Pillow Talk

Road to Hell - B

Jamie smiled holding Eddie's hand gently leading her out. He planned on taking her to the Bronx zoo for a date knowing she loved animals.

While Jamie drove Eddie looked out the window watching buildings pass trying to guess where they were going amusing Jamie.

"It's a surprise Eddie so I won't tell you," Jamie laughed ignoring her small pout. Still she turned back to the window wondering what Jamie had planned.

When they pulled up to the gate of the Bronx zoo, Eddie's face broke out in a smile. "Oh Jamie!" She leaned over the seat and kissed Jamie's cheek. "I've never been here, and I've always wanted to come."

"Then I'm glad I thought to bring you," Jamie replied as he found a good parking space. Eddie and Jamie laced their fingers, secure in the knowledge that on weekday, there was no chance that they'd be discovered here. "Where do you want to go first?"

Eddie paused looking at a park map. "Sea lions!" Eddie loved animals in general but the cuter the better. "Okay, sea lions and penguins!"

Hand in hand Eddie and Jamie strolled to the sea lions and were fortunate enough to see a feeding. "Look at how cute they are, they ask for the food better than most people!"

Jamie was delighted in watching Eddie smiling at the sea lions. Her golden hair was blowing back and forth in the soft breeze. Jamie couldn't resist fingering it. "You're so pretty honey," Jamie replied. "Especially out here."

Eddie laughed, "You're not so bad yourself in the black tee shirt of yours."

Jamie slid his arm around Eddie's shoulders and headed to the American Bison habitat. They walked around the zoo counterclockwise viewing both native and exotic animals.

"Doesn't the smell bother you?" Jamie asked as they explored the baboon hut.

"Not really, actually," Eddie laughed. "I'm hungry. There's a café, let's get some lunch."

Hand in hand they headed to the café. Eddie found a table then then Jamie got on the line to purchase their lunches, for Eddie a roast beef and cheddar cheese sandwich with chip and for himself a turkey spinach wrap. "I can see you are having a good time, honey, but for the last couple of days I've noticed you starting to ask me a question then stopping. Do you want to talk about something?"

Eddie bit her straw, "Jamie we're having such a nice day, I don't want to ruin it..."

"You won't," Jamie replied. "Come on, talk to me."

"All right," Eddie sighed. "Here it goes. Are you upset that I'm not Catholic?"

Jamie nearly choked on his wrap, "What?"

"Does it bother you that I'm not Catholic? You were a little quiet after I asked about confession and..."

"Eddie, it doesn't matter," Jamie said quickly. "It doesn't matter, baby. I love you. I love your gold hair, I love your laughter, I love how you bounce at sea lions and if that person is Catholic, Methodist, Jewish, Muslim...I do not care. I love you."

Eddie smiled softly, "I love you too. You know, I'm not tied to any religions so if we eventually do take this public and we do want a family, I'm open to doing all of that Catholic you know?"

Jamie smiled and took Eddie's hand rubbing the knuckles, "Yeah?"

"Yeah," Eddie replied. "I would have no problem marrying you in a fancy Catholic ceremony and having our little girl or boy get baptized. That's important to you..."

Jamie smiled unable to hold back at Eddie's offer. She was aware as most everyone that his family was famously Catholic.

"We can definitely talk about it when it gets closer, although the thought of having a family with you is really nice." Jamie reached across the table for her hand thinking about how great a mom she would be.

Eddie returned the smile giving his hand a gentle squeeze before returning to her sandwich.

"So what do you want to see next," Jamie asked softly.

Eddie thought for a minute before answering, "I heard they have a tiger exhibit."

"Then let's go." They took their trays and threw them away before heading to check out the big cats.

Jamie and Eddie stayed the zoo until it closed, then picked up pretzels and hot dogs for dinner before getting back in the Mustang and heading home. "Did you have fun?"

"I did, we need to have dates more often," Eddie replied. "You've been braver about going out lately."

"Yes," Jamie agreed. "Just not yet in Manhattan. I thought our next day off we could go into Jersey, go to the Ford Mansion in Morristown and go to one of the Japanese Hibachi houses."

Eddie slid her hand over to Jamie's thigh, "Sounds like a plan."