Timing is Everything

Brian stood in the corner of the locally owned coffee shop anxious to try again. He looked at his note and reviewed each line to ensure all the possible questions have been answered. His mind quickly read each step and knew exactly what he meant.

He rubbed his hand over the scarred flesh and bone on his skull. A nervous habit and ever-present reminder of what he lost.

He sighed and pushed himself away from the wall. He walked to the bar smiled tightly at the young girl wearing the brown apron and hat of the company.

“Good morning. How can I make your day a happily ever after?” she asked. He cringed at the fairy tale theme run amuck.  

He handed her his note with his order meticulously written. She frowned a little and read over it. She looked up and sighed. “Are you deaf?”

He shook his head no. The urge to turn around and walk out of the shop pounded in him. The questions, the stares. He despised them. Walking down the street, picking up some groceries, he was as normal as ever. However, the minute he needed to speak, he felt the neon freak sign blaze on his forehead.

“Ok,” the girl dragged out. “Well, we changed the sizing if the couple two months ago,” she said emphasizing the time like he should have already known this. “So, there’s no regular now. You can pick from elf, human, troll, or giant. We’re a fairy tale come true. What will it be?” She recited indifferently.

Sweat beaded on his forehead as she tried to form the words. His brain ached as he struggled to push the word from his mind. He reached up and rubbed his scar panicking as the young woman stared at him impatiently. He screamed in his mind ‘human’, but nothing came out. It stood frozen halfway between is mind and his mouth. Why could she not just see that the old regular is the exact same size as the human?

“Well,” she prompted impatiently. “What size? I have a line, sir.”

He shook his head and rushed out of the building. His buddy was sitting at a table and sat up when he saw him.

Jake smiled and waved him over. “How’d it go?”

Brian shook his head. “Human.”

He banged his fist on the table and felt tears burning his eyes. Why could that not have come out a minute ago? Just sixty damn seconds and he would have his stupid coffee and the first successful interaction since coming home.

Jake blinked. “Oh, shit. Man, I’m sorry. I didn’t think of that stupid size thing.”

With a shrug, Brian sat back, defeated. Another failed attempt to reenter the world. He rubbed his scar and wondered if there would ever be a chance for him to just leave his house and eat or drink like a normal human being.

Even since the day he woke up in the hospital, his entire life froze. The police told him about the drunk driver plowing into him. He learned that he spent two weeks in a medially induced coma due to brain swelling. All the while, he sat silently unable to form the words running though his mind.

The doctors called it a traumatic brain injury. They said his brain had been damaged beyond repair in the wreck. A few specialists tried to give him some hope. They told him that he may regain his speech over time. However, Brian knew they were only telling him this to try to keep up his spirit.

It had been six months since the wreck. He lost his job and apartment while in the coma and rehab center. Jake, his high school best friend and unbreakable rock of support, got him a new place, an accounting job working from home for his father’s company, and ensured he never slipped completely into depressive isolation. While they could not talk, they played video games together and watched movies. Honestly, without him, Brian knew there was a chance he’d not be around anymore.

Brian’s parents visited him one time at the hospital but his mother claimed that his pain hurt her too much and left. His father, the eternal enabler, apologized and followed her out of the hospital. He’s not heard from them since that day. He was a little disappointed but not shocked. His mom never really got the role of mother. He’d been on his own since college, so he just accepted their lack of support as the status quo.

Jake ran his hand through his hair in agitation at himself. “Want me to go in and grab your drink? We can try again next week or something.”

Brian shook his head. He did not want to go back. He wanted to go home and hide in his room and forget the rest of the world got to talk whenever they wanted. He wanted to sit in self-pity and flat out cry at how unfair life had become for him.

Instead, he pulled out his notepad and started to write again. Carefully, he listed his order and made the ridiculous change of regular to human. Stupid themed crap, he thought as he read over his order and be completely sure he missed nothing.

He handed it to Jake this time to proofread. He watched his friend bite back a smile. His heart melted a bit. Jake really did care. He was a brother in every way that was important. The man would sit here all day cheering him on trial after trial.

Jake read the note and nodded his head. “I think you got it this time. Want me to come in with you?”

He shook his head. He needed to do this on his own. He needed the damned win today. He had to start living again or he was cursing himself to staying locked away for the rest of his life. He refused to be a damsel in distress. Hell, he was now pissed off for every women to have to read about a princess waiting to be saved. Women were fighters. And today, so was he.

He stood and walked back into the coffee shop. He passed the young woman who first tried to take his order as she rushed out of the building with her bag and phone in hand. He breathed a sigh of relief. At least he got to try again with someone new.   

