I was sitting at a table. Fidgeting with my strawberry blond hair and looking around for anyone who looked vaguely familiar. I was quite confident in my looks and wasn't sure why I had agreed to do this. I dated three weekends out of the month on average. Rarely did my dates not want a second date. It was equally rare for me to think it was a good idea. However Tabatha, my best friend from high school had sent me a text last week. She was moving back to town and wanted to hit the social scene upon her arrival. We had stayed close despite it being the better part of a decade since we had seen each other. I knew she was a lesbian and adventures. Truly one of the most outgoing and kind people I've ever known. So with no reason to refuse her I find myself on a blind double date. At least Tabby and I were connected on social media so I knew what she looked like. I wondered if she'd recognize me. I was not introverted, but I tried to avoid attracting unwanted attention. I had a cyber stalker when I was younger so now pictures on my socials were sparse to say the least. As I was about to pay for my drink and leave I saw three people walk into the restaurant lead by Tabatha. They headed straight for me and I was pleased. The man was attractive enough and everyone seemed to be happy and well acquainted which left me feeling a little left out. The man sat down next to me and the woman I didn't know sat across from him Then Tabatha sat across from me. She had the complexion of milk chocolate left in the sun. Black hair and green eyes. Her features were subtle, looking every bit the successful business executive she was. Her friend had tan skin and a trim athletic body. Long pink hair and matching pink eyes. Clearly both were cosmetic choices. They looked like they came from different worlds, but side by side they looked like they had been together forever. The man was a large fellow with a broad back and thick muscled limbs. Not the kind that was defined by days at a gym, but the kind that rose from necessity. His skin was almost as pale as mine he had short curly brown hair and blue brown eyes. All in all they were all three objectively speaking very attractive. It made me wonder how four attractive people needed to arrange blind double dates. I was grateful for the company though, so I was all too eager to greet them when they arrived at the table.
"Hey Tabatha thanks for inviting me love. Your friends are gorgeous," I said before realizing my voice was a little louder than I had intended.
"Aren't they just," she responded, matching my energy and volume.
It was amazing. We had been apart for almost a decade, but in that moment it seemed like just yesterday we were inseparable.
"I've missed you Kitty Kat," she continued, not missing a beat. She had started calling me that not long after we met. My name was Katie and I collected cat figurines. She thought it was cute and I never objected Now going on thirty and being on a double date with people I didn't know was a little different.
"Tabatha Montgomery Sinclair why are you trying to embarrass me," I said with unnecessary firmness in my voice. She glared at me and I puffed up my cheeks and umphed as I dramatically turned my head from her. This was a scene that had played out countless times while we were young and it was a role I happily reprised for my friend. She bursted into laughter and I followed directly behind. Our dates looked confused and a little annoyed. They quickly returned to their normal self and the young woman introduced herself.
"Samantha Cummings and this is Tyler Cummings. Tabby has told us a lot about you. She was so nervous for tonight," Samantha stated, which seemed odd to me they all seemed to get along very well and why did the girl making her nervous no she was nervous. Maybe it wasn't for the date, but for being back in the city, "You can call me Sam, most everyone does."
Tyler chuckled slightly, "Sorry she's always like that," he added on her behalf. I wondered if it got tiring being her brother. She seemed exhausting.
We ordered and ate. The conversation was oddly enough mostly me and Tabatha catching up on our eight year separation. Which was especially odd as we would talk several days a week ever since she moved away. Eventually I couldn't hold my curiosity any longer and I had to no more about these people Tabatha had dragged with her tonight.
"So Tyler you and your sister seem to now Tabs quite well yeah?"
Again Tyler chuckled, "Yeah me and my, um sister," he paused and chuckled again. At this point he was getting rather annoying and I could have sworn his sister kicked him. At which point he seemed to remember what we were talking about, "Yes we helped her unload her moving truck. So we've known her the whole time she's been gone."
"Wow and you're just going on a date now?" I asked Samantha. Everyone looked at me with obvious confusion and Tabatha's eyes began to water. She ran from the restaurant and now it was my turn to be confused.
"Tabby what did you tell her?" Samantha shouted as she followed Tabatha outside. We were just having such a pleasant time how had it turned out so poorly? At least my date hadn't bolted, but now I was alone with a man I knew nothing about.
"So any idea why Tabatha got so upset?" I asked. I should have been focused on getting to know Tyler, but for some reason I couldn't get the image of Tabatha out of my head. She seemed genuinely hurt by the causal question.
"Let me ask you a question, what did Tabby say when she asked you to come out with us all tonight?"
"I don't remember the exact words, but she said something like, 'I'm coming back to the city. When I do let's go on a double date,' something like that I think why?"
"I don't know. How would you have responded if she had said, 'I've missed you would you come out with me. I'd love to introduce you to my new friends?'" he asked and I instinctively looked around the restaurant for Tabatha. I needed to confirm if what he was saying was hypothetical or what she really meant. Tabatha was a dear friend, but I was straight. Then I thought about it for a minute, right? I thought to myself.
"Are you serious right now?" I asked, unable to figure out what was going on let alone how I felt about what was going on.
"I shouldn't have said that, but clearly she didn't realize you misread the situation and its had an effect on her. I could tell, watching you guys, you care about her, but that's not the same thing. So if she had asked you out could you have said yes?"
I thought about it for a moment, took a deep breath and then answered honestly, "If she had asked me out I would have definitely turned her down," I admitted flatly, "I've always considered myself straight. I've wanted a husband for as long as I can remember, but when you told me how she felt and after seeing her storm out like that. I still don't know if I can love a woman like I've always wanted to love a man, but I know I care about her and if she asked me out tonight I'd say yes."
I could tell that wasn't quite what he was hoping to hear. I'm sure being her good friend he was hoping I would accept her completely, instantly, without reservations. I was a conservative Southern Baptist, considering this I felt, already proved how much I liked and admired Tabatha. He seemed to accept the limitations to my way of thinking and sighed, "Well pretty sure if you want to know if there's anything there you're going to have to ask her out this time. That seemed to have devastated her pretty good. Can't say I know why though. She told us she was flying down here to get rejected that's why we came with. She never thought you'd love her back. You'll have to ask her though."
"I see, well thank your sister for me and apologize to Tabatha for me. It was nice meeting you have a lovely evening," I said rising from my table to go pay the bill. This night had been a disaster and I wouldn't to go home and forget it all.
"I'll be sure to give your regards to my wife. You know she thinks of Tabby as a sister."
I just dropped my eyes to the ground and walked to the counter quickly paying the bill and leaving.