DINNER FOR TWO

DINNER FOR TWO

 

It was a very big deal. My fiancé and I were dining at an expensive restaurant to celebrate setting the date for our wedding.

We were happily enjoying our meal, washed down with a bottle of Caymas Cabernet (at $200.00 a bottle!). We were reveling in each other’s company, until…

Of all the restaurants in New York, there she was – may ex-wife! We were married for seven years, six of which were spent at each other’s throat. She was with another woman! They only had eyes for each other. They were so wrapped up with each other, they never noticed me.

They sat at a few tables away from us. She was radiant, dazzled by her partner’s beauty, her passion, her joie de vivre – just as I had been years before.

They sat, staring at each other; never blinking. Their hands entwined. They waved the waiter away and just continued to drink each other in.

I was compelled to make furtive glances, lest I aroused the suspicions of my fiancé’.

The other woman got up, walked to my ex’s side of the table, knelt on one knee, opened a small box and presented her with an expensive-looking diamond ring. I heard her say, “I love you like no other. I would be more than honored to have you as my wife and soulmate.”

She replied, tears running down her cheeks, “I’ll marry you, yes, yes, yes!” The other patrons in the restaurant exploded in applause. The couple embraced in in long passionate kiss.

Maybe I wasn’t over her A feeling of ill-ease swept over me. How could I not have noticed her sexual orientation for the seven years we were married? I thought that she must have used every deception at her disposal to keep me in the dark, confuse me, yet sparing me any agony. What a fool! I fell for her myriad deceptions. I was blinded by her éclat!

A punch in the gut? Yes, but in my heart, I truly hoped she would be happy.

My fiancé finally noticed my intent interest in this passionate couple. I told her that one of the women was my ex-wife. She asked, “do you still love her?

Sheepishly and stupidly, I replied, ‘I guess I do”.

She was very calm while pouring the remaining wine over my head!

Then, she got up and abruptly left the restaurant!