Chapter 2
L isa had no idea what time it was. She didn’t know how long they had been sitting in this Chinese restaurant on Broadway. The vegetable fried rice and chicken and broccoli were delicious, but she remembered little of the meal. She’d been too busy making sure that she devoured every second being with Adam. She still wasn’t sure if this was a dream. Adam had just asked her a question and waited patiently for an answer. She came back to this present.
“Hello…earth to Lisa. Did you hear me?” He chuckled. A goofy smile covered her face.
“I’m sorry. I was daydreaming. What did you say again?” She didn’t know how else to disguise her complete infatuation with this boy who was not a boy to her. He had the same mannerisms as her Adam, but everything about him was fresh, new, unsullied by time. There was no tension in him. His voice was not as raspy now, and his face was young, carefree, no creases around his eyes, no gray in his hair. His eyes sparkled, laughter reaching them.
“I asked if you were seeing anyone.”
She wanted to answer, “Yes, you,” but that wouldn’t have made sense to him. Instead, she smiled sheepishly, “No, I’m not.”
“Good.” He breathed a sigh of relief. “Then I have a chance.”
“Are you always this direct?”
“Not really, I’m actually very shy. But something about you. I don’t know what it is. I feel like I want to spend time with you, without interference, to get to know you better with no other guy distracting you.”
He paused. “Hey, I didn’t offend you by taking you away from your friends, did I?”
This time it was her turn to laugh. “Well, it’s a little late for that now, isn’t it?” She looked at her watch. Two hours had flown. Hadn’t it been just a few minutes since they had sat down?
“Should we go find them? They’ll think I kidnapped you.”
The last thing Lisa wanted to do was to leave this warm Chinese restaurant to find her friends. She was afraid any movement would wake her up, and then she’d lose this new Adam. He didn’t know her, but she knew him. She couldn’t possibly tell him; he’d think she was crazy.
“I’m sure they’ll be fine without me for a while longer. Why don’t we go for a walk instead?”
Adam got the check, and Lisa reached into her purse, ready to split the bill. “Put your wallet away,” he said. “I’ve got this.” He looked at her, his head tilted slightly, a half-smile on his lips. She wasn’t used to this treatment. In the other life, they usually shared costs to deter suspicion in spouses.
“My father taught me that a gentleman always pays when he’s out with a beautiful woman.”
“Thank you.” Lisa hesitated a beat. “For the compliment, too.” She leaned her head to the side and cupped her cheek in her hand, delighting in this moment. She was almost hesitant to talk, afraid to break the spell that had brought her here.
“Come on. I’m sure you’re used to guys saying things like that to you all the time,” he said.
Lisa shook her head. “Not at all. Why would I be used to that?”
They got up from the table. Adam gestured to Lisa, “After you, m’lady,” with a fake British accent. As they reached the exit, he hurried in front of her to open the door. The evening was still warm, and the sidewalk not too crowded. Adam reached for her hand and gave it a squeeze. “Which way would you like to go?” he asked.
“Let’s head towards Riverside Park. We can see the water from there.”
They left busy Broadway behind, walking hand in hand, their pace even, unhurried. Around them, guys were carrying boom boxes, some with hair stuck up in triangles, others with long hair wearing peace T-shirts and combat boots. The women had big hair and faded wide bottom jeans. They passed phone booths with thick telephone books hanging from a hook. The cars were old, yet they looked new even with the bouncing puppy toys on the dashboard. There was not a cell phone in sight, and it seemed everybody was smoking—even inside the restaurants they passed.
“So, tell me about yourself,” Adam said. “I want to know you.”
“There’s not much to tell, Adam. I’m just an ordinary girl, you know. My dad died when I was young, raised by a single mom with a strict upbringing. You know, the usual.” She talked quickly, nervously. She tried to gloss over what she knew of her life because she wasn’t even sure who she was here. She knew Lisa in her marketing/advertising world, but who was this college Lisa? Had she traveled backwards? How? Was this a dream, and if it was, how long could she make it last?
