Coffee To Go

The line at the coffee shop was rather long, filled with a variety amount of people. The man at front was ordering a black coffee as his chilled fingers wrapped themselves inside of his gray jacket. Perched upon his long nose were thick-rimmed glasses that made his brown eyes appear bigger than they actually were as they scanned the menu. The barista smiled politely as she ushered him off to the side to take the next person's order, which so happened to be an elderly lady who held a big pink tote bag, where a little poodle's head popped out. A little pink bow was settled atop its head.

Towards the back of the line was Val, a twenty-five year old girl who hadn't lived in the city for long. She was from a small town in the east, and was struggling to make ends meet at her current job as a waitress at Lazy Susie's Diner down the street. Her brunette hair was pulled into a fishtail braid and she wore a navy jumpsuit that accentuated her curves. She held her phone in her hands as she tapped incessantly on the screen, seemingly in her own little world.

She didn't realize the line had been moving until the old man behind her cleared his throat and nudged her shoulder gently. She jumped, apologized and stepped ahead behind the teenage boy ahead of her. She continued tapping on her phone until she was standing in front of the barista. She tucked her phone into her jumpsuit's pocket and smiled politely before ordering a mocha latte with whipped cream.

After she was given her order, she stepped out onto the bustling street, and took a small sip of her latte. She closed her eyes and fixated on the feel of the sunshine spreading across her pale skin. She missed home. She missed the farm her family had been raised on. She glanced across the street and noticed a young man jogging alongside his dog, with its tongue lagging out of its mouth as it struggled to keep up with its owner.

Val took in a deep breath as several people pushed past her, not heeding her any attention. The latte in her hands helped her chill fingers to warm as she settled onto a nearby bench outside the coffee shop. Her green eyes scanned the passersby, wondering about their lives, and their destinations. She wondered if the elderly woman with the poodle was going home to a wealthy husband and a pristine house. She wondered if the teenage boy ahead of her had school or if he was a drop-out like her older brother had been.

Another sip of her coffee and she watched an old man hop out of a green, beat-up Suburu. He opened the front passenger door and helped an old woman onto the street. Was she his wife? Or maybe girlfriend? Val took another sip of her coffee and cocked her head to the side. The old couple entered the post office.

Her attention turned to the two cars down the street who blared their horns at each other. Apparently they almost hit each other due to the lights switching at last minute, and a driver who hadn't been paying attention to the road. Val shook her head and felt her phone vibrate in her pocket, which she chose to ignore.

No one spared Val a glance, either because she was easy to ignore or they were too busy with their own lives. She felt her green eyes fill with tears as she thought of home, once again. She missed her mother's homemade baked goods, their smells wafting through the kitchen and into the den. She smiled at the memory of her father constantly nagging her mother for a bite or two, and her mother swatting him away with a dish towel, although she sported a wide grin at her beloved's antics. Val swiped at her cheeks as the tears fell.

Because despite being surrounded by these people, with their poodles and glasses, she still felt alone. The ache in her chest was constantly there. She felt like a small goldfish in a huge pond, surrounded by piranhas. She remembered yesterday at work when her boss yelled at her for accidentally forgetting table three's chili dogs. Or when her neighbors yelled all throughout the night about his alleged affairs and her constant need to spend his money.

Or when her landlord demanded an extra fee for when he had to fix her heater a week ago. He'd been rather snarky and ill-tempered the entire time, and refused to leave until she paid him $140. She remembered feeling broken when she realized that that was all the money she had, except for $3.

Val sniffled and pulled her phone out, pulling up a contact and pushing the dial button. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She waited for the other person to pick up and she felt her chest ache when the line went to voice message. Her voice sounded croaky and sad, even to her own ears.

"Mom? I miss you. I want to come home. I miss your warmth. I miss dad's laughter. I miss Nick yelling at his video games. I miss home."

When she dropped the call and placed her phone into her pocket, she raised her head and noticed the old couple exiting the post office. The old man held a large package as his wife prattled on, a huge smile upon her lips. Val wondered what the package contained and whether it was for the man or the woman. Most likely the woman, judging by her big smile and glow. Val wished she had the extra money to order things, but she could barely afford take-out, let alone shipping fees.

When she sighed, her breath puffed out in smoke. Her coffee was nearly depleted, so she hurriedly drained the rest and dumped it into a nearby garbage bin before trekking back back to her sad, lonely and quiet life. To a life where she had no friends or family close by. A life that often struck her and placed her in often inopportune moments. She closed her eyes as she walked along the sidewalk, with her hands tucked in her pockets, and her plump lips pulled into a frown.