No Love Like This

Chapter 4

"And would you like anything to drink with that, ma'am?"

"Yes, water.   Please."

"And for you, young man?" an elderly waitress asked jotting down Cassidy's order. 

I flipped the laminated menu over and thought a bit longer.  "Give meeeeee...theeee...  God, everything looks so good it's hard to decide."

Cassidy broke away from the screen of her cell phone.  "Why don't you just have an omelet with a side of pancakes and sausages?"

"As a matter of fact," I began, "I think I will have breakfast.  Give me the Combo number 2, please."

"Of course.  One grilled chicken salad and a number 2 coming right up," the waitress finished, taking the menus and shuffling away.

Not as busy as usual, the lunchtime crowd at Luca's Coney Island had considerably dwindled.  Stragglers, Cassidy and I had wandered in nearly an hour afterwards.   Thankfully, the restaurant always served breakfast regardless the time of day.

Cassidy took one last look at her cell phone and placed it on the table.  "You know she asked if I could stop and pick up her laundry? "

"You have got to be kiddin' me?" I expelled.

 "Don't worry.  I told her I wouldn't be able to.  That you and I, thanks to her, barely had enough time to grab a bite to eat."

As best I could, I half-heartedly grinned.  Cassidy and I weren't involved but ever since Darcy had learned we'd gone out a few times, she'd been doing everything within her power to humiliate us.  Occurrences like correcting me for yelling in the courtroom and asking Cassidy to run private errands had become a regular.  Lucky for me, Cassidy refused to be intimidated by my unscrupulous ex. 

"I'm sorry, sir," the waitress appeared holding a pitcher of water.  "I forgot to ask, what would you like to drink with that?"

How do you forget a customer's drink? Cassidy glanced up as if her and my thoughts were the same. 

 "That's okay, ma'am," I lied.  "Water will be fine."

The grandmotherly figure sat two glasses in front of us, filled them, and then left.   

"You must've really hurt her, Josh."

I moved the unwanted drink aside and surveyed the room.  "Oh, yeah?   And why would you say that?"

Cassidy nodded towards the waitress.  "Because time allows people to forget things.  Birthdays.  Doctor appointments.  Customer's orders."   

The remark made me smile as in the distance another patron was complaining about their order.   

Cassidy took a sip from her glass.  "As a woman I can certainly appreciate where she's coming from.  Like I've told you, my ex and I dated for years before I found out he was cheating.  Sad thing is, it wasn't something I would've ever suspected had his own sister not come to me.  Initially I thought I was such an idiot.  I mean, who doesn't know when their significant other's seeing someone else, right?  Especially when all the signs are there.  The so-called working long hours, coming home smelling like perfume you know isn't yours, whispering on the phone in the other room in the wee hours of the morning.  It all says the person you're in love with has been playing you for a fool."

With the intensity of a captive audience, I listened hinged on Cassidy's every word.   Despite the time we'd spent together, everything between us had been platonic.  From our very first conversation she'd made it quite clear she wasn't interested.  Partially because of her past, mainly because of mine.  Since Darcy and I had split up I'd gone out with a number of women.  Most I'm sure Cassidy was aware of.  Some pursued me, the others I'd initiated interest.  Given the fact I was once Judge Prag's beau, the encounters were solely sexual, nothing more.  If anything, I thought my playboy status would've repulsed Cassidy.  However, whenever we were together, the intrigue in her eyes said otherwise. 

Interrupting the uncomfortable awkwardness lingering between us, the waitress brought over our orders.   "Here's your grilled chicken salad, ma'am, and for you, sir, a Combo number 2."

Bzzzz.  Bzzzz.  Bzzzz.

Cassidy's cell phone vibrated.  "Ms. McNickles," she picked it up and began reading. "Could you please ask Bailiff Helms why wasn't Attorney Holloway released as I ordered?"

"Oh, shit!" I exclaimed.

Both the server and Cassidy's face contorted.

"Excuse me, ladies, " I apologized.

The waitress topped off Cassidy's glass and handed me the bill.  "No need, young man.  The older you get, the more you forget.   Hell, one day oh shit'll be about the only thing you do remember."