Love over Coffee

Ch. 1

The wind softly carried the smell of freshly brewed tea. A caress in the crowded streets of Liora, the port city of the kingdom of Wisteria. Some people came by the store to smell the tea, but never buy some. Others, and rarely at that, came to sit and chat with me. Most however, came by my little store to get a cup of warm milk-tea and a small pastry to go with it. The customers weren't many, but they did come in small groups of three or four at a time, to chat amongst themselves , and enjoy a few of my baked goods. Right now it was evening, and not many customers were lounging around the small place.

"Celestia!" I turned my head over to where the sound came from.

"Yes, Mrs. Lavo?" She was an elderly lady who came to my small establishment every Tuesday and Thursday, faithfully so. Never missed a day since I can remember. "Is there something I can help you with?"

"Oh no dear." She waved her hand. "I just wanted to come see that gorgeous hair of yours. It's pink, like that of a newly bloomed rose." I chuckled. Yes, before I was four I had been the talk of the town, and by now, everyone in the city knew me. That was majority of the customers that came here, just to see my hair and get a baked goodie while they were at it.

"Well thank you Mrs. Lavo." I grabbed my tray, and walked around for a bit, stopping by the window to see if anyone else was maybe interested in coming in. Otherwise I would simply turn in for the night. And I was tired. I looked back at the old mrs. and smiled at her. She was the sweetest lady ever. She'd been coming here to get tea and usually cake, since my grandparents opened this little tea-house.

As a matter of fact, most of the customers that came here faithfully were elders that knew my grandparents and parents, before the family business was passed down to me.

I walked to the various tables and began to gather the dirty cups and dishes, taking them with me to the counter, where I would run some hot water and rinse them out before scrubbing them with bubbly soap. After the washing was done, I would have to go and wipe the tables, as many of the customers had left by now, then set the silverware back in its place for every chair around the tables, and wash the napkins, leaving them to dry for tomorrow. "So much work." I whispered to myself. But huffed and gathered my strength to keep going.

Once Mrs. Lavo had bid her goodbyes and left, I closed the door behind her, placing the "closed" sign on one of the front windows. I sighed and squeezed my cheeks slightly, in an attempt to wake me up. It somewhat worked. While I washed the napkins I heard rain outside, so I ran out front and opened the door. "Haha! Its been so long, rain!" I giggled to myself. I loved rain. Only when it rained could dad and I get a real good sleep.

I sighed and looked up to the pouring sky. I miss you dad.

He had passed not too long ago, of an unknown disease. The doctors weren't able to help him, and soon my mother went too. I was an only child, no siblings unfortunately, so now I only had myself and this little memory of them. I left the door slightly ajar, so that the smell of rain and fresh grass would come in and swarm the place with the sweet autumn fragrance.

As I walked to the back of my tiny tea-house, I noticed a few water drops on the wooden floors, I panicked, "oh no!" I screeched and went to get a bucket. Of course the ceiling is leaking!! I face palmed and grabbed more buckets, as it started to rain harder, more leaks began to spring from the roof. Once that was done, I took my notebook full of "to-do" lists, and now I had to add 'fix the roof' to it. Like I had time for such things. I still needed to take inventory of my baking supplies, bake some more pastries because I was running out, get some ice from the ice-house, and get my tea-leaves into separate jars as I mixed and matched scents and flavours together. I groaned.

So many things to get done.

I looked at the little clock dad had made for the place; 9:45 pm. I yawned. Normally I wouldn't be tired at this hour, but this past week I had been waking up extra early to fold fresh napkins and arranging the place, putting a few things in the stone oven and grinding tea leaves.

"It's getting late, Celestia." I mumbled, and yawned again.. but I got interrupted mid-yawn. I groaned loudly.

"For the first prince's sake. What is it this time." I said kind of irritated, after hearing the bamboo door-panel start shaking vigorously. I turned around with a wooden spoon, ready to hit something.. or in this case a some-one.