Waiting

"I couldn't remember if we said outside. It's good to see you, Beth."

Gertrude wore a yellow rain jacket though there was only a two percent chance of rain, hours from now. Beth looked her up and down trying to bury her grin. Gertrude always overprepared for everything.

"It's good to see you too, dear."

Beth stood up from the rickety table and they embraced. The hug wasn't as warm as she would have liked, thanks to the rain jacket.

"You do know there's a very low chance of rain Gerry?"

"I know, I know," Gertrude laughed it off as she place the jacket over the back of her chair. "It's just, you know, I hate being cold. Have you ordered anything yet?"

"The waiter was going to come by with waters. There he is! Hey, she's here now," Beth waved down the waiter impatiently.

"You know, he was going to come by in a minute. You don't need to rush him," Gertrude said under her breath. "You're not in a hurry are you?"

"Oh no, of course not. I have no where to be today."

"I'm going to go see Maddie later, but not for a few hours," Gertrude glanced at her watch. It was gold with purple stones. She always kept it five minutes ahead, she was thinking of bumping it up to ten now that she was slowing down.

"Didn't I get you that watch?" asked Beth.

"I thought Maddie had, but you're right. I think it was you." Gertrude turned the watch over in the sunlight. "I've worn it everyday for years, I can't believe I forgot it was from you."

"Not your fault," said Beth. "It's been a long time. Where is our waiter? Did he say anything when I waved him down?"

"I don't remember now, I'll try to get him the next time he comes by."

"So, how is Maddie?" inquired Beth.

"I think she's happy, I hope she is."

"That's really good, Gerry. I know how hard it was when she was younger."

"Honestly, I think I was exaggerating a lot of it. She was fine. She was what any mother could ever want. I just didn't have any experience."

"And I'm sure you were trying your best."

"Well, I didn't want to do things wrong. Though I guess that's what lead to all of our fights."

"It's in the past now Gerry. You're going to go see her later."

"Yeah, but I doesn't really feel like it's in the past, you know? Like when I talk to her, it's like talking to a wall. Like she's tuning me out," Gertrude wiped a tear away.

"Oh Gerry, it's okay. I feel the same way about Harold sometimes. I think he's just preoccupied, but I repeat myself a lot. Like with this waiter, where is he?"

"I know, I'm starting to get hungry now. But I don't think Maddie is preoccupied. I feel like I'm going crazy with her. Sometime's I have to just shout her name to get her attention."

"It's the exact same with me and Harold, I'm telling you. They're just preoccupied."

"I guess so, it doesn't feel good to be ignored," Gertrude checked her watch again. "This was a really nice gift Beth, thank you. You've always been such a good gift-getter. You remember that tea set you got me?"

"Oh yeah, when Harold and I went to Japan."

"It was such a lovely gift. I keep it at Maddie's now so I can have tea when I got over there. Honestly, I could go for some tea now. Do you know what you're getting?"

"I hadn't looked at the menu too much, but you got that BLT with white fish the other time, right?"

"Oh yeah, that was here. I really liked it," Gertrude scanned the menu. "I think I'll do the egg salad sandwich. Do you want to do a pot of the jasmine tea?"

"Sounds lovely Gerry, but we're not getting any of that without that damned waiter. I'm thinking of yelling."

"Just give him another minute Beth. We're the only one's seated out here, he might be a lot busier inside."

"Or he forgot about us."

"Well he couldn't have forgot about me, he never saw me. He could have forgotten about you though," Gertrude suggested snarkily.

"Am I going to have to take that watch back?" Beth retorted.

Gertrude wrapped her hand around her watch and gasped. "I never took you for an Indian giver."

"I'm kidding Gerry. Besides, it would slip off my wrist. I'm all skin and bones now. Harold says I may need a walker soon or I'll collapse into nothing."

"I tried the cane for awhile, but I'd always forget it places. Guess it means I didn't need it. Though Maddie wasn't happy."

"We're lucky we've got people looking out for us, huh?"

"I guess so."

"Besides the waiter."

Just then the waiter came out with two other people and sat them at a table a few feet away.

"I'll be back in just a minute with you waters," the waiter said smiling and he walked back inside.

"Hey wait!" shouted Beth. Embarassed that she was overlooked she fiddled with her menu. "Good luck getting those waters," she sneered to the couple next to them. "We've been waiting for ten minutes."

The couple didn't respond, and continued reading over their menus. Occasionally they'd look up to each other and smile.

"Young love," Gertrude smiled. "You remember that feeling, Beth?"

"I'm going to kill this waiter if he doesn't come back soon. I feel like this happened last time, didn't it?"

"I think you're right, maybe it was this same waiter."

The waiter came back out with two waters and brought them to the other table.

"Unbelieveable. Waiter! Over here!" shouted Beth, waving her menu. "Yoo hoo!"

The girl at the table next to them looked over.

"What's your name?" she asked.

"Beth," said Beth.

"Thomas," said the waiter.

"Thomas, could we move over to that table?" she pointed to Gertrude and Beth. "It has an umbrella, and the chance of rain keeps going up."

"I'd be happy to move you inside," said the waiter. "We keep that table here as a tribute to some older ladies that ate there everyday."