5 text messages, 13 missed calls, no response.
A thick aroma of coffee invaded the Coffeehouse as customers were served fresh decoction of roasted coffee beans, cold brew coffee with milk, espresso and such delight. All the tables served a group of customers but for one. A young lady seated by a wall clock in the room had become a matter of discussion for the young waitresses. She looked at the wall clock beside her. Ten past eight.
The young brunette hovered her immaculately manicured fingers over the qwerty panel on her mobile phone.
“Where are you? Please reply ASAP”.
ASAP makes it seem very desperate;
I don’t nag people, she thought.
“Where are you?? Please reply”, no.
“Where are you?? Reply”.
She had already asked this over the last 5 text messages. What good would it do to send similar messages?
Why wouldn’t he notice the messages when he knows he has to meet me in the evening? She thought. She tapped her foot on the ground.
He hasn’t seen the messages. He forgot to carry his phone along. He lost his phone.
He has chosen not to reply. The thought struck her like a bolt of lightning.
..No. He wouldn’t do that. The young lady believes only in what she wants to believe.
He is stuck somewhere. That’s why. His footwear lost a strap, and he’s looking for a cobbler who wouldn’t charge him more than a tenth of money at his hand. She sighed as she sipped the last of her café au lait.
The waitresses stole glances at her and chuckled as they walked past her into the kitchen with dirty plates.
Bus boys are so much better when it comes to treating the customers. At least they don’t mind others’ business, she snorted.
Her eyes switched to the droopy-eyed bus boy attending to a corner table.
“You don’t understand language? Should I gesture you? I said I’m not paying you more than the bill!”, the customer at the corner table yelled at him.
The bus boy remained quiet for a while.
“Sir”
“What now?!”
He flung the table sauce at the customer.
“I wanted to quit my job anyway!”
The customer was aghast beyond words. The Coffeehouse owner was at his wit’s end. Some customers dropped their jaws, some found humor, and some remained indifferent. The café girls found a fresh leaf for gossip. The bus boy was dragged into the police van in shackles. Peace was restored in the café again.
****************************************************
A tear of sweat trickled down the young brunette’s kiss curl as she counted the ticks of the wall clock beside her.
A waitress approached her table with another cup of café au lait.
“I know how it feels”, she raised her chin to meet the young lady face to face, “to get dumped”.
The brunette noticed the slight smirk in the waitress’ otherwise concerned face.
“This place has become a dump yard of broken hearts over the past few months”, she sighed, “Perhaps you should go home and relax”.
“Well, actually, he just messaged me he’s on his way”, it is only obvious that anyone would retaliate in such a situation. The brunette sealed it with a brilliant plastic smile. Customers wrapped themselves in shawls as they felt the cold in the air.
“Well, since my baby left me,
I found a new place to dwell.
It's down at the end of lonely street
at Heartbreak Hotel”, her mobile buzzed along Elvis Presley’s shivery voice through the phone’s speaker.
An unsaved number. Could it be? The piece of metal chunk resumed functioning after all! Is it him? What happened with him? And what happened to him? A cold shiver ran down her spine. The waitress shot her a quizzical look. Could it be? She placed her other hand under the wood of her table and picked up the call.
“Join our All Season sale and save 40-”, mobile ads have a reputation of ringing at the wrong time. And women have a reputation of maintaining their calm façade through stormy nights.
“On his way”, the young lady bet her luck and intuition on him.
“Just this cup. The room is getting full and we need customers who can order more than a cup of coffee!”.
The young lady turned to her coffee cup and sipped her hot drink as the clock ticked away.
*************************************************
Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.
She sipped the last of her drink. Silence befell as in a graveyard. Everyone inside the coffeehouse turned their heads toward her and watched intently.
Her face bore no expression. She enclosed her money with the bill, clutched her purse and turned away quietly. The noise of her footsteps faded into the chirping of crowd as she walked towards the door. Nobody knew the turmoil in her mind ebbed only to pounce back on her broken hope. A silent tear trickled down her face, leaving a trail of mascara behind.
The crowd fell silent again. The young lady’s sight befell on a pair of long dirty boots in front of hers. The man towered over her petite figure. Mud and dirt covered him from tip to toe. The man greeted her with a long smile. “I can explain”, he said, raising his hands in the air.
The young brunette lifted her head up like she could float in the air. He caught her smile.
“You better do!”.
Le fin.
