After All by Lynn Emery Page A

appeared at
that moment to take their orders. She needed time to sort out the
torrent of emotions that threatened to overwhelm her. For the rest
of the lunch, she kept the conversation confined to catching up on
old friends, talking about their work, and other topics she felt
were safe. Standing in front of the restaurant afterwards, they
smiled shyly at each other.
    “ Well, I better get going. I
have a meeting later.”Anthony didn't move.
    “ Me too.”Michelle shifted
from one foot to the next.
    “ I've got tickets to a Jazz
recital on campus this Saturday night. Would you like to go? We
could have dinner first since it doesn't start until
eight.
    “ Things seem to be going so
fast... Michelle bit her lower lip. Somehow control of this
situation was slipping from her. Or was it silly to think she ever
did or could control her desire for him?
    “ Two old friends who enjoy
jazz and love good food, that's all we're talking about.”Anthony
spoke quickly to ease the anxiety in her voice.
    Michelle stared into his eyes for a
long moment. Her heart jumped at the anticipation she read there.”
Okay, I'd like that.”
    Driving back to the station, Michelle
was in a bright mood. Turning up the radio, she bounced to the old
rhythm and blues tunes being played. Tunes that she had once danced
to with Anthony when they were in college. She smiled remembering
how they all cherished their record collections, mostly oldies
their parents had held onto from their college days. It would be so
great to once again share the pleasure of hearing wonderful music
with him again. Still humming an old Sam and Dave song, she entered
the newsroom.
    “ Lunch was nice, huh?”
Gracie winked at her.
    “ Not bad, not bad at all.
What's up around here?” Michelle sat down.
    “ Be thankful you've been
gone. Lockport is a very unhappy news director. Channel Six scooped
us with an exclusive on the noon newscast. Seems there's a possible
link with that councilwoman's son arrested for possession a while
ago to a burglary ring. Jason's in hot water for not following up
and getting a reporter out when Nathan asked him to.”
    “ Humm,” Michelle's said, her
voice flat with disinterest as she turned on her
computer.
    “ Jennifer is peeved because
she got shoved around at the school board meeting, lots of angry
parents about the latest busing plan. Her story is short by almost
two minutes so Jason, poor thing, had to scramble for a filler so
the both the five and six newscast won't run short--”
    “ Serves 'em both right,”
Michelle said with a satisfied smirk.
    “ And Nathan is in a real
foul mood and asking for you.”
    “ Uh-oh.”Michelle's eyebrows
drew together in consternation.
    “ Exactly. Speak of the
devil,” Gracie mumbled then hustled off in the opposite direction
from which
    Nathan was approaching.
    “ Why are you still here,
O'Hannon? Aren't there two
    stories you should be out on?”Nathan's
growl rolled across the room.
    “ On my way now, boss.”Gracie
vanished around a corner.
    “ Hi, Nathan. Love that
shirt. Is it new? Nice fabric.”Michelle rubbed a corner of his cuff
between her thumb and forefinger.
    “ Save it, Toussaint. Where
the hell have you been all morning?”Nathan was like a hungry lion
that still had not been fed.
    “ Why doing my job, of
course. The school bus stop safety thing you sent me out on,
remember?” Michelle said.
    “ Oh, yeah.”Nathan lost some
of his thunder.
    “ I had an appointment with
head of the school transportation department. What's
wrong?”Michelle, patting his arm, gave him a look of
concern.”
    “ Don't mess with me today,
Toussaint.”Nathan scowled at her, but his voice had lost some of
its gruffness.”That guy Greg Matthews called. Sounded kind of
jumpy. Maybe he's decided to tell you more after all. But don't
wait too long. Like I said, he could lose his nerve any minute.
Said to call him at home cause he's off today.”
    “ I'm on it.”Michelle flipped
open her small