Today’s Special

Hello again and thank you for being here! Like I said yesterday, I’m starting a new series today. It’s a short one unlike most of my series but I’ll post it everyday until it ends. Remember, it’s a free story!

The woman walked into the restaurant and sat down slowly. She placed her small hands on the table and then folded them, terror churning her stomach. She smoothed her skirt and patted her short hair nervously.
What am I doing here? She thought to herself.
Looking around the room she tried to find him. She opened her purse and brought out he picture then she looked around the room again. She still couldn’t find him.
“Good evening ma’am.” A waitress said to her and asked for her order.
“Just give me today’s special.” She said absent-mindedly.
She looked around the room and looked at the elderly couple who were seated to her right, eating their meal stiffly. What had led them to this restaurant? The woman began to eat a little too fast but with one look from the man, she slowed down her eating.
The waitress brought her food, distracting her from her musing.
She ate her meal slowly, hoping to see the man she’d come for. After an hour, she gave up and left the restaurant.
The next day, she was back in the restaurant, looking around the place for him. Her phone beeped and she looked at it.
You don’t have to do this. Let it be.
It was a text from her friend, Beatrice. Hse didn’t bother to reply, Beatrice didn’t understand, she never could.
“Good evening maam.”
The woman looked up at the waiter who asked for her order.
“Just give me today’s special.” She said.

**********
Ifeanyi wished he didn’t have to be at work today but he couldn’t afford to have another day’s pay deducted from his salary. He murmured the things he could remember from his study the night before and wiped his eyes. Closing his locker, he headed towards the kitchen where he found Nkiru, his favorite colleague, chopping onions.
“Nkiru how far now? Anything for your boy?”
The plump woman smiled. “Don’t worry, I don keep am for you.”
James a slim, dark-complexioned waiter, bustled into the kitchen, carrying a large silver tray. “Peter, your friend don come again o.”
“Today’s special?” Peter, a cook asked, stirring onions and garlic in a hot pan.
“Yes o.” James replied.
“Who be dat?” Ifeanyi asked and then listened to James tell the story of the elderly woman who came in to eat nothing but the day’s special and stare around the room.
“Harrison no know wetin him go do.” James said about the restaurant manager who had received complaints from other diners who were uncomfortable with the elderly woman who stared at everyone.
“Make I go see the woman.” Ifeanyi said amused by the tales of this strange woman.
Ifeanyi held the tray of food that James had been about to take out. Table 23, he found the woman sitting with her hands folded on her laps.
“Your meal ma’am.” He said with a smile and set the food on the table.
He heard the woman gasp and glanced at her. She was staring at him, he tried not to smile, this woman definitely had a mental illness.
“Are you Ifeanyi?” She asked in a raspy voice.
He frowned, how did this woman know his name?
“Yes ma’am…” he replied courteously.
“’I’ve been looking for you.”
“Ma?” He didn’t recognize this woman, why would she be looking for him?
“What time do you close from work?” She asked with slight desperation.
“Ten pm.” He answered, barely able to hide his confusion.
“I’ll come back then.” She replied, patting her hair. “Please give me my bill.”
Ifeanyi could no longer contain his curiousity. “I don’t know you ma!”
“I know, I know.” she replied.
Ifeanyi left her and returned with her bill, all the while wondering what was going on. The woman paid for the untouched meal and left him a huge tip. His colleagues teased him about his encounter with her.
“You don see sugar mummy!” they said.
Ifeanyi wasn’t so amused.

**********
In her car, the woman sent a text message to her friend Beatrice.
I’ve found him, my son.