Sable's Table
Cora checked the time on her phone again: seven-ten. She’d arrived early (or so she thought), but that had been nearly twenty minutes ago. She tugged nervously at the crisp white hem of her blouse, and shifted her weight against the railing outside the administrative building, then immediately stood away from it to keep any rust from rubbing off on the plaid maxi skirt hanging down to her ankles.
She checked her phone again. Seven-fourteen. Just when she was convinced she was supposed to arrive at the originally proposed six o’clock and had missed her chance, Sable finally arrived. The Feline rolled up in a tiny little two-seat coupe, rolling the window down to give one simple instruction to Cora: “Get in.”
The Goat blinked, but quickly trotted around to the passenger door and...basically fell into the seat. She hadn’t even buckled her seat belt before Sable had them back out into traffic again.
“Sorry I’m late,” the Balinese apologized quietly, “The brushing took longer than it should have.” Her fluffy fur was light and glossy, obviously freshly washed, and she smelled very lightly of coconut. Her shimmering, bright-red dress was matched perfectly by the shade of her lipstick and the two little “blazes” of red underlining her dark eyes, making them stand out strikingly from her face. Cora’s mouth hung open in awe at the sheer effort she imagined Sable must have put into getting ready for tonight...and felt just a little self-conscious that she’d basically changed clothes and been out the door in under ten minutes. Sable took her eyes off the road just long enough for an appraising glance at the Goat. “Not bad. Let me guess: your Sunday clothes?” When Cora nodded silently, so did Sable, and that was all the remark she made.
Cora didn’t recognize the restaurant they pulled up to. The signage only had an icon of a sun either rising behind or setting on a steaming bowl. Cora couldn’t quite decide which it was supposed to be. But she immediately knew it was fancier than any place she’d ever been in her life...and that was before Sable stepped out without ever turning the car off, to make room for the valet sliding into the driver’s seat. The poor Goat almost didn’t get out of the car before he pulled away. “Sable...I...I can’t afford this...,” she whispered, staring uncomfortably at the doors being held open for them by a couple of the staff.
“You’re not supposed to,” her friend answered in a matter-of-fact tone, tugging the gloves that covered her hands all the way to the elbows smooth again, “But you did bring money, right?” When Cora quickly nodded, Sable strode confidently through the door. “Good. Boys can be jerks, sometimes, and sometimes you just won’t want to owe him anything when the date’s done. Always remember to bring your own money. But tonight is on me, so don’t worry about it,” she promised, handing a little card to the maître d'.
Cora wanted to hide behind her friend as they were led through the dining area, each table covered in a thick cloth almost all the way to the floor, and set with crystal-clear glasses and genuine silver-ware. They were shown to a booth near the back corner, looking out a window facing a jewelry store across the street, and completely partitioned from its neighbor on either side by the high backs that reached all the way up to join the ceiling. “Cora, look at me,” Sable insisted as soon as the menus had been laid in front of them and the attendant had left. The Goat felt like she had to force her eyes up from the table-cloth to look at her friend. “Good. Now breathe,” the Feline instructed, demonstrating with a deep inhale through her nose and a slow exhale through her mouth. When Cora obediently followed her example, Sable flashed a rare instance of her warm, relaxing smile. “Good! Now, I know you’re out of your element. That’s why you’re here with me. I’m your friend, not your boyfriend. You don’t have to impress me, and you don’t have to have a good time...though I hope you do. You just have to soak it in, and talk to me, like always.”
Taking a deep breath, Cora nodded her understanding and hesitantly opened her menu. The price of a salad made her heart wilt. “Wh-what...should we talk about?”
“White wine,” Sable answered off-handedly.
Cora blinked and glanced up over her menu in confusion, before realizing Sable was addressing the waiter standing patiently beside their table, silently waiting for them to order their drinks. “Oh! Uh...I’ll have...what she’s having?” the Goat suggested with her face more than half-hidden behind the menu.
Sable arched a brow at her. “Have you had wine before?” When Cora shook her head, so did the Balinese. “Tea, then,” she corrected, waving the waiter off with their order, “If you don’t already know your limit, a date is the worst time to learn it. Stick to what you know, and keep a clear head.” Sable folded her menu, having already made her decision, and waited quietly so Cora could look over the options undistracted before the waiter returned. She did not speak again until the drinks arrived and their order was placed, so they could expect a few minutes of uninterrupted privacy. “Now, back to your question: tell me a little about yourself. What’s your major?”
Her friend tilted her little horned head. “But...didn’t I tell you—?”
The Feline raised her hand to stop her there, gently. “Pretend you didn’t. First dates are for getting to know each other better. At the very least, you should find out what the other person does with their days, and what sort of work they hope to go into, if they aren’t already employed.”
