Their first encounter

They had seen each other that morning. So what was different. They had seen each other every morning. She in the pale blue nursing assistant outfit. He in his blue uniform pants and shirt. Both of them worn symbols of night work in the city. He worked in the bank building, scrubbing, stripping and waxing, maintaining floors. She worked in the clinic across the street, leading people in the emergency room to the cubicles, taking blood pressure, temperature, weighing them, cleaning up the mess they left behind. 1

So, what was it that morning. He sat sipping coffee and reading, while she danced around in a little circle, holding her MP3 player headphones to her ears. The early morning sunlight emerging over the edge of a building, when the bus came to the stop. He got up and followed behind her, still stuck deep in his book, her, still dancing in her own little world, up the steps of the bus and sat down beside her, unaware, for the most part, that she was there.2

She hummed to the music and he set his cup down between the two of them. Almost playfully, she grabbed it up and took a swallow. As he looked over, wondering why she did that, she smiled at him.3

"You use to much sugar in your coffee." she said, taking another swallow.4

"I use sweet n low", he replied, taking the cup back and sipping.5

"That's bad for you, don't you know", she said grabbing the cup and drinking again.6

"Well, then why are you drinking it? And, why are you drinking mine? Get your own." he smiled and made a grab for the cup.7

"I intend on getting my own." she winked. "I live in the same building you do. What do you say, we have breakfast together before we both got to hit the sack? My name's Iris." 8

"Any place special you'd like to eat, Iris?" he asked. "My name is Tom." He shut the book and she handed him the cup. Taking another swallow himself, he noticed how lovely her eyes were. Up close they looked like blue astors. There was a dimple on each cheek. Her dark hair framed her face in intoxicating folds. He wondered why, all the sudden, she had taken a fascination in him.9

"How about your place. I'll bring the eggs. You make the tea. It's too late in the day for coffee." And, that was that.10

They got off at the brownstone and she went upstairs, telling him she'd be right back. He went to the kitchen and brought out some bagels. He made tea and set the table. There was a knock at the door and, when he opened it for her, she had changed into a burgandy running suit and brushed her hair out fuller. She was, if anything, even prettier, he decided. 11

She made a wonderful omelet with the eggs she brought and some peppers and onions he provided and they ate and talked all that morning. She even helped him with the dishes. Then, she said she should be going and they parted. Tom went in and turned on the shower. This was indeed strange. He stepped into the shower and soaped up. As he rinsed off the suds, he heard a knock on the door. Now, who on earth could that be, he wondered. Quickly drying and wrapping himself in the gigantic rust colored terrycloth bath towel, which was his favorite, he went to the door.12

Iris stood there, still in the same running gear. "I loved the breakfast we made together." was all she said, as she pushed past him into the room. "I don't want to go home alone." She gave him a long look, a smile crept onto his face and they seemed to drift together into an embrace, kissing just softly. When they parted, she sighed. "And, I knew that one day, we would do this. So, I thought, today should be that day"