Chapter 2

It was right after I broke up with Denise. I’d been with her three months and what had started as promising became problematic when she bought a dog, without even telling me. Now I’ve got no problems with dogs or cats, I love our dog but this damn mutt used to chew socks, underwear and anything else he could reach, which was pretty much anywhere. When he turned one of my work shirts into streamers I hit the roof but when you picked on that miniature horse you crossed the line with Denise. She loved that dog as much as me and as it turned out, more than me.

We did try to compromise but to be honest the dog was far too big for the apartment and it’s not a small place, but with two women and a Great Dane it was just getting silly. She moved into another apartment to try and save the relationship and then one night after a few drinks with her new neighbor, they worked out their own rather intimate compromise. Her apartment was much bigger and Denise could keep her own place. Hey it’s not that stupid, people break up over where to squeeze the toothpaste, we broke up over a damn dog.

I let it out in the lunch room a few nights later and Tamara looked up from her Latin textbook, the tales of some guy called Aeschylus.

I did, although not much more and it was only then I saw the ring on the table. Now that ring was something of a fixation with Tamara. Some people fiddle with watches, some with phones but Tamara constantly fiddled with that ring, it was a sign she was either thinking or nervous. You could sometimes tell by the look on her face but not always. Tonight however she was nervous because it was on the table, not her finger. She looked over at me and smiled nervously.

“It must be the week for broken relationships. Roger and I broke up on Wednesday.”

“Fuck,” I sat back in the chair, “I had no idea.”

“Nor did I until he told me he was going back to London. His company want him to focus on the European market. I was excited for him because I’ve always wanted to see Britain and Europe but then he said I wouldn’t be joining him,” she blinked and dabbed at her eyes.

She looked at the ring, “but he said I could keep the ring and told me he was sorry.”

My first thought was that perhaps I should ring Big Eddie who is pretty handy with a baseball bat because anyone who hurt this woman deserved to get hurt in return but then common sense took over and I held out my hand.

It’s one of my favorite songs and she gingerly put her hand in mine and swallowed.

“Yeah, everybody hurts.”

We held hands for a few minutes and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little turned on just sitting holding her hand. We didn’t speak but then Kerry came into the room and saw us, she looked from one to the other.

“Oh my God, what’s happened, between you two?”

Tamara stared into my eyes and I read her look.

“She’s just had some bad news.”

“Oh,” Kerry looked at the ring, “oh shit, I’m sorry.”

“Let’s not tell anyone else,” I looked at Kerry, “she’s got it on while she’s at work.”

Tamara’s eyes shifted and then she released my hand and nodded.

“My lips are sealed,” Kerry squeezed her shoulder, “even if they waterboard me, unless they waterboard me with bourbon and then the secret’s out.”

Tamara smiled at that and Kerry drank a can of Diet and then left us alone but I did notice Kerry smile as she stepped out onto the landing. We could hear music from downstairs, it was Saturday night and the place was packed but my concern was for the woman sitting across the table from me and I came to a decision.

“Look, why don’t you take the rest of the night off, hell you’re not due back in until Thursday night. Go home and sort yourself out, we’ll manage.

“You’re wall to wall down there,” she shook her head, “besides, I can deal with this.”

“I don’t doubt that but you were engaged for Christ’s sake, it’s a lot more traumatic.”

“I can manage,” her voice changed slightly, “I should have seen it coming but I’ve been too focused on my studies and work. This was never going to work.”

There was something in the tone of her voice that made me sit back. She’d never seemed so firm and full of conviction as now and it’s not like she was a pushover, she’d learned to take it with the best of them but when she was talking to me or Joan she was exceedingly polite. I merely nodded and threw my hands in the air.

“Okay, I get it. Sometimes you just gotta keep going and keep busy, I’ve been there before but seriously,” I nudged her hand gently, “if there’s anything I can do just sing out. We all love you here and not all of us for that reason either,” I hastened to add.

“We named you Miss Congeniality for a reason, so be congenial and speak up.”

Her eyes shifted and she adjusted the knot in her tie. “Thank you, I really appreciate it.”

“You’re welcome,” I looked at the Latin textbook.

“There is one favor and I’m not asking you but perhaps you might know someone who can.”

“I need someone to look after Garfield.”

“Garfield,” my eyes widened, “your cat?”

“Yeah, I have to go back to the apartment but Roger will be staying at a friend’s place so Garfield will be on his own all day, I’m going to drop Japanese because I have to find a new place.”

Ordinarily I would have said no, I’ve been burned like that before. I did hesitate but I was feeling mildly guilty over breaking up over a dog. Maybe I thought I could redeem myself, even if it was just on a personal level but I found myself volunteering to let Garfield stay with me. After all I was home half the day anyway. She looked surprised but then smiled.

“You’re welcome,” I stood up and stretched, “so, when’s this happening?”

“Would tonight be too soon?”

“Um no, I can run you back home and we’ll pick up Garfield. You do have a cat carrier don’t you?”

“Of course,” she smiled and started packing her books away, “I’ve got food and a litter tray, he won’t poop inside and he just lies there most of the day watching cable.”

