Eighteen

Leila looked out across the yard. “You know, Alice, until I moved here and worked on this garden, I don’t think I would have been able to understand that.” And before she knew it, Leila had told Alice the story of Sam and Marietta.

Alice listened patiently. “This Marietta sounds a lot like Monica. A perfectly dreadful girl. But I’m not sure Sam has forgotten you any more than Jonathan forgot Chloe. I think Sam just needs to wake up and realize that you’re a person with feelings. It sounds as if you’ve been more like a mother, or perhaps another male friend, than a partner to him. The next time you see him, don’t be afraid to let him know you have feelings. And if he can’t respond to them, find a man who can.”

Leila laughed and thanked her.

Alice gave her a hug, and carrying the box of treasures, took her leave.

Leila made a big bowl of soup for di

The next day was a work day. She noticed that for some reason, men in the office were paying attention to her. She wondered if they had paid attention before, without her being aware of it, or if something about her had changed.

Later that evening, in line at the grocery store, a good-looking man stood just ahead of her. He smiled at her. When she smiled back, he spoke to her, laughing with her about an article featured on the cover of a tabloid. Suddenly, she heard a familiar voice calling her name.

“Leila?”

She turned to see Sam and Marietta at the next checkout stand. She waved, and turned back to talk to the man who had been flirting with her. “Friend of yours?” he asked.

“Former boyfriend,” she whispered, as the checker handed the man his change.

The man looked back at Sam and Marietta and shook his head. “He’s crazy,” he whispered back, and to her shock, leaned over and kissed her cheek. “Goodbye, Leila,” he said loudly, “Don’t forget our date!” He winked and smiled as he walked out with his groceries.

Leila blushed deeply, but then smiled to herself. The checker had to a

“Who was that?” he demanded.

“Who?”

“The man with whom you just made a spectacle of yourself. The one who kissed you in the store. Or are there so many men kissing you in public that it is no longer a memorable experience?”

“Really, Sam, I don’t think it’s any of your concern.”

Before he could answer, they heard Marietta from behind them. “Sam!” she wailed as she tried to catch up to them with her own cart. “Sam, get over here and help me.”

“Your master’s voice,” Leila said, and started to load her groceries into her car.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” he said angrily.

“Leila, is this fellow bothering you?”

She turned to see the man from the store. He had pulled up next to them and rolled down his window.

Sam looked so dismayed, it was all she could do not to laugh out loud. “No, he’s an old friend,” she said to the man. “He was just going back to his car to help his girlfriend.”

They all turned to see Marietta stomp her foot in impatience.

“Girlfriend?” the man said. “I only see his daughter.”

“Oh, no,” Leila said, unable to stop the laugh. “That’s his girlfriend.”

“Now see here-” Sam began, but fell silent as the man opened his car door and stood next to it. He was at least six inches taller than Sam.

He extended a hand. “David Kerr,” he said amiably.

Sam shook the hand awkwardly. “Sam Barrington,” he mumbled. To Leila, he said, “I’ll call you later,” and excused himself.

“Thanks for the rescue,” Leila said to David, when Sam had left.

“A pleasure. As your knight in shining armor, do I deserve to know your last name, Leila?”

“Leila Anderson,” she said. “It was going to be Leila Barrington before that sweet young thing happened along.”

“You’re hopelessly stuck on him, aren’t you?” he asked.

“I’m afraid so.”

“Well, we’re two peas in a pod. My ex-wife shops here with a fellow I call ‘Junior’ on Tuesdays. If you want to return the favor, I’ll meet you here tomorrow night at six.”

Leila laughed and agreed to see him there the next evening. She said goodnight and whistled as she drove home.

On Thursday night, Leila invited Alice Grayson to di

David had thanked Leila, and they promised to keep one another posted on their progress.

On Wednesday, Sam had stopped by her office to ask her to go to lunch, an unprecedented event.

“I’m worried about you, Leila,” he had said.

“Why?”

“How well do you know this David Kerr?”

“Not well at all.”

“That’s what I mean! And you kissed him in the store!”

“I believe he kissed me.”

“You’re mincing words and you know it. Okay, so you were kissed, but you allowed it. Right in front of everybody! That’s so unlike you!”

“Maybe I’ve changed, Sam.”

He sulked in silence for a moment, then said, “I’m not sure I like the change. I liked you the way you were before.”

“You dumped me the way I was before.”

“Leila! That’s an unkind way of putting things.”

“It was an unkind way of doing things.”

He had the good grace to look guilty, but said nothing.

“It’s true, Sam. You all but said I was passionless. And I can see why you thought so. It’s my fault, really. I hope Marietta gives you all the passion you can bear.”

“There’s more to life than passion.”

“Really? Such as what?”

“Stability, reliability, companionship.”

“Don’t forget faithfulness.”

He turned red and looked away. After a moment he said quietly, “I really hurt you, didn’t I?”

“Yes.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be, Sam. Thanks to you, I have a whole new life.”

“With David?”

“No, probably not with David.”

He seemed about to say something, but he hesitated. She decided not to wait for him to make up his mind to tell her what it was. “I’d better get back to work, Sam.”

“Yes, I suppose so,” he answered distractedly.

As they stood outside the door to her office building, he suddenly hugged her, nearly throwing her off balance. “Listen, I’m really quite fond of you, Leila. We are friends, aren’t we?”

“Of course,” she said, freeing herself from his embrace. “Goodbye, Sam.”

“Excellent!” Alice exclaimed. “Although I’ll warn you, Leila. Watch out for Marietta. From what you’ve told me, she won’t take any of this very lightly.”

Leila invited Alice to come over on Saturday afternoon. “I’ll be planting the roses in the back corner. I called my friend, Arnie, and ordered another loveseat. He’s going to try to find one similar to the old one. He thinks he can have one here by Monday, so I need to get the roses in place.”

On Friday, Sam came by her office at lunch time again. Leila had already agreed to have lunch with some of her coworkers, and summoning all of her willpower, she told Sam she would not be able to join him. “Let me take you to di

She hesitated. “What about Marietta?”

“She’s got an aerobics class until ten. She has aerobics every night,” he added glumly.

“All right, I’ll meet you for di

“Café Camillia at eight?”

She smiled. The restaurant was a favorite of hers, and Sam knew it. “Fine.”

That evening, she put on a rather daring dress, one she had bought on impulse. Impulse, she thought, liking what she saw in the mirror. What a heady new feeling this occasional obedience to impulse had given her! When she arrived at the restaurant, Sam was already there, nervously wringing his hands. When he saw her, he looked as if someone had just sent enough electricity through him to light Manhattan.