Life After You

He checks his watch and reads the menu for the third time. Every time the door opens he looks round to see who it is and is disappointed when it isn't someone he recognises. Fifteen minutes later he checks his watch,feeling his stomach twist and church, another hangover that could be doing with a wholesome meal. He should have known. He should have known that his plans would never have worked out. He pulls five dollars from his wallet and places it on the table. He grabs his coat and passes a couple of tables before heading for the door.

"Going somewhere?"

He looks up, relieved.

"Kelly...Hi"

"Sorry I just couldn't get away from the meeting. Then I got stuck in traffic" She says as they walk back to the table in the corner, pulling off her coat.

"Anyway, how have you been?" She asks in a low voice so that no one at another table can hear them. She notices that he is wearing a black beanie and a matching lightweight long-sleeved jumper.

"I'm fine. You?" He sips his coffee.

"I'm good. How do you feel working with Susan?"
Jeremy frowns. If he's being honest he hates it. It's just not what he's used to and feeling forced into talking about everything makes him want to run for the door.

"It's good" he lies

Kelly knows when he's being evasive, but the question is always why. In a few months of meeting Jeremy professionally, she had learned that he kept himself to himself from almost everybody. That included his family.

"She's good at what does" Kelly pours sugar and cream into her coffee. She can feel his blue eyes watching her. When she looks up she can see a range of emotion in them.

"I'm sorry that I messed up. I shouldn't have kissed you" Jeremy says without taking his eyes off the dregs of his cup. Kelly looks at him.

"Jeremy, it's-"

"It's my fault. I thought..well, I didn't think" he interrupts. A deep frown creases his forehead."I'm sorry."

Kelly isn't sure what to say. For once she is totally dumb-struck.

"Are you going to the wedding?" Kelly asks. She curses herself for asking such an irrelevant and stupid question.

"Probably not. I don't think it's a good idea after..well, all this" Jeremy says with a sigh.

The message he had sent earlier asked her to meet him for coffee as a peace offering. That day when he had called her after Stephanie's visit had nearly knocked him over the edge. In a drunk state he didn't know what to do.

"Marilyn and Wayne will be devastated if you don't go."Kelly replies softly.

"They'll be okay" He stirs the coffee that he has no intentions of drinking.

"Jeremy, I'm the one who overreacted. I shouldn't have just took off like that. I was just shocked."She admits "I had no idea that you felt attracted to me"

"It was a stupid move" Jeremy replies.

"It was human. But I hope you understand why we can't work together anymore. If I allowed it, I couldn't help you professionally and not to mention it's breaking so many rules" Kelly explains. She had repeated this conversation so many times in her head and even tried to write it down.

"I know. I just..I dunno" Jeremy says, looking away to something outside.

"It's done now"Kelly says.

"I bet you have all your patients falling for you, huh?" Jeremy asks, trying to lighten the situation.

"Have you seen my patients?" Kelly laughs"I hear a hell no coming on. Anyway, you must drool every time a fan flashes you"

Jeremy laughs

"Fans are crazy. I remember one time I was at this hotel and this girl ran up to me and grabbed me" Jeremy talks with his hands and motions to his crotch "She asked me how would I like to fuck a real woman"

Kelly can't believe it. She has heard a lot of crazy stories, but this one is actually believable.

"So I told her that the offer was cool, but I don't do stuff like that" Jeremy laughs loudly "She ended up getting her ass thrown in jail for trying to break into my hotel room, putting some pill in my drink at a bar. Turns out when the cops searched her room there was like a shrine with candles, the whole nine yards"

Kelly can't stop herself from laughing. She can barely breathe as Jeremy recalls the story, animated as ever.

"I bet that really turned you on" she teases

"Oh sure. I had to have a few minutes of me time" Jeremy retorts sarcastically.

Kelly shakes her head with disbelief. She does not need or want that imagine in her head.

They finish their lunches and order another coffee. The waitress smiles at Jeremy sweetly, possibly knowing who he is even with the hat. Kelly waits until the woman is away before resuming her conversation. They talk about everything from the weather to nicknames they got in high school.

"Sorry, but we're all getting ready to close" An old guy in stained chef whites says as he approaches the table.

They leave and stand out in the cold. Kelly glares at Jeremy and wishes she had brought a coat with her. Her office is four blocks away and by the time she gets there she will freeze.
She shivers and wraps her arms around herself.

"You cold?" He asks.

"It feels like I'm standing in Antarctica." Kelly replies with a giggle. All of a sudden she feels a heaviness drop around her shoulders.
He has given her his coat.

"I can't take your coat" Kelly says in protest.

"Don't worry. I'll get it some other time"