One Night Changes Everything

Finally arriving at the house, Natalie had never been more relieved in her life. The whole time she had felt so nervous and uncomfortable. Monk had said nothing else the whole ride, even though she was certain that he was dying to ask her more questions.

What did she expect really? He was a detective. Asking questions was in his nature. Still she hated to think about what questions he would ask her.

Julie walked out of her room. “Hey mom!”

Monk of course was walking in behind Natalie, and for some reason…maybe because it was spinning in his mind over and over…he blurted it out to Julie.

“Your mom got a date.” Monk said. Natalie whirled around and glared at him, but it didn’t affect him in the least. If she was going to go out on a date with John – Julie would find out.

“Date?! With who?!” Julie asked with a smile.

Natalie was making motions as if she was going to dismiss the conversation or the idea of the date…but again Monk stepped in.

“A police officer at the crime scene today – John Night. (extending both arms and hands up then down) Apparently he just walked up to her and asked her out.”

Again Natalie turned and looked at Monk. The way he said the word ‘apparently’ making him sound like he didn’t believe what she had said to him.

“Mr. Monk that’s what really happened!! Men walk up to women and ask them out all the time!!”

Monk shook his head. “Not without some indication of the woman showing interest first.”

Now he hadn’t meant to accuse her of anything, but that’s how it sounded, and from the look on Natalie’s face – she had taken it that way.

Monk knew he had just made a big mistake by saying those words out loud and quickly tried to scramble his way out of what he had said.

“You must’ve glanced over there looking at something else and he must’ve thought you were looking at him – that’s all!” Monk said again with both arms and hands in the air, shrugging his shoulders and having one twitch as he did so.

Natalie knew that Monk was just trying to get out of what he said, but she knew she couldn’t have the conversation that they should have – because Julie was in the room. So Natalie did the only thing she could. She defended herself.

“Yeah-well- I didn’t!!” Natalie staring at Monk with anger and frustration clearly written on her face.

Monk pushed on though, even though he KNEW he shouldn’t have. For some reason he couldn’t stop himself.

“Well I guess it doesn’t matter. He’s going to show up here anyway( tilting his head to the side, indicating he was right), and I don’t think it’ll be easy for you to turn him down then.”

Natalie felt like she had been slapped in the face as he used her words against her.

Thankfully Julie had watched the whole thing in fascination – she had never really seen them fight before…it reminded her of…

She didn’t complete the thought as she saw her mother make a familiar move with her arms – the crossing of her arms meant she meant business.

Quickly Julie intervened.

“Wait!!” Julie said holding up a head to stop both of them.

Both Monk and Natalie turned to look at Julie.

“Mom?...You didn’t actually say yes?!” Julie asked, completely not understanding what had occurred.

“No, honey…I said that I usually worked Fridays and that I hadn’t had a day off in so long……and then the next thing I know he was walking up to (extending her arm and looking at him) Mr. Monk that I didn’t have time to tell him that I actual didn’t want to go on a date with anyone right now.”

Now this statement caused two very different reactions- yet similar thoughts in both Julie and Monk’s mind.

Julie immediately thought, Why not ‘right now’? What isn’t she telling me?!

Monk’s thoughts were far more, and traveled faster through his brain.

She didn’t want to go out with him?? She would’ve said no!! Wait……what does right now mean??

The information had made him feel better. He didn’t really know why – but it really did. Yet the fact that she actually might go out with him still, making him…kind of……angry. Which was really strange…because he didn’t know why he felt angry.

“Ok!” Julie said as she shrugged a shoulder, “Why don’t you just call him and say that you don’t want to date anyone right now?!”

Natalie shook her head with a sigh.

“I don’t have his phone number!”

Julie’s eyebrows furrowed. “So how does he know where to pick you up?”

Sighing again Natalie explained what Monk had made her realize.

“Honey he’s a cop that works at the same station that I’m at almost every day. If he doesn’t find where I live there, then he can find out from one of the officers at the station.”

Julie just stared at her mother, with a very confused furrowed brow look.

Natalie nodded her head as she said “It’s complicated Julie.”

“It’s not complicated!!” Monk said emphasizing the word ‘not’. Clearly upset by the tone of his voice.

“All you have to do is say!!...(trying to demonstrate the scene, by opening an imaginary door and ‘starring out’) I’m sorry, but I think there was a misunderstanding. I’m not interested.” With that he closed his imaginary door and turned his hands up, indicating that it was that simple.

Natalie shook her head. She had thought the same thing until Monk pointed out that he was a cop. Her mind had quickly alarmed her about the implications of how she could hurt Monk if she didn’t go out with him.

Natalie knew how the boys at the station were towards each other. They protected each other like Mitch protected his friends in the Air Force.

If she didn’t go out with him, she feared that he would hurt Monk’s chances of being reinstated by spreading rumors in the department. Knowing that no matter what Randy or the Captain tried to do to stop them, she knew how fast rumors could damage a person’s reputation.

Going through the experience once before, she knew that this date was not as simple as everyone thought.

All she wanted to do was protect him. All of them really.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea Mr. Monk. Men don’t take rejection well.” And that’s how she left it. Walking out of the living room and through the kitchen to her bedroom she closed the door.

Julie and Monk watched her leave, and then both turned to look at each other. Both communicating without words one thought.

There was something………that Natalie/mom ….was not telling them.