left and leaving

her peripheral vision offered the clock on the wall
the minute hand dancing circles around the hour hand
the seconds hand in canon with her heart beat
an engine breaks the silence
shifting to park, the vehicle waits in the dark street
does this mean...
the coffee shop is closing
she had been anticipating her exit
would it be quick and flawless,
or laid out and intricate?
removing her jacket from the back of the chair, she regretted having to leave such a beautiful atmosphere
everything you'll require awaits in the car
long and black and desperate; it would have waved her over if it could
she didn't know if she should thank the man
for his company, for his strength and kindness
placing one foot in front of the other she made her way to the door
the sign hanging in the window was double-sided and from the inside of the shop it read: OPEN
but who had gone and turned it over?
surely she would have acknowledged an employee walking past her table towards the door, changing the sign
he opened the door for her and she stepped into the quiet air
and she paused
will i see you again?
she said this in the direction of the vehicle
as if she was saying goodbye to it, instead
close your eyes
as he walked around to face her, she was reminded of his spiciness
slowly, carefully, he reached for her hand which hung down by her thigh
lifting it up towards his chest,
tell me what you feel
the senses in her palm searched desperately for a beat that never came
not wanting to believe it, she closed her hand and made a fist where the beat should have been coming from
she had his heart in her hand
his heart was her hand in that moment
knocking twice on a body as hollow as a log, she opened her eyes
his chest was no longer where she held her fist; his heart
instead, an older man in a black suit stood in front of her
one hand on the handle of an elegant black limousine
he had left; and she was leaving
(to be continued)