Gianna

I was 10 years old when my Uncle Mark sat me on his lap, grabbed his wallet from his jacket pocket, and handed me an old photo. Mark and the woman in the picture sat with their arms around each other, and my Uncle had a look on his face that I have never seen before; it was pure love. I watched my Uncle slowly stroke his thumb over the tattered picture as a single tear fell from his eye. He quickly wiped it away said:

"Scotty, I want you to find your reason, and promise me you will never let her go. Do not make the same mistake I made?"

I wasn't exactly sure what he meant by "reason", but I knew it was important, so I agreed with a nod. Little did I know, years later, I would find out what it meant...

Her name was Gianna. I couldn’t help but say her name over and over in my head; it sounded like heaven. She was the reason I loved Mondays. She was the reason I stayed at this small Marketing Firm when I could be making 20% more somewhere else. She was the reason I went to the copy machine without making a single copy, hoping we made eye contact. This "reason", unfortunately, barely knew I existed.

I moved to New York to follow my dream as a Marketing Director in a large Enterprise Firm, but ended up in a small startup just outside of Manhattan. Gianna was born and raised in Manhattan. I did not realize people grew up in the heart of the city, but if anyone looked and acted the part, it was her. I - on the other hand - was a country boy from Mississippi with old-fashion values, and I wanted to respect Gianna by not asking her out at work, as to not make her feel uncomfortable, plus, I was extremely green when it came to women. My best friends, Marco and Tino, also worked at the Firm and they loved to give me crap over my secret crush. I just prayed Gianna would not see them pick on me, but I would be surprised if she even noticed that much.

Gianna had the most beautiful black hair that hung just below her shoulder blades, and her eyes were as big as silver dollars; she looked like a Disney Princess. She was a New York woman through and through, and it was intimidating for a Mississippi boy like me, but I was intrigued. What was even more beautiful was her cherry-lipped smile, blushed cheeks, and kind heart. She lit up a room, but she lit up my heart more. The one thing that kept me hopeful was when Marco and Tino confirmed that she was single. I guess they heard that she turned down Mike Barnes in Accounting; something about him leaving love notes on her desk. That is what I mean about not being too pushy and making her feel uncomfortable. I wanted to be a gentleman, but how?

Tuesday morning came quick. Tuesdays were “Doughnut and Coffee Day”, and it was my turn to bring them this week. Everyone gathered around in the breakroom and discussed the weekend, and made small talk, which was just an excuse not to start work. I brought in special cake doughnuts because I remembered Gianna picking them out of the boxes when others brought them in. Sometimes she would sneak two and bring them back to her desk, and I would chuckle silently as I watched her disappear like a "doughnut ninja". I could not believe I worked up the courage to walk up to her and tell her that I bought all cake doughnuts so she did not have to sneak them. She looked at me surprised and embarrassed and walked quickly back to her desk. I wanted so badly to tell her that I was sorry, but the words evaded me. Even Marco came up to me after seeing the horrific flirting attempt, slapped me on the back, and said, "better luck next time, Scotty!" I wanted to crawl under a rock.

This wasn't my first failed flirting attempt. The other attempts were filled with stutters, tripping over objects, and running into walls as I walked by her. Still, not even the slightest reaction from her. I stayed consistent, though, hanging on to what my Uncle told me when I was a boy, and I persevered.

Wednesday came and went, Thursday flew by, and Friday arrived too quick. Friday was my least favorite day because there would be two days in a row where I would not be able to see Gianna. I must have really been sulking today because Tino came up to me and asked if I wanted to join a group of co-workers to celebrate the Firm ending a solid fourth quarter. We usually go to Jimbo’s Bar, a local watering hole, but the guys in Accounts Receivable wanted to celebrate at Santos on the Strip, a nice steak house downtown. Just as I agreed to go, Cheryl - the receptionist on Gianna’s team - mentioned that she was going to find Gianna and invite her too. I had a feeling Gianna would want to go because she was fond of their Red Wine selection, particularly the Merlot. Cheryl and Gianna talked wine all the time, and I knew Gianna was a connoisseur because I eavesdropped on her conversations. I loved learning new things about Gianna, even if I had to learn from afar.

I nonchalantly followed Cheryl into the breakroom where Gianna was gathering her food out of the refrigerator to take home for the weekend. I poured myself the last of the burnt coffee, (that I pretended to want), and managed to catch the tail end of the conversation. This is where I heard Gianna say she couldn't attend because was going on a blind date instead.

