LUNCH BREAK

"I'm not the bar-hopping type, Angie, you know that. And don't you dare stick my name in one of those personals ads again! That was the worst three weeks of my life."

"Well, you're hardly going to find another man just sitting here staring at all the guys here in the park during your lunchbreak."

Sarah only took another bite of her sandwich and shrugged.

"So what are you going to do? You know Beth," she nodded to Sarah's daughter, "Wants a Daddy. Her four-year-old mind can't understand why her playmates at the daycare center have them and she can't."

Sarah couldn't express what she felt to Angie, thankful their lunch hours overlapped and Angie had to head back to her office.

It wasn't that she didn't want another man in her life, she did. It was just -- well, been there, done that, it flopped. Or perhaps the other phrase of once bitten, twice shy was more appropriate since the abandonment by a man who didn't want anything to do with fatherhood and her divorce plunging them into dire straights, but they were fighting back. Together.

Sarah Morgan looked around at the crush of people jockeying for a vacant park bench, or a decently shaded patch of ground. She was thankful her shift allowed her to pick Bethany up earlier than most from the daycare center. The long hours at work and with classes three nights a week at the community college, these few stolen moments during lunch were precious.

It wasn't easy being a single mom, juggling work, home and school. But they'd been alone for two years now and she wondered if there would ever be an end to barely making it through the hardship tunnel.

Lunch hour was the same, day in and day out during the warmer months. Sharing food with Beth, who always insisted on sharing her portions with the squirrels and birds which seemed to continually flock around their bench. As much as she adored and doted on her little girl, there flickered that dream in the back of her mind for adult company. She just hadn't been any good at playing the field as Angie had wanted her to for over a year.

No, when the right man came along, she'd know ... wouldn't she?

This time they shared would all stop soon; autumn was beginning to descend. Within a matter of a few weeks, according to the weatherman. She and Beth would be the only ones once the snows started. They both adored being outdoors, breathing as much fresh air as possible. Not to mention Beth playing on the few pieces of playground equipment the city had thoughtfully provided and wasn't available in their tiny apartment. Sarah took the last bite of her sandwich and sighed as Beth scampered off to climb the rope ladders. She absently reached into the sack for her yogurt then put it back.

Another lonely lunch hour amid a crowd.

A sleekly dressed woman, obviously the executive type, stood before Sarah. "Are you done?" She was impatiently tapping a neatly shod foot.

The man with her was embarrassed, Sarah could see that by the redness showing above his collar and the tightening of his lips. "Ginny, don't be ridiculous. We'll go along further. I'm sorry, we don't mean to disturb your lunch."

"Rob, she's taking up space and I don't want to walk forever. My feet are killing me! It's obvious she's done, she just finished ...,"

The rest of the words were lost on Sarah as kind Rob pulled rude Ginny further down the concrete path. Sarah smiled to herself. Gallantry and great looks in one male! Not bad, she sighed again. Rude Ginny was an idiot to display such a fit of temper and bad manners in front of a man like Rob. It had been a long time since Sarah had looked at a man that way. She'd always been painfully shy as a child, only to get married right out of high school and pregnant almost immediately. No such social polish as Rude Ginny displayed, even if she was obnoxious.

Sarah found herself looking for Kind Rob, as she'd nicknamed him, each day. Even Beth was on the lookout for him, pointing to him much to Sarah's embarrassment. They saw him four more times, always on Tuesdays and Thursdays. By the time the third week rolled around, she found herself dressing just a bit more carefully on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

The only trouble was, Kind Rob was invariably with Rude Ginny. He always managed to steer Ginny away from Sarah and Beth's place on the bench, but always glanced their way with a smile and a wink which would cast Beth into fits of giggles.

The following Tuesday, neither Rob nor Ginny showed up. Sarah kept glancing at the milling crowds, wondering if he was okay. Silly, she smiled to herself, she'd gotten used to seeing them, looking forward to it. Well, looking forward to seeing Kind Rob.

Beth asked her three times if it was a Rob-day, only to pout and look dejected when their friend didn't show. Normally Sarah would have squashed any attempt by herself and her daughter to make friends with a strange man. Somehow she knew in her heart that Kind Rob was ... okay.

