Reflections

Mark L. Lorenzo

eAudio - 2021

She expected to be told that he had already left, after what she anticipated would have been more than an hour's wait by him. It would not be the first time in her life that an empty table had greeted her. But Richie was there. She calmly followed the maitre d' whose expression had not fluctuated during her fight with the door, and had expressionlessly led her to the corner table where Richie was seated. A waiter had just opened a bottle of red. He stood to greet her, grinning as she juggled briefcase and handbag. "Not a word! Not one word!" she warned him as he planted a kiss on her cheek. "You got my message then?" she asked, stating the apparent, but more in relief, "Yes, please," nodding in answer... to an offer of a glass of wine. She would have preferred a scotch. "Message? Oh, yes, obviously," Richie replied. "You must be hungry. I bet you haven't eaten much today," He wondered what had delayed her this time. "Yes! I'm famished. Been here long?" She eyed the just-opened bottle. First or second? But it was the impeccable neatness of the table at which they sat which told her that Richie had not been there long, at all. more