Love, Outside the Lines Read online

Chapter 3

  At home Claudia tried her best to put the whirring thoughts to rest but without much success. Though the weather didn’t warrant it, Claudia whipped up some hot chocolate and marshmallows which always works to calm her after a rough day. Now hot chocolate infused, Claudia decided to reach out to Candace again. “Darn!” Claudia exclaimed after not being able to reach her. Claudia reclined into her chair for about 2 minutes. “Wait a minute…I have a boat load of work to do…That’s it! Work will shut my brain off. It always does.”

  Claudia threw herself into her work that night and every night for the next week and a half. She was so far gone that she did she didn’t notice the large bouquet of flowers waiting on her desk when she returned from a high power meeting. “Well, well, well what’s the occasion?” A tall woman with fair skin, dark hair and a power business suit said as she walked by Claudia’s desk set in the large bull-pin arrangement of the large Marketing/PR firm.

  “What’s what Rox…” Claudia began to say as she looked up from her contracts and other paperwork to the gigantic flower arrangement at the edge of her desk.

  Claudia’s mouth gapped wide open as she looked up at the bouquet. “Where did this come from?” she exclaimed. “That is a good question…why not read the card PR MVP.” Her colleague Roxanne said in a snarky tone. Claudia being used to Roxanne’s cold-hot personality flashed a polite smile.

  “Of course...” Claudia rose to take a retrieve the card on the bouquet and get a closer look at the flowers. They were beautiful she thought but she felt a twinge in her stomach very much like the one she felt the last time she was with Max. “Oh my goodness…could these be from Max?” She anxiously thought.

  As Claudia read the card, attached to the flowers, her stomach continued to feel that familiar twinge but with more intensity. “Hello Claudia, it has been one full week since we spoke. I truly enjoyed our talk. Thank you so much for spending that time with me. Hope you’re not working too hard. Hope to see you soon. Sincerely, Max”

  Claudia read the note three times before she heard Roxanne’s voice again. “Well?” Claudia looked at Roxanne with a shocked expression. “I guess you weren’t expecting this one, huh?” Roxanne diagnosed. Claudia gazed at Roxanne. “I really wasn’t” she responded. “Hmm, those are the best.” Roxanne said nonchalantly in reply as she walks away.

  An amazed Claudia slowly settles back into her office chair. She carefully unhooks her large handbag from the back of her seat and thoughtfully searches for the contact card Max handed her after their coffee meeting. Claudia stared at the card for about one minute while she thoroughly considered calling Max.

  “Hello” Claudia’s voice quivers.

  “Hello, this is Claudia. Is this Max?…Max Charleston?” Claudia hears loud exterior noises and a cluster of kid voices “Hi!...Hi Claudia!...Yeah this is Max.” He moves away slightly from the group of children he and another teacher have taken outside for an English class at the Elementary school he teaches at in the suburbs. “Hey! Sorry about the noise here…How are you?” Max is upbeat again, as his laid back character often dictates. “Um, I am fine.” Claudia says nervously.

  “I am calling about the flowers…I got the flowers.” Max flashes a huge grin. “Oh yeah?...Do you like them?” He asks. “Thank you for the flowers Max. You didn’t have to do that. And how did…” Max interrupts Claudia. “I wanted to do that Claudia. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you, our coffee date…” Claudia jumps in. “It wasn’t a date…” There is a brief pause. “Well, would you go on a date with me?” Max asked softly but confidently.

  Claudia begins to wiggle around anxiously in her chair. This was completely new territory for her. She’s been asked on dates before but this brown Southern girl never even contemplated attracting the attention of such a young man in all her 29 years. Butterflies fill her stomach and she starts to fidget again. “Max, thank you for the invitation…Um, I don’t know when.” Max realizes that Claudia is struggling with the decision. “I’ll tell you what; think about it and just call me when you’re ready.” Max said in a comforting tone. “I’ll be waiting”. Max smiled though he knew she couldn’t see his tender grin.

  Claudia was immensely conflicted. She thought, and thought and thought about how she felt about the entire situation, what the ramifications maybe if she did enjoy spending time with Max. She already found what she perceived to be his “goofiness” as a bit endearing. Though simple for some, Claudia struggled greatly with whether she would accept Max’s date proposal or not.

