Conversations; All In Blue

Two

His body felt stiff and sore. The bed he found in the downstairs bedroom was the only one and the sheets were musty but free from dust. Today he'd have to take a trip around the little coastal village and see what was available and what he'd have to order in.

Junhui needed a project and this old house was perfect to keep his mind off the itch of addiction for a few months. The itch was always there, like the spot on your back you just couldn't reach to scratch, but he had to push past it. Each day became easier; some easier than others, some days were still a nightmare where he wanted to pull each hair from his head. But he would endure. He had to if he wanted to survive.

More than just survive; Junhui wanted to live again.

He needed a coffee but there was no kettle and nothing in the cupboards. He wanted food but there was no working refrigerator and he didn't think to pick up any groceries the day before. There was no TV to watch and no radio for background noise so Junhui took a shower in the downstairs bathroom and dressed in clothes from his suitcase.

The one bedroom downstairs held an array of antique looking furniture which, if he worked out how to do it, could probably be restored into something beautiful. There was a tall wardrobe, a heavy dresser, and the bed was a huge four-poster which looked like something out of a movie. Time and the salty air had degraded them into a state almost beyond repair but Junhui remembered fragments of woodworking during high school and how much he enjoyed the scent of sawdust.

His hand trailed down one of the posts of the bed and a little varnish cracked under the drag of his fingertips. A few flakes dropped onto the floor exposing the bare wood beneath the degraded finish and Junhui swallowed heavily as he flicked a splinter out of his thumb. The bed, weathered and tired, fractured on the surface, was raw and flawlessly beautiful underneath. A little love and a lot of attention could strip this back to its natural state and rebuild it into something worthwhile.

Just like him, the surface looked beyond repair, but at its heart it was strong and it would endure, and one day be reborn as something beautiful to be treasured.

He shook his head and went back into the kitchen to find his phone and make a list. Then he headed into town on foot. It was barely a five-minute walk to anywhere and he wouldn't need his attention drawing vehicle for a while.

His heart leaped with joy in his chest when he came across the small café facing the water's edge. Coffee was exactly what he needed.

The smell of vanilla and cinnamon hit him immediately as the bell over the door rang. The place was mostly empty, Junhui wasn't surprised, small coastal towns barely survived the winter. If he was still here in the summer he imagined this place to be packed to the rafters with city dwellers.

He looked around and admired the aesthetic. The tables were square and just big enough for two; scattered under the lights reflecting on the hard wood floor. There were a few booths along a side wall and a long bar ran the length of a floor to ceiling wall looking out on the beach. Bar stools seemed to be the designated seats for loners. Each table was adorned with a little vase filled with different flowers, daisies and lavenders, roses and lilies. The hazelnut and coffee and sugar in the air was so thick Junhui could taste it.  His stomach rumbled and he realised he hadn't tasted anything sweet without throwing it back up in years.