Their Double Blessing

Patricia laughed and patted his arm. He was so delightful and shy it was almost painful. Where had men like this been hiding? No brutish bravado from him or demands of supplication from her. Had she not been looking hard enough? Or was she just on a train of relationship hell before George showed up in his limo and glimpsed her outside the mall. If Hallmark movies were made by black people perhaps her story could make a great plot. A black female mall cop whisked away from a life of obscurity by a white billionaire looking for true love after losing his fiance at a young age. “You’re one of a kind, George.”

The food was brought forward. The appetizer was delicious and both had multiple servings. Nothing was out of reach and there were multiple options available. Every dish looked like a work of art, almost too precious to eat. With money being no object they got to enjoy eating to their heart’s content.

“So these servers are under some kind of contract to not talk about us?” Patricia decided to ask. She’d started wondering as they ate. One even winked at her in passing, almost as if they knew her already. While she was glad to not be on their first date in a ghost town with just her, George and the bodyguards, she still noticed the empty seats and the reality of their relationship still being a secret. Was there any personal reason George was so okay with it?

“Oh, I’m sorry. They’re part of my kitchen staff. I bought out the restaurant for tonight and had the cameras turned off. The restaurant staff cooked the food then left. Don’t worry Patricia, I took every precaution. As long as I can help it, we will keep this quiet until things are sure and you’re ready to go public.” George’s understanding was both reassuring and troubling. Like the calm before the storm. Though she wasn’t sure how to explain that.

“Well, that’s good. So we can have a great date without anyone knowing.” Patricia was unsure why this bothered her. This was what she wanted. Privacy to date while making the decision about whether or not George was her soulmate. But instead her brain was going in all sorts of directions. She wanted to focus on their date but these doubts kept creeping in.

George tilted his head. Despite her best efforts he wasn’t happy like before. “Do you think I’m ashamed of you?” She couldn’t look him in the eye and her date let out a sigh. “I know that the past hasn’t been kind to you. I also had a bad run with love but your pain was ongoing for years. I can’t change the past. But I can promise you that if I wasn’t happy with being with you, I wouldn’t be here. My future was an arranged marriage before meeting you. The last thing I would do is give up a comfy arrangement for a bad fling with anyone.”

Patricia wiped her eyes. She felt so silly thinking any of that was possible. Yes, she’d taken a risk going out with George but he bet everything just trying to talk to her the first time. Both were trying to re-enter the dating pool, which was never easy. Yet he always tried to accommodate her no matter what happened. She was doing her best to do the same. “Thank you, I just need to get used to trusting a man in a relationship.”

George nodded and they continued eating. The rest of their date was focused on talking about happier things. Including work and their latest acts of activism. Patricia was excited about a clothing drive for gay youth and George suggested sponsoring a tuneup for their vans since a few were having engine trouble. He was happy with how renovations were starting with the mall, mostly checking in via video chat because of his busy schedule.

As their date came to an end George requested that they have a dance. Patricia was glad to accept as staff moved furniture around to create space. A few slow jams were played from various genres including Jazz and Classical. George always kept an appropriate distance as they swayed and laughed on the dance floor.

“Can I take your merriment as a sign that we’ll be seeing each other again?” George spun her around with a grin.

“Yes! I think we truly have a shot at romance,” Patricia jokingly bounced him with her butt.

“Well, I wasn’t expecting us getting so frisky this soon,” George teased and kissed her hand.

Patricia pulled George forward and kissed him on the lips. “Lesson one my dear, women are full of surprises.”