Coffee cups

25

Jonathan

I finish singing as she closes her eyes.
I stand up and brush my lips against her forehead. Brushing the hair out of her face I leave the hospital. I get in my car and pull out my phone. I notice a text from my brother so I open it.

Dan- Can we meet up? I need to talk with you.

I hesitate before responding. As much as I didn't want to talk to him I remembered what I had read this Morning about turning the other cheek.

Jonathan- How important is it?

He responds almost immediately.

Dan- if we could meet tonight I would prefer it. Can we meet at your coffee shop?

Jonathan- yes I'll be there in twenty.

I close my phone and pull out of the parking lot. Pulling infront of Fresh Brews I see a red mustang in the parking lot that can only be his. I step out of my car and walk to the door. Opening it I step in. He's sitting at a booth on the other side.

"Hello Dan." I say coldly. Just seeing him made my blood boil. Then he does the last thing I expected. He runs up to me and hugs me. It reminds me of when my mom walked out of our lives he was maybe five he was so scared that he just turned to me and hugged me.

I can't help but remember that little boy who nobody wanted. I slowly wrap my arms around him.
"Daniel what is it?"

I ask out of surprise. As if my question broke him he starts to sob. Big heavy sobs. I notice Breanna behind the counter and when I give her a questioning look she just shrugs.

"It's mom Jonathan. She's gone." My whole world stops. She's gone? How could she be gone. She was living in Hawaii with her new husband.

"She died in a car wreck this morning." He goes on. Continuing to sob.

"Jonathan what are we supposed to do?" In that second I'm reminded that he wasn't the same as me. He looked like a kid. I always knew there was ten years between us but when he looks at me it seems to click. He was just a kid.

"Hey your gonna be fine. Remember when Mom walked out? Who was there to take care of you?" I say stepping back and holding his shoulder.

"You." His blue eyes search mine for meaning. He looked like my mom. Light blonde hair and blue eyes.

"That's right and I'm here now." I lead him back to the booth and we talk. I know I'm supposed to forgive him but I try to fight it. I didn't want to. But eventually I can't fight it anymore.

"Daniel I forgive you." I don't register what I'm saying until it's already said.
"For everything. Can we start over?"

His eyes light up. He seemed to question me though.
"You want to forgive me? But look what I've done to you! I stole everything!" He seems to be in shock so I answer.

"I know but the truth is that a few months ago I had a life changing experience. I found Natasha's Jesus.
He's real Dan and he forgave me and now I'm forgiving you."

Then for the second time that night he surprises me.

"Can you tell me about him? I want to know I'm too." And so I do. And that night Daniel Cooper becomes my brother in Christ.

☕☕☕☕☕☕☕☕☕☕☕☕☕☕

Don't cry cause I might cry.