Return to Me

Sixteen

Six weeks had finally arrived and left in a bit of a blur. A few days ago, I took Jack to the hospital to get his casts removed. As good as new, he took a cab right after down to his restaurant and started working again. He told me that he's had to do some work through the phone instead of being there in person, which I know must've been frustrating for him.

Four weeks ago, I got the stitches removed from my head, just a small white scar left by the hairline of my right temple.

I still haven't made up my mind about Jack either. Amber comes by frequently since Jack and I were discharged from the hospital, becoming fast friends after that. She tells me to talk to Jack and spend time with him so I can decide, but I just avoid him instead. He'll come into the cafe every few days to buy a coffee and blueberry muffin and I'll slip into the back room when he's not looking, pretending to work until he's gone. I know it's ridiculous, but I just...I don't know...I can't seem to find enough courage to face him alone after walking out on him.

Now, it's Tuesday morning and I've been working for two and a half hours. However, it's been unually busy this morning and only heaven knows why. So Liz and I have been working our tails off, trying to help every customer as quickly and efficiently as possible. Thankfully the line has been dwindling slowly but surely for the last five minutes. I'm sure this rush will be over soon and then Liz and I will take a break and talk while managing the front end.

The crowd finally disappears and I let out a sigh of relief simultaneous with Liz and we laugh.

"Talk about a rush! It is Tuesday; I'm not losing my mind, right?" Liz says absently wiping her hands on her apron.

"Yo're definitely not losing your mind, Liz. I don't know what was up with this crowd today." I take out my phone from my pocket and check the date. That couldn't be right, could it? How did I not know it's Valentine's Day? "Did you know it's Valentine's Day?" I ask, looking up at my friend. She must've forgotten too because a look of comprehension crosses her face.

"That's right! I forgot! That explains the rush!"

We both forgot Valentine's Day. I chuckle to myself, thinking, Maybe we really have lost our minds. But we slip back into our routines, cleaning up wherever there's a mess, until Liz suddenly sets two pink and red cupcakes on the counter.

"Our Valentine's treat. On the house." she smiles and I thank her picking one up, then quickly setting it back down on the counter.

"These look great, but I think they're missing something."

"Like what?"

"Heart-shaped sprinkles!" I exclaim and move to the back room to find them.

Where are those sprinkles? I remember seeing them just last week, so where did they go? I rummage through some more cabinets and tote bins before I find the baking supplies stuck in the wrong spot. No wonder I couldn't find it. One of the new girls must've put it here by mistake.

Just as I find the sprinkles and grab onto them, I hear the back door open. "Don't worry, Liz! I found them!" I say, pushing the tote back and turning around. Only the person behind me wasn't Liz. I jump back, a hand pressed to my chest when Jack just stands there, looking at me.

"Jack, what are you doing? You can't be back here!"

"The warden said it was alright." he replies and I look over his shoulder to see Liz smiling back at me, the top half of her body sticking out from the other side of the door. I give her a look and she continues to smile before slipping back to the front of the cafe.

"What are you doing here?" I ask, breaking the ice I suppose.

"I came to talk to you. I've been trying to talk to you for the past week and a half, but you keep avoiding me." So he did notice.