The restaurant was expectedly empty. Two tables filled with unknown faces with their soups and starters going on, silent music on the speakers and some cricket match on the television. She prefers to eat out on weekdays because that’s when the restaurants are silent peaceful and less number of people around. She chose the restaurant where they have some good memories, eating together and never ending conversations because she knew that it would be her last lunch at the restaurant. The reserved placard on their usual table reminded her of the day when the manager of the restaurant had saved their table for them on one of the busiest days. He had almost lost his job for doing that. The memory of his cute gesture brought a smile on her face.
As she settled at her table, the waiter poured some water in a glass and she asked for her regular blue velva martini. She noticed the change in the music that was playing in the background, and thanked the manager. She always wanted to open a restaurant. But her research and conversations with the manager she figured she was a few years away from that dream. She started her laptop to check some emails while day dreaming about her restaurant.
After spending some time replying to emails while waiting for Advik she realized he would be late as always and not waiting for him to come she gave their usual order. And she went back to replying to the emails. After sometime, when she saw the manager sending the waiter back with the soup, she called Advik to check where was he. Now that almost an hour has passed after he responded ‘see you in ten minutes at the restaurant’ to her text, she was loosing her patience. When he didn’t receive the call she had lost the patience to get back to work. She thought of checking out the social media while waiting for some more time. After ten more minutes passed, waiters getting more impatient, and her stomach growling for food, she asked for her half of the order not waiting for him anymore. Next 40 minutes she spent in peace eating the beautiful food she was served. There was no sign of Advik yet. This wasn’t the first time that he hadn’t turned up for a planned meal. Lately it became more of an habit for him to miss these lunches. Today was the last time she wanted to have lunch waiting for him.
She asked the manager to pack the other half of the order and deliver the parcel to his office. She sent a letter along. She thought she would give him that letter at the end of the lunch, but she also knew he wouldn’t be there. The letter read :
Dear Advik,
I knew that you wouldn’t turn up for the lunch, but somewhere I had hoped you would turn up. I will never be able to understand after all the missed lunches, unanswered questions, unattempted gestures showing me that you love me or I was important for you, why did I still entertain the idea of having lunch with you and why did I still hoped that you would come for the lunch you yourself had planned. (for today, I know, I came to give you this letter.)
Maybe like always I ended up entertaining people with empty promises. Now, it’s time for me to break my chain and walk away never being available for those 2 AM insecurities of yours, 5 PM sexual desires, and 8 PM conversations.
I don’t care if you’ve read the whole letter.
I deserve better.
Aarzoo
She didn’t care if he’d read the letter or not. All she knew was she would never answer his calls or meet him again.
Aarzoo 