FIRST SIGHT

FIRST SIGHT

By

Sheila Trott

           “Tom will you please help Tia hang that wreath. She’s going to either break her neck or the wreath.”

           “Yes Ma’am. I’ll be right there.” Tom couldn’t stand the thought of helping Tia. All their lives she had ignored him as if he didn’t exist. Now she was back home the big ad exec and she was all about what good friends they always were.

           “Here Tia, let me help with that.”

           “Oh, thank you so much Tom. I knew you would rescue me, just like a knight in shining armor.”

           “Uh, huh.” Tom held the ladder steady so Tia could hang the wreath.

           “Tom did I tell you my colleague is coming into town later today? She has it all. She’s engaged to a wonderful man. He’s in the business, you know. She’s planning a destination wedding in Mexico. I can hardly wait.”

           Tom turned off his listening powers. He had heard the story too many times. He didn’t want to hear about Jessica’s success in love or life. He didn’t understand why Tia kept pushing Jessica in his face. Maybe she thought she could coax him into asking Tia out to show up Jessica just a little. Somehow Tom didn’t think he could compete with a man in the “business.”

           By late afternoon, town hall was decorated for the Christmas party. The town’s indoor tree would be lighted during the festivities. There would be loads of good food and fun. Tom was looking forward to it. He hoped Tia wouldn’t try to hang all over him.

           “Oh Tom,” Speak of the devil. “Are you ready to drive me to the airport to pick up Jessica and Dan?” Tom grumbled under his breath but said out loud. “I’m ready when you are.”

           “Good, let’s go. Wait until you meet Dan. He’s wonderful and he takes good care of Jessica.”

           Tom turned off his listening skill again on the way to the airport. Tia spoke nonstop about Jessica and Dan. Tom was just about to ask why when the airport came into view.

           “Oh I just know we are late. I hope they haven’t been waiting long.”

           “We are right on time. Stop worrying. Look there’s a couple that look out of place is that them?”

           Tia waved. “Yes, that’s them. Hurry up and get in line so we can get them out of the cold air.” Tom followed Tia’s instructions and within a few minutes he had smiled at the wonderful Jessica and shaken hands with the marvelous Dan.

           Tom didn’t see anything remarkable about Dan, who seemed to get many urgent phone calls. Now Jessica was another matter. She was beautiful. She had long black hair and dark brown eyes. Her smile was sincere, and she seemed to be enjoying herself. A couple of times, Tom looked in the rearview mirror at her and she smiled warmly at him. Suddenly he found himself if this executive beauty could fall for a small-town hardware store owner. He let his mind wonder.

           Tom was happy when he left the three travelers at the door to Tia’s parent’s house. Finally, he was free of the Jessica-Dan duo. He wouldn’t have to listen to anymore about them. But the bad part was he couldn’t see any way to get out of taking them all to the party. So he would be a taxi for tonight’s festivities. Surely Tia would have enough since not to talk about the perfect couple in front of them, but who knew what she would do?

           Tom left his home dressed in a black suit. He wore his favorite Christmas tie. It sported a Santa whose nose lit up. He arrived at Tia’s right on time but he “just had to come in and see what everyone was wearing.” Tom was glad Tia couldn’t see him roll his eyes.

           Okay so Dan was in a black dinner jacket and black pants. His tie, which probably cost as much as Tom’s suit, was a burgundy print. In Tom’s opinion he looked fine. Tia was fawing all over him and Dan seemed to be enjoying the attention.

           Jessica was definitely a looker. She was wearing a short, tight red cocktail dress. Her black hair was pulled up and curled in the back. She pooh-poohed all the attention Tia was giving her and seemed genuinely embarrassed by it. If he believed in love at first sight, Tom knew this was what it felt like.

Tia didn’t shut up during the drive to the town hall. She tried to talk business with Jessica but Jessica wasn’t interested, so Tia turned her executive interest to Dan who quickly got an important phone call. Tia seemed disappointed that she could talk about how important their jobs were, her’s more than anyone’s.

The party had just gotten started when they arrived. The local band was playing Christmas songs and people were milling around greeting each other. Tom tried to lose Tia, but she seemed to cling to him. Dan didn’t have that problem. He couldn’t stay off the phone long enough to dance with Jessica much less make small talk with townspeople.

Tom was trying to find a break from Tia to ask Jessica to dance when Tia whispered that he should ask her. Well, that was easier than he thought it would be.

Tom led Jessica to the dance floor. The song was slow and dreamy, He was taken with her perfume. It was soft, floral and totally feminine. It seemed to engulf him and her. The dance was too short, but Tom knew something not many folks knew. They saw that Dan and Tia dancing. Tia looked totally taken with Dan. His smile was smug.

“Looks like Tia and Dan have found each other.” Jessica said. “I hope they enjoy each other.” Tom and Jessica wove their way through the dancing couples. They picked up their coats on the way out.

“Where are we going, Tom?” Jessica asked.

“Do you trust me, Jessica.”

Jessica smiled, took Tom’s hand, put her head on his arm and said, “Always.”

In a few minutes they were in a barn behind the town hall. They went inside. There was a beautiful old sleigh. It was red on the outside and white on the inside. There were two white horses ready to pull it.

Jessica stared at it.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?”

“It is. Can we ride in it?”

“We sure can. Come on I’ll help you in.”

Once they were in the sleigh, Tom wrapped them in the buggy robe that was there. He took the reigns and maneuvered the horses out into the snowy night.

“Won’t someone need this to give rides later?” Jessica asked.

Tom loved the concern in her voice. “No. This is my sleigh. I brought it tonight in hopes we could take a ride.”

Jessica looked deeply into Tom’s eyes. Then her face lit up in a beautiful smile. “Oh Tom, this is so sweet. I love it.”

Tom motioned to Jessica’s hand. “I didn’t notice an engagement ring earlier. I thought you and Dan were planning your wedding.”

“We were until we were trapped together on the airplane today. It seemed Dan is nothing without his work. I want more out of life. So, I gave him the ring back and told him he needed someone besides me. I don’t think he was too hurt. I hoped that I would find someone soon who was ready to settle down and start a family and be just normal. Then I saw you. I think it was love at first sight.”

Tom smiled in the dark. He bent and kissed Jessica’s cheek. “We’ll make beautiful babies, won’t we?”

“Oh Tom, yes. Yes, we will. And you know what? I hope Tia and Dan get together. They deserve each other.”

“Speaking of which, we’d better get back to the party.”

The two rode back to town hall in silence. When they entered, they saw Tia and Dan sitting beside the food table. They were talking earnestly with each other. “He never talked to me like that.”

“Let’s find my folks.” Tom said.

Jessica and Tom found Tom’s parents and asked for a ride home. Once everyone was settled Tom said, “Oh by the way. Mom and Dad meet my future wife. It was love at first sight.”

THE END