How it began Chapter 2

Margoles lay back on the bed. She wanted to listen but her mind kept trying to take her back to their first meeting. Before the strange rules and long beards. She thought of the song she sang when she first noticed him sitting in the bar. Love Hangover by Diana Ross. Her sister Nadia loved the song and always requested that she sing while Nadia bartended. Margoles also knew that only she, in the karaoke crew of regulars, could really give the song justice. A petite female with burnt caramel skin, her slanted eyes would hood and her lashes would almost caress her cheeks. She laid it on thick when she sang. She would lean her long black hair forward and glance at the audience when the beginning beats began to pump. "If there's a cure for this, I don't want it", she crooned, pursing her full red lips. Margoles gave a sensual performance, curving her hips and arching her back as she painted the picture of a female's afterglow. The men sat transfixed at the sight of her swaying suggestively on a 2-foot makeshift stage with dusky lighting. She never looked at the words on the screen; her mother had played it every Sunday morning while she cooked breakfast for her father. The passion with which her mother hummed and made huevos con arroz etched the lyrics in her brain. She threw her gaze over at Elton. Her friend and fellow singer. Elton had the voice of a throwback to the Teddy Pendergrass era. He also had a wife named Ruth who was the size of a football linebacker. They traveled the karaoke set together but she never allowed him speak of his attraction to her. She knew he wanted her but she knew it would destroy their friendship. She also knew that Ruth would destroy her face. She looked to the back of the room and she saw Damon for the first time. He was sitting at the bar with a blue and white striped shirt and beige khaki pants. His long, lanky legs were splayed out on either side of the stool. He was talking to a man who looked like Uncle Fester from The Addams Family. Damon was nodding his head in time with the music and occasionally leaned around his friend to look at Margoles on the stage. "Wow", she thought, " I might have to get a closer look at him".
"Sweet, sweet, sweet, sweet, looooooove," she drawled as she finally came to the end of the song. As the applause rang out, she shyly ducked her head. It was always best to remain humble. She knew that she certainly didn't have the chops of Whitney Houston.

She stopped at the tiny red tables on the way to the bar. Men reached out to touch her hands and to tell her "she sure sounded good" and "she sure hit those notes." She smiled and thanked them politely while trying to make it to a drink. They meant well but she had something she wanted to see. She eased to the right of Damon. She felt like she was Prince standing unseen behind Apollonia in Purple Rain. Invisible sparks were crackling in the three inches between them.
"Go 'head Girl," Nadia shouted, "Damn, you can sing that song."
Damon turned and said,” Wow that was you wasn't it? I thought I might have been seeing a dream."
"No, I'm real."
"I'm glad."
She smiled and asked for her Tom Collins. He turned his body to face her and said “What a tall drink for such a tiny lady."
"I like everything tall."
"Hmmmm, well I'm 6'3". I guess I fit the size requirement."
"Yeah, you just made the cut off. Any shorter and I would have had to dismiss you for lack of qualifications."
"Can I find out the rest of the necessities that this pretty little singer requires?"
"After I ask a question."
"Go ahead."
"Are you gay?"
"No. Are you?"
Margoles tilted her head back laughed. "I see you're a Prince fan too!” she cooed, "You have already passed test number 2."
Damon placed the tip of his index finger and pulled her closer by the edge of her chin. The warmth of this light intimate touch made her stomach pulse. "I will pass all of the tests. Believe that!"

"Hey Man! No falling in love at the bar!" Nadia was standing with her hands on her voluptuous hips staring at the interaction. The two jumped apart as if they were 6 year olds, caught playing house.