The situation in the popular cafeteria was calm and warm. A warm laughter could be easily heard hear and there across the other tables as guests of the cafeteria chit chat here and there. The waiter in his blue work shirt smiled towards a customer seated at one corner of the cafeteria as he walked to the man to receive his other.
The waiter waved a hand with a smile as two young youth entered the cafeteria as the words "JJ" escaped from his lips in a mild tone towards the entrance of the shop but could be heard by the young man who walked in with a gorgeous young lady.
The young man returned the smile accompanied with a wave to the waiter, as he exchanged greetings with another waiter behind the counter."JJ...what's up my man?" The waiter enquired as he stretched out is hand for a hand shake. "I'm alright man. How is it going?" He answered as he shook hands with the other guy. "we're doing good J. Coming for your usual breakfast?" he probed on glancing at the young lady beside him as if he meant to ask "having breakfast with your lady?" which of course the smart guy easily caught on and replied "Yeah I'm here to have breakfast with my girlfriend. We decided to eat out today since is the weekend" delivering a wink to the questioner. "That's great man. Get your seat and your meal would be served soon. You want the usual right? " Yeah sure and a cup of chocolate milk with an omelet and cake for the lady right? He said as he directed the question towards the lady.
"make it two omelets please." she directed as she smiled towards the waiter coyly. "yes ma'am. Please have your seat. You would be served soon." and returned the smile to the waiter.
As they went to take their seat at one corner of the shop? The lady threw a question at her company. "I guess you are a regular here JD. The workers here seem to know you quite well?" The one asked gave a wide smile as he tried explaining to the other person. "Not always but whenever I skip breakfast in the house. The food here is delicious and they have friendly workers who deliver good services to their guest. Perhaps I get the fulfilment of a homemade food whenever I eat from here. So I can't help but to come here whenever necessary. A friend introduced this place to me and I've never regretted eating from here. "
" Oh I see. So you like it here better than the breakfast you ate at my place on those occasional visits huh. " She complained with a scornful face at the one who seemed to love the food here in the cafeteria so much.
Laughing at her cuteness, he took her hand and answered her with sincerity" I love their food here but loves yours more. Because their cooking talent cannot be compared to yours sweetheart." And then he kissed her hand. She couldn't help but smile after hearing such a nice complement.
They were interrupted by the waiter as he came to serve their meal" enjoy your meal." as he left them alone to continue with his work. They ate their breakfast while discussing nothing in particular. Karen however changed mood unconsciously as her eyes settled on a young couple who came and sat close to them. The couple had this natural phenomenon around them of which Karen couldn't explain.
On the first glance, one could smell the existence of love and a strong passion around them from the way they stared into each other.
Karen could hear every bit of their conversation which of course made her sad and felt as if something was missing out of her life.
She however could not bring herself to notice what she was missing in her life. She ended up hardly biting into the rest of her meal even though they were half way through their meal. Jerry could see from her face the sudden mood swing as the cheerful person with whom they were talking about many things but nothing specific sudden lost herself on the table, and was either repeating what has already been said or kept on asking him to repeat himself as if she couldn't hear what he, Jerry was saying. On realising the situation at hand, he opted to get her attention back by making a funny joke with her hair do which actually worked as Karen burst out laughing. And when she realized she was been watched by other people inside the shop, she finally covered her mouth with the palm of her hand and Continued to laugh.
After their meal, they made their payment as they exited the shop.
On their way to Jerry's home, she was alone in her thoughts even though she was having a conversation with Jerry. The more she thought about the conversation between those two couple they met inside the cafeteria, the more she felt something missing in her life and her relationship with Jerry. Jerry was good to her always and tried his best to make her happy. However, his obsessiveness on her made her feel insecure most of the time. The fear of Jerry hurting someone out of his obsession some day made her restless most often.
She loved Jerry and she knew it, however, there was one person who always made her feel secured and loved whenever they were together, more than what Jerry made her feel.
She also knew without doubt that this person's feelings towards her was more than just friendship and she couldn't ignore that fact. She on the other side wanted this person to be the friend she always needed. She feared that being more than friends could change everything they shared as friends and it could be worse if they could no longer become friends.
She was in a dilemma and no one other than herself could get her out of it. She remembered when on that faithful afternoon she and Jerry had made a promise to each other. They promised to love each other and be there for each other irrespective of the situation they may find themselves in dome day. She had been faithful and committed to her relationship for the 3 years they have been together, and this wasn't the time to stir up problems when she was getting to her final year in school. Her thoughts suddenly starred some sort of undeniable fear in her as the beautiful hands on her laps began to quiver unconsciously.
