We arrived in a taxi at an exclusive restaurant on the beach called - 'On the Rocks'- and was glad I chose the outfit I was wearing.
I read great reviews on this restaurant in the food magazines not so long ago but never imagined myself dinning at such an exclusive restaurant.
We walked through the door and was welcomed with a smile from the hostess at the front desk.
Rheese gave Keith's name to the hostess and we were shown to we're they were sitting.
Ben and Keith was deep in conversation when we arrived but it was Ben who spotted us first.
"Lizzy! Come here. I've missed you girl," Ben shouted.
He jumped up and ran to me. He leaped into my arms, kissing and hugging me. Ben was known for being dramatic.
He looked good in his navy blue chinos and white shirt. His hair was combed to the back. He was glowing and I was glad that one of us were.
"Hi, Ben. You looking good," returning his kiss and hug. "Hi, Keith. Nice seeing you again," I said over Ben's shoulder. He greeted back and Rheese slapped Ben on his shoulder as he passed us, walking off with Keith.
My eyes moved around Ben to see where they went and found them standing on the far corner from where our table was.
"Girl, leave the boys to talk. We've got some catching up to do," Ben said, laughing at me.
I rolled my eyes at him, finding my seat, sitting down.
We were seated on the balcony over looking the ocean.
I could see Robben Island from where we were seated, across the water. The sea was calm and when I looked down, we were literally sitting on top of the rocks. The floor were made of glass. Small fish were swimming beneath us, inbetween the rocks.
It was unbelievably beautiful.
The outside were brightly lit and the music that played set a romantic mood but I wasn't feeling it at all. I was feeling really unsettled this evening and didn't know why and I tried to focus on having a good time.
Ben took the liberty of pouring me a glass of red wine and we started talking about how our week has been so far.
Ben talked more than me, too exited about his new found love with Keith.
My mind was all over the place, thinking about Rheese, our relationship and where it was going.
I was half listening to Ben when he said, " Lizzy! what the hell is up with you? You're barely listening to a word I'm saying. Is it your mom?"
"I'm sorry, Ben. I'm not myself tonight. It's just... Rheese is leaving tomorrow. My mom is coming out of hospital and Mr. Beck is being an ass again."
I don't know why but a single teardrop escaped my eye. For some reason I was feeling very emotional.
I picked up my glass of wine and finished it in one gulp.
Ben looked at me in shock, because he knew I didn't like getting drunk and feeling out of control.
"Wow, slow down, girl. We have the whole night. Here let me fill your glass. Looks like you need it," Ben filled up my glass to the brim again.
"What's really eating at you? I know you better than what you know yourself. Come, spit it out," Ben demanded.
"It's this thing with Rheese. I don't know where I stand with him. He's leaving tomorrow and I just thought we...we would have more...time together."
" Didn't you ask him?"
"Yes, I did"
"And what did he say?"
"That I'm his but..."
I was so overwhelmed that more tears started trickling down my cheeks and I felt stupid crying over Rheese.
I have never cried over a guy before and didn't know why I was feeling like this.
I was glad Rheese has his back turned to me. I didn't want him to see me cry again.
"Hey, Lizzy... I know how it feels. He was your first. It's so damn unfair that you had to fall in love with the first guy you slept with. Don't worry. I'll be here for you," Ben rubbed my back, doing his best to console me.
He gave me his napkin to wipe my tears.
"Is my make-up still on?" I asked.
"What make-up? You hardly had any on to begin with," Ben replied, giggling.
Just as I finished whipping my face, Rheese and Keith came to join us at the table.
He bend down and planted a kiss on my lips before taking a seat next to me.
The waiter came around and we ordered our starters, mains and dessert.
The food was out of this world and the conversation kept flowing as did the wine.
I slowed my drinking after the third glass, feeling tipsy.
"So Rheese... I believe you might consider taking a job here in Cape Town," Ben said to him.
My eyes went wide at the information Ben just divulged.
'Why the hell didn't I know about it. I didn't even know what Rheese did for a living.'
"Well, I haven't had a chance to have a meeting with the Dr. Van Dyk, yet. I had to postpone the meeting till I get back," Rheese replied to Ben statement. I could see Rheese was pissed at Ben for letting the cat out of the bag.
I hid my reaction to what was said but now at least I know that he was coming back for sure.
Rheese placed his hand on my thigh under the table, brushing it with his palm. I gave him a blank look and removed his hand from my thigh. The stern unhappy look he gave me didn't go unnoticed but I knew he couldn't do much about it now.
"Why did you do that?" Rheese asked, whispered in my ear so that no one else could hear.
I didn't reply, ignoring him and went on sipping my wine.
"Keith can you pass me the water?" Rheese asked.
