Little Blackbird

“Go on a date, she said. It’ll be fun, she said,” Jackie tossed her head back against the backseat of the Uber. Catching the driver’s wary eyes in the rearview mirror before they flitted back to the road, she realized she had spoken out loud. Great, now she was a crazy person. Honestly, an extra shift in the psych unit at the hospital was becoming more and more preferable than a blind date at this point. At least in that scenario she had an idea of what to expect. She could even call for back up if things got out of control.

Cat cuddles on her comfy couch with Chinese take-out and Sex and the City reruns beckoned to her. Cannoli had mewed scornfully and twitched his tail at his betrayer as she walked out the door. It wasn’t her fault. Val and Kevin were so pleased with themselves for setting this up. Jordan was some new hotshot at Kevin’s law firm who had mentioned an interest in joining the local dating scene. They had insisted on what an attractive couple Jackie and Jordan would be and were thrilled at the idea of going on double dates again. Val chided Jackie in her need to get herself back out there and attempted to persuade her with the pamper days they’d have getting ready for the law firm’s business parties together. Who was she to shatter the matchmaker aspirations of her best friend and favorite married couple? And Val did have a point. How long was she going to let one cheating boyfriend prevent her from opening up to someone new?

Jackie was mentally going through the list of conversation topics from the dating article she had read during the previous night’s absence of sleep. Too soon, she found herself at the entrance of Angelo’s. The chic restaurant was another reason she agreed to the date. When else was she going to take advantage of an opportunity like this? She plastered her face with what she hoped was more of a smile than a grimace and stepped out of the car. Her Achilles burned as the top of her shoe rubbed against the spot she had cut herself shaving during her anxious date preparations. The bandage had stuck out crudely when she slipped her shoes on. She feared attracting censure from the glamorous elite she imagined would be at the restaurant, so she tossed it before leaving her apartment. The thought of those fancy business parties was not gaining appeal. She took a deep breath. She just needed to make it to her table. Piece of cake.

“Ma’am, is everything all right?” Jackie opened her eyes. How long had she been standing in the entrance like that? She saw the host cast an uneasy glance to her right, where a carefully tended monstera sat close to her clenched fist. If she wasn’t careful, she was going to end up in some viral article about neurotic blind-daters.

“Um, yes.” Jackie carefully unfurled the fingers wrapped around her invisible lifeline, hoping that if she did it slowly enough, the host wouldn’t warn the server about the crazy girl she was about to seat. She didn’t need anything getting between her and a glass of wine right now. “Yes, there should be a reservation for Jordan Gersaine. I’m supposed to be meeting him.”

“Right this way, please.” A perfunctory smile replaced the cagey stare as she led the way to the dining room. Just another day in the life of a restaurant host; Jackie sighed with relief and kept pace behind her.

Jordan was even more handsome than the picture Val had shown her. With his thick pomp fade and Gucci suit, he was part of the restaurant’s decor. Her heel continued to rub, and her anxiety grew. As she approached, Jackie couldn’t help but notice the sly way his eyes trailed the backside of a passing server before coming to appraise her from head to toe, coming back up again to rest above a smirk made for conquering. Anxiety roused to repugnance. She resisted the urge to clench her fists again and suddenly longed for the looser silhouette of the blue dress she had tossed on her bed while she tried on the one she currently wore. Cannoli had confiscated it where it lay, rolling in the sunshine that streamed through the window, marking it with an angora-like signature. Instead, she wore a black sheath dress with a sweetheart neckline, which had been previously purchased for a sexy Valentine’s day date.

Jordan stood when Jackie reached the table, taking her hand and raising it to his lips in a gentle caress, winking as they took their seats. Surely this didn’t work on too many women, but his bearing was so confident. “The picture Kevin showed me was hard to gauge,” he said. “But being the new guy at the firm, I couldn’t very well say no when he suggested setting us up. You are definitely not a dog, though.”

Jackie was saved from having to respond by their newly arrived server, who introduced herself as Janice. As she listed the evening’s specials, Jackie wracked her mind desperately for any idea or excuse to remove herself from what was shaping up to be a torturous night.

“Just get us your most expensive bottle of red for now, Janet,” Jordan gave Jackie another wink. There was a doctor she could recommend for that tic.

“Of course,” Janice said tightly, her ponytail a rigid pendulum as she whisked away. Jordan’s smugness oozed across the table on the coattails of his designer cologne. It was like watching a traffic accident. Internally Jackie was cringing, but she couldn’t help but stare to see how it unfolded.

The seconds stretched and her body went on autopilot as she watched his lips begin to take form around a cocksure intake of breath. “I need to use the ladies’ room,” Jackie blurted before he could utter another syllable.

