Can Never Say No

Love is always on time. If this was always the case, Calvet would have been here 30 minutes ago. As to why, slow sipping on my drink while gazing at the sky reflecting the solemn abysmal of the stars with my hair being blown about by the wind, felt kind of relieving. Sort of took my mind off of things. It was a breathless night of tarry and silence had begun to creep in. Most normal people were inside their homes, you know, preparing dinner and stuff like that. But here I was. Waiting, cold air striking my bare offshouldered chest. I forgot to carry a sweater, didn't know I'd be waiting till forever. If Calvet were here, he would probably offer his sweater or perhaps buy me coffee or simply shut the windows down; just his usual effortless attempts to make me feel okay. Why was I always thinking of him? Why did I always crawl back to him? Why was it so easy for me to forgive him when he just asked?. Why? I was worth more than that. I deserved better. But my heart did not care about the worth or if I deserved better. It wanted him. He took me in, a stray, homeless, naive and a poor town girl. When no one could stand the sight of me, he looked at me with those big blue eyes of his and told me I was pretty. At that time it would be convenient. But he kept going at it. He made me feel beautiful and wanted and cared for and most of all loved. And so this was me being grateful. My only mistake was falling too in love. Accepting the naivety that came with being in love. But nothing is wrong when there's love. Is he coming?" a voice cuts my thoughts adrift. It was the waiter. "We're closing soon." he announces picking up my empty glass from the table and trashing it on his tray " Another drink?" "Yes please, just 10 more minutes, he's coming" Keep saying it until you believe it. I knew he wasn't coming. He's coming. My heart insisted Staring at my phone, hoping he'd replied any of my voice messages or the several text messages. Still nothing. I wondered what his excuse was going to be this time. Work, his mother or his wife. His wife, perhaps Control yourself, Teri, you're just the side piece. I reminded myself. But he gave me no reason to be jealous, besides, who was I to be jealous. 'I'll meet you when am done with work.' 'I'll be there when my wife's gone to sleep' 'Don't be impatient, my mothers event ends in a few.' I never got tired of hearing them. It was okay, as long as he stayed. As long as he reminded me that he loved me. Love is a stupid excuse for forgiveness. "You know this is not the first time he stands you up like this." the waiter was back with my drink placing it on the table implying with immense melancholy. "Huh, even the waiter noticed. Its pretty showing, isn't it?" I choked a laugh while quenching the drink to suit my throat. He dragged a chair and made himself comfortable on it beside me. "What is he to you, your husband? " "Oh I wish-."I roll my eyes in lurk "We're just good friends and nothing more." he didn't buy it. "That's not what he said when he was reserving this table." A smile creeps from his face almost eluding into a laugh By virtue of impassioned curiousity I asked what he said I was. Pretty stupid, a stranger would know while I was 50-50 about it "He was like...I need a reservation for two, my sister and me." he says in mimicry of his voice "Seriously.!" I hiss out, repressing the pitch of my astonishment. He introduced most people to me as his distant relative but as his sister was totally outrageous. Was he that ashamed of me. Of us. "No, am just kidding. I just wanted to see how you'd react, sorry." he edges a low key laugh in a deprecating tone of apology. "That's a really, really bad joke." I sigh "But seriously, what did he say I was." "His girlfriend" he utters in an attempt of clumsy playfulness. His girlfriend. "Wow, he's getting ahead of himself." I try not to show my amusement. "The man is married, isnt he." How did he know too much, plus there was no point of denying it now. "Please do not judge me, I know what am doing. How do you know anyway." "Because he comes with his wife here almost every Sunday, and he's always the first to arrive." That pretty, hurt. "Not implying anything but I think you deserve better and you know it." he's on his feet leaving, wrappimg the tray with his arms to his chest and walks away. Didn't he think I knew that? "Plus, I hate to be the person that ruins tonight for you, we're closing, but because I know you, ten more minutes." he comes back to say then leaves hurriedly. "Closing, my fat ass, I just got here" a voice barks from the entrance door. It was Calvet. My heart hopped for joy. As usual. "Thirty minutes, I just need thirty minutes to make it up to her and we're done, Mike" he pleads. How did he know him. "Sorry, I took too long. I was..." I didn't let him finish. It got tiring listening to his excuses and I'd probably get hurt or feel guilty by his justifications "How do the two of you know each other." Mike had brought a drink on his table and was almost leaving then stopped in his tracks, when I poped the question, to gaze at me then Calvert, fishily. "He is my wife's brother, but don't worry, he's a cool cow, right?" he smiles patting his shoulder, cracking a smile and slid money to his hand. Wife's brother. Oh my God. Should I even keep a cool head about this. Not every brother would love the show of his sister being cheated on. Plus when we were talking, he did not give me the impression that he was being the cool cow. He said I deserved better. That wasn't acting cool. He wasn't with this. "Why, what's wrong." he notices my face getting tense. He noticed everything. His attention was a priceless gift. "Like I said, Mike knows our history, he gets it, don't worry about a thing, Teri." he assures. He gets it but just did not have a choice. I could see it scripted in his eyes. But, I've come so far to be bothered by a harmless cool cow who 'gets it' "No, it's not that, am just glad to see you honey, I love you Calvet." I caressed his hands and pulled close for a kiss as Mike walked away. Probably disguisted. "I love you too baby," he twitched his eyes as if to flirt. I loved him too much and all reason had seeped out through the pores of my head. He was worth the wait.