My heart stopped.

I could not believe my ears; this had to be a mistake! My brain repeated it over and over, “Gianna had a blind date". My face went flush, my hands turned clammy, and my anxiety turned to panic. I walked as calmly as I could out of the breakroom, as to not alert them that I had just died inside. I found Marco and Tino and grabbed both of their arms, pulling them into the stairwell. I tried to explain - between labored breaths - that Gianna had a blind date and wasn't coming with. They looked at me with surprising compassion and told me that a few drinks would cheer me up, and they would not take no for an answer. I hesitantly agreed and followed them out of the office like a sad little puppy dog.

The restaurant was packed. It took us over an hour to get there, but this is not Mississippi; I realize it takes that long to get anywhere in New York. Marco, Tino, and the rest of the group found a great big table in the back, but I signaled to them that I would be at the bar grabbing a drink. I reached the bar and motioned to the bartender. He probably sensed my desperation because he came over right away. I was in full self-pity mode. I glanced at his nametag and ordered a drink from my life-saving Bartender named Beau.

“Double Scotch on the Rocks, please", I asked impatiently.

“Rough day at work?”, Beau asked.

“Something like that”, I mumbled.

Beau laughed a little and pointed over to a couple sitting at a little table in the back, “at least you aren’t on a horrible first date like those two”, he said with a sarcastic tone. I glanced over only for the sheer fact that I wanted to make myself feel better through someone else’s misfortune.

“Gianna?!” I said out loud, completely confused.

“You know them?” Beau asked as he raised his eyebrows with intrigue.

“I work with the woman, she’s just a colleague”, I said with a lump in my throat the size of a softball.

“I think she’s more to you than that”, Beau said with a smirk as he wiped a wine glass clean.

I didn't even respond; I just looked back down at my scotch and swirled the melting ice around in the glass. I started to stand up when I heard Beau say to me, “she hasn’t even touched her wine, you know. The schmuck ordered 2-glasses of the cheapest White Wine on our menu, and he’s not even paying her any attention.”

My heart stopped for the second time today.

I looked at Gianna sitting there with another man. I started to feel as if my “reason” was slipping away from me when suddenly, my Uncle's voice popped into my head and reminded me of what he said years ago:

“Scotty, I want you to find your reason and promise me you will never let her go. Do not make the same mistake I made."

Without thinking, I reached into my jacket pocket for my wallet – exactly like Uncle Mark did – but instead of a picture, I pulled out my credit card and told him to deliver Gianna the best bottle of Merlot he carried.

“Are you sure, sir?” Beau asked as he cleared his throat. “That would be our $750 bottle of Bright Cellars Merlot.”

“Charge it; I have my reasons,” I said proudly.

I watched Beau walk to their table and carefully open the bottle. Gianna was stunned, and her date was even more confused, motioning to take it away. Beau happily pointed over to the bar where I was standing and said, “that man at the bar ordered it”. Gianna looked over and caught a quick glimpse of me as I turned to walk out of the restaurant, and her heart started to flutter.

“That was Scotty”, she said out loud, turning to Beau for a confirmation, as if Beau had known Scotty forever, and preceeded to ask, "why would Scotty do this for me?”

Beau leaned down to whisper in her ear, “A man always has his reasons”.

Gianna burst from her chair and started after the door. Beau gently grabbed her arm and said, “you will need these”. He handed her the wine bottle and two glasses. Gianna thanked him as she quickly continued for the door, leaving her date behind.

I was now 5 blocks from the restaurant when I heard a voice yelling my name. When I turned around it was Gianna.

“Why did you do that, Scotty, why would you buy me that Merlot?” she asked almost completely out of breath.

“Because a woman deserves to get her first choice, even if it is just her favorite wine”, I said while staring into her eyes.

Gianna stared back into mine and softly replied, “You were always my first choice.”

A few moments of silence passed…

Stunned, I asked, “Then why didn’t you say anything after all this time?”

“Because my Grandpa told me when I was young, ‘Gianna, wait for the man who gives you a reason to fall in love’.”

A single tear fell from my eye as I grabbed her cheeks and said, “You are my reason, and I could give you a thousand more reasons to fall in love if you let me".

We walked down the street holding hands; taking sips off the most expensive Merlot that either of us has ever had.

“I guess this ended up being a great date after all,” she said while squeezing my hand. We both laughed as we walked into the night.