Chapter Three – The First Date!

Lizzie stands in the bathroom door looking at the walls. Painted in a light grey colour. Not the best of work, but then again, she isn’t a professional painter, and being a single mom, the money for professionals to do the job for her isn’t there. This’ll do for now. It’s better than the stupid dolphins anyway. And the tub, God, it’ll be great for the kids to use.

With a coffee cup in hand, she sits down on the couch. Checks her phone. A message from Christopher. “Ready for tonight?”. Lizzies face lights up. It’s been forever since someone actually told her that they wanted to spend time with her. The last years of her marriage was a mess of complaining and yelling. And when she finally worked up the courage to leave, she was a mess herself. Broken, damaged, without confidence, everything she knew was ripped out from under her. And she had to build herself back up again. She still felt like she wasn’t good enough. But this Christopher guy did something with her confidence. It felt like he meant what he said. He saw her picture, and still wanted to meet her.

“Absolutely. I haven’t had time to meet someone without kids in like forever. Want me to cook something?” She isn’t exactly sure if this is a real date, given that they both agreed to have a casual relationship, based on sex. But you should get to know people you sleep with right? And if it doesn’t work out, then it was just a “One Night Stand”. She can live with that. Another message “No worries, I’ll eat before I come over”. So probably just the wine then. Lizzie had a bottle of red in the kitchen. She didn’t drink much wine. But the occasion called for it. So she bought a bottle of the one red wine she liked.

The rest of the day, she makes the apartment ready for the date night. The living room, the bathroom, and at last the bedroom. Probably gonna use the bed. Or.. Maybe not. Maybe he won’t. Maybe she isn’t pretty enough. Maybe she isn’t skinny enough. Although she had been on a lowcarb lifestyle for about a year now, she still wasn’t happy with the way she looked. She did get into a lot of new clothes. But… Screw it. She would never be happy with the way her body looked. She knew that. So just fuck it.

About 6pm, the doorbell sounds. Lizzies face lights up again. It feels good to smile for real again. Not just the forced ones. A real genuine smile. She felt it not only by her lips smiling, she felt it in her entire body. Give it a chance, Lizzie! Let yourself be happy again. Push the negative thoughts away. He wants to meet you. He is taking the time to meet you. He is not like your ex husband. Not everyone is like that. It’s like Janet says. You deserve to be happy, Lizzie. You do!

Lizzie opens the door, and there he stands. Way more beautiful in real life.

– Hi. Come in!

Christopher smiles, and holds up a bottle of wine.

– Hi. Good, I’m at the right place. I brought wine. I don’t know what you like to drink, but…

Christopher walks inside. Take off his shoes and jacket. Gives the bottle of wine to Lizzie.

– White wine is good. I have a bottle of red upstairs in the kitchen.

Lizzie walks in front of Christopher, up the stairs towards the kitchen. Red or white? Red or white? Get it together Lizzie!

– You know, I used to live here!

Lizzie turns around. So, he wants to talk? Not just jump right into it. Is that good or bad? God, Lizzie, get your fucking shit together! Stop analyzing every fucking thing!

– Here? In this apartment?

– Yeah. It’s a long time ago. It doesn’t look the same at all. We had to park the car right outside the door. No front yard, back then.

Christopher takes a quick peak inside the bathroom.

– Oh, so this is the bathroom. It was way smaller when I lived here. Was it this big when you moved in?

Lizzie shakes her head. She doesn’t know how to respond to people who wants to know about her. She was always invisible, she doesn’t know how to be visible. Her role as a mom, is the only thing she knows how to do. Friend? Girlfriend? How do you do that?

– I’ve only lived here for about three years. And I haven’t done much. Painted a bit. But I don’t have that much time.

– You can do a lot with new colours. And with three kids.. I think you did a Great job.

Christopher smiles. Lizzie smiles back. After pouring two glasses of red wine, they both sit down on the couch. Christopher lifts his glass, but puts it down again.

– I have to borrow your restroom for a sec! Be right back!

– Well, you know where it is, so I’m just gonna sit here and wait.

Two seconds after Christopher leaves the living room, Lizzies phone beeps, with a message from Janet. “Handsome, right?” Lizzie can’t help but smile. Janet is really into this setting her up thing. “Absolutely!”, she text back, before Christopher returns.

The conversation goes pretty smoothly. Mostly about the apartment, since they both have a connection to it. Christopher talks about how it used to look, both inside and outside. And Lizzie tells him what kind of redecorating she has done, since she moved in. Before they know it, the bottle is empty. Lizzie is surprised, they’ve been talking for hours, without realising it. And without any uncomfortable silence. It actually feels like they’ve known each other for years. Yes it’s going to be a physical relationship. But there’s no rules about being friends, is it?

Christopher looks at Lizzie. She looks back at him. He has blue eyes. They’re beautiful. Even though Lizzies favorite eye colour is brown. Light hazel brown. Stop it, Lizzie! Blue is fine. And the fucking colour of his eyes should’t matter anyway! Christopher leans in closer. Lizzie almost holds her breath. This is a situation she hasn’t been in for years. Is he going to kiss her? What if she’s no good?

– You know what I want to do now?

The look in Christophers eyes is intense. Lizzie feels like a fish on dry land. Totally out of her element.

– No….

Then his lips is on hers. Soft, warm. God. Lizzie kisses him back. But the nervous feeling of not knowing doesn’t fade. He continues to kiss her, so maybe it feels good. Or maybe he just wants some? Get it together, Lizzie! Get your fucking shit together!

– I want to explore you!

Christopher lets his hand slide up Lizzies bare skin, under her shirt. Lizzie swallows, gently breaks the kiss, and gets up from the couch.

– I have a bed…. Let’s continue this there…