THE DATE

“But Muna, it's been four years now and still counting since my brother passed on. I think it's time you moved on and found someone else.” My best friend and sister-in-law said, trying to push the topic further.

We were sitting at a restaurant opposite my workplace. Kate and I worked in the same firm, and this was our lunch break. I gently nibbled my chicken with a fork, trying to cut off a handful when she brought up this topic I so much hated.

"Kate, I’m not interested, how many time do I have to spell that out for you?" I said, a bit irritated at her persistence.

"That's because you don't want to give any man a chance,” she said frustratedly.

“Look, I know you loved my brother so much, but he's gone now, and you are still very young and beautiful, plus I know for a fact that that George guy likes you.” She said it a bit calmly, trying her best to persuade me.

“Just one date with him, please, for my sake," she begged me continuously y.

I couldn't help but look at her with disbelief. Her persistence was fascinating. I knew she wouldn't stop unless I agreed to it. With a heavy sigh, I conceded to my faith.

“ Alright, fine. But what's your gain in all these?" I asked her with scrutinizing eyes.

However, she just laughed it off and said playfully,.

“For you to be happy,”

“I should get going, I have a project I'm working on and boss wants to see all members involved." she said, while packing her things.

Kate was an eccentric person; her cheerful personality was one of the things that attracted me to her. She had this ability to put a smile on the faces of whomever she encountered. However, mine was a different case. It was through her I met my late husband, her brother, Alex. I don't think I’ll ever be able to smile the way I used to ever again. When Alex left, he took with him a part of myself. His death was a tragic one indeed. Alex was a healthy young man, full of life and energy, so his death shocked and pained me in a way no one would understand. No signs of terminal disease or symptoms of an illness. He just died. The fact that the doctor couldn't tell the cause of his death was unacceptable. I needed some sort of closure. Somewhere in me , I knew that was what was holding me back from moving on.

The next day came rather too quickly. I slowly moved out of bed and into the bathroom. Unfortunately, I had woken up late. Although, there was nothing to wake up to anyways, I thought sadly to myself. I heaved a sigh, remembering I was supposed to go on a date with George this morning and he would be here any minute from now, as it was already past nine in the morning. Forcing my feet and hands to move, I quickly took my bath and groomed myself. And soon enough George was here, knocking on my door. Taking my little purse with me, I walked towards the door and opened it. Forcing a small smile out from my face, I welcomed him in.

“Wow, you're all ready. Most women would take their time," he said, trying to start a conversation.

However, I, on the other hand, couldn't wait to be done with this date.

“Can we just go?" I asked, a bit uninterested.

“Alright."

Source

Soon we we drove into an all-too-familiar restaurant. The car came to a stop at the parking space of the restaurant and I couldn't help but try to remember why this place looked so familiar. We went inside and sat down on one of the tables. Then a waiter approached us, dressed in a familiar uniform. And that was when it hit me. A wave of nostalgia flooded me all at once. And it was like I was reliving the scene all over again. The date by my side kept on talking and talking, but I was lost in another world. A world where Alex was in it.

I could still remember him standing at that same exact spot the waiter before us was standing, taking my orders. This was where Alex and I first met. He worked as a waiter here. I remember being annoyed as he shameless ogled me

“Doesnt he knows it's rude to stare?” I thought to myself.

Realizing I had said that out loud when he answered me with a smile on his face.

“Not if it's an angel like you.”

And that was how we started talking. I remember finding him very intriguing and funny. As we talked further, I discovered that Alex was a very simple and direct person. And he confirmed it when he told me he was going to marry me on the first day of meeting me. I smiled a small smile, reminiscing of the old times.

I remember laughing out loud at his proclamation with disbelief. Now here I was, a widow, with no more Alex. As I tried to fight back the tears threatening to slip through my eyes, a tap on my hands brought me back to reality.

“Muna are you alright? You seem a little off,” George said, staring at me with concern.

“I’m fine.just a bit dizzy but it's nothing I can't handle; don't worry" I lied.

As the date continued, I wondered if the universe was trying to tell me something. Dating a stranger in the same restaurant where I had first met Alex. Maybe it was time to indeed move on. "Alex would want me to be happy" I thought. With a newfound peace, I closed that chapter of my life and decided to focused on the date seated beside me.