Broken without you

THREE

Vanessa finish up her work and head to the coffee shop. She sits down and waits patiently for Jason to be through with his work before they both headed out to an expensive restaurant for dinner. Once they settled down and ordered their food, Vanessa began talking.

"So Jay, what happened to you?. You suddenly disappeared and no one knew your whereabouts for eight years."

Jason bit his lips. "I moved in with an aunt in another state. I completed my high school there and did other jobs before deciding to come back to the city."

Vanessa looks surprised. "Just like that?"

Jason nods in response. Vanessa shakes her head and they never said another word till the food arrived.

"So, tell me about you. What happened to you when I wasn't around." Jason asks while eyeing the expensive meal on the table. 'how the hell am I going to pay for all of that!.' he yell in his mind.

"Well, I completed high school and went to college to study business management --"

"What?. I thought you wanted to be a writer." Jason interrupts.

Vanessa shakes her head again. "My parents didn't approve of it."

"And because they didn't approve of it, you decided to give up your dreams?. Honestly, I am not impressed."

Vanessa's eyebrows furrow in anger. "You know what? I'm the one who's not impressed. You disappeared for eight years and appeared now as a coffee boy, You think that's impressing?."

She scoffs as she dips her hands in her bag and brings out a cheque. After signing on it, she stood up and said." I don't want to stay around a sorry broke ass like you. You're nothing but a worthless poor man. "she picks up her bag and leaves.

Jason was left speechless. Did Vanessa just say all that to him?. The waitress comes and pick up the cheque and looks at it.

" Wow, big madam left a lot of tips. "the girl says excitedly. Then she turns to Jason and ask." Uhm - sir?.... What are we going to do with all these food?. She didn't even eat it. "

Jason, who still looked dumbfounded replied." Pack the leftovers. Am taking it home. "the waitress looked at Jason, shocked.

" Okay sir. "she replies and tries to hold back her laughter as she leaves to get the leftover polythene bag.

*****

The next morning at the coffee shop.

Laughter can be heard as Olivia and Wayne burst into fits of laughter after Jason narrated what happened last night.

"She really said all that to you?. Sorry your date was messed up." Wayne tease, trying to control his laughter.

"It's not a date, It's just dinner! " Jason protested.

"Yeah, a dinner where she paid the bill without eating." Olivia chuckles as she speaks.

"The restaurant is expensive and their foods are costly. How do you expect me to pay for that?. I was worried about the bill too, you know." Jason says looking all serious.

"We know, alright and you took the whole leftover home." Wayne adds.

"What was I supposed to do? Allow them to waste it?"

"You're really unbelievable, Jason." Olivia says and Jason sigh. He really f****d up. He would have loved to apologize but Vanessa's insults still rang like a church bell in his ears.

Then suddenly, the doors openand Vanessa walks in, acting like nothing happened. Like she never knew him at all. She sat down and Olivia went to take her orders. As usual, she ordered for a black coffee.

"I'll do it myself." he say to Olivia when she returned to the counter. He have decided to swallow his pride or whatever and apologize to her first.

"Are you sure?." Olivia asked, concerned.

Jason nods and goes to prepare the coffee just the way she likes it. When he got to her table, he gently placed down the cup of coffee and began to apologize.

"Nessa, I am so - -"

"Stop." she interrupts him with her hand raised up to his face. "I didn't come here this morning for you to spoil my mood."

"But I'm trying to apologize - -"

"I said STOP!!!." Vanessa shouts at him and then, to everyone's surprise, she pours the black coffee on Jason's white shirt. She stands up, brings out a one thousand dollar note and throw it at his face.

"I've told you that I don't want to stay close to your dumb broke ass but you're just trying to be ignorant. Next time you come this close to me, I'll make sure you spend the night in jail." with that, she picks up her bag and leaves the shop, heading to work.

Jason quietly stood up and went straight to the bathroom to clean himself up and change his already stained white shirt. He was deeply embarrassed.