“Is this something I would wear?” she asked, cringing her face.
Matt chuckled. “No,” he reassured. Then took her hand and pulled her to the next window. “Thisis something you would wear.”
He pointed to another mannequin wearing a button-down white blouse with gold pearl-like buttons, and a blue mini skirt with a gold zip. It was elegant with just the right amount of color.
A few minutes later Matt stopped at a small eatery, with two wide open double wooden doors. The doors allowed just enough room for a square table for two to fit in between each one.
“I’m sure you’re sick of hospital food, so I thought we’d eat here. You’ll love this place.”
Liz wondered if Matt meant that she did love this place when they’d come here, but was being sensitive to her condition. “Okay.” Was all she replied.
Matt held Liz’s hand and addressed the girl at the podium. “Two please.”
“Of course, right this way.” The slim dark-haired hostess grabbed two menus from her station and walked them to one of the outdoor tables.
“So what do I like?” she asked after scanning a few options on the menu.
He didn’t take his eyes off the menu and shrugged. “How would I know, I just met you.”
Liz’s eyes widened and felt her face flushed before registering the huge grin and wink that peeked from behind his menu. She relaxed and laughed. Then wondered if he was going to make any more jokes like that.
He gave a short laugh and tossed both their menus on the table and signaled the waitress. He leaned in close. The table was so small that she could smell his minty breath when he spoke. “I wasn’t really looking at the menu,” he whispered. “We usually get the same things here.” He pulled back, winked at her again and ordered.
* * *
Hours later, after the sun had set, they drove for some time in what was a relatively quiet ride. Liz could have sworn she’d noticed a few extra turns. Which made her wonder if the day out on the town was because Matt was just as nervous taking her home as she was to go there. He slowed and pulled into a quaint development with cookie-cutter low rise buildings lined up along the reserved street. Matt occupied one of two empty parking spots with the SUV. He breathed deep and glanced at her before jumping out.
Matt told her they lived on the highest floor of the four-story complex. There were only two units on that floor, and they were both large duplexes.
The elevator doors on the fourth floor opened to an opulently lit corridor that was covered in glossy marble-like walls. The light in the hall wasn’t harsh, but bright. There were two large double doors on the opposite side of the elevator and two evenly sized chandeliers hung from the tall ceiling. Liz stepped out of the elevator and paused. She waited to see if she would go on autopilot and approach the right door.
Nothing.
She felt a hand on her lower back just before he slipped beside her to guide her to the double doors on the far right.
Seconds later Matt flicked on the lights to reveal a first glance at their home. The apartment was long rather than lofty. It stretched and extended on both ends of the living room, which was furnished with contemporary furniture. An ash-gray, tufted sofa and matching chair sat against the far left of the living room, with endless amounts of white throw pillows evenly dispersed. A burnt orange throw rested on the side of the chair. There was no television. Just a coffee table, a glossy grand piano on the far right and french doors opposite the entry door.
She stepped in to see what the french doors led to and then suddenly stopped and stared at the shiny hardwood floor.
“Umm…do I take my shoes off?”
“Usually,” he answered. He placed his keys in a small vintage-looking silver bowl that was placed on a blue-painted side table by the front door. A gold accented mirror was placed directly over it. Liz considered it to be an odd choice of decorating, she guessed she had once made.
He followed her to the double doors that Liz was curious about. She pulled back the sheer white curtains and peeked through, but only saw pitch blackness and her reflection.
“The balcony,” he stated. “It’s not big, but it’s a peaceful view of the back of the development. There’s a lot of trees and land back there, which is why you won’t see any streetlights, but I heard that might change over the next few years.”
Matt showed her the kitchen, which is where the left side of the living room extended to, following a small hallway. There was a large island and enormous cabinet space. She assumed the right side led to a den of some sort but was too tired to keep touring.
There was a short stairwell that led to the units’ bedrooms and baths. They creaked slightly as they climbed.
Matt stepped in front of her and reached for the first door on the left. Liz stepped in to take in the room’s décor. Silver drapes hung from under a fairly high ceiling and covering the tall double-paned windows. The walls were primarily a light tint of gray other than the darker shade that covered the wall opposite the bed. Against the wall, was a small white loveseat with a pale blue throw and ivory pillow. Finally, across from the love seat, was a king-sized bed with a large gray tufted headboard. A dark gray comforter lay folded down partially to reveal pale blue cotton sheets. Until now, Liz was dreading being in this room. But at that moment, it felt cozy and homey. She was starting to feel less out of place.
She noticed Matt had given her some time to take in the room. “This is our bedroom?” she asked, almost as if it was a statement.
“Yes, I had Gladys, that’s our cleaning lady, freshen up the sheets and clean up in here so you’d be comfortable.”
“Thank you. It’s really lovely.”
