Lives Between Walls

Time dragged on, seconds seem to go on for eternity. He was quiet, I was quiet, my hands below the table, fidgeting with my scarf tassels. He was tapping his beautiful fingers on that rustic oak table and staring out the floor to ceiling window. You could cut the tension with a knife and eat it. ‘Drrrrim drrrrrim drrrrrrim,’ went his fingers on the oak. The sound was beginning to agitate me, and added to my anxiety. Seconds went past, time was leaking out of our lives waiting for a moment that could either be the best one of our lives, or the worst. “Jessica,” he finally said in his deep voice, that was as majestic as the rumble at the beginning of a storm. Hearing him say my name sent ripples shooting all over my body. I looked up searching for his eyes. But wait! How did he know my name, because I hadn’t disclosed that I was the woman he had been chatting to on the internet? Infact I hadn’t even used my real picture, and thanks to my disease he thought he was sitting with a man. My heart started to pound in my throat. Did he know the truth about me? “How long are you going to make me wait like this?” He asked. I tried to speak but only a squeak came out, “Er I…” I cut my words when I looked up and realised that he was talking to his phone screen. I let out a large sigh of relief. I started breathing in deeper breaths to try and slow my heart down, I was afraid it would be louder than the abominable Tyler Swift they had been playing in that restaurant. I tried to compose myself, and asked in my deepest voice “So, who is Jessica?”

“This girl I met on the net.”

“Mmm, sounds interesting.”

“Yeah she is quite something. I have had alot of bad luck with relationships in the past. I’m just hoping that this is not another wild goose chase.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well you know how you can meet weirdoes on the internet. There are people who put these pictures only to find that in real life that photo has been filtered 20 times over.”

“Oh… I see.”

“And I hate having to tell someone that I don’t want to be with them because they are not what I expected them to be. So I end up getting into a relationship out of guilt with someone I’m not attracted to. Then a year down the line, we break up because it was built on a dishonest foundation.”

“Oh, well what if you found someone you really loved, but they weren’t shall we say, gifted in the looks department – but you were compatible in every way – would you go out with them?”

“Mmm, that’s a good question. Maybe if she is honest with me about it from the start I might consider it hey. I believe every girl has the potential to be beautiful as long as she is given enough love.”

We both laughed together. I fantasized about us laughing together seated in front of a fire place on our honey moon. I could see it, our cabin in the woods somewhere far away. I am warm and fuzzy in his arms, he is kissing me all over my face. I see the wedding dress – “I do,” he says. Suddenly I snap out of it only to realise he was asking me a question. “What about you? Who are you waiting for?” He asked me again. I stuttered trying to conjure up a story. “Well I’m waiting for this guy – ” oh sh*t, I just blew it, I mixed up my genders – this is so hard. “A guy?” He asked his bushy eyebrow raised in confusion. I forced a nervous laughter, “Sorry, a girl,” I corrected myself. Sipho was amused, “Look man, its okay I’m not opposed to that, I mean we’re different – if you’re into that sort of thing you don’t have to be ashamed.” My face went red. This date was turning into a disaster! First he thinks I’m a guy, now he thinks I’m a guy who likes men! Surely it can’t get worse than this.

A young black male waiter approaches our table. “Good afternoon gentlemen, I’ll be your waiter for today. Can I get you anything?” He was quite slender, and perhaps slightly shorter than Sipho. I could tell he was a bit older but his slenderness and youthful fiery eyes made him seem much younger. He looked very familiar to me. He smiled. “Well,” Sipho replied, “We’re actually waiting for our dates, but I think we can get something to drink in the mean time. A Sprite maybe? How bout you?” He turned towards my direction. “I’ll have an appletiser thanks,” I replied, not taking my eyes off this peculiar waiter. “Thank you gentlemen,” the waiter smiled and walked away. As he turned I caught a glimpse of his name tag: Sibusiso. Where had I met him before? “That waiter looks really familiar,” I said motioning to Sipho with my eyes. “Funny I was thinking exactly the same thing,” he replied.

After about 10 minutes of waiting, we were both beginning to realise that we had been stood up. Sipho was frantically typing away at his phone. What is he typing I wondered. Suddenly I heard a text come through my phone. Oh sh*t! Then it hit me, he was sending me, or should I say, ‘Jessica,’ text messages through the dating site. What if he were to try and call?! Wait he doesn’t have my number. Suddenly he put the phone up to his ear. Bob marley started singing loudly in my pocket, ‘No woman dont cry!’

Sipho turned to look at me and frowned. Oh sh*t! I wanted to dig a hole and hide. For sure he knew now or at least suspected something. There was no more turning back, I had to come clean and tell him. “Erm…” I stammered, my lip quivering, “Let me explain…” Sipho slumped back onto his seat and put his hand to his mouth. “I can’t believe you,” he said with a stern expression. I was done for. It was over. He continued, “I can’t believe that’s your ring tone!” He started laughing. I was dumbstruck. He hadn’t made the connection. I guess it’s true what they say, guys are much slower than girls – and to my advantage it seemed as though Sipho was not the sharpest tool in the shed. I laughed nervously. “Yeah what can I say, I’m a big reggae fan.” Bob Marley still continued singing. “Well aren’t you going to get that?” He asked, still holding his phone to his ear, “It could be your date.” Reluctantly I reached into my pocket and pulled out my phone and looked on the screen. It was an unknown number.

I looked at Sipho, he really didn’t know what was going on here. Was this call from him, or was it coincidental, and the call was from another person? I took in a deep breath and answered the call. “Hello?”