Flames of Fires Fade

Friday Afternoon

I remember it was a Friday afternoon when I went to a café

You sat me down and bought me a piece of cake and a cup of coffee

The cake looked so soft and delicate with a firm crust

My mouth started to water as I imagined taking the first bite

You waited there patiently across the table observing my movements

Waiting till I was more than a couple bites in but less than half done

That's when you opened your mouth and told me

Your face grew dark and your eyes narrowed

And for a moment I wondered what you were thinking

I played guessing games in my mind about what you were about to say

Also wondering if I could just enjoy the cake

Finally wanted just one nice meal

But the words come out and slipped into the coffee I was drinking

Bittersweet

I scanned the cup drawing circles around the rim

It was a dark roast but it was supposed to be the most potent

To wake up someone like a jolt of lightening

My hands started to tingle from the caffeine

Yes the caffeine

I grabbed an extra creamer to lighten up the mood

Stirred it in slowly to make sure it absorbed everything

Picking up the cup I took a small sip

Testing whether to see if the cream did its job

My nose crinkled and my insides churned

It was both too hot and too bitter

A little warning would have been nice

I opened my mouth because I burned my tongue

And you looked at me in slight anticipation

I pretended not to notice and took a slow breath in

The whip cream on the cake started to melt

How pure white it was as it fell down the sides of the cake

Innocent and blissful compared to the black coffee

Instinctively I picked up the fork to take another bite of the cake

Even sweeter than it was before after drinking those bitter words

Piercing the dessert the crust started to crumble

Little by little bits and pieces were falling off

Desperate the fit the whole slice on my fork I pushed and I shoved the other parts around

But it never returned to being whole again

Instead my hand slipped and my jerking made the cake fall on its side

It was a sweet cake

Sweet enough the soothe my wounds

It was a delicate cake

Delicate enough to fall apart

It was bitter coffee

Bitter enough to seep into my soured past

It was hot coffee

Hot enough to burn my soul

I set my fork down gently beside my plate

Staring one more time at the still liquid

Not moving or changing shape

My eyes searched for the bottom of that dark pit

You cleared you throat and I wished I could offer some water to dilute the situation

But all I had was coffee

I didn't ask you for coffee

But all I had was coffee and a messed up cake

You knew I liked cake

However it was good cake but almost too good

So good that you tried too hard to treasure it and save it

But I waited too long and it all started to come apart

I wondered if I waited if this coffee would cool off too

I think it would but it would still be dark and bitter

Chilling my insides the longer it sat there across the table

You never asked me to speak but motioned to the waiter for the check

Taking your time to fill out the details on that receipt

Sliding your chair out your hands grasped the sides and your legs slowly became straight

You walked away never asking me to follow

I remember it was a Friday afternoon when I left that café