Mocha Memories

She sat at the corner table. Waiting for him. She absentmindedly twirled her stirrer around her coffee mug. She had ordered it a while ago and still hadn’t taken her first sip. Her eyes were fixed at the door of the cafe. She once looked at the burly man sitting behind the cash counter at the cafe. The owner looked at her questioningly and she shrugged her shoulders. 

And then he walked in. 

He was strikingly handsome. A bit over 6 feet with black wavy hair and steely brown eyes which could pierce through one’s soul     The blue denim shirt fitted him well as did his skin tight jeans. The grey sideburns were the only giveaway to his middle-age years. His face was still disarmingly boyish. 

He sat across her table in the cafe and ordered himself an espresso. His head was bent down on his phone and he seemed to be furiously scrolling something on it. He didn’t even notice when the coffee was kept by his side. She kept staring at him. Her coffee lay untouched. 

A message beeped on her phone that broke the spell. She sat up and took her phone out of her handbag. She read the message and typed a short “yes I remember” to the sender. And then she got up from her table. She decided to make a bold move as she walked towards his table. 

Excuse me, may I, she asked, and without waiting for his answer, sat down next to him. She loved the look on his face. A mixture of confusion, surprise and shock were well painted on his chiseled face. 

You know..I’m…I’m waiting for someone…so it’d be better if you…his voice trailed off, as he stared into her face. God she as beautiful. Her dove eyes sparkled in anticipation, and her silky brown hair fell beautifully across her dusky attractive face. He was mesmerised by her. 

Oh are you waiting for a friend or maybe someone special, there was mischief in her tone that matched the sparkle in her eyes as she asked him. He shuffled uncomfortably on his seat not knowing how to to react. Well she’s a friend but a special one all the same, he meekly replied, after what seemed liked ages. She loved the effect she realised she was having on him. 

They sat together for what seemed an eternity before she broke the silence. What time is she expected, she asked, just as a polite conversation starrer. Well she was very specific about the time. 6.30pm 24th September. And so here I am. It’s nearly 7 now and she’s still not here, his voice was a mix of disappointment and concern. She’s never usually late you know, he looked at her as he spoke. 

Did you say 24th? Well for starters it’s 23rd today she smiled at him, amazed at his unmindfulness. You’re a tad too early I’d say, she found it hard to suppress her laughter. Those almond eyes sparkled even more this time. 

He looked at her stunned. Surely she was wrong. It can’t…it is…and then his eyes fell on the calendar on the cafe wall. It clearly said 23rd September. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing! 

He got up from his chair instantaneously. I’ve been…I’ve been…such a fool. He quietly muttered to himself although she could clearly hear him. She was still sitting on her seat as she placed her hand on his. He looked at her again. He was confused with the signals she was sending him. He didn’t know how to react. 

Let’s go to my place for a drink, she offered. Just like him, she too was surprised at her boldness. He looked at her disbelievingly as she gently tugged at his arm pulling him towards the door. She looked at the cafe owner and winked knowingly as he smiled back at her, shaking his head in mock disbelief. He slowly went towards the calendar on the wall and changed the date. It WAS the 24th of September. 

As the two lay in bed, she looked at his sleeping form and ran her slender fingers on his forehead adjusting his hair. He was sleeping peacefully like a baby. She remembered as they were making love he kept taking his “special friend’s” name. There were tears in his eyes, which made her swell up too. She gently rested her head on his sleeping shoulders and dozed off herself. 

He didn’t know how to face her the next morning as he walked groggily out of the bedroom. She was standing at the balcony with a mug of coffee in her hand. She turned around to face him and smiled. He mumbled a meek good morning and before he could offer any explanation for the previous night, she cut him short. Last night was beautiful, but I know you got to go back to your friend. Don’t worry I won’t cause any problem. You’re free to go after lunch. Today’s the day you meet her, right? He was surprised at her cool demeanour. 

She dialled the same number from her mobile, the one with the message from the previous evening. It was the cafe owner on the other side of the phone. He might be headed to your cafe again today if his dementia sets in again. Looking for me. You know what to do, she sighed as she hung her phone up. 

Paul’s dementia had set in ever since he had his accident seven years ago. It was the day before their engagement. The 24th of September. He was to pick her up from the Mocha Memories cafe and head home for the ceremony, when he had his crash. He survived the crash physically although his mind never recovered fully. Every now and then he’d revisit the cafe waiting for her to arrive, so that they could go and get engaged. 

Rita adjusted the frame on the wall. It was a picture of the two of them in happier times. She looked at the picture for few moments and wiped her eyes as she turned away to head for the cafe again. 

She had to get him back home. Again

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