The Final Wait

I checked my watch for the tenth time in only an hour. With a heavy sigh, I placed my chin in my hand and gazed out the window of the cozy cafe booth I had nestled into. The snow was beginning to fall with a vengeance, as though it had some sort of grudge against us New Yorkers. Though the snow plows were out on the roads, doing the best they could to keep them clear, their efforts didn't appear to be doing much good.

Strands of lights twinkled in shop windows, and small Christmas trees glowed brightly despite the heavy fog that was starting to settle in the city. If I wasn't so annoyed, it would be rather relaxing.

Lifting my cup of hot chocolate to my lips, I grimaced at the lack of heat it once held, but drank it all the same. At the very least, that action alone gave me something to do besides wait.

"Are you sure I can't get you anything?"

My eyes flickered towards the waitress, a beautiful woman no older than twenty-five. Her lips were painted red, and she wore red earrings and a necklace to match. The deep blue of her eyes reminded me of the ocean, some five miles away from where I now sat. With her blonde hair pulled back into a loose ponytail, she was the epitome of beauty.

I smiled warmly at her. "No, thank you. I think I'll just head home. I'm sorry to waste your time."

Clarissa, as her nametag declared, returned the friendly grin. "You haven't wasted my time, hon. Was there someone you were hoping to meet?"

With a purse of my lips and a quick nod of my head, I stood and slipped on my coat. "Yes, but I don't think he's going to make an appearance anytime soon."

Clarissa bid me good luck and goodbye as I weaved my way through the crowded tables to the door. Just as I was about to place my hand on the knob, the door swung open, giving me a face full of the brisk December air.

Mitchell Smith, my boyfriend of one year and best friend for three, stood before me in all his brown-haired, green-eyed glory. I had first met Mitchell in my junior year of high school. He had transferred into my math class, and was directed to an empty seat near the back of the room. That seat just so happened to be near mine.

Though he had given me a friendly smile, we never interacted with each other. Not for three weeks anyway. It wasn't long before he was finding any excuse he could to talk to me.

Sometimes it would be an "accidental" toss of his pen as he wiggled it between his fingers. Other times, it was a scrap of paper flung my way to catch my attention. Mitchell's actions would irritate me more often than not, but we became friends all the same.

For three years, our friendship was just that- a friendship. Nothing more, nothing less. Although after about a year into our friendship, I had always found myself wishing that it was more.

"Kaylie," he greeted with a friendly smile. When he saw my buttoned coat, he frowned. "Are you leaving?"

"Yes, actually." I stated in a matter-of-fact tone. "I'm headed home before the storm gets any worse."

Mitchell placed a hand on my shoulder to stop me. "You can't leave yet, I just got here! We haven't even started our plans. Our movie starts at three."

With a tired gaze and another heavy sigh, I returned his stare. "Mitch, I've been waiting for over an hour. And it's almost four-thirty. We missed the movie."

Mitchell took my hands in his and pulled me further into the cafe, away from the door. "I'm sorry, I know I'm late. But my neighbor, I saw him shoveling his driveway. I didn't want him to slip; he's almost eighty, you know?"

And there it was. In the beginning, I hadn't minded so much that he came late for our scheduled activities. Mitchell was a friendly person, always offering to help out where he could. His good deeds ranged from helping a stranger with their car that refused to start, to picking up groceries for his mother.

There had always been things I'd wanted to do, or movies I'd hoped to see. But, of course, I never got to enjoy those plans. If it wasn't one act of kindness, it was another. I loved that Mitch was so willing to help anyone and everyone, but just once I'd wished he would put me first.

Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath. I squeezed his hands before speaking. "I love that about you, Mitch. I really do. You're so generous to others. You don't think twice about helping someone in need, you just do it. I wait for you to finish what you're doing before we can spend time together." A soft smile crossed my lips. "But I'm tired of waiting."

The hurt in his eyes almost made me change my mind. "Are you saying you don't want to be in a relationship with me?"

My heart clenched almost painfully as tears stung my hazel eyes. "I do want to be with you, Mitch. More than you know. But after months of waiting for you, I've missed out on things I've waited for my whole life. And I don't think I have the energy left to wait any longer."

"But..." Mitchell trailed off, trying to wrap his head around what I was saying. "Kaylie, it's... it's Christmas. We had plans to-"

I pressed my finger to his lips. "I know," I whispered. The tears were now freely falling down my face. "But it's time for me to make my own plans again, Mitchell. I'm not going to put my life on hold anymore. Not for someone who keeps me waiting."

"Kaylie..." his voice nearly broke as he spoke my name for what would be the last time.

"Goodbye, Mitch." Releasing his hands, I slipped out the door and down the street, crying the whole way.