Things That Should Happen

It seemed like just another day at work, the day gave no indication of what it would bring me. After a four hour shift all I could think about was getting home. “Will that be all for you, sir?” “What side would you like with that?” On and on for, what seemed like forever. I didn’t even bother looking up as the costumer walked in.

“Will you be eating in today?” I droned. I had done this a million times, and seen all kinds of costumers. Never in a thousand years did I expect to hear what I had heard.

“Hanukah Mutate” the voice that came from behind the counter was sweet but manly. It was a voice that I had not forgotten, and never would. I had heard this voice a while ago and it changed my life.

It was in February, two months ago. My mother had forced me to go on a youth retreat up in the Blue Ridge Mountains with my church. It was a Christian retreat and the theme of the year was “no worries” or Hanukah Mutate. Turns out that was the best thing to ever happen to me.

The retreat had a Christian version of a rave the last night there. I went because there was nothing else to do. I had just walked out to the dance floor when I realized that I didn’t know how to dance. I don’t think it was that big of an issue, at a rave all you do is jump.

A guy came up to me and started dancing with me. I copied his moves and laughed when I messed up. “My name is Meg” I yelled.

“I know, we have met before, my name is Keith.” He yelled back.

All I could think to say was “oh.”

Then I tried to play it cool by saying “I hardly remember myself, let alone someone I just met.” He laughed, it worked and he didn’t think I was an idiot.

Then he started getting closer to me, as we danced. Sweat was dripping down our skin and we were breathless. To this day I not sure if it was from all the jumping.

He leaned in and my heart was beating so face I thought my legs would go numb. I felt a small but fast pulse between my legs. This is it, the moment, we were going to kiss. I tilted my head up and…

The chaperone separated us. Our lips never met and I felt cheated. We spent the rest of the night doing this dance. We would get close and have to separate, in the end we just danced. All I could think about that night was what could have happened. It could have been magical.

Now, two months later and he was there. More importantly, he remembered me. I have thought of Keith often, usually late at night when I was alone. I never expected to see him again.

I smiled at Keith and try to look calm. “You remember me after all this time? I am impressed.”

He looked at me with big brown eyes that pierce into my soul and give me that small but fast pulse. “How could I forget? For one night I danced with an angel.”

I have always been skeptical of men, especially ones that call me angel. “I doubt you even remember my name.”

He closes his eyes and smiled. “It was unusually warm for February, and the rave made took us from warm to sweaty and hot. You had I thin white shirt on and a short skirt with leggings. You smiled and I saw a dimple on your left cheek. Never for as long as I live, will I forget your name, Meg.”

I didn’t know what to say, I was almost grateful when my boss walked by. I cleared my throat and said “what will you have today?”

“I’ll just a small salad, please.” He paused and looked at me. “When do you get off?”

“Thirty minutes.” My hands were shaking and trembles were running up my leg.

“I am going to sit in that back booth and eat my salad. In about thirty minutes I will be done, would you like to have a cup of coffee with my then?” his voice was so smooth, so sexy. All I could bring myself to do was nod my head.

For the next thirty minutes, I could barely concentrate. My thoughts kept going back to the night and the rave. Could this really be happening? It seemed impossible. It was as if all my dreams of a great romance were being answered. I had to be careful, he might not feel the same way, it might have been just I one night thing. What if it was, what would that mean?

Clam down. Don’t lose your head, girl. My thoughts rang in my head as if someone had yelled them into my ear. He is here and if that night meant as much to you as you say, you must keep your cool. If it was meant to be, it will be.

Finally my shift ended. I walked over to the back booth and sat down. He had two cups of coffee waiting. He had no doubt that I would come.

We began to talk about the polite things. Where he went to school, what I was majoring in, family, food, the weather. Looking back, I can’t see why this conversation wasn’t boring. I liked talking to him. He had a voice that I just wanted to melt into. Then if finally came up. We had to talk about the night and the rave.

“I guess you haven’t thought that much about that night, huh?” I tried to act like I don’t care about his answer.

“I have thought about that night every day.” I looked up at him and saw him staring back at me. He meant what he said, he did think about it.

I looked at the clock and saw that I needed to leave for class. We said our goodbyes and just as I was about to get up, he grabbed my arm.

“What are you doing tonight?” my heart was pounding in my chest. This was really happening.

I smiled and said “I am doing something with you.” His laugh was like the laugh of an angel.

“I’ll pick you up here at eight.”

At eight I heard the bell above the door cling, and Keith walked back into the diner. I had been waiting since seven, but I would never let him know that.

Keith smiled and I felt like melting. “Are you ready to go?”

“Ready as I’ll ever be.” He went over to me and took my hand. We walked out of the diner together and I felt like a queen.

Keith took me downtown where the best window shopping was. We looked at the colorful and shining objects being displayed and talked about nothing and everything.

I have had a passion for jewelry ever since my grandmother left me a pair of gold earrings with diamond studs. I looked in the window of a jewelry store and saw the shining diamonds inside. You could barely see the flaws.

Keith saw the look in my eyes and grabbed my hand. He led me inside the simple little shop. We were the only costumers there. He pointed out a simple, but beautiful ring to the shop clerk. When Keith had the ring in his hand he looked at it for a while, as if trying to find the words.

Keith gazed at me like he was seeing me for the first time. He looked around to make sure the clerk had gone far enough away before he spoke. His voice was softer then it had been before.

“Ever since the moment we almost kissed, I have thought about what could have happened. I could have walked you home. I could have given you my number, or you could have given me ours. We could have gotten together a few days later. We could have been together.

“I am not going to try and change what happened, but I am trying to prevent is from happening again. I never want to think about what could have happened again. Instead I want to think about what might happen. I don’t want to lose you for another two months. I want you to be with me.”

Then he knelt in front of me and my heart was about an inch away from beating out of my chest. He held up the ring he just bought, it shined in a rainbow of colors. “Will you be my girlfriend?”

I grabbed him by his collar and pulled him back up. “I meant to give you something once. Now seems as good a time as any.”

I smiled and leaned in. This is it, the moment, we are going to kiss. I tilted my head up and his lips touched mine. Warmth spread from between my legs to my toes and fingers. I could hear his heart beating just as hard as mine. At this moment I understood all the poems and songs and stories about love. Why people would cross the world for it and fight wars for it.

This was what should have been two months ago. This is why we didn’t forget each other. This is why we will never forget each other.

This was the second greatest kiss of my life. The first you ask? Well, that’s a story for another time.