What was making her so scared? She thought of it. Was it the fact of feeling different about her 3 year relationship with Jerry that was causing this fear or the fact of admitting inwardly that she had lingering feelings for her best friend?
She tried getting these thoughts out of her head but it was useless as she began reminiscing the times she spent with George. She smiled unconsciously as she remembered the time She and George had to run from school to watch a parade at the state house when they were in high school.
It was 12.45 pm and it had been announced that the teachers were going to have a program organized by the school authorities and every teacher needed to attend. On that same day, there was a national parade in the state house and the whole town had marched their way to the venue to cheer on for the country. This occasion was well cherished by everyone since it was organized once a year, hence the majority of the population rushing to enjoy such display of skills by the Army and other state forces. Karen and George had made it a point to go and witness it as they had never been to the parade organized for the public other than the ones done for young students like themselves.
They couldn't help but jubilate on the notice of the teachers not attending classes that day after 12:pm.
They sneaked out of the school premises and on they went to the state house to watch the full parade. However, no student were allowed to enter there since it was thought that the students were supposed to be in school. The state did well to organize such events in an attractive way meant to entice the students in high school and below.
This determined two however, managed to hide themselves somewhere behind the gates concealed by the flowers in the lawns.
About 30 minutes through the program, a security guard who was going round sported them and shouted at them scaring them away. They took to their heels holding hands with George pulling her behind. They finally happened to find a resting spot where they halted to catch their breath. Her thoughts are broken by the intruder who seemed to be interested in what the other person was smiling about. "Do you mind sharing what's making you smiling all to yourself?" without thinking, she began telling her thoughts still happy and did not realize how very uncomfortable the other person was. Coming back to her senses, she paused immediately and decided to change the subject at hand. "Hey when did you say your parents are returning? It's been a while I met them. I'm even wondering if they would recognize me at the spot."
The other person looked at her and smiled without answering.
The situation in the car felt so cold and unfriendly. Somehow, they managed to tolerate each other's silence as through the remaining minutes on their journey home. When they got home, Jerry showed his manners and the gentleman he is as he went to the other side of the car to open the door for her, smiling as he led the way into the house. The atmosphere somehow changed as Karen went hugging Jerry behind and "Thank you for treating me to breakfast this morning. I had an amazing time in the cafeteria today. I really loved it baby." wait a minute, did she actually say baby? He thought to himself. As long has he can recall in his mind's memory, he couldn't actually remember the last time Karen called him baby. His heart skipped a beat on the thought of it.
He actually turned to face her and utterly said "I think I'm seeing stars on this bright day. Or I might just be hearing things." the young lady seemed lost. "Hearing things? How?..... I mean what sort of things have you been hearing?" He blurted out with laughter seeing her confused expression. "Did I just hear you call me baby? I mean are you actually referring to me or you might be talking to probably a baby on the way coming?" he couldn't help but continue with the laughter as he starred down her tommy. "Hello baby are you in there? I guess your mother is talking to you."
On realising what he meant, she literally kicked his ass as she burst out laughing herself. "You won't stop being naughty when you get the least chance right. I'm certainly talking to you and not your imaginary" baby" who might be coming in the next 30 years to come. " She joked as she hit him on the shoulder signaling her dissatisfaction with his comment." You are possibly pulling my legs right? How could you possibly want to give me my first child in the next 30 years when you would be 52 years? I don't think I would want to father a baby when I'm 55. So my lady, can we start making babies starting from this moment? "
She pushed him away and threw her purse at him as she walked over to the fridge to get something to drink." would you like to drink? I think some fruit juice would be helpful to digest my omelet." Grabbing a juice from the fridge, she took two glasses as she helped herself with a glass as she poured a drink for him as well. As they sat to enjoy their drink, the thought of George again came to mind and she couldn't help but doubt her feelings for him purposely because she wanted to be just friends. But no matter how she tried talking herself to accept that what she felt was purely friendship and nothing else, the harder it was for her not to think about the fact that George was the soul mate she had been searching for. The one who understood her and did not judge her actions no matter what.
"How possibly can this be. Could he actually be my soul mate, or its just an infatuation?" She thought about this in silence as she continued with her drink lost in her thoughts until she finally drifted to sleep on the sofa.