A couple hours later, Howard called.
“Hello?”
“Hi Sara. I talked to the manager at the University Club and he said he needed a new waitress so you can start tonight at six.”
“Oh that’s great Howard, thanks.”
“You’re welcome. Oh and I talked to Gil today. He’s sorry for what happened.”
“Oh okay. It’s all good then?”
“Yup, everything’s good.”
“Till later, Howard.”
“Till later, Sara.”
Sara hung up and called Gil on his cell phone.
“Grissom.”
“Hey doc.”
“Hi Sara, what did you find out?”
“I start tonight at six. So you want to hang out at the pier until around 4:30?”
“Yeah, sure. I’ll come by and pick you up.”
“Okay, I’ll be outside, just watch for me.”
Gil showed up ten minutes later in a midnight blue polo shirt, khaki shorts, white tube socks and sneakers. Sara thought the color blue on him looked heavenly.
“You look great doc. I love the color blue on you; it brings out the color in your eyes.”
“Thanks. You look good too.”
Sara was wearing a green baby doll t-shirt, black shorts, green scrunch socks and her black Chuck Taylor’s.
“Thanks.”
They walked the ten blocks from the school to the pier. When they got there, Sara got a frappucino and lit up a cigarette.
“I can get you some Nicorette if you want me to...”
“I’ll go get some. Let this be my last one, and then later on I’ll go buy it.”
“Okay.”
They talked for 45 minutes then walked to a local drugstore to pick up some Nicorette. Gil ended up insisting he pay for it so Sara let him. She put a piece in her mouth and started chewing.
They walked to the Wharf and watched the boaters and the fishermen.
“Hey Sara, have you ever fished?”
“No I haven’t, why?”
“Maybe we could do that depending on your work schedule?”
“Yeah that sounds like fun! I’ll let you know what my schedule is when I get it.”
“Okay.”
At 4:30 Gil dropped her off.
“I’ll see you later Sara.”
“Okay. I’ll call you when I get home. You gonna be up?”
“Yeah I should be. What time do you get off shift?”
“Midnight.”
“Yeah, for you I’ll wait up.”
“Okay, later doc.”
“Later Sara.” Gil wanted to kiss her but he figured he better not after all that he said about them being just friends. Besides, if anyone saw him on campus kissing her, he would get in trouble again.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sara’s shift started at 6:00. It was now 9:00 and she was doing really well with tips. She already made $100 in 3 hours from professors that knew her and from the Dean. She found out that she gets to keep all tips and she makes $3 an hour on top of that. She wondered why she didn’t try waitressing before.
Gil decided that he would come in for a drink, so he found the nearest table to where he saw her waiting and sat down.
“Hi, would you like a men... Doc?” Sara looked up from her notepad and smiled wide.
“Hi Sara. I’d like a martini please.”
“Shaken, not stirred?” Sara joked.
“Why not? Carpe diem, I always say.”
“Since when?”
“Since just now. How’s it going tonight?”
“I’ve made $100 in tips in only three hours!” Sara whispered.
“That’s great! Now you can treat me to dinner next time.”
Sara laughed, and went to get his martini. When she came back, she asked if he wanted a menu.
“No, just the drink thanks. Go back to work.”
“Okay, I’ll see you later.” Gil coming in made her evening.
Sara took a break and she popped over to his table and sat down beside him. “I have a 15 minute break so I figured I’d come over. The Dean himself tipped me $20!”
“That’s wonderful Sara. You are a natural at waitressing but don’t make it your day job.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Nothing bad, Sara. You want to be a CSI someday, remember?”
“Of course. I just am doing this to make extra money.”
“Do your parents pay for your dorm room?”
“My parents both died a few years ago. Howard has been taking care of my room since I started college four years ago.”
“I’m sorry to hear about your parents.”
“It’s quite all right. They were abusive anyhow.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah. It’s not something I like to talk about.”
“I can understand. So, did you get your schedule yet?”
“Yes. I work six days a week from 6 to midnight. Thirty-six hours a week is pretty good, especially if I can rake in $100 each night.”
“I’ll say. That’s wonderful! Like I said, you can take me out next time.”
“I sure will. I’ll treat you to lunch tomorrow – the House of Beijing at noon?”
“That’s a deal. Then we can go fishing.”
“Excellent. Well, my break is over so I’ll see you at noon tomorrow!”
“You’ll see me earlier than that.”
Sara looked at him puzzled. “What?”
“I’ll meet you here at midnight. I want to make sure you’re safe walking home.”
“I can take care of myself doc.”
“There are a lot of creeps that roam the campus at night. I will be here at midnight.”
“Okay doc, I’ll see you then.”
