by Lacey Legend
Chapter1
Aliyah strode into the coffee shop near New Hope and took her place in the short line before the counter. Since her successful surgery, she had put on enough weight to fill out her previously gaunt cheeks and to add some lovely curves to her form. After the initial recovery process, she rapidly made strides. Her skin glowed, her eyes shined, and every aspect of her look exuded health. Even her hair seemed to send out a signal that said the young woman’s body was working as nature had intended before the heart disease began to take its toll.
Aliyah had done well on the medications that kept her body from rejecting the donor heart, and finally, her body embraced the organ as her own. The energy she felt affected every part of her life. She was able to do more at work as the restrictions were lifted. She had even been able to assist Barb as she walked up and down the halls of the facility. With Aliyah by her side, she felt encouraged and made great strides. There was even talk that she would be able to go home with her husband and daughters soon.
Aliyah also started to get out more. She was thrilled to be able to do more things and meet more people. In the past, she was worn out after her days of work and had little energy for anything else. Now she felt like she could take on the world. She also had a bit more spending money. She was still on a tight budget, but now that she had fewer copays on medications and doctor appointments, she was able to go out and do more.
One of the biggest changes was her ability to dance again. With her debilitating heart condition, she had trouble with any activity that was too energetic. Now that she was well, she and Amber had nights when they would round up as many of their friends as they could and they would dance for hours. The clubs in the university town were quite tame and the girls didn’t have any trouble keeping unwanted “visitors” away from their table. They spent most of their time on the dance floor and Aliyah learned the new moves that she had only been able to watch before. She found that she was an excellent dancer now that she wasn’t exhausted so easily. She loved to move her body to the music that was so loud they had to yell to say anything to each other. The music thudded in her chest and she moved as if she were connected to the bass beats by a physical force.
One of the perks of her newfound health was that her morning routine could include a real cup of coffee. The tea had been soothing and she still enjoyed brewing tea for herself at home, but there was nothing like coffee in the morning and she made it a point to allow time to stop in for a cup every morning on her way to work.
When she went for her coffee this morning, her hair was done up in a twist and she wore her uniform under an adorable, tailored coat that set off her shape perfectly. After her recovery, she and Amber had makeovers at the mall and Aliyah bought shades of makeup that she used every morning to define her jaw line and accentuate her cheekbones. She had more energy in the morning and so she was able to attend to her makeup and hair in a way that was new for her. She didn’t need to wear makeup because she was an attractive girl, but with the makeup, she was striking.
When she made it to the front of the line, her favorite barista raised his eyebrows and whistled. “Don’t we look nice today?” He said it while looking her up and down. Kevin was a nice guy and Aliyah knew that this happily married man meant no offence.
“Thanks, Kev!” Aliyah did a pretend, little curtsey and gave him her cute smirk. “May I have a large, skinny caramel latte?” Even though she was still on a tight budget, this was a daily indulgence that she savored. Her time without coffee had been bearable, but she drank every sip as if it were a gift now that her doctors allowed it.
“I’ll get right on it, Ma’am.” Kevin whirled around after giving her a wink and another approving glance.
She did look good and it felt wonderful to be well. Her descent into poor health happened over years and she had forgotten what it felt like to wake up in the morning with energy and a zest for the day to come. Now she embraced each day and loved the idea of squeezing every moment out of life. This vitality showed from her face and she often found strangers smiling at her. She had no idea what her effervescent personality and happy demeanor did for total strangers who saw her enjoying her day.
She took the frothy drink and found her favorite seat near a window. Since her health had improved, she noticed that she gained a great deal of attention from men. However, the man watching her now caught her eye because his attempt to watch her surreptitiously was not as overt as the men who tried to force their attention on her. This man was very handsome and she was glad that he was interested in her. Her dating experiences had been poor, but she hoped that someday she would find a man who was good for her.
Aliyah finished every drop of her coffee, read a chapter from the book she kept in her purse, and left for work.
Amber was already there and gave her a quick hug. “You know that Jenna is crawling all over the place, don’t you? You’re going to have to help me with this child next weekend or I’ll lose my mind!”
Aliyah smiled and assured her friend that the plans were still on. They would have a nice dinner together with Jenna, play with her until they could wear her out, and then watch a movie after Jenna was tucked into bed. It wasn’t an exciting plan for a Friday night, but both women enjoyed watching Jenna grow.
When Aliyah took off her coat, Amber gave her a whistle. “Look at you! You even look good in your uniform. How did you manage that?”
