She sits and waits in the strip mall in the hot Miami sun. The stores were arranged so there was a small courtyard with tables and chairs. People could sit and rest, eat or just people watch, which is what she was doing right now.
Palm trees shade her, and like the traffic on the nearby streets, the white fluffy clouds roll across the sky.
They don't know where they are going, but they are going somewhere. She smiles, she can't remember the last time she watched the clouds like this. It's a peaceful feeling.
She reads and people watches and waits.
At intervals. she walks around, checks out the stores but keeps her eye on the courtyard where she is supposed to meet him.
She said she'd be there from one until four.
He promised he'd show up.
X
X
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"Where the hell are you?" Sam hears the angry, chilly voice on the other end of the phone.
"What do you mean? I'm at work." He sips on a beer and winks at the pretty waitress who delivers his meal.
"You're supposed to be meeting her right now."
"No its tomorrow, today is the 9th." He replies confidently.
"No today is the 10th."
Suddenly the food and drink didn't matter, the caller has his undivided attention. "Oh crap."
"Yea." The voice on the other end turned icier than before, if that was even possible. "I just got a message that you haven't shown up yet."
"Damn." Sam is on his feet, throwing some money on the table. "You know this wouldn't have happened if you gave her my cell phone number."
"We've been through this before." The voice answers. "And I will not let you drag her into your lifestyle. Once you meet up with her she can buy a cell phone to use down there. And besides you're the one who suggested it."
"I'm beginning to regret my own advice."
"So help me Sam Axe if you screw this up- - -"
"Can you call her back and let her know I'm on my way?"
Silence.
"Please?" He begs as he races across the parking lot to find his car.
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She was wearing a loud, flowery, Hawaiian shirt and white capris so he would recognize her, though she knew he would recognize her anyway.
After her last phone call she didn't realize she turned off her phone before she put it back in her pocket.
At 3:55 a young man joins her. "Not here yet." It came out as more of a statement than a question.
"No." She shakes her head. "He's got a few more minutes. I'm sure he'll show up."
They make more small talk until her watch beeps at the hour.
"He said he'd be here." She sniffles, she had the calling card in her pocket to make the call that he didn't show.
"Something probably came up." The young man reassures her. "It's gonna be ok."
"Yeah."
He wipes her tears away. "Come on, I'll buy you an ice cream cone."
"The chocolate dipped kind?" She tries to look excited.
"Any kind you want." He takes her hand and as he leads her away.
A few minutes after they left Sam races into the parking lot and stops, taking up two spaces.