Chance on You (Pub 4)

16 - Paul

Wearing jeans instead of skirts made Isla's job easier. She didn't realize how cumbersome the long skirt had been. The worst part was the attention she received with her new look. It went beyond stares from parents at school pick up and her friends gushing. Men, strangers looked at her and made her feel uncomfortable. She had preferred to be invisible. It felt safe. The sisters taught her to treasure her body as a temple of God. Men should respect her temple.

When she mentioned her concern to Marcia the older woman laughed. "God created men to lust. The goal was procreation. With our life expectancy, if people procreated the way God intended, we wouldn't be able to feed half of them. Think of those already struggling from a lack of resources."

Everyone she met had a unique way of looking at the world. If for no other reason than to show him she didn't look like a nun, she agreed to another date with Paul. He was the only person who knew her past. Hopefully, he hadn't told his mother, but certainly, Helen would have said something given her experience with the convent.

Dressed in jeans, she waited for Paul to arrive. It was movie night again and Leo ordered pizza. She apologized for not cooking.

Leo shook his head. "You don't work seven days a week. I used to be alone on weekends. You'll miss the movie."

She didn't always like cartoon movies. The previous one was about a lonely old man who tied balloons to his house. She had cried and felt embarrassed.

"You should enjoy time as a family." As she said the words, she realized she felt a part of the family. One day, they wouldn't need her anymore.

She greeted Paul in the driveway with clammy hands, because she wanted to try kissing again. Hoping to avoid embarrassment, she had already told him about her purchases.

He looked at her jeans and said, "Look at you."

The heat spread across her cheeks, as she climbed in his car. He didn't speak until he drove out of the neighborhood. "I thought maybe we could have takeout at my place."

"Your place?" Her voice shook.

"Don't worry. I'll be a gentleman."

He had almost become a priest and came from a religious family. Even Sister Daniel might approve of Paul. Maybe. Isla trusted him. "You are a gentleman."

He laughed. "True, but not all men are. They take liberties."

Liberties? Why did he speak cryptic? Isla didn't respond hoping she would never meet any of those men. He drove in the direction of the diner where she met Riley around the corner from the shelter. A few miles further, he parked in front of a large house. Isla followed him in the door and up a flight of stairs. At the top there were two doors. He unlocked the door on the right. Inside was a medium size room with a tiny kitchen.

"This is my place. I know it isn't much, but teachers don't make a lot."

Isla looked around. The navy sofa looked soft and the wooden table dusted. His TV was smaller than the one they used for movie night.

Paul said, "Do you want to sit down?" She slipped off her cardigan because it felt warm compared to the chill outside. He smiled. "I like your shirt. You really changed your style."

The flower print top was made of thin fabric and had puffy sleeves. It gathered with an elastic at her waist and dropped straight below it. Every item she wore felt different to her.

"I'm not sure I have style. My friend Lilli chose my clothes."

"She did a good job. Pizza or Chinese or Chipotle or..."

"What's Chip-o-lay?"

"Chi-pote-lay. It's a restaurant that makes burritos and rice and bean bowls. It's Mexican, kind of. Maybe we should stick with Chinese. What do you like?"