Tomorrow was her birthday. It was Wednesday, her busiest day, she was up from early morning and didn't arrive home until late at night, well, after the 21.00hrs. There was simply no time to meet and spend a moment together. By the time he would wake up, she would have gone and by the time she would arrive he would still be at work. Good they knew each other so well. He knew she didn't care much for big celebrations, but that details were extremely important for her. He knew what he would do. He would have dinner ready for her , so that way, when she came back, something made entirely by himself would be waiting. He slept soundly after that.
Next day, when he woke up only her scent was left in her pillow, he hugged it trying to absorb the last of it. He got his sneakers and got dressed for a short jog. On his way back home he went to her favourite coffee shop to buy a quarter of freshly ground grain. They had ran out of her favourite variety. Mmm, it was still good time to look somewhere else. There was another coffee shop not so far. He went home and picked the car. He aimed to the other coffee shop. Not open... yet. He had to wait half an hour, he saw his watch. No problem, he could read something in the meantime and advance with his research. Problem was, he hadn't got a pencil with him. He asked for a stationery and got one. When he got back the coffee shop had opened. They didn't work that kind of grain there, but they knew a place on a nearby neighbourhood that did. He decided to go home and take his shower, and on the way to the office he would pick up the coffee. It was late now. No time for breakfast. Never mind, he would grab a bite somewehere, an OXXO, a Seven Eleven, anywhere.
On the way to the office he spotted the coffee shop. Finally they had the grain she loved. Great! They even packed it in a cool aluminium can so he could refrigerate it and not damage its delicate perfume. He arrived to the office and put the can in the fridge. He went straight to his place and his secretary gave him his messages and his schedule for the day. She was a good lady, like a mother, always there to help him through. She had even brought him a sandwich. He had forgotten to buy his own breakfast.
At noon, he decided to go downstairs to the small bistro and have a soup and a sandwich with some salad. The sandwich was so good he asked if they made to take out and they did. He took it home and placed it on a special occassion plate with a nice napkin and he decided to set the coffee machine to prepare the coffee. Their coffe machine was very special. It was programmable. You put the ingredients --water and the coffee-- and then it had a clock which started warming the water and filtering the coffee at the time you wanted, even if you weren't there. This was a tricky task. Mmm, what time would be a good time? Her time was around 21.00, but she was never there on time, so he would set it at 21.10 to give it ten minutes to cool, she didn't like hot stuff, just warm enough. She didn't like it too strong, neither too weak. He knew how many teaspoons were correct. He took out her favourite cup, the one painted with cats all around, sure she would enjoy her cup of coffee. But as soon as he took the coffee to add it to the machine he realized there were no more coffee filters. Gosh! What was wrong today?
He ran to the supermarket and there he found them, neatly packed. He had a few minutes before going back to the office. A woman with what seemed constantly sprouting children was before him. The baby was crying, a toddler glared at him, the twins were struggling over a robot, another was on all fours crawling and bawling like the baby and tugging at his mom's skirt, the poor woman was on the brink of a nervous attack when the cashier told her she was missing fifty cents. The poor woman couldn't hold the bay and the purse any longer, he was so desperate he paid the woman's bill, he helped pushing the cart and then with the bags to her car. He gave the children such a stern look, they all crawled into the car in perfect silence and the mother couldn't thank him enough. He just wanted to leave to make the coffee.
He was exhausted. He turned on the radio and a soft jazz came in. It soothed him. He ran upstairs and prepared the coffee. One teaspoon and a half. A cup of water and a bit more. Set the clock at 21.10 and go. He was at peace.
When he came back at night, he found the plate empty, the coffe jug full and a note with her perfume and her handwriting saying, "Thanks honey. I didn't drink the coffe, but I ate the sandwich." She had had too much cake AND coffee at her own office.
Next day, when he woke up only her scent was left in her pillow, he hugged it trying to absorb the last of it. He got his sneakers and got dressed for a short jog. On his way back home he went to her favourite coffee shop to buy a quarter of freshly ground grain. They had ran out of her favourite variety. Mmm, it was still good time to look somewhere else. There was another coffee shop not so far. He went home and picked the car. He aimed to the other coffee shop. Not open... yet. He had to wait half an hour, he saw his watch. No problem, he could read something in the meantime and advance with his research. Problem was, he hadn't got a pencil with him. He asked for a stationery and got one. When he got back the coffee shop had opened. They didn't work that kind of grain there, but they knew a place on a nearby neighbourhood that did. He decided to go home and take his shower, and on the way to the office he would pick up the coffee. It was late now. No time for breakfast. Never mind, he would grab a bite somewehere, an OXXO, a Seven Eleven, anywhere.
On the way to the office he spotted the coffee shop. Finally they had the grain she loved. Great! They even packed it in a cool aluminium can so he could refrigerate it and not damage its delicate perfume. He arrived to the office and put the can in the fridge. He went straight to his place and his secretary gave him his messages and his schedule for the day. She was a good lady, like a mother, always there to help him through. She had even brought him a sandwich. He had forgotten to buy his own breakfast.
At noon, he decided to go downstairs to the small bistro and have a soup and a sandwich with some salad. The sandwich was so good he asked if they made to take out and they did. He took it home and placed it on a special occassion plate with a nice napkin and he decided to set the coffee machine to prepare the coffee. Their coffe machine was very special. It was programmable. You put the ingredients --water and the coffee-- and then it had a clock which started warming the water and filtering the coffee at the time you wanted, even if you weren't there. This was a tricky task. Mmm, what time would be a good time? Her time was around 21.00, but she was never there on time, so he would set it at 21.10 to give it ten minutes to cool, she didn't like hot stuff, just warm enough. She didn't like it too strong, neither too weak. He knew how many teaspoons were correct. He took out her favourite cup, the one painted with cats all around, sure she would enjoy her cup of coffee. But as soon as he took the coffee to add it to the machine he realized there were no more coffee filters. Gosh! What was wrong today?
He ran to the supermarket and there he found them, neatly packed. He had a few minutes before going back to the office. A woman with what seemed constantly sprouting children was before him. The baby was crying, a toddler glared at him, the twins were struggling over a robot, another was on all fours crawling and bawling like the baby and tugging at his mom's skirt, the poor woman was on the brink of a nervous attack when the cashier told her she was missing fifty cents. The poor woman couldn't hold the bay and the purse any longer, he was so desperate he paid the woman's bill, he helped pushing the cart and then with the bags to her car. He gave the children such a stern look, they all crawled into the car in perfect silence and the mother couldn't thank him enough. He just wanted to leave to make the coffee.
He was exhausted. He turned on the radio and a soft jazz came in. It soothed him. He ran upstairs and prepared the coffee. One teaspoon and a half. A cup of water and a bit more. Set the clock at 21.10 and go. He was at peace.
When he came back at night, he found the plate empty, the coffe jug full and a note with her perfume and her handwriting saying, "Thanks honey. I didn't drink the coffe, but I ate the sandwich." She had had too much cake AND coffee at her own office.
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