Sweet Surrender

1

 IT'S nine in the morning and yet Aura has not slept since last night. She was too engrossed with work. She needs coffee and food to fuel the momentum while she is at her working mode.

She taps the table while waiting for her name to be called. She is waiting for her coffee. The working class of the city is walking along the street as if on a mission.

Currently, there were only three customers inside the café including her. Most of the customers were leaving with their take away orders.

"Aura."

Immediately, she looked at the person who called her name. It seldom happen that somebody pronounce her name correctly except for family and close friends. Often, she is called as 'Aw-ra" rather than "O-rah."

Her name was called again. Her eyes fell to the lady in the barista station. She is holding a cup of coffee while looking at the customers. Their eyes met.

She smiled at her. She did the same and walk towards her.

"Aura?" She asked as she looked up.

"Yes."

She looked down at the barista. Yes, she did. She's quite tall for a woman. She towered at five feet and ten inches. And the barista, she is a little short. Her head might reach her chin.

"Here's your coffee. The sugar and cream are at this side." She motioned the left corner of the café.

She reached for the coffee and asks for additional napkin.

"Enjoy your coffee and have a great day ahead."

The barista smiled again. It showed the shallow dimple in her left cheek. She also smiled back.

She left the coffee shop with a smile on her face. The momentum to work also flew out the window.

The next day, she went to the same coffee shop that she then realize is called Sweet Surrender.

She ordered black coffee and a sliced of blue berry cheese cake. While waiting for her coffee, she noticed that a guy was handling the coffee station. The barista yesterday was nowhere in sight.

Her coffee is almost done and her cake is half gone when she saw the girl. She was indeed short. She just entered the coffee shop.

"Good morning, Miss Alex." The girl in the cashier's counter greeted her.

"Good morning, Leila. She answered back. She went to the far left corner of the shop before disappearing. Must be the employees' quarter.

She continue eating. A crew approached her. She was holding a coffee carafe.

"Refill, ma'am?"

"Yes, please."

She refilled her cup. She also checked her phone for notifications. A few minutes later, she left the shop. She never saw the short girl again.

========================

ALEXIE approached Gerry, one of her staff, to refill the display of bread in the display section of the coffee shop. In an hour, Sweet Surrender will close. They will be done for the day.

She is the branch manager of Sweet Surrender for a couple of years now though she was working in the in the said café for five years already.

She was double-checking the spotless counter of the barista when she heard the door chimes. It only means one thing, customers.

"Magandang gabi. Good evening. Welcome to Sweet Surrender."

She heard Leila's greeting. It is mandated that they greet the customers in Filipino language followed by English. Though their branch is located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the owner of Sweet Surrender is a Filipino. She said, it is her way of acting patriotic. Her words.

"Magandang gabi, too."

She smiled when she heard the customers slang replied followed by Leila's giggle.

"What can I get you today, Miss?"

"My usual coffee plus a pack of brownies, please. Thank you, Leila."

She left the barista station and proceeds to the other parts of the shop. She removed the empty cups from the tables left by the customers.

"Miss Alex, pa-void po."

She went to Leila. She slides her card and press a few buttons.

"Thank you, Miss Alex." She smiled at Leila before moving towards the cakes station.

"Hi."

She looked up. She was checking the cakes in the chiller. It was Leila's customer a while ago. It was also the woman she served coffee when their barista went for a short break a few days ago.

She is very tall. A giant one, really. She has European features that emphasize the dust of freckles in her pointed nose. Her hazel eyes are very alluring. Her long wavy hair is in high ponytail.

"Hello."

"My name is Aura."

"Hello, Aura. Did you get your order?"

She chuckled. "I did." She raised her hand to show the brown paper bag that has the café's name on it. "How much more I have to order to take you out to dinner?"

She stared at her beautiful eyes in surprise. She also heard Leila's giggle.

"Be here every day for a week."

"I already did that for two weeks. You were never here. I just saw you today."

"You said it yourself, I was never here."

The tall woman sighed loudly. She smiled at her reaction. She turned her back from Aura.

"I hope you are here tomorrow, Lex."

She never bothers to look back. She went to her office.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Thank you for choosing to read this book. Kindly comment also your country. I would like to know where you from. Enjoy!

-JM