Lydia walked briskly down the city streets, clutching the fabric of her white pea coat to her chest. The wind blew her chestnut hair into her face, obstructing the view of what otherwise would be described as a beautiful autumn morning. She peered quickly at her watch before shoving her hand back into her pocket, safe and warm. She had to walk three more blocks to reach her favorite coffee place and another six to work. Needing time to smooth her hair and clothes, she contemplated taking a cab the rest of the way to the stadium. As she turned the corner to the coffee shop, she had made up her mind to hail a taxi. She could feel a chill go through her body and didn't think she could handle going any farther by foot through the city.
Despite the fact that her body was frozen, she began to feel a slight ease as she came within steps of the coffee house. She knew there would be a vanilla latte waiting from Ben, a nice guy who had grown to understand her coffee-related needs over the past two years.
She had moved to Philadelphia for a job at the age of 22. The apartment she had was quite small, but the real estate agent had promised a safe neighborhood. Every day since, Lydia had made her way to the coffee shop for her morning caffeine. The first day she ever set foot in the shop, Ben had been her cashier. He commented on her cautious expression and asked if she was new to the area. As he began to make her coffee, they chatted about the city and he mentioned a few restaurants she should check out. His southern accent was soft but noticeable and she wondered how this cute guy had ended up working as a barista in Philadelphia.
As if he could read her mind, he began telling the tale of his journey from Red Bird, Tennessee to the city of brotherly love. He had fallen madly in love with a beautiful girl in Red Bird when he was just fourteen. They had grown up across the street and had spent a lifetime getting to know one another. He knew every quirk about her and overlooked every flaw. To others, it was puppy love but to the young couple, they each were perfect for the other. He told Lydia how he knew exactly how her hands felt laced with his and could recount the tale of every scratch and scar on her otherwise perfect skin. He closed his eyes, recalling how her hair always smelled like lavender and honeysuckle, telling Lydia it was a Tennessee thing. Her name was Sara and from the tender age of 14, they had made a promise to be together forever. Ben told Lydia that looking into Sara’s eyes was like a million fireworks going off at the same time and that feeling never ended. He knew he was in love.
Ben handed her the coffee, but Lydia didn’t make a move towards the door. She remained frozen to the spot, her eyes wide open in awe of the most romantic story she had ever heard. Her lingering prompted Ben to wrap his story up, as he quickly realized he was extremely uncomfortable. He had shared too much personal information with a stranger and now wanted this exchange to end.
Ben shifted uncomfortably and finally resumed the story. He told Lydia that he and Sara had gone to high school together and he had proposed to her in April of their senior year. He had waited until the day of her 18th birthday so no one could tell them they weren’t allowed to marry. He had taken her to dinner at the best place in town and had planned to drive out to a small pond near their homes. They had spent many summers together fishing and exploring the area. He knew Sara would find this spot to be just as special and worthy of a proposal as he did.
Lydia remembered being taken aback by this story, and was hoping with every fiber that the story would end with Sara and him running off and eloping. How they ended up in Philadelphia was probably another romantic tale she would swoon over. However, she watched Ben’s eyes darken dramatically. The sparkle that came instantly upon speaking Sara’s name was now replaced with a furrowed brow and a long, heavy sigh. Ben told her that things don’t always work out the way people plan and Sara had urged him to move onto a new life. She had told him to leave Red Bird because all that the town held for him was memories of the past. He needed to start fresh in a place where nothing reminded him of her or their time together. And that was how Ben from Red Bird, Tennessee ended up in Philadelphia.
