Putting the "Lame" in "Old Flame"

Story Sent in by Dale:

Michelle and I were out to dinner on date number two. We were at a nice neighborhood restaurant and were in the midst of catching up over drinks when she glanced at a nearby booth and said, "Oh my God! Frank!"

I turned to face the object of Michelle's attention. He looked older than I by about 10 years, and a young woman who looked younger than I by about 10 years sat with him. Father and daughter? I thought.

Frank stood up, Michelle followed suit, and they hugged each other. Michelle turned to me and said, "Dale, this is Frank, my friend."

"Ex-boyfriend," Frank said, and laughed.

Michelle rolled her eyes and said to me, "It was a long time ago."

Hey, no problems here. I wasn't worried. Not, at least, until Michelle joined Frank and his young woman companion at his booth. Michelle beckoned me over, and I followed, hoping that it would just be a brief social visit.

It wasn't. Michelle was apparently settling into Frank's booth to stay. Weren't she and I on a date?

Frank introduced the young woman sitting with him as Rafaela. They were together. In short order, Frank and Michelle were laughing and catching up over old times.

"Remember when you fucked me up against the tree in Lyman Memorial Park?" Michelle asked him, "My back was torn up for weeks!"

Frank, Michelle, and Rafaela laughed. I cut in, "Michelle and I are actually in the middle of a date so we're probably going to head back to our table, soon."

"No!" said Rafaela, "Stay!"

"Yeah! Yeah!" Frank said, "Dinner's on me!"

Michelle kissed Frank's cheek and squeezed his hand. I waited for an opportunity to whisper to Rafaela, and when it came, I asked her, "Does this not bother you?"

She asked me, "Why would it? Frank's wonderful. He pays for everything."

Okay, then. As I watched, Frank and Michelle slid closer and closer together, and when they spoke, their heads tilted together like lovers.

I had had enough at that point, and I slid out from the booth and said, "I'm going to head out. Very nice to meet you, Frank and Rafaela."

Frank said, "You're leaving so soon? Killjoy."

Rafaela said to Michelle, "Isn't he your date? You should keep him here."

Michelle replied, "I've got everything I need, here. Goodnight, Dale."

I left.