Chapter Fifteen

Miriam leaned back on her elbows and looked around. It was a beautiful night and while Josh Groban was no Frank Sinatra, it was still enjoyable music to listen to. Henry had insisted on bringing dinner, even though she had offered, and he brought a beautiful picnic basket filled with treats form Jeff's restaurant. Everything about the night had been, well, perfect. It was odd when things exceeded her expectations because Miriam tended to expect so much out of life. It was odder still when she was not the one pulling the strings. Looking up at the clear night sky, Miriam felt an unfamiliar sensation. "This must be what letting go feels like," she thought.

And then seconds later, just as Miriam was trying to figure out what this new feeling felt like, everything changed. Henry's hand, which had been just barely grazing her leg as he stretched out on the blanket, moved to her thigh. And she didn't want him to remove it. In fact, she couldn't remember when  a man had last touched her with that kind of attention. Phil had been a good man but she had chosen him because he was a good man. There weren't ever really fireworks between them but there had been a steady warmth that made their home life easy and happy. This was something else entirely. It was as if his touch actually burned her skin.

She laughed to herself and decided that she was being ridiculous. "I am far too old for this kind of nonsense," she decided. And then he kissed her. Not a peck. It was a movie kiss and no one had ever kissed her like that. Not ever.

"Mom?"

Miriam opened her eyes to see Sarah standing over her. As she jumped up, Miriam bumped foreheads with Henry, and they both brought their hands up to their foreheads in a reflexive but pointless protective gesture.

"Sarah, what on earth are you doing here?"

"Leading a seance. What do you think I'm doing? I'm enjoying the concert. I just went to the ladies' room and I got all turned around when I came out."

"You aren't here alone are you?"

"I'm here with Brad. You've met him."

"The Taste Bud Buddy  neighbor person?"

"Yes. Hi Mr. Gordon. How are you?" Sarah decided to ignore the fact that her mother and Henry had just been caught making out on the lawn of the Pembrook Theater. If Miriam had taught her nothing else, she had instilled in her the polite way to interact with all sorts of people under all  sorts of circumstances.

After a few minutes of painful chitchat, Sarah excused herself to find her way back to her own blanket.

As she wandered back through the crowd, retracing her steps, she texted Abigail: "Big news!" Call me!"

As soon as Sarah left, Miriam felt as if someone had doused out whatever heat she was feeling with a bucket of ice water.

"Henry, I've really enjoyed this evening, but I'm feeling a little tired and I think I'd like to get home."

Ever gallant, Henry quickly began packing up the picnic things and within a few minutes, they were headed out together toward the parking lot. At first, Miriam read the expression on his face as sheepish, but on closer inspection, she realized he was simply pensive.

"Miriam, I feel that I may have offended you. It continues to amaze me that none of this male-female stuff ever gets any easier."

Two responses competed for  space in Miriam's larynx.

Response #1: "You seem like..I mean I know you are...a lovely man, Henry but I'm pretty sure those kinds of feelings are far behind me."

Response #2: "I like you and I liked kissing you, but I do not need any more complications at this age."

But neither sentence ever reached Henry's ears because instead of actually saying anything out loud, Miriam turned toward Henry and planted a wet, juicy kiss right on his surprised lips.