He always arrives just before the restaurant closed. But this time… He didn't.
You look at your wall clock, and turn to your employees. "It's quitting time folks! Everyone did a good job, now all of you lovely folks go back to your homes and get some rest!" The small crowd of people sigh contently and a comfortable chatter sets in. Everyone sounds tired, but happy, and they wish you goodbye as they leave.
As usual, Calliope stays behind and helps out with the finances. You were decent at math back in school, but you can't understand any of the business lingo used in these bills.
"Do you think he's coming around again?" Calliope asks casually. The girl has a mischievous grin, and you roll your eyes.
"I'm not waiting for him, if you wondering, Cal."
"A unique customer who comes hither every Friday night, and for the first time is late… Oh, the utter trepidation you must be feeling, Jane," she says shyly.
You nudge at her and laugh. "Ugh, it's my fault. I was just pinning after him like a love-sick fool. And I never once spoken a word to him at all," you say wistfully. "Should I have said something to him? Maybe he realized all of the hubbub I was causing and skadoodled right outta here."
"Careful, Jane. You just about sound like some old man reminiscing about his time in the navy," Calliope says thoughtfully. "Maybe he's just late today."
Jane gives Calliope a head shake and drops the documents on the table in front of them. Jane then begins pantomiming the action of pulling petals out of a flower. "I feel like I'm taking this all by chance, Cal. He'll show up, He won't. I'll say I love him, I'll say I don't. "
Jane tosses her arms and flails a bit for dramatic effect. Jane knows that Calliope would never be rude enough to call her a "drama" queen, but Jane can determine that this is Calliope's overall interpretation of Jane.
"Ugh, Jane. You're acting in a rather immature manner which is unbecoming of you! Girl, get a grip!" Calliope scolds you. "You are a very confident lady Jane, and I can't possible understand why you seem to cause mayhem over such a little crush. Trust me, he'll like you too. And if he doesn't I know people who do."
"Pfft, that's a bunch of boloney Cal, but I know that you're just trying to mend a friend's broken heart," you reply. "Thanks for that."
You reach out to hug your pal, but immediately sense that something is wrong. You scoot your chair over to her and reach towards her. "Hey, hey hey! What's the matter Cal? Is there a problem?"
Calliope shakes her head and says weakly," I just can't understand how he can't see that he's won the heart of one of the most unbelievably beautiful people in this world? I mean, if I had something like that, I'd never let you go…"
Calliope's eyes widen and she presses her hands to her mouth. "Oh, Jane. Jane, I didn't mean that!" Calliope says through hiccups.
"You don't have to do anything. This unrequited love is possible one of the more unbearable aspects of me, but I can say with the utmost confidence that you don't have to worry about my affections for you," Calliope pleads.
And suddenly, she's holding your hands and you're crying into her shoulder. And even though you never really thought about Calliope that way, you're overjoyed that someone has come to love you the way Calliope has. So without hesitation, you hug her tightly. You stop thinking about a life with him and start thinking about a life with her.
You must admit, it looks like a good life.