Sara got up from her table and waited some more tables. Gil paid his bill and didn’t come back until midnight when her shift was over.
“Doc, I made $200 in tips tonight!” Sara whispered so nobody could hear her.
“I knew you could do it. I bet you had fun too.”
“Yeah, it was great to talk to my professors, old and new, and I got to see a couple friends as well that I haven’t talked to in a long time.”
“Tomorrow is going to be a fun day, you’re going to love fishing and I get to have a meal paid for by you!”
Sara playfully punched him in the arm as they walked the campus back to her dorm.
When they got to her door, Sara and Gil stood by the door, looking intently in each other’s eyes.
“Would you like to come in for a few? I have some wine if you’d like some...”
“Sure, but only for a few minutes. I have class in the morning.”
They both went into her small room that was filled with rock posters, a photo of her, Micky, and three other guys standing in a large room around instruments, and science and forensic journals on her coffee table. She poured them both a glass of wine and they sat down on her loveseat.
“Thanks for walking me home, doc, I really appreciate it.”
“It’s not a problem. I can do that for you every night if you would like.”
“Sure, I did feel safer walking home.”
There was an unnerving silence for a few minutes. Then Gil moved over and planted a passionate kiss on her lips.
“Whoa, what was that for doc?”
“Sara, I’m sorry.” Gil backed away.
“It’s okay doc. I knew you still felt for me.”
“I do, but I can’t act on it. If only you were older.”
“I just don’t get why that matters to you so much.”
“It’s unethical.”
“No it’s not. We are two consenting adults.”
“Sara... I want you so badly. I think about you night and day. I have never felt this way about a woman before, not even my ex.”
“I think about you all the time too. Let’s not fight this. Stay here tonight.”
“You can’t tell anyone, not even Howard this time. It has to be a secret, only because of my job here.”
“I understand doc. It will be a secret. Just make love to me.”
They went over to the bed and made love. Afterwards, they took showers and slept together in her bed.
~~~~~
At 8:00 Sara awoke by herself. Gil got up at six to get back to his apartment to change for his 8:00 class. Sara looked and found a note on the spot he occupied the night before.
“My dear Sara,
Last night was perfect. If I didn’t have class this morning I would have woken you up and made passionate love to you. Alas, all I have are sweet memories of the night before. Tonight after I pick you up we will be at my apartment. I have a roomy queen sized bed that we can share. Since it will be Friday night we can sleep in. I will make breakfast for you my princess.
Sara, I want you to know that I love you and that this will be the best summer of my life. Always remember me.
Love,
Doc”
Sara started to cry after reading the heartfelt letter from her lover. She got dressed, made a cup of coffee and had a breakfast Danish.
Two hours later, there was a knock on the door.
“Doc!”
“Sara, are you ready for your big day of fishing?”
“Yes.”
As they walked down to the pier, Sara and Gil talked, fishing gear in hand.
“Doc, that was a beautifully written letter you gave me.”
“It’s how I feel. So what would you like for your breakfast?”
“An egg and toast.”
“Okay, how would you like your egg?”
“Over medium. For the toast, I’d like wheat.”
“Anything for you, my dear.”
They sat down at the edge of the pier and Gil helped Sara cast her line out into the bay. He then cast his line out and they sat waiting.
“Is this all we do is wait? I thought this was going to be fun!” Sara pouted.
“It is fun. Wait until you get something tugging on your line.”
“Okay.”
They sat in silence for a good hour before Sara’s line tugged.
“Doc, I got something!” Sara excitedly stated.
“Okay, now you pull in the line slowly.”
Sara did as she was told and a flounder appeared at the other end of the fishing rod.
“You can either keep it so we can have it for dinner or you can throw it back.”
“You mean we’d have to kill it??? No thank you!”
She took the fish off the hook and threw it back into the bay.
“You know, fish is a good energy source...” Gil winked.
“I know, but I can’t possibly kill a fish. Why do you think I’m a vegetarian?”
They spent another hour fishing and they threw in one other fish. It was noon and time for lunch.
“My treat!” Sara said.
They went and ate at the House of Beijing. Sara had the Vegetable Delight with rice and Gil had Chicken Lo Mein. They drank green tea and had pleasant conversation. While they were eating, Micky walked in with another girl. He spotted the couple and they walked over.
“Hi Sara, Dr. Grissom.”
“Please call me Gil, or doc, as Sara likes to call me.”
“Okay, doc. This is Mandi. Mandi, this is my good friend Sara and our professor, Dr. Gil Grissom.”
The tall, blonde haired, curvaceous woman with brown eyes waved and said, “Hi, nice to meet you!” to both Sara and Grissom.