The shop was slower now and he stood behind a single person waiting for his order. The new barista smiled brightly at the woman ordering and gave her a unique flavor idea for her drink. Brian noted it in his mind to remember. It sounded amazing. Today was not a day to call an audible, though. He actually laughed in his mind about the thought of him even being able to say audible.

The woman stepped aside and the very pretty redhead smiled at him. “Hi there. How can I make your day a happily ever after?” She smirked good naturedly and blinked up at him.

He handed her his note and waited, holding his breath. She crocked her head to the side and nodded. “Nice choice. Hazelnut latte whole milk with a dusting of cinnamon. Yum. If you feel daring sometime, I recommend our new pistachio latte.”

He felt himself making a face and she laughed. “Not a pistachio fan?”

He shook his head.

“Fair enough. I always try to share other drinks with people. It’s a bad habit some say. I just don’t like the idea of getting stuck with one drink as a go to when there’s figuratively a billion combinations out there to try.”

He shrugged not knowing what to do. He started panicking that she was waiting for him to reply. He wanted to say ‘I like trying new things’ and smiling at the cute woman, but nothing came out as usual.

She smiled and turned to start making his drink. She kept up her chatter about her day and the cutest dog ever coming in and getting a puppy cup. She kept her smile as she fiddled with the machines.

“I like to try new things.” The words burst out finally. He had even forgotten he tried. He felt his face blaze in embarrassment, and he started to turn away to leave. Instead, his feet froze, and he began to run his scar nervously.

She froze for a second and then gave him a big smile. “Adventurous, yeah?”

He shrugged wishing she would hurry up so he could run away with his fairly successfully order. Minor humiliation aside, this was the best interaction he had so far.

“So, what’s your favorite flavor combos? A fruity guy? All chocolate all the time? A mix?” She asked her questions as she finished up the woman’s coffee order and handed it to her. She then turned to start his. She was the only worker there now that the other girl had left. It meant she was both distracted and solely focused on him. A combination that she somehow pulled off effortlessly. She looked up at him, smile never wavering, then went back to making his cup.

It took her a couple of minutes then she was handing it to him with that perfectly relaxed smile she wore the entire transaction. “I hope you have a nice day.”

He nodded his head thanks and turned to leave. Just as he was getting to the door, he said, “Key lime pie.”

He felt his shoulders drop. He almost made it without completely acting like a freak. It had been so close. A couple of people in the shop turned and looked at his odd outburst. The neon sign blinked brightly as his short lived triumph crumbled around him.

“No way! I love key lime pie.”

He turned and smiled genuinely at the redhead.

She put her hands on her hips and nodded. “I’m working the next three days in the afternoon. Stop by and I will figure out the most perfect key lime drink ever.”

He nodded and left the shop to join Jake.

Jake sat up when he exited and let out a ‘hell yeah’ when he saw the drink in his hand. Brian shook his head at his friend.

“Thanks, I will,” he said as he sat down.

“Will what?” Jake asked taking a relaxed drink of his coffee. He picked up his phone and checked his email as he waited for Brian to form his answer. Jake never rushed him. He always just busied himself until the conversation continued.

“The barista invited me to come back to try a new drink she said she would make for me.”

Brian wanted to laugh at the excitement in his friend’s eyes as he tried to look casual at the statement. “Oh, yeah. What kind of drink is that?”

“Key lime pie,” Brian answered a few minutes later.

Jake blinked. “You told her your favorite pie?”

“Eventually,” he replied.

“You coming back?” he asked carefully.

Brian shrugged.

Both men drink their drinks silently reveling in the successful day. Brian looked into the shop and saw the pretty redhead chatting and laughing with some of the customers and cleaning the bar. She happened to glance out the window and she gave a little wave. He waved back.

“Today was good,” Jake said quietly.

“It was,” he said a few minutes later.

*****************Two days later******************

Brian sat at his desk and checked the time and thought about the coffee shop. The afternoon rush would not start for another hour at least. He thought about the sweet girl who invited him back. He was sure she did that for most people. Get them back in the store and sell more coffee. That’s what he would do.

Yet, he wanted to believe her invitation had been sincere. Maybe he wanted to think a pretty girl thought he was worth seeing again. He shook his head and stood.

His phone beeped and he looked down to see a text from Jake.

“Go see her!”

“Stop spying on me!”

“Lol. Never. You waited two days. One day, too desperate. Three days, rude. Two is the clutch spot.”

Brian chuckled. “Well, how will I get there? It’ll be closed by the time I walk there.”

