A Collection of Short Stories

Waiting on a Woman

He waited for her. He waited two hours past the time she said she'd meet him. Noah had no idea what had happened. Maybe she got too nervous to meet him. Why hadn't she called to tell him that she wouldn't make it? He brought flowers for her. A dozen red roses. He had been waiting for this day for a month.

Noah paced back and forth down the cobblestone sidewalk by the bay. He paused for a minute and pulled his phone out of his pocket. 9:45. Allie was now two hours and forty-five minutes late. Noah dialed Allie's number and it went straight to voicemail. 'Hi! You've reached Allie, I can't come to the phone right now so leave your name and message after the beep and I'll get back to you as soon as possible. Thanks!' Noah hung up the phone and put it back in his pocket.

Noah started walking again and paused when he saw a girl who looked like Allie. Noah's heart started to race as he inched closer and closer to the girl. "Sam! There you are!" a boy yelled running over to her side. Noah stopped in his tracks and slouched his shoulders. He put his free hand in his coat pocket and changed directions again. Noah stopped and glanced over the railing at the water. This was Allie's favorite spot to come. She loved being by the bay. Noah reached in the opposite coat pocket and pulled out a black velvet box. He opened the box and looked at what was inside. Noah had saved a paycheck each month to be able to afford the engagement ring she had picked out.

Noah snapped the box shut and turned his back to the bay. The chilly fall breeze nipped at his back. Noah slipped the box back into his pocket and looked around one last time. "Where are you Allie. Don't leave me hanging like this please." Noah said out loud to himself. Noah walked over to the bench they always sat at and touched the cold seat. He sat down and set the flowers beside him on the bench. He put his arms on his knees and put his thumbs to his temples. He looked up again and shook his head. Noah didn't understand how someone you'd spent four years with could stand you up after several hundred dates, moving in together, and meeting each others families. They'd been through so much together and Noah was finally ready to propose.

Noah stood up and began walking away from the bay and back to his car. Allie was normally late, but never almost 3 hours late. Noah fished his keys out of his pocket and unlocked his car door. He sat down in his seat and looked over at the seat beside him. By this time, they would've been getting back in the car together after the nice dinner he had planned for them. He touched the empty seat for a second and then pulled his hand back. He shook his head and closed his door. He started the car and pulled out of his parking space.

Noah was almost to Allie's work when his phone started ringing in his pocket. He pulled to the side of the road and pulled his phone out of his pocket. It was a text from his mom. 'How'd the proposal go?! What'd Allie say!' the text read. Noah snorted and set his phone on the seat beside him. He pulled back onto the road and pulled into the parking lot at Allie's work. There were no lights on inside, and no cars in the parking lot. Noah shrugged it off and walked back to his car.

Noah went back to their apartment and turned on the light. There was no sign of Allie at the apartment either. 'Where on earth could she be?!' Noah thought to himself. He walked to their bedroom and turned on the light. One of Allie's dresses was laid on the bed. It was one of Noah's favorites and she must've picked it out after he went to work this morning. 'Why pick a dress out for this evening if you didn't even show up?' Noah asked himself. "Allie, why didn't you show up tonight if you had an outfit picked out?" Noah asked. Noah walked to his dresser and picked out a pair of pajama pants and a v neck t-shirt. He walked into the bathroom and turned on the shower. He stopped and put his hands on the counter and glanced up in the mirror. Allie's make-up for this evening was laying on the counter.

Noah got out of the shower and got dressed. He turned once again to the make-up sitting out on the counter. Something about it bothered him. Allie had a dress picked out, her make-up picked out, and her favorite pair of heels by the door. Why wouldn't she come home to change. He shook his head and picked the dress up off the bed. He put it back on the hanger and went to hang it in the closet. He noticed one of Allie's clutches on the chair beside the door. He hung the dress up on the back of the door and opened the clutch. Inside was a spare lipstick tube, a compact mirror, a few bobby pins in a container, a mini flashlight, and the pepper spray she always carried with her.