Your Song (20 page)

Date: Wednesday, June 13, 2012    10:34 PM

Subject: Rain check?

To: Caroline Durand

Vancouver, as always, is breath-taking and spectacular. Bicycle-friendly, too, which makes it to the top of my list of favorite cities. Only thing missing would be you and then I would describe it as scenic . . . and stunning.  

Do you think your stomach will be able to manage dinner on Saturday night? My place?

Eric

P.S. I can serve crackers, too.

One step closer to seeing her, fingers crossed.
I get up and reach for my iPad lying on the bedside table. I need some music to keep me company. I hit the
Songza
app and find one of my favorite playlists,
1970s Hits.
Ms. Diana Ross and her Supremes are singing “Someday (We’ll Be Together).”
Yes, Ms. Diana Ross and the Supremes . . . someday Caroline and I will be together . . . hopefully Saturday.

From: Lara Byrne

Date: Wednesday June 13, 2012 7:45 PM

Subject: Stranger

To: Eric Martin

Hey Eric,

A dozen texts and we still can’t connect! Hope things are well with you, world traveler.

I’ve been anxious to tell you about a client who came in to the spa. When can we get together?

Rob and I are leaving tomorrow for the Bahamas for 5 days. I’ll call you when I get back.

Where are you?

Lara

Now there’s someone else I should be sending flowers to . . . poor Lara.
Anxious to tell me about a client of hers? Is she trying to set me up with someone? I hope not. I begin to type her a reply when my inbox pings once again. I peek at the incoming window box and I see it’s Caroline. Before I open it, I finish my reply to Lara.

From: Eric Martin

Date: Wednesday, June 13, 2012   10:51 PM

Subject: Forgive me . . . please?

To: Lara Byrne

Hey Lara,

Before you enter my name into some reality show called
Canada’s Worst Friend Ever,
I really want to say how sorry I’m for being such an ass. Forgive me, please? I’ve had a lot going on that I am anxious to tell you about too.

I’m taking you and Rob out for dinner the minute you get back from frolicking in the sun, you hear? In the mean time, enjoy your time away.

Call me!

Eric

P.S. I’m in Vancouver. Home on Friday.

I’m like a kid in candy store when it comes to Caroline’s emails. I double click to open her email faster than the speed of light.

From: Caroline Durand

Date: Wednesday, June 13, 2012 7:49 PM

Subject: Favorite Things list

To: Eric Martin

So, Vancouver is on that list as well, I see. Something else I
just learned about you tonight . . . Getting to know you has been quite the drawn out process but I’m thoroughly enjoying every second of it.

Saturday
chez Martin
sounds lovely. I’m bringing cookies for dessert.

Caroline

Yes! She’s coming to dinner.
I yelp so loud I’m sure the guests in the next room think some major action is going on in here.

From: Eric Martin

Date: Wednesday, June 13, 2102 10:59 PM

Subject: Drawn out process?

To: Caroline Durand

Getting to know me has been
quite the drawn out process
? Frankly, if it were up to me, you would have started to get to know me at a lunch I wanted to ask you out to when we were in the cab that day returning from the airport.

Like
Cosette, your ‘brown hair, beautiful eyes, rosy cheeks, pale skin and radiant smile’ captured my attention back in the terminal at O’Hare that morning.  From that first glance, you did something to me and I haven’t been the same since.

Wasn’t it Victor Hugo who said something about first glances, Dr. Durand?

Eric

Should I hit the send button?
I hesitate. What if she thinks I’m some sort of freak? Am I laying my cards on the table too soon? I pause to think and decide that I’m just too old for playing games. I hit
send.

Ping.
Another email.

From: Amy Sharma

Date: Wednesday, June 13, 2012 8:01 PM

Subject: Answers

To: Eric Martin

Eric:

I can’t leave for France without getting some answers. When are you back from Vancouver? I need to see you.

Amy

Oh, brother. More drama.
I roll my eyes and shake my head. Too young and too demanding, I am so not in the mood for this. The Bee Gees’
Night Fever
plays on my iPad as I type my reply.

From: Eric Martin 

Date: Wednesday, June 13, 2012 11:03 PM

Subject: Another time

To: Amy Sharma

Hi Amy,

I don’t get back from Vancouver until late Friday night. I’m busy with David on Saturday.

Looks like we’ll have to get together when you get back from your trip.

Safe travels,

Eric

How’s that for fluffing someone off?
Again, I’m not proud of myself but Amy is just too . . . aggressive.

Ping.
An email from Caroline.
What if she fluffs me off right now?

From: Caroline Durand

Date: Wednesday, June 13, 2012 8:04 PM

Subject: Missed opportunities

To: Eric Martin

Lunch that day would have been a great idea. I apologize for leaving you hanging but I had an appointment I couldn’t miss.

Looking forward to Saturday.
Text me your address and a time.

Caroline

P.S. “The power of a glance has been much abused in love stories, that it has come to be disbelieved in. Few people dare to say that two beings have fallen in love because they have looked at each other, yet it is in this way that love begins and it is the only way.”

Victor Hugo

The sound of my iPhone ringing jolts me out of my trance. I’m reading and rereading Caroline’s email studying Victor Hugo’s words.

“Hello?” I answer abruptly.

“Eric, why are you blowing me off?” It’s Amy and she’s in the ring ready to fight.

“Hi, Amy. I wasn’t blowing you off. I just won’t have time to see you before you leave.”

“My flight doesn’t leave until 11:00 P.M. Saturday night. Take me to the airport. We can go out for dinner first and talk.”
Whoa!

