The end?

Last week I prompted CH once again for a lunch date. She was apologetic - she couldn't do last week (I hadn't specifically asked for last week, just a date) but could we do this week? We could meet at Starbuck's.

That suited me. All I want is to get her alone for a bit of time where we can chat. I agreed.

I pinged her on our IM system this morning to confirm. The conversation went something like:

Me:

What time you want to go today?

CH:

This afternoon suit? I've a meeting at 3 so just whenever its over? Its just a big list of people and I could be first or last

Me:

I thought we were meeting at lunch?

CH:

I thought we where doing coffee? I

Me:

I thought it was coffee @ Starbucks @ lunch.

CH:

LOL! I thought it was coffee at Starbucks at coffee time.

Me:

Fair enough - my boss is not in today so I can nip out for a bit.

CH:

OK, actually why not make it [coffee shop]? It's closer.

Me:

OK.

Now, I wasn't happy about this. When I raised my concerns with CH in the middle of February, she got ultra defensive and said she was too busy with work or that her family always comes first and her geographical stuff made socialising difficult before accusing me of not understanding.

The stuff I mention in this post is not a one-off or anything. In fact, most of the stuff on that list is something she's done within the past six weeks, since I voiced my own concerns.

Doing a coffee break rather than a lunch meant less time to talk about, well, anything really. Why she decided to go to Starbucks is beyond me - it's a ten minute walk from work, so ten minutes there and back is already twenty minutes plus the coffee. We get fifteen minutes for tea breaks. It simply doesn't add up. Plus, once again, she expected me to drop everything when she was ready to go.

But, part of me can't walk away without having this chat with her, even if we were doing it in fifteen minutes and on her terms... until this arrived in my IM shortly before CH's 3 PM meeting.

CH:
Hey the agenda is out and I'm last on the list. Coffee might have to wait - I'm off for a week over Easter.

I didn't reply.