Smitten Over Coffee

Chapter Seven: Mocha Macchiato

Flora rubbed her neck as she waited for her drink at the pick-up counter. Jayda had forced her to leave the apartment so that she'd stop fussing over Fox. He still wasn't eating much, but the vet couldn't find anything wrong with him other than that he felt a little constipated. She sent him home with instructions to add a bit of over-the-counter laxative to his water. Now all Flora could do was wait. Alas, despite her joy at having him back home, the worry was still eating away at her. She knew that if Fox died, she would have a complete and utter breakdown.

"Mocha macchiato," the barista said.

Flora turned to take her drink. To her surprise, in addition to the coffee, there was a small plant and an envelope on the counter. She glanced up at the smiling barista.

"What's this ?" Flora asked.

"They're from your friend. He was in this morning and asked me to give them to you."

Friend? What friend? "Ah, thanks."

Flora took her coffee in one hand and the plant and envelope in the other. Making her way to a small table, she tried to think of who this friend could be. Once she was settled in the chair, she took a look at the envelope. It had Fox's name on it. Even more confused, she opened it and found a card. The front said, "In Victorian times, I'd recommend leeches" accompanied by little cartoon drawings of leeches and a cartoonishly bloody nineteenth-century doctor. A smile crept over Flora's face, and she turned to the inside, which said, "Thankfully, now we just advise bed rest and chicken soup. Get well soon!" She chuckled softly before her eyes traveled down to the short, handwritten message below.

Hope this will take the edge off.

Stewart and Julian

Furrowing her brow, Flora turned to plant. There was an identification tag stuck in the soil, so she pulled it up to see what it was.

Catnip.

A burst of laughter escaped from her lips, and she had to clamp a hand over her mouth to keep from making a scene. When she was able to get her laughter under control, she picked up the card again, reading it over several times. Her eyes finally settled on the signature, her smile impossible to hide.

Julian.