“I’ll pay half, it’s not fair that you pay Alistair, I am a new woman after all.” I smiled brightly, proud at myself for being so independent.
“Oh no you can’t pay half Ella,” He replied not looking up from the bill as he scrunched up his forehead in thought, “My main was more expensive than yours, I’ll work out the difference and we can each pay for our own.”
Lord I was about ready to slap the cash for the whole meal down on the table and bail. Was he seriously going to count up every penny? I wasn’t asking him to pay for me, but really, was this necessary. Even Adam would have just gone halves with me, and Joe? Well he always gave them his credit card at the beginning and asked them to charge it to him without even letting me see a bill. This was surreal. I knew Alistair was an accountant but to split hairs over pennies was insane. I smiled and put my half onto the table.
“Alistair just take what you need from there, its fine honestly.”
“I know they say to tip twenty percent but I think that’s way too much personally, shall we say five percent?”
My eyes bugged out of my head.
“I think twenty percent is just fine, they don’t get paid a lot to wait tables you know. I know, I was waitress when I was in college. Those tips are like gold dust trust me.” I definitely wasn’t going to let this one go.
“No five is fine.” He stated and left the money on the table.
We both stood and I reluctantly walked away from the table, feeling utter shame at leaving such a measly tip. When we got outside I turned to face him and announced that I needed to pop back in to the bathroom really quickly and told him to wait outside for me. Making sure he wasn’t looking I rushed back over to the table we’d sat at and put down the extra cash to make up the tip. There was no way I was leaving five percent.
“He normally doesn’t leave any tip.” A young waitress said quietly as she wiped down a table close to where we had sat.
“Well he’s a tight ass then isn’t he!” I laughed and she smiled. This whole evening was a huge eye opener for me.
Once I’d re-joined him outside he suggested having a few drinks to round off the night at a local pub, and put his arm around my waist. It felt all wrong, I had to put a stop to this right away.
“Look, Alistair, you’re a really nice guy and dinner was lovely but I don’t think this is going to work…you and me. I think maybe we should call it a night.” He looked devastated. I felt terrible. Great.
“What did I do wrong?” He looked so crestfallen I almost relented and went along with the pub idea, but I knew I had to stay strong, stay focused.
“You’re a great guy Alistair, any girl would be lucky as hell to have you on her arm, but I’m still not really over my ex. I’m not in ‘that place’ yet. I’m sorry.”
He nodded a knowing nod and rubbed my arm like a concerned brother.
“I know what you mean Ella, break ups are tough. Will you at least let me drive you home?”
I agreed to the lift home, relieved that I wouldn’t have to fork out for a cab or ring Chris for a lift and have to give a blow by blow account of my night.
Alistair opened up to me on the car drive home. He had recently come out of a relationship himself and admitted he was struggling to cope without her. He asked me for any tips on how to be a better boyfriend so I told him to remember other people have dreams too. I reminded him that every girl needs to feel loved and adored and not to come second best to his sister. After delicately broaching the subject I told him he needed to put a future family ahead of the one his parents made. His sister was important but he’d never find love if he always put her hap
piness above his own.
As I left his car I sincerely hoped he’d heard what I’d said and would use the advice I gave him. He wasn’t a bad guy he just needed some pointers. His advice to me? Be true to yourself Ella. I always have, I thought sadly, and look where that got me…home alone at 9.30am on a Friday night.
I watched Alistair’s car pull away from the kerb and I waved my goodbyes then turned to walk down our path. That was when I saw the dark hooded shadowed figure and I screamed.
25
“Woah! It’s okay…Calm down… Ella…it’s only me. I’m sorry I didn’t mean to startle you.”
He lifted his hoodie from his face as I stood there shaking in terror, my handbag clutched to my chest and my breaths coming in short erratic pants.
“I thought you were a murdering rapist, jeez! What the hell are you doing here Joe?” I doubled over, rubbing my chest now to try to calm my nerves and stop myself from having a full on panic attack.
“I wanted to see you. To talk…I think we need to talk. Don’t you?”
“At this time of night?”
He stuttered, “I don’t even know what time it is, sorry.” He rolled his sleeve up to look at his watch then frowned back at me.
“You’re home kinda early.”