ELIZA

19

Justine asked Alina to drop off the wedding invites at the Post Office because she was running late for work. Alina was not used to this part of Somerville. They lived close to the Cambridge side, so most of the time she was near Harvard. Before going to the Post Office, Alina stopped by Diesel Cafe, a queer coffee shop, and enjoyed some coffee. It was a blustery October day, and the wedding was in January, quite late to send out invitations, but they decided that they would have the ceremony, regardless of who could come.

When Alina finished her coffee, she walked around and saw some shops. She wandered into a crystal shop and picked up some tarot cards. She went into a thrift store and looked around. As she left the thrift store, she looked into the window of a quaint gift shop. A patch with SOMERVILLE and a bicycle under a sunset caught Alina's eyes. It's Eliza's patch! Alina thought. Fuck, I'm getting married, was her next thought.

Wedding invitations in hand, Alina casually popped into the gift shop. She coolly looked around and picked up a card and a pen.

"Do you happen to have any more of those Somerville patches?" Alina asked at the checkout.

"Sure, I'll grab you one." the clerk said.

Sorry it took me so long. Hope you enjoy the patch! Alina wrote and put the patch in the card.

She went through her emails to find Eliza's address and stamped the envelope at the Post Office. She handed over the wedding invitations first. Then, she dropped off Eliza's card in the post.

A few weeks later, Alina received a text from Eliza:

Thanks for the patch! That was really sweet.