Sarah kept staring at the doors leading into the county offices and the surrounding buildings. She'd never been able to determine exactly which building Rob and Ginny worked in. Not her own, she was positive. She'd scoured the employee roster more than once in her search.

Her best friend, Angie, knew many of the people from the other buildings but each time Sarah tried to inquire about Kind Rob or Rude Ginny, all she could do was blush and stutter. How the heck did you explain that you were developing a crush on a guy, whom you only saw two times per week in the park, and never spoke to directly? Sarah had managed to conquer the childhood shyness and wasn't the retiring type, but she knew her actions whenever Rob and Ginny came to the park made it seem that way.

Ah, there he is, Sarah sighed in relief, then grinned when she realized he was alone. He'd spied her too and answered her grin, walking directly toward her, causing that wayward heart of hers to do a somersault.

Someone's portable radio was blaring out the latest dire predictions of the weatherman. Severe storms were on the way.

"Do you mind?" Kind Rob nodded toward the empty space next to Sarah.

"Not at all," her voice croaked out. Heavens, where was her usually calm, switchboard operator, business-like demeanor?

"Are you catching a cold?"

Sarah frowned. Her voice was betraying her. "No!" she answered a bit more sharply than she'd intended. The blush stole up her cheeks before she could think of trying to suppress it.

"You're late." Beth announced breathlessly as she ran up to her mother and Rob.

"I know. I got tied up in a meeting. I'm sorry."

"Mommy says it's not nice to be late and make people worry."

"Oh, I agree with your mommy completely." Rob said seriously to match Beth's tone. The child thought for a few moments then went back to play with her friends.

Sarah quickly glanced up at him only to see that adorable lopsided grin and his blue eyes sparkling with laughter. She could feel the tug at the corner of her own mouth, wanting to respond with her own smile. This whole scenario was just as if they'd known each other for years. Amazing.

"Go ahead. Smile. It'll do us both good, and break the ice. Speaking of which, this wind is getting icier each minute. Winter's going to come a bit early this year." Rob stood now, holding out his hand to Sarah. "Let's see if we can get a booth in the coffee shop across the street, shall we? It's nice and public, and I don't bite, I promise. Okay?"

Sarah's heart was thudding around in her chest, her vision slightly impaired with the numerous thoughts running rampant through her brain. She'd been having these ridiculous thoughts and flights of fancy about him not only during the daylight, but deep into the darkest recesses of the night. Suddenly, it didn't seem so foolish anymore.

She stared at his hand, then calmly slipped her own into his warm grasp, something totally out of character. She hadn't just met this man, she'd known him ... forever.

She called Beth over, only to have the child run up and wriggle between the two adults, taking a hand of each in her own small pudgy fingers.

"There. That's better." Beth stated flatly.

"I agree. Your name's Beth, isn't it?"

"Yup. And you're Kind Rob. Mommy named you that, y'know."

"Did she really? Well, that's nice, because I named her Sweet Sarah."

Sarah could feel the blush spreading through her entire body! Heavens, the things that pop out of a child's mouth. Sweet Sarah, eh? She smiled at that, realizing he must have overheard her name the one time Angie ate with them. She'd wondered at the time if he'd also overheard about her single parent status. Evidently he had, with his invitation.

"What did you name me? I want a special name too."

"Brave Beth." Rob said instantly.

Sarah finally found her voice. "Well, that sure fits her."

"I thought so. I've watched how she clambers around on all that equipment with no sense of fear."

"I know, she scares the tar out of me sometimes."

"Yeah, but you let her be a kid and so many parents don't. That's important."

Sarah could only nod.

"Where are we going, Mommy?" Beth piped up, breaking into the marvelous thoughts swirling around in Sarah's brain about Rob. Her voice failed her again, but Rob spoke up.

"How about some hot chocolate, Brave Beth?"

"I like hot chockit."

"Does Sweet Sarah like it too?" He glanced in Sarah's direction.

Sarah could only nod in reply, feeling the sense of loneliness begin to recede as the three made their way across the street and into the coffee shop. Her future was looking an awful lot brighter as each warm, laughter filled moment with Rob and Beth passed.

The weatherman was wrong. It wasn't cold outside at all.

Please feel free to email me with your suggestions or critiques: margeparker@powernet.net

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