Aldo Mendoza, hard working citizen of the galaxy and space adventurer extraordinaire. An explorer by trade, she won't stop until she knows the universe like the back of her hand, even if it took her a lifetime.
She just had to ignore some things al...
True contentment was an emotion that was impossible to replicate. It was not something you owned or could force, instead it was a perfect coalescence of elements. It was the heavy smell of freshly brewed coffee in the air, the lingering scent of lemon disinfectant on wood, and the dull, drumming sound of rain hitting against the window pane.
True contentment meant being at home, or at least that was what Aldo believed. There were other places, where she felt a measure of comfort, but none gave her the same feeling as her home did. It was the ultimate level of familiarity and peace, a place that never changed or faltered. Aldo knew no matter how far she went, or how long she was gone, home would be there waiting for her.
She had so many memories here, in this cosy cafe. When she had first arrived, she had spent the first few months hid under one of these tables, a mere five years old and frightened beyond measure. If you looked carefully you would find the spot where she had craved her name all those years ago. There was also the table leg she had broken at the rebellious age of thirteen, which was now propped up by a discarded cooking book. She had left her mark here, in this place she called home.
The soft shuffle of slipper-clad feet on the wooden floor brought Aldo back from her musing, the smell of coffee stronger now, as a figure emerged from the kitchen entrance clutching two cups. This woman had once been taller, but gravity had worked its magic on her now, a homemade shawl hanging loosely from her stooped shoulders. The woman had dark skin and hair that was a surprisingly rich brown, despite her age. She kept it back from her face with a simple band of milky pearls. Grammie had a one of the kindest faces she had ever known.
"Don't even think about getting up", Grammie ordered, her voice filled with an amusement that was rooted in familiarity. Aldo lowered herself into the seat with a chagrined grin, having risen to help without a second thought.
"I'm fully capable of looking after myself Allie", she continued, the nickname rolling off her tongue warmly. If anyone else had said it, she would have cringed.
"I know Grammie", Aldo replied, happy to fall into their usual routine. Aldo would do her best to try make things easier, while Grammie would complain and tell her to ease up. Their roles in recent years had flipped on their axis completely, it was almost amusing. Still Aldo couldn't help the tightness she felt in her chest whenever she saw the signs of age in her Grammie. The way her hands shook sometimes when she poured tea, or how her bones had started to ache whenever it got colder.
"I'm not useless just yet", Grammie exclaimed with sigh, as she slowly lowered herself down onto the other side of table. She didn't complain when Aldo reached across to adjust her shawl, but the look she shot her said it all.
"So, tell me everything, I want to hear all about your adventures", Grammie exclaimed, suddenly looking years younger, despite how frail her fingers looked as she clutched her steaming cup. Grammie seemed to gain vitality purely from listening to Aldo's travels, an excited spark forming in her eyes already.
"Let me start at the beginning then", Aldo said, taking a careful sip of her coffee, "I have a lot to tell you".
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Authors Notes: Hi everyone, this is my first time taking part in NaNoWriMo, and I hope it won't be the last.
Even though I'm currently in my third year of college, with exams coming up at Christmas, I really do want to finish this before the month is out.
Think of this as my very first draft, and something I plan on doing justice later on. I still hope this will be an enjoyable read, and I very much welcome feedback and constructive criticism. Thanks for reading! <3
