"Good afternoon, ladies. What can I get you?" asked the waitress pleasantly as she placed two menus, and two glasses of ice water on the table in front of Eve and Danielle.
"I already know what I want." Eve replied. "I'll have a hamburger, hold the onions, fries and a vanilla milkshake."
"And you?" the waitress asked Danielle.
"I'll have the same only no fries, and an ice tea." Danielle replied.
Eve was tempted to comment on how little it seemed her friend was eating but then she remembered, at this coffee shop, the chefs put a generous measure of meat in their hamburgers. Eve occasionally found herself having to ask for a "doggie bag" to take the rest of the burger home in. As they waited for their meals, Eve and Danielle chatted about the day's events, their jobs, their family lives and so on.
"Here's our food." said Eve a few minutes later as the waitress returned with their meals and placed them in front of them on the table.
"Is there anything else I can get you? Some ketchup? Mustard?", asked the waitress.
"No, thanks." replied Eve. "No, thank you." replied Danielle.
"Enjoy." replied the waitress pleasantly as she placed the check on the edge of the table between them before walking away to serve other customers.
"Mm! The burgers here are so good." replied Eve between bites. "Neil wanted me to make him one just like it but I couldn't do it." she continued with a chuckle and a grin.
"Yes, the food here is good.", agreed Danielle.
As they continued eating, Eve's thoughts wandered to Nina and the six-year-old's enthusiasm about her dance lessons.
"Nina has been so cute lately. She absolutely loves your class. All she talks about is your class, Michael Jackson, of course, and the recital. She's really looking forward to it. She practices all the time, everyday. It's amazing, it's as if Michael has inspired Nina to come out of her shell."
"Yes, she has expressed an interest in young Michael." replied Danielle as she took another bite of her burger. "Did I ever tell you about my childhood in Russia?" asked Danielle after swallowing.
“Only that you began ballet training at a young age, and you later became a dancer with the national ballet; and during that time you met the man who would later become your husband." replied Eve. "Then a few years later you and your husband defected to the United States."
"Yes." replied Danielle. "It seems though that I have not told you about the ballet training itself. I was not allowed to choose whether or not I wanted to practice. I was expected to practice so I would become the best, and be the pride of my homeland. Any hour that was not spent on my studies, at meal times or sleeping, was spent rehearsing. Do not get me wrong, I enjoyed performing, I have many wonderful memories. I only wish my life had had balance."
"Balance?" asked Eve.
"Yes." replied Danielle "Perhaps balance is not the correct word..."
"No, I think I understand what you're saying." Eve replied. "I think what you're saying is you wish you had been able to have time for play as well as work..."
"Yes, that is it." replied Danielle. "And that is what concerns me when I hear little Nina talking about practicing all the time, or when I hear the same about young Michael."
"Well, I didn't expect to find you here!" exclaimed Neil Williams pleasantly as he crossed over to Eve and Danielle.
"Hello." said Danielle cordially.
"It was a spur of the moment thing, babe." replied Eve as she slid over so Neil could sit beside her in the booth. "Danielle and I hadn't had a good visit in a long time so we decided to meet today."
"Well, good." replied Neil.
"I'm surprised to see you here... And without your uniform." Eve commented.
"My uniform's in the car." replied Neil. "I had some running around to do before hand. Oh, you remember that picture you wanted me to get for Nina?" Neil continued as he lifted one side of the light jacket he was wearing, and pulled out a cardboard tube.
"The picture of Michael Jackson. A new one. You got it." Eve explained with a pleased expression. "When I get it framed, Nina will love it."
"The Jacksons got here yesterday. " replied Neil, "They brought a whole stack of pictures."
"Well, if you two will excuse me." said Danielle, having checked her watch as she finished her lunch, and now sliding out of the booth. "We are short handed at the academy today, and I need to get back."
"Oh, okay." replied Eve. "Thank you for inviting me to lunch."
"You're welcome." Danielle replied as she took dollar bills in the amount of the cost of the lunches and left them on the table. "Thank you for joining me. I will see you Tuesday night at the academy."
"See you Tuesday night." replied Eve. "And I'll have the order for Nina's costumes for you then too."
"That will be fine." replied Danielle pleasantly. "Have a good day."
"You too." Eve replied as she watched Danielle walk toward and through the open front door leading out of the restaurant while, at the same time, Neil moved around to where Danielle had been sitting so he could sit facing his wife.
"Well, hello stranger." said the waitress with a grin to Neil. "What'll it be? Your usual?"
"Yep, cheeseburger with everything. Only this time bring me a Pepsi instead of a Dr. Pepper." replied Neil. "The last time the restrooms were out of order." he continued in a lower voice.
"All night?" Eve asked.
"All night." Neil replied. "It's kind of hard to make the rounds when "nature" is calling. Neil continued holding up two fingers to indicate a certain bodily secretion.
"Cheese burger and a Pepsi." replied the waitress while writing on her order pad. "Anything else?"
"No, that's it." replied Neil.
