Chapter 26: It Was Amazing

Once at home Laura was still floating on cloud nine.

“Those were three of the best dates of my life,” she exclaimed, “they were nothing short of amazing.”

Despite having had a wonderful time with each guy, she was no closer to settling on just one. She tried to imagine what life with each would be like with each one ten years from now. She lost herself in her fantasies, trying to picture what the future might hold.

# # #

First she thought about Don. Don was the quintessential ladies’ man; he was a magnet that attracted beautiful women. Even her best friend was not immune. Abandoning that lifestyle of going to night clubs frequently might be a culture shock and a challenge at first, if they committed to each other. Once he stopped clubbing as a patron, he might seek a more lucrative, consistent, and engaging profession as a pastime.

Based on what little she knew about him, his only skill sets had to do with the club scene. She would encourage him to do what he loved; maybe he would own and operate an exclusive night club in the city. For them to be successful he would have to be a nightly presence.

She’d come home from work at one of her three jobs, tired and looking forward to being a homebody with her mate, and he’d be out and about. She’d also have to put up with many women hitting on him all the time as a casualty of his work role.

They would hardly get to spend any time together. They would recycle the same arguments: she pushed him into this career but he embraced it and its perks, especially being too friendly with the ladies, 100%.

There’s only so much make up sex one could have. Eventually, the sex would get dull.

# # #

Next she considered life with Ricky. Ricky was already a new partner with his law firm and had serious demands on his time. When he was not practicing corporate law, he was spearheading pro bono projects and special events, like the concerts, in the community.

To get access to him she had to go through his assistant or, if she was lucky, she could try texting him. But unless it was urgent or X rated, there might be a long wait before she got a response. Going through his assistant to get to him as her employer was one thing. Having to do the same thing as his girlfriend, partner, significant other or, dare she say, loving wife and mother of his children left a bad taste in her mouth.

She would want for nothing financially, of course, but Ricky was a workaholic and getting quality time with him would always be a limited commodity on an as needed basis. What would that look like: a once a week date night; dinner at home with her and his children; showing up for black tie affairs where she was expected to attend, on his arm as a trophy wife, and hanging on his every word? But would he respond in kind?

She was a professional musician and music instructor. Would he attend her concerts with the orchestra or the string quartet? Would she be expected to make him her priority and put her career on hold indefinitely, like some kind of hobby with the needs of his job and his professional opportunities and rewards coming first?

He seemed like a progressive 21st century kind of guy, but when it came down to it, he was already involved with and committed to practicing law, which was quite a jealous mistress. Laura would always come second.

They might fight about it regularly. Eventually Ricky would spend more and more time dedicated to and at the firm and less and less with Laura until it would seem like he hardly spent any time with her at all. By this time, she could see them headed for divorce court and they had only had a couple of dates.

# # #

Finally she wondered what ten years would be like with Alex. No slouch in the romance department, life with Alex would have bonuses of quality time and delightful, creative dates, but only when he wasn’t consumed with writing a book or a screenplay. Red carpet movie premiers only came after months shut away in his home office writing. Laura thought this might be a lonely, unstable, and empty existence.

He would probably remain faithful to her and finance her needs and wants without question, but life with two artists in the house might lead to stepping on each other’s toes. He respected her as a cellist, but would he be willing to help out with the house work, cleaning, cooking, and laundry when it was her turn to shine as a first chair with the orchestra, an instructor bringing out the best in her students, or composer for the string quartet ?

With Alex, there was always the possibility that they could collaborate on a few projects that came across his desk as a screenwriter. He’d provide the words for the actors while she would score the music that functioned as the back drop for the films thanks to all of his cinematic contacts.

This might be okay in the beginning, but what if her art eclipsed his? Would he think that she only wanted him for what he could do for her? Would he eventually think that she was no better than the gold digger actresses that tried to seduce him for whom he knew and did not appreciate, respect, or love him for who he was?

He might become so quiet and introspective that she’d forget that he was even under the same roof if both of them became busy and consumed with their individual careers. After vows to love, honor and cherish, would they lead separate lives in private but as a Hollywood “it” couple in the public eye for appearances sake only? How dismal.

# # #


Her bleak look into the future revealed that whichever man she chose, she definitely wanted quality time with him. But...but it was six a.m. and the alarm was going off. Time to get ready for work. It wasn’t real. It was a horribly negative nightmare of worse case scenarios. She dreamed the whole thing, thank goodness.