Chapter 26 Your Tea Isn’t Ready!
Your Tea Isn’t Ready!
Connor
It’s been eight days since I left Maisie’s room. Eight days since I’ve responded to any of her texts. Eight days since I’ve tried to close off part of my heart in hopes of somehow moving forward. Which has been…less than successful.
I’m nearing the end of my shift at the coffee shop.
Letting the smell of coffee soothe my worries, I grab a medium-sized cup from the stack and write the latest order with a black marker.
I’m starting to measure the beans when I hear the bell ding in the doorway.
Once I start the grinder, I turn to greet the latest customer and almost jump out of my skin. It’s Maisie.
What is she doing here? She doesn’t drink coffee because of her anxiety, so she never comes into the campus coffee shop. Her gaze bounces around nervously until it lands on me. She tips the corner of her mouth in a sad smile but doesn’t move toward the counter.
I swallow, unsure of how to proceed. More students make their way through the door, and Maisie shuffles out of the way. I help each of them as quickly as I can, anxious to see what she is going to say or do.
Once I call out that the last order is ready, I venture a look around.
She’s sitting at a high-top table in the corner, leg bouncing on the raised bar, biting at a cuticle on her left thumb.
As if sensing my attention, she looks up and our eyes meet.
Her hand drops from her mouth, and she hesitantly stands.
As she makes her way to the checkout counter, I take a protective step back. Her face falls.
“Hi,” she says. Her voice is so quiet, I have to watch the shape of her mouth rather than actually hear her say it.
“Hey,” I respond as casually as I can muster. “Can I get you anything?”
“Oh, no, I, uh…” Her eyes widen, like I asked her something other than if she wanted a hot beverage.
“I know you don’t drink coffee, but we have herbal tea,” I interrupt her stuttering.
Her cheeks pink, but she quickly shakes her head and looks down at her shoes. “I, um, didn’t come here for…” She drops the sentence. “I wanted to see if you could…talk after your shift?” she says, raising her shoulders, looking almost like a turtle retreating into its shell.
I can’t very well say no to her. I’ve been avoiding her, sure, but I don’t think I can flat-out deny her when she’s right in front of me. I acquiesce with a shoulder shrug. “Sure,” I say. “Shift switches in about fifteen minutes. Do you want that herbal tea while you wait?”
Her hands unclench, and she releases her shoulders a bit. “Yeah, that would be great, thank you.” A genuine but timid smile stretches across her face. Even after everything, I long for her smiles. I still want to be the reason she shares them.
“Coming right up.” I turn around and start prepping her drink, then hear the bell above the door ding again. This time, when I check to see who arrived, I’m surprised to see it’s Veronica. She usually comes in earlier on Sundays with her boyfriend—they make a date out of it—but she’s alone today.
“Hey, V,” I greet her. “You want the usual?”
She strides confidently up to the counter and shows off her whitened smile. Maisie steps off to the side to make room for her.
“Sounds great. Thanks, Connie,” she says as she leans forward onto the counter.
I’m about to ask where Owen is when Maisie takes off toward the door.
My body follows her on instinct, and I call out, “Maize, where are you going? Your tea isn’t ready!”
But she’s out the door before I can reach her, and it’s not like I can go after her while I’m still on my shift. I swipe a hand through my hair, and my gut tightens. What just happened?
A disappointed exhale leaves me as I make my way back behind the counter to finish up Veronica’s order.
She lifts a curious brow but graciously doesn’t say anything else.
After she takes her drink and sits down in the seating area, I dunk the herbal tea bag into the hot water that was meant for Maisie.
I let it cool and take a sip, allowing the comforting warmth to wash through me.
I guess it’s for the best. Maybe if she avoids me, too, one day, this agonizing ache in my chest will go away. Somehow, I doubt it.