No more texts… part 7

Sabrina’s phone rang, and she quickly answered.

“Hola, Sabrina,” he greeted her with the stress on the I as in the sound of ice.

“Hola, Carlos,” Sabrina answered. She had mixed feelings of nervousness that she was going to meet him, and glee because he called. He said that he was on his way. She told him to let her know when he was outside.

She was going to put what she’d seen and read about dating to use. She read an article online about rules of dating, and the number one rule was to be yourself. Sabrina was a horoscope enthusiast. She believed that the stars were ancestors communicating with us, and we need to tune our psychic with them. When her mother had passed away, her aunt Kathy told her that her mother was in heaven among those stars looking down and protecting her. Her horoscope told her not to hide her feelings even when she cannot predict the outcome. Sabrina was ready to meet Carlos.

Her phone rang. “You are outside?” she asked.

“Yes, I am,” Carlos answered.

“I’ll be right there.” She got up from the sofa and walked to the front door. There was a small table by the door which displayed pictures of her family. She looked at the one with her mother and smiled. Then, she took up the air freshener container and sprayed a mist of lavender scent around the room. She inhaled the aroma and closed the door behind her.

She walked into the crisp night’s air towards Carlos, who was leaning against a truck looking up to the sky. He wore jeans and a sweater which outlined his body’s structure.

“Hola,” she smiled.

“Hola, Sabrina. ¿Cómo estás?”

“No Bueno y, no mal,” she slowly responded, hoping she got it right.

“Very good,” he replied with a smile. “Keep practicing.”

“With you around, I will learn faster,” she added.

They walk to her car, laughing. The white car was gone.

“Go into the car and open the hood,” he instructed.

Sabrina opened the hood.

“Now, turn on the car.”

The car turned on with no sound of distress. Sabrina knew that her car was alright. Carlos stood there and listened.

“Press the gas pedal,” he called out to her.

She revved the engine up to sixty miles per hour, but still, there was no sound of distressed. Carlos closed the hood and came to the door.

“I did not hear anything. Let me take it for a spin. Sabrina got out of the driver’s seat. Their shoulders brushed together, and they laughed like children. He drove the car up and down the street. Sabrina sat there watching him and thinking about what she saw at the shop. She smiled.

Why are you smiling like that?” he asked.

Just something I remembered.” She looked away from his gaze.

“Can you share that thought with me?” he asked as he pulled the car back into the parking space and turned his full attention to her.

Sabrina had thought about this encounter all week and knew how she was going to approach it. But, it was harder and a little embarrassing now that he was right there in front of her. Despite that, she loved the interaction, and she felt good being there with him.

“Okay,” she started looking down at her hands in her lap.

“Are you nervous? he asked his accent pronounced. He gently took her hand into his and clasped his fingers around hers. Sabrina did not expect that gesture of affection. The touch sent electrified sparks all over her skin. The neurons transmitted information throughout her body, caused shivers of excitement and butterfly fluttered stomach.

Sabrina looked down at their entwined fingers. His palms were surprisingly soft despite his occupation. Then she looked up at him. The fine lines at the corners of his eyes indicated his age group. He might be in his late forties. The blackness of his eyes reflected the light from the street lamp caused them to glisten like dark pools of wetness. A few gray strands of hair peeked out from his temples. Sabrina took mental notes as she traced the contours of his face.

“Okay, no need to be nervous. Por favor, continúe. I want to hear the story.”