The night cafe

The storm

December 20,2001.

I wake up and look around my room as I'm still half asleep. The sun shines through my apartment window and I can hear the birds chirping. I take the warm cotton blanket off myself as I slowly sit up on the springy mattress. I stand up on the hardwood floor and I open the door to my closet. I grab a white turtleneck sweater and a pair of jeans and a pair of brown wool socks, I get dressed and walk into my living room. I open my window curtains and gaze upon the empty streets of New Orleans. I can feel the cold breeze through the glass. I walk to my kitchen and start to brew a pot of tea. As the smell of fresh herbal tea fills my apartment, I grab my laptop and carefully put it in my leather bag along with an extra pair of gloves and my scarf. As my tea finishes brewing I take my thermos and pour the tea inside.

I put on my boots that had a soft cotton like fabric on the inside and a smooth leathery texture on the outside. I swing the leather bag over my shoulder and walk out of my apartment. As I walk down the stairs I remember the café from the other night and I ponder if I should go back tonight. I continue walking down the stairs and I hold my bag tightly as I walk out of the building, a gust of wind blows my hair off my shoulders. As I continue walking down the sidewalk my body gets chills from the cold winter air, I continue to walk down the sidewalk as the wind becomes stronger by the second. I grab my scarf out from my leather bag and I wrap it around my neck. As I continue walking the breeze gets stronger and stronger as a storm starts to come through. Freezing rain starts to fall from the sky, so I quickly run into the town library to take cover. As the doors slowly close behind me I pant softly trying to Regain my breath. I look around the library as it is practically empty other than a few other people. I walk over to a nearby table and I set my bag down on the wooden chair beside me. I slowly take my laptop out of my bag and set it on the table in front of me and I slowly lift up the screen. I quickly type in my password and start working. I soon finish my work.

I fall back into my chair and I sigh. I slowly sit back up and pack all my things back into my leather bag. I slowly stand up from my chair and I swing the bag's strap over my shoulder. I start to walk towards the entrance to the library as I reach for the door handle to leave the door immediately swings open. I step back as the same woman from the café bursts through the door's. I look towards her a bit startled. She lifts her head to look up at me, as she looks towards me her eyes widen and she sighs in relief and slowly smiles right after. I look down at her slightly holding my breath, she stands up fully and laughs a bit " Your cheeks are bright red?- " she says as a grin slowly forms on her face. I slowly bring my arm to my face as the feeling of embarrassment overcomes me. "But I'm sure mine are too, noting how cold it is outside," she says in a soft voice while snickering. I smile and start to laugh a bit myself, " Uhm do you mind if I put my number in your contacts?... So we can chat a bit more?!" I say in a quiet raspy voice and as soon as I look up at her I start to drown in regret immediately after. "Oh sure I'd love that!" She says in a calming tone and she pulls her phone out from her trench coat pocket. My face lights up in joy as she said that "alright!" I say in an excited tone as I carefully take the phone from her hand. I quickly scrabble my number into her contacts, I glance up at her and I see her staring directly at me so I quickly look back towards the phone "Uhm here you go!-" I say as I look towards the floor "Thanks! I look forward to are conversations!" she says with a smile forming across her face. I stare at her and I chuckle softly as I adjust the scarf that's wrapped around my neck. I prop my leather bag back on my shoulder and I quickly wave goodbye, I turn towards the exit of the library and I slowly open the door as a huge gust of wind blows against me, as I walk out I gently let go of the door but the wind slams it shut anyway. I squint my eyes as I struggle to see through the snow storm, I sigh as I start walking cautiously on the icy sidewalk, I take my phone out from my pocket and I stare at my message app, as I stare at it a feeling of impatiens flows through my head. I smile and I start to walk back to my apartment, as I walk across the cold sidewalk I look up at the sky as the gray clouds slowly start to shift away. I sigh and I continue walking. I open the doors to my apartment building and I look at the elevator that is still out of order, I walk over and open the stair well door. As the door shuts I slowly walk up the rusted metal steps