Repeat and Retribution

Chapter 4

The walls were painted in shining white and gold, huge windows surrounded the whole place with a nice cream curtain. Tables were well aligned in nice white embroidered table cloth and the chairs were made of wood with a soft cushion. Even the cutlery were of silver and had a very stylish medieval design, everything was well placed from the plates to the silver ware.

You’d think that you just suddenly got transported to to medieval times within the confines of a well off castle. Even the waiters and waitresses wore outfits befitting of the place.

“Wow, this is nice,” Crystal said as she was still in awe while looking around the ceiling full of chandeliers.

“Yes, they just opened about a week ago and my friends say they have the best pork belly here,” Brittany smiled as she started browsing the menu.

“I think Clyde would really like it here, if it wasn’t so far from the city,” Crystal could not help but say.

She remembered how the man would always love eating at fine dining restaurant like the one they were in right now. How, during their college days they would loved attending some of Clyde’s family gatherings just so they could experience eating in a fancy place.

Going back to those days Crystal couldn't help but smile. It was some of the best and happiest moments of her life, she could say that she was quite content during those days, where Clyde and her would just enjoy each others company, not mattering much where they were or what they did.

“Maybe you should tell him to go with you here, It’s not like he’s still broke or anything. He should be able to afford taking you to places like this once in a while, since he’s basically earning a lot now,” Brittany says.

The sarcasm on her friends voice instantly breaoke her day dream of the happy days she and Clyde spent during those days.

Straightening her self immediately, she faces her friend with the usual smile that she has. “You know how he doesn’t appreciate traveling to far places like this, plus he’s still not finish paying some of his debts,” she just says.

It was one of the changes that happened a few years back, Clyde was all of a sudden unable to bear the length of traveling to places like those, the was also a that side of him that didn’t like splurging money on such things.

“Uh huh, that’s the same excuse you gave me a while ago,” Brittany just frowned, eyes rolling to the side again.

“Why don’t we just order, I’m starving,” Crystal blurted out, not wanting to argue anymore.

The one and a half hour travel had built her appetite, so she was really famished during that time.

“Just order what ever you want, this one’s on me,” Brittany said with an air of confidence.

Giving her that it’s okay, I’ll take care of it wave to her.

“Okay, if you say so,” she giggles while browsing the menu.

The food there was basically gold and she wasn’t even sure of the serving for each but she just chose the ones that she like and were within the means of her own budget, just in case she needed to shell out some money for dessert.

Not being able to choose any of the food Crystal decided to just let her friend order for them, Brittany then chose to have the degustation menu for both of them so that they can sample some of the courses within the place.

Crystal couldn’t hide her enjoyment as she and Brittany began chatting away the time as they waited for the food.

She was thankful that during the whole course of the afternoon, her friend avoided the subject in regards with her fiancee and their postponed wedding. Focusing mainly on talking about the job opening that she wanted her to take.

It was obvious that Brittany was adamant on making her agree to it, even though she already said no three times already.

She knew that once she goes into a much higher paying job than Clyde it would cause another breakdown for his beloved fiancee. Since it had happened already a few years ago. There was also the part were she was sure that she wouldn't be able to take care of her man’s daily needs as the job required full attention and quite a lot of time.

With their current relationship already on shallow waters, she didn’t really want to add another burden to it. As they were already having a hard time keeping it together, with all the things that they had to do for the upcoming nuptials and saving money for the house they were planning to buy, there was just too many things to do to actually be able to have another one added on her list.

They were already in their third course meal consisting of of sea bass with herb crust, cauliflower puree, wild mushrooms and quail eggs.

Crystal was already in heaven but the delectable taste of the fish with the mix of the herbs melded perfectly in her mouth, she couldn’t believe that such a food tasted so good. It also went well with the cauliflower puree, mushroom and quail eggs. It was so divine that she suddenly remembered her old dream of becoming a chef.

A pang of regret suddenly covered him as she was again reminded of the choices she had to make during her younger years, her parents never did support her own decisions and interest, even though she was basically already working for her own tuition fee.

“I bet you could try making this,” Brittany broke the silence between them as they were both enjoying the scrumptious fish.

Crystal couldn't help but smile at the confidence and sheer trust of her friend towards her skill. Her friend was really one of a kind, even though hard headed and foul mouthed some time, the woman always knew how to support and praise.

“Maybe if I can get the recipe, I can. I bet Clyde would really love this,” she says out of nowhere, as the man suddenly popped out into his mind all of a sudden for no reason.

“Oh, him again. I thought we were not mentioning that name for the duration of our quality time together,” Brittany made a foul face, as again she was obviously annoyed by the man.

“Sorry.” Crystal gave out a half smile.

She ended up lowering her head in shame because of her own mistake, remembering she was the one who actually avoided the subject a while ago due to the argument that it caused.

“Don’t apologize for that man, it’s not worth it,” Brittany blurts out after taking a sip of her red wine.

“Sorry, It’s just that he suddenly popped into my mind.” Poking the fish meat with her fork, she couldn’t help but feel a bit of shame for suddenly bringing it up.

