Work Text:
11/10/2018
Coffee Shop
Since last month now, things had changed.
Without exception the closing hour was at 8:30 pm, and Isa was attentive to let it be respected.
At 8:00 he started going from one table to the other, clearing them and tidying them up; at 8:15 he closed the ice cream counter and cleaned the smoothies and milkshakes’ mixer; at 8:20 he made sure that no client was sitting at the tables, so that he could start to sort the cash register and cleaning the floor; at 8:30 he turned the sign from “Come in! We’re open!” to “Sorry! We’re closed!”.
This was what he usually did, what he’s been doing for five years, since when he’d opened the coffee shop.
But since last month now, things had changed.
Squinting from behind the counter, while he was cleaning again and again a cup, Isa could see, represented in a physical body, the cause of the change in his routine.
It was 8:20, and the ice cream counter was still open. This because, the Cause of the Change had got in asking for the usual ice cream: a cup of sea salt ice cream, with chocolate brittle and vanilla topping. He never ordered something different, and he always sat at the same table.
Although Isa wondered, deep inside, how could he eat ice cream every day without gain weight, the question that was more relevant was another one: why the hell he always came at the last moment, forcing him to close the coffee shop later? And why he wasn’t absolutely able to tell him to go away?
This was, maybe, the most annoying part of the situation.
The Cause of the Change had flame red hair, that ignite the winter with warm shades, bright green eyes, like bottle bottom carried to the water’s edge by the sea, a slender body constantly too exposed, considering the low temperature. The Cause of the Change had no name, because Isa didn’t want to ask.
All he knew about him was that since a month before he had started ruining his perfect organization, and delaying the closing time for forty minutes, forty long minutes that he would have spent studying, reading, taking a bath or…well, generally doing any other thing that wasn’t bending to collect dust in his coffee shop.
He was working more than enough even without being forced to prolong his schedule.
Carefully, despite the rage that was frying inside him, he placed the cup on the counter, dried the sink and closed the tap.
There was no one left inside the place, only the Cause of the Change, that enjoyed his ice cream, teaspoon after teaspoon, like it was cherished delicacy.
Maybe louder than expected, Isa started to tidy up the room, moving chairs, moving the dished, trying the way he could to draw the attention of that unwanted client. But him, insolent and undeterred as the Death, kept on eating his ice cream.
At 8:30 the ice cream counter was closed, the milkshakes’ mixer was clean, but there was still one client. There was still him.
At least today Isa had hoped that he could develop a common sense and got up by himself, understanding that maybe he shouldn’t stay after the closing hour. Isa cursed himself because he had felt hope, not only for that guy, but for the whole human kind.
Placing on his shoulder the wet rag, he approached the table, with the same attention he would have had to approach a rattlesnake shaking his tail.
« Excuse me. » he said.
Even if he was trying to psychologically prepare himself, the sight of those green eyes always gave him the palpitations. So intense, dreaming, only half aware. Which part of the universe were they exploring before he interrupted them?
« Is it already half past eight? » asked the Cause of the Change, giving a hint of a smirk.
« I’m afraid it is. » replied Isa, pretending to be huffy.
That guy turned his certainties upside down, and the clock was ticking.
« I lost the track of time in this place. » chuckled slightly the redhead, getting up.
He hadn’t finished the ice cream (he never finished it) but after grabbing his cross body bag and his leather jacket he made sure to grab the cup too.
Isa sighed, heavily , reaching the cash register. For two dollars and fifty cents he had to stay at the coffee shop ‘till nine o’ clock.
He didn’t even need to tell him the price, because he left three dollars on the plate.
« Keep the change. »
Isa nodded, as saying thanks, and put the money in the cash register. Then printed the receipt and gave it to him.
The redhead smiled, hesitating, then put the receipt in his pocket and turned.
He was finally going.
Isa was already foretasting the moment when he would have took off the work shoes that were hurting his heels, the keys clinking in his apron’s pocket, ready to close the door and turn the sign.
Halfway to the door though, the guy turned back.
« I wanted to tell you. » he began, looking down. « The sea salt ice cream of your coffee shop is the best one. I used to eat it always when I was a kid, but then I moved to study and… » he bit his tongue, maybe realizing how fast he had expressed the concept. He took a breath, moving his gaze to Isa. « There, I wanted to tell you. I didn’t have any chance. »
« Thank you. » Isa commented, raising a brow, puzzled.
The guy nodded, maybe satisfied, and again he turned towards the door.
Again, though, halfway he turned back, and Isa felt his nostrils expand for the anger.
8:35.
« I am Lea, by the way. » the redhead began, extending his hand to introduce himself. Now the Cause of the Change had a name.
« Uhm…nice to meet you, I guess. » he shook his hand and was surprised to find it so warm.
Lea tried to smile, but then the embarrassment was igniting his cheeks.
For the third time he turned his back and walked towards the door.
Isa prayed the saint protector of the barmen to let him finally go.
8:40.
Lea went back once again. « Do you want to go out together? »
Isa felt his eyes grow a little bigger, his heart racing, his head suddenly dizzy. Maybe he had misheard because he was tired, maybe he was so distracted that he had misunderstood his words.
« What? » he asked then, sincerely confused.
« Do you want…to go out together? » Lea asked, again.
So he had perfectly understood.
« Actually…it’s a little late, I should have already closed the coffee shop. »
« Oh. » said Lea, disappointed, his lips twisted down. Isa felt like he had just extinguish his flame. « Okay, yeah, I guess it really is late. I’m sorry. Well…goodnight. »
The redhead went towards the door, grabbed the handle, making the bell at the top of the door ring. A gust of wind made Isa shiver.
« But. » he said, taking a step forward, completely unexpected. « On Saturday we will be open only half day. »
Lea’s face lit up with color, his cheeks reddened, a kid dressed up like an adult.
« Alright. » He exclaimed, maybe a little too enthusiastic. « Saturday, then. »
« Saturday. » Isa confirmed, with an ease he didn’t know he could have.
Lea addressed him a fast wave, embarrassed, with his hand, and the door closed behind him, the cold that had got in before slowly disappeared.
Isa remained for an indefinite lapse of time staring at the redhead’s back while he walked away, trying to understand, inspecting every corner of himself. The Cause of the Change.
When he looked at the clock it was still 8:40.
Time had suddenly become relative.