SPLIT

The seventh Street of the 3rd Avenue in downtown New York buzzed with the bustling crowds of people on their way to work. It was a sunny and pleasant morning. The waiters of 'Coffee Break Cafe’ were busy collecting orders and delivering the orders to the diners. Mornings, especially from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m were the busiest hours. The diner was full inside and outside. It was located on the first floor and had a small open terrace packed with black chairs and tables.

It was just 9.15, and the crowd had started to reduce. This was her usual time, between 9.15 and 9.30, when Holly would arrive at the cafe for breakfast. Like every other day, she chose her regular spot at the far end corner table rarely chosen by others. But at this hour, there weren't many people outside, and just one other table was taken. She placed her blue purse on her table in front of her and took out a small mirror and checked herself.

Her eyes were red and swollen, her nose red - she had been crying the whole night.

She was waiting for her best friend Molly who could be here any minute. It was their daily routine. They met here for the breakfast and then drove to their work. Every morning they would discuss about their lives, the previous day's incidents and almost everything and nothing.

Holly checked her hair and set her bangs straight. She had straight blonde hair with black streaks in between and bangs that practically covered her forehead. She was tall and thin but her shoulders drooped while walking. She was wearing a black suit a white striped shirt, her face was bereft of makeup, just a thin coat of lip-gloss.

Just then the waiter came to take her order.

'Chicken burger, pancake and iced tea. Bacon with maple sauce and one cappuccino for my friend. She will be joining shortly.’

The waiter left her alone after the order. Within the next five minutes Molly joined her for breakfast. She was a fiery blonde with a bob haircut, bright red lipstick and a heavy eye make-up. She wore a black blouse and a skin-tight short grey skirt. She looked ravishing, a stunner. Holly realised why people sometimes stared at her in the diner. They actually stared at Molly. She sighed. Only if she was as attractive as her friend, her boyfriend Mason would not have cheated on her.

'You look terrible. Let me guess. That stinking son-of-a-bitch cheated on you again.' Molly asked her friend clutching her hand and settling in the chair opposite her. Holly burst into tears, 'I caught him red-handed with that clumsy girl from the tattoo studio across the street.'

'Stop crying Holly. You are weak. You should be strong like me. Don't cry for that pathetic idiot.' Molly lighted a cigarette and smoked puffs in the air while the waiter placed the breakfast plates and left them alone.

'I love him.' Holly said quietly taking a bite of her burger.

'You know what? You should kill him. You should strangle him to death.'

Hearing these cold words from her friend, Holly, she choked and nearly spat out the burger piece inside her mouth, coughed a bit and drank water. Molly was still smoking, 'Why are you shocked' she asked- 'He deserves it. He hurt you. Don't tell me you love him. He sleeps with every other woman in New York City, and look at you- you weep, you just weep. You are weak. Show him you can't be hurt. Show him you are strong.'

Holly was almost teary again. 'No. I can't. I am hurt. But I can't hurt him.'

'Oh. Molly! My dear sister. I love you so much. I can't see you getting hurt every time. If you can't do, I will do it. That filthy fool has to be taught a lesson. And I will do it. This friend of yours will do it. For you. For your love.'

Holly was speechless at Molly's aggressive reaction. Nevertheless she liked the idea. She was not strong enough to kill anyone but Molly was. It was time to go to work. They would discuss more tomorrow. So she started to drink her iced-tea while Molly digged into her bacon with her fork as if she stabbed Mason.

The waiter was back and he took the empty plates and the uneaten pieces. The cashier raised his eyebrows, as he was walking past, as if to ask 'Today too?'

The waiter sighed, 'Like everyday.'

And the cashier muttered to himself, 'weird.' But who cared. He was happy to raise the bill and who cared whether the lady ate her breakfast or not. But why would she order two sets of breakfast and not eat them was something that he could not understand.

The sun had started to rise higher and the restaurant clock struck 10.am. The far end corner where Holly sat was dark and one could see a solitary shadow on the wall, of one lady who had shoulder length straight hair sipping from her glass and talking to an empty chair opposite her.

Holly hugged her friend Molly and both of them walked hand-in-hand after leaving the dollar and thirty cents for the bill on the table.

The cashier watched this strange woman walking past him, muttering to herself, he sighed in disbelief at the woman saying Holly Molly!

He gasped, Holy Moly!