“Okay then, I’ll share my apartment with a cable-addicted cat.”

I was just about to open the door when she grabbed my hand and I turned around. A moment later she wrapped her arms around me and dug her chin into my shoulder.

“Thank you,” she whispered and then kissed my neck quickly and released me.

It took a few seconds to come to grips with that show of emotion. Tamara, because of her sexual orientation and her work environment was not given to displays of affection. The time I saw her with Roger she was definitely affectionate but around gay women she was always careful. Her way of flirting was a smile and a little conversation as she served them but touching was limited, I remember one time some woman at the bar questioned her about it and Tamara basically said she didn’t want to lead anyone on.

The night was kind of surreal. I felt like I’d won the lottery although in reality I’d won a cat for a few days or weeks, but as she put on her seatbelt and I spotted two of the staff looking in my direction I felt a slight smugness.

Two things changed on the way to her apartment. The first was her sense of privacy. She actually opened up about her relationship with Roger and told me the whole goddamn truth.

“He’s been seeing other women in Britain. He thinks I don’t know but I got into his laptop when he left it on the night we broke up and I found several women. They were all wanting to know when he was going to be back in town because they missed him and it wasn’t friendship either. He has them spaced all over the country. I guess he might have even bought them rings as well.”

“So he’s a serial love rat.”

“No he’s just a rat, love doesn’t even enter into the equation with Roger. I’ve seen their pictures, he collects beautiful women the way some people collect beautiful works of art. I’m surprised he hasn’t put me up on a pedestal for everyone to look at.”

The other thing that changed was Roger. He had decided not to stay at his friend’s place for a very good reason. He was fucking his friend’s girlfriend or had been very recently because she came through to see who was there wearing a bra and doing up her jeans. Tamara’s eyes narrowed when she saw the woman and I felt a chill in the air and the old fight or flight thing, I can sense a fight before it breaks out. It’s a New York thing, trust me.

“You just don’t fucking stop,” she stared at him, “you’re like an addict in a crack house.”

“Honey, please, do you mind. We have company?” Roger smiled nervously at me but I wasn’t smiling. This guy really was a rat. I’ve known New York rats with more morals and those dirty little fuckers will eat your eyes out and here was me thinking the English were oh so polite!

Tamara turned and looked past me and I came to another momentous decision.

“Fuck this,” I replied, “I have a couch and I’m looking after Garfield, you can stay on the couch for as long as you need. Hell if you decide to stay I’ll find a second bed but you can’t stay here tonight,” I looked at the partially clothed woman and I know she wilted because I can put on the butch persona in a snap.

“Okay,” she whirled about, “it’s a done deal.”

It took the better part of half an hour to pack three suitcases and haul them downstairs to my car along with Garfield in his cat cage.

She left behind her favorite rocking chair, which was the only piece of furniture she actually owned.

“We’ll even find you a rocking chair,” I shut the door and looked up at the apartment window, “they’ve probably fucked in that as well.”

She put her arms around me and held me tightly, a moment later she started shaking as she wept silently and me? I just held her. What else was I supposed to do? We stood there in the freezing cold for about five minutes and then she stopped crying and looked up at me. I met her eyes and her lips parted slightly as she raised herself up. I thought she was going to kiss me then but she hugged me again and rested her chin on my shoulder. I felt her hands gently rubbing my back, it was the first time I’d experienced genuine affection from her and being the greedy bitch that I am, I lapped it up and wondered what the hell had possessed Roger to cheat on this woman.

She eventually let go and we made our way home. Tamara seemed a little calmer and even cracked an off color joke. Once we got to my apartment we only had to lug the suitcases and Garfield up two flights of stairs.

Now my apartment was smallish but I’m quite house proud. Not in a pedantic way but I kept a clean place. One bedroom, the spare room a combination living room and kitchen, and the bathroom, the spare room had exercise equipment in it but I assured her it could easily be moved to the living room if she decided to take the room.

Moving in wasn’t discussed that night but I did lay out some blankets on the couch. I had one of those large L-shaped couches, big enough for two people if all they had in mind was a quiet night lying next to each other, but you’d have to be on intimate relations to sleep with me on that beast because it was quite cozy.

Which is why I bought the damn thing. Hell, I believe opportunity knocks and I needed to be the one opening the door and I’d opened a few doors on that couch. And speaking of opening doors, my baby has just opened the door so I’d better finish up and help with the dinner.

Well that was quick, you didn’t even know I was gone, did you? She read what I’ve written so far and likes it but I need to add more passion.

“Tell about that night on the couch. It was the most memorable night of my life, leave nothing out, lay it all out.”

It was not only the most memorable night of my life as well, it was also the most surprising. I mean I’ve been out with curious women but up until then I’d thought Tamara was still straight but could perhaps swing the other way, although I never expected her to swing that night or any time soon. She was still raw and bleeding on the inside. She spent a good time settling Garfield as she walked him around the apartment, I didn’t bother changing out of my uniform because I figured I’d be falling into bed soon enough anyway but I did pour a glass of wine.