  Three days passed since Claudia got her flowers from Max. It was now Saturday and the large bouquet sitting on her dining room table didn’t make the internal anguish any easier. Claudia decided that holding an audience with her three best friends at brunch would alleviate some of the pressure. Claudia dressed quickly without detailed attention to her look. She gave herself one more look in the mirror. She was satisfied with her patterned maxi-dress, crop sweater and wedge heel sandals and full hair of coiled curls.

  The ladies agreed to try a new spot for brunch. Claudia carpooled with Anika who relentlessly questioned her regarding why she was so quiet and distracted. Claudia grew tired of her questioning. “Ok, ok Anika…Can you wait till we meet up with Candace and Angela? I will explain it all at once then. Is that okay with you, please? Anika retreated. “Ok. Cool. That works.” Anika said defeated.

  After the four ladies had a few sips of their mimosas, and while waiting for their meals Claudia filled them in on what has been going on with her. Candace’s attitude was celebratory. “Go for it Claude. I think that it is spectacular!” Angela was intrigued “Have you ever seen yourself with someone of another ethnicity before…Did you think you would date someone from…” Anika bluntly interrupts Angela. “What? This is all too strange. Sounds suspicious…what does he really want?” Candace interjects “What do you mean it sounds suspicious Anika? It sounds like a guy attracted to a girl who asks her out on a date.”

  Claudia listened as her three friends went back and forth on the subject. Candace and Anika were definitely on opposite sides of the issue while Angela seemed to be more concerned with what Claudia thought about the whole thing. Claudia found the dialogue, or what could be considered a debate at times, quite interesting but it didn’t help her with what should be her final response to Max.

  Claudia spent the remainder of the day running errands with Angela in tow, who wanted to visit the same shops Claudia needed to. While hanging out together Angela said something to Claudia which stuck with her for the remainder of the weekend. “Claude, regardless of what we or anyone thinks, you should be happy. Does this Max make you happy? Who he is and how he is to you is all that matters. So maybe you should learn more about him to decide about him.”

  The wheels of Claudia’s mind kept spinning. Finally, 7 days after receiving the flowers from Max she decided to call him again. Claudia sat the dining table in her apartment. She looked up at the wilting flowers, and then stared down at her phone. She goes for it and takes the plunge. “Hello, this is Claudia.” Max interjects immediately. “Hey! How are you?” Claudia clears her throat. “I am fine…I am calling to follow-up on our last conversation.” Claudia maintains a business-like tone.

  Max chuckles. “Follow-up-away.” Claudia is thrown off a bit by Max’s frivolity. Max feels her withdrawing on the other end of the line. “I am sorry. I am all ears.” Max’s words draw Claudia back in. “Well, I was just calling regarding our last conversation. Um, you asked me a question and I wanted to give you my answer, but first I have a question for you.” Max sits up from reclining on his couch.

  “Ok…sure. What would you like to know?” Claudia clears her throat. “Why did you ask me out…Why do you want to spend time to me?” Max smiles to himself and pulls his thoughts together. “Claudia from the first day I bumped into you and heard you speak, I realized you were someone very special. There is just something about you…You have “It”…You also love books, and I am a sucker for
nerds.” Max let out an enormous laugh.

  Claudia was moved by Max’s response although she was double minded too. She was also beginning to learn that Max could not help but be comedic at times. It was just a part of who he was. That made her smile. However, her smile quickly went away. What will her final answer be, about the date? “Did I say something wrong?” Max asked when he didn’t hear anything on the other end of the phone call. Claudia instantly snaps back to reality. “Um…I think it’s okay. I mean; Yes…Yes I will go out with you...”

  Max was elated. “Ok then. Let’s do this!” He went on. “Does Saturday work for you?” It was now Tuesday and Claudia did the calculations in her mind. “Um, Saturday works…What time were you thinking of?” Max rattles off his plans for their first date. Claudia becomes anxious and her body stiffens, but she listens to Max attentively.

