The Choice ( a serial work of fiction) Part 12

The meeting was surprisingly well organized and short. I had been so absorbed in the events of the evening including the story that Marya had begun, that I had not realized until I waited for my uncle on the porch , that it was raining. That it had been raining for sometime for the street was wet. I waited for the car to pull to the front. My uncle had gone out the back door ,after instructing me to the front. Duncan and Elizabeth had accompanied him .

" So , what do you think?" I looked at the speaker. He was a young man, slightly taller than myself. His jacket was a soft charcoal wool blend. His pants were darker still. He was clean shaven. His eyes focused intently on mine. " I mean, its quite different for you. NOW, I mean..." He looked down for a minute and I caught my breath.

" Now? How do you mean?"

" Its your first time here, right? Aren't you Andrew's niece? He hasn't been around long either but seems to be well liked. " He looked down again. His chestnut hair was long enough to touch his collar.

" Yes. I am Rae. As you say , its all so new. I wonder what I will think in the light of day. Still, everyone seems to be very nice. But some of them , they seem to be waiting for me to SAY something- and I don't know what it is that I am supposed to say." I looked down at the cement porch floor.

' First times can be awkward. But yours seems to have gone well. Duncan is a good host. " He turned slightly at the approach of the Volvo's headlights. " Well, Madam," reaching for my hand-kissed it gently and stared directly into my eyes. "Your carriage awaits." He did not release my hand but lead me off of the porch , down the stairs and to the passenger's side. He opened the door. I slide in and absently clicked the seat belt.

" Thank you. Good night? " I offered and the door started to close. " Wait, I do not know your name."

"David"

" Thank you , David. " The moment felt anticlimatic- I felt like a child on my way home from summer camp caught in her first kiss. Which was silly - because we had not.

" Good Night, David " intoned my uncle from the driver's seat. At that he stepped back. The mood had shifted but I was not quite sure how. Only that my uncle had reestablished authority . David turned back towads the house and we pulled out of the driveway turning towards home.