Every customer that walks into this cafe has their own special story to tell.
This short story collection explores those individuals' day-to-day tales and heartwarming everyday instances. Observed from the warm, blue eyes of the quaint little hot ch...
"Everything happens for a reason. What? It's an original quote. Honest." -Grams
"It looks like it is going to rain again." Gramps walked towards the big glass window of his shop, his eyes looked up towards the gloomy sky. "I am not sure if our generator can withstand another storm."
The Hot Chocolate shop had a small generator that would meet the basic light requirements of the shop. It was pretty handy especially when the lights would go out in their area. Even the onset of a storm or strong winds trips the locality wires, causing a temporary blackout till someone from the municipality fixes them again.
"What?" Delia stood next to him and also looked up at the sky, "I don't think so." she said dismissively, waving at Gramps, "It just looks as grey as it always does during this time of year."
Aiden joined them and pressed his hand against the glass, furrowing his eyebrows, "Umm... I think Gramps may be ri-"
"So Gramps! What do you think of our set up?" Delia quickly interrupted Aiden and pulled him to the side. Gramps noticed this and smiled.
"Don't tell him that!" Delia hissed at Aiden, "He might cancel the event! And our chance of earning more money for the store!" Aiden opened his mouth to say something but then decided against it. Best not to mess with the ambitious side of Delia here.
"Hmmm," Gramps interrupted them, clearly aware of what Delia and Aiden were talking about but pretended not to. "I quite like what you have done with the place."
He smiled at their attempt to 'jazz' up the shop as much as they could.
Andy and Aiden spent the whole week trying to add bits and pieces to contribute to their festive night of music. Andy strung up some white fairy lights against the walls, letting them fall into parallel lines, almost making a curtain against the sides of the store. And Aiden helped hang some red Chinese lanterns his mom had lying around from a frenzied trip to China town. He strung them through a line of bulb lights and charmingly scattered them over the ceiling of the shop.
In fact, Gramps in the spirit of things even took some of his very retro candlestick holders and placed one on each table. "Why do we need candles?" Aiden asked him, "Won't the lights be sufficient?"
"I think they are really pretty." Andy playfully punched Aiden on the shoulders as she made space on each table. "Makes the whole place look... Romantic," she continued, slowly looking up at Aiden who looked really uncomfortable.
Aiden quickly mumbled something about excusing himself, leaving a confused Aiden and a chuckling Gramps to finish decorating the rest of the tables.
There was also a big white rented screen placed in the corner, just in front of the bookshelves, and a rented projector placed a few feet away from the screen. They rented out two mikes, for duo songs, and also a machine with the list of the latest and oldest songs.
Around 6 p.m, thirty minutes before they let people coming in, Delia walks in with her boxes assuming to contain her 'special food item' for the night.
"Behold!" she announced while removing the lids of the boxes to show 6 loaves of cake covered with a thick cream, "Karao-cake with vanilla buttercream frosting."
When no one said a word, Delia exasperatedly raised her hands in mock frustration, "Karao-ke, Carrot-cake, Karao-cake, get it now?"
This earned her a small applause of appreciation, to which she bowed. "Thank you, thank you, I think it's quite clever too."
At 6:30 p.m. sharp Aiden and Andy, who volunteered to help, waited by the door, ready to welcome anyone who arrived for their special night.
At 7 p.m Aiden was serving his mom, their only customer, her 2nd slice of 'Kareo-cake' who was now having a light-hearted conversation with Gramps.
At 7:15 p.m Delia suddenly stood up from her chair and surprisingly again, banged her fist against the table in frustration. "Where is everyone? Why has no one showed up yet?"
"Don't worry, I am sure they would be coming in any minute now," Gramps assured her.
Delia walked out the door and looked across the street. There was no one to be seen.
"But we did everything," she said dejectedly as she walked back inside. "We did the promotion, the publicity, the fliers, everything!" Delia sat down on a chair and placed her head in her hands.
Andy gently patted her on the shoulder, not knowing what to say. She looked at the rest who looked as disheartened. Except for Gramps, of course. He was just sad to see Delia so disappointed considering she worked so hard.
"It's okay, dear" Gramps sat down next to her. "Sometimes things don't go as planned. Now that shouldn't stop us from having fun. Let's have our own Karaoke night. Even if it's just us."
Everyone murmured in an agreement which made Delia look up. "I guess we can have some fun too" she sniffed.
But no sooner had she said it, the bell of the store door chimed, and two girls walked in.
***
A third part awaits. This story is getting a little longer than expected. What do you think will happen next?
Also, need something sweet to beat the mid-week blues? Here is what I can imagine the Karao-cake to look like!
www.daysofrainandsummer.com
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