“There’s nothing ordinary about you, Lisa. I’ve only known you for a little while, and I’m already taken by you.” When they reached the park, they leaned on the railing overlooking the river. It was a clear night, so they could see the lights from the buildings across in New Jersey reflected in the water. The hum of cars traveling on the West Side Highway was a constant background noise. The park was busy. Others had the same idea to walk on a warm evening.
Adam put his arm around Lisa’s waist, holding her close. She leaned her head on his shoulder, enjoying the warmth of his embrace. They stayed quiet until Adampulled away and started walking again.
“Let’s play a game,” he said. “If you’re on a deserted island, and you could have one movie to watch, what would it be?”
“Hmmm. A movie?” she asked. “How could I watch a movie on a deserted island with no electricity? There’s no logic to that.”
Adam laughed. “Use your imagination, girl!”
Lisa scrunched up her face in deep thought. “All right. Favorite movie. It’s a Wonder ful Life .”
Adam sounded intrigued. “Not my choice for an empty island, but I could watch it a few more times. Why that one?”
Lisa smiled. “Because George Bailey gets to see how life would be without him.”
“Aha, second chances.” Adam pondered. “I think Mary Bailey and that love story were the nicest parts of that movie.”
“What a romantic,” Lisa said with a teasing note.
He looked down sheepishly, like a dog caught chewing on his master’s slipper. “Yeah, I confess. I’m a sucker for romance and the ladies.”
Lisa stood on her tip toes and kissed his nose. “You’re sweet, you know.”
“Aww shucks. You say that to all the guys.” He reached down to her face and tenderly moved the hair out of her eyes. They stared at each other, not blinking.
Lisa remembered their first kiss as adults: stolen, dangerous, bristling with the secret excitement that comes from forbidden fruit. Her mouth had melted into his, and their lips became soft, gentle turning ardent. A moan had escaped her throat, and he’d chided her with “Let’s not get too passionate. I’m heading to a train,” as he had pulled away, opening the car door. She remembered how she had wanted to kiss him for the rest of her life. She had imagined what it would be like, but the real thing had been nothing like the imaginary one.
And now she was here, hoping, anticipating a second first kiss.
“Come here,” he whispered. Lisa obeyed; her face upturned. Adam reached for her chin, lifted it gently, and pulled her face towards him. Lisa closed her eyes, the picture of the Adam she knew mixed up with the Adam who was here. She could smell his cheek, that fragrance that was uniquely his—clean, tangy, citrus, summer, spring, and fall. There was no winter in his aroma. She felt odd, remembering him as a grown man, yet feeling their nineteen-year-old mouths together now. No deceit clouded the taste of his lips. For an instant, she disappeared in this new yet familiar embrace. Who was she right now? Her pulse quickened, and the saltiness of his tongue brought her back to the present moment.
He pressed his mouth against hers, tenderly, sweet. His lips lingered, as if getting to know hers with this gesture of affection. Her mouth responded, opening slightly, still relishing this moment. She remembered having told him at least once before, “I love to get lost in your kisses. Time is suspended.” And here, in this now, her mind swirled between past, present, and future. She could feel his hands on the small of her back, pulling her closer. Her mind was blank—no words—just feeling a sigh from the beginning of time. Now it was her turn to pull him closer still.
In that embrace, she felt that chemistry between them, that feeling of being home. This is where she needed to be to make things right. She was getting a second chance.
Lost in his kiss, she didn’t notice the car that had pulled up to the corner and parked by a fire hydrant. The windows were rolled down, and music blared from the radio inside.
You know you don’t believe it when you say that you don’t need me.
Don’t, don’t you want me?
She felt that rush of nausea, and the blackness closing in around her. Shutting her eyes tighter, she battled the feeling that she was turning into nothing because she didn’t want to lose touch with Adam. She felt a sharp pain in the back of her head and released his mouth. Again, darkness blanketed everything.
When she opened her eyes, she was alone, back at the train station.