The Coffee Shop

R a i n

THE COFFEE SHOP | RAIN

The rain pattered gently against the cream-colored umbrella creating a rhythmic song. Heather happily skipped along the sidewalk careful not to get her clothes wet. The humid air felt wet against her skin and moisture dripped off the tip of her nose. She amply made her way, humming the song of her favorite tune on the way to her favorite place. Heather rounded a corner and there it was. On the second floor of the two story building was Cafe Lacie. The old wooden stairs creaked against her quiet steps as she made her way up. Drip, Drip, water that dripped off Heather's umbrella gathered in a little puddle on the floor. She smoothed her clothes down, they were a modest color of pastel pink, white, and beige, but they were still her favorite. An exhilarated breath escaped her lips as her finger grazed the doorknob to her little haven. The sound of music trickled through the crack of the door and she entered an almost dream-like state as she took a small step through the entrance. Skipping lightly to her favorite table, Heather nodded at a waiter to take her order. "What can I get for you?" The waiter asked. Shyly smiling, Heather ordered what she always liked to get. Cafe Latte with latte art along with the daily cake special and fruit cup. The waiter gave her a knowing smile and a reply of, "Coming up! "

The young girl fiddled with her fingers and clicked her feet together as she waited for her treats. The quiet murmuring of other people's chatter filled her ears with a pleasant feeling. Ceasing her fidgeting, Heather leaned back in her little booth and closed her eyes taking in all the sounds. Clink, Clink, the sound of fork against plate and the sound of clattering cups seemed all too familiar to her. The quiet jingle of the bell on the door seemed to be lulling her into a trance accompanied by the occasional creaking of the stairs she was on previously. A happy hum escaped Heather's lips and she fell into a quick slumber...

Heather opened her eyes to the tinkling sound of a plate being placed in front of her. "Sorry for the wait. I hope your coffee hasn't gone cold," a man said. Heather smiled and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, "No problem, I always wait for my coffee to cool anyways." The waiter gave her a nod and walked away. Heather looked at the food she was just served. The cake was a strawberry shortcake with raspberry syrup on the side which formed a flower shape. Smiling, she put her hands around the cup of coffee to warm them. The Latte art was a heart surrounded by leaves and vines. After warming her hands for a minute or two, Heather pulled her phone out to snap a picture. Beautiful colors as always: The red & white cake paired with the brown & white coffee accompanied by the pale green, orange, red, & purple fruits made a pretty palette. Heather admired the latte art a little longer and soon after took a little sip. A warm feeling enveloped her body filling her with a kind of cozy happiness similar to sitting in the sun. She sneaked a quick glance at the waiter walking by. He met her eye contact and Heather immediately looked away. Nervously, she poked her fork at the spongy cake while fiddling with her lip. She kept a hard stare at the strawberry resting on top. Her mind was racing and Heather felt lightheaded- almost delirious. She was filled with a strange emotion, something like embarrassment but also a hint of excitement, or maybe exileration, possibly even anticipation. She calmed herself by taking quick, deep breaths and gulped down a bite of cake. The strange emotion was gone, quickly replaced by a wave of joy. Heather smiled from ear to ear at the taste of the fluffy cake. Tart, yet soft and sweet. She sighed a sigh filled the the brim of only relief and a type of lazy happiness. Heather took a taste of fruit and another sip of the coffee. The tart, sweet, taste turned bittersweet as she inhaled the aroma of cream and a hint of chocolate. Heather rested her head on her hands and turned towards the window. The final drops of rain had fallen and the rays of sun peeked through the fading clouds into the glass, bathing Heather in warm light. The raindrops on the window glistened, creating sparkles and reflections of wonderful color. The sounds of the city came alive again, no longer masked by the rain. Fast splashes from cars, beeping, and the occasional loud motorcycle. But, Heather was cozy in her quiet little corner of the cafe. Those loud and busy sounds were like the background noise of the quiet coffee shop.

***

The quiet clinking sounds of fork against plate stopped as Heather took her last bite of cake and fruit. Her little visit to her favorite place was almost over as she took in her last sip of Cafe Latte. Heather's legs wobbled as she got up from her seat, her legs had fallen asleep from the long relaxation. A hand took hers so Heather could regain her balance. "Thank you," she said almost as quietly as a whisper, she was filled with pleasant surprise. Steadying herself, Heather looked up at who it was. But at her petite height, she was eye-to-eye with a name-tag which read: Rain. She smiled to herself at the unique name. Looking up, she made eye contact with her male waiter. Heather smiled shyly again, the strange emotion coming back to her. She awkwardly walked to the door and the waiter said, "Don't forget your umbrella." Heather turned around quickly and caught another glimpse of his name-tag. Rain handed her cream-colored umbrella to her. "Ah, uhm, thank you again..." Heather said quietly, half-mumbling by the end of the sentence. "No problem, hope you enjoyed your stay. Come again!" Rain said with a hint of laughter to his voice. Heather stood still for a moment contemplating what just happened before looking up at him saying, "thanks, I will!"

The bell jingled as Heather stepped out the door, and she grinned sheepishly at her puddle in front of the door. Though it considerably smaller than before. The wood creaked as Heather stepped down the old stairs and the cool breeze felt fresh against her skin as she opened the door. Drip, Drip, raindrops dripped off the tree leaves and onto her head as Heather skipped joyfully down the sidewalk. The make-shift rain could only remind her of a certain someone's name, and Heather hummed a familiar tune all the way home.