Sunday, January 22nd 2022

“Remind me again why I let you convince me that this is how we want to spend our day together?”

“It’s just like old times. I miss working here.”

Nayeong watched from her seat at the coffee bar as Stephanie deftly moved around behind the counter, her actions practiced and deliberate. In quick succession she made an iced Americano with room for milk, two cortados, and a flat white.

“James! Your order is ready!”

Stephanie had been at this since morning when the coffee shop opened at the crack of dawn. She had somehow managed to convince Nayeong she wanted to spend their day together with her working in the shop while the older woman watched. The repetitive movements cleared her head, helped to focus her thoughts. She had felt restless of late, a blend of anxiety and slight agitation, with some disquiet thrown into the mix.

As she steamed milk for the next order that came in, she glanced over at Nayeong sitting primly at the bar, nursing a decaf cappuccino, a half nibbled scone on a small plate next to it.

“Sometimes I think if we had met under more normal circumstances, this would have been it.”

“Hmm?” Nayeong quirked her head.

Stephanie ducked her head and concentrated on making the drink, “This. Me as a barista, working part-time to save up for school. You as a regular from one of the offices nearby. We get to talking and just really jive and you spend hours here just chatting with me while I work. Sometimes you’ll come in stressed from work and I’ll slide you your usual, with your favourite baked good on the house, and your tired but grateful smile will ease my worry. Sometimes you’ll come in at peak hours, and I’ll be bustling, looking harried, not even noticing you coming in. And when the rush dies down, you’ll quietly slip into the bar seat in front of me and give me a soft smile, and that smile alone will make everything better.” The younger girl couldn’t seem to look Nayeong in her eyes as she finished the drink and called out the next order.

Nayeong sat there for a couple moments, thinking upon what was said, and was surprised to find that the image of what was described was conjured up with great ease and comfort.

Yes. In another lifetime, that’s exactly how they would have met and came into each other’s lives.

“Do you wish for that instead of how we actually me