a while — a period of time, especially a short one

a young woman sits on a wooden bench reading a book while her friend checks his watch nearby. The man points to his watch and gestures that he needs to leave soon for an appointment. The woman nods and holds up her hand showing just a few more pages left in her chapter. Her friend settles back down on the bench, deciding to wait patiently for her to finish. A small pile of autumn leaves has gathered at their feet, and a squirrel pauses nearby before continuing on its path. a short period of time being spent together before they part ways