A Warm Lounge

I pushed the door open and stepped into a warm lounge. The red-velour walls were covered in sconces and avant-garde masterpieces. In the air wafted an expensive perfume.

She sat in the center of the room where the light hit her perfectly, making her angelic. I knew I had seen a movie just like it. She wore a sleeveless houndstooth dress that ended just above the knee. The neckline disappeared into her beautiful curls, cascading across her shoulders

“You made it!” she exclaimed, waving me over.

As I approached the table, she got up and gave me a hug. She was soft, but cold. “Do you need a jacket?” I asked, gesturing with mine as I set it on the chair.

“No, I’m actually quite warm,” she said. “Sit. I thought you’d never get here.

“Sorry, believe me, I’ve been waiting for this for a long time.” And I had. Leah was the once in a lifetime kind of girl that most guys only dream about. God, it felt like I’d known her forever, but finally I got a date with her.

I sat down. In front of me was an empty wine glass. I looked at Leah for assurance. She smiled keenly. “We could get a bottle of wine?”

“Yes, please.” I smiled back.

A waiter stepped up to the table. He pulled a notepad from his apron. “What can I get you tonight?” Leah held her menu up and pointed to a rich Merlot. “Right away.” The waiter closed his notepad, having written nothing, and scurried through the kitchen door.

“I hope this place wasn’t too hard to find. It’s kind of a hole in the wall,” she said.

“No. No trouble at all,” I shook my head. “I found it in record time.”

“Good, I’d hate for you to get lost.” She flashed her eyes; they were a lush green sea with ships of auburn and steel moored throughout.

“Will you excuse me; I have to use the restroom,” I said. Although truthfully, I was sick with nerves.

“Don’t be too long.”

I walked down a short hallway and pushed on the wooden door at the end.

I entered into a warm lounge. The smell of perfume oozed off of bare, red-velour walls.

I spotted Leah. God, I’d been waiting for this date forever. She waved me over and motioned me to sit.

“I’m so glad you made it,” she cracked a sly smile. “I was beginning to think you stood me up.”

I laughed. “Never.” I studied her houndstooth dress, it was really a piece. The pattern seemed to jump from the dress. Slowly, my attention turned to the wine glass in front of me; it held a few drops.

“Let’s get some wine,” she said. A waiter stepped up to the table. She pointed to a bottle of Merlot.

“Right away,” the waiter said and ran back into the kitchen. Someone was yelling inside, but I couldn’t tell who.

“I can’t believe we’re finally here; I’ve wanted to do this forever.”

Her face twisted. “I’m not going to lie. That’s kind of weird, we’ve worked together for five years,” she replied.

Oh, God. I’d said the wrong thing. I always did that.

“Will you excuse me,” I said, standing up. “I left my, uh, thing in my car.” I ran to the wooden door. I pushed on it, dying to get outside.

I entered into a warm lounge. The smell of stale smoke clung to the red-velour walls. Leah sat in the middle of the room. She looked radiant.

Our gazes met and she waved me over to the table.

“Hello, I trust the place wasn’t too hard to find?” she said, peering at me with her jade eyes.

“I know the area well actually.”

I sat down in a stiff black chair. On the table sat a half-full glass of Merlot. I looked up at Leah; her houndstooth dress was a fetching piece, slick and sharp.

“Would you like some wine?” she said. My silence had made her uncomfortable.

“I have..”

A waiter appeared at the table with an open notepad. “Wine?”

“Yes please!” Leah said and pointed to a Merlot on the menu. The waiter closed the pad and hurried off to the kitchen.

I started thinking about how much I’d longed for this date. Ever since I met Leah, I only wanted this one thing: her and I alone in a cozy enclave.

On cue she asked, “Do you remember when we first met?” Her mysterious eyes leveled with mine and her mouth opened into a grin. “Tell me how you remember it.”

“Well, it was… No, it wasn’t there. I had just gotten hired I think… Um, what company was it?” I’d drawn a total blank. I couldn’t recall a single interaction with Leah before this date. I knew there was some fantastic memory to bring up, something that would have us both rolling in laughter while we exchanged flirtatious glances.

But nothing came to mind. How was it possible that I owned no memory of her?

“That’s ok,” she said. “I don’t always remember things well either. How about you tell me what your childhood was like?”

