Prem & Wad, Part 2, Second Chances

Chapter, 7, Showered with Questions

A rare argument ensued between Wad and Dok.  He was angry and didn't want to continue with the adventure Prem was sending him on.  "What's the point,  he hates me now,  I'll never see him again,  you know that too P'Dok,  he doesn't want me anymore,  he hasn't called,  he's gone."

"Stop!" Dok was mad herself and seeing Wad's defeatest attitude made her want to shake him. 

"You have no idea what Prem thinks.  Stop talking like that."  

She wasn't having much luck convincing him but her words.  "Do it for me."  

The sadness in her eyes rattled Wad, and,  when he melted in her arms,  she rubbed her hand on his back. "Please."

..........................

He followed the instructions and was at the small cafe late in the evening.  Just like last time,  it was quiet and only a few people sat at the scattered tables.  

As he approached,  he could see from way back that there was a pile of flowers on the table bound with a white ribbon.  The smiling man was nowhere to be seen,  instead,  as soon as he pulled the chair out and sat across from the empty one,  where Prem should be,  a waitress came and place two steaming cups of sweet coffee and a single lemon tart on a plate with two forks.  He was past trying to figure out how Prem orchestrated this and just sipped on the coffee.  Everything about it was exactly the same as their first real date together,  excepting the empty chair.  

Lifting the flowers to his nose he breathed the scent in,  each day the bundles had been different and the smell of each was unique.  

This place made him remember every detail,  how Prem touched his hand,  how the tart tasted.  

Looking back he recalled how nervous Prem was when he asked him out and,  how he could barely look him in the eyes.  Stranger,  he could still feel how his own heart at the time was racing and the excitement he felt inside at seeing Prem's brave expression as he found the courage to ask.

He felt silly sitting there alone.  The steam eventually stopped coming from the cup across from his and he only nibbled on the tart for two.  

With his mind going over the past,  that night so long ago,  his feelings were already so strong for Prem.  He had sat there that night while Prem counted his knuckles,  asking himself if it was possible to be in love so quickly. 

Draining the cup of its sweet liquid he reached and felt the chain and key around his neck.  There had been no reference to it in the envelope and nothing at the cafe indicated what it was for.  Standing he took his flowers and walked out.  

Straight across the street, he could see the alley they had walked down that night and, although it was the opposite direction from his sisters,  he would walk it again,  his anger had subsided having been brought back to the romantic spot.

As he walked the dark lane it came clear to him that he hadn't noticed a single thing that night when he was there with Prem.  He'd been so aroused and delighted in Prem's company and conversation, that he'd seen nothing.  They had passed countless restaurant back doors and shop rear entrances and he'd missed it all.  So wrapped up in the simple joy of holding Prem's hand.  He could still feel their arms swinging back and forth,  the warmth that came from Prem's palm as he did it. 

.....................

By the time he got back to Dok's it was quite late but both she and Tan were sitting up waiting for him,  their concerned looks as he came through the door made him feel terrible for arguing with her earlier.