Tidal | Neuvillette

XVIII

- an eavesdropping tale -

As she awakens from her restless slumber, the remnants of her dreams cling to her like a ghostly haze, lingering on the edges of her consciousness. Blinking away the fog of sleep, she finds herself bathed in the soft light of dawn filtering through the curtains, the world outside her window stirring to life with the promise of a new day.

For a moment, she lies still, savoring the quiet solitude of the early morning hours, her mind buzzing with fragments of memories from the night before. The image of the Chief of Justice dances before her mind's eye, his presence looming large in the shadowy recesses of her thoughts.

"I can't believe I'm having dreams like that.."

With a sigh, she pushes herself up from her bed, the cool linens clinging to her skin like a whisper of a forgotten dream. As she moves through the familiar motions of her morning routine, she can't shake the feeling that something has shifted, that the events of the past few days have set into motion a chain of events that will alter the course of her life forever.

As she gazed out the window at the world awakening before her, she stretched arms out, recollecting her thoughts about the recent series of not-so-unfortunate events that occurred lately.

....

Later, 2:32pm at work for her.

A usual day at work. As she arrives at Café Rouge in Fontaine, the familiar sights and sounds of the bustling café envelop her like a warm embrace. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee and buttery croissants fills the air, mingling with the soft murmur of conversations and the clatter of plates and cutlery.

With a quick smile and a nod to her coworkers, she slips behind the counter, ready to tackle another day of serving up delicious food and warm hospitality to the café's loyal patrons. As she moves gracefully between tables, balancing trays laden with steaming cups of coffee and plates piled high with flaky pastries, she can't help but lose herself in the rhythm of the café's bustling energy.

"Thank you for visiting, come again." Was in her vocabulary by now.

But amidst the hustle and bustle of the morning rush, her thoughts keep drifting back to the events of the past few days—the chance encounter with the Chief of Justice, the mysterious dreams that seem to linger on the edges of her consciousness. Try as she might to push them aside, they persist, teasing her with their elusive secrets and hidden meanings.

An old friend decided to visit the cafe today, however, which added some much needed interest into her workload. It was Navia.

As her best friend walks into the café, a bright smile lights up her face, momentarily casting aside the worries and uncertainties that had been weighing on her mind. With a quick wave and a playful grin, she beckons her friend over to join her at the table, eager to catch up on the latest gossip and share a few laughs over a steaming cup of coffee.

"Hey there, stranger!" Navia exclaims, her voice filled with genuine warmth and affection, proving that she missed her best friend a lot.

As they settle into their seats, she can't help but feel a sense of gratitude for the comforting presence of her friend. "Navia.. I apologise that I haven't seen you much lately.."

"Hey now, don't stress it, I came to see you! I couldn't resist the temptation of your delicious coffee and your charming company,"  Navia replies with a playful wink, settling into the seat across from her. "Plus, I needed a break from the craziness of life, and there's no better place to unwind than here with you."