Today’s prompt at the Go Do Go Café: Write a story or poem that ends with the phrase “he shredded her dreams in dignified air of victory”
He said it could quite possibly be the most important text he’d ever sent (to her), and would she like to meet him at The Bamboo Banshee for an early dinner.
Hell, yeah, she would!
With her wild heart pounding, Renée texted back saying she would be there at 6:00.
What could it be? They did business together occasionally, but this was a Sunday. And it’s so out of the blue. Leonard is not the spontaneous sort. He said it was important…What if…?
And Renée allowed herself to hope that maybe, just maybe Leonard had changed his mind. Maybe he’d dumped what’s-her-name and realized there really was something between himself and Renée.
“Holy crap,” she mumbled. “What am I gonna wear?”
The news came on and the weatherman was calling for snow that evening. Renée paused to listen, but then tuned it out. She’d ride a ten-speed bike through a blizzard for Leonard. Meteorologists were wrong 50% of the time, anyway.
She made sure she arrived at The Bamboo Banshee early enough to down a couple glasses of wine before Leonard showed up. She told herself she wanted some time to think; what she really did was allow her imagination to run away with itself. It was true, anything could happen that evening. By the time she was half-way through her second glass of wine, Renée was up for pretty much anything life could throw at her as long as it involved Leonard.
She glanced up as he walked through the door. He was as beautiful as ever. How she adored that man! When Leonard saw her, he smiled that killer smile that made Renée melt like a Popsicle on August asphalt.
He rested his chin on the ball of his left hand, and gazed dreamily into her eyes. Heart racing and stomach somersaulting, Renée savored every nanosecond of his attention. While wondering what would happen next, Renée gazed right back into his baby blues. She felt like crying, but didn’t know why. These potential tears were neither sad nor happy, just tears.
“You really are gorgeous, Renée. “ Leonard sighed. “You know that, don’t you?”
“All I know is what you tell me.” Her heart was racing.
Just then, a waiter appeared and reached to light the candle at their table.
“My name Chin. I am your server this evening. I can start you with appetizer and a drink for you, sir?”
Leonard glanced at Renée’s empty wine glass. “Another for the lady and a glass of red for me, please.
“What about appetizer? Lady look hungry!” Chin joked.
Renée blushed. Although svelte and slinky now, at one time she tipped the scales at 211 lbs. References to hunger and weight still failed to amuse her.
“Hell, yes!” Renée blurted. “Lady starving. Bring Lady Happy Family appetizer and gentleman miso soup!”
“Okay, ma’am,” Chin mumbled and slunk away, bemused. Americans were so weird.
“You remembered I like miso.” Leonard smiled, ignoring Renée’s outburst.
“I remember everything. So! Tell me. What’s this little rendezvous about?”
“Oh, right.” He cleared his throat and looked at her with those dreamy blue eyes. “I wanted to ask you —”
Chin had arrived with their wine and soup, and quickly served them without making eye contact. Renée took a sip of her Chardonnay, waiting for him to leave.
“Ask me what, Leonard?” Her green eyes sparkled with anticipation.
“Oh, just that the Firm has taken on a new partner, Peter Marrano is his name. He’s bright, attractive, and funny as hell —“
“What’s that got to do with me?”
“Hopefully everything!”
“I don’t understand…” but she was afraid she did.
“If you’re interested, I‘d like to introduce the two of you. He’s alone and new to the city, and you’re not in a relationship…”
With that, he shredded her dreams in dignified air of victory.
Ergo, the Ogre 