The Trouble With Apples and Trees

Frick and Frack

"So, about the benefit I mentioned earlier," Reed says.

Tullisa lifts her eyes from her plate to look at him. Very briefly, she searches her brain and finds that the enthralling one-sided conversation which they'd had, where he'd spent at least twenty minutes regaling her with success stories of 'Dr. Reed Schumacher', escapes her.

The word benefit definitely rings a bell, however. But, as to the context in which it had been used or what it has to do with her? She has no clue.

Because she'd hate for Reed to learn the truth of this by reading the expression on her face, Tullisa brings her attention back to the pasta dish in front of her. She stuffs a forkful in her mouth to delay her response and answers with a soft and slightly guilty sounding, "mhm," anyway.

From his lengthy pause, she guesses that Reed must be waiting for her to make further comments on the subject. Unfortunately, she can't say anything more. At least not without giving away that she'd hardly kept up with a thing he'd said.

All the while that Reed had been sharing his stories, her mind had kept skipping back to Jesse and the night before.

Guilt turns the food in her mouth bitter.

To wash it down, as well as to keep her mouth busy for a little while longer, she brings her wine glass up to her lips and takes a deliberately slow sip, giving Reed no choice but to continue.

"I was wondering if you are any closer to making a decision," he explains.

Dammit, Tullisa thinks when her ploy to get him to reveal more fails.

"We only had that discussion a short time ago. I didn't think it would come around again so quickly," she replies.

Mentally, she gives herself a high five for the smart response and for buying more time until she can wheedle some information of him.

"Oh," Reed responds.

The disappointment in his answer quickly makes her lose faith in her ambiguous response. Afraid that he may have picked up on her cluelessness, Tullisa peeks up at him again.

"It's fine," he tells her. "I understand. It's a big decision to make."

He flicks his wrist where it's resting on the edge of the table and adds, "I suppose you can sleep on it and let me know tomorrow?"

Dammit again!

She bites down on her irritation with herself for allowing Jesse to continue messing with her head and priorities. She's also upset with Reed for being patient. If he were a brute or lacked manners or was anything other than a gentleman, then she would be able to give herself an excuse for not feeling anything for him. Furthermore, she's upset with life in general for putting her in this impossible situation. Here, in front of her, is this perfectly available, handsome and successful man showing interest in her and here she is moping over the loss of a love which had never been hers in the first place.

Although she's fairly certain that sleeping on it won't make an ounce of difference, Tullisa grumbles her reply through clipped teeth.

"Thanks," she says. "That would be perfect."

It would probably be better for her if she just came right out and told Reed the truth. However, she's determined to give herself until the end of their date to come clean. In the meantime, she'll try to sniff out what he means. If that doesn't work, she'll have that window to figure out a way to admit that she hadn't paid attention to a thing he'd said.