Master Plan {d. dobrik}

4

The first place Emily took David to was her favorite coffee shop of all time. Knowing David wasn't a big coffee drinker, it was the perfect first stop because they also served lunch foods.

"The Metal Boot?" David said as more of a question as they looked up at the small building before them, slight disgust laced in his voice.

Emily gently hit him. "Try not to act so excited," she said sarcastically, "This is the best local restaurant you'll ever go to, I promise."

David let out a sigh as he followed behind Emily. She opened the door with a wide smile on her face, the aroma of coffee filling her nostrils. David watched her with a small smile on his face. Although he was quite unsure about the restaurant, knowing it made Emily so happy to be there made him push his uncertainties completely out of his mind.

"Emily!" an older woman called out from behind the counter. She had faded blonde hair and stood no taller than five foot three. She wore a blue blouse with a white apron tied around her waist and a name tag that said Dorris.

"Hi, Dorris," Emily said, harboring a big smile as Dorris came around the counter to hug the young brunette.

"Who's your handsome friend?" Dorris asked when they let go of their hug.

Emily chuckled as David's cheeks turned a slight shade of pink. "Dorris, this is David, my best friend. David, this is Dorris. She owns the place and used to be my boss," Emily introduced them.

Dorris smacked her lips. "Oh, please," she said before turning to David, "Emily was the best employee I've ever had. Harold truly loved you, my dear."

"Harold?" David asked.

"My late husband. He passed away two years ago this year," Dorris explained.

Emily smiled sadly as David nodded and apologized for her loss. They informed Dorris they would be seated at Emily's usual table before walking to the back right corner of the restaurant. The Metal Boot was a dim lit, cozy coffee shop diner. It had tan painted walls and dark wood floors with neutral colored tables and chairs. Emily loved the cozy feeling of the place, which is why she loved working there when she lived in New York.

"So, you used to work here?" David asked after they sat down.

Emily nodded. "Yeah. It was hard to say goodbye when I moved to LA, but I needed to leave," she said, ending with a sigh, "When Harold died, the place felt even more special to me. Dorris and Harold helped me through so much when I lived here, so leaving was really emotional."

David nodded as his eyebrows furrowed, another question forming in his head. "I never asked why you even moved to LA," he said.

Emily chuckled nervously, looking into her best friends brown eyes. "When you're young, people always say New York and LA are the two places where dreams come true. I grew up in the heart of New York City. I met and watched so many people try and fail in New York. So, I went to LA. Still trying to figure out how to achieve my dream though," she explained, not completely lying to the boy.

"Which is?"

"Singing," she said quietly.

"Emily!" David said astonished.