Unexpected

He would rush into the restaurant, the cafe or anywhere they chose to hang out looking weary and out of breath, his eyes red and deeply sunken almost as if he wasn't getting enough sleep. His palms would be sweating as he sits in front of her with that usual sorry and pitiable expression on his face.

"Sorry babe, i was caught up in traffic"

Another time, he would enter their shared apartment, dragging his feet tiredly before kissing her cheeks and sighing helplessly as if the entire world's problems was on his shoulders.

"Sorry babe, i was caught up with so much work at the office"

Or he would just outright call.

"Sorry Anita, watch the movie without me. i don't think I'll be home in time"

The number of times he said sorry this past month was enough to scar her for eternity. The suspicions building up tremendously as he caused her to wait frequently.

It was the fifth time now. The fifth time Mr Park was late for one of their dates. Anita checked her watch for the hundredth time, a dark frown appearing on her face. Her body grew impatient as her mind began to calculate. She could endure all the late nights, she could endure him standing her up but she couldn't endure it today. Definitely not today. She tapped her fingers restlessly on the half empty wine cup, her eyes liesurely scanning the restaurant interior for any sign of him. She deliberately avoided the pitiable glances thrown her way by other customers pretending she didn't notice their lingering gazes on her person.

Sighing discontentedly, she grabbed the discarded half empty wine glass and gulped down the alcoholic liquid so fast and accurately that not a single drop remained. Licking her lips, she directed her gaze once again to the front door. This time, she told herself that if he didn't come, it was really over. She was getting out of this overly fancy restaurant with their horrible food, bad staff service and the arrogant demeanor she saw present in every single person here. In fact, there was nothing she liked about this restaurant. Thinking deeply, she realized there was no way she was putting up with this any longer.

Just as her resolve grew stronger and her legs were almost about to rise and get the hell out of that stiffling place where almost every pitiable sets of eyes where on her, a man suddenly walked into the restaurant nervously, his light brown hair flipping through the wind, his deep blue eyes darting from left to right till it finally spotted her. Her brows rose, her hairs stood on end as she watched him intently.

She was going to get up but upon seeing him, decided against it. She remained where she was, legs crossed as she pressed her thin lips into a firm line. Brushing back her red hair with shaky finger tips, she glared at the other man with piled up resentment lurking within her olive green eyes.

Swallowing back the resentment so she could form coherent words, she said "Richard Park, i was just about to leave this restaurant"

She eyed him. "You know what i mean don't you?"

The man stood in one place frozen for almost a full minute until a bright smile appeared on his handsome face unsettling her. Why was he smiling? Taking slow deliberate steps, he finally neared her making her swallow hard.

"You know why i always kept you waiting this past month?" He began.

Anita looked a bit confused by his words, her eyes meeting his strangely.

"It was actually because i wanted to surprise you"

Anita nervously stared at him completely in the dark about his intentions.

"What kind of surprise? What are you..." She managed to mutter. It only took a few seconds but her breath suddenly hung in mid sentence as a woman stepped into the restaurant.

This woman was quite ordinary looking, greying hair neatly packed in a bun, cheap clothes, nothing fancy, nothing special about her except for her eyes. Those brown eyes that held so much warmth as soon as they descended on her. Her presence had so much impact on Anita that without knowing, those stubborn legs which had refused to loosen came undone in a second and where now standing shakily on the ground. Everyone else, everything else including Richard vanished from her mind like smoke. Nothing mattered more than this woman.

The woman was already in tears, face almost as red as a tomato as she purposely walked towards Anita searching her with disbelieving eyes.

"It took me a long while but i finally found her Anita....I finally found your mother" Richard said breaking through both her thoughts, reminding her of his presence.

"You did! You really did" Anita muttered and before long, she was enveloped in the older woman's embrace. Her head buried deep inside the crook of her neck. The woman smelled of spices. She smelled of home.

"I missed you so much Anita. After you where kidnapped, I never stopped searching for you but i failed every time. I thought in this life, I was never going to see you again"

Her voice broke with every sentence she uttered.

Anita looked into her mother's ageing face, tracing the wrinkles around her eyes with her finger tips as she sniffed repeatedly to control her tears.

"I was really lucky Mama...i was given to a nice family. They sent me to school, I studied hard, got a good job..."

Her eyes travelled to the man standing before the two of them. As they settled on him, she released a blinding smile on her face.

"And now, i have the best boyfriend ever" She finished before mouthing the words thank you to him.

Richard coughed lightly, eyes twinkling like stars before he went on bended knees right in the presence of everyone, his hands had long opened a black box before she even realized it and he was sticking out that box towards her.

"A boyfriend who might become a husband if the woman in front of me says yes!" He said looking at her with hopeful eyes.

Anna laughed heartily reaching out to pull him up so he was standing in front of her, the diamond ring encased in the black box long forgotten

"As long as said man doesn't keep her waiting any longer" She said with a small smile playing on her lips.

Richard nodded his head. "No more waiting...i promise"

The kiss was short and simple. 

Those several eyes which had been looking at her with pity from every direction filled with admiration. As she stood there within the warmth of her man and her mother, Anita suddenly thought about something. She didn't know how Richard had finally found the woman she had been waiting twenty long years to see again. Honestly, it didn't really matter. All she knew was that she was grateful, thankful and honestly, wouldn't really mind waiting as long as Richard threw her such surprises now and then.

"Happy birthday Anita" Richard whispered.