Mocha
By Jennifer May
At 10:30 every morning Violet does the office coffee run. She gets
the two skinny caps, one espresso, one frappuccino, two lattes, and a
mocha from a nearby barista called Javier.
And every afternoon at 3:00, Violet does the second coffee run for the
day.
She’s done this every day for a month.
It’s the first run for the day and she and Javier exchange their usual
pleasantries while she waits.
“Having a good day?”
“Yeah. You?”
“Yeah. Busy though.”
“Yeah. Always busy.”
“Yeah?”
“Deadlines. Plus everyone’s a little crazy because it’s Valentine’s
Day.”
“You doing much for Valentine’s Day?”
“Oh, no, not really. You?”
“No, I’m not actually seeing anyone.”
She was surprised but let it drop.
He took his time with the coffees. The office didn’t mind waiting for
good coffee. And she didn’t mind waiting.
The mocha was the last one finished and as she left they exchanged
smiles, knowing they would repeat their routine later on in the day.
“How’s it going?”
“Good, good. Busy.”
“Yeah, it’s a bit like that.”
Trying not to let the two trays come to grief in the bustling street,
she thought about the things she’d say to him next time.
“Seen anything good at movies?”
“I’m reading this great book at the moment…”
“Since we’re both not doing anything tonight…”
Next time.
Back in the office the frappuccino and the skinny cap coo over the gifts
their partners had given them that morning.
“Look at these. Diamond studded.”
“Oh my God. You are so lucky. Look at this - white gold. With rubies. I
love rubies.”
One of the lattes proudly displays an enormous arrangement of flowers on
her desk – that she had delivered to herself.
“We’ve been only going out for a few weeks, but we’re really in love.
He’s just so wonderful. I think he’s The One.”
While the espresso attempts to hide a stuffed pink bear under her desk –
from someone whom she thought was just a friend.
“Look, I really don’t want to talk about it.”
And the latte tries to stop himself from staring in the direction of the
frappuccino and the skinny cap.
“I got this pen. And this tie. I gave her earrings.”
The other skinny cap sits back in her chair and gazes out the window.
“We’re going away this weekend. Just the two of us. Mum is taking the
kids. We’re going to the middle of nowhere to do nothing. It will be
bliss.”
Violet makes her way back to her desk and takes the lid off her still
warm mocha.
She looks down at the chocolate heart on top and smiles.
***
© Jennifer May 2008
The short stories on this website are copyright and cannot be copied for
any purpose. However, you are welcome to link to any story.
More Features
|
