Misty Nights: A Short Romance (2 page)

“Tom, baby.” It was Miranda, again.

Thomas ignored her, staring into the depths of his glass
of scotch, watching the bubbles make their way from bottom to surface, again
and again hoping she would just disappear.

“Tom, are you okay?” He heard her voice again, sensed her
looming over him in her miniskirt and tank top too tight for her large breasts.
Normally, he would have sat her on his knee and had some fun, but something was
different tonight.

“Look, I’m not in the mood Miranda, just leave me alone
okay?” He said without looking up, knowing he was being weird and not wanting
to see the hurt look in her eyes.

She walked off without a word and Thomas immediately
stood. Something had occurred to him. He made his way to his office, ignoring
everyone on the way. There he saw Rob, his assistant, sitting, surrounded by
sycophants and he motioned for Rob to join him outside the door, wanting
privacy for what he was to say.

“What’s up Tom? You look … sick.” Rob said looking him up
and down, concern on his face.

“I’m taking some time off.”

Rob looked surprised, “You okay?”

Thomas patted Rob on the shoulder, smiling, “I’m fine,
man. I just need a break, that’s all.  Listen, she’s all yours for a few weeks
okay?” Thomas said.

“Okay, whatever you say, Tom.” Rob said, nodding.

“Good. Any problems, call me okay?”

Rob nodded once more. “I will. Enjoy yourself, Tom.” Rob
winked and slapped him on the back.

Thomas smiled, “I got a feeling I am going to do just
that, Rob!” Thomas said and slapped Rob on the back before he strode off, his
spirits lifting with each stride.

He headed straight home and once there, not feeling like
doing anything, he collapsed onto his bed and lay there, deep in thought.
Sandra…

“Don’t forget to hand your assignments in tomorrow okay?”
Sandra called as she exited the classroom, her multicolored, patchwork dress
billowing out behind her as she wasted no time in heading down the corridor
towards the exit.

“See you tomorrow, Peter.” She called out as she passed
Peter, the science teacher who had a crush on her and he looked up, eyes
locking onto her,

“Erm, see ya, Sandy.” He said, pausing as if wanting to
say something more, but Sandra giggled and kept going. She had had a good day,
and she wondered if it had anything to do with the previous Friday night with
Thomas but she waved the thought away, the jury was still out on that one. The
bright sunshine outside warmed her face as she skipped down the steps and
headed toward the car park, past the giant oak tree where students loitered and
waved as she passed them, smiling.

“Hey, there.” She heard a familiar voice call. It
couldn’t be …

She looked up and there was Thomas, sitting in a bright
red Chevrolet convertible, the top back and a huge bunch of roses in his hand
as he waved, smiling. He was dressed in a black leather jacket and jeans, his
previously long, black hair was now cut short and neat, a little gel gleaming
in the sunlight as he stood and presented the flowers to her.

“Hey, Thomas. This is a … surprise.” Sandra said, unsure
of herself. She took the offered flowers awkwardly and thanked him.

“Sorry to surprise you like this Sandra, but I couldn’t
stay away. I needed to see you after Friday night.” He said; his voice sincere
and Sandra detected some emotion in there somewhere.

Sandra didn’t know what to say. She hadn’t expected to
see Thomas again so soon and the feelings competing inside of her at that
moment were hard to read. On the one hand she was pleased to see him again; on
the other she was angry that he had thought it okay for him to just show up
unannounced at her school and try to sweep her off her feet. She wasn’t that
easy nor had she quite gotten over the idea that he was twice her age.

“So what do you want, Thomas?” She managed.

Thomas looked a little shocked at that, “I was hoping we
could go for dinner and get to know each other a little more, ya know?” he said
the look on his face, imploring, almost pleading.

Sandra opened the door to her car and threw the flowers
onto the passenger seat, before turning to Thomas. “Look, I know what you are
trying to do, Thomas. You … you are trying to woo me with flowers and fancy
cars, so you can get me to stay married to you.” She said, looking up at him.
She hadn’t realized how tall he was, he must have been six foot five.

Thomas laughed and threw his hands up in mock guilt,
“What can I say?” he laughed, “You got me, that’s exactly what I’m trying to
do, Sandra.” He said moving closer to her, his eyes betraying the hunger he
felt for her but Sandra got into her car and closed the door, before starting
the engine. Then she looked up at him, sadness in her eyes, “You’re a nightclub
owner Thomas. You are completely different to me. I’m just a plain girl with
simple dreams and simple needs.”  She said, lowering her head. “I don’t want
the life that you lead, that isn’t for me, I’m sorry…”

“It doesn’t have to be, Sandra …” Thomas didn’t have a
chance to finish, she was gone and Thomas’ heart sank. How would he win the
heart of this strange girl who couldn’t see him for what he really was? Did he
even know who he really was anymore? He had no answers. He climbed into his
Chevrolet, put it into gear and drove off to no place in particular.

Chapter
Four

“So, what am I to do Roxi?” Sandra was curled up on her
little single bed, a book at her side and a glass of wine on the nightstand by
her bed, her nightdress bright green, her favorite color.

Roxi sounded busy, doing what, Sandra didn’t want to
know. She just needed advice. A quick fix. “First of all, Sandy, ‘stop’
over-reacting and just relax for crying out loud. The man is obviously falling
for you, when was the last time a guy showed up at your door with flowers?”

“Never…” Sandra realized she had never really had time
for men.

“Exactly, you need to enjoy life a little more … like me
… uh, wait …” Roxi sounded breathless.

“What are you doing or should I just not ask?” Sandra
laughed, guessing.

Thomas didn’t want to be drunk; instead he cradled his
scotch, swirling it around in the glass, watching the liquid slosh around the
edges spilling over onto his fingers.

