#TimsColdBrewStories: Escaping Reality

The Waiting

Lisa Haydon normally didn't reserve many plans on a Saturday afternoon, as Saturday was her only day off from work as a private investigator and was reserved for catching up on much-needed sleep. But a single text from her former partner of eight years led her to wait at their regular Tim Hortons, drinking their shared favourite beverage - Tim's Cold Brew Iced Coffee.

She had always gotten hers with extra sugar - to sweeten the long and bitter days on the job tailing cheating spouses, spying on company executives, fishing out blackmailers and so forth. David, however, always got his with no cream or sugar - a boldness of flavour to match his own personality.

Biting into her straw and taking in another sip of her iced coffee, Lisa felt herself growing impatient waiting for her former partner. She was aware there were still five minutes to four, but her impatience had been laced with restlessness. After all this time apart, what was she supposed to say to him? How've you been? How's the wife and kids? Have you been doing anything after you left? Oh, speaking of leaving, care to explain why the hell you left in the first place? Do you know how goddamn miserable I was without you? She couldn't say any of that. She knew she couldn't.

The moment when her boss, Hunter Simmons, broke the news to her was still fresh on her mind, and she couldn't help but replay the tape in her head as if it was a broken record in her discography of life, stuck at that particular, painful moment.

"This has to be a mistake."

"I'm sorry, Lisa. David handed in his resignation, and packed his things. I thought he told you..."

"'... no. He didn't."

It took her months to move past the sudden betrayal she felt from the person she believed was her best friend. She continued to bite her straw as she took sips of her Cold Brew, as a way to release some of the pent up anger she was feeling within herself. Eight years of friendship. Eight years of having each others' backs. Eight years of dealing with the worst of situations. Eight years of being there for one another no matter what the circumstances were. All came to a screeching halt. And she wasn't even given the courtesy of being told by him; it came from her boss.

"You still bite your straw, eh?"

Lisa's body froze, instantly covered in chills as soon as she heard that voice - the voice that she had become so familiar with for all these years. A shadowy behind her loomed in front of her, and a clear image of a person filled her eyes as he took the seat in front of her. Chocolate brown eyes. Short, messy hair. Olive-kissed skin. Perfect jawline. Clean shaven. Suit. It was almost as if those three years without him didn't exist.

"Hey Lisa. Long time no see."