Chapter 11

Nora

“Hi baby!” Nora squealed in a pitch at least an octave higher than her natural register as she walked through her front door on Tuesday evening, arms full of bags and keys dangling precariously from her fingers. 

Being the mother of a cat was so often a test, not only in patience, but in balance as well. Tony weaved through Nora’s legs in bouncing figure-eights as he meowed so loud she was positive her elderly neighbor, Mr. Francis would start pounding on their shared wall for her to quiet down any second now.

If she stood still for even a second too long, little gray paws tapped her on the hip. Small, but painful claws sinking into her flesh as the adorable demon she had raised from the time he was barely big enough to climb into his own litter box, begged and screamed for food as if he’d never known a proper meal in his entire life.

“Oh my goodness, you’re so dramatic!” Nora sighed as she set her bags down on the counter in her kitchenette. She picked Tony up, ruffling the fur on top of his head as he purred in her ear. She pulled two cans of cat food out of one of the grocery bags on the counter and held them out for Tony’s approval. 

Once she dished up his chicken and gravy dinner, she got to work unboxing her own food. 

At least once a week—if not more—Nora ordered from her favorite Chinese place around the corner. Her mouth practically watered as she spooned out heaps of fried rice and orange chicken and stacked two huge, crispy egg rolls on top of each other along the edge of the plate.

Nora settled into the 199o-something, pink floral loveseat her Gran had passed down to her when she moved into her tiny Brooklyn studio and grabbed the TV remote. But just as she queued up the latest true crime documentary Charlie kept begging her to watch, her phone buzzed on the cushion next to her.

“Hey! I was just thinking about you. I’m about to start that documentary you were talking about the other day. The one with the guy that killed his wife.”

Charlie snorted on the other end of the line. “Babe, you’re gonna have to be more specific. That’s like, ninety percent of the docs out there right now.”

“Yikes.” Nora winced. 

Changing the subject quick enough to give Nora whiplash, Charlie got right on with her reason for calling. “What are you doing in approximately four weeks, three days and… ahh… about two hours?” 

“Probably exactly what I’m doing right now. Sitting on my couch in front of the TV about to eat dinner,” Nora replied dryly.

"Incorrect, my dear!” Charlie warbled. “You will, in fact, be picking up your favorite cousin from the airport, where you will then show her around your bustling city and treat her to the finest street hotdogs a few dollars can buy!” 

“Oh hell yes!” Nora exclaimed excitedly. “I’m so excited you’re finally coming to visit! I need to figure out what we’re going to do. I should get Broadway tickets. I’ll send you a list of some good shows! And we’ll have to go to the Statue of Liberty. And I know you’ll want to do the Empire State Building, but I’ve actually heard Top of the Rock is better. I’ll look into both and send you the details. Oh! What about-”

“Calm down, tour guide. We’ve got plenty of time to plan out our itinerary. I was going to surprise you actually, but I didn’t want you to make plans with your hot, rich girlfriend instead.” 

“Shut up,” Nora said with a laugh and an eye roll. “She’s not my girlfriend.”

“Maybe not yet, but I’m sure a month from now, you’ll be packing up your Lesbian Uhaul and shacking up in her giant fancy apartment.”

“I hate you,” Nora giggled.

“You hate that I’m right.”

“You’re not right! Olivia and I slept together one time!”

“Yeah, but you like her,” Charlie needled. “You’re really not very subtle about it.”

“Whatever.” Nora couldn’t think of anything else to say. Of course Charlie was right. Nora really liked Olivia. Like she, like-liked her. A lot! But she wasn’t about to admit that to Charlie. If anything, she wasn’t going to give her the satisfaction of being right. At least not yet. 

Nora thought for a moment if she wanted to tell Charlie about the date she and Olivia had planned for this weekend. Who am I kidding? Of course I’m going to tell her. 

“She did ask me to go out with her this Friday, though,” Nora admitted. 

“What?!” Charlie screeched, sounding more bird than human. “Why are you only just now telling me? Where are you going? What are you two doing? What are you wearing?”

Nora laughed. She waited, letting Charlie be Charlie, as she rattled off every question that ran through her mind. 

“You done?” Nora asked at the first break in Charlie’s stream. 

“Yes! Tell me everything!”

“Well, she’s out of town right now. She said that when she gets back in a couple days she wants to take me on a real date. But I don’t know where we’re going or what we’re doing. She hasn’t told me yet.”

“Ah! That’s so adorable and disgusting and romantic!” Charlie said with a dreamy sigh.

“I know. I’m excited!” Nora admitted, glad they weren’t on a video call so Charlie couldn’t see the dopey grin on her face. 

“Because you love her!” Charlie teased.

“Charlotte! Stop!” Nora scolded, but she couldn’t keep the laughter out of her voice. 

Just then, a beep sounded in Nora’s ear. She looked at her phone and her heart instantly sped up as she saw the name on the screen.

Olivia. Speak of the devil!

“Char, I gotta go! I’m getting another call.”

Charlie gasped in Nora’s ear. “Is it her? It is, isn’t it?”

“Bye!” Nora yelled into the phone before hanging up on her cousin to accept Olivia’s call. 

“Hello?”

“Hey Nora, it’s Olivia.” 

Nora’s heart fluttered in her chest at the sound of her name on Olivia’s lips.

  “Hi,” Nora replied sweetly.

“What are you up to-” 

“How’s Atlanta-”

Both women laughed softly as they accidentally spoke over each other. 

