The Emeryville Coffee Shop Owner
Post 14
“I wish I didn’t love Billie Joe. Why can’t I be happy with Drew?” I asked Tre who was waiting for his frappacino. He looked at me carefully before speaking.
“You can’t control who you fall in love with. If you could it wouldn’t be as magical.” I gave him a smile.
“Thanks Tre.” What he said had made sense. I can’t change my love for Billie to love for Drew. I walked into the back and picked up the phone.
“Hello?” Drew answered the phone on the first ring. He was like that, always on time, always trying to be perfect; it annoyed the crap out of me most of the time because no one is perfect so why pretend.
“Hi Drew, listen when you get a chance can you drop by the coffee corner?” I asked him as nicely as I could.
“Anything wrong Roni?”
“No, just come by when you have a chance.”
“Well I’ll come right now. I was gonna go grab a coffee with my partner anyway.” He tells me.
“Okay, see you soon.” I hang up before he can tell me anything sweet, knowing it’ll just make it harder.
I walked out into the front room and paced. I was antsy. A few minutes later Drew walked in.
“Hey Roni.”
“Hi Drew, um can I talk to you in the back.” Right as I said that Billie walked through the door.
This day just keeps getting better.
Billie raised an eyebrow as I led Drew into the back but I ignored him.
“What’s up?” Drew asked as I closed the door.
“Drew I’m really sorry but this isn’t working out. I think it’s time to call it quits on this relationship, there is just no spark between us.” I said softly. I looked up at Drew and could see him struggling to keep his emotions in check, always trying to be perfect.
“Was I not good enough for you?”
“No Drew, you’re always perfect. Actually Drew that’s part of the problem. No one is perfect yet you try so hard to be. You cover up you’re flaws but what you don’t realize is everyone has imperfections and you can’t just pretend that your perfect, it makes everyone around you feel inadequate.” I explained to him calmly. He nodded but kept his stony face of no emotion. I sighed and walked out of the room. Drew followed me and left without a word. I sighed and put my head in my hands.
“So you like imperfect men now?” Billie noted.
“Shut up Armstrong.” I fired at him and began making hot chocolates for a group of girls that walked in. Tre left with Katy who was on her break and the group of girls walked out, leaving me and Billie alone.
“Look Roni, I’m really sorry about before and I know I’ve already said that but I’m going to keep saying till you actually forgive me.” Billie softly told me while walking over to the counter. I looked up at him. After a minute Billie turned around and began to walk out.
“I forgive you Billie.” He turned and smiled at me before leaving. “But I hate you for being you because I can not seem to stop loving you.” I whispered the last bit and sighed.
***
Two days later I’m sitting outside on the sidewalk, resting my back against the wall of the now closed Coffee Corner. Billie, Mike, and Tre walk over.
“What’s wrong?” Mike asked looking from me to the closed Coffee Corner.
“Hi guys, Tre I already sent Katy home.” Tre nodded but didn’t move.
“What happened Roni?” Billie asked me.
“Oh, four main water pipes broke in the upstairs apartments. The Coffee Corner became a little flooded and no one in the building has any water. And because four pipes broke at once, though god knows how that happened, it won’t be fixed for about a month. That means no water and no money for a month; though I’m still gonna give Katy her pay because she can’t suffer for faulty piping.” I sighed and rested my chin on my knees.
“Don’t worry about Katy I’ll pay for everything she needs for a month, you can’t offer her money that you don’t have to give.” Tre said and left to go tell Katy that he would help her out money wise.
“Great, that’s one problem solved. You guys head over to Starbucks if you want coffee.” I told Mike and Billie. Mike nodded and turned to leave but Billie stayed put.
“What about you? How are you gonna get by with no income or water for a month?” he wanted to know.
“I’m figuring it out.”
“Why don’t you stay with me?” He offered, even Mike looked surprised at that statement.
“No Billie, I don’t want to inconvenience you. I’ll be fine.”
“Hey, you have been helping me for years with your advice; it’s my turn to help you.” I shook my head.
“Roni, I think you should take him up on this.” Mike told me before I could say no again. I sighed.
