A World Unseen

Chapter 2 - A night of revelations

The midday rush had finally slowed, and Brissetto felt calmer, with only a few customers lingering over their espressos. Carla wiped down the counter absentmindedly, her thoughts elsewhere. Today was Rachel's gender reveal party, and she couldn't help but feel the gnawing absence of not being there. As much as she loved being in Italy, moments like these made her feel further from home than ever.

Andrea was standing behind the bar, casually drying glasses. He must have noticed Carla's distracted expression because he gave her a nudge with his elbow.

"You seem miles away today," he said, glancing at her from under his messy fringe. "Something up?"

Carla sighed, setting down the rag. "It's nothing serious. My best friend, Rachel... she's having her gender reveal party today, and I can't be there. It's just... you know, one of those moments where you realize how far away you really are."

Andrea furrowed his brow slightly, but stayed quiet for a moment, giving her space to continue.

"We've been best friends since I was 16," Carla added. "I met her at this college frat party—totally out of my element. I went with this guy I was dating at the time. I thought it'd be fun, but of course, I ended up getting drunk off one beer." She let out a small laugh at the memory. "Rachel found me and pretty much saved me from making a total idiot of myself. We've been inseparable ever since."

Andrea cracked a small smile. "So, you bonded over questionable beer and bad decisions?"

"Something like that," Carla said, her voice a little lighter now. "I just feel bad not being there today. Rachel's been there for everything important, and now... I'm not."

Andrea gave a small nod, understanding. "Well, at least the shift's keeping you busy."

Before either of them could continue, the café door swung open with a chime. An older woman walked in—stylish, with a quiet confidence that seemed to belong to someone who had long learned how to navigate the world on her own terms. Her tailored coat and sleek hair hinted at a certain class, but there was a tiredness in her posture that Carla didn't miss. She smiled warmly at Carla before choosing a seat by the window, quietly settling in as if she had all the time in the world.

Carla watched her for a moment, waiting to see if Andrea would make a comment about the new customer, but he said nothing, focused on preparing another coffee order. So, without much thought, Carla grabbed her notepad and made her way over to the table.

"Buongiorno," she greeted with a smile. "What can I get for you today?"

The woman looked up, her expression friendly and curious. "Buongiorno," she said, then paused as if studying Carla for a moment. "You're new here, aren't you? I don't come in often, but I haven't seen you before."

Carla smiled back. "I started last week. I'm working here while on summer break. I'm doing my master's degree in psychology."

"Ah, that's wonderful!" the woman said, her eyes brightening with interest. "And psychology—interesting field. Have you always wanted to study that?"

Carla nodded, feeling comfortable with the conversation. "Yeah, for as long as I can remember. I've always been interested in understanding people, how the mind works. I've always thought of myself as empathetic, like I have this ability to see past everyone's shield, you know? People put up walls, but I've always been drawn to what's behind them—the things they don't say."

The woman smiled, as if impressed. "Well, you've chosen a great place to spend your summer. You'll find a lot to observe and learn here—Italians are quite expressive!"

Carla chuckled, feeling a bit more relaxed now. "Yeah, I'm definitely noticing that."

"So, what can I get for you?" Carla asked.