Day old paper

"Taxi!" Megan called out, her jacket hanging off one shoulder as she waved her hand in the air. She managed to get her arm through and pulled back the sleeve to check her watch again. She knew what it was going to tell her. She was late, and not quite sure how. Had she taken too long in the shower? Watching the yellow car come to a stop beside the curb and the light flick off her mind picked back over the last few hours trying in vain to find something that offset her schedule. There was nothing. She must've dawdled and procrastinated, trying to stretch out the time before her date, which was a really strange conclusion to come to.

"Where to?"

"621 Amsterdam Ave." She told the driver, swallowing into the back of her throat as she did. Maybe she was just nervous. Her first date in months, since that break up. It was probably just nerves. Her best friend had set it up with a coworker and it was probably going to be fine. Ted. Megan rubbed her arm trying not to shiver as she looked up at the lights and signs. The cloud cover which had threatened all day finally broke with a downpour.

"Keep the change," she said as she stepped out into a puddle and opened her umbrella. She took a deep breath as she suddenly felt very small in the midst of the billboards and crowds of Times Square. People rushed past her to get out of the rain and slowly she began to move again, towards the restaurant where Ted was waiting. Her own shoes clacked loudly on the wet concrete up until she left her umbrella in the stand inside the door. She stepped out of the waiting area and looked over the restaurant, not exactly crowded, and her eyes settled on a well-dressed man sitting alone, tracing his fingers across the patterns of the tablecloth. What looked like yesterday’s paper sat on the table next to him, so Megan would know who he was. It may not have been the best system but it was better than the cliche red flower bit.

"May I seat you, miss?"

"Oh, no," Megan brushed the waitress aside with a smile that was only half faked. "I'm--" Meeting someone. "I'm looking for the bathroom." The waitress gave a curt smile and inclined her head to the clearly marked sign. Megan smiled and said thanks quickly before making for the lady's room as quickly as she could. She couldn't help herself glancing sideways at Ted, his eyes catching hers before she hurriedly looked away.

“Just breathe. You can do this.” Megan assured herself in the bathroom stall. Someone came in and entered the stall next to her and locked the door. Megan took a deep breath and stepped up to the sink, turning the water on and facing the mirror. “It’s just a date.” Megan reassured herself, primping her hair in the mirror and making faces to check her makeup. Everything looked fine, just like it had before she left. The other woman who’d been in the stall beside hers joined her at the mirror and threw a momentary glance sideways with a quick smile before leaving. Megan took another deep breath and walked towards the door, finally pulling it open and reentering the restaurant. Her eyes fell on Ted again and Megan headed for the front, past the desk and back into the rain drenched streets of New York.

“Can I call you a cab miss?” The waitress asked as Megan hurried past her, the offer falling on deaf ears. The umbrella was left behind in the foyer. Back inside, sitting across from an empty seat, Ted tapped his foot nervously and checked his watch for the umpteenth time.

“Sir,” he looked at the waitress as she addressed him. “If you’re not waiting for anyone else I’d be happy to take your order.” Ted shook his head with a smile.

“I'm still waiting for someone. I will however have…” he glanced quickly at the wines menu. “Just give me a glass of merlot, while I wait. She’ll be here.”

“We have a few different varieties of merlot sir, which can I interest you in today?”

“Surprise me.” Ted said, handing her the wines list. He checked his watch again. Megan would definitely be here, he assured himself as he straightened the newspaper beside him and adjusted his posture. She probably had a good reason, like she couldn’t get a cab and decided to run the entire way. Ted smiled at the notion of someone running through New York in the rain to come see him. He sipped on his merlot and absent mindedly read from yesterday’s newspaper. He’d already read it before but it passed the time. Customers around him left and arrived and Ted polished off another bottle, pages deep in old news.