Date night

At 6:00 Friday evening you’re standing outside the recently-patched hole in the side of the parking garage. (You’ve actually been there since 5:30; no way you’re going to be late for this!) You’re wearing your grey suit – which happens to be your only suit, but at least it’s nice and fits you well – over a dark blue shirt with an open collar.

You’re trying your hardest to look cool and casual, something you’re normally fairly good at, but you suspect you’re not doing a great job. You’ve spent the last few days trying to convince yourself that what you think happened actually happened, all while alternating between being terrified she won’t show up, and terrified that she will.

“Ahem,” you hear a voice behind you and turn. Standing there is a tall brunette wearing an emerald green dress with a blue-green scarf over her bare shoulders. Her long black hair is piled stylishly on top of her head, above a face that is…mostly hidden behind an enormous pair of ugly square-rimmed tortoise-shell glasses. She’s a very attractive woman, and the stylish dress highlights an impressive figure without being too revealing; but honestly it’s hard to see anything other than the glasses.

“I’m just realizing I don’t know your name,” she says in a level voice.

“I’m sorry,” you stammer, “Can I help you miss…?”

“It’s me.” She gives a small, confident smile. “Diana.” She reaches up and takes off the glasses and it suddenly dawns on you.

“Diana!” you say a little too loudly. “Right! You’re…you’re you!” You feel yourself starting to babble and **** yourself to stop. You try to remind yourself that you’re the one in charge here. (Which was admittedly much easier to do when she was tied up!)

Diana’s smile gets wider but not warmer. “You were expecting perhaps something more colorful?” She poses with one hand on her hip, clearly enjoying seeing you off balance for once. “I can change if you wish. But you should know that trying to go on a date in my work clothes is rather problematic. It tends to attract a great deal of attention, not all of it good. Nor is it conducive to conversation, if you do indeed want to…discuss things as you said.”