When We Meet Again

“They called yesterday evening when you had gone out. I wanted to tell you as soon as you came back but you went straight to bed without so much as a goodnight,” she said with an eloquent glance at her.

“Sorry about that Momma, crazy evening. But this is such good news, I need to call Bain,” she said reaching for her phone. Her mother went back to her pancakes as Meaghan dialed.

“Bainbury’s strippers and s*x toys,” he answered in a pseudo professional voice.

“Bain, Johns’ Hopkins called!” she exclaimed.

“Oh? What did they say?” Bain asked immediately getting serious.

“They asked me to present myself there on Monday,” she said breathlessly.

“I’m happy for you baby girl; you got what you wanted,” Bain said.

“Well hopefully; maybe they just want to tell me no in person.”

“Seriously? Who has that kind of time these days? If they didn’t want you they’d probably just ignore your application.”

“How comforting,” Meaghan said dryly.

“I promise you it’ll be great,” Bain said.

“I believe you Bain,” Meaghan replied.

“Now, what’s really on your mind?” Bain asked sounding like he was settling down for a good long chat while filing his nails.

Meaghan sighed heavily. “Last night at dinner with Dean, we had an interesting time. Samantha showed up,” she said.

“Oh really? Damn I’d buy tickets for that floor show. What happened next?” Bain asked.

“Well after the screaming and yelling I kind of left before things deteriorated any further. I wasn’t about to get into a knock down drag out with Samantha Crawford. She’d probably call the police on me and make like it was all my fault.”

“Well Dean wouldn’t let that stand,” Bain protested.

“Would you be willing to bet my place at Mount Sinai on that?”

“Ouch. Are we already skeptical of the boyfriend?”

“Boyfriend? I don’t think we’re there yet,” Meaghan said.

“But…you slept with him.”

“I did,” Meaghan agreed.

“You don’t sleep with people,” Bain pointed out.

“I didn’t,” Meaghan concurred.

“So…?” Bain prompted.

“So I slept with him, probably because I’ve been crushing on him since high school; very inadvisable but totally reasonable that I would be curious enough to want to follow through on my…feelings. Doesn’t mean we’re forever,” Meaghan reasoned.

“Are you trying to convince me or yourself?” Bain asked.

Meaghan shrugged even though he couldn’t see her. “Whoever is convinced by my argument,” she said.

Bain huffed a laugh and then said, “Well then, good luck with that. Maybe you should have spent more time with the debate team.”

“Maybe I should have,” Meaghan agreed. “In the meantime I’m just gonna concentrate on what I know which is work and let the Dean thing work itself out,” she said.

“You know these things never just ‘work themselves out’. You know that right?” Bain said.

“In theory yes you’re right but…” Meaghan began.

“No buts,” Bain interrupted.

“I just…don’t see what I can do. This situation with Dean is something only he can do something about. I’m just in the way.”

“Does he think you’re in the way?” Bain asked.

“I think his focus is more on how much s*x we can have,” Meaghan said.

“A man with his priorities straight,” Bain said.

“I’m hanging up on you now,” Meaghan replied.

“Oh don’t be like that darlin’. You know I love you,” Bain protested.

“Let’s not talk about him anymore. Tell me what I should wear on Monday.”

“Keep it business casual. Something light colored but not white; its after labor day. Winter is coming and hospitals are gloomy but you want to project an air of light and hope to all around you. Something light blue might do it. Or purple. Definitely a suit but sexy with it.”

“Samantha wore light blue,” Meaghan said.

“Meaghan, focus,” Bain said.

“Right sorry. Yeah let’s go with purple. What color shirt goes with that?”

“Well normally I’d say yellow but that might be too much. Maybe a white shirt, black or gray. Neutral colors.”

“I have a gray blouse,” Samantha said.

“Wonderful. What are we doing with the hair? That pouf of yours might just be too disco for a hospital,” Bain said.

“I’ll tie it back in a bun,” she said.

“Great. That’s perfect. Lunch is on me,” Bain said.

“You’re a good friend Bain,” Meaghan said, affection warming her heart.

“So are you babe. I’ll see you Monday,” Bain said.

*****

Dean had only gotten rid of a distraught Samantha by promising her that they’d meet up for lunch the next day and have a real conversation. He was skeptical about the wisdom of this course of action but he knew the alternative was a whole lot of ugliness spread over a whole lot of innocent people. It was Samantha’s M.O and he wasn’t about to let Meaghan get smeared in the crossfire. One thing this whole experience had shown him was that it was important that he and Meaghan get through this intact or at least with as little damage as possible.

He entered the restaurant with trepidation in his eyes as he scanned the room for Samantha. Meeting in public had seemed like a good idea at the time because it might minimize the shouting. Now he wasn’t so sure. The Harvelle was a regular spot for Samantha and her crowd to hang out in. The maitr’d was a friend or rather he was familiar with them all and their families. Samantha might feel comfortable enough to make a scene and Dean was not ready to be part of one. He spotted her sitting at her regular table dressed in a pink jumpsuit, her hair held back in a bun and various rings on her fingers.

“Samantha,” he said as he walked up to the table.

“Hi Dean,” she replied with a shy smile. She already had a glass of cucumber water in front of her.