April’s Rose

 by Kimberly Garland

            “What was I thinking?” April moaned.  “Did I really expect to meet a handsome, intelligent, funny guy and he’d actually be single?  It was too much to ask.”

            She was slumped over her coffee cup, looking miserable.  Tina reached out to pat her best friend’s hand.

            “O.K., so you said he had black hair, green eyes, and a body that knows its way around a gym.  What went wrong?” Tina wanted to know.

            “We were having a great conversation in the bookstore around the corner.  The two of us have so much in common.  He knew all my favorite authors and even recommended some new books.  Turns out he owns the bookstore.”

            “A gorgeous business owner?” Tina said skeptically.  “That is too good to be true.”

            April nodded and her strawberry blond hair fell forward over one eye.  She pushed it behind her ear impatiently.  “I know he was about to ask me out, but then the store clerk came over.  She said, ‘Mr. Rose, there’s a phone call for you.  It’s Mrs. Rose.’”

            “No!” Tina gasped. 

            “Exactly.  I didn’t know what to say, so I just gave him one of my looks, like when someone cuts you off in the parking lot and steals your space.” 

            Tina nodded.  She had used the look a few times herself.

            “Then I just marched out,” April continued.

            “What did he do?”

            “He just stood there, with his mouth opening and closing, like a caught fish.  He tried to stop me, but I wasn’t going to listen to any lies about how they’re getting a divorce or things aren’t going well between them.”  April hung her head back over her coffee and began picking at her cranberry scone. 

            All around the two friends, Saturday afternoon customers bustled in and out of the coffee shop.  April and Tina chatted a little longer and were just getting ready to leave when Tina sucked in a sharp breath.

            “Look what the cat dragged in!" she said with an appreciative whistle.  "This one should get your mind off Mr. Pretending-Not-to-be-Married.”

            Tina had her eyes on a tall, dark-haired man standing at the counter.  He was scanning the crowd as he placed his order.

            “Oh, no!” April whispered.  “That’s him!”
            There was no time to slide under the table before the man spotted her.

            “We meet again,” he said casually as he approached April’s table.

            “Apparently,” April replied frostily.  “How’s Mrs. Rose?”

            Suppressing a smile, the man pulled over an empty chair from a nearby table and straddled it.  “My mother is fine, thanks.  You didn’t have to run off earlier.  I was only on the phone for a minute.”

            “Your mother, huh?” April said with a snort.  "How very original."

            “Yes, my mother,” he replied.  April continued to stare at the man in disbelief, until he turned to Tina and said, “Is your friend always so suspicious?”

            “You have no idea,” Tina said with a melodramatic eye roll.

            “Hey!” April cried.  “I have every reason to be careful.  It’s not like this is the first time a guy has lied to me about his marital status,” she pointed out.

            Mr. Rose looked at April with a raised eyebrow.  “Oh?”

            April nodded.  “Last year, for instance, I wasted nearly four months dating Richard.  Then one day we were walking through the mall when a little boy ran up and said, ‘Hi, Dad!  What are you doing here?  You told Mom and me that you were away on another business trip.’”

            “Yeah, that was bad,” Tina said with a grimace.

            “And what about the time I met that guy in this very coffee shop?  He was wearing a tuxedo and said he was late for a wedding, but he took a minute to ask for my phone number.  That’s when his friend ran in to find out why the coffee was taking so long.  Turns out they were heading to tuxedo-man’s own wedding!”

            Mr. Rose’s green eyes sparkled merrily.  “Now I get it.  Most men are lying scum.  Agreed.  But I’m not.  I don't lie, and I promise I'm not scum.”

            April stared at him levelly.  “And when my dad was having gall bladder surgery, I met a great guy in the hospital cafeteria.  I liked him, until a nurse came to tell the guy that his wife's C-section had gone well and he was the proud father of a baby boy.”

            Tina laughed.  “I forgot about that one.”  Then she turned to Mr. Rose and explained, “You can understand why April’s such a hard case.”

            “That’s all right.  I like a challenge.  And I also like the smart, funny, kind person who I met at my store today.”

            “Look, Mr. Rose,” April began, hoping he wouldn't notice the blush she felt creeping into her cheeks, “I’d better be clear.  I don’t date married men, even if those men won’t admit they’re married.”

            Mr. Rose shrugged.  “Well, I’m looking forward to tonight anyway.”

            “Tonight?” April repeated with a frown.

            “When we were talking earlier at my store, you mentioned that the children’s chorus you direct is singing at the park band shell tonight.  I can’t wait to hear them.”

            April and Tina stared open-mouthed at Mr. Rose’s broad back as he sauntered out of the coffee shop.

#

            Enthusiastic applause brought smiles to the children’s faces as they exited the stage.  They hurried to rejoin their parents, who were distributing flowers and hugs.

            “You did beautifully!  I’m so proud of you all!” April congratulated the excited children.

            “You told me these kids were great, but I think you sold them short,” a deep voice said behind April.

            Turning, she found herself looking up into a pair of now-familiar green eyes.

            “Good evening, Mr. Rose.  You know, whatever else you are, persistent should be added to the list,” she said testily.

            Not seeming in the least perturbed by April’s tone, Mr. Rose said, “My mother agreed the concert was flawless.  She’s excited about meeting you.”

“Oh, we’re back to that mother story are we?  And now you claim she’s here.  Probably lost in this crowd.  It’ll be a miracle if you ever find her, won’t it?”

“Actually, she just went to the ladies’ room.  She should be right back.”

April sighed heavily.  “I think it’s pathetic that you’re lying about your own mother in order to cheat on your wife.  You should be ashamed.”

“Your friend was right, you really are a hard case,” he commented.

“I don’t have time for this.  If you’ll excuse me,” April said curtly. 

In her hurry to get away, April almost ran into an elderly woman who was approaching her.

Mr. Rose stepped forward and took the older woman’s elbow.  He said, “I’d like you to meet my mother, Mrs. Dora Rose.”

            “That was a lovely concert, dear," she said.  Mrs. Rose extended her hand to a dumbstruck April.  "You’ve clearly worked very hard with those children.” 

            “Um...It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Rose,” April stammered, shaking the other woman’s hand.  “I’ve...er...heard so much about you.”

            Mr. Rose was watching April closely.  “Well?  Now do you believe me?” he asked innocently.

            “That depends,” April responded slowly.  “Are there any other Mrs. Roses around here?”

            A twinkle ignited in his eyes as he said, “Not yet.”