were hiding in Benjamin Books,” Lacey said.
“What?”
“I was in Benjamin Books and—I thought you were playing a joke on me.”
“I’m lost.”
“I know. It’s been a really strange day. And I’ll tell you everything—but can I just relax first?”
“Of course.” Alan flagged a nearby waiter. He ordered a bottle of wine and asked them to turn the lights up a little. It was hard to have any kind of signed conversation in a really dark restaurant. Alan watched the waiter leave. Then he turned back to Lacey.
“I remember every second of our first date,” he said. Lacey held his gaze.
“Me too,” she said. “You were such a jerk.”
“A jerk?!”
“You should’ve told me,” she said. Alan laughed.
“I know,” he said. “But I learned so much about you that night. Things I might not have learned if you knew I was a CODA.”
“Still,” she said.
“You’re the one who brought the sign language interpreter,” Alan pointed out. Lacey laughed. “At first I thought you hated me and were bringing a friend, then I thought you wanted a threesome,” he added with a wink. Lacey ripped off a tiny piece of bread and threw it at Alan. He tried to catch it in his mouth. He missed, but his charm was infectious. Lacey had better watch herself or he was going to seduce her into saying yes. “It’s been awhile,” he said, “since we’ve talked about our future. “
“Sometimes,” Lacey said, breaking off another piece of bread, “you’re like the woman in this relationship.” Alan didn’t laugh at her joke. He frowned and shook his head. Lacey gave him a big smile. “Kidding,” she said. He looked at her as if he didn’t believe she was. The waiter returned to see if the lighting was adequate. Alan nodded and thanked him. The waiter remained by their table.
“Would you like a menu in Braille?” he asked. Alan looked at Lacey.
“Ask him if I can bring in our seeing-eye puggle,” she said.
“She’s deaf, not blind,” Alan said. “And she can read just fine.” The waiter turned red and shuffled away.
“Sheila Sherman called a tow truck today,” Lacey said. “Because it’s dangerous for deaf people to drive.”
“Oh my God,” Alan said. “You must have flipped.”
“I didn’t kill her,” Lacey said. “But I wanted to.” The waiter came back with the wine. He poured and presented the glass to Lacey, as if wanting to make up for his earlier faux pas. Lacey took the glass and brought it up to her eyes, then crossed them. The waiter took a step back. She didn’t dare catch Alan’s eye or she wasn’t going to be able to keep a straight face. Next she tipped her ear to the cup as if she could hear something inside. The waiter was starting to sweat, and he was continuously glancing at Alan, who kept his eyes glued to Lacey as if her behavior was perfectly normal. Finally, Lacey put the glass of wine in her cleavage and wiggled her chest. Alan burst out laughing. The waiter set the bottle of wine down on the table and left without pouring their glasses. Alan poured it instead, his laughter causing the bottle to jiggle as he poured.
“Happy anniversary,” Lacey said.
“Happy anniversary.” They clicked glasses. I love you, Alan mouthed. I love you too, Lacey mouthed back. Alan started to reach for his suit pocket. Lacey threw her hands out. Alan stopped.
“What?” Alan said.
“I have something to show you,” Lacey said.
“Me first,” Alan said.
“No.” Lacey reached for her purse and pulled out The Architect of Your Soul . It was missing the cover. She handed the book to Alan. She saw him repeat the title. He gave her a quizzical smile. He started to flip through the book.
“Is this my anniversary present?” he asked. “You think I need help?”
“What do you think?”
“Is it new?”
“Yes.”
“Where’s the cover?”
“The girl was so hot-looking, I took it off. Didn’t want you drooling all over her during our anniversary
“What?”
“I was in Benjamin Books and—I thought you were playing a joke on me.”
“I’m lost.”
“I know. It’s been a really strange day. And I’ll tell you everything—but can I just relax first?”
“Of course.” Alan flagged a nearby waiter. He ordered a bottle of wine and asked them to turn the lights up a little. It was hard to have any kind of signed conversation in a really dark restaurant. Alan watched the waiter leave. Then he turned back to Lacey.
“I remember every second of our first date,” he said. Lacey held his gaze.
“Me too,” she said. “You were such a jerk.”
“A jerk?!”
“You should’ve told me,” she said. Alan laughed.
“I know,” he said. “But I learned so much about you that night. Things I might not have learned if you knew I was a CODA.”
“Still,” she said.
“You’re the one who brought the sign language interpreter,” Alan pointed out. Lacey laughed. “At first I thought you hated me and were bringing a friend, then I thought you wanted a threesome,” he added with a wink. Lacey ripped off a tiny piece of bread and threw it at Alan. He tried to catch it in his mouth. He missed, but his charm was infectious. Lacey had better watch herself or he was going to seduce her into saying yes. “It’s been awhile,” he said, “since we’ve talked about our future. “
“Sometimes,” Lacey said, breaking off another piece of bread, “you’re like the woman in this relationship.” Alan didn’t laugh at her joke. He frowned and shook his head. Lacey gave him a big smile. “Kidding,” she said. He looked at her as if he didn’t believe she was. The waiter returned to see if the lighting was adequate. Alan nodded and thanked him. The waiter remained by their table.
“Would you like a menu in Braille?” he asked. Alan looked at Lacey.
“Ask him if I can bring in our seeing-eye puggle,” she said.
“She’s deaf, not blind,” Alan said. “And she can read just fine.” The waiter turned red and shuffled away.
“Sheila Sherman called a tow truck today,” Lacey said. “Because it’s dangerous for deaf people to drive.”
“Oh my God,” Alan said. “You must have flipped.”
“I didn’t kill her,” Lacey said. “But I wanted to.” The waiter came back with the wine. He poured and presented the glass to Lacey, as if wanting to make up for his earlier faux pas. Lacey took the glass and brought it up to her eyes, then crossed them. The waiter took a step back. She didn’t dare catch Alan’s eye or she wasn’t going to be able to keep a straight face. Next she tipped her ear to the cup as if she could hear something inside. The waiter was starting to sweat, and he was continuously glancing at Alan, who kept his eyes glued to Lacey as if her behavior was perfectly normal. Finally, Lacey put the glass of wine in her cleavage and wiggled her chest. Alan burst out laughing. The waiter set the bottle of wine down on the table and left without pouring their glasses. Alan poured it instead, his laughter causing the bottle to jiggle as he poured.
“Happy anniversary,” Lacey said.
“Happy anniversary.” They clicked glasses. I love you, Alan mouthed. I love you too, Lacey mouthed back. Alan started to reach for his suit pocket. Lacey threw her hands out. Alan stopped.
“What?” Alan said.
“I have something to show you,” Lacey said.
“Me first,” Alan said.
“No.” Lacey reached for her purse and pulled out The Architect of Your Soul . It was missing the cover. She handed the book to Alan. She saw him repeat the title. He gave her a quizzical smile. He started to flip through the book.
“Is this my anniversary present?” he asked. “You think I need help?”
“What do you think?”
“Is it new?”
“Yes.”
“Where’s the cover?”
“The girl was so hot-looking, I took it off. Didn’t want you drooling all over her during our anniversary
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