Forget Me Not

Chapter Two

One of the reasons Rianne came back here was her café. She had to put her career back on track. That was the least she could do for herself.

She owns a cozy little coffee place named Café Solace in Makati, and though it’s small and tucked away in a corner of the busy city, people who wanted alone time or a place to escape managed to find it and take pleasure in solitude. People could go there alone and not be conscious about being perceived as a loner. She herself enjoys the café’s coziness. When she wasn’t brewing coffee or attending to customers, she usually had a book in front of her and let it transport her to another world.

She remembered everything about her café and the work she did there. She had one other barista, who knew the recipes to her signature drinks, as well as two servers. Her treasured café had been around for four years now with its eight wooden tables, three square and five round, and huge shelf of books gave her a sense of fulfillment and her loyal customers a little bit of peace. The walls are painted cream and pasted with random notes from patrons. Some people wrote wishes, others drafted what they wanted to say but couldn’t, and some just read the posts, and even posted replies. No one cared who wrote what and who replied to whom. They were simply glad to have an outlet for their musings.

She walked around the café and took in the surroundings and familiarity. The soothing aroma of freshly ground coffee and the sweet scent of sugar and milk made her feel a little more at home. Everything was the same except for six additional tables, mostly booths for group hangouts.

Her staff was happy to have her back after the long absence. They did not ask about her memory, and instead wished her well. Imagine her surprise when none of them answered questions about the lost years either and hurried back to work or avoided her altogether when she tried to seek answers.

What was it that everyone did not want me to know?

It took a week for Rianne to read her mail paperwork for the café, as well as briefings and meetings kept her mercifully busy. She was slowly putting her life back together, starting with the café. Dealing with six months worth of paperwork was both a nuisance and a relief. She tried to procrastinate so she’d still have something to distract herself with, but it felt better to actually feel useful and in control.

When she got home, she usually ended up dozing off once she hit the bed. She was too tired mentally and sometimes physically that she was able to avoid thinking before going to sleep. She began to work out every evening since she got back, so she’d be too exhausted to toss and turn in bed, waiting for sleep to come.