10 years later

Chapter 6

PART TWO

It was an early Sunday morning. There weren't many people in a cafe. A barista lazily cleaned cups and put fresh muffins on the showcase. An empty street was seen through a big window. Sometimes a passerby with a dog was seen roaming around.

A cup of latte was placed in front of a blonde girl. She stopped writing and looked up, smiling.

"So, this is the new foam I need to try?"

"Yeah. If you don't like it, the dude will be fired, no joke."

The girl giggled and grabbed her cup. There was a flower drawn in the middle, and she felt bad about ruining it. However, she took a sip, pausing for a second. A tall guy waited for her response nervously. If the milk foam wasn't good enough, he would need to find a new barista.

There was an absolute silence. Even the employee stood still. Finally, the girl spoke.

"I think, it's a yes from me."

Everybody exhaled in relief. The tall man turned around and ran a hand through this hair.

"Well, Tommy, welcome to the Baker's!"

They high-fived, and the girl laughed. She was flattered that this bulky twenty-none year old guy trusted her to pick a barista for his cafe.

"But I won't pay for it!" She joked.

"Kelly, it's our coffee shop, you never have to pay here."

She turned her head to the side.

"Oh really? My surname isn't Baker though."

"Yet."

"Fair enough." She giggled, spinning her hair on a finger.

The guy glanced at the notebook on the table and nodded.

"Are you done?"

She bit her lip.

"A few more lines and we're free to go."

"Take your time."

He went to grab a box of donuts they would give as a present. In a few hours they'd be in New Jersey enjoying a welcoming dinner. Every spring they went there to spend time with Kelly's family. It always felt weird because she did her best to spend as little time in the house as possible.

"Grant! I want a cake, please!" Her voice caught his attention. He smiled and waved at Tommy. The latter nodded, grabbing a plate. One day he hoped to be in the same perfect relationship, but for now, he was a teenager who served coffee and enjoyed his job. Mr. Baker payed him well, always helped if something wasn't clear or went wrong, Kelly treated him like an old friend and left some tips every time she came around. In his opinion, these two were perfect together. Poets would call them an angelic duo.

Grant was whistling a random melody while packing their car when his girl appeared next to him. She slightly hit him in the shoulder and got in. It was impossible to make her drive, so she always occupied the passenger's seat.

"Don't even wanna try?"

The guy faced her with a caring smile. She shook her hand.

"Girl, it's been 10 years. Plus, I'm by your side."

She shook her head once again, shrugging.

"It never erases like a tattoo. What can I do?"

He sighed. Kelly wasn't like others, but he guessed it was good to be different. She didn't know much about her childhood and was scared to death to drive cars. For Grant, she was like art - there was a tragedy behind. However, nobody ever said something about it. The only thing he acknowledged was that ten years ago she got into an accident and lost some of her memories. Even now she could forget about something and never remember about it again. It wasn't easy, though love always came with some struggles - it was the price for the dream state.

He turned the radio on and pressed gas. Familiar notes came from the speakers. He added some volume.

"I know you don't like rap but this song can't be skipped."

Kelly rolled her eyes and smirked. Her taste in music was his face, and while he sang along looking like a little happy boy, she was satisfied. At the end of the day, this man dealt with her amnesia and shady past for five years now, so she could deal with his music preferences for a few minutes. Meanwhile, the driver was vibing as hard as possible.

"You'll be happy when you date another guy,
When you forget me, and our world, just let it slide.
I will never chase you, I got my road to take,
Just promise me to be happy for Lord's sake, okay?"

Here, Grant turned in his seat to his girlfriend and winked.

"Don't go to another guy but be happy with me, okay?"

"You own a coffee shop with the tastiest chocolate cakes in the whole universe. Of course, I'm not going anywhere, mister Baker."

"Good."

He suddenly yanked the wheel right into oncoming traffic. Kelly's eyes went wide open while she was trying to swallow a squeal. She hung on the seatbelt like it was the only way to stay safe. Even though there were no cars, the thought of driving seventy-five in sixty on a completely wrong lane was terrifying. There wasn't any place for one more crash and coma. Back then she was a fourteen-year-old girl with nothing important to lose. Now, she had Grant, education, a book to publish. If she forgot everything again, the end of the story would be inevitably tragic. Maybe she could get over losing a degree and the novel but losing the guy who was there for her through better or worse and became her safe place would be just too much.

Grant was vibing and having fun, Kelly prayed to God this song would end as soon as possible.

"Boo, don't cry or watch romantic movies,
Don't live with your past, look, I already got groupies.
You got life, bright days ahead to feel,
And I'll name my daughter after you, deal?"

With the last chords, the guy got back on his initial road slowing down a bit. He caught a blank stare from the passenger and smiled sheepishly. However, it worked, and the rest of the little trip went with no extreme.

In a few hours they were pulling up to the house Kelly hated a bit more than a decade ago. Now, she just didn't like it. With the fakest smile ever, she unbuckled herself and got out.

"Someone, take me home..." she mumbled, hoping this comment would be left unnoticed. However, Grant didn't let it slide. He handed her the box of donuts and nodded.

"Come on, girl. Play a role of a good daughter."

She whined, shaking. Then exhaled and bravely walked towards the front door. However, the final destination wasn't reached because she noticed something moving around the corner. Kelly furrowed, carefully placed the box on the stairs she used to put her drunk dad on ten years ago and made a beeline to the source of her concern. If there was a robber, she was ready to scream, but luckily, in the next moment, she bumped into a dark-haired girl who was hiding something behind her back. Kelly exhaled in relief - the little sister was way less dangerous than a criminal. The biggest harm she could cause was an accidentally broken plate.

"Oh, hey. You scared me." The blonde reached to hug her sibling, though the latter stood still hiding hands behind. Kelly made a confused face and tried to solve her sister's secret. She saw nothing, but the unmistakable smell gave her all the answers.

"Oh Lord, Danny, you smoke weed?"

She just rolled her eyes walking away bumping the other in the shoulder.

"Oh, come on, you and your Richard did worse things."

Kelly raised her eyebrows, snickering.

"Richard who?"