Even she was surprised of what she did, it wasn’t that often that she would talk about her man like that. But it also made her think that she was just being too sentimental of the past.

“Girl, a man doesn’t just suddenly pops out of your mind for no reason,” Brittany scoffs, pointing her spoon at her.

Crystal was sure that their conversation about how bad her fiancee is again would start again if she didn’t find a good excuse for suddenly saying that.

“It’s the food, he always liked these kind of dishes,” he says then starts nibbling on the piece of meat on her fork.

Brittany could not help but raise a brow, she leaned back to her chair, giving her the look like she was in some kind of interrogation.

“Or maybe you’re just remembering him because he barely has time for you,” she pouts at her. Mocking the man once more.

Crystal was a bit dumbfounded at the comment, she wasn’t sure why her friends was so accurate and on point right now.

It was true that it has been quite a while since she and Clyde had some alone time together. It was either she was late going home from work or he was busy with his work, activities and schedules.

Processing all those things on her mind didn’t really help, as it actually gave her that sudden feeling of sadness and despair. Though she did not want to have those emotions right now, she just couldn’t help the loneliness that had already managed to sneak it’s way into her system.

It felt like there was a huge hole in her chest thinking about the things that she and Clyde could be doing right now if it wasn’t for that basket ball game that he had or the quality time that they agreed upon, making her feel a bit of regret for actually agreeing to all those things.

It took her a while to actually to think of a comeback, seeing as what her friend said actually hit a spot.

But eventually she gave her friend her sweetest smile before saying, “or maybe I’m just madly in love with him.”

That made Brittany’s browse raise up in to it’s full, length. The woman quickly gave her a quirky grin before sipping her red wine again.

“Sheesh girl, I really don’t know what I’m going to do with you,” she shook her head in disbelief.

The sudden silence just made the two of them laugh a bit, as they both knew that they should just stop with that topic then and there.

Before Crystal could utter another word for their conversation, she suddenly falls silent. Intense pain and exhaustion suddenly grabbed her whole body, making her shoulders fall. She felt like her heart was twisting in a knot as she swallowed deep and hard. It felt like blades were passing through her throat as her eyes began heating up and swelling.

She could not believe what she was seeing right now. Just on the other side of the table that was next to them was Clyde.

The man was wearing a nice, well fitted tux looking clean and dashing as he always did, with him was a very attractive woman wearing a red, body fit dress that showed all the nice curves, from her hips, chest to her legs.

The two were just on their first course and it was obvious that they were enjoying the company of each other. She wouldn’t really think anything out of it, knowing that it may just be a client or a co-worker.

But then Crystal just remembered that her fiancee didn’t have any schedule meetings or work that day, plus the man specifically told her that they had a ball game that would end late at night. It also dawned on her that Clyde was wearing a jersey the morning when he left the house, so it was too in-excusable that the man was now wearing a full on suit.

That was literally the cause of her tear falling down her cheeks, the pain inside her chest was just too unbearable to actually be able to hold it any longer.

A sobbed escaped her when finally everything became clear, as Clyde gave the woman in the red dress a long and sweet kiss before continuing to canoodle on their table.

Brittany’s eyes were immediately as sharp as an eagle seeing Crystal suddenly burst into tears. The woman’s senses were quickly on alert as to what had happened. In a matter of seconds she was already looking around to where her friends eyes were a moment ago.

“Oh hell no!” She gasped, eyes wide while as her hands balled into a fist.

Crystal suddenly felt panic knowing full well what her friend was intending to do, though she was still gasping for air, she still managed to will herself to speak.

“Brit, it’s...it’s okay, I...I think there’s an explanation for this,” she sobs, still trying to make out the things that they were seeing right now.

“Explain my ass, do you see how they’re smooching each other over there! There ain’t no explanation that would be able to give a proper reason for that kind of behavior, except for one one damn thing!” Brit scoffs as she points to the couple on the other table who were both still unaware of them.

“Brit let it go!” Crystal tries to call her back.

Brittany just raises one finger to her, “Na ah! I ain’t f*****g Elsa to just let this go,” she then proceeded walking straight to the two.

“Brit!” Crystal tried to stop her friend again, but her feet felt like marshmallow at the moment because of the sheer tension and agony she was feeling right now.

“Asshole wasting several years of your life with empty promises, creep needs to be thought a lesson!”

Brittany just kept on talking to herself all the while walking towards the unsuspecting Clyde and date.

Without a second though the woman just grabs the wine glass in front of the two before looking at Clyde with a wide grin.

It was obvious that the man was caught off guard as his face turned pale white, eyes wide open in sheer terror upon seeing Brittany in front of them. The woman with him was of course clueless of what was happening until Brittany threw the drink right into the said lady’s face.

Clyde of course was already standing up to try to make a rescue but before he could even get up from his chair, Brittany’s fist was immediately flying right into his face.

The scene was like in some kind of intense telenovela, though Crystal felt the pang on her chest there was a bit of relief seeing as what her friend had just done for her.