“Hi, Mandi, nice to meet you too.” Sara said.
“Care to join us?” Gil asked.
“Sure.”
They both sat down across from each other; Micky sat next to Gil and Mandi sat next to Sara.
“So Mandi, what are you majoring in?” Sara asked.
“I’m majoring in Journalism.”
“That’s great. What year are you in?” Gil asked. “I’m in my first year. I decided to start early, they happened to offer a class so I jumped in and took it.” She eagerly said.
“That’s wonderful. So how did you meet Micky?” Sara asked.
“At one of their shows. I love their music, I have seen them ten times already.”
“Cool! I got to see them practice and they have wonderful music.”
“They are hoping to have a CD out soon.”
“I know.” Sara stated.
They talked for a while and Micky and Mandi excused themselves so they could grab a bite to eat.
Before he left, Micky asked Sara outside for a minute.
“So what do you think?” He asked. “Oh and what are you doing back with him? Did you two make up?”
“Yeah, we straightened everything out and we are officially back together, but we have to watch it. She’s sweet, and she seems pretty gung ho about her studies.”
“She is. She graduated first in her high school class, she’s very intelligent.” Micky bragged.
“So are you two going out?”
“Yeah, I’m glad I ran into you because I was going to give you a call and ask you to come over to the Pad so you could meet her.”
“You don’t need my approval, Mick.”
“You happen to be one of my best friends Sara, so yes, I wanted your approval. I’m glad you like her, because I really do.”
“I’m glad that you like her, and I hope that she feels the same.”
“She does. We’ve gone out three times and we have talked for hours each time. I can’t get over how smart she is, and she has a wicked sense of humor!” Micky grinned from ear to ear.
“Well, we should get back to our dates, don’t you think?”
“Yes we should. It’s cool, she knows you and I are good friends, so don’t feel like you are intruding. One more thing, can you rejoin the class? I miss you.”
“It’s already late July, so no can do. Besides, I’m loving my job and making good money. Okay?”
“Yeah you’re right. It’s just not the same without you there.”
“You’ve managed okay so far.”
They went back in and Grissom and Sara left after she paid the bill. They walked back to her dorm room so she could pick up necessities for the whole weekend. They then walked to Gil’s apartment and she placed her things in his room.
“Sara, kiss me.”
They passionately kissed, and Gil laid her down on the bed.
“Mmmm, doc, make love to me.”
“Sara, can you call me by my given name?”
“Why, don’t you like it when I call you doc?”
“It’s okay but I would love it if you called me Gil.”
“Okay...Gil.”
At 5:30 Sara let herself out of the apartment and walked to work. Gil said he’d meet her at midnight to walk her back to his place.
She had another good night; she made $300 in tips. Gil picked her up at midnight and they walked to his apartment where she spent the weekend holed up with him.
Meanwhile, Micky and Mandi were getting along real well. They went out quite a few times and Micky was ready to take it to the next level.
“Mandi, I was wondering, how do you feel about our relationship?”
“I feel really good about it. I think we connect well in a lot of ways. Why?”
“Well, I hope you don’t think this is too forward but I want to take it to the next level.”
“You do? We have only really been out two weeks now.”
“I know but we’ve talked for hours each day. It’s like I’ve known you all my life. Do you feel that way with me?”
“I do. I just think we should wait.”
“Okay, no problem. I really like you though. In fact, I’m falling for you.”
“I am too.”
They spent the rest of their date walking along the beach hand in hand in silence.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
August 28th approached quickly, it was Sara and Grissom's last day together. He had to leave at 10:00 and she had to be at Howard’s office to get her new schedule.
“Saying goodbye is not going to be easy Gil.” Sara sniffed into his shoulder.
“I know my love. I’m going to miss you. You have my email right?”
“Yes I do. I will email you on the University computer when I can. I’ll be sure to call you as much as I can too.”
“Are you going to visit me at Christmas?”
“I hope to. In fact, I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
“Good. We’ll exchange gifts Christmas morning and it will be heavenly.”
They hugged each other tightly before Gil had to let go. “I love you Sara.”
“I love you too. Give me one last kiss.”
They kissed passionately and then broke away. “I’ll miss you.”
“I’ll miss you too.”
“See you at Christmas.”
“Okay.”
She waved as he drove away in his Lexus. The tears streamed down her face and she ran inside to her bed and cried before she went to see Howard.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The emails started out daily, but soon faded away by mid semester when her studies took over her life. She never did visit him at Christmas because Howard and Margie invited her to their house for the week. The phone calls ended also when she had to tell him that she wouldn’t be there for the holiday. It broke his heart but he knew that her studies and her life had to come before they did.
Chapter 2
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