ENTHRALLED BY YOU

STEPHEN'S SECRET

STEPHEN'S SECRET

Stepping through the sliding doors of the Crunch Diner three hours later in her work suit, stilettos and pulled back ponytail hair, Lisa looked more like she was here for a business diner than to see her boyfriend. 

The sick feeling brewing in the pit on her stomach after the call earlier today from Stephen only intensified as she stood awkwardly searching the restaurant for a sign of her boyfriend.

The interior of the restaurant was beautifully lit with soft lighting hanging from the ceiling, warm background music flowing out smoothly from beneath the fingers of the pianist who was deeply enthralled in his world, giving the room an ambiance of calm and peace that was soothing to Lisa and helped calmed her nerves.

She was surprised at his choice of the Diner for this meeting because they had never been to this part of town before. Lisa was too nervous about their meeting to actually go home and change; so she decided to come straight here from work and find out what was wrong.

The call from Stephen earlier was so short and abrupt it left her completely bereft, and at loss of what to say, especially when he sounded like he was actually pleading to see her as soon as possible.

She was here now, Lisa said more to herself, for reassurance that she was strong, and could handle anything even if it had something to do with meeting his parents over the weekend.

Wait a moment !! Was the weekend trip canceled ?? 

She shuddered at the thought of already doing something wrong to offend his parents without having actually met them.

Way to go Lisa !! Stop over thinking things, she screamed at her inner mind that was determined to ruin her day since it began. 

Scanning the vast area of the room, she spotted Stephen sitting at the far corner of the room with his back to her, facing a lady she had never seen before. 

She couldn’t see much from her position as they were both engrossed in a discussion that felt like they needed a rescue. Moving her feet forward she approached the table.

“Hello Stephen, hello dear”, Lisa said, as way of greeting to the both of them but the most shocking thing happened.

They recoiled… Like they have just bitten by a snake or got their finger stuck in the cookie jar, and Lisa couldn’t help but wonder what kind of discussion she had just interrupted.

It took Stephen a moment to recover himself, and reciprocate her greetings, although she could feel the tension radiating off him in waves; It was obvious from the awkward hug to the sloppy kiss he placed across both her cheeks.

It suddenly dawned on Lisa that this wasn’t going to be their regular dinner with discussions that would have them cracked up in minutes like little kids, intoxicated with food and wine.

Something serious was wrong, and Lisa instinctively knew she wouldn’t like what it was.

Little did she know, her world was about to crumble all around her in broken pieces and shattered frames.

***

The awkward silence surrounding our table was pregnant enough to give birth, and it stretched on for a few more minutes after Lisa took her seat, before Stephen spoke.

“I wasn’t expecting you this early Lisa, and I feel so sorry not to have mentioned earlier that it was a dinner for three”, Stephen said. 

I didn’t want to upset you at work by loading you with too much information, so I made the message brief and short; obviously it didn’t work.

“You are damn right it didn’t work”, Lisa retorted. Do you know how worried I was that something awful could have happened to you?.

“I had to hurry here as soon as it was possible for me”, Lisa said with all sincerity and concern etched on her face, defining her features with worry and need for reassurance that all was okay.

I saw a look of pain and pity flash across his face, like my confession of caring about him was too much to bear and deeply wounded him.

“This is Elizabeth, Lisa”, Stephen said, introducing the lady who has been sitting quietly on the other side of the table looking down like she has committed a crime, and couldn’t wait to bolt from this place.

They shook hands and Lisa noticed she only met her eyes briefly before she looked away, and began intently studying the patterns and carvings used to beautify their dinning table like it was the most fascinating thing she has ever seen.

“Nice to meet you too”, They both echoed out the response, while Lisa turned sideways with a quizzical look on her face. Stephen answered before Lisa even opened her mouth to voice out the question.

Taking her hand in his, Stephen said, “I wanted to tell you this for a long time now, but I couldn’t find the courage and strength to do so Lisa, so I kept it away from you for so long”.

Lisa’s eyes were opened wide, her mouth hung loose from it’s hinges, because she could see deep sadness in the depths of his brown eyes, like he was torn apart by what he was about to say. 

The wheels were churning again in her head, but this time she had no idea what to think about or expect form this train of conversation.

The only sentence repeating on a loop in Lisa’s blank mind was Stephen has a secret.

Snapping out of her frozen state was caused by the loud scrapping sound of wood on tiles, as Elizabeth hurried out of the table with a semblance of tears brewing on her lids.

“I need to use the bathroom”, Elizabeth said, I can’t watch this.. I am so sorry Lisa.. I really am not a bad person.. she continued to rant; don’t hate me please.. She spat out before hurrying towards the bathroom.

If she were not already in shock, Lisa would be totally petrified right now because none of this makes sense to her. 

Lisa couldn’t imagine what the lady she met only moments ago must have done to her to breakdown like that or why her boyfriend was fidgeting nervously because he had something to tell her.

Suddenly, her feelings of dread disappeared, replaced with a stronger one of anger and betrayal because it was clearly obvious she had been offended without even knowing it.

“Spit it out Stephen”, Lisa almost yelled at him, there was only so much wave of emotions a woman could actually handle.

“Lisa, Elizabeth is my fiancee, she is carrying our child, and we are soon to be married”, the bomb dropped from his lips.

Time stood still as his words sank in, and the light in Lisa’s heart went dark, silent and numb, like a knife was plunged through it.

“I am so sorry Lisa, It wasn’t my intention to hurt you after all you have been through, but Lizzy and I are in love with each other and she is carrying my baby”, Stephen said hurriedly in an attempt to apologize. It only twisted the knife deeper.

Lisa wasn’t paying attention anymore to what Stephen was saying, shutting him completely out of her mind, trying to navigate on auto pilot. 

Slowly, she reached into her bag, took out her cellphone and dialed the one person I could trust to come to her rescue. Maria.

Completely tuned out, and lost in the abyss of her thoughts, Lisa replayed Stephen's words over and over again, Elizabeth was pregnant.

The first dull ache of pain started spreading out in her heart like a vine, slowly creeping through every part of her body, growing in intensity and draining Lisa of the strength and will power to live.

The sound of footsteps approaching made Lisa’s head snap up absently, and she locked eyes with the woman who just shattered her world, and something broke inside her. 

Springing off her feet, she lunged for Elizabeth with a speed that knocked the air out of her lungs. Lisa screamed as she was suddenly being lifted up high in the air with a vice-like grip around her waist.

The sound that deadened the entire restaurant after that was from deep within the soul of a woman whose heart has just been shattered.