A Star to Every Wandering Bark 1/?
She placed her bag on the bonnet of her car to search the depths of her pockets for keys. As she fished out the chain and turned to unlock the door, she noticed a figure sitting on the nearby bench, shoulders hunched and head in hands. Erica was struck by her defeated posture and looked just long enough for the woman to raise her head and catch her eye. She offered a weak smile causing Erica to behave uncharacteristically toward a stranger.
“Are you O.K?” she asked tentatively.
The woman ran a hand across her weary features and nodded her head.
“Stressful day, you know?” she offered the reply quietly.
“Yeah, I know!”Erica nodded once and went to open the car door.
“I brought a kid in here today,” the woman added almost too quickly. “I don’t like hospitals.”
Erica faltered for just a second before stepping toward the bench and sitting beside her; she was drawn by the woman’s calm inflection and warm smile; if a little pained at this point in time.
“Your child?” she enquired. The woman laughed softly and shook her head.
“No,” she exhaled and briefly bit her bottom lip, worry lines appearing fleetingly at the corners of her eyes. “I’m the principal at West High. One of our football players was injured on the field during a big game today; I came with him in the ambulance.”
“Mark Lawrence?” Erica had seen the case on the board.
The woman beside her raised her eyebrows a little in surprise. “Did you work on his case? I didn’t notice you around today.”
Erica smiled slightly, unsure whether the woman was trying to imply she would have noticed her. “No,” she shook her head. “Not directly. I’m the chief of surgery here so it’s my job to know what’s going on.”
The woman’s eyes widened almost imperceptibly and her mouth formed a little ‘o’ shape for a moment. “Impressive!” she smiled.
Erica skimmed over the compliment shyly. “He seems to be doing well,” the surgeon offered. “Good chance of a full recovery, it seems.”
“Yeah,” her companion leaned back on the bench and pinched the bridge of her nose. “So they tell me. I cannot tell you how much relief I feel!” She leaned back forward to rest her elbows on her knees, clasped hands almost prayer like. She turned her head towards Erica and exhaled a small, tired chuckle. “They really have an impact, you know?” her eyes focused on nothing in particular in the middle distance. “And this one, this is a really good kid. I’ve felt sick all day,” she paused for a few moments. “I love my job. Love it. But some days, this one for example! I wish I worked in an office or someplace that doesn’t require such an emotional investment.”
She furrowed her brow suddenly and rolled her eyes in her head. “I’m sorry!” she chuckled a little. “I’m telling you all my life’s woes and you don’t even know me!”
“It’s O.K,” Erica reassured her and found, to her own great surprise, that it really was. She, Dr. Erica Hahn, was actually enjoying sitting with a perfect stranger; listening to her voice quiet feelings was comfortable and the simplicity drew Erica in easily. “It’s a warm evening; it’s actually nice to sit here for a few minutes before hitting the traffic. I never appreciate the weather here and I should, after Seattle it’s amazing!”
The woman nodded her quiet thanks and they maintained easy eye contact for a few brief moments. “I’m Lisa,” the woman offered her hand as she ran the other through her long, auburn hair. “Lisa Henderson.”
Erica took her hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Principal Henderson. I’m Erica Hahn.”
“Nice to meet you too, Chief,” the woman teased before adding sincerely, “really nice.”
“So are you waiting for a cab?” Erica asked after a few moments.
“No,” Lisa exhaled a short chuckle. “In the rush to get Mark here I left everything at school. I have no money, no phone; not even my house keys. I’m waiting until my brother finishes work in about an hour; he’s going to drive me to school to pick everything up before home. Luckily I remember his cell number by heart.”
“You’re going to sit here for an hour?!” Erica asked, surprised. “I mean it’s not Seattle but there’s still a chill in the air; you don’t even have a jacket.” She somewhat surprised herself with her concern.
“I could go and sit inside, you know!” she smiled at Erica’s reaction. “I just needed the air, I’ll be fine.”
Erica hesitated for one second before turning herself a little towards the woman beside her. “Can I give you a ride?” she raised her eyebrows questioningly.
“No, no, no!” Lisa insisted immediately. “You and your staff have done enough for me today. I’m sure your job description does not include ferrying patient’s non-relatives around after a hard shift. I’m fine to wait for Harry.”
Erica smiled at her; she enjoyed her simple demeanour and slight self-deprecating tone, it put her at ease. “Really,” she said. “I live very close to West High and I’m guessing your place must be a least somewhere in its vicinity too?” she questioned almost hopefully and watched as Lisa screwed her brow in thought.