Aliyah laughed. “My old uniforms were too small since I’m not skinny anymore! So I had to buy new ones, but I took a little extra time and made my own. My grandma taught me how to make clothes that fit well and I used nicer fabric than most uniforms. Do you like it?” Aliyah did a little twirl for Amber.
“Well…” Amber paused and then smiled. “I don’t think you can wear it on a runway, but for New Hope, it’s the best thing ever!” Both girls laughed as they headed off to do their jobs and take care of the people who needed their help so desperately.
***
Four days later, Aliyah stood in line again for her morning coffee. She couldn’t help but notice that the same man who had been watching her discreetly for days was there yet again. She followed her usual pattern by ordering her latte and choosing a seat near a window. She sat down, but before she could take her book from her purse, she saw the man get up from his seat and walk toward her.
He was indeed handsome and she noticed that he was tall and fit. His short, light brown hair looked well with his green eyes. His broad shoulders were obvious under his sports jacket. His look was casual and yet pulled together. She couldn’t imagine why a man who looked like that would be nervous, and yet his nerves were obviously bothering him as he approached her. She looked down and swallowed the smile that played about her lips. She thought it was very cute that he would be nervous about approaching her—or anyone for that matter!
“Excuse me. I’ve seen you here before and… Well… I wondered if I might join you.” He stammered his way through this brief soliloquy.
“Please, sit down.” She motioned to the vacant chair on the other side of the table.
He looked deeply into her face. He hadn’t realized from a distance how beautiful her eyes were. The light brown of her eyes were flecked with gold. Sitting by the window brought out the nuances of her eye color and left a glow on her skin. Her hair was a glossy, deep brown. For some unknown reason, he had a sudden urge to reach out and stroke her face. He shook off the thought, realizing that they were strangers and that he was being ridiculous.
“My name is Brad. I’ve been noticing you here and I wanted to meet you,” he ended lamely and gave her a half smile as he cocked his head to the side. “I suppose I need to work on my lines, don’t I?”
His humble admission made them both laugh and eased the tension of the first meeting. Aliyah was glad to meet a man who didn’t have his lines down. She had met way too many men who were comfortable approaching women but who didn’t know how to treat one when he got her. The awkwardness of this man gave her the impres
sion that he was a gentle soul who took other people’s feelings seriously.
“I hope I’m not bothering you. I notice that you’re reading every day. May I ask what you’re reading?” He nodded his head toward the book sticking out of her purse on the table.
“Oh! I can’t believe you noticed that. Well, yes. I love to read and I’m in the middle of Romeo and Juliet. I know it seems kind of boring to some people, but I read a bit of everything. Next week I’ll probably be reading something by a modern author, but I do love Shakespeare, and every now and then I have to pick up one of his plays even though there isn’t a teacher making me read it.” She chuckled as she set the book on the table.
Brad screwed up his face. “I’m sorry. I could never get into Shakespeare. Don’t get me wrong! I did my time reading it for English Lit classes! I mean I can still quote a few lines.” He put a hand on his chest in a mild, mocking gesture. “‘Out, out damn spots!’”
This time Aliyah gave a genuine laugh, “I would hardly call that a recitation, sir!”
“Yeah, I know. Literature was never really my subject, but I do like to read… Although I’m not quite as highbrow as you are about it.” He winked slightly and Aliyah knew that it was an off-handed compliment.
They chatted companionably until every drop off coffee was gone and the two pieces of coffee cake Brad had brought to her were slowly eaten. It was past the time when Aliyah needed to go in order to get to work on time. She would have to hurry to make it there before rounds started. Brad noticed her unease as she checked the time. She commented on the time and made movements to clear up their table to go.
Brad slowed her progress by laying his big hand gently on her wrist. He looked into her eyes with an intensity beyond what one would expect at a first meeting. She felt as if he were looking into her soul. He took a breath and opened his mouth as if he were going to say something but was having trouble getting it out. Aliyah grinned. She felt that his shyness in approaching her was adorable and she felt glad to meet a man who didn’t make a regular game out of catching women, and yet there was something unsettling in his eyes that she didn’t understand. He was obviously a kind and respectful man, but there was intensity in his face when he looked at her that made him look very remorseful.
Finally, Aliyah looked at the clock on her phone and said, “I really need to go, Brad. It’s been great meeting you and I enjoyed talking to you. I know you don’t really like Shakespeare, but there’s a different kind of play tomorrow night at the university that I was hoping to go to; it was written by a friend of my aunt’s and people are saying great things about it. Would you like to go with me?”
Brad paused, taken aback at this sudden turn of events. “Why, yes. That sounds great. