25. Table for Two
Gia stared at Jen.Long black hair fell sleekly over her shoulders, neatly swept behind her ears, which boasted a series of small diamond studs climbing the cartilage, adding a slight toughness to her features. A tiny nose ring graced her one nostril, almost unnoticeable. Jen’s piercing, dark-lined eyes peered out, sparkling with mischief. Her appearance was desirable in all the ways Gia had always felt she wasn’t. Unlike Gia’s natural “girl next door” beauty, Jen dripped with sensuality and sex appeal. She was a treat to the senses—from how she smelled to the sound of her voice, confident and self-assured.
How can I compete with that? Gia thought as she tried to process the events of the past few moments. Wait, I’m not competing. I don’t want him. This is only about Aiden. He isn’t even supposed to be here right now! Gia shook her head, trying to focus on the situation at hand. Thankfully, Carla interrupted the awkward silence, trying to make conversation.
“So, uh, Jen… How do you know Ben exactly?”
“Oh, it’s the funniest thing,” Jen said, squeezing Ben’s knee as he squirmed awkwardly in his seat. “We only just met on a dating site this morning. Maybe you’ve heard of it—Only Gardeners.”
Gia squinted and glanced at Ben, then shifted her eyes back to Jen, carefully taking in her appearance and paying particular attention to her pristinely clean, well-manicured fingernails. She tried to hold her tongue, but the words escaped.
“You have a garden?”
“Not exactly.” Jen smirked. “I have a certain affinity for hard-working men. I was hoping to find someone who is strong and, you know, good with his hands—and low and behold, there was Benji!” Jen threw an exaggerated wink toward Ben, who looked incredibly uncomfortable but jumped into the conversation anyway, trying to save face.
“She—uh, we—uh—we only just started talking… We were both hungry and thought maybe a casual lunch would?—”
“Hungry, indeed,” Jen interrupted. “No expectations, if you know what I mean.” As she spoke, Jen traced her fingertips from Ben’s knee to his thigh, causing him to tense up from head to toe. “So, how do you all know each other, anyway? You mentioned you were old friends or something, right?”
“We went to school together,” Carla said. “It’s complicated.”
Matt, who had been silent until then, let out a chuckle. “That’s for sure,” he said. “Are we still going to eat or…?”
Ignoring Matt’s inquiry, Jen continued her line of questioning. “Interesting. I love complicated—and I sense there’s more to this story than you’ve shared. Especially between these two. Am I right?” Jen gestured to Gia and Ben, a teasing smile dancing on the corners of her lips. “I’d love to know more. After all, I need to know what I’m getting into with Benji Boy here.”
Gia couldn’t take it any longer. The awkwardness between her and Ben, the meddling of this… this Jen person. It was all too much. She was here to enjoy a meal with her friends, not to be taunted by some high and mighty sex goddess wannabe!
“So, Jen… Okay. You want the scoop? Alright, you asked for it. And so did you,” Gia said, glancing at Ben. “So, here it is. Ben is the father of my child. The absentee father. The father who left me to figure it all out, pregnant, alone, and right out of high school. Ben is the man who ditched me for a dream we used to share. Your Benji boy is, quite frankly, a dick. So, good luck with that. I think you should leave—both of you. Go enjoy your no expectations somewhere else, or at the very least, at your own table. Preferably far away from this one. Ben and I have nothing more to say to each other. And I have even less to say to you. I’d like to enjoy the company of my friends now, if you don’t mind.”
Carla’s jaw dropped, along with Matt’s. Jen looked momentarily stunned. And Ben looked absolutely miserable. Gia wasn’t one to speak out, and Jen certainly wasn’t used to anyone standing up to her. She remained silent for a few seconds, taken aback and still gathering her words.
“Well, then, we’ll just be on our way, won’t we Benji? There are plenty of other things we can do. I’m sure Ben would love to be eating out elsewhere with me,” Jen said, emphasizing certain words to denote the sexual nature of her comment. However, much of her confidence had clearly dissipated, and she was just going through the motions.
Ben sat at the table, burying his head in his hands. When he finally removed them, Gia saw him wipe a tear from his cheek.
“Jen, I’m sorry, but you should go. I’ll go, too—but not together.”
Jen scoffed and stared at Ben incredulously. “Seriously? Wow. Just wow. File this under the absolute worst first date ever.” She rolled her eyes, stared at the ceiling momentarily, then pushed her chair back and stood up. “Whatever. I’m out of here. You people have issues.” She glanced from person to person before storming toward the restaurant exit, leaving Carla, Matt, Gia, and Ben sitting around the table.
Interrupting the awkward silence, their waitress appeared beside them. Not witnessing the previous few moments, she revealed a cheerful, unaffected smile that quickly faded as she took in the expressions around the table. “Uh, are we all ready to order? Oh, or are we waiting on someone?” she stammered, glancing at the empty chair where Jen had been a few moments ago. Ben leaned toward the waitress and whispered something to her. She placed a hand on his shoulder, almost as if she knew him on a more personal level, nodded and took one menu away. Suddenly, Carla’s eyes lit up.
“Oh!” she blurted out as she shoved her chair away from the table. “I just remembered! We have—that thing. Right, Matt? That thing I almost forgot about. We have to go right now!” Carla smirked, knowing neither Ben nor Gia would have the audacity to stand up and walk out without placing orders. “So,” Carla began, smiling sweetly at the waitress, “it turns out this will only be a table for two now. Sorry for any confusion!”
Matt stared at Carla as she tugged his arm, pulling him away from the table. “But, I—” Matt gazed longingly at the menu still opened before him and rested a hand on his stomach.
“Let’s go, Matt. The thing!” Carla pressed. Matt groaned but allowed himself to be pulled toward the exit, knowing it wasn’t worth an argument—and that she’d owe him later.
As they approached the door, Carla glanced over her shoulder at Ben and Gia, still staring with mouths agape. “Oh, uh, you can have our drinks. Enjoy!” she called, then shrugged semi-apologetically and walked out the door, pushing her palm against Matt’s back to keep him moving.