The Strange Life of Jonas Marks - 9. Chapter 9

The ride to La Noche began in silence. My stomach was doing flip flops and I felt uncomfortable going on a blind date. Granted Jenny sat next to me with a big grin, but it wasn’t making me any calmer.

I felt odd in the black and white outfit she had set out, but I had to admit that she looked good in her red dress. I knew her date was Michael, a guy we both knew in high school. He was a good looking guy, shy, and everyone at school knew that he had been trying to work up the nerve to ask her out our senior year.

“So how did you end up going out with Michael? I mean the poor guy gets tongue tied the second he sees you.”

Jenny’s skin turned red and she turned to look out the window instead of facing me for a change. I sensed the change in her as she talked about him. There was a moment of silence before she turned and spoke again.

“He was hanging around outside my job,” she giggled as she told me the story, “I mean like he would need a bra.”

She shook her head and I tried not to laugh as I pictured him, at five foot eight, maybe a hundred and thirty pounds soaking wet wearing a bra. I remembered clearly that he had a swimmer’s build and jogged on the tread mill at the school gym. He wasn’t the kind of guy who would ever get man boobs or need a bra. I remembered all too well the six pack his compact body had and laughed as I tried to picture him strutting around in a bra.

“Alright, stop picturing it,” Jenny’s smile disappeared and she shook her head and took a deep breath. “I took pity on him, okay? I went over and we talked. He’s a nice guy and well I sort of suggested we should go to dinner tonight.”

Jenny actually blushed again. That made it twice in one night. Wow! That never really happened.

“Besides, if things go wrong or he is too shy to drive me home I have you to fall back on.”

I watched her from the corner of my eye as she just smiled at me daring me to contradict her. The problem wouldn’t be if her date went wrong, but if my date went right.

I parked the car and took a deep breath. Jenny was outside the moment I slid the parking brake on due to the slight hill. Sometimes I envied her ability to find the good in any situation.

“Come on, Jo. We don’t want to keep our dates waiting!”

The wider she smiled the sicker I felt. I slid out of the car and locked it up. I was looking for any excuse to get out this, but I knew it was far too late.

We walked in and a waiter met us at the door.

“Two?”

“Actually,” Jenny took charge immediately. “We both are meeting people here. Do you mind if we look to see if they are here?”

“Sure thing. If they aren’t here, please, just come back and the hostess will arrange a table for you then.”

Jenny nodded, grabbed my hand and practically dragged me into the restaurant. She scanned the room looking for my date I assumed. I spotted Michael at a table by the front window half way down the left side. I expected she would head over towards him, but instead she dragged me back toward the seating in the back of the restaurant that overlooked the lake. It was then that I spotted the guy who had to be my date.

I’d never thought of having a type before, but the guy Jenny fixed me up didn’t seem half bad at all. Blonde hair, a cleft chin, and long arms were some of the first things I noticed as she finally stopped beside the table.

“Hey Tim.”

The blonde blushed and gave me a killer smile before turning his attention to Jenny. I had to admit she could really pick them.

“Hey Jenny. Glad you could make it.”

His eyes went from her face to me. I could see him give me a quick once over and I hoped he liked what he seen.

“Yeah. Sorry we are late. This is Jonas Marks. Jonas meet Tim Carter. Tim is a friend I made at the mall.”

Jenny took a quick glance at both of us and smiled.

“Well guys have fun. I have my own date to get to.”

Without a further word she headed over to Michael leaving Tim and I alone at the table. Feeling a bit like an idiot I sat down.

“Don’t mind Jenny. She is a force of nature, so sometimes it is easier to just go with her.”

Tim laughed. He had a deep rumble to it that went right to my balls. Talk about being off to a good start.

“I know. She found out I was gay, single, and had a night free and the next thing I knew I was agreeing to meet you here.”

“Hey at least you got that much. All she told me was I had a date and I wasn’t given much choice.”

We both laughed as we compared notes. Tim was easy to talk to which made things go smoothly. I still wasn’t sure what guys did on a date. I mean, as far as I knew I was going to be buying dinner.

The waiter had already left menus and without a real topic to talk about I focused on the obvious.

“So what are you thinking about ordering?”

He looked up from the menu and his face was sort of blank for a moment. Tim had dark brown eyes that sort of reminded me of a puppy. I didn’t want him to feel out of place so I volunteered my usual order when I came here.

“I was thinking spaghetti with meatballs.”

The dish was enormous and I always left La Noche feeling stuffed. Not only that, but the meatballs were cooked with bits of mozzarella in them and the whole dish came covered in fresh melted mozzarella cheese. Not exactly healthy, but god was it good!

“Oh. I don’t really eat meat. I see they have salad and penne a la vodka.”

How could he not eat meat? Everyone I knew ate meat.

“Ah, well the penne is good. What do you want to drink?”

“Water.”

“No soda or anything?”

“No, I stay healthy. I’m a runner you know.” Tim patted his lean stomach and smiled a bit smugly at me.

“Actually, I didn’t. Jenny didn’t tell me anything about you. She felt it would be better if you and I learned about each other.”

