Mind the Gap | ✔️

May 10 @ 6:50 P.M.: Evan

First date.

The two words held me captive as I walked through South Station. It was the MBTA stop closest to Mastro's Ocean Club.

Pedestrians were busy threading their complex itineraries between the Greyhound terminals, the stairs leading underground, and the exits to the city.

Who knew how many of them were on their way to a first date?

Above the crowd, bold letters in garish orange and blue caught my immediate attention. Dunkin Donuts, they spelled. I had never realized the franchise was so abundant in the city. They advertised their carbs at every corner, doing their best to turn me into an addict.

Perhaps I should have invited Venus to grab some donuts at Dunkin's.

Would she like the Sugar Raised?

I shook my head no. Dunkin Donuts might have evoked a dimply smile from Braces, but Venus did not seem like that kind of girl. It would hardly be the wisest choice for a first date with her.

My first first date since Helen.

Dating Venus. The words had quite a ring to them.

A ring—and not the diamond-studded kind Braces was wearing when I had last seen her.

Was Braces a woman who could be bought with precious jewelry? She did not look the part. But Mister Chiseled Jaws did seem the type of guy who'd bribe a girl into his silken sheets. So maybe, she found macho males attractive.

Who cared? I most certainly did not. These two could tumble through these silken sheets of theirs as much as they wanted. They were no longer any business of mine.

Venus was.

And Venus was a Mastro's Ocean Club lady, not a Dunkin Donuts gal. And if she wanted Mastro's, she'd get Mastro's. Even if it was more than a mile's walk from the nearest MBTA station and might not offer a dessert better than the Sugar Raised.

And even if Mastro's might object to the smiley on my tie.

At least, Seaport was one of the few city districts that could easily be navigated on foot without making one feel like an idiot. It had decent sidewalks, lovely parks, and restaurants.

As I emerged from the station building and squinted at the evening sunlight, my phone rang in my pocket.

A thought made me freeze in my steps.

Was it Venus, balking?

No, it was Helen.

Curious, I took the call. "Yes, what is it?"

"Hey, it's Helen."

Her voice, surprisingly enough, had a friendly ring today. The kind of ring she used to snare bait with.

"Yes?" Phrasing the word with caution, I stopped at Summer Street, waiting for the traffic lights to put a halt to the endless flow of cars.

"I... There's a lot of noise on the line. Can you hear me well?"

"Yes. No problem, I hear you fine. It's just the noise of the traffic."

Mr. Ped Xing turned green, and I crossed.

"Traffic? Are you downtown?" she asked. "Going out?"

"Yes, I'm at Seaport tonight." It felt kind of nice to give her this news. For once, it was me who was enjoying the perks of being single again.

"Oh, great! Are you... getting together with the guys from the Institute?"

Someone was curious.

The thought of Helen being jealous made me grin. "Nope, it's no one you know."