Soup or Salad

Soup or Salad

You’ll never be short on Italian restaurants in New York. Even with plenty of them foolishly abandoning ship and heading down to Jersey, there’s still far more of them than grains of sand on the beach or pieces of trash in the subway. Regardless of how dime a dozen the joints can be, everyone has their favorite. From a crummy little hole-in-the-wall pizza joint nestled between a handful of other dying businesses in a strip mall to the more upscale Italian bistros always bustling with business.

David Callader sat somewhere in the middle, waiting patiently for his girlfriend. Milo’s Pizzeria started as a small pizzeria and evolved steadily over a generation and a half or so into a modest little Italian restaurant. The young man was sitting somewhere in the center of the dining room at a round table for two. Classical Italian opera music played over the speakers in any room corner, adding to the atmosphere. He was going over the laminated menu idly, already knowing what he wanted. From the side, he felt a pair of lips press against his cheek. Without looking, David immediately knew whose lips they were.

“Hey, beautiful.”

He greeted his girlfriend Casey with a smile. He reached across the table with his leg and gently kicked her chair out for her. The young blonde sat across from her boyfriend with an amused laugh at his antics. Her light blue eyes focused on his muddy brown ones.

“Sorry I took so long.”

She began somewhat breathlessly.

 “Classes ran A LOT longer than normal today, and you can’t get an Uber or Lyft or anything for shit in this city.”

Casey complained to her still-smiling boyfriend. He knew how much city living infuriated her. However, he wasn’t mad at her for being late. He couldn’t be. She always ran late, and this was considered early for her. Besides, he was just happy to see her.

“It’s fine, baby.”

David reassured with a smile.

“That’s why I just walk everywhere.”

He replied with an amused chuckle. Then he shifted the focus of their conversation back to her.

“How was class? You feeling better?”

He bombarded his beloved with a few questions while pouring some water from the pitcher on the table for them. 

“Classes were fine.”

She replied softly.

Casey smiled sheepishly at the latter question.

“ But…it turns out I wasn’t just sick.”

Casey elaborated, reaching across the table to grab her glass of water.

“It was morning sickness. We’re…I’m pregnant.”

She finally blurted out.

Dave froze up a bit, his brown eyes looking beyond her baby blues. Internally he cursed. They had always been so careful. But, nothing is for certain. Before he could open his mouth, a perky young brunette came to take their order.

“Hi, are we ready to order-?”

The waitress chirped before Casey immediately shook her head

“Give us a moment, please.”

Interrupts Casey. 

“But we’ll take some more bread for now.”

Casey hastily added.

The young woman serving them nods and trots off to get them their food.

“So…what do you want to do about this?”

David asked in a level tone.

“It’s your call, and I support you either way.”

Casey smiled softly.

“I know, and I love you for that. And…I want to do this with you. Start a family and all that crap.”

She said with a nervous smile.

“I mean, I’m graduating in a few weeks, and am almost guaranteed a job at some school in the city. Or we can move so you can be closer to your Dad’s office job? I mean, we need to move anyway since our apartment is way too fucking small for us and a baby.”

Suggested Casey. Her mind already working out various routes and scenarios for them and their new possible life.

“But that’s only if you want to, too. I don’t want you to think I’m trying to trap you or something like that.”

Dave was drinking his water, watching her lips as she spoke. He envisioned the lives she suggested for the three of them, and loved them. He knew the day he saw her in middle school that he wanted to be with her, until the end of time. He nodded in response. He shook his head immediately after she suggested trapping him.

“That’s not what I think.”

He reassured her.

“Now if this were back in high school-”

He began to joke. 

Casey scoffed a laugh. She balled up the little red cloth napkin she had draped on her lap and hurled it at him.

“You asshole!”

She giggled. 

“Let’s play it day by day for now.”

He countered as he caught his girlfriend’s improvised projectile.

“We don’t want to drive ourselves crazy uprooting our lives and stressing each other and the baby out.”

He suggested. As David spoke, he continued to keep a calm, level tone. He always managed to stay calm and collected, no matter what. He’s Casey’s anchor.

“Although getting out of the city and a little closer to work, and my parents would be great.”

He continued. 

Casey smiled as he expanded upon the foundation of their future.

“Then let's work on it.”

“Sure thing.”

David agreed

Their waitress came back with their bread.

“Are we ready to order?”

She asked in a chipper sing-song tone begging for tips.

Casey looked at her boyfriend.

“Wanna just split a dish of penne and vodka sauce?”

Dave nodded. The order was taken, along with their soft drinks, and she was off once again. Casey sighed a bit, rubbing the back of her boyfriend’s hand with her thumb.

“I can’t believe we’re having a baby.”

She said with an excited smile.

With David’s free hand, he broke two pieces of bread for them to snack on.

“Are you gonna love me when I’m all bloated and gross and pregnant?”

She asked with a worried frown.

“Of course.”

Dave replied almost immediately.

“I’ll never stop loving you.”

Casey giggled.

“Good answer, handsome.”