AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“No one, seriously,” I say. My lips tingle as the memory of his kiss pushes its way through my thoughts. “He’s… gone away.”
Gone away. Good way to describe it. He’s lost to hundreds of years in the past, Mom, so you see, it’s not really going to work. Even if I figure this out and make it back to him, you won’t get to hold those grandbabies you’re always going on about.
“Oh, that’s too bad,” she says, leaning back in her chair. “This house needs laughter. A baby would be just the thing to set it all right.”
And now, ladies and gentlemen, we have the third shoe. I know, three shoes is redundant and impossible, but my mom is the Queen of the Impossible when it comes to laying on guilt.
“Right,” I agree, because there’s no winning an argument like this. “I have to go. I’ve got class in the morning.”
“All right, dear,” she says. “Thank you for coming so quickly.”
“Of course, Mom. I love you.”
She stands up and we hug before I leave. There’s the slightest scent of something moldy. Mom needs to shower but I don’t say anything. She’s dealing with enough; I’m not surprised she hasn’t taken time for self-care. I’ll come over this weekend and make sure she gets a break.
ChapterFour
When I walkinto the dining hall my stomach clenches tight. The line is all the way to the door. I don’t have time to wait. My belly grumbles, demanding I eat something. It’s ridiculous but pressure builds behind my eyes and, for a moment, I’m overwhelmed. I want to scream. Why does everything have to be so freaking hard? All I want is to get a bite to eat before class. I should drop out. I can’t keep juggling all the things. It’s too much to ask of anyone.
One deep breath in, hold it, let it go slowly. I pull myself together. The coffee shopReduxis on this side of the campus. They’ve always been fast if you don’t want anything but a standard coffee and they have premade breakfast items. It’s the only chance I have of eating before class.
Decision made, I run. Fortunately, a running twenty-something isn’t unusual for my campus. It’s a huge, sprawling complex, and oftentimes the building for your different classes are so far apart you can’t make it if you don’t run. No one gives me a second look as I dash my way to the coffee shop.
A bell chimes over the door as I walk in. The aroma of fresh brewed coffee lifts my senses, pushing away the exhaustion like Sisyphus and his boulder. An apt analogy for how tired I am. Closing my eyes, I inhale deeply. Blueberry, espresso, cinnamon, and the soft sprinkling of sugar fill my nose and it’s like breathing heaven.
“Welcome toRedux.”
I know that voice. Snapping my eyes open I look at the barista behind the bar in disbelief.
“Moira?”
“Eh?” she says, looking up, and her bright red curls bounce adorably. “Ach, well hello again.” She smiles broadly and her teeth are so perfect, straight, and gleaming white I’m self-conscious about my own less than perfect smile. “Fancy meetin’ ya here.”
“You work here?”
“I do,” she says. “Since yesterday.”
The espresso machine she is working makes a whooshing sound as she steams the drink she’s making. She finishes the beverage and hands it to the waiting customer.Reduxis designed with college students in mind. There are several small, two-person tables along the right wall with convenient plugins located at each table. The back section has round booth slash couches for larger groups to gather and commiserate about their lives, and the Wi-Fi is strong and free.
The overall décor is warm and dark, with lots of rich wood tones combined with black metal accents. This morning there are a dozen or so patrons at the tables, most of them focusing on their laptops or iPads with earbuds. I get into line behind the next customer.
I don’t realize at first that something has changed. There is a vibe toReduxthat doesn’t let you remain stressed. The odors of espresso and coffee beans mixing with flavors and baking breads. The warmth from the ovens and espresso machines that the air-conditioning can’t quite outperform. And there is something more, something ephemeral that I can’t put my finger on, but it feels impossible to be stressed here.
“What will you have?” Moira asks as I step up to the register.
“Quad Americano and an everything bagel,” I say, with a smile.
“Strong start for the day,” she says. “Rough night?”
“Didn’t sleep well,” I say, staring at the menu behind her head. “You know what, add an extra shot to it too.”
“That’s my girl.”
I drop my gaze to acknowledge her, but as I do it feels as if I’m lurching forward because the room tilts towards her. My stomach roils and bile burns up my throat. Moira blurs, stretching, like one of those infinity mirror illusions, hundreds of copies of her stretching off across an improbable space that can’t exist. Each copy of her is slightly off, subtly different.
She reaches a hand over the counter. A thousand copies mirror like echoes of the original. She touches my hand and the world snaps to singularity. Her hand rests on the back of mine and it tingles just shy of painful. I shake my head, clear my throat, then pull my hand off the counter.
“Sorry,” I say. “More tired than I thought.”
