Luck of the Irish

"She won't come", thought the red-headed man as he was cutting some vegetables for his soup, "I know it for sure, she won't come... She doesn't even love me anymore."

It was around 6:40pm and she still hadn't called to confirm their appointment. Or was it a date ?

He tried calling Clover several times, but she wouldn't pick up. For the past two days he'd left her a few text messages but she didn't answer any of them... He'd caught her cheating on him a week ago with her employer, and told her he would forgive her and forget all about it if she came over tonight at 7:00pm and proved to him she still loved him. He would even arrange for them to get married in a week if she wanted to. But did she want to ?

Josh put the plates on the table, as well as the cutlery, and turned up the slow jazz record he had put on. He lit a few candles, trying to pass the time. It was now 6:55pm and she hadn't shown up yet.

"Five more minutes and she'll be here", he hoped.

He put the flowers in a vase, and the vase as a centerpiece on the table. He sat down on the sofa, and glanced at his watch ; it was now 6:59pm. He checked the small leather box to see if the diamond ring was still there, he was planning to propose if she came for dinner. He stood up, anxious, and walked around the house, trying to calm down. He spotted an art piece on the wall that was bent in the wrong angle ; he fixed it, took a step back, fixed it again. He took another step back, didn't like it, and took it off the wall altogether. The wall seemed empty without the beautiful landscape of Paris, the same way he felt empty without Clover by his side.

It was now 7:04pm, and he still hadn't heard the key turning in the door. Had she lost her key ? Was the doorbell not working ? A million thoughts raced through his head while he impatiently waited for his lover to arrive.

He had met Clover seven years ago in Ireland, his birth country. She was there as a tourist with her close friends during spring break, and they'd all hit the club in search for a bar that served some good beer. A mutual friend had invited Josh and his best friend Ron to join them. Josh, who didn't drink any alcohol – he had joined a rehabilitation center for alcoholics and had been sober for three months now – had to drive Clover back to her hotel because she was completely and utterly drunk. Both Clover and Josh were single, and hit it off from then and there.

At 7:21pm, he looked at his watch and, deciding that it was too late and that she would never come, took it off and threw it on the table. He walked to the kitchen fridge and picked the expensive bottle of red wine he had saved for the occasion where she would come and say Yes to his proposal, he opened the cupboard and took out a glass for his beverage.

"It's 7:30pm and she isn't coming, one drink wouldn't hurt anyone... Would it ?", he walked back to the salon.

A few hours passed and not very sober Josh walked towards the elevator, cursing the day he ever met Clover Longwell. His second bottle of wine in one hand, he pushed the button to the last floor and waited. Waited for what ? He didn't know... Was he still waiting for Clover ? For a beautiful lady to come in the elevator and make him forget about her ? Someone to stop him from what he was about to do ?

Having arrived on the terrace, he took a sip of the wine and placed it on the floor. He was now unconscious of his behavior. He lit up his last cigarette and checked his phone clock ; it was now 9:03pm. He sat on the only chair, closed his eyes and thought... He thought about how wonderful life was before he'd met Clover, and how carefree he used to be... But he also thought about all the joy and happiness she brought with her when she came into his gloomy world, and the happiness and joy she took away when she left him for someone else. What did she see in that other guy ? How is he better than me ? were the questions he asked himself over and over again.