Answering an Online Ad

I pulled into Frank and Linda's driveway around 6:40. I was late, because I didn't know the neighborhood and I'd missed the one right turn (the one they'd said to be careful not to miss, in their directions). I was nervous as hell, butterflies flew around in my stomach, but I got out of the car with the bottle of wine I'd brought, and walked up their driveway to ring the doorbell.

The door opened just as I reached out for it, and there was Linda, with a nervous little smile on her face. We saw you pull in,'' she explained.Come on in.''

I wiped my shoes and entered the house. She looked just like her picture from the ad, a little shorter than me, with long blonde hair and mischievous green eyes. She had on a pretty yellow dress that showed off her curves with more than a hint of cleavage. Frank came over as I closed the door and introduced himself. He too looked just like the picture; my height with dark hair and blue eyes. They both had damp hair; they must have just showered., and they both looked a little nervous and excited.

"Dinner's just about ready,'' he explained, taking my coat. "We're just putting it out on the table, so why don't you come and sit down.''

Linda had made a divine-smelling chicken marsala, and laid out the table with French bread and a spinach salad. Frank poured generous glasses of the wine I'd brought - a white wine, thankfully. I complimented them both on the food, and their house, and we sat down to eat.

Conversation over dinner stayed light. We talked about the weather and a little about sports, and I told them a little about what I do for a living; they followed suit. We all ate sparingly, though the food was delicious, since we were all a little edgy and didn't have much for an appetite.

We had a little ice cream for dessert, and when we finished, they cleaned off the table. "Just sit,'' they told me, "We'll take care of it.'' Then they disappeared into the kitchen for a little while.

When I'd answered their ad, we talked back and forth a bit, and decided that we would just plan to have dinner. If, after we'd gotten to know each other a bit better, they decided they wanted to take things further, they'd invite me to stay, and I could either accept or decline. Otherwise, I'd go home with a full belly and, we all promised, no hurt feelings.

They came back in a few minutes later, looking a little shy, and I nearly held my breath.

"Would you like another glass of wine,'' Linda asked. "And maybe a tour of the house?''