"Coming right up." replied the waitress as she walked away to go submit the order.
"So, what where you and your friend talking about?" Neil asked.
"Oh, you know, the usual things... girl talk." replied Eve.
"Oh, right." replied Neil, having sensed uneasiness in Danielle's demeanor, and having overheard the last part of the two ladies' conversation as he walked through the restaurant.
"So, what did Danielle really want? To give us more advice about Nina?"
"No," replied Eve, calmly. "Danielle was just concerned about Nina putting in more time practicing then going outside to play that's all. And actually, I agree with her. Nina should be allowed to take breaks from practicing, and go out and play hopscotch or marbles..."
"Who says she's not being allowed to do that?" asked Neil. "When I told her she had to practice all the time, I didn't mean she had to practice all the time. I'm certainly not making her practice all the time."
"Well okay, then you better talk to her because obviously she thinks you meant what you said." replied Eve.
"I just love this." Neil muttered sarcastically. "Two busy-bodies telling me how to treat my daughter."
Having been married to Neil Williams for several years, and knowing to just keep her mouth shut and give his ego a chance to calm down, Eve let the subject drop. While letting her husband brood in silence, Eve opened the cardboard tube, removed the picture of Michael Jackson, and sat studying it.
"Nina is going to love this." said Eve aloud to herself as the waitress returned a few minutes later with Neil's order which she placed on the table in front of him.
"Any mustard, ketchup?" the waitress asked Neil, as Eve sat silently listening to her husband and the waitress while carefully rolling up the picture and inserting it in the cardboard tube.
"Both please." Neil replied. "Thanks." he replied after the waitress set a mustard bottle and a ketchup bottle on the table in front of him along with his check.
"Enjoy." replied the waitress as she walked away to again serve other customers.
"Hey, Eve." said Neil, after a few minutes of silently eating and enjoying his cheeseburger. "Why don't you let me pick Nina up from school today?"
"If you're sure." replied Eve. "It'll mean having to make an extra trip to take her home..."
"Actually, I was thinking, Nina has been wanting to see where I work so I thought tonight I'd let her have a little tour of the place." replied Neil. "And if she gets tired, she can always sleep on the floor behind my desk."
"If she gets tired, she can sleep in her own bed. I don't like this idea of her sleeping on the floor." replied Eve. "I get off at five, I'll come pick her up."
"Suit yourself." Neil replied. "That will actually work out fine. She gets out of school at three, she'll be at the studio from three thirty or so until you pick her up at five...yeah, that will work out just fine." Neil continued as though reviewing facts in his mind.
"Okay, Neil Williams...what's going on?" Eve asked with a grin, and a wary look at her husband. Are you planning something?"
"No," replied Neil. "I just think an hour and a half is a good time for Nina to have a good little tour of where I work...that's all."
"Well, okay." replied Eve, studying her husband for a minute or two before glancing at her wrist watch. "Oop, I didn't realize it was so late. I better get back to the office." Eve continued while getting out of the booth. "I'll see you around five."
"Okay, hon." replied Neil after sharing a "good-bye" kiss with his wife. "Have a good day."
"You too." Eve replied as she left her husband and walked out of the restaurant carrying the tube with the picture she planned to have framed for Nina's birthday that very day.
At three o'clock, as Miss Riley's second grade let out for the day, little Nina Williams was thrilled to see her daddy waiting for her by the classroom door.
"Daddy!" Nina exclaimed gleefully as she gathered her belongings from her cubicle and hurried over to Neil while saying "good-bye" to Miss Riley. In addition to her sweater, and lesson books, Nina also had a little bag which contained a birthday gift from Miss Riley as well as a card that had been signed by the other students in the class.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Williams." said Miss Riley. "We had a birthday party today for Nina and a few others who have birthdays on the same day."
"We had birthday cake today too, Daddy.” Nina added. "Chocolate cake with chocolate frosting. Mmmm!"
"Sounds like you had quite a day, young lady." Neil replied.
"See you tomorrow, Nina." Miss Riley called after as Nina and her dad left the classroom.
"Where's Mommy?" asked Nina.
"Mommy's still at work, sweetie." Neil replied. "I offered to help her by picking you up today instead."
"Oh." Nina replied.
"Anyway, I was thinking I would take you to the studio so you can see where I work. Would you like that?" Neil asked to which Nina replied enthusiastically "Yes, Daddy!"
When they arrived at the studio, half an hour later as Neil had predicted, Neil opened the trunk of his car, and took out his uniform as well as the equipment he used on his job as security guard. Nina put her school books and party gifts in their place, and stood back as Neil closed the trunk. Neil had Nina help carry his jacket and badge. Once inside the building, Neil set his equipment on the counter of his guard station as Nina waited beside him, watching everything he did to get ready for his shift.
"Hey, listen, Daddy has to go change into his uniform so while I'm doing that, why don't you go have a look around?" said Neil.
"Really?." asked Nina "By myself?"
Kindred Spirits (c) 2010