Aiden Harper

Coffee

Aiden

When I asked Eden to have coffee with me, I applied Grammy's approach to talking. It seemed like she needed to vent out her frustrations about her family—we've all been there with ours.

I would have taken her to the bakery, but I didn't want my family assuming shit over an innocent cup of coffee. So, I drove to a diner. We settled in a booth and ordered coffee. Nothing special. Just a simple cup of coffee.

"You didn't need to take me out for coffee," Eden said, adding sugar and cream to her coffee.

"Sometimes, drinking coffee helps when you unload what's bothering you. There are no false pretenses of expectations from someone. It's just a simple conversation." I drank my coffee black. I didn't need anything extra in it.

Eden took a sip while gathering her thoughts before unloading on me about her situation from start to finish. I can understand why she's pissed at her family. Her folks accepted her sister's terrible behavior while condemning Eden for standing up for herself. My mom would smack them with a wrench. My dad would laugh because they deserved it.

"Do you think I'm making a mountain from a molehill?" She asked in between sips.

"No. I think your folks are idiots for condoning your sister's terrible behavior."

Eden's brows lifted in surprise. "Really?"

I nodded while swallowing my coffee. "Your parents should have never accepted what your sister did. No parent in their right mind would."

"Diego mentioned a cousin, Liam, cheated on his girlfriend, and the family wasn't happy about it."

"My cousin Liam cheated on his college girlfriend, pissing off the family. It didn't help that his brother, Odin, created a fantasy about her, thinking they had a connection."

Eden stared at me without blinking before focusing. "You have a strange family."

"You don't know the half of it. Another cousin, Rafe, married the girl. Diego and I graduated with River and seven other cousins."

"Does your family like to have kids together?"

"Apparently. Diego and I share the same birthday."

"I didn't know that."

"Our dads are twins."

"What about your mothers?"

"My mom is a school guidance counselor. Aunt Daria works at the restaurant. You might have seen her. She's a pixie with dark hair who likes to eat."

"Wait. That tiny woman is Diego's mom?"

I nodded.

"How does she eat so much? She's so tiny?"

"She has a metabolic disorder. Diego has the same kind. The guy can eat like no tomorrow and not gain an ounce."

"Since I told you my story, it's your turn." Eden lifted the cup to her lips with both hands and sipped.

"I had a girlfriend in high school. She died in a car accident." I stared at my coffee and turned the cup in my hands.

"You don't need to talk about it if you don't want to. The last time you mentioned it, it didn't go well."

I lifted my gaze at Eden and studied her for a few minutes. The last time we talked, I jumped down her throat when she did nothing wrong. I let my anger take over and lashed out at her. Eden did nothing wrong.

"No, it's okay," I said. My family has been trying to get me to open up, and it's been difficult to talk about it."

"If you don't want to discuss it, it's okay. It's not like death is an easy topic to talk about when you're around people. Most people avoid the subject like the plague."