Leftover Baggage from Llanview

10

Dorian:

"Haaaaappy biiiiiirthday to you," A group of waitstaffers sing as they bring out a chocolate cheesecake for David, whose birthday is today.

Risa and I join in and David smiles and blows out his birthday candles.

It's been two weeks since my run-in with Tina and I have made sure to have any more calls from Tina blocked, which was a bit of a feat on my office landline, but with the help of my staff, including one electronic expert lady, we installed a device that can screen off unwanted messages before it lands in my inbox.

After I returned home from Greenbelt, I had given Risa and David huge hugs, thankful for them, then we'd spent a relaxing evening playing pinochle.

I have had a few nightmares these past few weeks that left me shaking, but none too bad. Only once did David wake up and he held me until my shivers faded...I told him I'd be all right.

Now, Risa, David and I are at a Greek restaurant near Dupont Circle on Friday evening.

"Hard to believe I'm in my early fifties now," David tells us as we eat our dessert. Me either.

After we eat, we walk to Dupont Circle and walk around a bit. Even at ten at night, the place is well-lit and bustling with activity.

David tells us that he's been selected for a television series role, one in a historical series set in medieval Scotland.

"David, that's wonderful!" I exclaim.

"That's great!" Risa adds. "Do you know what sort of character you're playing?"

"I'm playing a rather dour-faced, serious, but informative servant to an aristocrat." David pulls a dour face, standing stiff and straight, but we all wind up laughing, so his pose is short-lived.

"I wonder what secrets your character will find out," Risa says.

"That is to be revealed on show in the Faulkner estate," David simulates a British accent.

I'm so happy for David that his career has taken off...I'm a bit sad, however to learn that he will be leaving for LA as early as next week and will probably be gone until April.

I give him a hug, wishing that LA and DC were not all the across a vast country.

•••••••••••••

The following week flies by too fast. I bring David to the airport that following Thursday evening.

Risa has said her goodbyes to him to night before as she is studying at the library for an upcoming exam, so it's just David and me.

"You going to be all right?" David's lightly touching my chin. I nod. "You seemed a bit shaken up after you met Tina back a few weeks ago...and the nightmare you had last week..."

"I'll be all right," I reassure him. "I don't want you going out there and worrying about me."

"I'll try not to..." David says. "I just hope no one from that old-money country club tries to look you up and starts currying favors from you."

"They won't...none of them have my cell number, address or my e-mail...I had my office phone block any unwanted calls."

"Good..."

We stand in each other's arms for a while until David has to go through security. I hold back tears as I watch him vanish through a clump of people.

My arms actually ache a bit as I walk back out of the airport. I decide to just take an uber home instead of having one of my regular drivers.