered your name at an inappropriate time – should I say an intimate time?  He was incensed, as he should have been.  He asked for his ring back that very moment, which I thought was a little harsh.  I haven’t see or heard from him since.” 

“Charlie, I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be, Scott.  I’m sure it was for the better.  He really was a pompous ass,” she laughed.

“I’m at a loss for words, Charlie.  I thought you were rid of me and glad of it.  I wouldn’t have expected you to mention my name to another lover after we split.”

“Scott, I have tried so many times to remember why I wanted to break up with you.  But I can’t.  I don’t know why I asked you to leave.  For the life of me…”.

“Why didn’t you call me, Charlie?  I’d have come running.  You know that.”

“Call you?  How could I call you, Scotty?  You ran away.  It’s only now that I know you ran to Rhode Island.”

“I wouldn’t characterize my leaving Chicago as ‘running away’.  You sent me away, actually.  Remember?  What did you expect me to do?” 

She tried to interrupt.   

“Wait,” he continued.  “I’m not blaming you.  I’m just trying to explain my leaving.  I couldn’t possibly have continued to hang around Chicago, to go places we went, do the things we did, without making a fresh bruise every time.  Moving to a place where sailing is the major pastime made sense.  I’d probably have done that sometime anyway.  You could have found me, Charlie.  There are a lot of people around here who knew where I went.  I’m so sorry you didn’t.”

“Water over the dam, Scott.  It’s all history now.  We had no claims on each other.  You and I were over by the time Bernard ended our engagement.”

“It doesn’t sound like we were all over.  You said he thought there was someone else in you life.  If that was me, it wasn’t over.  You called my name at ‘an inappropriate time’.  You were still in love with me, weren’t you, Charlie?  God, I wish I’d been here!”

“So did I.” 

He reached across the table and took her hands in his.  He looked into her eyes.  Neither of them spoke for a few moments.  The piano player was playing quietly and the lounge was quiet, with few conversations to be heard. 

“Charlie…”

“Don’t, Scott.  It’s over.”  But she didn’t withdraw her hands.

“It doesn’t need to be over.  I’ve never stopped loving you.  And you’ve not stopped loving me.”

“It’s been three years, Scotty.  We’ve both been through a lot and we’ve both changed.  We can’t just pretend that hasn’t happened.”

“It’s been only two years since you broke up with Bernard.  And you were still in love with me then.  We don’t have to pick up as though nothing has happened to us.  We can start again – new.”

“It isn’t new.  We have a history - a deep and intense history.  We can’t just pretend that doesn’t exist” she responded.

“OK.  We can’t just pick up again, where we left off.  We can’t start anew, as if we didn’t have a history.  But we can start again, with our history as prelude.” 

“Charlie, it’s 8:00.  Let’s get some dinner and we can talk further.”

‘I don’t think that’s a good idea, Scott.  I don’t want you to go any further with this idea.  We had a wonderful run, but we’re over.  It’s been great to see you, but it’s time to go.  Go back to Rhode Island and fall in love with some wonderful, blonde, water girl.  And call me before you come to town again.  Maybe then we can have dinner.”  She turned her head slightly and adjusted the backing of an earring, keeping her eyes on him.

“I won’t press you tonight, Charlie.  But as long as you’re unattached, I’m not going to give up.’

They rose, Scott left cash on the table for the check and they walked to the door.  Outside it had grown chilly, with the breeze off the lake.  They embraced.  Scott kissed her tenderly.  She didn’t resist.  In fact, he thought, she wanted this.  That gave him greater resolve that he would not let her go.

“I’ll walk you to your car,” he said.

“I took a cab, and there’s one right in front.  Good-bye Scott.  Good luck with your client meeting.  Call me sometime.  Let’s not lose touch altogether.”

“Au revoir, Charlie.  I’ll call you.”

Scott walked back to his hotel.  The breeze off the lake had picked up and he was chilled.  The evening was clear and fresh and the familiar smell of the lake reminded him of Charlie and all the time they’d spend on the lake, sailing and lying on the beach.  I should never have left, he thought.  His longing to feel her in his arms again grew. 

Just inside the hotel lobby, his cell phone rang.  “Hello.”

“Can a girl change her mind?” she said softly.

“About marrying me?” he teased.

“Let’s start with dinner,” she responded.