A local woman missing- Mary Kubica

I take Josh to an overpriced bar that overlooks the river. The food
is good. It’s known for its burgers, though the real draw is the view.
The restaurant is two floors, with a second-story deck, which is
where we sit. The deck has a retractable roof so that when it’s cool
outside, as it is tonight, patrons can stay warm while enjoying the
view. Josh says it’s genius.
The place is thriving because Thursday nights feature live music
and dancing. With a hand on my lower back, Josh steers me through
the crowded restaurant. He pulls out my chair for me. He lets me sit
first. He does all those romantic gestures that fall by the wayside
when we’re shepherding kids around.
We order drinks. I’m het up, but on the outside it doesn’t show.
Once the drinks arrive, I tell myself, I’ll tell Josh everything I came to
say. I’ll start with Dr. Feingold and the malpractice suit. I’ll work my
way toward Marty. I’ll tell Josh that Marty and I didn’t tell him and
Cassandra about us because it didn’t matter. Because what
happened between Marty and me was nothing. I won’t make the
mistake again of using the term young love. There must be skeletons
in Josh’s closet, too, something he’s never told me. If what he’s told
me is true, he had a half dozen lovers before me. I had Marty and
only one other. It’s not that bad. The fact that Josh knows him is only
coincidental.
The drinks come. The first sip comes as a jolt to my system. It’s all
vodka and beer. With that first sip, Josh reaches a hand across the
table. Our fingers intertwine. It’s electric.
“This is nice,” Josh says, grinning across the table at me. My heart
skips a beat at his touch. Under the table, his leg skims mine. The
look in Josh’s eye is unmistakable. I know what he’s thinking. I know
what he wants. I want it, too.
“I can’t remember the last time it was just you and me for dinner.”
We never thought our family would end with two kids. We
imagined more. We envisioned a large family like Josh’s, with four,
five, six kids. We haven’t closed the door on that. Maybe tonight we
can try for more. I think what another baby could do for our family,
how it could bring us closer. I feel warm inside, flushed in a good
way. Maybe it’s the rush of alcohol to my system. Maybe it’s the way
Josh looks at me, like he can’t tear his eyes off me.