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...
"Well, step into their shoes for once. And see just how big they are. No seriously, their shoe size is too big for you, Andrew."- Grams
"Gramps is WHAT?"
Aiden held his cellphone a couple of inches from his ear, as Delia shrieked on the other end.
"Sick, Delia. Gramps has the flu." Aiden replied calmly as he closed his building door and walked down the staircase, turning the corner that led to the Hot Chocklit Shop.
"But, how? I mean, he looked fine yesterday. Does he want me to come see him? I can bring a doctor and maybe some-"
"Delia, wait. Hold one." Aiden interrupted her and pulled out a crumpled sheet of paper from his sweatshirt pocket. "Gramps told me to tell you the following and I quote, 'Delia will have to handle the cash registry for a couple of day and check inventory. Also, tell Delia not to make buckets of soup, but she is going to insist anyway so try to negotiate it to half a bucket. And finally, tell Delia it is just a cold and not to freak out."
Aiden could hear Delia deeply sigh on the other end, "Gramps did not say 'freak out'... did he?"
"He did. The guy knows his teen-talk." Aiden turned the last corner and stood before the store, but instead of walking in, he slipped into the door that lead to a staircase going up to the first floor. "Anyway, so I am going to go see how he is doing and open the store up for him. See you later. Oh and Delia?"
"Yeah?" Delia replied sulkily.
"Half a bucket, alright?"
"God, alright already."
Aiden hasn't been up to Gramps' apartment for a really long time. In fact, he doesn't remember the last time he has been up here.
Gramps, doesn't let as many people come up either, he realized. Maybe he liked keeping is personal space as he likes it. Personal.
He knocked on a light brown door, and waited for Gramps to open it.
He looked around the floor and it looked like any other apartment floor in the area. What tugged his heart the most was that the name plate still said "Home of Andrew and Andrea Summers."
Gramps never bothered to replace it even years after Grams died.
After waiting for a while, Aiden grew a little suspicious and chose to use his spare key to Gramps apartment. But before he could take it out, the door clicked open and there stood Gramps, with a bright red nose.
"Gramps," Aiden walked inside and instantly smelled the staleness in the air. "You don't look so good.
"Well, I feel better than I look, I suppose." Gramps closed the door behind him, dressed in a track pantsuit that Aiden's mom had gotten him last Christmas. He had a scarf wrapped around his neck and a box of tissues cradled in another arm.
If Andy was here, he knew exactly what she would say. Gramps looks cute. In a grandfatherly way, of course.
Aiden shrugged off his sweatshirt as the temperature in the apartment was boiling, compared to the cool breeze outside. He sat down in an armchair and tried to remember Gramps apartment from the last time he had seen it.
It wasn't big, surely. It was a simple condo on the first floor of THCS building, with two bedrooms, two baths, a simple kitchen and living room overlooking the street. But despite Gramps being sick, nothing was out of place. Except maybe the pile of laundry that was placed suspiciously at the edge of the room.
Gramps sat in the armchair opposite him, bundling up in a throw blanket. He let out a sigh of relief as he relaxed into the chair and closed his eyes. This suddenly made Aiden notice how old Gramps really was. How could a man his age manage all this by himself? That pull in his heart came back. He didn't know what came over him, but he suddenly wanted to help.
"Can... do you want some lemon tea Gramps? My mom makes me some when I have a cold." Aiden called out cautiously. He has never made lemon tea before but he was sure he could make something hot. Gramps, with his eyes still closed, nodded his head.
Aiden instantly got to work. He rolled up his sleeves and called his mom to take him through the method of making the tea. He then called Andy and asked her (shyly, if Aiden had to kick himself to admit) if she was free to come over and help. Andy simply called him an idiot for being so formal and agreed to be there in ten minutes.
And finally, he called Delia and resigned to the thought of a whole bucket of chicken soup. Delia sounded so happy, almost as if Aiden told her she won a million dollars.
A couple of burned fingers later, he gently nudged Gramps awake and placed a hot cup ginger lemon tea into his hands and urged him to drink it before it got cold.
He then looked at his watch and realized he had about 45 minutes to open the store for the Saturday morning rush. At that moment, the doorbell rang and in walked Andy. Dressed in a jacket and jeans, with her hair still wet, and much to Aiden's amusement- leaving a scent of oranges and cinnamon behind her.
"Aww, Gramps!" she caught sight of the bundled old man and sat on the side of his armchair. "Are you ohkay?"
"I am quite alright. Just a little cold, you see." He took another sip of the tea and smiled at Aiden. "He made me some lemon tea so I feel much better."
"You made him tea? Like from scratch? Using a stove?" Andy looked at Aiden who was scowling at her sarcasm.
"I know how to cook, you know," Aiden replied dryly.
But Andy just ignored him and continued to fuss around Gramps.
Gramps had a ready set of instructions for Aiden with regards to the store and told him that if he was feeling better, he could come in later in the afternoon. Aiden simply brushed away his offer and told him to get to bed and rest. Delia and Aiden can manage the store perfectly fine.
And Gramps did not even fight that suggestion. He got up and with Andy's help went to his bedroom and instantly fell asleep. Andy gently laughed at his soft snores and gently closed the door behind him.
The room fell silent.
Andy and Aiden were left alone and unusually quiet. Andy, noticing this, tried to say something, but Aiden broke the silence first.
"Have you seen how Grams looked like?"
***
Trying something new with the tonality in this one, let me know what you think!
Have a creatively happy week :)
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