RICHARD'S POV
The early morning sun cast a warm glow over the quiet streets, hinting at the promise of a new day. I pushed open the door of Cafe7teen, the familiar chime echoing through the cozy space. I carried a crate, filled with the fresh coffee beans from my family's farm, eager to share the latest blend I had been thinking about.
"Morning, El!" I greeted her with my usual enthusiasm with a smile to light up the room. I scanned the café, but Eloise was nowhere to be seen. Instead, one of her staff, whose name I think is Nicole, approached me, a look of mild concern on her face.
"Hey, Sir Richard. Miss Eloise isn't here today. She took some time off."
I frowned, my heart sinking. "Do you know where she went?"
Nicole shook her head. "No, she just said she needed some time to herself."
I thanked her and left the café, my mind racing. Eloise had been distant lately, and now she had disappeared. I couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. I had to find her and talk to her, to understand what was going on.
Over the next few days, I made a habit of stopping by the café, hoping to catch Eloise, but she was never there. Each time I visited; I felt a growing sense of unease. The staff could only offer the same answer: she was still taking time off.
My calls and messages to her went unanswered. The longer she stayed away, the more worried I became. I replayed our last conversation over and over, wondering what I had missed, what had driven her to this point. The café felt emptier without her presence, and I couldn't focus on anything else.
Three days had been gone and my concern had turned to a gnawing anxiety. I stood outside the café, staring at the familiar sign, feeling a sense of dread. I couldn't just keep waiting for her to return; I had to do something.
That evening, after finishing my work on the farm, I drove to Eloise's house. I couldn't take the uncertainty any longer. I needed to talk to her, to find out why she was avoiding me, obviously, or she just needed a break, and I was just assuming things. I knocked on her door, my heart pounding in my chest.
Eloise opened the door, surprise and apprehension flashing across her face. "Richard? What are you doing here?"
I took a deep breath, trying to keep my emotions in check. "El, you've been avoiding me. I need to know what's going on."
She chuckles, "What?" she asked in disbelief. "Richard, I am not. I just needed a break. Being a businesswoman is heavy. You know that. Is it bad now to rest?"
I just laughed at myself. I was assuming things. She was okay and she is laughing. I thought there was something I missed out on in our last talk, about us being friends. But I guess, we are just friends, and this is okay that she is smiling.
But, just maybe, it bothers me that she did not say anything about taking a break. "But El, we've always been able to talk about everything. Why are you shutting me out now? We could have been out of town, by the beach or wherever you like."
She just smiled and said, "No, Richard, I am better this way, alone."
Why is she saying that like? That? She is shutting me out. We have been together, for like forever despite how long we have known each other. We were inseparable. I thought we were friends. But why like this? There is something changing, and I cannot pinpoint why or what or how.
I felt like my heart sank. I reached out to her arm and said, "El, is there something wrong? Between us? We can figure this out. Let's talk."
She shook her head, stepping back from my touch. "Richard, there is nothing to talk about. What are you saying? There is nothing wrong."
I felt a wave of despair wash over me. She removed my hand from her arms. But I tried to keep my voice steady. "I understand. I'll give you all the time you need. I just hope this won't ruin our friendship."
She just laughed. "Well, this is not anything like that. I am just taking a break. What are you into, Richard? You are making me laugh."
I just nodded and laughed with her though my heart was heavy because I can really sense that something has changed.
We stood there for a moment, weighing unspoken words or what to do.
"Don't you have to go? It is already late, and I should get some rest too," Eloise said softly.
"When are you coming back to the café? Uh, so we can continue to make the perfect blend. You see, I brought a new crate of new beans." I said to her enthusiastically.
But she was just bland as she said, "I would just like to enjoy my time alone for now. Soon enough, I will be back. You will know."
"Oh, yeah, sure, take your time." I fake laughed. "You should go inside now, and I will now too."
"Okay, take care," she said and closed her doors.
The evening air felt cool against my skin. I looked back at Eloise's house one last time before driving away, knowing that things would never be the same. The path ahead was uncertain, and the bond they had shared felt frayed and fragile.
Back at the farm, I tried to throw myself into my work, but the emptiness inside me was impossible to ignore. Days have gone, and I found myself missing Eloise more than ever. Her absence was a constant reminder of the feelings I had left unspoken for too long because I was too scared that her feelings were not the same as mine.
One evening, as the sun dipped below the horizon, I sat on the porch, staring out at the fields. My mother joined me, sensing my melancholy. "Still thinking about Eloise?" she asked gently.
I nodded, sighing deeply. "Yeah. I just wish I could have told her sooner, before everything got so complicated."
She placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. "Sometimes, people need to find their own way. Give her time, son. If it's meant to be, she'll come back to you."
I wanted to believe her, but the uncertainty gnawed at me. I had to accept that things might not work out the way I hoped. As much as it hurt, I knew I had to let Lily find her own path.
A week had passed, and though I continued to visit the café, it never felt the same without Eloise there. I focused on the farm, trying to rebuild my life without her constant presence. Then I heard an update from the staff that she is back.
As I walked through the town, I saw Eloise from a distance. She looked different—more confident, more at peace. Our eyes met briefly, and she offered me a small smile. I smiled back and approached her.
"Hey, El. How are you?" I asked her, smiling.
"Hey, well, better than ever." She answered. She is full of smiles. She is so happy, just like before, just like the El I knew.
"That's good," I said, bottling all my emotions that I think are going to throw up. But I felt a sense of acceptance. Well, life had its own way of unfolding, and all I could do was trust in the journey ahead and what my mom said, hopefully it will come true but then,
"Oh, Richard. I want you to meet Martin."
"Good day, Richard. I am Martin."
