Missing

“Hey, Angela, you want the usual or are you going to mess with me again?” Tom Hadley the owner of Tom’s Café and Diner smiled as he teased her as he started pouring her coffee before she could respond.

“A person tries something different one time, and she never hears the end of it.” Angela Wilcox said, rolling her eyes. One look at Tom and they were laughing.

“I know, but what else can I tease you about. You look so perfect with your designer outfit, salon styled hair and runway shoes,” coming out from behind the counter, he looked down at her feet. “I don’t understand why women feel the need to wear such shoes. It’s crazy.”

“They’re called stilettos and we have this same conversation every morning.” Angela said as she turned her foot sideways. “Besides they enhance my calves; at least according to the saleslady.”

”That may be, but give me a pair of running shoes and I’m happy as a hungry hippo.”

Angela laughed. “You mean, ‘happy as a lark,’.”

“That’s what I meant.” Tom laughed. He grabbed a copy of a newspaper and pointed to a table. “I’ll just set this coffee down for you over here." He waited for her to follow him, and then placed her coffee mug on the table. "I read the article on the front page of this paper of yours." He waved it in front of her. "It was well written and easy to read.”

Angela blushed as she took the paper and scanned it, “thank you. I’ve been looking forward to seeing it, but it’s not my paper; I just work there; reporting the news.”

Tom shrugged and pulled out his phone. “Semantics, someday you will be running things down there." He held up his phone and asked, "Do you mind taking a photo with me? I’m going to hang a copy on my wall of fame.”

“Okay,” Angela squealed with delight and then checked to see who had heard it. No one was looking. She sighed with relief. I’ve always wanted to be on that wall and it’s finally happening. She turned her attention back to Tom and his camera. Her eyes sparkled as she smiled bright for the picture. Tom clicked the photo with her holding the paper.

“Perfect,” he said, showing her the picture. “I’ll send it to the photo shop and have them print out a 10 by 13 and then frame it. You’ll see it hanging right over there tomorrow morning when you come in.

A loud crash in the back room caused them to jump. “What’s happened now?” Tom asked.

Angela shrugged. “I hope it’s nothing to expensive.”

“You and me both,” Tom said looking toward where the crash had taken place, and then turning back to her, he added, “No rest for the weary;” he winked at her and then was gone to deal with the problem.

Angela sat down at the table and grinned as she perused the paper. The article she’d written about a Member of Ontario's Provincial Parliament’s reckless spending habits was the lead story. She opened to the second page and there was the rest of it.

She’d spent months interviewing key individuals, researching and then re-interviewing those same people again. She’d checked public records, sifted through emails, reports and even followed several people until she’d finally, with the help of others and an anonymous informant in Parliament, uncovered the scandal. It felt good to get a little recognition for her hard work.

Angela sipped her coffee, savouring the flavour and inhaling the aroma. Coffee, a true gift from the gods. She felt the hair on the back of her neck rise and a chill ran down her spine. She looked around the café and caught a man watching her. She turned away, and then twisted around to peer at him. He was still looking at her. She studied him.

He had brown hair, dark eyes and square jaw. His long legs stretched out under the table. His clothes were non-descriptive; no-name jeans and a checkered button up shirt which fit nicely. None of it said much about him except that though he wasn’t wealthy he still liked to wear clothes that look good on him. The man checked his watch, stood up and came over to her.

“Mind if I join you?” He asked as he pulled the chair across from her out and sat down.

Angela gaped at him. He stared back. After what seemed like an eternity of awkward silence to Angela, but was likely less than fifteen seconds, the man spoke again. “My name is Michael Green. I’m a Photographer.”

Angela remained silent, but took a sip of her coffee. Swallowing, she placed the cup back on the table and said, “Well, Mr. Green...”

“Call me Michael.” He said.

“Mr. Green,” Angela continued. “I’m sure that most women would swoon when a good-looking guy such as yourself stops to talk to them, but I’m not most women.”

“So, you admit that I’m good-looking,” Michael grinned.

Angela shrugged, “I’m not opposed to noticing a good looking man; doesn’t mean I’m going to swoon for him.

Michael laughed.

Angela looked at her watch. “What is it you want, Mr. Green?”

Leaning forward, he looked her directly in the eyes and asked, “Do you know who you are?”

Angela started to laugh, but looking at him she could tell that he was serious with his question. She nodded slowly as she said, “Yes I do,” She paused before adding. “Right now, I’m someone who would like you to leave. You're making me very uncomfortable.”

Michael stood up. “While I can't apologize for your discomfort, I do empathize with you. I just ask you to reconsider the question.”

He turned around and walked away, not even glancing back at her. Before she had time to give what he said much thought other than ’what’s that supposed to mean’, her phone rang. The display lit up with her father’s name. She hit the answer button.

“Hey dad,” she said “I’m just about headed over in a second.”

“Okay Angel." Her father still used the nickname he’d given her as a child. “Ms. Simpson was wondering if you could add a couple of extra blueberry turnover’s to the order this morning. She has a nephew staying with her for a while and she’d like to get him a couple of them to cheer him up. He’s down on his luck at the moment.”

“Sure, dad, no problem,” Angela said. “I’ll be there soon. Bye.”

She hung up and went to the front counter. Louisa, the barista was starring off into the distance. “Hi, Louise,” Angela said. “May I get the usual order, plus two extra blueberry turnovers this morning?”

“Sure thing,” Louise said, then continued, "If you add an extra turnover, there's a discount for buying a half dozen. Instead of paying $2.25 for each one, you will pay $2.00 per turnover."

"Make it a half dozen, then," Angela said.

"All right, Ang," Louise began humming while she went to get Angela's order filled.

I wonder what she was thinking about. It must be something good, for her to be humming.

Louise finished filling her order and then came over with Angela's coffees in a cup tray and the turnovers in a box. She placed it all on the counter and then rang up the total. She said, “That’ll be $16.89.”

Angela handed her a twenty. “Thanks, Louise. You’re the best. Keep the change.”

"Thanks," Louise smiled at her. "You have a good day."

"You too." Angela said as she grabbed everything off the counter. She had to place the coffee tray onto the box of turnovers. Thankfully dad's law offices are near here. She leaned into the door, shouldered it open and left the café.