A Night to Remember (PG-13)

[francis]

I just realized I never posted this story here. It was written for a Guess the Author game.
Mick meets someone in New York who is just as lonely as he.

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Sandy had never been to the US before, but she was looking forward to seeing New York for the first time. It was a business trip, but as there was a holiday at home she had a chance to add two days before she had to get on a flight back, and she had every intention to use that time to feel the night.

She had prepared well for her stay in New York, reading a guidebook on the plane and going over a map of Manhattan to plan where she would want to go. When she was in a foreign city she liked to get an overview first. So she decided to start at the tip of Manhattan, watch out for Liberty Island. She wanted to go up the Empire State Building, and she definitely wanted to see Times Square.

When the conference was over she slipped into her hotel room and took a nap. She dreamed of all the movies featuring New York. Then she put on some comfortable walking shoes and was on her way.

She took a bus to Battery Park and watched the sunset over Brooklyn. It was a gloomy day, on the verge of raining, but she wasn’t deterred. The weather fit her mood. She walked up the Hudson bank to see Ground Zero and take a minute to remember what happened there.

When she looked up from her musings she saw a dark haired man in a long coat watching her. He seemed sad, almost lost. Maybe he had lost a loved one. She had the impulse to go over and give him a hug, but that would have been way out of line. She turned around to find a cab to bring her to the Empire State Building.

Sandy didn’t mind being alone, she was a bit on the shy side. She actually liked to be able to go wherever she wanted on this trip, but when she finally stood on top of the Empire State she wistfully thought that it would have been nice to share this with someone. The view was breathtaking, the lights of the skyscrapers, the dark water in the distance. The sounds from the streets were muted, but life down there still buzzed. Sandy stood transfixed and tried to take in as much as she could, filing the sensual images to memory.

Suddenly a warm male voice enveloped her from behind. „Excuse me.“
She pivoted. It was the man she saw at Ground Zero.
„Yes?“ she asked. She was careful when talking to strange people.

„I saw you at Ground Zero. I think you lost this.“
He handed her a camera bag. She had been taking photos at the fence and had put the camera back into her purse without the bag.
„Oh, thank you so much! Did you follow me all the way just to give this back?“ She was a bit creeped out that he had found her, even when he went to great lengths to help her.

„I memorized the number of the taxi you took when I couldn’t get to you in time, and asked another driver to contact the taxi, but it was too late. Your driver told me he brought you here.“

„And the driver just told you that? What happened to privacy?“

He chuckled. „This here helped.“ He showed her his P.I. license. „Sorry, I didn’t want to worry you, I’m no stalker. Except for when I’m hired to stalk someone. My name’s Mick St. John.“ He smiled.

His grin was adorable, and she smiled back. „I’m Sandy. So you’re a P.I. Do you live here?“

„No, I’m a tourist just like you. I live in L.A. But I’ve been to New York many times.“

„So…“ Sandy really liked this guy and felt secure with him. And she felt really lonely all of a sudden and wanted to keep him with her for a while. „… could you possibly help me? I have a map, but I can’t really make out some of the sights from here. What’s that skyscraper out there? I’ve seen it in movies.“

She pointed, and he instinctively stood close by to see where she was pointing. She liked it. He smelled good.
„That’s the Chrysler building. Very distinctive, isn’t it? It was finished in 1930 and was the highest building of the world before they built this one here in 1931.“

„It’s beautiful. What else would you recommend to see in New York if you had just a night and a day?“

He pointed out some sights that she already wanted to see and some others that she never heard of. She listened intently, glowing in the knowledge that she would be able to see some of them.

Suddenly he stopped. „You’re cold,“ he said, and began to remove his coat. The wind was picking up. She hadn’t even noticed that she had begun to shiver despite her jacket.

„It won’t fit.“ she said. „I’m on the short and chubby side.“

„Well, in that case let’s get you out of here. Would you grant me the pleasure of taking you out? Are you hungry?“

She was stunned. A good looking, young man was asking her out for dinner. That hadn’t happened to her since university. „I’m famished. You sure you want to spend time with me? You might have to be somewhere…“ she added.

„I have nowhere to be for now except for here. You seem lonely, and it’s not wise to roam the streets of New York alone at night.“

She smiled. „Two lonely strangers in New York at night. If this was a movie, I would certainly watch it.“

He grinned. „Let’s go. What do you like?“

„I’ll eat anything but sea food and raw fish. You decide.“ Sandy was thrilled and excited.

He called another cab and gave the driver a destination she didn’t quite catch. She should have worried, letting a perfectly strange person take her somewhere in a strange city. But on the other hand, she felt safe with him. Mick was a nice guy, she just knew it. He had an air of sadness that attracted her to him.

They didn’t drive far, and he opened the door for her and took her hand. It wasn’t what she would have expected from an American. As much as she liked these folks, she was still puzzled at some of their behaviour. They didn’t know how to keep a distance and show respect. This one had manners.

In the restaurant, they had to wait at the bar until a table was free. She refused his offer of a drink, but gladly accepted a bitter lemon. They talked about New York some more. She told him about her business trip and he listened politely to her ramblings. Then they were led to a table.

She ordered a steak with vegetables and red wine. He took the same wine, but didn’t order a meal. „I already ate before I met you,“ he shrugged.

