the open closet

Tonight won't be just any night.

I've been urging to River to write about her ups and downs with Emma. River's a wonderful writer, far more intuitive and engaging than I, but...maybe it's just too hard to write anything meaningful when you're in the throes of frustration. It's easier to just get stoned and watch The Office.

In my opinion, Emma is a Catch-22 love interest. She's enthralled and flirty and makes you feel soft and chocolatey inside...until you're obviously interested, at which point she unaccountably has no time for you. She cannot resist what cannot be hers. For this reason, she pursues women who are already taken, in some fashion.

It's a curse. In my opinion, the worst kind. The only way to really win this game is to just not be interested.

River tells me there's more to it than that, and I want to believe her. Time will tell.

So yesterday, River confronted her about her on-again-off-again interest. This has been going on for a couple of months, mind you. They decided that they need more than just a few minutes at work here and there to talk. (Not that they haven't tried to arrange this before, but Emma always, for some reason, cancels--or just doesn't show.) They decided to do dinner at Emma's apartment this evening after work.

That's where they are now.

Meanwhile, it's important to understand that we are under a winter storm warning. We're expected to get only 6 to 10 inches in the next few hours, but driving in it--due to the slush and heavy snowfall--is expected to be treacherous.

River traditionally doesn't drive in snow, if she can help it. She frequently doesn't go to work if we have enough snow, and particularly if we expect more. If it snows while she's at work, she usually comes home early if we're anticipating poor driving conditions. She isn't lazy by any stretch. She works at home. But the trend is, she will avoid driving in snow, even if it means cancelling appointments.

Not that I expected her to cancel this one. ;) What I'm doing now is predicting the outcome.

If it weren't for this date, she'd have probably cancelled her appointment after work with her personal trainer and come home as soon as I said it was snowing (which was around 3pm, I think). It was only raining in town, she said, but I should keep her updated.

Do you see what's coming? :D

Bonafide poor driving conditions is just the ticket she might be looking for. Sometimes, to get things jumpstarted, all you need is a good excuse.

She called to check on weather conditions after her trainer appointment. She's playing the part of innocence. She doesn't plan to stay at Emma's, is the message.

And I don't think she does plan to. Emma's touch and go; you can't count on anything with her. Also, Emma is oddly timid, sexually. At least, she has intimated that she's a bit frightened. Plus, they've "agreed" to take things slowly.

But at the same time, I know River, and I know she's hoping. And I can't blame her.

vi