Free Dating Down by Stefanie Lyons Page B

but early mornings
    can be chilly.
    We fly up and down
    the empty city streets
    while others live a dull life
    sm sleeping sm breathing sm in and out
    the dim nothingness
    coursing through their veins.
    We will careen sm in and out sm of adventure.
    Another Vespa, another pill
    feeling awake and in awe of the
    heightened colors of trees,
    dewy hues kissing the crosswalks
    a real live painting, better than I could paint.
    It’s the wee hours and I’m
    sm awake sm alive sm alert sm alongside my favorite
    kindred companion.
    X shifts gears and the motor sm juts us forward
    one-stroke
    two-stroke
    engine roaring
    racing to our destination.
    We have a destination?
    A point of no return?
    A permanent smile wraps around my face
    I wrap my arms around X.
    He speeds forward, swaying sm side to side sm stops,
    shh!
    takes off his helmet
    throws the Vespa in neutral.

We Put It in Writing
    We glide the bike up the alley
    to the back door of a building.
    A motion light flicks on.
    Ah!
    X opens three locks with a series of keys.
    Head spinning, stomach
    flip
    flop
    flip
    flopping
    I watch the flickering light
    standing under
    a loose light bulb
    flick
    flicker
    flickery
    shining down on me.
    X kisses my cheek
    dim, bright
    pretty light
    waves me to step inside.
    Bye-bye little light!
    Inside, I recognize
    the back entrance to Café Hex
    where he works
    where I watch him
    where it all began.
    The room rests peacefully amid
    pounds of coffee, a humming refrigerator, shiny washed vinyl chairs, lacquered tabletops that smell like Clorox and coffee beans.
    Must be what the circus feels like when the
    audience goes home
    packs up leaving
    the bearded lady
    all alone.
    I spin
    round and round
    round and round and round
    round and round and round and round
    enjoying how the red walls blend into the yellow ones.
    He watches me twirl closer and closer to him,
    eventually, he pulls me in.
    Me: sm This is breaking and entering.
    I tease.
    X: sm Not when you’ve got a key.
    Me: sm You’re very clever.
    We kiss, hug, dance
    eat day-old muffins
    from the display case,
    drink cold coffee.
    I find a chalkboard
    and draw a girl holding onto a bird
    as they fly toward the sun.
    X finds a permanent black marker
    and writes, I love you, Henri
    on a chair
    on the counter
    on menus
    on my arm.
    Officially, his pet name for me.
    Gauguin would be happy.
    This begins a correspondence
    with each other’s skin
    on a secondhand couch
    in the back of the café,
    we tell each other the story of our hearts
    writing and kissing
    peeling off layers of clothes
    in search of more places to pen
    our love.
    Eventually, we run out of skin
    and the whirling, twirling, freedom I felt
    at the beginning of this journey
    fades.
    Exhilaration replaced
    with a heavy desire to sleep.
    Nestled in his arms,
    warm in his embrace
    lying on the haggard couch,
    I give in and sleep.
    Sweet dreams.
    It would be
    a dull life
    without him.

In the Harsh Light of Day
    The next morning,
    a hand grabs my arm,
    yanks me off the couch.
    Man: sm I’m calling the cops!
    The owner.
    He shoves my shirt at me,
    points to X—
    Man: sm You’re fired!
    We dress while hearing—
    Man: sm I’m pressing charges.
    You’re a disgrace.
    How could you have such lack of respect?
    Look what you’ve done to this place.
    Look what you’ve done to your skin!
    and worst yet—
    Man: sm Aren’t you Henderson’s daughter?
    I’ve seen you on TV.
    Even with X, I can’t escape
    being a Henderson.

Caught
    The owner
    dials the police
    or so he pretends.
    X doesn’t want to stick around
    to find out.
    Says they can’t book us if we’re not here.
    Really?
    I’ve never been in trouble before.
    Not like this.
    So I follow X’s lead
    sneak out the back
    half dressed
    partially unzipped
    mostly tense
    fully freaked out
    while thinking
    Was the damage that bad?
    Didn’t seem so last night.
    Will I go to jail?
    Breaking and entering is