Mis-directed email

chapters 11 - 12

CHAPTER 11

Since his injury during the attack he had felt lonely and at loose ends, drifting for the last 2 months. Suddenly he felt alive and in love. With Rosa he felt connected, grounded. He didn't tell her that but that was the way he felt. He just knew he liked that feeling. He liked it very much. He wanted to keep that connection.

As they were eating, Dominic was surprised to feel so light hearted. He enjoyed talking about his family with her and she had even eased his mind about Doug and the ranch. Feeling more at ease than he had in months Dominic enjoyed his steak and the wonderful company. She seemed to have a magic touch. All he had to do was tell Rosa and everything seemed better. It was magic.

The conversation turned to lighter subjects as they continued to eat. And they often laughed over movies they'd seen or music they liked. They both decided they liked the old musicals and a really good comedy. Dominic even admitted liking the Westside Story but begged her not to tell Linda or he'd have to watch it every time he visited. It was one of her favorite movies. Laughing Rosa promised to keep his secret. Asking her favorite she had to think and then decided that she liked Wizard of Oz. She had first seen it when she was very little and had watched it with Nana Rachel. It had remained her favorite. Neither of them could remember the last time they'd gone out to a movie. Had she gone with some guy? Did they kiss and make out in the dark theatre? Hold hands in the dark? Dominic tried to avoid thinking of her at the movies with someone else. He needed to change the subject before his... jealous... mind could ruin the mood. Was he jealous?

So they began talking about gardening.

They shared an intense discussion of gardening philosophies even though neither of them had the time at the moment to maintain a garden. The lively exchange over whether garden gnomes should be buried or crushed had them both laughing. Their similar vision of the perfect garden took Rosa's breath away.

The garden would be filled with roses. They spent the next half hour discussing the perfect roses to plant and the advantages of annual over perennial plantings. They would have a seating area with a small Koi pond. She especially liked wind chimes and the garden bench that would be a haven from the stress of work. It was such a detailed discussion that she could draw it up in her mind as clearly as if she had just come from the garden itself.

He again told her of the surprise of getting her emails. She gave a serene smile and told him that God had a plan and that some things were just meant to be.

He grinned at her and had to agree.

The meal was excellent and they lingered over their drinks, talking and laughing.

Suddenly, Dominic wanted to tell her all about his job. He told her he was on medical leave at the moment. She had noticed the slight tensing of his left shoulder and wondered if he was in pain.

Concern evident in her voice She asked, "Does your shoulder hurt very much? What have the doctors said?" she hated to think of him hurt or still hurting.

"No," he said, "the pain is pretty much gone but I've got some tingling in my fingers" he said as he spread his hand open and flexed his fingers, "and the doctors at the Service won't release me back for field duty. Until I can get their OK I'm side lined from my job and cut off from the bureau. I've got an appointment on Saturday to have some tests done to see if the nerve damage is healing or at least reparable. They had hopes of therapy being enough to regenerate the nerves. I'll know something after the evaluation." Giving her a slight shrug of his shoulders as if the outcome wasn't in doubt and he wasn't worried.