“Ye...” she was hesitant. “I live in Greenway Park, ten minute drive from the school.”
“It’s right by my neighbourhood,” Erica assured her. “It would be no trouble whatsoever.”
Lisa considered for another moment. “Well,” she shrugged her shoulders, “it would be good to get home at a reasonable hour. Though I doubt very much I’ll sleep... if you really think it’ll be no trouble a ride would be great.”
“None at all,” Erica stood and made toward the car. “Hop in.”
The surgeon watched as Lisa jogged around to the passenger side of the car and couldn’t help but notice the endearing way her hair had curled at her temples. As she moved, her quads flexed in the light grey sweats she wore and Erica caught herself before the woman noticed her openly admiring her shapely form. They both got in to the car and buckled up as Erica started the engine; the silence was made easy as Lisa immediately assumed a comfortable position by propping a knee on the dash and resting her head back, eyes closed. Erica found herself enjoying the familiarity of her actions, though she knew that in many others she would find such a trait irritating, to say the least.
It was a little unnerving for Erica to find this woman so immediately attractive. She had become accustomed, throughout her forty one years of assumed heterosexuality, of willing herself to fall for several well meaning guys who’d persuaded her to date them. This sensation of wanting desperately to just look over and watch the woman beside her, who was doing nothing of particular interest, was new and would be exhilarating if it weren’t so frightening.
After a few minutes Lisa placed a hand on her own knee and shifted a little to turn and face Erica. “Do you enjoy your job?”
Erica smiled a little and furrowed her brow, wondering where the question was leading. “I love it,” she answered quickly. “Why?”
“I just... I mean there are times like today when my job is traumatic and I have to do some not so great things but ordinarily it’s such a positive environment, you know? Educating kids and seeing them grow is such a positive thing to be doing. I guess I just wonder how doctors cope with always sharing in people’s lives at the time of their greatest hardships.”
Erica thought for a moment before answering; she exhaled and bit her bottom lip. “Well, most of the time it is positive. Most of the time you can help; you can perform a successful surgery and go out there and tell whoever’s waiting that you did it. And even if the surgery or treatment doesn’t go well you can still make a difference, have a positive impact on a patient or their family by being a great doctor as well as a great surgeon.”
Lisa nodded her head thoughtfully. “I guess I didn’t consider that. I didn’t think even the worst cases could give you a sense of purpose and satisfaction.”
“Often they’re the most rewarding,” Erica interjected. “But there are bad days, too. I guess for the same reasons as yours. When you lack the control or influence to do anything meaningful; when your skills are useless to you and you have to stand and watch as someone’s world collapses. You never get used to that.”
“How did I manage to pick the world’s most depressing topic of conversation!?” Lisa laughed and shook her head apologetically.
“No, it’s fine,” Erica assured her. She took a chance on the moment and watched for any reaction as she spoke. “I’m just really enjoying this. I don’t mind what you talk about.”
They held eye contact for a few moments as a blush crept across Lisa’s cheeks. Erica couldn’t read the significance, or lack thereof, of her body’s reaction. “Me too,” Lisa finally answered her. “As is evidenced by the fact we’ve been parked outside my school for ten minutes and I’ve yet to unfasten my seatbelt!”
They laughed and Lisa made to leave the car. “I’ll just be ten minutes,” she pouted her lips in thought, “but... you could come in and see if you like?”
Erica looked up at the inviting architecture and smiled a little. “It’s been years since I’ve been anywhere near a high school.”
“Come in,” Lisa invited again. “I’ll be quick and besides, it’s really creepy in there when there are no kids to yell at for running in the halls!”
Erica nodded and climbed out of the car, flicking the automatic lock as she heard Lisa’s door close.
“Have you been principal here for long?” she asked as they walked the dark halls of what seemed to be a very pleasant place.
“Four years,” Lisa answered. “I moved here for the job because the school was struggling and they felt it would be good for the place to have a ‘young and dynamic’ leader!” She laughed at her own description and waved her hand to dismiss it. “I’m not sure about that but it was such a great opportunity to get a principal position so young and turning this place around has been a labour of love, seriously.”
Erica watched her face become increasingly animated as she talked about the school; staff, pupils, community, she lit up when she spoke about them all.
“It’s so nice to watch you talk about this place,” Erica told her as they reached Lisa’s office. “You beam,” she pretended to look at photographs on the wall as she continued to pay quiet compliments. “I really like that.” Lisa stopped rummaging through her desk drawers for a moment and looked at Erica who held her gaze for a moment before returning to nose about the trinkets dotted around the place.