“Fine. Let’s go get my stuff.” I led Billie up to my now damp apartment to help me get what I would need for a month.
“You can’t control who you fall in love with. If you could it wouldn’t be as magical.” I gave him a smile.
“Thanks Tre.” What he said had made sense. I can’t change my love for Billie to love for Drew. I walked into the back and picked up the phone.
“Hello?” Drew answered the phone on the first ring. He was like that, always on time, always trying to be perfect; it annoyed the crap out of me most of the time because no one is perfect so why pretend.
“Hi Drew, listen when you get a chance can you drop by the coffee corner?” I asked him as nicely as I could.
“Anything wrong Roni?”
“No, just come by when you have a chance.”
“Well I’ll come right now. I was gonna go grab a coffee with my partner anyway.” He tells me.
“Okay, see you soon.” I hang up before he can tell me anything sweet, knowing it’ll just make it harder.
I walked out into the front room and paced. I was antsy. A few minutes later Drew walked in.
“Hey Roni.”
“Hi Drew, um can I talk to you in the back.” Right as I said that Billie walked through the door.
This day just keeps getting better.
Billie raised an eyebrow as I led Drew into the back but I ignored him.
“What’s up?” Drew asked as I closed the door.
“Drew I’m really sorry but this isn’t working out. I think it’s time to call it quits on this relationship, there is just no spark between us.” I said softly. I looked up at Drew and could see him struggling to keep his emotions in check, always trying to be perfect.
“Was I not good enough for you?”
“No Drew, you’re always perfect. Actually Drew that’s part of the problem. No one is perfect yet you try so hard to be. You cover up you’re flaws but what you don’t realize is everyone has imperfections and you can’t just pretend that your perfect, it makes everyone around you feel inadequate.” I explained to him calmly. He nodded but kept his stony face of no emotion. I sighed and walked out of the room. Drew followed me and left without a word. I sighed and put my head in my hands.
“So you like imperfect men now?” Billie noted.
“Shut up Armstrong.” I fired at him and began making hot chocolates for a group of girls that walked in. Tre left with Katy who was on her break and the group of girls walked out, leaving me and Billie alone.
“Look Roni, I’m really sorry about before and I know I’ve already said that but I’m going to keep saying till you actually forgive me.” Billie softly told me while walking over to the counter. I looked up at him. After a minute Billie turned around and began to walk out.
“I forgive you Billie.” He turned and smiled at me before leaving. “But I hate you for being you because I can not seem to stop loving you.” I whispered the last bit and sighed.
***
Two days later I’m sitting outside on the sidewalk, resting my back against the wall of the now closed Coffee Corner. Billie, Mike, and Tre walk over.
“What’s wrong?” Mike asked looking from me to the closed Coffee Corner.
“Hi guys, Tre I already sent Katy home.” Tre nodded but didn’t move.
“What happened Roni?” Billie asked me.
“Oh, four main water pipes broke in the upstairs apartments. The Coffee Corner became a little flooded and no one in the building has any water. And because four pipes broke at once, though god knows how that happened, it won’t be fixed for about a month. That means no water and no money for a month; though I’m still gonna give Katy her pay because she can’t suffer for faulty piping.” I sighed and rested my chin on my knees.
“Don’t worry about Katy I’ll pay for everything she needs for a month, you can’t offer her money that you don’t have to give.” Tre said and left to go tell Katy that he would help her out money wise.
“Great, that’s one problem solved. You guys head over to Starbucks if you want coffee.” I told Mike and Billie. Mike nodded and turned to leave but Billie stayed put.
“What about you? How are you gonna get by with no income or water for a month?” he wanted to know.
“I’m figuring it out.”
“Why don’t you stay with me?” He offered, even Mike looked surprised at that statement.
“No Billie, I don’t want to inconvenience you. I’ll be fine.”
“Hey, you have been helping me for years with your advice; it’s my turn to help you.” I shook my head.
“Roni, I think you should take him up on this.” Mike told me before I could say no again. I sighed.
“Fine. Let’s go get my stuff.” I led Billie up to my now damp apartment to help me get what I would need for a month.