The Atrium Cafe was the perfect place to celebrate a clean slate. It was the restaurant she had originally meant to go to, instead of Biagio’s. Maggie took off her work clothes and dug through her suitcase for…something special? Yes, it was a special occasion— Time to break free from Antonio’s magical spell!
Maggie stared back at her reflection, struggling to retain a positive outlook on staying single. One positive thing! It did not matter how she looked! But the jean shorts and sweater still needed an accessory. Maggie grabbed a scarf, printed with a red rose floral design, and tied it around her neck. She slipped on her favorite boots, and, without using a comb, braided her messy hair, leaving it to hang on one side. No reason to worry about hair. She was celebrating independence!
www.lovetheillusion.com/76.htm
She grabbed her bag and headed out the door.
When she arrived at the Atrium Cafe, she concluded that everyone in the hotel must have decided to eat at the same time. There was a two hour wait.
After finally getting seated, she reviewed the menu. And after making her selection, she suddenly felt very alone. Francis had invited her to dinner, but she declined. She needed a break from him. Matt and Sally were enjoying their time away from their teenagers, and she did not want to intrude. She tried not to think about Antonio. She noticed an elderly couple sitting a few tables away. They hardly spoke a word to each other, but when the man smiled at his wife, Maggie thought that must be what love would look like if you could see it.
After ordering fettuccini, she noticed a couple of women sitting together, hovered over their table and cackling, enjoying their private conversation. Probably discussing men. Maggie laughed to herself, wondering why they had to be so difficult and why love had to be so complicated.
When her food arrived, she was reminded how much she liked Italian food. Funny thing, Antonio was Italian. She forked through her fettuccini, suddenly realizing that she had not spent much time thinking about Phillip, lately. He was not who she thought he was, which made it easier for her to dissolve her feelings for him. Her mind raced back to Antonio. She tried to clear him out of her head, but she could not. She wondered about Arianna. The thought of them together made her nauseous, not to mention the other girlfriends he probably had. After Friday, she would never see him again, and surely he would have no problem keeping busy without her.
Maggie suddenly lost her appetite and pushed her plate away.
When the bill arrived, she signed her name after writing down her room number. She thought about putting Antonio’s room number on the bill, but then she stopped herself in her silly thoughts.
She darted her eyes across the room while making her exit.
No Bradley tonight. No notes delivered to the table, either.
Antonio must have forgotten about her as he spent time with Arianna or whoever else he could be entertaining tonight.
Just as she stepped out of the restaurant, a lady she had never met before came up to her and made conversation. “Excuse me miss, but were you with Antonio DeLuca at the Night Owl last night?”
Maggie suddenly felt invaded.
“Why do you ask?”
“Just tell me your name,” the lady probed.
“Uh…Maggie,” she hesitated, hoping she would not regret talking to strangers.
“Maggie, are you the one that went up on stage with Antonio, at the show last night?”
