the guy at the party

24.- lunch with Auden

I got in my car, and began driving to Panera. Auden was meeting me there for lunch.
   Tomorrow is going to be hard... tomorrow is Chloe’s birthday and I had been planning it for literal months.
  I was going to take her out to diner and give her a reason to dress pretty. I was going to give her a reason feel as beautiful as she is.
   I pulled into Panera and saw Auden sitting at one of the booths by the window.
  I made my way to her.
  “Hey.” She smiled at me as I sat down.
“Hey” I replied.
   “I haven’t ordered yet.” She began.
“ it’s okay, I’m not really hungry.” I cut her off.
 
Auden stared out the window for a few seconds.
  It truly is a beautiful day outside.
She refocused her attention on me.
  “Me either... you know tomorrow-“ She began.
  “Tomorrow’s Chloe’s birthday.. I know..” I cut her off again.
  She frowned and we sat in silence for a few moments.
  There were people talking amongst themselves all around us.. they were talking about happy things. I hadn’t talked about happy things in months.
  There was a couple in the booth behind us, and that kinda broke me being that the love of my life isn’t laughing like the girl behind me is, and I’m not laughing with her.
  “You know kid, her father would have loved you. He would have loved the way you care about her.” Auden said while taking a sip of her coke.
  “Her father?” I asked even though it was none of my business.
  Auden smiled down at the ground.
  “He um.. he was murdered when I was 6 months pregnant with Chloe..” Auden began and I could see the tears welling up in her eyes.
  “He was so happy to know that I was having a baby girl, his baby girl.. and then one day, he was shot.” And now tears were streaming down her face. “Please don’t tell Auden, for all she knows, he just passed of natural causes.” She said while whipping her face with the back of her hand.
  I nodded.
“I won’t.” I promised.
  She nodded.
   After lunch, I was on my way back to the hospital when I drove past a jewelry store.
  I stopped.
  I looked at rows and rows of jewelry.
  I came across a case of necklaces, and one caught my eye.
  A locket.
It was sterling gold, and has a rose engraved into it.
  Rose, Chloe rose.
It was almost as if it was made for her, it was beautiful.
  “Sir” I called at the man behind the counter, he looked over at me. “How much is this?” I asked.
“Um, $275” he replied.
  And so I paid for it, and I put it in a cute little box with a red bow on it, reds Chloe’s favorite color.
  I’m now back at the hospital, doing the same stuff I do every single day. Stare out the window, watch tv and eat that crappy ass food the cafeteria has. Makes me wish I would have eaten at Panera.