Storm
Demetria gazed through the glass at the snow falling softly to the ground outside of the coffee shop. The contrast between the quiet of the snow and the shrill of the sounds of the city was jarring to say the least. She noticed herself in a daze, unblinking, people watching. Her breath slowed as she felt her body going into a meditative state.
“I can’t believe how hard it is to get a cup of coffee in this place,” the loud yell of a chair being pulled from the other side of her table broke her stare outside returning her to reality. She could hear the music from the coffee shop again, the sound of the espresso machine, the pouring of brewed coffee.
The one responsible for breaking her trance was none other than her partner who must of course always make their entrance with a loud and irritable tone, Elliot.
”20 minutes, 20 minutes that’s how long it took for a latte,” he said. Shaking off his coat letting all the snow fall to the tile floor which would soon melt and become slippery in a moment.
Demetria knew not to respond to this. He was in a bad mood, as always. She did however subtly glance to her right to see the long line of customers waiting to be assisted. It’s a busy day. She thought. The world does not revolve around you, Elliot.
Elliot then drank from his cup and spat out the coffee almost immediately. “Damn, too hot,” he said. “The service here is just atrocious.”
I longed for the meditative state to return. I wished for the silence to come back.
”Darling, wouldn’t you agree?” He asked me. His body threatened but his voice was smooth as honey, charismatic.
”Atrocious,” I said, challenging his eye contact. I knew to say nothing more.
”Very good,” he smiled. A gloss grew over my eyes, I could feel it, the emptiness. If this was all there really was to love, I could truly be content with being alone forever while never being lonely. You could do it now. Just say goodbye and it would be over forever. He’d probably throw the chair in this coffee shop almost murdering a barista if I did that. Besides he would always find me.
He tested the coffee on his lips again and then drank from the cup.
“Excuse me sir, is that your porsche that appears to be getting towed? I thought I saw you both parking that vehicle earlier,” a man in a solid, dark green army jacket and jeans said approaching our table. Without looking up from my coffee, I took mental note that Elliot’s porsche was out of sight from the cafe’s view. Thankful for the interruption from this man but unsure what was happening, I said nothing. Like night and day Elliot turned on his charm and standing up to put a hand on the man’s shoulder, “Thank you, sir. I’ll look into it,” he said as he rushed out the front door down the street towards his Porsche.
After I heard the bell on the door chime, I raised my head to meet eyes with the man. I immediately noticed his eyes. They were a dark, dark espresso shade with green rings on the edges of his irises. He wore a black stone necklace around his neck. “He’s very good,” the man said.
This took me aback. “I’m not sure what you mean?” I asked him strangely, feeling unable to break eye contact.
”I didn’t mean to eavesdrop but I overheard your conversation. He’s very… persuasive, isn’t he?”
I was speechless. When words came to me I said, “You’re quite perceptive? What’s your name?”
”James,” he said reaching out a hand. I took his hand in mine to shake. Toned, writer’s mark on his ring finger, he’s an artist, maybe painting? I jumped a bit as his temperature met my hand. His hands were like ice.
“Not painting, but usually charcoal,” he said.
I felt my breath stop. “What did you say?” I asked my voice barely audible.
“You are quite perceptive too, it seems,” he responded. I could’ve sworn the green in his irises flashed gold as he said this.
”This may be a bit unprecedented but I sell artwork downtown. I’d pitch you some of my work, but I’d rather you visit me so I can learn all about this.. Elliot,” he said handing me a business card. James Dagron ~ Charcoals, Sketches, and Photography ~ Dagron Studios NYC
The chime of the bell from the door broke our gaze. Without turning, I could hear footsteps approaching, fast and strong. Those familiar footsteps, Elliot’s, and he was angrier now. My spine stiffened and my neck straightened at the sound. Before I could ask any questions, I took the card from James and held it in my hands under the table out of sight from Elliot.
James looked at me and I could’ve sworn as he did so his green irises flashed gold again, but he didn’t break eye contact with me. My brow furrowed at this. A trick of the light?
Elliot reached the table, I could almost hear his heart racing and feel the heat coming off of him in anger. The words to come though, those sweet, calm words that would leave his lips. James was right, he is good. “It looks like you were mistaken, must have been another buddy’s Porsche, but thanks for the heads up man,” he said to James patting him on the shoulder.
James took a beat too long to break eye contact with me, his irises still espresso and…gold, before turning to face Elliot.
”Of course, better safe than sorry,” James smiled at Elliot kindly, but I caught him glancing back at me on the word “safe”. I looked down to avoid eye contact with him now, but before I did so I saw that the gold had left his irises now. The edges were back to their deep green shade. Unmistakable, the brown contrasts too drastically with the green. They had definitely changed to gold temporarily, but isn’t that impossible?
James turned to pick up his coffee from the pick up counter, then walked past us through the front door into the night.
”That bastard - making me walk out into the freezing cold for nothing. Wasting my time,” Elliot huffed as he sat back down at the table. He then began to practically chug his coffee.
I looked down at my hands at the business card and flashed it gently back and forth in my hands. The words had been printed in gold and reflected off the ceiling lights. Elliot… I never told James his name was Elliot.
