Her affair

An excerpt of my book 'Summer Tempest'.

Just a few yards away from his pastry shop he noticed a free parking space.

'A miracle a real miracle,' he muttered happily. He parked his car with a sigh of relief.

I'm lucky today; he thought satisfied walking slowly on the pavement among the few passers-by, at this early morning hour.

The pastry shop was locked, and Smadar wasn't waiting in front of it. He removed the two hanging locks unlocked the front door and opened it.

He clicked the code on the security control board and entered, while a few curious passers-by watched him.

Smadar was late she arrived half an hour after he had finished all the arrangements, including spreading the tables and chairs in front of the shop.

He watched her with a stern face and without any comment.

‘It was kinda hard to wake up this morning.’ She muttered nonchalantly with a smile, which was supposed to make everything clear to him; as she crossed his corner table and moved towards the counter.

'What's new, have you found a replacement for me?' She asked him with emphasized indifference as if she did not expect him to answer her.

She thinks that she's making a laughing stock of me, she's found herself a new mean of amusement it seems. He thought assaulted by a sudden wave of anger, but he recovered immediately filling his lunged with air and exhauling it slowly.

'No I haven't found yet someone to replace you. I'll put an ad in the papers.'

'Shall I prepare you an espresso?' She asked while operating the device.

Yoske nodded his head positively and within a few moments she joined his table carrying their cups in her hands.

'What's going on with your young assistant, she's going to be late too?'

'She gave up the idea she isn't coming anymore Yoske, thus you'd better find someone else as fast as you can, and do remember that I'm leaving at the end of the month whether you'll find someone or not.' Smadar added with emphasize watching him with a rather haughty stare blended with quite an amount of contempt.

One might think that she's the owner and I'm her inferior employee, which she annoys whenever she feels like. Her affair with that American old timer has whirled her head only God know to what height… Yoske kept thinking in increased frustration. But the fact that she was sitting opposite him and till that American old timer would arrive it would take several more hours made him feel better, he refused to lose hope.

Well up to the end of the month there're three more weeks, and who knows what she'll find out about her bonanza? Maybe he really is a crook, and he doesn't have a dime in his pocket… These thoughts that flashed in Yoske's mind encouraged him very much. Why do I have to give her up, and to whom to this old timer that's needs a jack to support an erection? Did she try him already or has she got tipsy from his tales about his millions, which he keeps no doubt telling her? Well she's a smart girl and there's no need to wave a white flag. Yoske summed up the situation with urgency, watching Smadar's lovely features.

'What made Sivan change her mind, she was supposed to assist you up to the end of the month?'

'Some wise guy turned to her with indecent suggestions. She was terribley hurt and decided that she isn't coming anymore.'

'So it's the two of us again, just the two of us…' Yoske mumbled watching her with a shade of smile full of hope.

'Not exactly and don't cherish illusions,' Smadar interrupted him decisively.

'Illusions, I was sure that we'll live together as a family and bring up children…'

'Well in reference to this certain point of view it's good that we're about to say good bye to each other, I've no intention to have children not now and not in the future.' Smadar interrupted him once again, she rose to her feet and collected the empty cups. 'I see a couple next to one of the tables outside, our day of work has started it seems.' She added with a smile. She turned her back to him, left the empty cups on the counter, and went out to the young couple that sat next to a table outside.

"Not exactly" where did she collect these linguistic pearls in Sheinkin Street? She isn't in her twenties anymore. He thought while staying near the table as if he was paralyzed. That's why she came to work in our pastry shop Nehana's and mine, to catch a rich client, they used to do it in the university, but she didn't like the choice over there, and came to us to climb on my back. After this sober thought, he left his seat and went over to the counter, to prepare himself another espresso and thus to reach some piece of mind.

© Haim Kadman 2007 " all rights reserved.