Waiting

The man sits on his chair waiting. His face is stoic. She comes every day, but so far, not today. He sighs and closes his eyes, but just for a moment. He doesn't want to miss her arrival.

The clock strikes three. The man tries not be worry. She should be here by now, but he can be patient. He knows she will come. She always comes, just not usually this late. He hears a bird sing. She loves birds singing. He wishes she were here and wonders what could be keeping her so long.

He shifts uncomfortably in the wooden chair, staring at the clock and out the window in turn. Someone brings him dinner, but it is not her, so he politely waves it away. The face looks worried, says he has to eat. He manages to conjure a smile and say that he is waiting, that he will eat with her when she gets here. They always eat together, it's just that usually she's already been here for several hours when they do, but she is coming. She always comes, every day.

The sun begins to set. The days are short this time of year, but the setting sun still indicates it is getting late. He is a little worried now. He stops one of the young ladies and asks about his friend. The woman frowns and shakes her head. His friend is not coming. He almost laughs at that. Of course his friend is coming. She always comes, every day, except apparently today.

He starts to doze off in his chair. As he starts to fall off his chair, he feels caring hands catch him. He looks up with a smile to see another young lady who is not her. "Where is she?" he asks.

The woman shakes her head in sadness, "She's not coming. You know that."

The man frowns. "She must have had to help someone else today," he said. "She's always doing that, so loving. But she comes every day. She'll come tomorrow."

The woman who is not her mutters something the man cannot hear. She looks sad. "Don't be sad," he tells her. "When she comes, I'm sure she can cheer you up, too." That just makes the girl look sadder.

"Come on, let's go to bed," the polite young lady who is not her says.

The man wants to wait, knows she must be coming, but he is quite tired as well. "If she comes after I've gone to bed, will you tell her where I've gone?" The woman nods and the man smiles. "I don't know why she didn't come today. She comes every day. I'm sure she'll come tomorrow. She comes every day." Except today.