Back & Forth

Nonexistent Dates

"Relax mom, the food here will make it up to me." I try to reassure my mom who sounds very furious.

I'm sitting in Wine&Dine, a classy restaurant with bulbs that are a bit too dim. My mother had nagged me for weeks to go on a blind date with her co-worker's son whom she claimed was a gentleman, and would never make a lady wait.
She was obviously wrong because I'd been here for  forty five minutes and he's still not here.

"...I had always known she was a deceiver, she even dressed like it and..." my mom was chewing her co-worker's name like a tic-tak and I had better stop her before she explodes.
"Mom...mom, listen, something probably came up.." I don't get to finish my sentence before she interrupts me.

"No, no son of a deceiver turns out to be a gentle man. I am going to call her and tell her exactly what she is, infact I'll just go to her house. I will not let her walk all over my reputation and make a fool out of you." Her tone has gotten alarming and I know she will cause a big trouble if she goes to the woman's house. So I do the first thing that comes to mind.

"oh, oh mom he's  here" I fake excitment. "He looks sad, maybe something happened" I continue before she makes unnecessary demands "Let me talk to him!"  which she does.
I look around quickly and run to the store manager who was very nice to me other days I came here. He turns from the small screen and looks at me quizzically.
I hand him my phone "apologize because you're late" I whisper
"What?" he frowns
"Say sorry to the phone" I whisper again pointing to my phone in his hand.
I worry if I'd made a mistake and he'd not be willing before I see him pull the phone to his ear and say it. I hear my mother on the other side scolding him endlessly not giving him a chance to say anything other than 'yes ma'am' before she tells him to give the phone back to me.

"He seems like a real gentleman, play nice" she warns me before ending the call.
I look up to see his grey eyes looking at me humorously.

"Sorry, I had to um m-make sure she wouldn't kill my date" I stutter when I notice how close we're standing. I take a step back
"Thank you"
"No worries" he smiles at me.
"I'll recommend this place to my friends" I say and turn back to take my bag and leave.
I try to shake off the feeling of loneliness as I step into the chilly air of November.