“Ladies.” The officer said sternly as he shined his flashlight in our eyes. “Do you mind telling me what you are doing here?”
“We can explain officer.” I stammered out.
“I see.” He said indigently.
“It is really quite simple officer.” Allison offered as she placed her hands gently on my shoulders.
“Allison?” He said with surprise.
She looked down at me in confusion and shrugged her shoulders. Then she peered more closely at him. Which was easier to do since he immediately extinguished his flashlight. Her eyes flew open and captured him in a big hug. “Roger!” She shouted happily. As they exchanged pleasantries I got the full story. Roger it would appear had once dated Allison’s sister. He asked how Nicole was doing and seemed relieved that she was on the wagon.
“So do you want to try and explain what it is your doing breaking into a graveyard?” Roger laughed.
“Research for a book we are working on. I have a couple of relatives buried back there. It was a last minute decision and I did not have time to get the key from the caretakers.” Allison explained.
“There is a key?” I whispered to her. She just shrugged her shoulders.
“Same old Allison.” Roger chuckled.
After Roger made his departure we both exploded into laughter. Without thinking we fell into each other’s arms and giggled uncontrollably. Suddenly I became acutely aware of the closeness of Allison’s body. I wanted to touch her. I wanted to run my hands up under the thick white fisherman’s sweater she was wearing. The laughter had ceased as we stood there holding each other. I could feel her breathing becoming labored. My body was awakened by the scent of her perfume. The sweet aroma of Opium that I had become all too aware of over the past few months. It was starting to become a problem for me. It had reached the point that if I smelled the perfume on anyone else I became aroused. One Saturday I had taken Mrs. Giavanni out shopping and I was sent running from Filene’s department store after passing the Yves Saint Laurent counter. “Try explaining that one to your sweet elderly Italian landlady!”
I could feel Allison’s body begin to shiver from my embrace. Suddenly all of Allison’s words and actions came flooding back to me. I felt that we were far too close at that moment. This time I was the one who broke away. In many ways Allison had been right about us and yet she was wrong as well. There was something about me that frightens Allison. I knew because of her past if we became intimate at this moment we would never have a future together. And it was at that moment that my head and heart finally connected. I wanted this woman for something more than the physical contact my body craved. If I were to hold this woman as a lover, I wanted her to be there the next morning and the morning after that.
Allison’s face reflected her surprise as I pulled away. Then she released a heavy sigh and smiled at me. My movement had been slow and natural. Her arm remained around my waist as we walked back to the car. This simple stroll was probably the most romantic of my life. “Hungry?” Allison smiled as she started the car.
“Yeah.” I smiled in return. “Since this is your neck of the woods why don’t you pick the place?”
“No problem.” Allison agreed. We drove back over to Derby Street and managed to find a parking space. I looked at over the ocean and inhaled the aroma of the autumn air. A beautiful fall evening with a lovely woman at my side, who could ask for anything more? Allison had decided upon Rockmore Dry Dock for dinner. The food was good but there was an added attraction as the restaurant granted a stunning view of the harbor. For just one evening all pretense between us had vanished. There was something about the romantic atmosphere that made me feel like I was on a date with Allison.
We drove home that evening singing along with the local oldies station. There was a sense of ease to our interaction that had been lacking for far too long. I knew that I had made the right decision when I backed away from Allison earlier. If I had kissed her at that moment, I am not certain that either of us would have possessed the strength to stop. And if Allison crossed the line she had vowed to maintain I probably would have lost her.
The following morning I was awakened to the sounds of Allison’s morning concert. I missed this on the weekends she was away. Aretha Franklin provided today’s musical accompaniment. I noted as I climbed out of bed it was the same CD we had listen to on the drive to Salem. I took this as a positive sign as I started to brew my coffee. I found myself singing along in the shower. I was feeling rather pleased with myself for my control last evening. “It finally looks as if Allison is starting to trust me.” My joy was short lived as I heard the music stop while I was drying myself. The silence was followed by the sounds of Allison’s footsteps descending the staircase and making their way out the front door. At that moment I mentally kicked myself for playing hands off last evening. It would appear that no matter what I did Allison was determined to fight me.
I spent the rest of my day teaching classes and trying to track down Allison. She never seemed to be around. After finishing her classes she went directly home. I never laid eyes on the woman the entire day. I felt as if I were losing my mind. Had I done something last night to bring this on? I thought back and could find nothing in my actions to invoke the new cold front I was now facing. There was no revelation to be found. I had simply relaxed and enjoyed myself. There was no overt touching, no strained moments, and certainly no flirting. At the end of the evening, Allison had invited me up for coffee. To which I politely declined not wanting to push my luck or my hormones. I had given Allison exactly what she had asked for simple friendship. “I can not win with you Allison! Perhaps Nicole is right and what you really need is to have that stick surgically removed?”
If Allison wanted space then fine I would give it to her. I stayed at the University late and worked at the library. It was after nine o’clock when I finally made my way home. Allison’s car was missing. I tried to busy myself with work on the book, but I quickly found it difficult to concentrate. I tried to watch television but nothing held my interest. Finally I gave up and went to bed. Despite all of my efforts I simply laid awake and stared at the ceiling wondering where Allison was?
It was well after three in the morning when I heard the front door close. I knew by the sound of the footsteps that it was Allison. I would know her gait anywhere. I even knew that she was wearing her old worn out pair of Zodiac boots. Normally if I heard her coming in I would greet her and invite her in for coffee. Something that I knew that she could never refuse. But at this late hour I knew how truly pathetic it would appear. “Maybe I could just pop into the hallway pretending that she woke me up?” I instantly scolded myself at the suggestion. It was then that I noticed that Allison’s footsteps had paused. She was still in the entryway just outside of my door. I jumped off of the futon and made my way over to the doorway. Before I could reach the handle I could hear her moving away and walking up the staircase to her apartment. I listened as she paced around in her apartment. Finally a familiar pattern emerged as she went over to the kitchen, then to the bathroom and finally to her bedroom. The sounds ceased and I knew that she was in bed for the evening. Only one of us slept that night.