~•~•~•~

 

So many plates. I hummed a tune unconsciously as I carefully stacked the white plates to use at the restaurant later. David recently helped me redecorate it and we’re expecting a surge of customers today, as it always happens after the restaurant gets a new face. I got bored of a certain theme fairly quickly and David was always happy to help me brainstorm for new ideas and shop for them. The redecorating bills gave my manager a headache though.

The pleasant chime of the door tinkled as Selia charged in. “Rainie!” My head snapped in her direction. Rainie, or Rain, was a nickname a dear friend gave me, as I loved rainy days, and because I always complained that I didn’t like my real name. “I’m not late, am I?”

I smiled at her in greeting and shook my head. She arrived a little later than I expected but the restaurant is not going to open for half an hour yet. Besides, how can I complain when she volunteered to come and help me herself?

Selia leaned on the counter and grinned at me. She sure was in a good mood today. I wondered why. “So, what can I do to help?” She asked.

“Can you please help set the tables? The cook has already done all the prep work for today, I think.”

“Sure thing!” Selia grabbed some napkins and the cutlery and went off to her task. I turned around and looked at the plates. How many did Marco said we’ll need just now?

I vaguely registered the tinkle of the door chime again. It was odd as the restaurant was not open yet, but I was too focused on my task to take notice of it.

“Hey, beautiful.”

I froze. The soft, beautiful voice was one that I have not heard for so long, yet can still recognise from anywhere. It couldn’t be, though. I turned around, not daring to expect anything.

“Gabriel!” I gasped.

Gabriel smiled, pleased that he has managed to surprise me. His blond hair was windswept, and he wore comfortable clothes, not the stylish ones I always saw him wearing on TV and internet videos. “Hey.” He said again as he sat down on one of the counter stools. “Busy preparing for the day?”

“A little. What are you doing here?” I was still so shocked to see him that my voice seemed to have risen up an octave.

“I just arrived here from the train station. We got a week off, so I came back here. Work is great, but I miss Venice so much. There’s no place like home, after all.” He winked.

I rolled my eyes at him. “What about Chris? Is he here too?” I looked around the restaurant, but all I saw was Selia busying herself in a corner. Now I knew why she was in such a good mood today. Didn’t she see Gabriel coming in though? I thought she would have been all over him by now. And if she knew he was coming, why didn’t she tell me?

“Chris is spending his holiday at his parents’ in Florence.” Gabriel said. “He said he needed to get away from me for a while to write new songs.”

“You know that he’ll come back with sad, depressing songs.” I laughed. Christopher Baldocci was Gabriel’s band mate, who wrote most of the duo’s songs. He was very talented but had the tendency to be very moody and cranky – the opposite of Gabriel’s sunny, friendly disposition. One wonders how they got along so well.

“You know that the fans will lap up whatever sappy song he comes up with.” Gabriel shot back with a chuckle. “Seriously, what is up with women and their obsession with moody men in leather jackets?”

“It’s his mysterious, bad boy image.” I said, laughing at his heartfelt sigh. I poured a cup of freshly brewed coffee and set it on the counter for Gabriel. “And probably the leather jacket too.”

“Uh-huh.” He murmured his assent and took a sip of his coffee. He looked around. “Is that cute barista of yours still working here?”

I gave him another eye roll. “Yes, she will be in soon. She always oversleeps on Mondays. I know I can’t make any fancy latte art, but isn’t my coffee good enough for you?” Gabriel grinned and answered by lifting the cup and taking another sip from it.

Just then Marco, my restaurant manager, came from the office in the back. He smiled when he saw Gabriel and gave him a quick hug. “Hey Gabriel! Long time no see. Selia told me you’re back.” Hmph. Selia told Marco but not me? I’ve been close friends with Gabriel since high school! More importantly, why didn’t Gabriel tell me that he was coming back himself? I started to open my mouth to say something on the matter, then stopped. Even though we were close, at some point after he became popular, we kind of stopped talking. It was not because of his fame, because he still kept in touch with other friends, like Selia. But for the life of me, I can’t remember why we lost contact.

I tried not to let my displeasure show on my face as Marco turned to me and asked, “Have you gotten the plates out yet? We’re opening in a few minutes. I see people waiting outside already.”

“Yeah, it’s all here. Can you help me take it out front?”

Marco nodded and lifted the first stack of plates without complaint. Everyone knew how clumsy I was. Letting me handle anything breakable was inviting disaster. “Well, I should go get ready. Maybe we can catch up later?” I asked Gabriel.

“Yeah, I’ll drop by later.”

“Great! Take your time and enjoy the coffee.”

 

~•~•~•~

I watched as she walked away with a smile, ready to serve her customers. Even though I saw pictures of her on our friends’ social media all the time, seeing her in front of my eyes was totally different. Selia came over and leaned over the counter in front of me but I barely acknowledged her with a nod.

“Still head over heels over little Rains, huh?” Selia said in a chipper voice.

“Mmm.”

“She has a boyfriend, you know.”

I struggled to keep my face from frowning. My good mood was starting to disappear very quickly, but I couldn’t stop looking at her. “Shut up.”

Selia apparently lost her teasing mood and walked away to tackle some other work, but not before getting in one last jab, “It’s all because you’re so slow, Gabriel.”

I looked down into my cup of coffee and stirred it, sighing. “I know.” I mumbled, but Selia was already too far away to hear.