WHO: Elvera MacLaver and Henry March WHEN: May 17, afternoon. WHERE:Common Grounds SUMMARY: Elvera and Henry get coffee. WARNINGS: None.
“I'm already blown away.” Henry droned as he opened the passenger door on his truck for Elvera to climb out, which she did. With some difficulty, her hand holding onto the handle at the top of the door as she slid out. He really should get a step stool for her. Or get one of his cars out of storage. The truck was just more convenient on his land especially with the town being mostly mud.
Here was the coffee shop she had gone on about. Looking a lot like it already had and any other coffee shop.
“Oh, Henry. I know you can make it through an afternoon without being sarcastic.” She felt a little matronly in her response and was taken aback by the deja vu it made her feel, but nevertheless she pressed on-- adjusting herself after the slide down from the tall truck had messed up her clothes.
“I don't know who told you that. But I should sue them for slander.” He added as the door closed. He gave her a moment to adjust to being close to the ground again before he started to head towards this apparently amazingly transformed coffee shop.
“Me. It was me. You’ll have to sue me,” she spoke conversationally before she fell into step beside him, hustling over to the little cafe that was remarkably busy for two in the afternoon; she hoped not all of them were getting something with caffeine, especially not if they kept a ‘regular person schedule.’
Which she did not, unfortunately, and anticipated she would not as long as the Film Crew was in town.
“Well that's no fun. Though my lawyer would find you delightful.” Henry opened this next door in their way as he looked over the crowd. Well it counted as a crowd for fall city. Good for whatever local who had kept this place from becoming a Starbucks.
“Pick whatever you want, my treat.” He added to Elvera.
“Oh, no, no, no. I invited you! You shouldn’t have to pay for me.” It was common courtesy! Even so, she’d already been trying to do a count in her head-- Nolan needed more peanut butter. Rosie needed more shoes. She had repairs on the house…
But even so, two cups of coffee wouldn’t break the bank. A beat, and she took the bait like a guppy, “Why would your lawyer find me delightful?”
“I called pay dibs. You were too slow.” He explained as if this was a clearly obvious and reasonable thing to do. It was almost frustrating a much Elvera would fight him on things like this. But hopefully not today.
Henry looked down at her from the corner of his eye with the beginnings of a smirk. “Because you’re hot. And you get flustered.”
“That’s not very professional,” Elvera muttered as she folded her hands, letting them fall at her waist as they waited in the short line-- the fact that she had not gone for her wallet was telling enough; she didn’t have the want to squabble over money today. She’d just leave a dollar or two in the tip jar.
“Super unprofessional, I'll have to tell her that next time we talk.” Henry laughed easily as he looked over the coffee jumble menu. “So what should I get here?”
Elvera clicked her tongue at a ‘tut,’ sighing quickly thereafter while she shook her head, exasperated. “Um-- I usually just get a small Americano and that does it just fine for me.” That as a polite way of saying she didn’t really venture out, or even come here often at all.
“Oooh.” Henry nudged her shoulder playfully. “So you don't actually know if it's good.”
Elvera let her elbow lightly tap into his waist. “The Americano is good! The hot chocolate is nice.”
“Such glowing recommendations. I can get good and nice at home.” His smile grew just a little. “Dragged me all the way out here for good and nice.”
“And for company,” she reminded him with a concerned little frown; it wouldn’t do to tell him to his face that she worried about him.
“Is the company good and nice too?” He nudged against her again as they stepped closer in line.
“It tries to be.” He got a hand instead of an elbow this time, discreetly pushing with the pads of her fingers with one hand while the other went to check the watch on her wrist.
His grin only seemed to grow at this development. “Well I'll have to keep note, maybe even fill out a survey.”
“I do like surveys,” Elvera returned without an ounce of sarcasm, seemingly thoroughly delighted by the idea. “Scale one to ten? Short answer section? There’s a real art to-- hello!” she greeted COMMON GROUNDS’ BARISTA VOLUNTEER as they stepped up to the counter, smiling chipperly. “Could I please get one of your small Americanos?”
“And I’ll just have a large black coffee.” Henry stepped up next to Elvera.
“Thank you so much,” Elvera smiled politely as the transaction was over, letting Henry foot the conservative bill while she slipped three dollars into the tip jar. After moving to the side to ensure the line kept moving, “Did you want to sit, or take it to go?”
Henry slipped a fifty into the jar after her. Mostly because it would probably simultaneously fluster Elvera as well as gain her approval. That’s what made it fun. “You’re the one who wanted to come here, so lady’s choice.”
Elvera had learned not to look.
Or at least, she tried. She tried very hard, but she saw a flutter from the side of her periphery and she looked and lo-- fifty dollars.
The things she could do with fifty dollars. The things the baristas could do with a split fifty.
And thusly, he was right. She quickly averted her eyes, both embarrassed and incredibly fond of Henry March all at once.
“We can go outside? I don’t think I want to sit down right now.”
“Outside sounds fine. It probably won’t drown us.” he looked out the window. “Unless it decides to bring the rain back.”
“No, I think we should be just fine.”
And not a moment later, they called Henry’s name. Elvera picked up her cup with another thank you and headed out the door, happy to stand in the overhang just outside; she had no real plans, she had just started to feel a little claustrophobic. But speaking of plans-- “Anything in mind for the day? What are you up to?”
Henry followed out, opening the door for her as they headed outside. “This was pretty much it. Other than chores from storm clean up.”
She didn’t know what she was expecting, but she couldn’t help but feel surprised anyway, verbalizing as much with a little, “Oh!” that came before, “Chores… At least your horses aren’t teenagers.”
“No they’re basically horse elderly people.” he chuckled as they began their walk, letting Elvera take the lead. “Your place make it out okay?”
“Oh, it’s… You know. An old house,” was all she offered, and though the thought weighed heavy on her mind day in and day out, she presented herself with a smile. “Juliet hurt her foot when the power went out. She took care of it.” And though Elvera was thankful that her baby was okay, she wished she could have helped. She wish Juliet had called her. “Rosie and Nolan were both thankful that classes were cancelled, I think…”
Henry knew she was going to say no, but as he took a sip of his coffee he knew there was no way to avoid asking. “I can send someone over to take care of anything you need.” he offered calmly.
There was an awkward pause, as all pauses were when Elvera got on the topic of finances. Her cup was still too hot for her to force a sip, and they both knew she wasn’t actually considering it, anyway. So she settled on a careful, slow, “I know…”
“Figured I’d offer.” Henry shrugged, leaving it there. “Good to hear the kids are okay, foot trouble and all.”
“I can’t believe Nolan is graduating soon. I’m so proud of him, and he’s so excited.” Elvera’s mood switched on a dime, a proud little smile bursting onto her lips. “The house is going to be so quiet with just me and Rosie.”
“If you want I can pay someone to make noise on your lawn.” Henry offered helpfully. “But yeah, that’s in a few weeks yeah? Sounds like you’ll be busy”
“You could always come make noise on my lawn!” She smiled, happy and teasing, before the smile gave way into something a little more resigned. She looked at her watch-- the lunch hour was almost over. “I am busy! And I need to get back, but this was nice. We should do it more often.”