Learning to Fall

It was a cool, chilly, night on a late October evening in L.A. A girl waiting for her boyfriend to arrive stepped out of Chez Rouge, a most popular restaurant. He was over an hour late and the restaurant could no longer hold their reservations without him there. The girl frowned standing outside the restaurant watching the cars pass by hoping to see him pull up to the valet but to no avail.

She dug in her purse and reached for her cell phone. As she dialed her boyfriend’s number, she hoped that he was ok. It was their one year anniversary tonight and she knew that he had been on a waiting list since May for a reservation. This restaurant was very popular, especially among the many celebrities who dined here.

All along, she had told him that he should pick her up instead of her meeting him, but he said he had to work late and then pick up something, that it was best if she showed up and met him there. Many thoughts ran through her mind as his voicemail kicked on from his cell. The girl dialed his home number only to find the answering machine and the same for his work number.

Something was wrong. The girl could feel it in her bones. Not only did she get a chill from the wind as she wrapped her sweater around her shoulders but from this odd feeling she was having. She decided to get her car from the valet and head for home. If her boyfriend showed up, he could eat alone or call her if he decided to apologize for standing her up. That is what she wanted to believe anyway.