“I can’t. I have plans on Saturday night.”

“Since when? You don’t usually make plans on Saturday nights,” she scowls. I don’t respond. Rod Stewart is singing about
Maggie May
in the background.

“Wait a minute,” she says hurriedly, “are you going out with
her?”
Amy sounds so affronted. Maybe it’s time for her to grow up a bit.

“I have plans with Caroline on Saturday night.”

“What?
Already?
” Amy’s voice takes a downturn.

“Look, Amy. You and I were over months ago and lucky for me, we’re still good friends. What can I say? I’m interested in Caroline. I’m sorry.”

“Are you sure she’s interested in you?”

“Well, I don’t know for sure but she’s agreed to go out with me a couple of times,” I pause. Then panic hits me. “Why? What do you know?”

“I really don’t know too much about her personal life, but I remember her getting a few calls while we were working on my thesis together . . . from a guy . . . they spoke in French . . . sounded pretty intimate to me . . . but what do I know, Eric?”
Fuck. So there is someone.
I’m numb. I instantly recall the phone call that came in when we were at the café the other night.
The look on her face.

“Are you still there?” It’s Amy, calling me back to earth.

“Yeah.  Listen, Amy. It’s getting late here and I gotta get some sleep. I’m sorry again about Saturday. Have a great trip. Keep in touch.” I hang up before she has the chance to say another word.

I pace around the room. Where is that pack of cigarettes when you need it? I think of Caroline at the airport that day and her name being called to the front desk.
She was handed a gift-wrapped box.
I think of the ashen look that came across her face when that call came through on Monday night. I recall not seeing a ring on her left hand ring finger.
What’s going on?
If she’s into someone else, why’s she agreeing to come for dinner at my place? Then again, maybe this is all Amy’s doing . . . trying to play her games. Wearily, I walk over to my laptop sitting on the hotel desk to log off from my email account. And that’s when I spot it. That email address from weeks ago.

From:
[email protected]

Date: Wednesday, June 14, 2012 9:19 PM

Subject: Dan

To: Eric Martin

Hello Eric (or should I be calling you Dan?),

How is the weather in Vancouver?

Thinking of you . . .
a lot.                                          AXL

Raj was right. Psycho stalker is one of the wives.

My life is fucked.

I need Leslie.

14 “Crazy For You”

Barbra Streisand and a cocktail.
That’s the entry plan. Expected time of arrival is 8:00 P.M. Rack of lamb a la herbes de provence slow roasting in the oven filling the condo with the most savory of aromas. Empty crystal champagne flutes chilling in the fridge waiting for their fill. And Barbra mewing softly behind us.

That is how I envision Caroline’s arrival this evening. Which Barbra song would be best is one of the many things I mulled over in preparation for this evening’s dinner. “The Way We Were,” or “New York State of Mind,” or “Kiss Me in the Rain.”
 
After much consideration I finally settled on “Evergreen, Love theme from A Star Is Born,”
the ultimate Barbra Streisand for the die hardest of fans. I hit the play button on my iPod mentally rehearsing the order of songs and events for tonight.

I am beyond nervous. I am high, not on substance, but on sheer excitement alone.  Compiling the playlist was nothing short of a labor of love on my part. Nestled quietly in my hotel room on my final night in Vancouver, I meticulously listened to and selected dozens of songs I’m hoping will contribute to the ambiance of comfortable elegance I am trying way too hard to create. As always, I scanned the decades for songs I personally love in hopes that Caroline might too. Everything from Paul McCartney’s “Maybe I’m
Amazed,”
to Snow Patrol’s “Chasing Cars,”
to Michael Buble’s “The Best Is Yet
to Come.” In honor of my foreign language speaking guest, I even included Edith Piaf’s “La Vie en Rose,” and lest I forget the inimitable Coldplay’s “Paradise.”
Following Barbra’s first number, I have lined up Eric Clapton’s “Wonderful Tonight,”
Chris Isaak’s “Wicked Game,
”
and Norah Jones’ “Come Away With Me,” and many more (in another life, I must have been a deejay or . . .
maybe in a future life
?). Am I satisfied with the assortment of artists and genres I’ve chosen?  Only time will tell . . . and right now it’s time to move into the kitchen.

It’s 7:49 P.M. The starters I’ve prepared have to be placed on a platter. Skewers of melon,
jamon and mini mozzarella would comprise the cold appetizers; while baked prosciutto and goat cheese-wrapped asparagus spears would work as the warm ones. As I open the oven door to slide in the tray of asparagus, I take a peek at the rack of lamb roasting away in there. I specifically asked the butcher to ‘French’ the rack (
love the term
) so that the end of each bone would be trimmed and exposed. Adding some potatoes and tomatoes to roast with the lamb in a half hour’s time should top off the entrée course. As for dessert, that’s going to remain my little surprise.

I glance around to make sure everything is in place. The notes! I run to my desktop monitor and remove the two notes Caroline and I exchanged that are now tucked inside the desktop monitor. As I slide them into my top desk drawer, I decide to shut off my phone so we won’t have any interruptions. Time to light the fifty or so votive candles I’ve scattered throughout the condo on various end tables, window ledges, the coffee table, my desk, bathroom, and kitchen counters. Next, I slide open my balcony door and light the candles on our dining table. With such a perfect night ahead of us, I thought it’d be romantic to eat a late dinner outdoors under the moonlight.
If I say so myself, the view of the city is spectacular from up here so why not enjoy it?