Chapter 55 Chapter Fifty Five. The Outside Talk
Sarah’s POV
“Answer me already! I am running late for work!” the voice blared from behind Dave like an emergency alert, snapping me out of my daze.
“Oh!” I gasped, startled.
“I apologize,” I said quickly, my tone sincere. I had been so carried away catching up with Dave that I didn’t even realize the queue behind him had grown restless. People were frowning, tapping their feet impatiently, each eager to grab their coffee and rush to wherever life demanded them next.
“Dave huh…” I let the words trail off. I didn’t want to sound rude by ending our conversation abruptly, but I also didn’t want to delay the customers any longer. Surely, Dave would understand that this was my working hour, right?
“Oh! I apologize,” he said suddenly, turning toward the people behind him. Then, in a gesture that caught everyone by surprise, he bowed slightly like a humble servant.
“I’ll just wait over there in that corner until you’re done with your shift,” he added with a polite smile.
“And please,” he raised his voice slightly, “I’ll be paying for the coffee of everyone behind me.”
The crowd erupted in cheerful applause, their irritation replaced by excitement. It was as if a celebrity had appeared at the café just to make their morning brighter.
As the hours passed, my eyes occasionally drifted to the corner where Dave sat quietly. Just as he promised, he waited, patient, unbothered, scrolling through his phone. The light from the café window reflected off his blue shirt, the color making him look more composed, more assured than I remembered.
During my break, I hesitated before walking toward him. Part of me wanted to tell him not to waste his entire day here. The other part wanted to see if the boy I once knew still existed beneath that calm confidence.
“Hey,” I said softly. “Aren’t you tired? You can go about your day. Maybe we’ll catch up another time, yes?”
He looked up immediately, smiling as if he had already expected me to say that.
“Don’t worry about me, Sarah,” he said gently. “Go do your thing. I’ll be here until your closing hour.”
His words carried a calm certainty that made me pause. I couldn’t help but notice that this wasn’t the same timid boy from college. Something about him had changed.
The day crawled by like a snail gliding through a long, endless path. Each order, each customer, each ring of the cash register felt slower than usual. And yet, as evening drew closer, I found myself wondering if Dave was really still waiting and if he truly meant it when he said he would.
When my shift finally ended, I spotted him exactly where he had been all day.
Usually, I would rush straight home, eager to prepare dinner for Cynthia and Mum so we could all eat and rest early. But things were different now.
Cynthia was no longer the little girl rushing off to school at dawn. She had finished senior high, and we were now waiting for her college admission results. And Mum, Elizabeth, had taken the day off. I remembered her gentle words that morning, reminding me to take some time for myself, to start living again instead of merely surviving.
So maybe it was okay if I didn’t go home directly tonight. Maybe I could breathe a little.
“Are you hungry?” Dave asked suddenly as we stepped out of the café together, walking side by side like old friends.
“Yes,” I said, smiling despite myself.
“Come on, I know a place,” he said, his eyes glinting playfully. Then, almost without hesitation, he reached for my hand.
For a moment, it felt strange. Too soon. His touch carried warmth, but also confusion. We had just reconnected after years apart, and already, it felt like we were crossing into something deeper than friendship.
I gently pulled my hand back and smiled to soften the moment. “Lead the way,” I said lightly, pretending not to notice how awkward it felt.
He glanced at me with a knowing look and smiled again, his expression soft.
“You’re still the same Sarah I remember,” he said quietly. “Always guarded. Always careful not to let anyone too close.”
He chuckled under his breath, then gestured ahead. “We won’t be walking there, we will be driving.”
I followed his gaze and froze. Parked a few steps away was a sleek green Ferrari, gleaming under the fading sunlight.
I might not know much about cars, but when you’ve been married to a man obsessed with them, you pick up a few things.
And that car, that beauty, spoke one thing clearly. Dave had done well for himself.
I wasn’t surprised though. He looked different, confident, polished, and successful. Nothing like the timid college boy who once carried his books like a shield while others mocked him in the hallways.
I remembered those days vividly. The way he would walk alone, avoiding eye contact, always clutching his textbooks close. Some guys made fun of him for being too quiet, too fragile.
But not me.
I was one of the few who actually sat beside him, studied with him, and listened. He had always been kind, a little awkward maybe, but genuine.
At some point, he mistook my kindness for affection and tried to ask me out. I remember freezing, torn between empathy and loyalty. Abraham was already in my life back then, and I didn’t want to encourage something that would only hurt him. So, I ghosted Dave, hoping he would move on quietly.
And now, years later, here we were, standing side by side like fate had brought us full circle.
“Come on, Sarah,” he said, opening the car door and bowing slightly like a doorman welcoming a princess.
I laughed under my breath, shaking my head. His gesture was charming, almost theatrical, but in a good way. Maybe this was who he had become, a confident man who finally knew his worth.
As I slid into the car, I couldn’t help but smile to myself. Maybe reconnecting with Dave wasn’t such a bad thing after all.