  Max is nervous. He tries to play it off with a huge grin and flippancy but deep down inside he is very anxious about his first date with Claudia. For probably the first time ever for Max, he is extra early at one of the best restaurants in the Capitol City. He is dressed in a light brown blazer, dark brown shirt and dark dress slacks with loafers to match. His blonde hair on his head and face is trimmed to perfection as Max patiently waits with a single stem white rose for Claudia. He thought a red rose may just be over doing it a bit.

  Clad in a marine blue wrap dress and dark pumps, Claudia walks into the dim lit but elegantly decorated restaurant. She immediately looks around for Max but can’t find him. Already anxious she releases a worried sigh. Just then the restaurant hostess greets her warmly. “Are you Claudia?”

  Claudia was openly surprised. “Yes…yes I am…how did you know…” The young and perky woman, who appears no older than college age interjects. “It has all been arranged. Will you come with me please?”

  Claudia follows the restaurant hostess to the back of the main room, to a classy and partially exclusive area. Max jumps to his feet as soon as he sees his date. He couldn’t be more thrilled. “Hi!” He says to Claudia almost knocking over the restaurant staff person. “Oh, I am so sorry.” He addresses the hostess. “Thank you so much for everything.” As the young woman walks away Max’s eyes are fixed on Claudia. “Please…have a seat.” Claudia nervously moves toward the booth style seat. “Thank you.” She replied shyly.

  Max sits across from Claudia with a huge grin on his face. Claudia catches him staring. “Is everything okay?” She asked. “Oh, I am sorry…You look…Well, you look like “Wow!” Claudia blushes and looks into her lap. “This is for you.” Max gently picks up the one stem rose and gives it to Claudia. She is overwhelmed. Her face becomes warm. “This is different.” She thought and grew a little more impressed. “He seems kind…funny…good to look at…and well, this is just overall different for me.”

  All of a sudden she hears Max’s voice. “Would you like to order a drink, and an appetizer?” Startled Claudia looks up at Max. “A drink would be nice.”

  Claudia and Max ordered, ate and talked for what seemed like hours. Claudia gradually opened up to Max. She learned more and more with each question she asked him. His character and personality was becoming more apparent to her as he shared information about his family, upbringing and current life. Max also enjoyed what he was learning about Claudia. His face beamed with every story she told. The date was going particularly well. Well…well only until the organized Claudia glances down at her dainty feminine styled watch.

  Claudia realizes that she had spent close to three hours talking and dining with Max. “Oh my goodness…” She exclaimed. Max is jolted out of his pleasurable mental state of place. “What is it?” He asked with concern in his voice. Claudia looks at Max and smiles politely. She was surprised at how comfortable she had become as the date progressed. She wanted to relax completely and go with the flow. However, the consciousness of the novelty of the situation flooded back to her mind. She was conflicted. “Um, it’s…it’s really late.” Max looks at Claudia affectionately. “Yes, yes it is.” Max agreed. “Ready when you are.” He smiled brilliantly.

  Standing outside the restaurant near the valet booth, Max offers to supply Claudia with a ride home. The now city dweller assures him that she would be home in a cinch via taxi. Max surrenders but with a caveat. “Will you text me when you’re home and safely locked in?” The corners of Claudia’s mouth turn upward to a smile. She chuckles inwardly. Max’s humor was one thing she was growing used to and becoming fond of. “Ok…ok I can do that.” Max is partly satisfied. “One more thing…will you go out with me again?”

  Claudia’s left hand clutches her dress above her stomach. “He wants to do this again?” She thought. “Do I?” Claudia worked to analyze the situation as fast as possible. “Um, you want to do this again?” Max directly into Claudia’s eyes and says softly. “I most certainly do.” He then returns to his comical tone. “But not this sort of thing next time…Blazers makes me itch.” Claudia tries to remain unaffected by Max’s playfulness but couldn’t and begins to laugh silently.

  “I should go.” She says finally. “Ok…Let me put you in a cab.” Claudia agrees and lets Max help her wave down a taxi and see her off.

  Once safely at home, Claudia follows through with texting Max. In his response he informs her just how much he appreciated being able to spend time with her and looked forward to the next time. Claudia reminds him. “Can’t make any promises.” Max shoots back. “I’ll be waiting…Just let me know when.” Claudia smiles. She contemplates how confident Max appears. She goes on to think about her evening with him and whether she would truly see him again.