After an awkward beat, Olivia answered Nora’s question.

“Atlanta’s pretty good, considering it’s a work trip. You know, I’ve been lucky enough to travel to a lot of places, but I’ve never spent any real time in The South,” Olivia said.

“Really?” Nora asked. “And what’s the verdict so far? How are you finding it down in my neck of the woods?”

Sighing, Olivia mused, “Well, the heat and these damn mosquitoes are an absolute nightmare-”

“Correct,” Nora interjected with a small giggle. She nodded her head in agreement, even though Olivia couldn’t see her. 

“...But the food?” Olivia continued. “It one thousand percent makes up for every last bug bite and drop of sweat I’ve endured. I mean, it’s like I’ve never truly tasted food before. I’m telling you, my eyes have been opened. I’m a new woman.”

Nora could hear what sounded like the ruffling of sheets in the background. She imagined Olivia casually reclining across her hotel bed, long legs stretched out over the clean white comforter. The thought made her smile.

“They have this thing here - you’ve probably never heard of it—fried chicken—I hope I’m pronouncing that correctly…” Olivia trailed off, a heavy helping of sarcasm coating her smooth voice. “Incredible!”

Nora couldn’t help but laugh and play along, the easy confidence Olivia exuded, even over the phone, turning her into a giggling idiot. 

“You know, you’re right. I can’t say that I’m familiar with that one. Tell me everything!” she said as she pulled her knees up to her chest, resting her head on the back of her couch.

“Well, I’m certainly no chef, but it’s my understanding that they actually take the flesh of a chicken, bread it and fry it.”

“You don’t say,” Nora responded with another chuckle. “You know, now that you mention it, I think I may have a pretty good recipe for this fried chicken laying around somewhere…”

“Aah… you cook?” Olivia asked, sounding impressed. 

“Now, Ms. Andersen,” Nora replied, dropping the bit. “I’m not one to subscribe to traditional gender stereotypes, but what kind of good Southern woman would I be if I didn’t know how to fry up some chicken?” she continued with mock offense and a wide smile on her face. “My Gran would have a heart attack on the spot if she knew someone was out here questioning my skills.”

Olivia laughed, deep and jovial. “Well, I wouldn’t want to upset your Gran! Can’t make a bad first impression.”

The thought of introducing Olivia to her family popped into Nora’s mind. Taking her down to Louisiana to meet Charlie and Dad and Gran. The thought of giving her a tour of her childhood home. Laughing and flushing with embarrassment as Gran pulled out scrapbooks of Nora, taking Olivia through her entire life in pictures. Everything from her first steps, to prom, to her college graduation.

Jesus, what the hell am I thinking? It hadn’t even been a full week since whatever this was between them started and she was already fantasizing about bringing Olivia home to her family? This was insane!

Nora shook her head as if it were an Etch-A-Sketch that she needed to clear so she could reset her mind. Stop it from falling too deep into delusion. 

“So, your grandmother taught you to cook?” Olivia asked.

“Yeah, she always used to say, ‘Your mama can’t tell the difference ‘tween the kitchen and the outhouse,’” Nora said, falling back into her natural accent to channel her best impression of Grandma Eleanora. “So she was over the moon when I took an interest in cooking. It was mostly because she let me snack on the ingredients while we worked, but it was fun, and Gran’s always been one of my favorite people, so it was nice just to spend time with her.”

“That’s really sweet,” Olivia said sincerely. “Unfortunately, I’ve become a true New York stereotype. I just about exclusively use my oven for storage these days.” She let out a small, breathy laugh that made Nora’s chest flutter. “I’m afraid you’ve already experienced the extent of my kitchen prowess with my apartment-renowned ‘Morning After Bacon and Eggs’”

Nora laughed into the phone as she thought back to the morning they shared breakfast in Olivia’s apartment - well, most of breakfast, that is - until Olivia received her strange phone call.

"Well, you’ll have to let me cook for you sometime,” Nora said, her voice turning a bit husky and more seductive than she meant for it to sound, but she decided to go with it. “Maybe I can teach you a thing or two…” she trailed off, pulling her bottom lip between her teeth. 

”Yeah?” Olivia asked in a breathy sigh. “I’m gonna have to take you up on that some-”

Before Olivia could finish her thought, Nora heard Whitney’s voice in the background. “Liv, are you ready for dinner?” 

Olivia let out a frustrated groan. “I have to go. I’m sorry,” she offered apologetically. “I swear, the next time I see you, I’m taking you somewhere we won’t be interrupted,” she chuckled. 

“Hmm… Where’s that gonna be?” Nora asked.

“Not sure yet,” Olivia mused. “But I’ve got a few ideas I’m working on.”

Nora giggled. "Well, I can’t wait to see what you come up with.” 

“I can’t wait to see you again,” Olivia said. The sincerity in her voice nearly knocked the wind out of Nora. 

“Me too,” was all Nora was able to squeak out. “Bye, Olivia.”

“Goodbye, Nora.”

Nora sat there for a moment after she hung up the phone, her heart fluttering in her chest. 

She knew she was on the precipice of falling for Olivia. Hell, she already had, if she were really being honest with herself. There was just something about her, some kind of magic she possessed that made Nora feel instantly at ease. Comfortable in a way she had never felt with anyone before. 

With a smile, Nora reached to pick her plate up from the coffee table. She pressed play on her show and savored the first few bites of her dinner. Her food was cold now, but she barely noticed.