The Ticking Heart - Andrew Kaufman

The Disappointment was just west of Unrealistic and Expectation,
(...)
There were more than fifty tables. They were all set for two. Every table was occupied by a couple.
None of the couples held hands. Few looked each other in the eye. Nobody was enjoying themselves. All the couples sat across from each other, arguing in their own unique way. Some yelled at each other. At other tables, one partner struggled to hold back tears while the other attempted to convey something complicated and hurtful. But by far the saddest couples, as far as Charlie was concerned, were the ones who weren't saying anything to each other, the candles flickering in front of them as they silently stared at entrees that had already turned cold.