Wherever the Dandelion Falls Read Online Free Page A

from liking things?"
    She tried not to laugh. "No, do you get asked how it is to be a woman in a male-dominated field often?"
    "Yeah. Mostly women who want to engage in a socio-political discussion when I'm trying to enjoy a drink or a day in the park."
    Her smile bloomed across her face.
    Suddenly, something behind the register crashed and shattered, the tinkling of broken glass echoing through the coffee shop. Everyone around us froze for a moment as the typically lackadaisical employees with their dreads and gauged orifices spun into a frenzy trying to clean up whatever had fallen. “ That doesn't go there!” someone shouted furiously from behind a swinging door.
    Faye and I clapped our hands over our mouths, stifling laughter. Something about the suddenness of the crash, followed by the exclamation that whatever had broken had obviously been improperly placed was hysterical. We shook with laughter for a few moments before we both settled.
    From there, the rest of the questions flowed smoothly. We chatted for another twenty minutes before she clicked off her recorder and said, "I have to run, but would you like to have coffee some time? Without this," she said, nodding towards the recording device. “You seem like a cool girl.”
    I found myself nodding.
    She looked positively delighted, as if she didn't know the power she had over people. "Wonderful," she said, reaching into her purse to pull out her phone. "Can I get your cell number? I don't want to call you at work."
    I recited the digits automatically, watching her manicured fingers transfer them into her phone. When she was done, held the phone to her ear. After a few seconds, I startled when I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket. I shifted awkwardly to take out my phone, seeing a number with the 210 area code. I slid the call open and, looking her in the eyes, said, "Hello?"
    She giggled and brought the phone away from her ear. "Now you have mine." She bent to pick up her purse strap. "I'll call you soon," she said. "And I'll email you a copy of the article before it's published."
    I nodded, wondering what on earth I'd have to contribute to the article she was writing. I had no idea why I'd been picked for the article in the first place, or why she wanted to spend time with me again. But I was okay with all of it, because it broke up my drab life.
    That night I went home and found Justine on the couch in her Legalize Love t-shirt, eating cruelty-free jellybeans.
    "How was the interview?" she garbled, not taking her eyes off whatever documentary she was watching.
    "It was nice ," I said, realizing too late I put too much emphasis on the last word.
    "Nice?" Justine asked, twisting to look at me.
    I paused to take off my coat and hang it up before I offered, "I'm having coffee with the lady again."
    "Oh yeah? More interview stuff?"
    "No, just to hang out."
    Justine seemed intrigued by my statement. "Is she hot?"
    I frowned at Justine, but didn't answer the question.
    "She's hot," Justine decided.
    "So?" I said, defensive.
    Justine wiggled her eyebrows. "Maybe if you brought your hot girlfriend to the office Dr. Turner would notice and suggest a ménage à trois. Guys like him dig lesbians."
    I blushed crimson. "I'm not a lesbian."
    "But Faye is."
    I froze. "She is?"
    Justine paused her chewing and gave me an amused expression.
    I looked around, feeling as though I had missed something obvious.
    "Oh, Riley..." Justine cooed. "Are you ever going to learn to use Google?"
    I felt foolish.
    "Have you read anything she's written?" Justine asked.
    I shook my head, embarrassed. "Does she only interview lesbians?"
    Justine burst out laughing. "Don't worry, she can't trick someone into liking pussy just because they sat for an interview."
    The word pussy made me cringe, but I tried not to show it. I'd briefly dated a girl in college, but that had been my rebellious phase. I still found women attractive – Faye Nguyen especially — but I had long since written off