Steven’s face. Momentarily.
#
Once home, I jump in the shower to rinse off the day’s events and am ready in fifteen minutes, which is record time for me. I decide to wear my black and white wrap-around dress and black-heeled sandals. Steven also changes. He’s in dark slacks, with a lavender shirt and a tie with lavender, pink and purple hues.
“Well, look at you, handsome. Where are we going? I feel as though I’m underdressed.”
“You look fabulous,” Steven praises as he picks up the keys and ushers me out the door.
The drive is quiet and I can tell he’s mulling something over as we pull up to the Fairmont Hotel. “I’ve always wanted to come here.” I squeal, not able to contain my excitement. “I’ve heard lots of great things about the restaurant.”
“I’ve made reservations at The Tonga Room and Hurricane Bar. It’s good. Sampson and I have eaten here a few times.” Steven’s voice is as monotone as I’ve ever heard. At that moment, it’s as though all the sadness of the world is etched across his face.
Oh, shit. Something bad has happened.
There’s a swimming pool with a floating boat in the middle of the room with band equipment. We’re seated at a table for two next to the pool. From here, we have a view of most of the room.
“Welcome to The Tonga Room and Hurricane Bar. Would you like to start your evening with a cocktail?” Our waiter asks. Since their Mai Tais are supposed to be the best in the city, that’s what I order. Steven asks for a glass of Chardonnay. Before I can ask if they’ll have a band tonight the waiter informs us the lead singer is sick so no live music.
I decide to cut to the chase and force him to say whatever it is he’s holding in. “So, are you going to tell me what’s bugging you or are you going to stew about it the rest of the night?” From the look on his face, I think I already know.
“Sampson and I broke up.” His face turns ashen when he says it.
“What? What happened? You two are the perfect match,” I reply softly. I know I need to tread lightly.
“I don’t know. While I was away this time, every time we talked, he was distant. Our phone calls were shorter and the conversations became stagnant and forced,” Steven trails off and I can see he’s deep in thought.
“Our last meal together was here, the day I got back from my trip. He thought a public breakup would be less ‘messy.’ He couldn’t have been more wrong.” The tears are welling up in his eyes.
“Then why of all places did you pick this restaurant tonight?”
“I don’t know. Maybe I wanted to feel close to him since this is the last place we ate together. I had met him here, so I had to endure the drive home alone. I was crushed.”
“I’m sorry, Steven. I’m so sorry.”
“I asked if it was someone else and he assured me it wasn’t.” He mirrors my thoughts as he answered the question I dare not ask.
“Did you believe him?”
“Yes. No. Oh, I don’t know what to believe.” His world is crumbling down around him and I’m sitting here, bearing witness to it. “I mean we’ve been going out for three years. How could he do this to me? To us? How could he throw our life away? How could he throw me away?”
Since I have no frame of reference for romantic relationships, I stare blankly at him. I take his hand, which is absently twirling the wine glass around by its stem. “I wish there were some words of wisdom I could give you. It’s okay to feel the pain and I know you’re scared. You can’t see it now, but you won’t be in this darkness forever.” The tears that he’s been trying to keep from falling finally break free and roll down his cheeks.
“Eventually, you’ll see the light again.” I understand the irony of my own words after they tumble out of my mouth. They don’t go unnoticed by him either. He raises an eyebrow at me.
Using his
#
Once home, I jump in the shower to rinse off the day’s events and am ready in fifteen minutes, which is record time for me. I decide to wear my black and white wrap-around dress and black-heeled sandals. Steven also changes. He’s in dark slacks, with a lavender shirt and a tie with lavender, pink and purple hues.
“Well, look at you, handsome. Where are we going? I feel as though I’m underdressed.”
“You look fabulous,” Steven praises as he picks up the keys and ushers me out the door.
The drive is quiet and I can tell he’s mulling something over as we pull up to the Fairmont Hotel. “I’ve always wanted to come here.” I squeal, not able to contain my excitement. “I’ve heard lots of great things about the restaurant.”
“I’ve made reservations at The Tonga Room and Hurricane Bar. It’s good. Sampson and I have eaten here a few times.” Steven’s voice is as monotone as I’ve ever heard. At that moment, it’s as though all the sadness of the world is etched across his face.
Oh, shit. Something bad has happened.
There’s a swimming pool with a floating boat in the middle of the room with band equipment. We’re seated at a table for two next to the pool. From here, we have a view of most of the room.
“Welcome to The Tonga Room and Hurricane Bar. Would you like to start your evening with a cocktail?” Our waiter asks. Since their Mai Tais are supposed to be the best in the city, that’s what I order. Steven asks for a glass of Chardonnay. Before I can ask if they’ll have a band tonight the waiter informs us the lead singer is sick so no live music.
I decide to cut to the chase and force him to say whatever it is he’s holding in. “So, are you going to tell me what’s bugging you or are you going to stew about it the rest of the night?” From the look on his face, I think I already know.
“Sampson and I broke up.” His face turns ashen when he says it.
“What? What happened? You two are the perfect match,” I reply softly. I know I need to tread lightly.
“I don’t know. While I was away this time, every time we talked, he was distant. Our phone calls were shorter and the conversations became stagnant and forced,” Steven trails off and I can see he’s deep in thought.
“Our last meal together was here, the day I got back from my trip. He thought a public breakup would be less ‘messy.’ He couldn’t have been more wrong.” The tears are welling up in his eyes.
“Then why of all places did you pick this restaurant tonight?”
“I don’t know. Maybe I wanted to feel close to him since this is the last place we ate together. I had met him here, so I had to endure the drive home alone. I was crushed.”
“I’m sorry, Steven. I’m so sorry.”
“I asked if it was someone else and he assured me it wasn’t.” He mirrors my thoughts as he answered the question I dare not ask.
“Did you believe him?”
“Yes. No. Oh, I don’t know what to believe.” His world is crumbling down around him and I’m sitting here, bearing witness to it. “I mean we’ve been going out for three years. How could he do this to me? To us? How could he throw our life away? How could he throw me away?”
Since I have no frame of reference for romantic relationships, I stare blankly at him. I take his hand, which is absently twirling the wine glass around by its stem. “I wish there were some words of wisdom I could give you. It’s okay to feel the pain and I know you’re scared. You can’t see it now, but you won’t be in this darkness forever.” The tears that he’s been trying to keep from falling finally break free and roll down his cheeks.
“Eventually, you’ll see the light again.” I understand the irony of my own words after they tumble out of my mouth. They don’t go unnoticed by him either. He raises an eyebrow at me.
Using his
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