They talked some more. At one point Sandy asked: „You seemed so sad at Ground Zero. Have you lost someone?“

He seemed apprehensive when he answered. „Not there. I almost lost my best friend this week, and I think I lost the love of my life today.“ He turned his head away as if he was embarrassed to have told her something so personal.

„I’m sorry. Look, we’re strangers, we’ll never meet again and I can see that you are carrying a burden. If you want to share it with me, if it would help…“ She looked down.

He swallowed. „You see, I… I’ve been here with Beth, to solve a case, and when we were finished I asked her out on the town. She refused. She wanted to fly home because when she left home she had a row with her boyfriend. Over me.“

„So, she’s the love of your life but has a boyfriend. Does she know that you love her?“

He gave her a sad smile. „No. I didn’t tell her yet. Because she has a boyfriend.“

„And they had a row over you. Did she say why she went back to him? Did she say she chose him over you, or was it something else?“

„She said she didn’t leave things right with Josh and had to get home. He was angry because she is working so much with me.“

„So she might want to put things right with Josh, but as you didn’t tell her your feelings there’s no way she could even have made a choice here. It wasn’t a choice between you and him. Her priority was to not hurt Josh’s feelings. And she hurt your feelings in the process, but she doesn’t know that. Am I right?“

He watched his own hands painting patterns on the table. When he looked up, tears were shining in his eyes. „You are right. I should have told her, months ago. I didn’t because I was afraid I would hurt her, put her life into complications. I’m not an easy person to live with.“

Sandy scooped over to be nearer to him and watch his face. „Are you protecting her or are you protecting yourself? Because, frankly, that’s exactly why I seem to be failing in relationships, too. I’m too afraid of rejection to even start something.“

He startled. „That’s quite similar to what my best friend told me, that I’m afraid of being hurt. You both may be right. I’ve been hurt in relationships before, and I couldn’t stand to be rejected by Beth. It would kill me.“

„What do you have to be afraid of? Is there something that you can’t let Beth know?“

„I feel guilty for a lot of things. She doesn’t really know me. Yet.“

„Then start by telling her more about yourself. When she knows more about you, she might surprise you by her acceptance. I don’t think you would fall for someone who is superficial or self-absorbed. You’re a deep person, so the person you could fall in love with must be too.“

He nodded slowly. They fell silent for a while, Sandy finishing her meal and Mick fingering the rim of his wine glass.

„Would you like dessert?“ he asked when she set down her cutlery.

„I’m stuffed, but thanks.“ she answered.

He waved to the waiter for the bill. She protested when he paid, as she was used to sharing the bill when she went out with friends. „You’ve never been invited to dinner?“ he asked.

„Not for a long time.“ she admitted. „I’m not going out much.“

„You should, though. It was such a pleasure to talk to you. You’re a good listener.“

„Well, thank you. I’m better one on one than in larger crowds. I’m a bit of a party pooper, being so earnest puts people off.“
They walked away from the restaurant, enjoying the night air.

Mick watched her closely. „Is there a cause for this tinge of sadness that I see in you?“

„Yes, there is.“ She started to tell him about her family, her loneliness and her fears. It was good to let it out. At one point she started to cry softly.

Mick took her into a hug. She snuggled into the lapels of his coat and took a deep breath.

„It will be alright, Sandy. You’re gonna make it. There’s someone out there for you, too.“

She wanted to believe him. It wasn’t far to her hotel, so they walked the distance. Now it was her turn to be silent and digest what weighed on her mind.

When they reached the hotel, he smiled at her. „Thank you for this evening. I feel like I found someone who understands me, on a certain level. It was nice to meet you.“

She looked up at him, gnawing her lip. „I enjoyed it, too. Very much so. I’ve never been taken out by a handsome young man who was so nice. Thanks. I have one last request, but you can say No, okay?“

„What is it?“

„Would you kiss me good-night? Just a kiss. I’ve never been kissed like a man kisses a woman.“

He got a very solemn expression. „It would be my pleasure to be your first.“

Then he took her face into his hands and kissed her. His lips were cool and soft, and he smelled and tasted so good. She closed her eyes. It made her want to do more with him, but she knew she would regret it later, and he was in love with someone else, so she stuffed that thought into some recess of her mind and just enjoyed the feeling of his lips on her.

When she let go, he gave her a final hug. „Will you be okay?“

She nodded. „Thank you.“

Then she turned around and walked through the door. When she looked back for a final glimpse of this generous person, he was already gone.

It was a night to remember.

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[jmc]

Simply lovely.

[Moonlightsonata]

A really sweet story. Thank you.

[francis]

Thank you, jmc and Moonlightsonata.

[allegrita]

Oh, francis... this made me cry! It's beautiful. Just beautiful.

[darkstarrising]

This is a lovely story, francis, and your tourist is not only a very good listener, she is also very perceptive.

They didn’t drive far, and he opened the door for her and took her hand. It wasn’t what she would have expected from an American. As much as she liked these folks, she was still puzzled at some of their behaviour. They didn’t know how to keep a distance and show respect. This one had manners.

Indeed he does, and his kindness to her is returned tenfold.

[jen]

Francis

This is lovely!

A peek at what happened in New York after Beth left to return to L.A.

I hope Mick took Sandy's advice to heart. It was quite sound.

Thank you!

Jenna