Fragment #19 – Shit, I’m late

I’m late. Shit. I’m late. I hate that. Especially in such an occasion. Geez… I have a meeting with Beth, Steve’s fiancée. We saw each other quickly on Monday when I went to pick up some of his stuff, and she asked me to meet her. Knowing that she is also my friend, I said yes, but I didn’t tell Steve. No need for me to hurt him any more. I just think it fair if Beth gets a chance to give me her side of the story.
We were supposed to meet at 6 at Beanscene, on Cresswell Lane, just off Byres Road. Unfortunately, I got caught up with some things at work, and it’s now 6.10… I hope she will have waited… Here I am. I push the door, and quickly, look around the room to find her. She’s there in a corner. I don’t know why, I just got that line from Dirty Dancing coming into my mind: “Nobody puts Baby in a corner.”… I get a tea from the counter and sit down with the girl who’s tearing my friend’s heart apart.

I’m out. It’s 7.20 now. Shit, I’m late for dinner with Steve. Am I going to be on time any time today? Come on, Charlie, focus. Don’t try to hide what you’ve just learned from Beth behind rubbish considerations. I guess Steve was right: she’s not going to come back. She’s got a job in Los Angeles, and she’s leaving in a couple of weeks. She is ok to see with her landlord and get the flat for Steve. Although, after what happened in this flat and all the memories that must be hidden there, I doubt very highly that he’ll ever go back there. But, still, that’s not what stroke me most of all her revelations. It’s something that has to do with Steve’s feeling…
“Hey, it’s me, sorry I’m late.”
Steve comes out of the kitchen and gives me a kiss on the cheek.
“You ok? How was your day?”
“It was ok… Yours?”
“Yeah, the usual stuff.” Steve works with physical disabled adults. Quite tiring but so rewarding as well. But I know he doesn’t like to talk about it during the week.
“What’s on for tonight?”
“TV! And as for dinner, the good old steak pie and mashed potatoes!”