When the scone is gone and the last of the tea is drained from the pot, a young waiter comes over and asks me if I’m alright and if I need anything else. I tell him I’m fine, just waiting on a friend. I take my phone from my pocket pretending I’ve received a text and explain that my friend is delayed. I’m not sure he buys it but he tells me there’s no problem and I can stay as long as I like. Then he clears the table. If I was anywhere else, I’d order another cup of tea but the last one cost me fourteen euros. Just for tea and a scone. I could get two double vodkas and Coke for that in the pub next door.

A group of four women have gathered at a table beside me, chatting and laughing and clearly enjoying one another’s company. The woman who is the centre of attention moves her arms as much as her lips when she speaks and seems to have either just ditched her man or is reliving an old experience for the entertainment of her friends. She’s making the whole thing sound like it was a laugh. I bet it wasn’t a laugh. I bet she cried her eyes out when she realised her husband was being unfaithful.

It’s making me angry listening to her reducing her pain to a funny anecdote to be shared with her friends over tiny sandwiches and tea. I’d love to tell her to shut up. I’m about to tell her to when the door of the lift opens stopping me and sending a rush of excitement soaring through me. Is that him? It looks like him. My breath buckles; am I looking at Andriu?

A tall man with dark hair and a leather jacket is stepping out of the elevator. He is looking downwards watching his step so I can’t tell for certain, but it could be him. He’s wearing jeans and a white T-shirt under the jacket. My heart is bouncing in my chest when I stand and rush out to the hallway. Relax Faye, be cool. An old woman is hobbling in through the entrance on a stick, forcing me to slow down and let her pass. I rush past her but when I get closer to the man in the leather jacket he lifts his head and my heart sinks. It’s not Andriu.

I’ve been here for over three hours now and there’s no sign of Andriu. The waiter has attended to me twice. He probably thought I’d been stood up as he asked if I wanted anything else to eat or drink but thankfully he seems to have gone on a break or finished his shift. I haven’t seen his sympathetic smile in a while.