Beyond The Glowing Whirlpool

Chapter 54: HOME STRANGE HOME

A long week has passed already since Stacie returned back to Earth.

"Ivar must have returned to Atlantis by now." Thought Stacie, looking out the window by her desk, as she sorted out the mail. "I wonder if Janice gave him my letter. I wonder what he said... Or thought after reading it..." She sighed with a heavy, guilty feeling inside her chest. "Why do I feel like a traitor and a coward at the same time?..." She dropped her head on top of her desk. "I feel like I'll never be able to look him in the eyes again... What will he say to me, when I return? What will I say?.... Maybe he'll be so mad, he won't want to see me at all..."

-Something bugging ya? Are you having a headache by any chance? Need an aspirin? - Amy interrupted her melancholy nostalgia, making her spring up with a start.

She mentally flew back to Atlantis for a moment and completely forgot Amy was there too, trying to work on a certain assignment for her college.

-No, I don't have a headache. - Replied Stacie. - I guess the gloom of this day is starting to get to me.

It was another rainy day, and it had gotten even colder since it was already mid-September. The season was slowly, yet surely, shifting closer to winter.

-Ah yes. This awkward time of the year before holidays-rush overpowered by Christmas. It gets everybody. - Said Amy. - Hey, wanna take a break and go out for coffee? A change of scenery might cheer you up a bit. Plus, My brain is boiling over from all this homework. - She got up and stretched.

-Yeah, sure why not. I am kind of craving Dream Steam cafe's brown sugar latte.

-Ooh and their breakfast sandwiches are to DIE FOR! - Chirped Amy. - Breakfast all day! Now that's my kind of food!

-Heh, couldn't agree more. - Laughed Stacie, who loved breakfast food at any time of the day as well.

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Stacie parked the car she was temporarily renting as close to a certain vintage-looking building as possible, attached to a row of other shops of the same aesthetics. The two jumped out of the car as quickly as possible and barged inside a small, but a very cozy-looking cafe trying to avoid getting wet in the rain. The interior of the cafe was warm and inviting, with solid wood tables and leather chairs and booth couches. There was a bar counter on one side with a delicious coffee aroma luring visitors to a huge overhead menu. And a large, real fireplace on the other side, which was lit up, flickering with the most comforting flame.

-Ahhh.... I SOOO love this place! - Sighed Amy. - Totally worth coming out here in rainy and cold weather. Lucky for us it's slow today, so we can have a table by the fireplace! You go and start your order, I'll reserve the spot.

The place was practically empty with a few college students sitting behind their books and laptops, probably studying. Stacie nodded and approached the counter glancing up at the menu.

-I'll have eggs benedict on a biscuit with avocado and a brown sugar latte, please. - She placed her order.

-That sounds delish. - Chirped Amyleah's voice from behind her. - I'll have the same, only traditional style please, and put it on a separate tab, thank you. - She threw in to the cashier over Stacie's shoulder.

Several minutes later they were enjoying their scrumptious breakfast food for dinner by a cheerful flame in the fireplace, while soft jazzy music accompanied a pitter-patter of pouring rain outside. The atmosphere was truly serene in this little privately owned cafe, to which Amyleah introduced Stacie. She's lived here for a while before she got involved in the P.O. project, and knew this area like the back of her hand. But she has never seen this little cafe here before.