on?”
Mike shrugged. “Not long. She’s someone I met at a self-defense seminar.”
“Well, tell me about her. What’s her name?”
“Donna Bertilli. She works as a supervisor at the Department of Motor Vehicles.”
“Really?” said Willie. “Does that mean we don’t have to stand in those long lines now?”
Mike laughed. “Yeah. I’m learning all about registering cars.”
“So, is she pretty?”
“Yeah. She’s very pretty. But, I don’t know, Will, there’s just no bells there. You know what I mean?”
Willie put his arm around his friend. “Give it a chance, Mikey. Maria is a tough act to follow for any woman.”
Mike nodded his head. “I still miss her every second of every minute of every day. I’m still in love with a dead woman, and I don’t think anything can every change that.”
“Yeah, I can see that. Hey, I almost forgot. Linda wanted you to come to dinner tonight. But you got a date. That’s good.”
“Yeah. I know Linda is just pitying me. But thank her anyway.”
“Well, you’re a pitiful guy.’
They showered and dressed, talking about where to take his date that night. Mike was going to take her to that Mexican Restaurant in Rancho Cordova but Willie said no.
“Take her to someplace romantic, someplace classy. No wonder you can’t get any women.”
“I can’t get any women because I’m pitiful. Where should I take her?”
“There’s a great spot in Old Town. My cousin manages the place. In fact, I’ll call right now and set it up.”
Willie took out his cell phone, checked his book, and dialed the number. He leaned over to Mike. “What time tonight?”
“I pick her up at seven.”
Willie made the reservations for seven thirty.
After he did, Mike just sat there. “Geez, buddy, I am pitiful.”
“Ah, it’s not your fault. It’s because you’re Irish. Just keep hanging around with me and some soul is bound to rub off on you.”
Mike looked at his friend. “You know, if it wasn’t for you and my brother, I would have probably put a bullet in my brain after…”
“Hey,” interrupted Willie. “You’re OK. You’re doing fine. You’re rich, you’re cool, you’re the baddest White man alive, and you got me for a friend. You’re doing all right.”
Mike smiled and nodded his head. “I love you, man.”
“I love you, too. Now, let’s get cleaned up. You got a date tonight.”
Mike parked his Tundra in front of Donna’s house. He was scrubbed and brushed and anointed with expensive aftershave and thought he looked OK. He’d even taken his truck in for a wash and detail. He sort of felt he had a coolness responsibility with Donna, or should at least attempt as much suave as he could muster or buy. He was ready.
As he rang the doorbell, Donna opened the door with a cell phone in her ear and moved to the side to let him in. As he moved past her, she reached her lips up to be kissed. He kissed her and she touched his cheek and smiled.
“No, Mother, I can’t talk to Dad now. I’m going out.”
(Listen)
“Yes. With the man I told you about.”
(Listen – smiling at Mike)
“I don’t know Mother. It’s still too early. But I think so.”
(Listen)
“OK. I’ll call you tomorrow afternoon.”
(Listen)
“Good bye, Mother. Give my love to dad.”
Mike looked around at her small but tastefully furnished apartment, again wondering if this was a good idea. His eyes shifted to Donna.
She closed her cell phone and put it in her purse. Then, walking over to him, she put her arms around him and kissed him passionately, grinding herself into him. It surprised him. Stepping back, she smiled and handed him her coat.
“I’m ready, you hunk of burning man love.”
He helped her with her coat and opened the door for her.
“How did it go today?” she asked.
“It went fine. We did a five round exhibition match and both of us are still standing.”
He opened the truck door for her as she put on gloves. “You didn’t hurt anything I’ll need later, did you?” She was in a good mood and extremely confident in herself.
He closed the door and walked around to his side. He knew exactly what she meant. Oh, boy, he thought as he started the engine.
She slid over and sat next to him. “Have you been thinking about me?”
“Yeah. I have,” he said as he pulled away from the curb. It was obvious to him that she was more serious about this than he was.
“You didn’t say that with enough conviction. Now I’m hurt.”
He looked at her and smiled. He really did have fun with her. “OK. I can’t think of anything but you.”
She laughed and looked away. “Bastard,” she said. She put her hand on his leg and said, “Where are we going?”
“My buddy suggested that new place in Old Town, the Hound and Bull.”
“Really? I’ve heard that’s good. Excellent. You always take me to nice places. Well, most of the time, anyway.”
“My buddy says I’m pitiful and no wonder I can’t get any women.”
“Not true, baby.” She reached over and kissed his cheek and let her gloved hand slide quickly over his groin. “You got me.”
He was instantly hard and hated the reaction. He tried to will it to go away but of course it refused. He didn’t want Donna to notice it so he asked a question. She loved to talk.
“How are your parents?’
That got her started. She talked about her mother’s kidney problems and her father’s arthritis and about how they always argue about what programs to watch. Donna seemed like a nice lady - attractive and intelligent, but there just wasn’t enough attraction there for Mike to take her seriously.
He remembered when he first saw Maria and how he immediately knew he was going to marry her.
She was a hostess at a Mexican Restaurant in South Sacramento. He and a couple of his cop friends went in for lunch. They were in uniforms and looked very official in their uniforms, guns, badges, and radios hanging off of them.
He remembered how he instantly fell for her. There she was: her white Mexican blouse with blue embroidery contrasting against her exceptionally dark skin, her thick, dark hair cascading over her shoulders, the curves of her peasant skirt holding promise. Mike was completely taken at the first sight of her. And when she said, “Welcome, senors,” he was hooked, a goner, smitten, and cooked. She seated them and Mike thanked her. She smiled at him and it took his breath away. He couldn’t take his eyes off of her.
The next day, he asked a Hispanic cop buddy what he should do. He sent flowers to the restaurant with a note saying, ‘From the gringo cop with the blue eyes.’ She immediately knew who the flowers were from. She had noticed him, too, and had noticed him noticing her.
He went back the following day and she thanked him for the flowers in her wonderful accent