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Caught in the infectious enthusiasm, I give in, accepting his offered cup. A tentative sip of the overly sweet concoction, however, instantly wrinkles my face in distaste.
"Nah, think I’ll stick to my original coffee preference." Drawing his cup back, Dave strikes a faux hurt expression before it fades into a playful smile.
"So," he teases, sliding into a different conversational track. "You been out on the water this morning?"
I take a moment to glance around the space soaked in the aroma of roasted beans and freshly baked goods. The animated chatter and clinking dishware coating the coffee shop form a delightful symphony - a nod to the unique charm of our modest town. Even as summer rounds its end, visitors sweep through, injecting buoyancy into our quaint corner.
"Yeah, but it feels incomplete without you, old man. You really should come out with us more often," I tease back. His laughter bounces off the café walls as he reflects my jest.
"A newlywed wife, a demanding stepson, and a burgeoning, confusing young adult require my attention a tad bit more these days," he confesses, his voice laced with fond humor.
The mention of his daughter Izzie, however, hooks my interest, my brow subconsciously rising in intrigue.
"Why's Izzie concerning?" The question slips out too quickly to be restrained. Dave sighs in response, his hand combing through his hair, a tad forlorn.
"Izzie... she's had a great summer, thanks to the chance you gave her. The job gave her a sense of purpose. For that, I'm truly grateful." His gratitude washes over me, igniting a gentle flush in my cheeks. But, I chastise the warming sensation to retreat, maintaining my casual facade and taking a generous sip of my robust coffee.
“But, last night she started acting crazy.” He shakes his head. My heart drops into my stomach. Because I broke up with her. I ended it and even though she acted like she didn’t care at the moment, clearly it has affected her more than she let on. I feel guilty thinking of her. I miss her already somehow. But, doesn’t the fact that she got so upset – that Dave would call her crazy – prove my point? We aren’t right for each other. She is too young, too fragile.
Dave continues, “She started saying she was going to leave that night. That this town had nothing left for her and she needed to be out of here.” My heart races. She was leaving? I hadn’t been able to say goodbye. I steady my hand on my mug, grateful for its stability.
“Mel and I managed to convince her to wait until today to see if she still felt the same. She does though, she was packing as I left.”
“I-“ I begin, preparing to offer an “oh man that sucks” or “chicks, what you gonna do?” comment, but the words don’t make it out.
“The worst part is,” Dave doesn’t notice my failed attempt to speak and I am eternally grateful for that, for if he doesn’t say what he is about to say, I would never know a crucial fact. “The worst part is, I found a positive pregnancy test in the trash. I know it’s not Mel’s, so it must be Izzie’s.” At that moment, the noise surrounding me, the chattering of customers, the clanging of pots, pans and grinding of coffee beans - it all stopped. I hear silence surrounding my ears. Bursting my ear drums. “- nobody gives you a handbook on how to ask your adult daughter if she’s pregnant and needs your help.”
I can’t listen to Dave, I can barely hear him. I was already standing up. Dave looks at me, confused.
“I’ve gotta go, I just realized something. I’ve gotta go now.” I explain poorly and hastily.
As I am leaving I see Dave stand up himself, with a confused look still plastered on his face. Dave isn’t an idiot, well, he isn't stupid. It won’t be long before he figures out my reaction. I don’t care, I don’t care about any of it anymore, nothing matters. All that matters is stopping Izzie from leaving town. I have to find out for myself if what Dave said is true.
I make my way over to his place in a blur, I’m pretty sure I don’t break any laws but who could be sure? I have to find out the truth.
When I arrive, my stomach immediately begins to turn. There is no sign of Izzie's vehicle. She was long gone. I arrived much too late. In a moment of exasperation, I pound my palm against the steering wheel and then lean my head against it. My breaths are becoming more relaxed. When I look up, I see her car going down the road. I am curious about it. What?! She is going to return?!
I exit the car and signal for her to come down. Her vehicle stops briefly before drawing nearer, and after a while, she gets out of it. She does not give me any eye contact.
"Shit," I mutter to myself under my breath when I see that she is heading directly into the house rather than in my direction.
She enters the house in a stealthy manner while keeping her head bowed and slams the door behind her. I run after her, but I am too late -I can feel the wind from the door closing. I start pounding on the door, and I don't care who is around to hear it. I am thinking about something else when I suddenly become aware of another car pulling up outside; Dave has arrived. The door is opened by Mel, who appears flustered.
“Zak?! What’s going on, why are you banging -” I rush past her and she cries out dramatically. With a quick look back to ensure she’s okay I continue up the stairs in my search for Izzie.
She is in her room, sitting on her bed with her head down. I notice that her room was bare of trinkets and things.
She mumbles, "I completely forgot about my laptop."
I freeze in the doorway, half due to the fact that I am terrified of taking another step forward and half due to the fact that I am terrified that Izzie would bolt out of the door if I moved.
As a result of both the pursuit and my nerves, I am breathing very heavily.
"Izzie, Izzie, will you please look at me?" I insist on it.
Her stunningly beautiful blue eyes stray upwards in my direction as she looks at me.
"Is it true? Are you pregnant?"
