“Annie, I thought I missed you,” Robert said, sounding relieved.
“I’m sorry I’m late. I was debating on whether or not I should meet you here at all.”
“Really? Why?” Robert asked.
“I have something that I…that I need to tell you.”
“What?” His voice not sounding surprised by this.
“Well…I don’t really know how to say this,” she said hesitantly.
“Just spit it out,” Robert said in the tone of someone expecting bad news, but wanting to get it over with.
“Robert, I,” Annie hesitated once again. “I’m seeing someone else,” she finally blurted out.
“Someone else?” Robert repeated as if it made it easier to comprehend.
Robert turned away.
“I’m so sorry,” Annie said looking down in shame.
“You’re not the only one who’s sorry,” he spat; his voice full of a mixture pain and anger. I could tell that this was someone that he really cared about.
“I didn’t mean-” Annie began.
“Was that all you wanted?” Robert said interrupting her words; his tone indicating that he was done with the conversation.
“Don’t you want an explanation?”
“There’s no need for an explanation…I can already see who you are,” Robert said in disgust; dropping his drink…the glass shattering on the ground.
Annie, picking up on his insult, walked away without another word.
While Annie’s back was turned, Robert turned around quickly. I guessed that he wanted to call her back and apologize for insulting her, but something seemed to hold him back. Instead, he watched as she walked toward her car.
Finally, he called out to her, “Annie, wait…”
But it was too late…
Annie was already driving off in her car.
Robert stood there and watched as she drove away. I sat by the window observing; for the first time feeling slight sympathy toward this man that I had despised so much hours earlier.
When she was almost out of sight, he began walking away from the bar. I stood up to follow him.
His pace quickened as Annie’s car moved farther down the street.
Once again, he was on his bike; speeding off behind her.
At first I thought that he may have decided to go after her.
But then, I had a strong feeling that Robert already knew that it was over when he received that first phone call.
