Will You Love Me Again?

Chapter 3

Six Month Anniversary Dinner
December 5, 2018

Five o'clock rolls around and David comes home to pick up Lucy for their anniversary date night.

"We're going to UMI, your favorite restaurant. Are you ready for some sushi?" He says as he backs the SUV out of the driveway.

"You know the way to my heart, David! Let's jam out to music while we drive. Next stop, Florence for some sushi." Lucy turns up the radio.

From Athens to Florence is a 45 minute drive and Lucy still feels worried about their marriage. Music helps everything, she silently thinks.

The car ride feels like their drive to the beach for their senior trip, four years ago. We were so in love. I hope it never fates. He was my first real love. And after last night, I know I am his everything, forever, Lucy assures herself. He was so gentle and loving. I just need to enjoy our marriage and stop worrying so much.

Halfway to UMI, Lucy and David belt out the lyrics to Hurricane by Luke Combs.

Had my heart stormin'
The moon went hiding
Stars quit shining
Rain was dropping
Thunder 'n lightning
You wrecked my whole world when you came
And hit me like a hurricane

By the time, they noticed the song had stopped, they were at the last stoplight before Florence's city limits.

"I guess we got really into the music. It swept us up like a hurricane." David and his puns.

Between laughs, she says, "I guess it did. Couple more stoplights then it is sushi time."

Keith Urban's Raining on Sunday streams through the speakers.

Pray that it's raining on Sunday
Storming like crazy
We'll hide under the covers all afternoon
Baby whatever comes Monday
Can take care of itself
'Cause we've got better things
That we can do
When it's raining on Sunday

By the last line, Let it rain, they are turning in the small parking lot of UMI Japanese Steakhouse.

The entrance was decorated with Polaroid photos from the main doors to the hostess' stand. "Table for two?"

"Yes," Lucy responds within seconds. Her excitement is getting the best of her.

"Is a booth, okay?" They both shake their heads in agreement.

David sits on the left and Lucy on the right, "Your waitress will be right with you."

"Thank you," David says as she is walking away. As they are waiting, they flip through their menus even though they both know they want a rainbow row each. David knew his wife wouldn't share eight pieces a sushi, so he is getting his own eight.

"You know what you want?" Lucy says, looking over the top of her menu at him. She looks stunning in her black dress, glasses pushed up to the brim of her nose, and her brunette locks resting on her shoulders in beautiful curls.

"Yeah, of course. You look beautiful, darling." That makes her blush and she takes in David's casual work look, he has his glasses on, too, and his hair is a tad messy but just as handsome.

The waitress comes up to the table with pad and pencil in hand, "Are you ready to order?"

"Yes. Lucy."

"Okay. I want the Rainbow Roll, and can I get that with the soup and salad?"

"Yes, but the salad will be bigger than the normal side."

"That is perfect. And I would like water with lemon, too. Okay, David."

He clears his throat, "Make that two except with a Sweet Tea with lemon." They hand their menus to the waitress and she is off.

"I'm gonna go to the restroom. I'll be right back."

***

On David's way back to his table, he hears his name. "David!" A woman's voice says from his left. He spins his head to the hostess desk area, and there is Cindy standing beside her husband, Tom. Cindy waves at him and Tom follows. David waves back and walks over, "Evening, Cindy. Is this your husband?"

"Yes. David, this is my husband Tom," the men shake hands. "It is nice to meet you, I work with Cindy over in Athens."

"Nice to meet you, David," Tom says.

"Where is your wife?" Cindy says to David.

"She is over this way in our booth. Would y'all like to meet her while you wait to be seated?" The couple shakes their head. The three walk down the row of booths by the window, until the second to the last. "Lucy, darling, this is Cindy and her husband, Tom. You know, Cindy from work." He tells Lucy after seeing the confused expression on her face.

"Ah, yes. Good evening. Are y'all on a date night, too?"

Cindy and Tom look at each other, Cindy replies, "Yes, our one year anniversary was this week."

"It's our sixth month anniversary today," Lucy tells them. "The work trip ended just in time to celebrate. "

"Jennings, party of two." Makes the couples turn their heads towards the hostess stand.

"That's us. See you at work, David. Hope to see you, again, Lucy." Cindy says.

"Same to y'all," Lucy and David say in unison.

Once Lucy knows Cindy and Tom are out of earshot, she builds up the nerve to bring up her worries to David. "So, that is Cindy. She is pretty. Do y'all work well together?"

"Yeah, everyone in the office says we do. So, I guess we do. I've never really noticed."

"Oh okay, that's great, babe."

"Is something wrong?"

"No. No. Just wondered if y'all were close work friends. She seems nice."

"I guess we are. We've just always been paired up in work stuff from business trips to job sites. It is just how it's been since I started over there."

"Well, that's good. Nothing to worry about, right?"

"Never. You're my sweetheart. Besides, she has eyes for her husband."

"I love you. I am glad I got to meet her."

"I love you, too. I am glad, too. It was long overdue."

***

Lucy still feels that pull in her stomach, that something is going on. But now she isn't sure it is with Cindy. What is it, with these bad feelings? David and I are happy. He has always had eyes for me, Lucy tells herself.

***

Looking up from where she was staring, Lucy says, "I see our food."

"Finally, I am starving!"

The waitress sits down the plates of food in front of them, "Do you need more water and Sweet Tea?"

"Yes." David says for both of them as Lucy nods in agreement.

"I'll be right back with those."

"Thank you!"

They immediately start eating. Lucy picking up the sushi before the salad or soup. "Yummy, that hits the spot!" She says between bites. David smiles at her.

***

The night was perfect. Eating at her favorite restaurant to singing in the car like they were a couple of teenagers.

Lucy silently thinks, no more reading articles titled, "50 Ways You Know He Is Cheating" or "3 Reasons Why He Doesn't Love You Like He Use To" and the worse of all, "Just Accept Your Marriage Could End Terribly." I promise to stop thinking so negatively and believing everything I read on the internet and just trust my husband, the one man that I love.