told how undesirable she was, and how much better she'd look if she lost some weight. She started to believe it for herself. It was hard to change her thought pattern.
"Besides," Claudette continued, "I'm sure Gabe saw something special in you too. I really think you should call him."
"Oh I couldn't do that," Monica said.
"And why not? You should at least hear what he has to say for himself."
"Cause it's been over 3 weeks and I haven't heard a peep from him. He hasn't called, texted, or messaged me. I don't think he wants to hear from me after all this time. Like I said he's probably moved on," Monica answered glumly.
"The way you described him earlier makes that hard to believe. He sounded like he was really into you. Maybe he's waiting for you to contact him? Maybe he thinks you don't want anything to do with him, and that's why he's keeping his distance," Claudette suggested.
"You really think so?" Monica asked, cheered by the thought. He did look miserable when she left. Maybe she did act to o hastily walking out on Gabe, and she should give him a call to hear his side of things. She did owe him that much, she reasoned.
"I do," Claudette answered. "Besides it never hurts to try. That way you'll know for sure, instead of wondering if you've made a mistake."
Monica was grateful to Claudette for her advice and friendly ear. She was starting to feel the first inkling of optimism in three long weeks.
"Thank you so much for listening to my problems," Monica said to Claudette as they were finishing their meals. "I can't tell yo u how much better I feel just to talk about it ."
"Don't worry about it," Claudette said. "I'm here anytime you need someone to talk to."
As they were calling for the check, Monica turned toward an approaching waiter and her eyes were arrested by the sight of Gabe Stark standing 20 feet away from her. He was walking behind a waiter towards an open table and Monica continued to follow him with her eyes. She had forgotten how handsome he was in person . Her memories did not do him justice. She drank in the sight of him and admired the way his black suit fit his tall muscular form like a glove. His thick hair was styled back from his face, and he wore that familiar grin that Monica loved so well. It showed off the dimples in his cheeks and gave him a young carefree appearance. It ached just to look at him.
Once he reached the table, Gabe pulled out a chair and that's when Monica noticed he was with a woman. She was tall, beautiful and blonde, and Monica hated her guts. The woman smiled up at Gabe as she took the seat he pulled out for her. She must've said something funny because Monica heard Gabe's deep laughter across the restaurant. Monica's heart sank at the scene. He's obviously on a date , she thought sadly.
"Are you all right, Monica?" Claudette asked, eyeing her with concern.
"I'm fine," Monica replied, pasting on a shaky smile. "Let's get out of here, shall we?"
"Sure. Are you sure you're all right? I could swear you look like you've seen a ghost," Claudette added.
"Yeah, I'm fine. It's been a long day," Monica lied. Even though Claudette was the closest thing to a girlfriend she had, she wasn't ready to be that vulnerable in front of her just yet. She wanted to run away and go home where she c ould cry her heart out in peace .
They got up from the table and Monica squared her shoulders , looking straight ahead , though she couldn’t disguise the pain and longing in her eyes . She didn't want to look in Gabe's direction, but at the last minute, her resolve faltered, and she turned around. Her eyes met Gabe's startled face staring right back at her. He looked shocked to see her and was halfway out of his seat when she turned back around and walked out the door.
"You should really give him a call," Claudette said, squeezing Monica's hand sympathetically once they were both outside.
Monica gave her a weak smile, trying her hardest to hold back the flood of tears she knew would come
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