“...Oh,” Cora blinked, “Then...well, I’m majoring in Heartherran Literature. I, uh...I’m not quite sure what I’ll do with it,” the Goat admitted quietly, rocking her head thoughtfully, “I kind of like the idea of being a writer, but I’m not sure I’m really learning anything useful for that. Mostly it’s felt more like a history major, but just focused on the books.” Sable took a slow sip of her wine and made no remark. She had no intention of critiquing the shy little Boer’s choice of major or career prospects...today. She was just introducing her to the art of small talk. The Feline did make a gesture when Cora stopped talking, wordlessly guiding her to return the proverbial ball. “Um...so, what’s yours?”
“I’m a double-major in Marketing and Accounting,” Sable answered easily, “My goal is to start my own business after graduation. An understanding of marketing will help bring the clients and the money, while accounting will help ensure that money is distributed where it needs to be, so I want a firm grasp of both.”
Cora’s eyes widened. “Wait, a double-major? Sable, when do you have time to sleep?! I can barely keep up with the one.”
“I don’t study with the traditional methods,” the Feline shrugged, “And I can afford an over-qualified tutor. I intend to ensure my kids can do the same, and that means working hard pretty much from here to retirement.” She couldn’t suppress a slight smirk at Cora’s slack-jawed look...or a slight frown as the Goat’s head started to tuck tight between her shoulders, a tell-tale sign she was becoming self-conscious. “Take a step back,” Sable suggested, then reminded her, “If you like what you’re hearing, tuck it away as a positive for the future. If not, you can test for how committed he is to that habit on another date. What you absolutely must not do is start thinking about whether your own habits are bad or good. That’s for him to look at and you to reflect on later. You just be honest, and watch to be sure he’s being the same. Otherwise there’s no way to tell whether or not you can really stand each other.”
Her friend nodded slowly, took a deep breath, and tried to push her insecurities back out of her mind. “Okay. But what...do I do if he’s not?” she cringed, hating to think of the possibility but forced to admit she would have a hard time knowing for sure.
“Call him—” Sable reconsidered her words with a hard, pitying look at the smaller Goat. “Well, you probably won’t be able to notice that for a few dates, anyway. Not unless he’s just being flagrant. If that’s the case, think hard about whether you should go forward or not. And be sure you’re not always the first to speak when the subject changes. If he’s only ever responding to what you’ve already said, it’ll be easy to tailor himself to what you like. That’s a good tactic for someone who wants in your bed but not in your life.”
Cora rubbed her head between the horns, looking a little dejected. “Wow...I never imagined it would be this complicated...” The waiter, arriving with their meals, gave her a moment to quietly collect her thoughts, and let everything her friend had been telling her sink in a little bit. “So...what other tricks should I watch out for?”
The Balinese took two thoughtful bites of her food before answering, silently encouraging Cora to put some food in her belly as well, then washed them down with a sip of wine...and shrugged. “Not tricks, so much. Eric’s not some seedy guy you met at the bar five minutes ago. I imagine he’s genuinely interested in you, but that means he’ll be tempted to put on the best mask he can to impress you.” Pressing one finger to her forehead in that way she had of concentrating, Sable thought for a moment about more concrete, specific examples to give her inexperienced friend. “When you tell him about your hobbies, pay attention to whether or not he respects them, even if he’s not interested. Ask about his friends, and what they do together. It’s a good sign if he shares memories and drops a name or two. Mostly, for the first date or two, just check to be sure he’s showing interest in something besides you that he wants to include you in. If it’s solely about himself, he might just be a prick, and if it’s all about you, he might be a player.”
Cora nodded like she’d already been taken for a fool, and dipped her fork dejectedly into the potato salad sitting beside her main dish. The Goat’s mood improved somewhat the moment it went into her mouth. “Oh...oh that’s good!”
Sable shared an amused smile, waving her fork at the little side-bowl. “Not as good as your mother’s, I’m sure,” she purred, knowing Cora was always proud of her mother’s cooking, and couldn’t help comparing it to everything she ever ordered in restaurants.
As soon as the conversation shifted to her mother’s food, and father’s health, and how the various calves and lambs around their farm were growing up, Cora perked right up. Sable kept the conversation floating around topics her friend found familiar and comforting, ensuring the rest of their “date” was a light-hearted delight for the long-eared Goat...at least until it was time to order dessert.
“One crème brulée, please,” Sable requested.
“Oh, nothing for me,” Cora shook her head, already well satisfied with her dinner and trying not to add any further to the price tag.
Her friend gave her a mildly disapproving look, and quickly modified her order: “With two spoons.” As soon as the waiter left, she took back a more neutral expression. “Well, you seem pretty relaxed now, so I’m going to pull you just a little bit out of your comfort-zone one more time.” So saying, she scooted a little further to the inside of the booth, patting the vacant space created beside her.
Cora blinked and took a moment to catch the hint...and waited for the dessert to actually be set on the table before she slowly scooted out of her seat and onto the bench beside Sable. Shoulder-to-shoulder with her friend, Cora felt an unusual warmth flush her cheeks as she stared at the unassuming little bowl in front of them. “I-is this...really a dessert for two?” By her estimate, there wasn’t enough for each of them to have more than two bites...and that only if they didn’t completely fill the spoon each time.
