Three Means Coffee

86

After breakfast, Błażej was looking through the planner, drinking some more coffee. He looked up at Makary staring at him. Hazel-eyed smiled and asked when they could see each other again. The first year turned the notebook to him and slid it across the table.

Makary raised his eyebrows in surprise, at how practically the whole thing was filled with colours, and suddenly felt bad about the fact that he demanded to squeeze some more of him somewhere. He frowned, hoping it would be easier now, but it was going to be even harder. He glanced hopefully at the weekend, but when Błażej had afternoon shifts, he had morning shifts. He sighed heavily, handing the notebook back to its owner, explaining why it didn't put him in a good mood.

"Maybe I'll be able to drop by on Thursday evening, if the professor cancels classes on Friday morning, something mentioned that he may have an urgent business trip then," said Błażej, making Makary smile. "She usually lets you know at the last minute, so don't get your hopes up."

"I will miss you till then," the hazel-eyed said honestly, the first year smiled touched by this confession.

Sometime later, when it was time to say goodbye, Makary did not want to let go of his beloved for a long time. It didn't bother Błażej, but it was surprising that someone could love him so much that they wouldn't want to say goodbye to him. He smiled all day just remembering that moment and the goodbye kiss he had initiated.

"Oh, something good happened, didn't it?" Grażyna asked, seeing a change in her co-worker's behaviour and mood. Her curiosity was fueled even more when she noticed that Błażej's face was blushing. "Well, tell your dear friend the good news?" she encouraged him.

"Do you remember that boy who came for me then?"

"Of course, such a handsome young man is not easy to forget," she laughed and understood what it could mean. She giggled like a teenager. "Have you officially become a couple?"

Błażej didn't answer, just nodded, nervously looking at the customer who just approached the cash register, but the old woman didn't seem to be interested in the heart problems of the store employees. Grażyna congratulated him sincerely and wanted to ask for a few details. More customers came to the store, waves of students returning from nearby schools or tired parents, trying to persuade their children to buy another sweet, which they would eat more willingly than lunch, and tired, often irritable adults.

"Well, I'm listening." A co-worker caught up to him later, and the first year gave her a questioning look. "Where and when will you go on your first date as a couple? Will it be something special?"

"I don't know," replied Błażej, surprised. "I didn't think about it."

"How about a zoo?" suggested the boss, who sneaked into her office during the busiest time, not wanting to show the rest of the frustration that got her after the phone call she had received earlier.

"The weather is supposed to be nice this weekend, you should go." Delighted Grażyna picked up the idea.

"We don't even have time to meet during the week, and the weekend is out of the question." Błażej looked imploringly at the boss, who shook her head in the negative.

"The young one who used to help us with deliveries a few hours a week called me that he was resigning," the woman managing the shop bristled. "Even before Easter, when they flood us with goods." She looked at her subordinate and his desperate expression. "You know we love you, I'll see what I can do, but no promises."

"At least Saturday afternoon," Błażej suggested. "I will take all hours, I will also come for deliveries."

"Enough already, because you won't have enough strength for a date," the woman laughed, her mood immediately brightened, watching youngsters in love is somehow really reassuring.