Molly looked up from her grocery cart to see Betty Weiner coming toward her. With her granddaughter visiting, Molly had no time for one of those long chats. Although she would try to be tactful.
“Hello Molly,” Betty said, as she approached her, slightly breathless. “You’ll have to excuse me. I’m in such a hurry. My grandson, Jeffrey is coming here today.”
Molly didn’t recall hearing about Jeffrey.
“Is he single?” she asked.
“Yes, so far.”
“Such a coincidence. My granddaughter Karen also came for a vacation…”
“Call me later and we’ll talk.” Betty interrupted. “I have to rush. Believe me.”
That evening Molly phoned her.
“So what does he do?” she asked. “Your Jeffrey.”
“It’s hard to describe,” Betty told her. “Something with investments. A big company. Don’t ask me. He’s very smart, that I know. But I wish he would settle down already. Your granddaughter is here for how long?”
“A few more days. She too, has a wonderful job. Travels all over. She services million dollar accounts. That’s what I hear.”
“She’s a lovely girl. What can I say? And keeps herself in such good shape, with running, the working out. I hardly recognized her when she walked in. Like a movie star, she looks. I though I would make all the favorite dishes she used to like – you know, cheese kugel, stuffed cabbage. Bur, no. None of that. And would you believe it? The first thing she asks me about when she gets here is, “Where is the nearest health food store?” I didn’t know, but she found it.
“My Jeffrey is the same. No junk food, no fats, no salt, nothing fried. Only baked or steamed. And he counts calories. Can you imagine for a young person with no health problems, to pay such attention.”
The two friends talked on and on. Their excitement grew as they discovered how much their grandchildren had in common.
“As soon as Jeffrey gets here, I’ll tell him. It can’t do any harm. They’ll go out together. Enjoy themselves. Even if nothing comes of it,” Betty said, trying to taper down her enthusiasm.
”Your grandson was, maybe, divorced?” Molly asked.
“Oh, no! Nothing like that. He’s just so busy with his work, his hobbies, his travels. He meets, but who can say? Maybe he isn’t ready. But, if you ask me, it’s time he should be. I suppose your Karen is the same – too busy to think about marriage?”
“With her I would say she’s too fussy. Too picky.”
“All we can do is try,” Betty sighed.
Karen came in just after her grandmother finished her conversation.
“You certainly have a busy line, Grandma. I tried, I don’t know how many times,” Karen said, “I’m expecting a phone call I didn’t want to miss.”
“I was talking to my friend, Betty. She tells me her grandson is here this week for vacation. I…we thought it might be nice for you two young people to meet.”
“Oh, no…”
“Why the oh, no? He sounds like a very nice young man. Successful. Good-looking. Healthy. And like you, he eats all those foods. Organics, whatever. He runs and walks and all the rest of it. I want you to have a good time while you’re here, sweetheart. What’s wrong with meeting a fine, young man?”
“The thing is, Grandma – and I do appreciate what you are trying to do for me, but I am…I have been seeing someone.”
“Oh, good! Glad to hear it. Why didn’t anyone tell me? No one lest me know what’s going on anymore. Of course, in that case…but still, you could go out just to dinner or maybe a bicycle ride. Something. Just as friends.”
When she saw how disappointed her grandmother was, Karen relented and a date was made. Jeffrey called for her the next evening. He had a nice smile and was dressed casually in a light brown linen jacket, which fit easily on his lean, athletic build.
Karen, tanned and glowing wore a long, tropical print skirt, a scoop neck, black silk jersey and sandals. Her curly hair, still glistening from the shower emphasized her dangling silver earrings. They made a stunning couple.
With reservations at a highly recommended restaurant, they smiled at each other across the table, two polite strangers.
Diner was ordered, and wine. Soft background music muted nearby conversations, blending in with the sound of laughter, the tinkle of glasses.
After the waiter left, and during a lull in their small talk, Jeffrey said, “I think I should tell you something. It’s only right that I do.”
“I’m gay,” he said.
Karen settled back in her chair and smiled.
“So am I,” she said.
Florence Liberfarb writes poetry, short stories and plays. You may freely republish this story for non-commercial use provided you follow the Publisher Guidelines and provide a hyperlink (electronic media) to the Wordly Web Site. You may not alter the copyright notice or edit the content of this story. Please notify the author of your intent to republish. Commercial use of this story requires written permission and payment of a royalty.
Good Intentions by Florence Liberfarb
Copyright © 2005-2007 All Rights reserved
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Poems, Stories, and Plays byFlorence Liberfarb