“Sure.” I was happy to change the subject. “I grew up in…” Oh no. Another blank. I couldn’t do this again, I needed to make something up fast. Nothing. Nothing came to me. “Here,” I said. “I’m from here.” Close call.

“Wow! Me too. It sure has grown hasn’t it? I remember when this whole block was just fields.”

Crap. Now I had to go along. I tried picturing the block, the city, even the outside of the building. There was no memory there. How could I forget so many things? I felt nauseous.

“I need some air,” I said, getting up. Leah replied, but I didn’t hear her. Next to the kitchen door was another smaller but sturdier door. It looked like a patio, and I barreled straight for it.

With my hands shaking, I pushed the door open.

I stepped into a warm lounge. The walls were bare and black. Drifting among the tables was a faint and rotten odor.

In the middle of the den sat Leah – a vision of loveliness. Her hair cascaded down her shoulders and over her houndstooth dress. The pattern looked scaly, but the ivory bits were vibrant.

She looked up and smiled as I approached the table. “You’re here. Please sit down, I have something to discuss with you.”

The chair was rickety, and although I did not trust it to hold my weight, I sat. On the table was a brimming glass of Merlot. Its wild sheen seemed to stir though the glass was still.

She interrupted my thoughts: “Why did you ask me out?”

Straight to the point.

“Well, because I like you.” I was more confident than I expected. “Because I like you and that’s what you do when you like someone; you ask them out and try to…”

“That’s a silly answer,” she said, clearly annoyed. “Why did you really ask me out? So you can brag to your friends? Or were you just feeling lucky?” Her arms crossed. Maybe I said something wrong.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to offend you. I was trying to pay you a compliment,” I replied.

“You liking me is not a compliment.” The green in her eyes swirled with smoky ire. “It’s fine. Let’s get a bottle of wine and get this over with.”

I looked at the glass in front of me and I was overtaken with dread.

I was not supposed to be here.

My legs sprung, almost knocking over the table. The waiter and I collided as he approached. He went down, I began searching for the door.

I ran to the corner I knew I had entered from but there was no door to be found, just tattered red velour. How could this be? There was a door there, I knew it! I searched the room for any exit, yet every wall proceeded without opening.

Then I spotted the kitchen door. I lunged across the room, but the waiter met me halfway. “Sir, please sit down. You’re disturbing the other patrons.”

I composed myself for a moment. I had truly made a fool of myself and an apology was in order. I turned to the booth nearest me but there was no one there. I moved to the next booth, then the next, and the next, until I’d circled the whole den. There wasn’t a soul there besides Leah and the waiter.

Now I knew I was in trouble.

I bolted for the kitchen. The waiter met me again, stepping to block my way. We crashed and he fell. I stumbled but made my way to the door. My arms felt like rubber, so it took every ounce of strength I had to push it open, but it did give.

I walked into a steamy lounge. The smell of decaying meat hit me immediately.

I searched for Leah, but the room was dark. Finally, I found her at the center table. She looked up at me and said nothing. In front of an empty chair, a glass of wine overflowed onto the table. It trickled over the tablecloth, onto the chair, and eventually the floor.

It showed no signs of stopping.

“What is this about?” I said. “What kind of place is this?”

“Sit,” Leah said, showing only anger.

I didn’t want to sit. I wanted to leave; this was the worst place I had ever been. But my knees buckled and I collapsed into the wine-soaked chair.

“You don’t remember me do you?” she asked. It was a strange question, but I went along.

“Of course I remember you. You’re Leah.”

She shook her head. As she did, her houndstooth dress clicked as individual teeth slid over each other. “Look at me.” I stared into her eyes – jade seas full of auburn and steel ships – and the ships were burning!

“Tell me, do you recognize me now?” She stood up, leaning across the table. “Do you know who I am?” she yelled.

Suddenly I remembered everything. My eyes fell to the wine pouring into my lap. I knew who she was. And I was ashamed. I searched for the words to say, but all I managed was, “I’m sorry.”

That did not satisfy her. “You may be, you may not.” She gave me a dismissive grin. “But I promise.” Her face was nearly touching mine. “You will be.”

She disappeared. I was left in a vacant lounge slowly filling up with wine.

I waded to the door.

I started to push, but I did not want to know what was beyond it. The sop of wine in my shoes ended. I looked behind me where the dismal lounge had been. It was replaced with a void – black and endless in all directions.

The door no longer seemed the wrong way.

I turned, throwing myself against it. It opened and I stepped into a warm lounge.