“O.K,” she announced. “I’m done, good to go.” They retraced their steps toward the entrance slowly and laughed at various attempts at artwork dotted along the walls. “We like to give everyone equal opportunity to express themselves!” she defended one particularly questionable portrait. “Even if the kid isn’t the most... conventionally talented artist!”
Erica bit her lip to prevent bursts of laughter and stopped abruptly as she spotted one piece tucked around a corner. Lisa stopped directly beside her and Erica had to grasp her hips as she dodged almost colliding with her slight form. She stepped around her and allowed a hand to linger on the small of a strong back as she pulled her towards the picture.
“Now this one is good!” Erica exclaimed. “Why is it almost hidden away here?!”
Lisa looked at the floor and shifted away from her touch. She exhaled deeply and rolled her eyes , seemingly at herself. Erica felt the loss of contact acutely and immediately regretted deviating from her usual cool distance.
“Can I ask you something?” Lisa exhaled and looked almost sadly at Erica.
“And this is just the most ironically appropriate of settings because I am about to sound so... high school!” she shifted from foot to foot.
“Sure,” Erica drew the word out in uncertainty and waited nervously, brow knitted.
“Are you...,” she faltered, “I mean this evening I’ve felt there might be... I think I’ve felt something from you and... I have definitely felt something from me. But I have been very wrong about this in the past. Very wrong,” she almost cringed at her own words. “And I would love to act all cool and nonchalant and just see what happens but...” she caught Erica’s confused expression and shook her head, quietly cursing her incoherence. Breathing in deeply, she continued. “Erica, I’m asking if you’re gay. Because I am and I’m attracted to you and despite being thirty six years old I still can’t do this. At all. So instead of worrying about it for the next who knows how long, I’m just asking.”
A wide smile had broken across Erica’s features and she extended a hand to touch the material of Lisa’s sleeve.
“Yes,” she answered the question, “I’m gay.” She smiled at the simple declaration and at how completely ordinary it seemed to utter those words aloud. “And I’m glad you asked, because I was wondering as well,” she cleared her throat and averted her eyes for a moment, nerves fluttering in her chest. “I’m attracted to you, too,” she added quietly and slid her hand down the arm she was touching, brushing hand against hand for a brief moment.
Lisa’s skin pimpled in response; she gazed at the floor as her face grew warmer. “Good,” she chanced a nervous glance at Erica and spoke quietly, “so what now?”
“Now... I should probably take you home and you should go to bed early with a whiskey; Mark’s injuries were pretty bad and that can really hit you when you get a chance to think.”
Lisa laughed and turned to lead them towards the door. “Is that your official prescription: early to bed and a shot of something strong?!”
“Yes, it is!” Erica replied in a mock stern tone. They smiled warmly at one and other and walked the rest of the distance to the car quietly. The journey was less than five minutes to Lisa’s home; her neighbourhood was quiet and picturesque, Erica had seriously considered a house very nearby when she had moved.
As Erica pulled in beside a warm looking home, Lisa turned to face her nervously. “Today has been a good day,” she appeared thoughtful as she spoke, “which is... unexpected, considering the circumstances.” She swallowed hard and ran a hand across the textured leather of the dash. Erica watched as the muscles in her forearm flexed and contracted on movement, she very nearly reached out to touch her but was drawn from her reverie by Lisa’s voice.
“Can we go out?” she asked. It was simple and understated and it made Erica’s heart beat a little faster; her pulse made itself known inside her ears.
“Tomorrow night?” the surgeon made no pretence of nonchalance. “I’m off from five and I know this great place to eat nearby; do you like tapas?”
Lisa looked at her for a moment and savoured the feeling of simple, lovely courtship that she had been missing for far too long. “I love it,” she replied honestly. “How’s eight?”
“It’s great,” Erica drew a pen and pad from the side pocket of the car and scrawled her number. “I’ll come over here and pick you up; it’s close enough to walk. But if you need to call me...” she handed the post-it over.
Lisa popped the door handle and turned to climb out. At the last moment she hesitated and clumsily turned back to Erica, leaning closer in an uncertain stop-start motion. She found the blonde’s cheek and placed a kiss close to her ear, it was simple and a little bashful and when she pulled back both women were blushing and clearing their throats. They smiled genuinely at each other as Lisa left the vehicle. “Tomorrow,” she said simply before closing the door. Erica nodded as she turned the ignition and drove away from the house, stomach wildly fluttering.