Heartbreak and Coffee

The Pink Cafe

October,2014—Winipeg,Canada

Mary Bells reluctantly took a sip of her iced americano. The sun's insistence led her to order her least favorite coffee; she was a firm believer in the idea that coffee should be hot and nothing else.

Yet, the unusual heat, coupled with her troubled thoughts, prompted her to choose something cold today. As she sipped, a whimsical thought crossed her mind, "If food has an impact on our body, then this cold coffee better do the job of chilling my soul and heart."

"Babes!" Her best friend Zara called out, and she glanced up.

Zara settled into the pink chair beside her. The cafe's ambiance, decked out in pink and white, was one of the reasons she adored it. The place felt cozy and soft, akin to a woman's skin. Here, she found a sense of security, freedom, and at times, she almost felt lost in its comforting embrace.

It's crazy she never visited this place on happy days. How can she love this cafe so much, yet have such a toxic relationship with it?

"Is that iced coffee?" she asked, a mix of confusion and surprise evident in her tone.

"It is," Mary replied, confirming it with a sip.

"But You hate cold coffee." She protested.

"Yes, and I hate heartbreak too, but look at me, heartbroken again!"

"Heartbreaks and coffee," Mary mused, her teasing tone belying the sadness in her voice. Zara sensed it and reached out, holding her friend's hand.

"He's an asshole who doesn't deserve you." Zara said, hoping to make her feel better.

"Heard that before." Mary replied, indifferently.

"A broken relationship is better than a broken marriage." Zara tried again.

"That too,"

Zara pretended to ponder for a moment. "Who needs a boyfriend when you can get coffee!"

"Coffee can't screw me, Zara!"

"Oh, so that's it! You're horny," Zara joked, and Mary suppressed a laugh.

"Seriously, Mary, I'm sorry you had to go through this. I love you so much, and I know you'll be happy again."

"When?" Tears threatened the corners of her eyes. She sniffed, as if that could hold them back.

"When will I be happy, Zara? When I'm old? When you're married to Ben and have your third child? Or when this cafe is no longer a cafe but a library!"

"Not a library," she turned to Mrs. Dickens. "Mrs. Dickens, you better not turn this cafe into a library! Not until my best friend gets married!" She exclaimed across the cafe. Heads turned, some chuckled, and others exchanged knowing glances, observing the drama of two passionate teenagers.

The tears flowed freely now, and she didn't bother to hide them. She understood that Zara was trying to lift her spirits, but it just wasn't working.

Ben and Zara marked three years together, while Mary navigated through three separate relationships during the same period, as if collecting a yearly award.

It proved exhausting, but with Chris, it felt distinct. He appeared almost too perfect, deeply in love with her. She had opened up to him, sharing the scars of past heartaches, and he vowed never to contribute to her pain.

"I'm different, and that's because I genuinely love you," he assured her. Little did she anticipate that the story would take an unexpected turn.

Their first date had been on a train, an occasion where he defied conventions, setting a high standard. Yet, despite his promise to shield her heart, he ended up breaking it.

"I think I lost my taste buds," Mary remarked.

"I thought so too, watching you sip that cold coffee."

"Can we leave now? Tyler will be here soon."

"Tyler? I thought he went for his college entrance exams."

"He's back," her BlackBerry beeped.

"And he's here," she added.

Tyler parked his car in front of the Pink Cafe and sent a message to Mary. His entrance exam had proven to be a breeze, and he saw no reason to delay returning when his friend needed support. Mary held a special place in his heart, the only woman he had deeply cared about. In high school, he had silently fallen for her, though he never explicitly expressed it. Well, maybe he showed a bit, but she perceived him as a caring friend. She found solace in him, feeling safe, and he was determined not to jeopardize that, not even for his own emotions. As his car door opened, Mary took the front seat, and Zara slipped into the back.

"Hello, handsome," Zara greeted.

"Hi, Zara."

"How was your exam?" Mary inquired.

"Not bad."

"Do you think you'll get in?" Zara asked, earning a scolding glance from Mary.

"What, it's just a question. I heard college exams are hard, and mine is next week. I'm so nervous."

"They are normal questions, Zara, everything we learned in high school," Tyler reassured calmly.

"Okay, I feel better, thank you."

"Seneca is easy. Don't be worried; my dumb cousin got in, so you'll do fine."

"Did you just compare me to Mesh?" Zara exclaimed.

Mary rolled her eyes; Zara could be so dramatic.

"I'll drop at Good Earth. Wanna grab lunch for Ben"Zara said .

"Okay," Tyler replied.

He parked just outside the old restaurant.
"Thank you,Tyler,do take care of Mary for me, will you?"
" I will ma'am"

••••••••

The cemetery, with its weathered gravestones and ancient trees, embraced an eerie tranquility that seemed almost poetic. The stillness hung in the air, broken only by the occasional rustle of leaves or the distant caw of a solitary crow. It was a place where time itself felt suspended, and the past whispered in the gentle breeze.

Tyler's preferred locations were abandoned buildings and cemeteries. Mary couldn't fathom the appeal, but she enjoyed being there with him. He was her closest male friend. Finding a tree, they sat beneath it, Tyler, with a touch of chivalry, placed his handkerchief on the ground for Mary. A small but meaningful gesture
"Sit" he gestured. his voice a soft murmur that resonated with the quietude of the cemetery.

Mary sat, and Tyler took the seat beside her.

"How are you, peanut?" he asked.

"Sincerely?" She looked at him intently, and he nodded.

"I'm not fine, Ty. I'm sad, I feel miserable. I know we're still young, but why does it have to be so hard? Aren't we supposed to feel an innocent and fulfilling type of love as teenagers?"

"Maybe the heartbreaks came early because you'll have a stable and amazing relationship as an adult?" Tyler suggested.

She paused, as if contemplating the odds. "You can't be serious," her eyes lit up at him.

"I am. You're smart, beautiful, kind. It's their loss, peanut."

She nestled her head on his shoulder, "I feel better. I always do when I'm with you." She confessed.

"Maybe we are meant for each other," he suggested.

She laughed. "You wish, you're my brother."

"I'm not your brother," he said, his voice carrying an unexpected seriousness. She sensed it and looked at him.

"I'm not your brother, peanut," he emphasized.

"Whatever," she responded, a hint of disbelief lingering in her tone.