“Desserts are best savored in moderation. Especially by those of us who collect them in our thighs,” the Balinese shrugged slightly, her shoulder rubbing with Cora’s as they sat close together. As if she found that spacing awkward, Sable lifted her arm over Cora’s head...causing the Goat to immediately lean away with a worried expression. Sable gave her another mild frown. “Cora, we’re in public. I’m not going to do anything unseemly for friends.”
Cora nodded slowly, having never doubted that for a second, but... “It just...feels weird,” she apologized as she reversed the direction of her lean, tucking in close under her friend’s arm and letting it rest across the back of her shoulders. Sable’s forearm hooked down to rest her hand politely against Cora’s elbow...and the little Goat couldn’t help but notice the faintly floral scent of Sable’s perfume, and suddenly worried what she smelled like, herself.
“I’m aware,” Sable nodded, picking up her spoon, “And that’s the point.” She gave her friend’s upper arm a comforting rub, and her hand felt soothingly warm on Cora’s cold skin...though that was probably just due to the Goat’s nerves. “You’re in a pretty vulnerable position right now, even if this is a very common posture for dates. He’ll have a lot of opportunity to prove whether he’s a gentleman or...not.” She left her hand on Cora’s arm, lingering close to the side of the other girl’s breast, while she dipped her spoon and had the first bite of dessert.
Cora’s blush deepened, and she also took up a spoonful, though she hardly tasted the warm vanilla on her tongue. “I’m sorry,” she apologized quietly, making herself relax and lean a little more fully against Sable’s side, “Of course I trust you, it’s just—”
“I know,” Sable interrupted gently with a reassuring pat on the arm, “Your boundaries are a lot further out than most people’s. Just getting this close is a sign of trust from you. That’s my point: if you’re not comfortable getting this close, you’re definitely not ready to go any further...and you absolutely must not let him pressure you into it. That will be the hardest part for you, I think,” the Feline admitted, giving the Goat a light squeeze around the shoulders, “You will have to speak up, and make it very clear, and not cave in just to be agreeable. If he can respect that, it’s a strong mark in his favor. But if he just won’t take ‘no’ for an answer...you get Moxx on the phone pronto, understand? Call me up if he runs out on the check.”
The little Boer blinked, taking the last bite of the crème brulée without being fully aware of the act of eating. “I...don’t think Eric would be like that. At least...I really hope not...”
To her encouragement, Sable nodded, and gave her another gentle squeeze. “I don’t think so, either. I’m just trying to prepare you for the worst-case scenario. People don’t usually need prepping for the best,” she smiled. With a gentle nudge, she let Cora move back to her own side of the booth then, and handed a card to the waiter arriving with the check before he had a chance to lay it on the table where Cora could see the total.
They were almost back to the campus dorms when the Goat spoke up quietly from the passenger seat again. “Sable...thanks for today. I’m a little scared now, but I know you were trying to protect me. My thinking’s been too narrow. I just wanted to know how I could make him have a good time and when I should let him start hugging me...but this reminded me there’s supposed to be a practical side of dating, too. I won’t forget again. Thank you.”
The Balinese just smiled, never taking her eyes off the road ahead of them. “If friends don’t have your back, who does? But don’t forget to have fun, too. You’ll be fine, I’m sure.”
Cora nodded, but sighed. “I guess I just realized...I don’t even really know what I’m looking for. Like, why am I dating? What kind of...partner...do I want? A ‘nice boy with a handsome face’ is so...vague.” Turning a curious look to the woman behind the wheel, she asked plainly, “What do you look for in a man?”
“Now that’s something I can’t be much help with, honey,” the Feline admitted, resting her elbow on the window-sill and her head against her palm, “It’s purely a matter of tastes. But for me, it’ll have to be someone who can make me relax.” Cora tilted her head, and Sable pressed a finger against the side of hers. “I spend a lot of time in my head, you know. Charting, calculating, making fall-back plans...truth be told, it stresses me out pretty regularly. I want someone who can break me out of that when I need it. Make me laugh, or at least look up at the clouds for a minute. Maybe I’ll get a chance to hook up with a comedian someday,” she smirked, as if the idea was as ridiculous as it was desirable, “Someone like you or Moxx would probably do, though. Only, you know, a guy. Someone more easy-going than I am, without being completely reckless.”
The Goat blinked at her, then giggled and sat back in her seat. “Thank you. I think you and Moxx are pretty great, too. You’re always looking out for me, and don’t push me to talk louder or faster when I’m having trouble finding my voice. I really appreciate it,” she smiled, “So I guess I’ll write that at the top of the list of things to look for on a date. I hope Eric’s okay with that.”
“If he’s known you for more than a day, he should already know you’re the quiet type, at least,” Sable shrugged, pulling to a stop in front of the administrative building where she’d first picked Cora up. Putting the little coupe in park, she leaned across the gear-shift to give the smaller girl a genuine hug. “Have fun, and give one of us a call when you get back on Friday.”
“Thank you. I will,” Cora promised, returning the hug happily and pushing herself up from the seat. She saw Sable off with a wave before making her way back to her dorm-room in a thoughtful silence with a smile on her face.