  Max thought about his evening with Claudia quite often as well. He looked forward to seeing her again. He prayed, he wished, he hoped that she would agree to see him again. She was like no one he had met before. She was a unique combination of several things that he enjoyed. He knew he could talk with her for hours. They shared the love of good books, and he was intrigued by how she diagnosed of the writings therein. She had a high powered and vibrant job but remained humbled and grounded. She was also simply beautiful as well. Max’s thoughts pleasurably reeled with Claudia until he fell asleep.

  Claudia threw herself into work at the start of the work week after what seemed like a life changing event with Max. While attempting to remain focused, thoughts of Max and their date invaded her brain regularly. She struggles to concentrate at work. By the middle of the week, after growing weary with the mental battle Claudia thought that perhaps agreeing to see Max again would quiet her mental anguish.

  That Wednesday evening Claudia arrived home, fixed a light meal then sat to give Max a call.

  The phone rang for what seemed like forever to Claudia before she heard Max’s voice. “You’ve reached Max. Leave a message. I’ll circle back ASAP.”

  Claudia ended the call without leaving a message. “Maybe that’s a sign that I shouldn’t see him again.” She thought. Claudia grew somewhat disappointed. She began to prepare for bed. She slips into comfy pajamas then slides into her favorite arm chair with her book of the week. She tries to read but her thoughts are bombarded. After about fifteen minutes of struggling to read Claudia anxiously checks her phone.

  Claudia had two missed calls, and one voice message from Max. She was surprised. She couldn’t articulate why completely but for some reason it was unexpected. In his message Max shared that he had been working out at the gym when her call came in. This information helped to somewhat dispel her doubts of the fate of their next meeting. Claudia stared at her phone for what seemed to her like forever. However after 20 minutes passed, her blaring ringtone startled her.

  It was Max.

  Claudia slowly answers the phone. “Hello.” She says softly. A Southern Belle, even in high pressure situations. “Hi…Hi Claudia.” Max says enthusiastically. “I am sorry I missed your call earlier.” Claudia becomes relieved that perhaps she was not rejected by fate. “It’s okay” She says kindly.

  “So you wanted to talk to me, h
uh?” Max asks with a somewhat elevated but put-on ego. Claudia becomes nervous. “Um, I wanted to follow-up on our last conversation.” She resorts to her business tone. “You mentioned…Um, hanging out again?” Max gets excited. “Yes…yes I did mention that…Would you like to?” Claudia’s heart beats rapidly and loud. “I thought about it, and I…I would.” She could breathe again.

  Max and Claudia discussed the details of their next outing. After the call ended, Claudia was the mixture of excited and petrified. She still was not completely certain why she agreed to see Max again. She paces back and forth with heavy anticipation for about 15 minutes then decides to have a glass of her red wine and a good read. Eventually she falls asleep.

  The couples’ second outing was a picnic. It was completely planned out by Max who wanted to provide Claudia with a remarkable experience. The two talked, ate, talked some more then danced, sipped on wine and shared their first kiss. “Um…Ok, that happened.” Claudia says in amazement. “I was not excepting that!” Max laughs at her response to their impromptu kiss. “I know. I didn’t plan it either but I am sure glad it happened.” He said with a wide grin. “I should go.” Claudia spits out. She jumps to her feet. Max jumps up as well. “Wait.” He urges her. “What are you afraid of Claudia?” Max pointedly stares at Claudia “What are you running from?”

  Claudia is taken aback by Max’s direct questioning. Her mouth gaps open. “What are you talking about? Afraid? …I am not afraid?” Max patiently response. “Then what’s holding you back? He continues. “I feel drawn to you and think about you constantly…I know that you felt something today Claudia…why are you choosing to run away from it?”

  A wave of sadness rushes over Claudia. She looks at Max and recognizes some pain in his eyes. “This is too much too soon Max….I mean you are a good guy but…” Max interrupts her. “Does it have anything to do with the fact that I am White and you’re Black?” Max surprises Claudia once again with his words.