painting feelings

A2: Date Night

Switch character point of view for this assignment. It's date night. Your couple will arrive separately for their date, and whoever arrives first will be caught flirting by their partner. Not all flirting is a bad thing, though reactions to seeing your significant other in action can run a vast range of emotions. Use as many emotions, and senses as possible. Are looks deceiving? What happens now? Is this something that causes a fight and ruins the date? Is this a turn on? Does someone need rescuing? Whichever route you choose to write, be descriptive. Remember this is an emotional journey as well and emotions play a big role in getting your reader to identify and care about your characters.

Word count: 500 word minimum; 1000 word maximum.

Morgan pulled into restaurant parking lot with a sigh. A quick look around told her that Dave hadn’t made it there yet. Their reservation was in twenty minutes, so he didn’t have that much time. She ran her hands through her hair, feeling the curls catch and probably friz out, which she would care about more if she didn’t feel so frazzled already.

Before leaving the car, she checked her makeup, but she was actually looking decent for once, despite the day. Her eyes were big and blue and her red hair wasn’t as bad as she feared. Her freckles were hiding under a reasonable layer, and there was no food lingering on her light blue top, even though . . . dinner time. Blue jeans that hugged her hips and sandals with gold toenails completed the outfit—perfect for date night. If Dave managed to get there in time, of course.

She glanced around the lot again before heading in. Still no Dave. She checked her phone as she entered the restaurant, just to make sure he hadn’t canceled. Nothing. She hoped that was a good sign.

The greeter was new, a young man who looked like he might possibly be a student at the college. “Reservation?” he said, sounding more cheery than he had the right to be.

“Jones, party of two,” she said. “The reservation’s for eight, I believe.”

He looked down the list and beamed. “There you are. If you could just wait at the bar, your table will be ready shortly.”

“Thank you.” She smiled at him. Fagin’s was their place. They’d been coming here on Fridays every week since they started dating, nearly five years ago. It had the best food in the city.

She took her usual seat at the end of the bar and caught Tim’s eye. He had been Dave’s roommate when they met, and was best man at their wedding. He smiled and turned to fill another order. A few minutes later, he was sliding a glass of sparkling cranberry juice to rest in front of her. She didn’t drink.

“And how’s my favorite girl?” he said. “Everything fine on the homefront?”

Morgan sighed. The sitter had been late, Logan hadn’t wanted hot dogs after begging for them ad nauseum, and Ava had thrown a hissy fit as she went out the door, making Morgan feel all that Mommy guilt that she was leaving them, even knowing that they loved the sitter and would probably be perfect angels until five minutes before she and Dave came home. She felt grimy and tired, even thought she knew that she looked reasonably good.

She shrugged. “Kids,” she said.

He nodded and reached over to lift her chin. “Sorry. I hear they grow up.” He made a face and they both laughed, “Eventually.”

Dave pulled into the parking lot at seven to eight, a pile of folders on the passenger seat just waiting for him to work on through the night. But he couldn’t miss date night. When they’d gotten married, he and Morgan had made couple time a priority—once a week, no matter what, they would spend time together without the rest of the world.

He rushed out of the car and into the cool chaos of Fagin’s. It was built like an old English pub with dark wood and dim lighting and the smell of home. He headed straight for the bar without stopping at the station where some random kid was talking with an older couple. No, he wanted Morgan. His head ached and he was so sick of being the low man at work, but she could make him forget that with a look.

Coming up behind her, he saw Tim reach over and touch her face across the bar, lifting her head, making her laugh, and Dave paused. His wife and his best friend were flirting, which was pretty much par for the course. They had an easy friendship that had only deepened as Tim stood godfather for the kids. But if Tim was making a point to have her laugh . . . Dave had a sick feeling that Morgan had been looking off. He wondered what the problem was.

“Hey, stranger. Come here often?” He slipped in beside her, putting his arm around her waist and kissing the top of her head. Her hair sprung back against his lips, tickling him, and he could feel the stress in his shoulders easing. Problems would have to wait. It was date night.

With efficient movements, Tim brought Dave his drink of choice, a Dr. Pepper. “Hey, you got here too quickly,” Tim said. “I’d nearly gotten her to agree to run away with me. We’re going to Paris and live in a garret where I can paint and she can be my naked model.”

Morgan laughed, leaning into Dave’s shoulder. He liked the weight of her. “Sure,” she said. “Right after I catch myself one of those flying pigs.”

“Speaking of pigs,” Dave said, “you should come for the game on Sunday.” He caught Morgan’s eye and she nodded. “Stay for dinner.”

Tim nodded and was called to the other end of the bar.

The music paused. “Jones, party of two.”

Dave stood and helped Morgan off the stool. Together, they followed the kid across the room to their table.

word count: 893