Then I Saw Your Face

Danny

I chatted with Linda's friend, Marty, for a bit until she left. I gave Linda the recipe, which she said she was going to make that night.
"Wanna stay?" Linda pointed to her lunch, "I've got more salad than I need."
"No, I should be heading back." I said, almost like I didn't want to go. Which I didn't, I just wanted to watch Linda.
"Oh... maybe I'll see ya around?"
Then I asked a very stupid question. "Yeah.... Maybe... maybe we could, Uh, do d-dinner again? B-but in a restaurant." Why did I stutter? I never stutter.
"Yeah.... I'd like that." She smiled and blushed, glancing at the ground.
We said our goodbyes, wondering when the next time we'll see each other would be.
***********
"It's just so.... ugh!!" Erin acted like she was going to strangle someone. It was Sunday, and I hadn't seen Linda since I gave her the recipe. I called her, but got her machine, and stupidly didn't leave a message. She may have done the same thing.
"I don't wanna talk about this," Joe shook his head. He leaned on his elbows towards me, "let's talk about Danny's girlfriend."
"She is not my girlfriend! For the last time!" I protested, quite annoyed. Ever since I burrowed Joe's car for the 'non-date', he had been teasing me. Because he remembered Linda (and who wouldn't?) and he knew I liked her.
"A protest, hm?" Erin smiled deviously.
"What does that mean?" Jamie wondered, sitting on his foot.
"It means he digs her." Joe pushed his fork into the mashed potatoes.
"It does not!" I argued, wondering when my parents would stop this squabble.
"A nerve, we struck."
"Who is she?" Ma asked, holding her wine glass.
"Ma! Don't encourage them!"
"Her name's Linda O'Shea," Joe smiled like knowing her name was the biggest accomplishment in the world.
"Linda O'Shea?" Dad looked at me, "wasn't she the nurse that took care of your gun wound?"
"Yes!" Joe answered before I could disagree.
"Is there no privacy in this family?" I wondered, wishing they would all shut up. They looked at me, waiting for me to answer their questions. "Okay, Yes, fine! I like Linda, who just happened to be the nurse who patched me up, okay? Happy now?"
"Very," Joe And Erin shared the same smug smile.
"You'll be glad to know Danny took your advice, Dad," Joe smiled at Dad who sat at the head of the table. "He made a nice pasta, garlic bread, and a salad for their first date."
"Ooh! A home cooked meal on the first date! That means you really dig her!" Erin grinned, loving the torture session.
"Okay, first of all, it wasn't a date," I started, "second of all, I didn't get paid when I was supposed to, so I made something."
"You just happened to have pasta and sauce and salad and garlic bread?"
"Yes. Don't you?"
Erin looked up at the ceiling, seemingly thinking. "Yeah."
"See?"
"But that's different, she's a girl!" Jamie piped up, "and girls are supposed to have stuff like that!"
I sighed, "pass the barbecue."
Joe handed me the ribs, knowing the "password". Whenever Dad said, 'pass the... whatever', he meant 'shut up or y'all gonna regret it'. So my siblings dropped the topic.... at the moment.