Between Two New York Skies

A Figment of Imagination

The clock ticked thirty minutes to four in the afternoon, and Siobhan could not help but groan inwardly as she begged for the time to go any faster. She wanted to check out the new restaurant that was opening tonight just a few blocks from her office building. It was another one of those trendy restaurants that were supposed to be chic and sophisticated and served everything with avocado or another.

"Siobhan, babe!" A voice sang from the other side of Siobhan's divider. Knowing the owner of the voice, Siobhan's groan grew louder.

A head popped up over her divider with a wide smile. It was Carl Jacobson, her co-worker and constant pain in the ass. Carl was not that bad-looking, he was pretty decent with blonde hair that was always swept back and brown eyes that were always darting back and forth as if he knew a secret that nobody else did.

"I heard that you were going to that new restaurant tonight by Nordstrom," Carl began his usual routine, and Siobhan knew what the next words were, she could already quote them in her mind, "So, if you don't mind, want me to join you?"

And just like any other day Siobhan turned him down, "No thanks, I'm going there tonight with my work wife, Melanie."

At the mere mention of the words "Work wife", the so-called Melanie who was just in the next cubicle, popped up. She gave both of them a sweet smile but it became more toxic towards Carl.

"Yeah, I'm sorry Carl, it's a girls' night tonight, and unless you consider yourself as a woman, you're not invited." Melanie stated with her usual sass, flicking her hair at Carl.

"Aww, too bad. Maybe next time? How about tomorrow night?" Carl asked hopefully, ignoring Melanie who's eyes were shooting darts at him.

"No thanks, tomorrow or any other day won't work." Siobhan replied waving him off returning to her computer and pretending to be busy.

"Well if you want to–."

"Goodbye, Carl." Siobhan cut him off with a clipped voice, and it seemed he understood because he walked off still shooting offers of dinner at Siobhan as if she would change her mind the last minute.

"Ugh, he's so annoying." Melanie cringed staring holes into Carl's retreating back.

"I know, and he's like obviously so married." Siobhan remarked, rolling her eyes as she remembered that she saw Carl slip off his wedding ring like he always did in the morning.

"So married," Melanie repeated with a disgusted face, "Why don't you just report him for sexual harrassment?"

"He's not worth it and besides I want to be in the boss's good graces for now since I'm new." Siobhan replied, shrugging.

"Good point, so dinner later?" Melanie inquired.

"Dinner later." Siobhan confirmed firmly which resulted in Melanie's excited but soft squeal. Siobhan giggled to herself, she never knew what she would do without her best friend.

x-x-x-x

Gourmet Palace proved to be more trendy than the two ladies have anticipated, and on a Friday night in the Big Apple, this also meant bigger crowds and longer lines. By the time it was the ladies turn to get a table at the restaurant, it was already eight-thirty and the place was buzzing and crowded more than ever.

After being luckily situated by the corner, the two learned that the restaurant was a modern French-Italian fusion restaurant and served the most bizarre food known to mankind. There were escargot linguini, which was pasta with snails, which they thankfully avoided, and garlic bread infused with salami smoke.