I watched as he smiled. God damn, he even had dimples.

“So how did you Jenny meet at the mall anyway? I doubt it was at her job.”

Tim laughed and shook his head.

“Nah. I’ve been hanging around waiting for my father’s latest store to open. He is putting in a Hot Topics store at the mall. This is just the newest franchise he has bought into, but he is talking about me managing this one. Anyway, this will be dad’s fourth venture into a franchise store and if this one works out as well the others, he will be happy. But getting back to Jenny and I, we’ve met up the past couple of days to discuss various stores, what will be in my father’s and this men’s shop she thinks is going to do really well called, Dress Successfully. Truthfully, it’s a nice store, but I prefer to have my clothes tailored for me.”

Tim sat back smiling as I tried to take that all in. I wonder if Jenny knew about Tim’s opinion of her favorite shop. Knowing Jenny as I do, she probably found out his father was opening a store she would like and that was all she needed to talk to him. Jenny got along with most people so I’m sure once she found he was gay and available she was in matchmaker mode. Other those few facts how much could she learn in her fifteen minute breaks with him? I was beginning to think she was hoping for more than I was getting.

“So, what about you, Jonas? Do you work at the mall like Jenny?”

“No, but I do work at a store.”

“Oh. Anywhere I might know?”

“Krogers’ Emporium.”

“Wow. Dad never lets me shop there. Says it’s too expensive, but I’m sure if this store takes off we can afford anything they sell. Please tell me you get a great discount working there.”

I was getting uncomfortable with the way the conversation was going. I sure couldn’t be throwing money away with how my life was going lately. And why would he care about my discount? I didn’t have a chance to answer as he launched into another question I wasn’t ready for.

“And what about your father? Is he in business like mine?”

Great, that’s just what I didn’t want to talk about, my father.

“It’s complicated. I really don’t have much to do with my father.”

Tim looked up surprised. I hope he took the hint. It seemed he did as he once again looked over my body. Before things got going again, the waiter arrived to take our order.

“Good evening, gentlemen. Tonight our specials are linguini in clam sauce, or our ribbed eye steak with a side of spaghetti and fresh vegetables.”

We quickly put our orders in for food and drink. I had my diet soda and spaghetti with meatballs, while Tim ended up ordering water with lemon, a house salad, and linguini in a garlic and herb sauce. With our orders in we could now return to our conversation.

“You really look to be in great shape, Jonas. Do you do any sports?”

“I wrestle.” I could feel the smile on my face as I told him. I was proud of my high school wrestling record and the college scholarship I’d earned.

“Oh. That’s … um nice.”

Nice? Since when is wrestling nice? I thought he was cute, but why was he messing with my sport?

“Something wrong with wrestling?”

“Nah, just it isn’t a real sport. I mean you see the guys playing all the time on that wrestling show.”

Sometimes I hated television. What we learned to do in wrestling and what television wrestlers did were not the same at all. One was a sport and the other was simply entertainment. Evidently, no one had ever told that to Tim. I figured maybe it was time to turn the attention to Tim.

“Well what about you? Is there some sort of sport you do?”

“Oh, I’m into Track and Field. I do the four hundred meter, hurdles, long jump and have been working on the javelin lately. I’m hoping to continue to train this summer before college.”

“Did you get a scholarship?”

“Yes. I was all state in track for my school this year, but I was going to college whether I got it or not. I graduated from County Hills and pretty much have my choice of schools.”

County Hills was a private school that catered to the ultra rich. Hell you could only buy the school uniform from Kroger’s. This date was quickly heading down the crapper. It meant he had already lied to me, because his school uniform came from my job, so I knew he’d shopped at Kroger’s before. I hoped Jenny was enjoying her date better than I was. I snuck a glance and could see her laughing and talking to Michael. I figured I would smile and try to make the best of this.

“That must be nice.”

“It is.”

I was saved from having to come up with anything else to say due to Tim’s call of nature.

“Hey, I’ll be right back. I gotta run to the men’s room.”

I watched him leave and breathed a sigh of relief. The waiter arrived and filled up our water glasses. I sat sipping it and wishing the night would improve. When Tim returned he slid his chair up tight against the tables and I could feel his leg knock against mine. I didn’t have a chance to say anything because of the arrival of our food. His salad and linguini were huge portions and my own platter of spaghetti and meatballs might have been bigger-not that we were in a contest or anything. We were about to dig in when Tim went looking for a knife that the server evidently forgot.

“Excuse me,” he called loudly to another server who was passing by with a tray full of food.

“She has her hands full at the moment, Tim. Just give one of them a moment and I’m sure they will be right over.”

I guess Tim wasn’t the sort of person who was accustomed to waiting, though. He sighed and stood up quickly looking for one of the servers. Unfortunately, because he had been sitting so close to the table he slammed into it as he stood up and everything on the table shifted a bit. I grabbed my drink as it slid toward me but missed the spaghetti platter which landed on my shirt and lap.

“Fuck,” I muttered as I began to pull the platter off my lap, “shit that is hot!”

