Second Chance Read Online Free PDF Page A

to a woman’s heart.” She
laughed. “Especially one like this. Although, you know, Patrick, chocolate
could have done the job. You didn’t need the ring.”
    They were
laughing when their waiter approached to announce their table was ready. He
showed them to their table and apologized for their wait. He also pointed to a
screen and explained that the private party was larger than expected and
screens were placed close to their table. He apologized for any inconvenience
while he handed them their menus, then took their drink orders.
    Everyone ordered
sake except for Sue. Sue was seated across from Michael while Katie and Patrick
sat across each other.
    “So, tell me Sue.
You don’t smoke. You don’t drink, and you don’t have casual sex. So… What do
you do for fun?” Michael asked, placing his menu on the table.
    Patrick and Katie
exchanged looks then turned their heads to Sue, waiting for her reaction.
    “Well, Michael,
first of all I don’t have to smoke or drink to enjoy life,” she replied.
“Secondly, how do you know I don’t have casual sex, which ,” she said
with emphasis, “is none of your business and lastly, I read for fun.”
    “Really?” Michael
replied, leaning toward her. “And what do you read?” he asked.
    “Comics,” she
replied in a mater-of-fact tone. Michael laughed.
    Katie and Patrick
looked at each other again. Grinning, they returned their attention to their
menus.
    “You’re lying
again, aren’t you?” Michael asked Sue.
    “Lying? Again?”
    “There is no such
country called Hmong.”
    “I could have
told you that.”
    “But you told me
Hmong was a country between China and Mongolia.”
    Sue shrugged.
“Had you asked me if Hmong was a country, I’m pretty confident I would have
told you the truth.”
    “Pretty
confident? You suffering from chronic lying?”
    “I’m afraid so.
‘Tis an affliction I suffer from since meeting you. Don’t worry though, it’s
not contagious.”
    “Is there a cure
to, ah, this affliction of yours?” Michael asked grinning.
    “I’m afraid not.”
    “Surely there
must be treatments to ease my discomfort?”
    “There is
actually,” she said smiling sweetly.
    “Oh? And what
might that be, doctor?”
    “Ask me no
questions and I’ll tell you no lies,” she quoted, still smiling.
    “Touché,” Michael
said as he leaned back into his chair. “Touché.”
    While this
conversation was going on between Sue and Michael, Katie and Patrick watched in
amazement. No woman had ever talked to Michael this casually, and Katie was
still surprised to find her friend flirting. Although Sue and Michael kept
their tone formal and businesslike, as if they were discussing an actual
disease, they were smiling and relaxed the whole time. Katie and Patrick
exchanged more looks, not that Sue or Michael noticed.
    The rest of the
evening passed pleasantly with conversations of wedding plans.
    “Michael, will
you remember me in a week?” Sue asked unceremoniously as they finished their
dinner.
    “Yes,” he said,
sipping his sake.
    “Will you
remember me in a month?”
    “Yes,” he said,
placing his sake on the table.
    “Will you
remember me in a year?”
    “Yes,” he said,
wondering where she was heading with these questions.
    “Knock, knock.”
    “Who’s there?” he
answered automatically without thinking.
    “So much for
remembering me,” Sue said solemnly. Then she burst into laughter at the look of
disbelief on Michael’s face. Michael’s lips slowly formed a lazy grin then his
shoulders shook with laughter.
    Katie laughed and
Patrick choked on his sake. Some sake from Katie’s cup splattered onto Sue’s
white cardigan and her dress. Katie apologized and handed napkins to Sue at the
same time Michael handed his napkin to Sue. Sue automatically took the napkin
from Katie. She didn’t notice Michael’s gesture.
    “Did you learn
that one from your comics?” Michael asked as he retracted his hand.
    “Of course,” Sue
replied,