Keith passed him the bottle of water and he poured a glass.
"Here, I don't think you should drink anymore," he said, removing my wine glass from my hand, replacing it with the glass of water.
When I looked at him to protest, his jaws was clenched tight and he looked frustrated.
I didn't care that Rheese was mad at me. I was the one who had to be mad with him for not telling me about the job offer.
It seemed like everyone at the table knew what was going on in his life except me.
I was mad like hell with him but I kept the conversation going between myself and Ben, ignoring him.
He covered my hand with his as if trying to say something that couldn't be said out loud.
After a few seconds I slowly removed my hand and his hand went into a fist, his knuckles white..
He pushed his chair to the back to get up, scraping it on the glass floor and stormed off.
Ben and Keith looked at me in shock at what happened.
"What was that all about?" Ben looked at me and then to Keith.
Our dessert arrived and Keith got up from the table, in search of Rheese.
"Lizzy...what the fuck. Did I miss something?" Ben asked, looking at me, wanting answers.
"What do you want me to say? It...it feels like I'm the last person to know what is happening in his life."
I looked at my dessert and thought of all the times we made love. I couldn't look at the strawberry cheesecake any longer and pushed it away.
"I can't eat this," I told Ben and got up from the table.
"Where are you going, Lizzy!" Ben exclaimed.
"I don't know."
I walked towards the front of the restaurant and took out my cell to call a taxi.
All I wanted now was the comfort of my bed with the duvet wrapped around me.
***Rheese***
Liz looked good in heels. I thought that the next time I see Ben, I must thank him for helping me with shopping for Liz.
Keith got the gift I asked him to get for Liz and I knew that the place Keith booked for dinner, she was gonna love. The restaurant was absolutely beautiful and by the look of Liz's eyes widening, I knew she loved it.
After saying hello to the boys I needed to speak to Keith and get the gift from him.
Keith was happy about me being with Liz after knowing that I never really had a girlfriend before and the views I had on relationships.
I opened the box and after inspecting the inscription on it, I was satisfied.
It was perfect just like her. No frills, plain and simple.
That was one of the things I found attractive in her. She was not superficial. She accepted the body she was in.
With the work I did, women always wanted to be more beautiful than the next one. And I had young and old coming to me, unsatisfied with the way they look.
I had a chance to change that and to perform surgery on people who really needed it.
The evening was going well until Ben opened his mouth about the job offer.
I was gonna tell Liz but I needed to sort out my shit out first.
The meeting with Van Dyk was the last thing on my mind.
Just for one night I wanted to forget about all the shit.
But when I touched her, it felt like my touch turned to acid and she pulled away. That didn't sit well with me and I just needed to clear my head, storming off.
I went into the lounge area and got a double scotch on the rock.
'Fuck, where do I go from here?'
***
I saw Ben just as I was about to get into the taxi.
"Wait... Lizzy! Why are you leaving?"
"Ben I thought I could do this but clearly I can't. I need to get out of here. I'm sorry about how the night ended. Say goodbye to Keith for me."
I didn't give Ben a chance to say anything else and closed the taxi door. As the taxi pulled away, I couldn't hold back the tears that was threatening to come.
I unlocked the door to my apartment and banged it close behind me, locking it. I fell back against the door and I couldn't bare to look around. My cell rang and when I checked the caller ID, Ben's face appeared. I switched my cell off, not wanting to talk to anyone and dropped my bag to the floor.
Looking around my apartment, reminded me of the time we spend together and I started crying again.
A nauseating feeling came over me and I ran to the bathroom, depositing my dinner into the toilet. I must have had a little too much to drink.
I ran a bath and submerged myself into the hot water. I needed the warmth of the water to comfort me like a blanket.
I got out of the bathtub, dried myself after my hands started to wrinkle and slipped into my puppy sleep shirt.
I got some pain killers from the medicine cupboard and took it, hoping I would feel better.
I got under my duvet and held it tight against me, willing my mind not to think about Rheese and closed my eyes.
I woke up with the sound of the birds singing and the morning sun rays, warming my face though the blinds.
I jumped up not knowing what the time was. I looked at the clock and realised it was 10:35am. "Shit...shit...I'm gonna be late."
I got dressed in sweats and retrieved my bag that was still laying by the door. I pulled out my cell to call a cab and the screen was blank. Then I remembered that I switched it off last night.
When the screen came back to life after switching it on, I saw that Ben was the last caller to phone.
My heart was longing to see or hear Rheese but he didn't call and I wasn't the one that was gonna call him first.
I walked down the stairs after locking up behind me. When I got outside, the taxi was waiting and got in. I had my mom that I needed to focus on.
Rheese would leave this evening and all I could do was hope that he would call before he left.
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Pris