“I didn’t expect to see you at all today,” Folami told Laszlo. They were in her flat. He had stopped by before heading over to Catalina’s place from where they would drive to Benmarl Winery.
“I thought I would stop by and see you before I headed over to Catalina’s place.”
“Catalina? Is she Spanish or Portuguese?”
“Neither. She’s Norwegian.”
“Oh. I thought she might have been Latin like you.”
“I’m half Spanish and half Hungarian.”
“So, your mother is Hungarian?”
“Yes.”
“You look very sharp all dressed up in your white jacket, black shirt and pants.”
“Thanks, I think.”
“It was a compliment. So, what will you and your date do besides tasting wine?”
“I don’t know but afterwards, we will go for dinner at a nearby restaurant.”
“How romantic.”
“Do I detect a hint of sarcasm in that comment?”
“While you’re tasting wine with your girlfriend, I’ll be going to see the musical, Hamilton.”
“Are you going alone?”
“No, I’m going with Eric.”
“Who’s Eric?”
“He’s a co-worker. On Friday, he told me he had two tickets to the show and asked me if I wanted to go. I said yes. I’ve been wanting to see it for a long time. It has won Tony, Grammy and Olivier Awards and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.”
“How come you never mentioned this co-worker to me before?”
“I’m sure I have.”
“I don’t think so.”
“I’m sure I told you about him when he joined the company last month.”
“You’ve worked with him for just a month and already he’s asking you out on a date?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. It isn’t a date.”
“Does he have a girlfriend?”
“I don’t know. I don’t think he would ask me to go to the show if he did and even if he did, I would have turned him down.”
“What time is the show?”
“3pm.”
“What are you and he going to do after the show?”
“I don’t know. Maybe we’ll grab a bite to eat.”
“Is this the first time you’re going out with him?”
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t you tell me that you wanted to see Hamilton? We could have gone to see it together.”
“Really? You would have gone to see Hamilton?”
“Yes.”
“But, you dislike musicals. I could never get you to watch the Sound of Music or the King and I or Westside Story with me. We always end up watching a film noir.”
“I know but Hamilton might have been different like Les Misérables and Phantom of the Opera which you and I went to see together.”
“Oh, yes. And both times we went backstage for autographs.”
“Why do you think he asked you to go with him to the show?”
“I don’t know. All I know is that he got the tickets from a friend who couldn’t go because of unexpected plans.”
“Do you like him, Folami?”
She stared at him. “Like him as in like him?”
“Yes.”
She was about to answer when his cell rang. As she watched him speaking to whomever had called him, she couldn’t help wondering why he was asking her so many questions about Eric.
Laszlo stood up. “I’ve to go,” he said.
She got up and followed him to the foyer. “Have fun wine tasting,” she said.
A guarded expression came over his face. “Have fun at the show.”
For several minutes they just stood there staring at each other. She found herself wishing that he wasn’t going out with what’s her face and that it was he she was going to the theater with instead.
Then, he turned and opened the door. “I’ll see you soon,” he said quietly.
“See ya soon.”
He left and she got ready for the theater.
Notes to Women 