The Tutor

Chapter 23

Cora met Marcus in the parking lot. He seemed a bit unsure of himself, this was a much higher class place than he was used to. He felt uncomfortable in the wool suit and dress shirt, the tie felt almost like it was strangling him. He didn't' understand why Cora had wanted him to come here. But she was insistent, he was pretty sure she would have begged him to come if he hadn't given in after he demurred the first time. Okay, it was important to her. The slacks felt stiff and the shoes were not comfortable at least. Useless fashion statements he thought, his first thought upon looking at them was that they wouldn't be good to run in. His thoughts were interrupted by a very nervous yet beautiful Cora. "Thank you for, dressing up, you look very handsome," she said smiling.

"You look incredible" she did the powder yellow cocktail dress clung to her body and accentuated her curves, the tiny sequins along the hem sparkled in the ambient light.

"Thanks, Marcus, I'm not sure I feel incredible but I'll do my best to fake it just in case."

Marcus Grinned "Nothing fake about you Cora"

Cora sighed as she took his arm, "Shall we?"

"I feel like I'm sneaking into the country club swimming pool when I'm not a member"

Cora giggled as she confirmed her reservation with the matre'd.

They were seated a short time later, and the waiter poured wine for Marcus but Cora stopped him for pouring for her.

They had their salad and during the lull between courses "Marcus, do you think that you could ever see us together?"

"You mean like a couple"

"That's exactly what I mean."

"I don't know, I never really thought about it."

"Why the hell not?"

"I guess because there is too much disparity between us," He said as the waiter placed a large slab of beef in front of him, and then placed some pasta and chicken in front of Cora.

"I'm not sure what disparity means, but I don't think it should keep us apart"

"You are just too different from me, I'm a guy who grew up blue-collar I joined the service and did my stint, my sister joined the police, just poor folks is all I am, where I came from, I don't think I could keep with the airs of a place like this"

"Look here Marcus, just because my parents have money, and they do, doesn't mean that we are that different"

"Why?" Marcus asked as he worked his knife and fork.

"Why what?"

"Why would you ever want to be with someone like me"

"What girl wouldn't want to be with a man like you, a woman would be stupid to drop a man like you"

"Well apparently it's a growing population" he frowned.

They ate quietly while Cora mulled the conflicting thoughts in her head. It wasn't that he didn't want her it was that he didn't think he could take care of her. Cora had to admit that she was a bit high maintenance and she did have a tendency to be overly dramatic. That was the lifestyle that she was used to and it was clear that Marcus wouldn't put up with that for very long. He had when they were in the cabin together but every time she had started to go on a rant he had quietly studied his cup or had gone outside to work on a project or cleaned the kitchen. That wasn't to say he wasn't listening he was just very disinterested after the first minute or two. I can change, she told herself, I will change. She finished her pasta and the waiter whisked the empty plate away. "Would you be willing to try it?"

"I'm sorry, what?" Marcus asked.

"Would you be willing to try being my boyfriend" Marcus almost spit up the red wine he was drinking. "Am I really that bad?" she asked as tears brimmed.

"No Cora, I'm just not that good," he said after a cough. "Look don't get me wrong I just don't"

"I need someone solid like you in my life" She interrupted.

"But I'm just a poor country boy I wouldn't know..."

"I'm not asking you to know Marcus, I just want to know that you are there and that there is hope"

"Is this because"

"Maybe, but I don't think it has anything to do with what happened at the cabin, more what happened because of the cabin"

The waiter brought dessert and coffee for Marcus Cora still had pie.

"What do you mean?"

"When I was there, I had a lot of time to myself, a lot of time to think, I got to see how a real man acted, how a real man took responsibility and cared about people. I want a real man"

Marcus chuckled, "I don't know what you're talking about Cora, I just did what was right"

"Exactly, you did what was right, not what was easy or what got you the most or whatever, you did what was right"

"Okay fair enough"

"So will you?"

"Sure I guess"

"Thank you," Cora said quietly as she finished her pie.

Cora paid the tab after they finished and they walked out the door. She wrapped her arms around the mountain of a man that was Marcus and held him. Just standing by her car she listened to the beat of his heart as she felt the comforting warmth of his presence.