by Rae Anna Blake

Created on: November 03, 2008

"Could I offer you a drink, while you review the menu?" a tall slender man asked the dishoveled looking woman and she skimmed the menu and quickly glanced at the door as if she were anticipating someone to enter at any moment. The woman, looked at the waiter and replied with a sigh, "I will have a glass of water for now and actually could I order now as well?" The waiter graciously nodded at the woman and she proceeded with her order, which he committed to memory as he took her menu and proceeded to the kitchen.

The waiter could not help but be puzzled by the woman, he glanced out from behind the doorway to the kitchen and noticed the woman fidgeting and looking around as if she were expecting something to happen or someone to find her. He grabbed the glass of water and took it out to the dishoveled woman, who practically jumped out of her chair when the waiter sat the glass of water in front of her. "I am sorry, ma'am, I did not mean to frighten you. You seem to be on edge and a bit jumpy, could I be of some assistance?" the waiter asked. The woman touched the hand of the waiter to acknowledge his kindness and slowly started to hint that his kind gesture might make her actually begin to smile. The woman kept her hand upon the hand of the waiter and let out a sigh and seemed to almost relax, if only for a moment.

"I am trying to avoid someone, and I am seemingly trying to blend in here, but I fear my anxiety is keeping me from doing that." the woman told the waiter. The waiter nodded and agreed with the woman's statement and he took her by her hand and led her to a dining area in the back of the restaurant. "Perhaps you would be more comfortable here in the back where you can see what is going on before anyone can see you." The woman grinned at him appreciatively, "thank you so much, you have no idea how wonderful this is" and the woman sat down and breathed a sigh of relief as she took a long drink of her water. The waiter was curious, but knew it was not his place to impose, so he excused himself to the kitchen to check on the woman's meal.

When he returned to the table with the woman's order he was shocked to find that she was not at the table and it appeared as if she had left. On the table the waiter found a note written on a napkin in a bordeaux shade of lipstick. It read "Dear kind sir, thank you so much for your kind hospitality and for not imposing further as to the extent of my turmoil. You graciously acknowledged me and my fear and you took steps to ensure that I was comfortable and safe within your restaurant. I cannot stay, but I do appreciate your kindness and hospitality. I hope what I have left will cover the meal and your tip. Sincerely - M".

The waiter was puzzled by the note and still had no idea as to why the woman was so nervous and as to why she seemed to be so fearful. He found under the napkin a $100 bill along with a golden pendant that appeared to be worth a lot. It was bejeweled with several diamonds and what appeared to be a ruby. The waiter was awestruck for a moment until he was overcome with the grin of a Cheshire cat as he placed the pendant in his pocket and heard the sound of several gunshots down the street, followed by a scream. The waiter slipped out the back door as the hostess turned to the owner of the restaurant to ask "who was that waiter?"

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