The restaurant Samantha chose was one of the nicer ones in their neighborhood. Lenny and Samantha frequented a few place they considered their usual eating houses. The list changed depending on the quality of the food and service, and their experiences in the restaurant. Lenny arrived late, having finished throwing together a few drafts at work and dropping them off on Jake’s desk. With the help of knowing what his clients wanted, thanks to the sweater, Lenny felt like he had done some of his best work. While he was not sure that any of his storyboards would be successful with the public, he was sure that his clients would appreciate seeing their own thoughts and feelings given life in his work. Lenny felt a bit guilty about using his knowledge in this way, but his guilt was alleviated by his actually having completed projects, something he had not been able to do in many weeks.

Samantha was already seated when Lenny entered the restaurant. He pointed her out to the host and joined her at the table. She started drinking without him, an empty umbrella drink in front of her.

“Nice of you to join me,” Samantha said.

Lenny glanced at his watch and smiled. “I’m only fifteen minutes late. I was stuck on a few projects at work. You would be proud of me with all the work I finished today. This was hands-down my most productive day of work in years. I brought some sketches to show you after dinner. I think you’re really going to like some of my proposals,” Lenny said. He put his suitcase down next to his chair and leaned forward with his elbows on the table.

Samantha upended the empty glass and sucked out the last of the juice. “So you’re working now? That’s something new. I thought you couldn’t stand your job anymore,” Samantha said.

“No, that was the other day. I really feel like I’m getting a second wind. I’ve been complaining and looking for alternatives for so long that when I actually sit down and start working on a project, it’s almost a relief. I was smiling when I was holding my pen today. I don’t remember the last time I smiled,” Lenny said. He ordered a vodka tonic from the water and starting working his way through the breadbasket.

“I’m glad that part of your life is working out. Have you given any thought to what we discussed yesterday?” Samantha said.

“What was that?” Lenny said.

“We talked about how we are going to go out and actually do something. Do you remember? Enough visiting your aunt in the hospital, you promised a movie or a show or something,” Samantha said.

“What are you talking about? We’re doing something right now. Aren’t we eating out in a nice restaurant? I thought this is what you wanted,” Lenny said. He was still distracted by the thoughts of his projects. He reviewed a particular storyboard in his mind for a telephone executive. Each printed advertisement in the campaign was based on a different style of painting: the first was a crude cave painting, followed by ancient Greek paintings, and then on to modern times with Renaissance and modern art. The final culminated a photograph with the earlier paintings used as tiles for the picture. The paintings were all of the simple phone and the logo for the company. Nothing complicated, but with the different paint styles, he was sure it would be visually stunning. What particularly drew him to this advertisement was the phone executive. He was an avid collector of artwork, something that few people knew about. One of the advantages of the sweater was he could know secrets about people that they probably did not think he would know. He was sure the executive would enjoy the storyboards if for no other reason than his love of artwork.

“Are you even listening to me?” Samantha said. Lenny looked up and saw Samantha saying something, but he did not remember what. He was still going over the pictures in his mind.

“I’m sorry, Samantha. I am just really excited about some of the work I have been doing. It’s been so long since I cared, and I think some of my work the clients are really going to like. I’m hoping to win a few more accounts over the next few weeks. I feel like I know my clients better than ever. Are you ready to order? I’m starving,” Lenny said. The breadbasket was now empty and Lenny was scooping up the breadcrumbs with his spoon.

“Lenny, what has gotten into you? First you get ill from the stress of your aunt’s sickness, then, a few weeks later, you act as if you can take over the world. Well, when you’re done conquering the world, maybe then you’ll remember me,” Samantha said.

Lenny looked at her for the first time since he arrived at the restaurant. He looked deep into her and tried to know what she was thinking, but he knew and felt nothing. The sweater was cold around his body and he knew nothing more than he saw.

“Well? Has superman lost his tongue? And what is up with that sweater? You’re still wearing it. Have you even cleaned it? It looks disgusting today. I’m afraid to know what it smells like,” Samantha said.

“Samantha, what is it? I don’t understand what’s wrong with you tonight. I thought you wanted to go out to dinner. I had a wonderful day and I was hoping you’d share in it. What did I do wrong?” Lenny said.

“At least you know that it was you who did something wrong. But I’m not going to make it easy for you,” Samantha said.

“So you’re going to turn this into a guessing game? Is it about not going out? You mentioned something about that before,” Lenny said.

“That’s only part of it, and not the most important part. I want you to think of what today’s date is and see if that rings a bell,” Samantha said.

