Music is a part of life, a part of who we are. You can go anywhere in the world and music will follow you. You can't escape it. Whenever you hear a song, it makes you wonder, is this song meant for me? Is this the song that represents who I am, shar...
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During the busier hours, Rosa tended to stay behind the counter, helping a couple of the chefs with the large number of orders flooding in. it was one of the things I loved about her. She helped everyone, no matter who you are. You were always welcome as far as she was concerned.
I spot Naomi at the counter and she waves over at me. Sending her a grin, I hold up the box in my hands. She nods and winks, turning around to talk to Rosa, as we had discussed yesterday. I walk to the counter, placing the box down and pulling out the cake I made. I light the candles with the lighter in the box then turn to Ethan, who's leaning against the counter on his phone.
"Could you do that whistle thing you're good at please? You know, the wolf whistle?"
He nods silently, pocketing his phone, then puts two fingers to his mouth and blows a loud whistle that cuts through the crowd of diners. Everyone turns to look at us. My breathing picks up and my palms start sweating. I wipe my hands on my jeans and take a deep breath.
I can do this.
"Hey everyone! I uh... I don't know if you know this but today is a pretty special day." I turn my head to the side and look into Rosa's surprised but happy eyes.
"Today we say Happy Birthday to one of the sweetest, most caring women in town, not to mention the best cook." A few people laugh at that, soothing my anxiety slightly.
"I would like everyone here to join me in singing Happy Birthday to this wonderful lady over here," I say, holding my hand out to Rosa who steps forward and takes a hold of it, squeezing it tightly. There were tears glittering in her eyes as I pulled her over to the counter where the cake is.
"Happy Birthday to you," I start, hoping people will join in with me.
Slowly, they did. Soon, everyone in the café was singing with me. To Rosa. The most incredible woman I have ever met. The person who is more of a mother to me than my own.
"Happy Birthday dear Rosa!" There was a long pause, followed by laughter.
Azura, who had taken it upon herself to conduct the song, brought us in for the last line with a dramatic lifting of her hands. "Happy Birthday to you!"
Loud cheers and claps fill the café as Rosa blows out the candles, laughing happily at everyone's reaction. She walks around the edge of the counter and pulls me in for a tight hug. Her hugs were always the best: warm and motherly, they filled the void my own mother couldn't fill.
I gently squeeze her tighter, ignoring the sounds of animated chatter and a camera shutter going off until it was just me and her standing there in a tight embrace, everything else unimportant and distant.
"Oh, we can't forget about Ethan now, can we?" Rosa exclaims, releasing me and grabbing Ethan in a bone crushing hug. I laugh at the look of pure surprise on his face from the sudden gesture, but it soon melts into a wide smile as he returns the hug, albeit slightly gentler.
"These pictures are great! You should get them framed," Azura says as she walks over to stand next to me, waving her camera in front of my face.
"You know, maybe I'll be able to see them if you stop waving the camera around," I jokingly chastise, earning a small glare from my friend. "How long have you had that out for though?" I ask curiously, not having noticed it before it was literally right in front of me.
"I have had it with me the whole time," she shrugs. "I always have it with me. Even at school. You never know when there's a chance to take a picture of something memorable."
"So you're really into photography then, huh?"
"Yeah, I am. My dad bought me my first camera when I was seven. The passion built from there. I hope to become a professional one day," she explains with a soft smile, lowering the camera around her neck slightly as she talks. "Since moving here there's been lots to see. It's very different from home." Her smile falters a bit as she says this. "Anyway, I'm going to take some more pictures." Azura's grin returns to full beam, not quite reaching her eyes, and she turns to the counter where the cake is.
"Do I get a hug too, Rosie darling?"
I whirl towards the entrance where the voice cam from, noticing Ethan do the same. We both should have expected something like this to happen, knowing how much she loved a dramatic entrance, but of course, we didn't even consider it.
