"Should I get it for you, Honey?"
"I'm coming," I cried and jumped up. I bounced down the stairs. Mommy came out of the kitchen and stood in the hallway, looking toward the front door. I opened it quickly and stepped back.
Chandler was dressed in a dark blue suit and tie. He looked even more nervous than I was, and for a long moment, neither of us spoke. We just contemplated each other.
"Oh," he said, and brought up a corsage he was holding in his right hand, just behind his leg. "This is for you."
I took it in my hands gently, so gently anyone would have thought it was a newly laid egg.
"Thank you," I said.
Mommy came forward.
"Hello," she said. "You look very handsome," she added. "Thank you. Honey looks terrific." Chandler said.
"Oh, this is my mother," I leaped to say.
Mommy glanced at me with a laugh on her lips and extended her hand to Chandler.
"How do you do," she said.
"I'm Chandler Maxwell. Pleased to meet you. Mrs. Forman," Chandler said.
"What a beautiful corsage," Mommy said. I started to fumble with it.
"Here, let me help you do that," Mommy said and fixed it properly. She stepped back. "Very nice. Well. I hope you two have an enjoyable time
"Thank you." Chandler said. He glanced at me and I stepped forward, walking out with him.
He hurried ahead to open the door for me.
"Thank you," I said and got in.
I looked back at the house. Mommy was in the living room window just between the curtains, peering out at us. I could see the soft smile on her face. Chandler moved around to the driver's side, got in quickly, and started the engine.
"You really do look terrific," he said as we pulled away and down the drive.
"Thank vou. Remember the bump!" I cried, and he hit his brake and slowed to go over it.
His laughter broke the film of cellophane we had wrapped around ourselves. I could feel my body relax.
"I hope you like Christophes. It's close to the theater, so I thought that would be a good choice. You ever been there?" he asked.
"No," I said.
The truth was I had never even heard of it. The only restaurants I had ever gone to were places Uncle Peter had taken me, and they were all more or less restaurant chains, never anything fancy or expensive. Grandad thought eating out was close to a cardinal sin because of the cost.
"It's pretty good. They have a French chef, who's part owner, so he makes a treat effort. It's one of my parents' favorite places."
"Oh. Will they be there tonight?" I asked quickly. The thought of that put a dagger of cold fear through my heart.
"No. They have a dinner parry at Congressman Lynch's home. That's why my father gave me the tickets. The congressman is in the midst of his big reelection campaign, so he continues to court big political contributions." Chandler added with a smirk. "My mother really enjoys all that glitter. My father has to keep up appearances and mingle. There is a lot of politics involved at the bank. Actually." Chandler said, "there's a lot of politics in practically everything my parents do."
The world he comes from, I thought, is so different from mine, I would almost feel like Mommy had felt coming from Russia, If l was ever introduced to it.
"My father says your grandfather's farm is one of the most successful family-run farms in our community," Chandler said. "I didn't get to look around much, but it does look like it's in great shape. I know it's very hard work."
"Very," I said.