Jackie stared at her reflection in the bathroom mirror, her hands holding her weight on the counter as she took slow, deep breaths. Val was going to get it for not screening this guy before setting her up. She did not give up a night of Cannoli cuddles to put up with this. She tried to remind herself that the motive was genuine. It was just too bad Jordan’s manners weren’t as polished as his closing arguments in the courtroom.

As she exited the bathroom, Jackie searched for a path of escape, but was thwarted. She would have to take the main aisle, which would take her right past their table. Her shoulders slumped as she trudged back. On the bright side, at least she might get a really good glass of wine out of the deal. If she was lucky, she’d even get the satisfaction of tossing it in Jordan’s face. She had always fantasized about the power she might feel in pulling that off. Halfway back, she spied a booth with two wine glasses and one occupant. Slipping back into autopilot, she found herself sitting across from another stranger before her mind could catch up to what was happening. The expression on his face undulated from alarm to confusion and finally settled on amusement.

“Please bear with me until your date returns, so I can figure out a way to get out of here,” Jackie said.

“I’ve been watching your date,” he said. “You don’t find him pleasant?” The smirk on his lips told her he knew he was anything but.

“I couldn’t have imagined a worse option for a first date after being on hiatus for almost two years.”

He considered her for a moment. His gray eyes were discerning, but not unkind. “My date isn’t coming tonight. You’re welcome to stay as long as you like.” Jackie let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. Perhaps this would be a pleasant evening after all.

It should have been awkward trying to make conversation after hijacking a complete stranger’s table. Jackie was never the type to impose herself on anyone, or so she thought. From the moment he accepted her intrusion, though, there wasn’t a pause. His name was Peter, and he was a nurse at a long-term care facility. Conversation came easily as they slipped into swapping nursing stories between courses.

“No, you did not!” Jackie exclaimed, full of equal parts intrigue and skepticism.

Peter held his hands up in submission. “It’s true. Trudy was mad for John Travolta. When one of the other nurses and I found out Bart proposed to her after a drive-in date to see Grease, we knew what we had to do for their anniversary last week.”

Jackie tried to imagine Peter in Travolta’s tight black tee and jeans duetting to You’re the One That I Want, and she wasn’t displeased with the imagery. “Well, that’s definitely got all my stories beat,” she chuckled taking the last sip of wine from her third glass. “This wine is really delicious, by the way. Whoever stood you up really missed out on great taste and conversation.”

“It’s merlot.” Peter’s visage went somber as he stared into the ruby liquid in his glass, blood russet catching in the light at the edges. “From Washington, where we grew up. It was Grace’s favorite.” A smile touched his lips. “Little blackbird; she thought it was quaint. Two years ago, she died in a car accident. Today would’ve been our fifth wedding anniversary.”

“Oh my gosh I’m so sorry.” Could she have shoved her foot in her mouth any farther? How crass of her to have just intruded on this guy to save herself.

“No, really. It’s fine. You took a night in which I would have forced myself to be cheerful and made it actually cheerful. I also didn’t mind watching your catalogue ad date try to stick it out.”

Jackie snorted. She was surprised at how long Jordan had waited, though he probably only stayed to finish his bottle of most expensive red. They snickered as they watched him pour glass after glass, occasionally throwing furtive glances over his shoulder, until the bottle was empty. Janice threw Jackie a sly wink as she walked by to bring Jordan his bill. Jackie blushed, feeling slightly guilty, yet at the same time, almost as powerful as if she had lived out the fantasy of tossing the wine in his face.

After Peter paid the bill, Jackie thanked him and stood to leave, looking forward to finally getting to curl up with Cannoli. She sucked in her breath. Her shoe had rubbed her cut mercilessly throughout the night. Would anyone notice if she walked out barefoot?

“I have a bandage,” Peter said.

“Huh?” Was he a mind reader too?

“You weren’t exactly hiding that limp very well. I saw your cut when you walked by on your way to the bathroom earlier.” He leaned around the table to see the angry red wound. “Anyway, Grace was pretty prone to accidents. She never carried a purse and complained relentlessly of lady pockets. I took to carrying bandages for her, and I guess I kept up the habit.” He slipped the bandage across the table to her. Jackie peeled back the paper to reveal a pink Hello Kitty bandage. She stuck it over her heel and was grateful for the added protection when she stood up again.

Together, they reached the lobby. Peter took hold of her hand. “I’d like to see you again, if I may.”

Jackie smiled as she watched him almost imperceptibly biting his lip. “I’d like that, too,” she said reaching forward and opening the door.