Reservation For Two

He guided her into the apartment, all the while making sure that the scarf covered her eyes properly. He wanted everything to be absolutely perfect, and he had been looking forward to surprising her all week. As he steered her towards the dining room, she felt around with her hands, smiling inwardly every time she recognised a corner, remembering a moment the two of them had spent together in that particular part of the apartment. This was the night she had been waiting for the past two years.
He carefully untied the scarf, and as she took a moment to readjust her vision, innumerable candles were lit, one by one. She looked around the room slowly, eventually settling her gaze on his face. It was calm. He looked content.
“I’ll go grab us a couple of glasses and then we can get the evening started,” he said, as he walked towards the kitchen.
“A little drinking, a little conversation and then we’ve got reservations at that French place you love,” he continued.
The sound of cupboard doors being opened and closed was punctuated only by the clinking of expensive crockery. She was still staring off into the distance, with a smile fixed on her face. The vibrating buzz of his phone woke her out of her reverie. She decided to check if it was important, and absent-mindedly picked the instrument up. One look at the screen brought it all back.
He returned from the kitchen, with two wine glasses balanced delicately between his fingers. He started to make a joke when he noticed how white her face had suddenly become.
“You lied to me.”
“What are you talking about Marissa?”
He carefully kept the glasses on the table.
“I trusted you when you told me you’d stopped seeing her, and you decided that meant it was okay to lie to me. How could you David? I trusted you…”
“It’s not how it looks. I’ve told you a thousand times, she’s a patient. I can’t ignore her because you think we had some sort of fling. Now don’t let this ruin our evening. Please.”
He sounded exasperated, as if this conversation were something he’d had to deal with every single day of his life.
“So you think I’m overreacting. You think I’m making this entire thing up? Obviously she wouldn’t overreact right? It’s always been her. What was this evening, David? You giving me one good night before you left me for her?”
She was crying hysterically now, her voice becoming more hoarse with every word she screamed at him.
“Don’t do this sweetheart. You know I love you. You have to trust me when I say there is absolutely nothing going on between me and Anne. She’s just a patient. Come on now. Calm down. Please,” he said, “just calm down.”
“Don’t tell me to calm down! Don’t ever tell me to calm down. You and I both know that she was the first woman in your life. I was the rebound girl, wasn’t I? And now you’ve realised she’s the one for you…”
She didn’t know what to do with her hands; she started alternating between running them through her short brown hair and tracing the curves of the crystal vase that sat on the table closest to her.
“Marissa, honey, you know I love you more than anything else in the world. Why are you doing this?”
“Shut up, David. Just shut the hell up.” She threw the vase at him as she screamed this. He managed to duck in time, and the vase crashed against the wall.
She looked around for a moment before chucking more expensive crystal-ware at him. He avoided her ever improving aim deftly.
“Why can’t you just be honest with me?”
“What do you want me to say, Marissa? Do you want me to admit I’ve been sleeping with her? I’ll admit it if that’s what you want. I slept with her. Are you happy now?”
He leaned against the window, rubbing his eyes methodically.
She walked up to him, slowly, steadily. Her approach had purpose, and she had regained her composure.
“You lied to me.” Her voice was monotonous. Her face betrayed no emotion any longer.
“I can’t trust you ever again.”
That half hour ended with a final crash. And then all was silent.

* * *

She started wiping down every exposed surface she could spot. While vacuuming the dining room, she started thinking about what she’d do next. Cleaning always helped her sort out her thoughts. Once she was satisfied with the way everything looked, she walked into the bedroom and got dressed. That lovely red dress David bought her for her last birthday would finally be worn today. She even had the pearls to match.
She walked out of the apartment building, smiling at the doorman. Philip had always been a helpful old man, and even today, he offered to hail a cab for her.
A few minutes later, she stepped out of the vehicle and found herself staring at the French restaurant David had brought her to for their first date. She’d always loved this restaurant.
While she waited at the bar to be seated, she started thinking about how she’d deal with Anne. A stern warning perhaps. No. That wouldn’t be necessary; not anymore. Just as she was trying to recall where David kept his patient files, the hostess called out for her.
“Maxwell. Reservation for two?”
She got up and walked towards the dining area with the perfect smile on her face. As she walked past the hostess, she quietly muttered, “I’ll be dining alone this evening.”