Middle C - Part Four
by Rod Jones Artist-Writer
“Don’t forget Nicholas, next Sunday, same time; I can’t wait to see you again. Please don’t forget.”
“Come on Elise, how would I possibly forget? Have you had bad experiences with boyfriends standing you up and not showing up?”
“Well, that was kind of mean. No! No man has ever stood me up. Plus, you’re the only one I ever invited to my home. You should be honored. I thought we were falling in love?”
“OK you’re right, that was insensitive of me and I apologize. And yes, I know. I’m falling in love with you. And of course, I will be here next Sunday. That’s a whole week off. Seems so long. And thank you for reminding me Elise, but I’m pretty sure there’s no way I would forget. Goodbye for now.”
“You’re not gonna hug me?”
“I don’t seem to be doing much right. Yes, of course. I’ll hug you. I think I’m just a little bit overwhelmed. I’ve never been in a home like this. I think we’re falling in love with each other very fast. I think it’s a good thing, in fact, I know it’s a good thing, but I find it a little bit scary. We don’t know each other that well, but I guess time will take care of that and of course, I will be here next Sunday.”
Nicholas hugged Elise then he got into his car. He turned back towards her and blew her a kiss. She blew one back to him. Elise, as he was driving off, walked back into her home, and started thinking.
“Oh, what the hell are you doing to yourself again Elise? If Nicholas finds out who and what I really am, and that’s even if I let this relationship go that far, he’s going to be severely hurt. I don’t know why I do this to men, especially this one. Talk about sensitive. He’s almost like dealing with a child.”
“When he first met me outside that club and he judged me as being in there to meet guys, he was right. I thought it was clever of me to tell him that I was there giving some money to my brother. I don’t think my brother’s ever been in that club and if he was, I sure as hell would not go in there. Poor Nick, he pegged me right off the bat. What’s gonna happen when I tell him I’ve never washed a dish in my life, and I do know exactly what my father was doing to make all that money. I think I should just tell him not to come back here on Sunday, that something suddenly came up. I think I really like this guy and I hate to dump him like I have all the others. He’s really not gonna fit into my lifestyle or my life plans, not that I even know what the hell they’re gonna be.”
Heading back to Santa Monica, Nicholas had plenty of time to think.
“I don’t know what I am getting myself into. I think Elise out classes me in every possible way, comparing my life to hers, well, there’s no comparison. She obviously is wealthy. I’m not doing too bad, but I’m definitely not in her league financially, anyway. The way she came onto me, especially in the backseat of her car, that almost frightened me. I didn’t know if I could actually trust her. Now that I think about it, I still don’t know if I can trust her. There’s something not quite right. I definitely want it to be right. I love her… or is it, I just love the idea of her. Especially the way we met and how I misjudged her coming out of that club. Maybe I should just tell her I can’t come on Sunday. I don’t want to hurt her and I don’t wanna hurt myself by getting myself into something I’ll never be able to be comfortable in, and that stupid middle C she keeps mentioning, what is that supposed to mean? What does that have to do with us in a relationship? Maybe I should go to a library and look it up.”
For Nicholas, the week went painfully slow, especially because he kept rethinking about what he was getting himself into.
For Elise, she gave Nicholas very little thought until Saturday came. During that week, she hung out with several different guys. She used to refer to them as her boys, in the most manipulative way.
After a week of agonizing thoughts for Nicholas, Saturday morning came. He still was trying to figure out what to do. He was even questioning his own motives, and thinking if he was good enough for her. Nicholas had girlfriends before, but never truly fell in love; he never lived with any of them. It was always just dating. Now he was faced with somebody that he was sure outclassed him. He didn’t want to have to ever depend upon her financially. He thought to himself what if she wants to get married, where would we live? I’m pretty sure she’s not gonna go for my apartment, although it is close to the beach, but that’s its only saving grace.
That Saturday before she was having Nicholas over to her home, she was out hanging with some girlfriends and doing some shopping. Of course, with her girlfriends the conversation went this way.
“So Elise, what man is in your life this week? Did you meet some guy at your favorite hangout on Sunset?”
“Well, yes and no. I met a guy, but not in the club. I was going back to my car and this guy was trying to put a note on it. I thought he was trying to pick me up. He was good looking so I didn’t find that all that offensive, but then he told me that he just put a dent in my car. I got mad at him, accused him of trying to pick me up and he suggested that I was sleazy for coming out of that club. Little did he know. We eventually met up at Conrad’s, and had a very late night meal. Then I arranged to meet him again. He’s a very nice guy, very innocent. I’m not exactly used to men like that.”
“No Elise, that definitely does not sound like you. Although we all wish you’d find a man you could love, not that any of us are doing such a good job in that area. You said he’s supposed to come to your home again tomorrow. Are you gonna let him? And if so, are you gonna tell him more about yourself or are you gonna just end it?”
“Oh yeah, tomorrow. I was thinking about calling up Nicholas and telling him that we can’t meet, and then basically just all of sudden not become available to him.”
“Do you like this guy? You seem to kind of light up when you talk about him, that’s not how you usually are Elise. We’ve all known you long enough. It’s easy to see you have some feelings here for this guy, don’t you?”
“Maybe I do and maybe I don’t.”
“Come on Elise we know you, may be better than you know yourself. Would it really hurt you to actually fall in love and maybe even marry someone and stop your perpetual playing around.”
“Maybe it would and maybe it wouldn’t.”
“OK, Elise, stop playing games with us. We’re being serious. None of us are angels, but you really push the limit. Give it a chance, fall in love with this guy. I’m sure you’ve led him on, as only you know how to do.”
“Maybe I will give it a try. There’s an awful lot of things I like about Nicholas. But I think it would absolutely crush him if I told him too much about myself.”
“Yes, probably, but nowhere is it written that us women need to share our life story with the man we fall in love with. Besides that, I don’t ever remember a guy telling us all about their conquests. We’re supposed to be mysterious and alluring. Give the guy a chance… if it doesn’t seem right you’ll figure out a way to back out of it. You always do.”
“I do like him, I don’t think I’ve ever felt exactly this way towards a man in my life. But I just don’t want to hurt him. Now that my parents are deceased and I doubt he will ever meet my brother, and can pretty much keep this charade going without any real trouble unless we run into some guy I knew in the past when he and I go out to dinner. Oh I guess I’ll figure out a way to deal with that. Maybe you’re right. I will meet him Sunday and see how it goes.”
Nicholas went through the massive gate and up the long drive to Elise’s home. The sensor on the gate, let Elise know that someone was coming up the drive and she knew it would be Nicholas. She opened the door and went outside to greet him with a welcoming and loving hug.
“You look beautiful today, Elise, but you kind of have an expression of concern. Don’t think I’ve ever seen that look on you before.”
“I woke up with a headache this morning, but now that you’re here it’s quickly going away. Come on in, let’s have an enjoyable and loving afternoon together. Instead of a bologna sandwich, we can have peanut butter and jelly today with crunched potato chips on it.”
This is the end of part 4 of Middle C. Part 5 will be available next Sunday in Sunday’s Matinee at Thought Row Vignettes.
The short stories and essays published in Thought Row Vignettes are written entirely by me, Rod Jones Artist and Writer, using only a human hand and imagination. AI does not write, revise, or generate the fiction, essays, dialogue, plots, or endings. Any imperfections in grammar or punctuation are authentically mine.
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Some accompanying visuals may be original photography, properly licensed stock images, or AI-generated illustrations created from my own visual direction. These images are visual companions to the writing, not substitutes for it.
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