Alan could keep the cafe running while she was gone. He'd know how to run the place for at least a few weeks. So she didn't need to get back anytime soon.

But she would need to withdraw cash before alan locked the account. She didn't expect him to do that....

There must've been something in the air, Joey thought. Not only was his coworker Tony acting weird. But he noticed his girlfriend Jane being weird too. She rustled her fingers through his hair. "You're so creative."

"What?" he asked. Trying to laugh it off.

"You're like one of those artist types."

"Jane. What...

Jimmy took a sip of the  coffee with his yes closed. Mid grade. Decent. not good. Not bad.

He kept his eyes closed and took another long sip. Then he opened them and saw the branding on it. It was his favorite cafe. Suddenly the coffee tasted better.

"you got any plans...

"Hello?"

"Will?"

"Oh hi mom."

"Why do you sound so--" she stopped. "-- are you coming home?"

"Yeah--"

"I mean you don't need to of course. You're an adult. But we were wondering. We'll keep the lights on if you are planning to."

"I'll be home soon."

Will shut the phone off and stared at it. Waiting...

I'll never forget, for years after  college graduation I feared  hunger so much that I had no mindspace to be worried about anything else.

This is why I could never get on board with what everyone else seemed to be upset about. All I could think about was how I'd get...

When he entered the  cafe , it was shadowed. Not dark, the  sun 's light made its way, filtered, to the main area where people were seated.

People were conversing, in hushed tones, now that the music was off. The person at the counter couldn't buy their coffee . The  barista...