Secrets And Tea

Chapter 3

Rionna stood looking at the sunrise from her shop's window. She and Isabelle always were up before the break of dawn to set up the shop and open for the day.

"Are you okay Rionna?" Isabelle questioned for the third time that morning since they had arrived at the Tea Shop.

"I'm okay. My heart hurts but I am okay," replied Rionna. She couldn't mask the pain in her voice. It was hard to accept that her ex-boyfriend wasn't alive anymore. She had begged him and begged him not to go into the army. Her dreams of his death had frightened her.

"Thomas did what he loved, helping people. Just like you do Rionna. Only in a different way," reassured Isabelle as she rubbed her friend's back.

Rionna knew that she was right. It didn't make her feel any better. Regret was a powerful feeling that filled her. She and Thomas had argued for days before he left to go to his training. She had been so upset that he wouldn't listen to her that she had not gone to see him off on the ferry.

The smell of freshly baked bread drifted through the air. It was heavenly and lifted Rionna's spirits a little.

She turned to continue setting up the chairs and tables. Placing her little menu cards in the center of them. She only had the bakery selection listed on the cards. The tea was customized to each customer. She did have some basic teas.

Chai, Green Tea, and Peppermint were a basic choices for those who didn't want to try something new. Those who lived in Witch's Cove would just tell her to brew up a cup and then wait while she made a special tea for each customer.

Stepping behind the counter she turned on the electric kettles and began measuring out her first regular customers of the day's tea to go.

By the time Abigail entered the store, she had six cups with names written on them.

"Oh my, that smells heavenly," Abigail stated, as she picked up her cup and took a sniff of the hot brew. She took a tentative sip of the hot liquid and sighed with pleasure, "Oh god that is divine."

Rionna grinned, she had been glad to hire Abigail. The woman was a great taste tester when she wanted to try out new blends of teas.

The next few customers trickled in for their usual tea blends and greeted Rionna and Abigail with gossip and news.

"I am booked solid this week," Theresa Demit stated, "I swear the tourists are getting more and more each year. I am so glad I started my little beauty parlor."

"You have a gift with hair Theresa, everyone has known that since the time you were born," Rionna told the woman, "You used to cut hair for extra money for college remember. No one ever had a bad thing to say about how you styled their hair."

"Truthfully, I thought everyone was just being nice," Theresa stated, waving her hand as she sipped on her mug, "I didn't think anyone really liked what I did. They just supported me like they do everyone around here."

Abigail laughed from a table in the corner, a tourist couple had arrived from the mainland and were cracking jokes with her.

"We all have our secrets," she told Theresa, "We just have to remember that they never really go away."

Theresa nodded, and shoved the rest of her biscuit into her mouth before chugging the last of her tea.

"Thanks Rionna. I better go open the shop before the customers become anxious," she said, as she dropped her money on the table.

Rionna collected the cash and put it in the cash register. Customers both old and new entered the store. They were the only cafe open before the tourist spots opened fully.