AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I felt myself instantly perk up. “Coffee?”
“Absolutely. There’s a fabulous little shop right up the block. You’ll love it.”
I hoped so. The truth was, I’d never had coffee in my life, and I was dying to try it for the first time. It wasn’t that it was banned by the leaders of the Fellowship, but Agnes refused to allow it inside her house. She said it was like putting poison inyour body. I’d smelled some of the delicious creations that came from some of the booths during market, and I’d seen countless people walking around with tall paper cups of coffee.
As pathetic as it may have seemed, I’d coveted those paper cups, but never said a word, knowing it wasn’t worth the earful I’d get from Agnes. No matter how hard I pushed myself, I never could seem to do anything right in her eyes. I had to admit, I wasn’t going to miss that.
A few minutes and a short walk later, Myra pulled open a glass door to a coffee shop called Hot Java and I was hit with rich, bold scents mixed with a sweetness that seemed to fill the air.
She guided us to the back of a short line and looked up at me. “What do you like?”
“Uh...” I scanned the board behind the checkout counter, suddenly feeling overwhelmed at all the options in front of me. I wasn’t even sure what half the words meant. “I’m not sure.”
“You’ve never had coffee before?”
At the perplexity in Myra’s voice, shame heated my cheeks to an uncomfortable red. “Agnes didn’t allow it in the house,” I admitted meekly.
She took my hand in hers, giving it a gently, compassionate pat. “That’s all right. We’ll figure it out together.” She smiled in that kind way of hers, putting me at ease. “Which do you prefer? Bitter or sweet?”
“Sweet.”
“And what kind of chocolate do you like best? Milk or dark?”
Chocolate, or sweets of any variety, were also banned from the Oakes household, but in my earlier years, I’d been just rebellious enough to sneak some of the velvety, smooth candy during a church potluck some years back.
“Milk, I think. I don’t know if I’ve ever tried dark.”
She placed her palm against her chest. “Oh, my dear child. You’re missing out. We’ll have to fix that fast.”
I smiled, warmth blooming in my chest at her kindness. “What does it taste like?”
“It falls in the bitter category, but in a very good way.” She gave me a conspiratorial wink that I didn’t quite understand. “I think I know what you may like. You trust me?”
“Of course,” I answered quickly and without a single thought. Honestly, out of all the people in my life, Myra and Bennett were probably the only ones I could say that about. Over the years, Agnes and her family had broken my trust irreversibly.
From the way her eyes shined and her smile trembled, I had a feeling Myra cherished that answer. “Good. I’ll do right by you, sweetheart.”
For some reason, I didn’t doubt that.
We made it to the front of the line, and Myra rattled off a bunch of words that meant next to nothing to me. It could have been a foreign language for all I knew, except, I recognized most of the words, just not put together in a sentence the way Myra had just spoken them.
Whatever she’d just ordered me, it had no foam but extra whip and was a triple something with two pumps of something else I hadn’t caught as she rattled the words quickly.
Even though my head was spinning, the young woman behind the counter seemed to understand her clear as day and got to work behind a strange looking machine that spit and hissed and blew out steam like an angry dragon.
Myra quickly paid and guided me to a small table that sat in front of one of the large windows, giving the shop an open and airy quality. Sunlight poured in through the glass, pleasantly warming my skin as I took a seat and looked out at the sidewalk and beyond.
At the farmers market, there had always been a clear distinction betweenusandthem. I’d spend those days people watching, that separation like an impenetrable shield between us that left me feeling dejected. I wasn’t one of the townspeople. I didn’t belong, and once the day came to an end, I would head back up the mountain to my little community, leaving those “heathens” behind.
However, as I sat in that coffee shop and looked out on the town, at the people moving along the sidewalks—some at a slow, leisurely pace while others hurried to wherever they were going—I realized that shield was no longer there. I wasn’t an outsider spending a few hours among these people. I was here to stay.
“What’s that smile about?” Myra asked as she took the seat across from me.
“I just realized I’ve finally done it.”
She leaned in, resting an elbow on the table and cradling her chin in her hand as she took me in. “Done what, dear?”
“I’ve made it,” I answered. “Down the mountain and into town. I’m not here visiting for a short while. I’m a part of Redemption now.”
