Free After All by Lynn Emery Page B

don't
mean--”
    “ Huh? Oh no, not me. I don't
purge after eating. I meant I'll work it off at the gym. Don't
worry, I refuse to let those skinny New York fashion mavens turn me
into a basket case.”
    “ You look fantastic and
don't let anybody tell you different.”Anthony waved hand forgetting
he held a beignet, showering her with powdered sugar.
    “ Hey, watch it.” Michelle
gave a yelp. Laughing, she brushed at front of her dark red sweater
dress. “What am I, a bowl of cereal?”
    “ Sorry. I'll pay to get it
cleaned.” Anthony reached out and began to rub the soft fabric.
Realizing what he was doing, he snatched back his hand. “Uh, sorry.
I mean I wasn't trying to-- I was trying to get the sugar off,” he
mumbled.
    “ It's okay.”Michelle paused
in the middle of brushing crumbs from her lap.”Look at us. Fumbling
and stumbling with each other, walking on eggshells.”She threw down
her napkin.
    “ I wasn't this nervous on my
first date when I was twelve.” Anthony grinned at her.
    “ And after the recital, we
sounded like an echo. `Wasn't it great?' `Yes, great'. `It was
really great!'What was that all about?” Michelle chuckled, shaking
her head.
    “ I'm just thankful I came up
with the idea to come here or we might still be sitting in my car
babbling `great' to each other,” Anthony quipped. They both laughed
hysterically.
    “ That's one sound even
sweeter than the music they were playing.” Anthony's gazed at her
still smiling. “Know what I think? Neither one of us wants to say
anything hurtful, even it's unintentional. And you know what that
means.”
    “ What?” Michelle traced a
line on the table top in a pile of sugar.
    “ That we still care
something about each other. It means...” Anthony placed his hand on
hers.
    “ I don't want to rush into
anything, Anthony. The distance between us has been more than just
miles and time. Maybe the best we can hope for is to be friendly
acquaintances who speak politely if we happen to meet.” Drawing her
hand back, Michelle avoided his eyes.
    “ Why can't we be friends who
get together occasionally for lunch or dinner? I know you're seeing
someone. I'm not trying to get in your business, but if he has a
problem with it I'll understand.” Anthony's jaw tightened and he
gripped his coffee mug.”I mean, if y'all agreed to not see other
people.”
    “ Dosu isn't like that at
all. He's the most secure person I've ever known.”Michelle had no
intention of telling him that her relationship Dosu was more of a
trusted confidant than lover.
    “ Then what's the
problem?”
    “ It's even more than that.
Eventually we'll be arguing about your Uncle Ike again.” Michelle
bit her lower lip. Anthony's bond with Ike ran too deep. Maybe
deeper than his feelings for her?
    “ We're adults now. We don't
need to keep fighting the battles of our families. If we
concentrate on us, then we can get past it.” Anthony tugged at her
hand to get her to look at him.”At least give it a try.”
    “ Let me think about
it.”
    “ Okay.” Anthony held her
hand for a few moments before letting go.
    The rest of the evening was less tense
and they talked about what each had been doing for the past five
years. Watching him, Michelle was struck by how he had changed yet
remained the same. Though he was more self-assured, he could be
just as boyishly enthusiastic about his interests. His eyes lit up
as he talked about his volunteer work with teenage boys. He totally
lost all self-consciousness as he described the outreach programs
his church had instituted. Michelle felt growing admiration for the
man he had become. With a mixture of dismay and satisfaction, she
admitted that she indeed wanted to be with him. But, she told
herself firmly, only for friendship. Nothing else was
realistic.
    “ Well, I had a really nice
time.” Michelle unlocked her front door and turned to face
him.
    The scent of his cologne beckoned to
her tantalizingly, an invisible magnetic force she