Luca Chessman has been longing for love his entire life. The only problem is-he can't seem to find a guy that likes him the same way.
With his family cafe, Chessman's, struggling to keep afloat and no help from the bank, he's slowly accepting the d...
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I've had a smile on my face all week thanks to Declan.
Hamilton? The best thing I've ever experienced in my life. I've always wanted to see a show in the West End but the price and work has always been a massive reason as to why I have never been.
Afterwards it felt like I had been reborn again. What was my life before experiencing my first stage production?
Then to top it all off, Declan asked me to be his boyfriend in the pouring rain on a winter's night. I've only seen those sorts of romantic gestures in romance movies but that night, it became my life.
I've been beaming ever since because I keep reminding myself I'm Declan's boyfriend. After months of pining and insecurity, I can finally say that that man is all mine. Mine. How? I have no idea but I don't dwell on it for long because it'll ruin the moment.
The coffee shop has been fairly busy today but with Aris by my side, it makes everything possible. Some days I can't believe I did this on my own. No wonder Declan was so worried about me, twelve hour shifts everyday with little to no break will take its toll on anyone.
"Are you up to much this weekend?" I ask Aris as we finish serving a customer who takes their coffee and cake to the opposite end of the cafe.
He leans on the counter, arms folded over his chest. I glance down at his bare arms, once again taking an interest at the tattoos that lay there. I don't think I have the bravery to get a tattoo, I'm too much of a coward when it comes to pain. I only like it when it's replaced with pleasure–don't tell Declan that.
"Probably just go to visit my dad," he nods with a small sigh. "He's having a big of a funny turn at the moment."
I twist my body to face him, remembering when he said his father is in a cafe home for Alzheimer's. "How is his memory at the moment?" I ask and when Aris blinks in my direction I panic. "Sorry, I know that's super personal. Ignore me."
Aris shakes his head and then focuses back on the counter, lowering his head slightly. "It's okay," he rasps, the topic clearly hard for him. My heart breaks. "He's currently in his late stages of dementia which means that he asks a lot of the same questions, some days he doesn't even recognise me, other times he welcomes me with a hug. It's tough but I have to keep going for him."
My hand presses to my chest as I feel it crush. "I couldn't even imagine how hard it must be," I admit. "Do you have other family members to support you?"
He cups his elbows, fingers pressing into his skin as he sighs. "Not really," he chews on his lip and I stay silent. "My mother left my father years ago, she barely bothers to check up on him now. Saying that he's none of her responsibility. We had to sell our house for him to be able to go into care but that only goes so far. Which is why I desperately needed this job to help out. It's so expensive."
