Love in Ruins

Love in Ruins XIX – The Waiter

Anna’s enthusiasm and anxiety in seeing Carl was so apparent, he couldn’t feel at ease. He needed some appreciation after all that he had to put up with Lynn but this was not it. Lynn was still pretty much in charge of his thoughts. As if what she had done to him wasn’t hurting enough, she had to go and have an affair just so his wound would be deeper. He wasn’t really listening to Anna talk. She had been explaining herself for quite some time now, all he wanted was to move on to another day as far away as possible from Lynn. So he interrupted Anna…

‘I’m not that hungry, I think I’m gonna skip the main course. Have you chosen what you want already?’

‘Oh, I was so caught up with what happened earlier that I forgot to choose… but I’ll just ask for a salad. Let’s call the waiter already.’

‘It’s okay, take your time.’

‘Waiter!’ She shouted. ‘Waiter!!’ She shouted louder. Carl was beginning to feel ashamed, he hated to see people shouting at others.

‘Anna, let me go find him.’

‘No Carl, we’re not supposed to be going after them. These people are paid to come over our table and serve us.’ And she shouted ‘waiter’ a couple of more times.

When the waiter came, Carl couldn’t even look at his face.

‘I’m sorry madam, something happened in the kitchen, we’re missing some staff today. I’m so sorry for the wait.’ The waiter seemed anxious and a little nervous, as if this was his first day on the job.

‘Well you should be. What kind of restaurant is this that we need to be looking for its own waiters?’ Anna handed the menu with so much anger that she almost hit the waiter with it. ‘I want a tropical salad and a bottle of water.’

‘How about you sir?’ He turned to Carl.

‘I think I’ve just changed my mind. I don’t think I’m having lunch today. I’m sorry about this.’

‘What do you mean you’re not having anything?’ Anna looked angrier now.

‘Anna, I don’t think this is gonna work out. You go right ahead, have your salad. I’ll see you in the office on Monday.’

‘Excuse me, could you leave us alone now?’ Anna told the clueless waiter.

‘No. Don’t leave. What’s your name?’ Carl asked the waiter.

‘Peter.’

‘Peter, I’m sorry that you have to deal with women such as this one in my table, but I’d like to thank you at the same time because you my friend, have revealed to me one of the biggest mistakes of my life!’ And with that, Carl left and never looked back.

Anna ran after him at the parking lot, grabbed his arm aggressively and said ‘you’re gonna regret doing this Carl.’

‘No Anna, you’re the one who will regret having touched me this way. You’re fired.’

That night Carl spent the night in a hotel room nearby. He didn’t want to go home and face reality just yet. He needed time to absorb everything that was going on. But later that night, a small voice spoke to him gently ‘pray for some guidance’. And that’s what he did. For the first time in years, Carl knelt down in his hotel bed and spoke to God…

‘Father, I don’t even know how to begin this… it’s been so long… I know I haven’t been the man you wanted me to be but I need you now, I don’t think I can take anymore hurt in my failed marriage. Is it over? Am I to fight for Lynn? I’m hurting Lord… I don’t think I can forgive her… but at the same time, I don’t think I can move on… please give me some guidance before I make yet another mistake in my life. Amem.’

Carl felt good after his prayer. For some reason, it felt as though God was also in the room with him and that gave him the best sleep in months. He woke up early that Sunday morning knowing exactly what he needed to do.

To be continued…

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