The Evolution of Rohan Wayland ✔

Forty

Annie wasn't in when Rohan went into Ruby's the next day. By the time he realised Ruby had already taken his order and gone back to the counter. Rohan wondered if it had something to do with him.

Something to do with their date.

As he ate his sandwich Sid slid into the opposite seat. "So, you did it eh?"

Rohan frowned in question. He couldn't help but grin because the little old man had a smile from ear to ear. "Did what?"

"Ah, come on now don't get all coy with me, Mister Smooth."

Chuckling, Rohan wiped his mouth with his serviette. "How am I Mister Smooth?"

"Annie told us all about it. How you walked her home and all. Real smooth move, women love being considered. I'm proud of you, lad, knew you had it in you."

Anxiety swept through Rohan's body. His leg shook. Annie had told them about the date. Had she laughed about it? Told them how he wouldn't kiss her goodnight or what the men had said about him. He swallowed the hard mass in his throat before saying, "Annie told you?"

"Yeah. "Sid chuckled as he nodded his head like a dashboard doll. "She said she had a real nice time and bawled because the dude in the movie died. Women, huh?"

"Yes. She did. Cry." Rohan sighed with relief. Why did he think Annie would have laughed about being out with him? That was unfair, she'd never do that, she was all things good.

"Are you gonna ask her again?"

"Where is she, Sid?"

"She's gone to the mall to pick up some tartare sauce for Ruby. Apparently, they're out. You didn't answer my question are you going to ask her out again? I'd recommend a walk in the park. Perfect opportunity to hold her hand."

Rohan laughed as Harry slid onto the bench seat beside Sid. He leaned on his forearms and put in his two bobs worth, "Sid reckons the park but I think you should take her swimming at South Bank. If you go to the park you gotta talk to her and we know you aren't much good at talking. If you go to South Bank and swim then you only have to talk as you go there and as you come back."

Laughing harder, Rohan put his sandwich on his plate. He couldn't believe how his life had changed. Nobody had ever made him feel he belonged and yet here were two men offering him advice on his love life like they'd known him forever. "She might not even want to go out with me again," he said but hoping what was being said meant that she would.

"She does," Harry and Sid said in unison, and then looked at each other and chuckled.

"How do you know?"

Harry yanked his head, a grin on his face. "How do you reckon we know? She told us."

"She told you?"

"Put him out of his misery, Sid."

"Righto," Sid said as he leaned forward in a conspiratorial way. "Once she'd finished gabbing on about the stupid damn movie and her crying". Sid chuckled and pointed at Rohan. "Nice move with the comforting act by the way... she said, I hope he asks me out again because he's a very nice man."

Rohan blushed as the warm surge of pleasure cascaded over him. "She said that?"

"Damn straight she did!"

*

Annie rushed through the central car park and along Charlotte Street. She didn't want to miss seeing Rohan today in case he thought she was avoiding him. As she got closer to the café, she could see him in his booth laughing with Sid and Harry. He looked up at her and gave her a shy smile as she approached. Annie knew instantly that Sid and Harry had said something to him. She gave him a quick grin as she passed the window but as she came through the door she glared at the old men. They laughed as she hurried into the kitchen with the sauce and blurted, "Those old buggers can be pains in the bum sometimes!"

"What?" Gus looked up from his grill.

"Sid and Harry. They're out there talking to Rohan. I knew I shouldn't have told them about going out with him last night. I bet they've been telling him everything I said."

Gus put his head out through the servery, and then looked back at her. "Well, he's smiling like a horse on weed so it's not done any harm." He patted her on the back to calm her down, and then handed her a plate. "Here, take this to Mal."

Annie caught Rohan looking at her as she took Mal's food to him. He wasn't wearing his glasses today. She lifted her hand in a wave and had to suck in air at the sight of him. The smile, which spread across his face, told her he wasn't upset that she had spoken to Sid and Harry.

They noticed her exchange with Rohan and as they passed her to go back to their booth Sid winked at her. Annie peered at them to let them know she didn't approve but they just continued to laugh.

Those old fellas need to get a life. Hahaha

Photo - Getty images.