A Thousand Years

Chapter 5

My whole day went on with the chief guests of the fundraiser. It was my responsibility to crack a deal with them. If I didn't return with a good deal, I'm pretty sure the one that my boss will crack is my back.

The good news is, I cracked the deal! Well I'm Maria, the miserable Maria, but always good at her job.

I barely had time to grab my lunch, I was on a coffee and a cheese sandwich the whole day since I woke up.

Ryan just landed in Nairobi. He texted me at 2:45pm, "Hey! I just checked into my hotel. If you haven't had lunch can we meet up?"

It was 4:33pm now. I had just got off my shift from the fundraiser event and heading back to my homestay. I absolutely forgot about Ryan. I texted him back,

"Hey! Sorry, I was really busy with work. I haven't had lunch, hungry. Meet me at La Terrazza in 20 mins?"

I received a text back after 5 minutes.

"Coming right away!"

I hurried to the Resturant.

When I arrived there he was already standing at the entrance.

"Maria! Hi!", he hugged me and kissed me on the cheek. "You look so good. How have you been?", he asked.

"I'm good Ryan. How are you?"

"Wonderful. On a vacation."

"Great! Let's go in then? I'm very hungry."

"Yea yea, me too."

We get a seat, fortunately we didn't require reservations.

We ordered our food. Actually, Ryan was the one who ordered it for us.

"Can I place the order today? You will love it I'm sure." he said.

"Yea sure."

"One pasta arrabiata, half and half, and one eight piece margherita."

"Will that be all sir?" asked the waiter.

"Do you have champagne?", Ryan asked.

"Sir today's special is Moet and Chandon Imperial."

"Great! We would love to try that!"

"Thank you sir. We will bring your order right away."

The waiter leaves the two of us to ourselves, our awkward selves, my awkward self.

"So, you came all across the world to have pasta with me?" I asked mockingly.

Ryan laughed mischievously.

"C'mon Maria! We both know why I came here."

"I would like to hear it." I said.

"I'm sorry"

I rolled my eyes as soon as he said that.

"I know you don't like sorrys and it means nothing to you, but still, I am sorry, and I will say it a thousand times if I have to."

"And the conclusion?"

"There's no conclusion. I shouldn't have done things I did that day. Trust me, I don't want to be that person who makes you cry. I did this same thing a decade ago and I regretted it and apologized to you the same exact way and I did the same thing again two years back, I don't know how Maria. I'm going insane."

I didn't say anything.

"I know you loved me with all your heart, I never should'hv doubted that about you. I don't know, I think I felt like I'll lose you to someone else and that caused all the trouble." He continued his monologue. "And ofcourse, I'm sorry for all the things I said that day, about both you. I shouldn't have. I'm the only person you showed your true self to and ruined everything."