“Want to talk about it?” Ed the barman asked, suddenly
appearing in front of him, his huge hulking form casting a shadow over Thomas.

“Ah, well you know me right, Ed?”

Ed pulled up a chair and sat, “I have known you for
years, Thomas, so yes, I guess I do.”

Thomas finally drank the scotch in the glass in one go
and signaled for another which Ed promptly poured as he listened.

“I always told you I would never fall in love. Love is
for fools, right? Well, I’m in love now and it sucks.” Thomas’ was surprised at
himself for telling Ed, a man who had seen Thomas at his womanizing worse,
night after night with a different woman on his arm.

Ed nodded, “Go on, Tom.”

“This girl, she’s normal. She isn’t like all the others.
She teaches art at a school down the road, wears colorful, flowery dresses and
reads… she doesn’t like nightclubs or drinking.” He laughed at the irony of his
situation. A nightclub owner in love with a plain Jane … a teacher.

“That’s a new one, Tom….”

The night wore on, and so did Thomas’ story but Ed, being
a long time friend listened as he worked and filled Thomas’ glass when it was
empty, a good friend.

In the end, the only advice Ed could offer him, but
probably the best advice he had ever received was, “Stop trying to be someone
you are not. You know deep down who you are and what you need and right now
it’s make or break. Be yourself, Thomas, even if it means rediscovering that
side of you that was lost long ago.” Ed looked him in the eye, “This could be
the last chance you get to ‘be you’ so take it, Tom.”

Chapter
Five

Thomas was in high spirits and whistled as he pulled into
the car park of Sandra’s art school once more. Things would be different today,
he knew it. He ‘was’ different, he could feel it, he felt renewed,
reinvigorated. He checked his watch, she would appear any minute now and then
he would know for sure if he had any chance of winning her heart. He felt
optimistic. The night before, he had sought out Roxi, Sandra’s best friend and
found out as much information as he could on Sandra, her likes, dislikes,
hobbies, favorite color, etc. She was a simple girl, as she had once told him
herself and Roxi had said the best way to win her heart would be the
old-fashioned way – cinema, gentlemanly treatment like opening doors, being
polite and most of all giving her space to breathe. She didn’t like being
smothered, at least at first. Roxi had said she had the feeling that Sandra
would be all over him after a few weeks, if she liked him but if he tried to
take things too quickly she would disappear and he would lose her. He understood
and in fact he even began to see some similarities in himself, things he hadn’t
addressed for a long time. After all, just as Ed said, he had spent his life
trying to be someone else, anyone else other than himself. Thomas was a simple
man. Nothing more, nothing less.

“Thomas?” It was Sandra. She looked radiant in a bright
green summer dress that fit perfectly with her light brown hair, and Thomas
thought she looked elf-like, stunning.

“Hi, Sandra.” He said, unsure of how to start the
conversation off but Sandra sensed his unease and took the lead.

Sandra looked bemused, “Where’s your car?”

“I got rid of it. I never really liked it anyway if the
truth be told.” Thomas shrugged and smiled.

Sandra laughed, “You sold your sports car and replaced it
with a moped?” She shook her head, laughing and Thomas laughed with her,
enjoying the release of nervous energy. “Yep, I decided it was time I explored
the real Thomas, you know, the one that likes …”

“Mopeds?” Sandra asked, smiling.

“Yes, the one that likes mopeds!” He laughed again.
Things were going well and Sandra was so beautiful today, so sweet.

Sandra stood, waiting for him to say what he had come to
say and Thomas forced it out, “Anyway, I just stopped by to see if you wanted
to go for a coffee sometime.”

Sandra’s eyes lit up and she beamed at him, a hand
reaching up to play with her hair, wrapping it around her fingers, and Thomas
watched, feeling a sense of joy welling up within him. “Sure, I would love to,
Thomas, name the time and the place and I’ll be there.”

“How about Joe Joe’s on Green Avenue?” Thomas offered.

“Yeah, I like that place, it’s nice.”

Thomas smiled, “Tomorrow at 14:00?”

“Tomorrow at 14:00.” Sandra said, smiling and looking Thomas
over, admiringly. She seemed to like his new style of dress, jeans and t-shirt.
It was an unassuming style and Sandra appeared to approve of it, just as Roxi
had said she would.

Thomas bade her farewell, waved and rode off slowly on
his Moped, smiling all the way back to his apartment. Things were looking up.

Chapter
Six

Sandra watched Thomas as he sipped his coffee, the cream
leaving a line on his top lip and she laughed softly over the top of her own coffee.
She couldn’t believe it but she felt a little nervous, like a school girl on
her first date. She had dated men before, and had boyfriends but it had been
years since Sandra had taken a guy seriously and she knew she was serious about
Thomas. All the signs were there. He had changed, seemingly for her and she was
impressed. Thomas was becoming the guy she caught glimpses of that night in his
club, weeks earlier, a real gentleman.

“I was thinking of growing a real one.” Thomas said,
posing with his coffee mustache, lips pouting like a model.

“No, don’t do it!” Sandra said, “Seriously, it wouldn’t
suit you. You have a baby-face.”

Thomas looked surprised, “A baby-face?”

“Yes, you may be twice my age but you don’t look it!”
Sandra laughed, patting his arm playfully.

“Thanks and thanks … I think.” He said, smiling.

She caught Thomas watching her with that look in his eyes
again, a look of passion, of desire and she recognized the feeling that was
obviously overwhelming him as it was her. Could it be that they were falling in
love? They hardly knew each other but the more time she spent with him, the
more she was sure that Thomas was someone she could spend her life with and she
was sure he felt the same.