I grabbed a meatball off the front of my shirt and dropped it onto the table. Tim looked embarrassed and I was trying hard to empty my steaming lap of what was supposed to be my dinner. Two of the wait staff arrived a moment later.

“Are you alright, sir?” My waiter asked as he spotted the food sitting in my lap.

I tried to nod but it is hard not to yell when steaming noodles and sauce are burning your crotch.

“Careful sir, just sort of slide out of the seat. Don’t worry about making a mess or anything else.” The waitress who had arrived earlier looked sympathetically at me while I nodded and followed her advice.

I stood feeling like my stomach and legs were on fire. I could feel the eyes of the various people in the place on me as spaghetti slid off my crotch and tomato sauce dripped from my white shirt. Jenny came running toward me, her eyes wide, with Michael following in her wake.

“Oh my God! Damn, are you alright, Jo?”

I’m used to at most burning the roof of my mouth from trying to eat the hot tomato sauce too quickly. It is a whole hell of a lot worse to have piping hot cheese, sauce, and spaghetti poured into your lap. My stomach felt hot and even my underwear clung to me. I just wanted a shower and to hide from everyone witnessing this mess.

“I hope they aren’t expecting us to pay for this.”

I looked across at Tim and shook my head. With all that was going on, that is all he had to say?

“Are you kidding? Jo’s wearing his dinner because of you and that is all you have to say?” Her voice was slowly rising in pitch as her face became red. Evidently she wasn’t happy with how my date was going either.

“You,” Jenny’s finger slammed into Tim’s chest as she spoke. “Are.” Bam! “An idiot!”

I hadn’t noticed Michael until his hand grabbed my arm. He had a chef’s jacket and a pair of white draw string pants in his hands.

“Come on, Jonas. They lent me this stuff for you to change into.”

I’d never felt more grateful to anyone in my life. The wait staff just cleaned up as Jenny continued to read Tim the riot act. Michael guided me to the bathroom and locked the door behind us.

“She really is something when she gets going, isn’t she?” Michael began with a big smile on his face.

“Yeah she is,” I managed to hiss out as I got the shirt off. The sauce had burned a bit and my stomach was red between the burns and sauce. Michael grabbed some paper towels, soaked them and passed them to me so I could wipe off my belly.

“Damn, you really got covered, didn’t you?”

I looked at the cheese that was coating what had once been a white shirt. I dropped it in the sink and turned on cold water out of habit.

“Um, here take these and go into the stall. I’ll ask for a doggie bag to put your clothes in.”

“Thanks.”

Once Michael closed the door I moved into the stall and immediately slid off my pants and my underwear. Everything was stained with the tomato sauce. I slid into the white pants and managed to get them tied. I had to free ball and was just glad the top they gave me was long enough to hide my junk which the pants really didn’t do. There was a knock on the door and Michael came in holding a few large plastic bags.

“It’s all they had.”

I nodded and picked up my clothes, shoving them into the bags. As far as I was concerned, the night was over. I felt like an idiot as I stepped out of the bathroom and found half the restaurant watching me. Jenny stood at my table alone. I took a quick look around before I asked Jenny anything.

“Where’s Tim?”

Jenny shook her head and then looked up at me. I could tell she had been crying.

“Sorry, Jo. That ass said he had been embarrassed enough and wasn’t going to take being yelled at by me. He left.”

“Thank God.” I let a little laugh out to relieve the tension I was feeling. I didn’t want to face him right now on top of everything else.

“Are you alright, Sir?”

The waiter was back. I felt bad as I watched this guy who was my age and probably afraid that I might cause trouble.

“I’m fine. Thank whoever donated the clothing. I promise to get it washed and brought back as soon as possible.”

The waiter smiled.

“Can I get the bill?”

“Um, it’s all taken care of.” Jenny stood looking at me.

I was afraid she had paid for my date and that wasn’t going to happen.

“That isn’t necessary.”

I was reaching into the plastic bag to grab my wallet when Jenny stopped me.

“The restaurant was going to comp it because they were afraid you were hurt. Instead I found out Tim’s dad had an account here. The date is on him.”

Jenny smiled at me but there was a wicked glint in her eyes. I knew better than to argue, so I headed toward the door.

I realized I still had to dig into the bag anyway. My keys and my wallet were in my pants. I rolled up the white cook’s jacket so I wouldn’t get sauce on it and dug out my stuff. A few moments later Jenny and Michael wandered over.

“I’m so sorry, Jo. He was always so nice when we talked and he liked sports. Hell he was even going to college like you …” She was just building up a head of steam and I knew if I didn’t stop this she would apologize to me all night long.

“Michael, did you two even get to your dessert?”

He blushed as he shook his head no.

“Jen, why don’t you and your date go get dessert. I’m fine. You guys go enjoy yourselves.”

Jenny bit her bottom lip. I could tell she wanted to say something, but Michael touched her arm and she blushed.

“As long as you’re okay.”

“Go enjoy yourself, mother!”

Jenny smacked my arm and turned to Michael.

“So what are you in the mood for?”

“Let’s do the Ice Cream Cottage.”

Jenny nodded and they headed off to his car while I climbed into mine to head back to Jenny’s.