“A: no, it’s a twenty minute walk tops. B: I’m waiting outside to drive you. Get your ass down here already.”

Brian grinned. He took some time to pick out a nice shirt and jeans then joined Jake for a ride to the shop. His friend chatted the entire drive excited that Brian actually joined him. He patted his friend on the shoulder.

“Thanks,” he said as they got out of the car. He thought it when he got in but the timing still worked.

Jake grinned and led the way into the shop. He saw the blonde wiping down the bar and felt his excitement leech away. He looked at Jake and shook his head letting him know it wasn’t the one he wanted to see.

Just as they started to turn, he saw the bright red hair he remembered step through a door at the back of the bar. She carried a heavy box and set it down on the bar then noticed him. She smiled brightly.

“There you are!”

Brian thought his face might break from the smile that stretched his mouth. Jake waved and went up to the bar.

“Afternoon. I’m Jake. And you remember my friend Brian.”

The blonde rolled her eyes and walked to the back. Brian was glad. He wanted the least audience as possible.

“I do,” she said pleasantly. “I’m Katie, never Kat. Nice to meet you.”

Brian stood a little back and watched Jake engage the pretty woman. He felt a tinge of jealousy. Until she turned to him and grinned. “I was hoping you would come back. I’ve been thinking about a key lime drink for the past two days. I think I have it worked out. Willing to give it a try?”

He wanted to say yes and that he was glad to be back. He looked at Jake hoping his friend would answer for him but he was distracted by the pastries. Katie smiled and started emptying the box with coffee beans for a display shelf.

“I would love to,” he said finally.

She smiled and moved to stand right in front of him. “Yay. It will be nice to have a cute regular like you.”

He watched her cheeks turn bright pink and her eyes widen. “Ohm my gosh, I said that out loud.”

She turned and busied herself with finishing the coffee display while Jake shook his laugher a few feet away. So, not distracted after all.

Katie came back and gave him a lop-sided grin. “Now that I’ve completely embarrassed myself, let’s make that drink.”

Brian nodded and watched her move around the bar. “I decided that key lime and coffee would not mate well so I decided to make it a steamer. I do however have some caffeine powder if you are still wanting that jolt of energy. My sister swears by it.” She gave him a sour look. “She hates coffee and tea.  Can you believe it? She says that she had evolved past drinking beans and leaves.” She rolled her eyes.

Brian waited for the words to form watching her seamlessly move around the machines. “Caffeine would be great.”

“Sure thing.”

A tall woman came and stood by him. Katie looked up and grinned. “Speak of the devil.”

The woman rolled her eye sand looked exactly like her sister in that moment. “S-s-s-top complaining ab-b-b-bout m-m-me.”

“Never!” Katie yelled dramatically.

Brian and the woman laughed.

“Hi,” she said. “I’m Katie’s s-s-s-st-t-t-er Anne.”

Brian shook her hand looking over to Jake for help. Jake sauntered over. “I’m Jake. Pleasure to meet such a lovely lady.” He gave her is patented Jake wink and got the giggle he loved.

Brian turned to look at Katie. She was finishing up his drink and brought it over to him. “Here you go. Tell me what you think!”

She turned to get her sister’s order as he took his first sip. It was amazing. He looked at her with his brows raised. She laughed got to work on her sister and Jake’s drinks.

“This is amazing!” he finally said as she handed the other drinks out.

Anne turned to her sister. “Is this the c-c-cutie?” she fake whispered.

Katie blushed again. “Shut up.”

“Sh-sh-she only m-m-makes special drinks for people she l-l-likes.”

Brian felt his chest swell and smiled at her. She shrugged her cheeks still bright red. “Busted.”

Jake sat with Anne and they started talking about who knows what. He was surprised how quickly they seemed to connect. But he saw the real interested in his friend’s eyes. He looked at Katie who was watching her sister with concern on her face. He stepped forward and waited for the words to form.

“He’s the best man on this planet.”

She looked over at him and nodded. “I’m just a little cautious.”

He nodded as she wiped the counter never rushing him to answer. “He’s the same with me.”

She smiled. “I guess there’s only one solution.”

He took another sip of his new favorite drink of all time. She took an order and started making it when he said. “What’s that?”

She grinned. “If I’ll be worried for her if they go to dinner tonight and he’ll be worried about you….”

He grinned and they stared at each other for two simultaneously awkward and peaceful minutes. “Yes?” he teased back.

“Then we will just have to go on a double date.”

Jake and Anne turned to watch for his answer.

As the three watched him, he rubbed his scar and smiled.

The wait was worth it when he said, “I would love that.”