The Man on the Balcony

Chapter 2-1

Chapter 2

“You know what you need to do,” Norma said Saturday afternoon, during a lull between customers—most of whom had only been looking.

“No. Tell me oh great and wise one,” Mark replied.

“Yeah, tell him,” Sara said. “I want to know, too.” She was the shop’s costumer—and sometimes helped on the floor when it got busy.

“Have a party.” Norma looked at him, nodding hard. “A small one.”

“It would be real small,” Mark commented. “You, Sara, your boyfriends, and me.”

“Come on. You know more people than just us. What about guys from the gym you go to sometimes? Or, hmm…”

“First off, I don’t know anyone from the gym, other than to say ‘hi’ to. I sort of know a couple of the people from the coffee shop across the street, but not well enough to invite them to a party.”

“What about the cute kid who works there most mornings?” Sara asked. “He rented a costume at Halloween and an elf for Christmas. And…” She grinned. “He made sure you were the one who waited on him.”

Mark nodded. “Bert. He only did it because he wanted a guy helping him and it was me or Roger.” Roger was one of three temps Mark always hired for busy holidays.

“See, you can invite Rog, Ellie, and Helena, too.” The women she mentioned were the other regular temps. “That would make nine, with Bert. Eleven if you count Ellie and Helena’s husbands.”

“Maybe,” Mark replied hesitantly. “I suppose it isn’t a bad idea. Let me think about it.”

Norma winked at Sara. “Told you he’d go for it.”

“Why do I have the feeling I’ve been set up?” Mark asked, laughing.

“Because you have been,” Norma replied. “Come on, Mark, it would be fun. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy. Beer and pizza.”

“Next Saturday, after work,” Sara said. “Your place is big enough, isn’t it?”

“I guess. What the hell. Why not? It’s not like I’ve got anything else going on,” Mark replied. Unless Todd…No. If he does call, I’ll tell him I’m busy and it won’t be a lie. He pointed at Norma, saying what he’d been thinking. “You’re hoping he’ll call to tell me he’s coming into town.”

She shrugged. “The thought did cross my mind. If he does, the party would be first step to severing your relationship, since you know he won’t want to come to it. If he doesn’t call? Hey, you’ll be doing something fun with people you like. Won’t that be worth it?”

“Yeah, it will. Okay, you talked me into it.”

Norma pumped her fist. “Score one for the home team.”