Confidant & Playlist

24. Something New

Three years after Bruno has had fully custody of his children. Its spring in LA, cooler than usual but warm outside. Bruno is sitting a table alone in a coffee house with a mug in front of him. He looks slightly anxious. Phil has just walked in the establishment and at noticing his bestfriend, he speaks up.

"Getting a cup before the session today?" Phil asks. He stands along side the table peering at me through his large thick-framed glasses.

"Yeah," I breathe. I drum my fingertips on the table in wait.

"You know how coffee makes you jittery sometimes, you're sure you needed a cup?"

"I'm not jittery," I reply looking out the window searching the sidewalks outside for a familiar figure. "I think I'm nervous."

"Ah," Phil exclaims. "You're meeting her here," he states knowingly. He breathes a chuckle.

"Yeah." I take a sip of my coffee and set the mug down again.

"When can I meet her?"

"Soon, I hope."

"Alright," he acknowledges. 

"If you order your coffee now, you can catch her before you leave." I smirk up at him."You're really into her huh," he prompts awaiting a cheesy response. "Yeah," I say rubbing back of my neck. "She gets it, you know?"

Phil parts his lips to say something else but instead, he heads over to the line at the counter. Within moments a familiar figure walks into view. The sun kisses her mocha colored skin and her twists shine in the light of the rays reflecting off of the gold beads among them. She wears loose grey sweatshirt-like top, a floral skirt that falls just above her knees with openings near the bottom and black strappy heels that show off smooth curves of her calves. In her left hand she carries a black purse and sunglasses in her right. She steps inside the coffee house and I find myself standing. She walks over to me with bright grey-green eyes and a smile playing on her full lips.

"Hey," says just above a whisper. We hug.

"Hey there," I reply. "Ara, the new hairstyle, I like it."

She chuckles then a grim breaks across her high cheekbones. "Thanks, I needed something different, you know?"

She walks over to the counter to order her coffee. Out of the corner of my eye I see Phil attempting to get my attention. He nods approvingly at me and I stifle a laugh of my own in reply. She returns to the table, sets her purse down and places her hands in her lap.

"I'm sorry I can't stay long, I have a lot to do at the office." She tosses a few of her twists over her shoulder. 

"Its alright," I take my fedora off and run my hand through my hair before replacing it again. "I have a studio session soon too. I just wanted to see you before, even if its only for a little while."

"You're lucky I could squeeze you in to my schedule," she chuckles. 

"Its a good thing luck is on my side then." Just then her name is called from the counter and she starts to get up but before she can, I go and get it for her. Carefully I place her coffee in front of her.

"Thank you." She has a sip and wraps her hands around the mug. "So," she says quietly. "Recording any thing new today? You told me about some lyrics you've been working on, how are they?"

"Um, yeah actually," I begin. "Those lyrics are a hook now." I take a sip of my coffee.

"Sing it for me?" 

"I, don't know Ara, this is a public place and I..." I mumble.

"Please?"

"Ok, Ok." I clear my throat and quietly fire off the string of lyrics I wrote just a few days ago. I sing each word carefully enunciating each syllable and pronouncing each word fully. Ara's eyes widen and the jittery feeling in my muscles fades away. She reaches across the table and takes my hand in hers.