First Love Phobia – Chapter Three

Chapter Three

Life had been fair enough for Fred. The company that had invited him for interviews took him on as an assistant plant fitter. But since it had not resumed full operations, he was told to be reporting for work from Monday to Wednesday each week. Days passed; Weeks equally came and went but he never saw Susan again. Each time he tried to remember their last encounter, he wondered whether he should be annoyed or happy with the way he handled it. Sometimes, he could pick up a phone and start drafting a message. But the advice he had received from his father – a former lawyer – discouraged him. He had been told to avoid writing things anyhow, “It is better to talk!” he would say. “When you write, you leave an indelible mark which is not easy to challenge”

The usual routine of getting out of his Parents' home started getting on his nerves. How could he enjoy his freedoms as a young adult in the presence of his parents? Being the only child, his mother had always been against the idea. Therefore, this was a matter he only discussed with his father. On one afternoon, after coming from work, he decided to confront his father again. He found him sitting in the living room; watching television while partly engrossed in a newspaper puzzle with his feet on the coffee table.

“Hi dad,” he started.

“Yes Fred?” He paused for a while and looked up.

“Can I ask you something?” He joined him on the sofa as he talked.

“Am all yours,” he removed his feet from the table and faced him, then continued. “You can go ahead.”

“I want to shift from here and …” naturally, Fred was shy – sometimes even before his own father who had turned him into a close friend.

“And what, my boy? Speak,” his father joined in.

“And move on with my life as Fred”

“What are you missing out in this place?”

“Nothing.”

“Then what’s the matter? Are you having problems with your mother?”

“No dad! That’s not the point.”

“Fine” he adjusted his reading glasses; spread the newspaper on the table, and continued, “I will discuss it with your mother, right?”

“Thanks Pa”

Days went by and his father never gave him a feedback over his request. He let it slide, at least for a while. Almost a month had passed after the encounter on the roadside with Susan. He decided to visit his friend while coming from work. Since the time was still 4p.m. the rumbling stomach reminded him that he had not taken anything at work – besides plain tea. The next decision was obvious. After checking the amount of money left on him, he went straight to a nearby restaurant.

As he entered, he noticed it was quite packed. A number of people were chatting around the tables. He sat down and signaled for the waiter. No one came to attend to him for some minutes, though. He started becoming impatient. So he stood up. At that same moment another person stood up to leave. Susan’s mother! She had not seen him. But she was paying her bill and walking away, “See you honey!” she announced.

“See you mum. Take care!” Another familiar feminine voice responded.

Fred sharply sat down and glared at the mother as she walked out, “who was she talking to?” He asked himself almost loudly. Looking around curiously, from table to table, his eyes met a woman who seemed to have been observing his actions for some time. Susan! When their eyes met, he sharply turned his head and looked away. He could hear her laughing to herself gently. Slowly but deliberately, he started turning his head in her direction. He wanted to be sure whether it was her or he had mistaken someone else for her. She was sitting almost three tables behind him in a group of friends. Just when he was surely about to turn completely, a hand gently stroke his shoulder. He turned and dilated rudely. “What are you taking sir?” the waitress inquired.

“Well the usual full lunch pack, I am sure you remember me” Fred responded with disappointment showing in his eyes.

The small but ever clean restaurant had tables which were closely arranged. Looking at another person from the nearest table was easy and rude. The kitchen was close to the restaurant and the smell of roasting food alaways filled the air. But the trick worked well, the customers practically loved the place even for that.

“One moment sir,” the waitress assured him and went back.

He buried his face in his hands and tried to wipe off the sweat. When he removed them, he could not believe what he saw. Susan – sitting directly in front of him, and smiling. He stiffened his hands midair and smiled back. Without any reminder, he realized he had no shower since he came straight from work. The smell of oil mixed with sweat was still around him. She seemed unconcerned, though.

“So?” She broke the silence. “I hear you are now an Engineer at Megati contractors. Is it true?”

“Yeah, sure…but not an Engineer,” at last, he felt important in front of her.

“You can deny it all the way. But my sources never lie,” she smiled at him so radiantly that he felt a bit embarased. But he loved it!

“Alright, keep it that way before I find the right words to make you understand,” he said softly.

“Are you still living along Dambo drive?”

“Yeah,” he wanted to change the subject as soon as possible, but she communicated so enthusiastically that he almost failed to redirect the conversation.

“Do you know that I have owed you an apology for some time now?” He finally managed to take control.

“What?” she glared at him strongly, “Over what?”

“I think I embarrassed you the last time we met”

“Hey! How could I have forgotten about that?” The expression on her face changed. She started breathing shallow puffs. “You are right about your apology because you never answered that question”

“That is because you walked away,” Fred started noticing a sweet conversation turning sour.

“Stop defending yourself! You know what you did! How could you have expected me to stand there and watch you patronizing me?” She grew hot with anger.

“Susana, you are screaming again,” he answered in a calm voice.

“What do you make of me? Your pet or your toddler? Could you for once pronounce my name correctly? It is S…u…s…a…n! Susan! Got it?”

He just nodded without a word and observed her as she started fidgeting in anger. Susan had a sharp voice which could easily draw the attention of people around her when she got annoyed. The people in the restaurant, including her friends, watched them in bewilderment as she shouted at him. Upon noticing the non-verbal commotion she was attracting, she stood up.

“Are you running away again?” Fred suddenly decided to hit back.

“Run away from you?” She felt insulted, “for what? I’d rather run away from my own shadow?”

“In that case,” he spoke, while courteously pointing to her chair, “Please; sit down”

The angelic look in his eyes reminded her that she was being childish. She sat down. He took a deep breath and looked around, “can we change the topic and enjoy the peace?”

She never answered back as tears clouded her eyes with some embarrassment. She kept looking at the same spot on the table with her fingers fiddling with the Saltcellar. An idea immediately came to his mind. This was an opportunity!

“Can we clear this on another day? Just the two of us, and in this same restaurant?” He asked with sincerity while maintaining a gentle voice.

She looked down and nodded before speaking in a cracked voice. “Get my cell number. It is 097…”

“I have it. Don’t worry,” he interrupted.

“What did you just say?” She revived, and stared at him. “Who gave you my number?”

“Should I give it back to you?” he had decided to play funny; and it yielded the needed result. She cackled her lungs out; and went away with her friends.