the lovers

they met at a small nondescript diner at the edge of the city. it was a thursday afternoon and the weather had been dreary as of late, the landscape covered interminable drizzle.

the woman was young, with a fairly slight build, her wavy hair worn naturally down to her shoulders. she was wearing a wool, winter coat with a hood which she took off upon entering the door, chiming a bell attached. he was already there at a table in the back waiting for her. he stood up as she approached and they embraced hard as if they had not seen each other for ages.

"oh, my love i've missed you so" he said brushing strands of hair out of her face. he kissed her softly on the brow.

"i've missed you too" she replied her eyes sparkling brightly, her mouth a flash of white. she looked at him coyly.

his hair was flat as he had been wearing a hat to ward off the damp, a scarf still wrapped around his neck. they sat, holding hands across the table. they didn't speak for a few moments, gladly basking in each other's company, staring intently at one another.

the diner was old and the carpet was weathered. the lone waitress in a starch pressed uniform came and took their orders.

"we'll just have two coffees please" he said. "i feel like i haven't seen you in lifetimes."

"i know, it's just hard to find time. my work is driving me insane. then there's the kids and their schedule..." she trailed off as he nodded in empathetic agreement.

"how are you holding up?"

"i'm okay, it just gets real lonely. i'm so happy to see you."

"you have no idea sweetheart." he leaned across the table and she came in for a kiss.

the waitress brought them the coffees and put a saucer full of creamers next to them.

"we have really got to stop meeting at places like this, it's dreadful."

"i would meet you at the ends of the earth if i had to, but you know how it is."

"i know"

"how's the firm?"

"they're about to make me partner" he replied "they owe it to me, i've definitely put in my time."

she clasped her hands together excitedly and crinkled her eyes. "oh i'm so happy for you, congratulations that's terrific news!"

"it just really means that i'm going to be stuck there for the rest of my natural life."

"oh don't be sour, it's great  news." she grabbed his hand in hers and examined them together, like a child looking at something new. "i want to go celebrate, i'm gonna take you out to dinner" she winked at him.

"i would like that, when?"

"it's going to have to be awhile, this little rendezvous was already hard enough."

the rain started up again outside and pitter-pattered against the window, blurring the world outside. every once in awhile a car motored by, but the diner and the streets were mostly silent. they stared out into the haze, happily content to share this momentary bliss, knowing that soon it would be gone and that they would have to return to their prospective lives, without each other. the emptiness and loneliness without the other a daily pang, which they had learned to accept during their few months of courtship.

the door bell chimed, a woman in a raincoat walked in, shaking off her umbrella. she put one finger up to the waitress indicating that she was alone. she glanced around the diner and stopped when she saw the couple in the corner. a look of puzzlement came over her eyes.

"hey, audrey is that you?"

the couple turned and looked at the woman who just walked in. a panic crept over audrey and her face went a pale shade of green. she stood up.

"hello emily, it's such a coincidence seeing you here." they walked towards each other and embraced.

"i know, i was just out getting my nails done and got stuck in this rain so i figured i would stop in for a bite."

"how are the kids?"

"oh, you know, a handful." emily kept glancing over at the table so audrey felt obligated to give some sort of explanation.

"this, is my friend... dylan." dylan stood up from the table to make introductions. "we went to college together and he was in town so i thought we'd grab a cup of coffee and reminisce."

emily took dylan's hand and smiled at him but not with her eyes.

"well, tell john i say hello and that i would love to get the children together sometime soon" she said to audrey. "looks like the rain has stopped, i'll talk to you soon audrey, nice to meet you dylan."

emily rushed off in a bustle, completely forgetting the fact that she had come into the diner to grab a bite.

"who was that?" asked dylan. audrey seemed to be visibly shaken.

"emily is a family friend, we've known each other since we were children. she know's john for chrissake."

"well, i'm just a college friend. you just told her yourself. everything will be fine."

"no it won't dylan, you don't know her" she was trembling slightly and bit at her lower lip. "she's going to tell everyone. listen we can't see each other for awhile."

"i think you're blowing this out of proportion audrey."

"no, no, no. you don't understand," she was whimpering a little bit now. her eyes welled and she was on the verge of tears. the smile and coyness gone, replaced only with fear and impending dread. "this is it dylan, i cannot see you anymore. if this gets out it will tear my family apart."

"audrey, relax. we can talk about this," he took her in his arms and held her close. he could feel her sob with each breath. "i love you audrey, let's not act brash."

"no dylan. this is it. emily will tell john. i can't do this. this has all been a horrible mistake." she picked up her coat to leave.

"please audrey..."

"no dylan, i'm sorry. i can't right now. i've got to go."

dylan watched as she walked out ringing the chime on the door. audrey picked up the pace, covering her head with her hands to block the rain and turned the corner. and like that, she was gone. dylan sat back down and stared at the coffee cups in front of him, bewildered. there was nothing that he could do at a moment like this. he loved her and he wanted more than anything to be with her. but it couldn't work out that way and he knew it in his heart from the very beginning.