“Date? It’s not your birthday. You know I use that as my ATM code so I wouldn’t forget it. I don’t know. You’ve stumped me. Please, can we not play these guessing games? I was hoping to have a relaxing dinner just like we used to,” Lenny said. His mind was still blank. Whatever it was he should have known, he did not know. Over the last few weeks, he found himself relying more and more on the sweater to tell him things. It was always easier to know something than to spend the effort to recall it or originally think it up. He felt that he was growing lazy, but he brushed those thoughts aside. He needed to focus on the matter at hand and see what has gotten into Samantha today.

“Where were we four-years ago?” Samantha said.

“Oh. September already isn’t it? Our anniversary was yesterday,” Lenny said. He had been so distracted over the last few weeks that he had forgotten their anniversary. It did not surprise Lenny that much. He was not terribly good at dates, and he usually left those things to Samantha, as she had a tendency to remind him.

“Bingo. Do you remember me calling you yesterday to go out?” Samantha said.

“Yes. And I blew you off. Please don’t tell me that you had something planned,” Lenny said but he knew the answer before he finished speaking. He saw Samantha at home. She had cooked a meal, bought what must have been crates of candles, and, he saw his gift, a new pink sweater. He laughed at the thought.

“Is something funny, Lenny?” Samantha said.

“Why didn’t you tell me? I was so caught up with work and visiting my Aunt, I didn’t think of it. You should have said something and kicked some sense into me,” Lenny said.

“This is now somehow my fault for not demanding that you come by my apartment so I can share my home-cooked meal and gift with you? You’re really screwed up, Lenny. What did you do instead of come to my place yesterday? Did you visit your Aunt? Did she tell you something that you didn’t know? What is your fascination with her anyway? I understand that she’s sick and she’s probably the first person you’ve ever known who has gotten sick, but it’s been three weeks since they found her and you have visited her every day,” Samantha said.

“I don’t know, Samantha. I need to know something from her and I keep hoping that she wakes up and explains things. It’s been so strange in my life and she’s the only one that can give me answers,” Lenny said.

“What are you talking about? What is so strange that you need your aunt to explain it?” Samantha said.

And here it was. Lenny saw it now. The sweater opened up the possibilities in his mind. He could explain everything to her. There was a chance that she would understand. She could even help he figure out what he should do with the power. If she did not understand, then their relationship would be at risk. Lenny saw that either way, it did not bode well.

“Samantha, there’s something I haven’t told you about my aunt,” Lenny said.

“I sincerely hope you’re not going to tell me about any deviant sexual encounters,” Samantha said.

“No, no, nothing like that. But she was into strange stuff. I’ve been looking into her background, and she comes from a very strange part of my family,” Lenny said.

“If you’re trying to intrigue me to change the subject about you not coming to my house yesterday for dinner, it’s not going to work, Lenny. I’m too angry to think about anything but your laziness,” Samantha said.

“I’ve been doing some research into my mother’s side of the family. For generations, the first-born female child has died early deaths. It’s only on the mother’s side, and the first child is the only one that ever dies, usually before her fifteenth birthday. All the deaths look natural, but they all die. The later born children, even the female children, they survive and die normally. It’s the strangest thing,” Lenny said.

“What are you talking about, Lenny? Is there some sort of conspiracy that is now going to explain why you are such an asshole to me? Why should I care about any of this? Was this the reason you didn’t show up to dinner last night, because you were researching your family tree?” Samantha said.

“Partly, Samantha. You see, my aunt is the first born, but her mother moved to California when she was young with a different last name. I always assumed that her name was different because she was married. But it turns out that her name was changed before she was married. My mother and aunt never knew any of their relatives. They always told me that they had no living family on their mother’s side of the family. Don’t you see? There’s something very odd about my family, and I think my aunt’s sickness is related to that oddness,” Lenny said.

“You’ve jumped off the deep end as well? Maybe what runs in your family is insanity and paranoia, and you’re getting your first taste of it. Damn it, Lenny. I bought lobsters last night. Lobsters! I killed them by dropping them in boiling water. You know how much that sucked? And then, when I get you here and hit you with my story, you start talking about your aunt. The very same aunt that was the reason you didn’t show up in my apartment yesterday. And now you’re talking about family sickness and death? I don’t think I can handle this anymore, Lenny. I wanted to discuss something serious with you, but it’s clear you have other fucked up things on your mind. I ordered you a lobster. I hope you enjoy it,” Samantha said.

She got up from the table and left Lenny sitting there. The waiter picked that moment to come over and place the plastic bib around Lenny’s neck.

Word count: 2,035

Caffeination: Tall mocha way too early in the day (many, many hours before writing began)

Feeling: I’m so sorry I made you read that. Today was horrible. I wrote anything just to make my goal. Tomorrow has to be better. What can be worse?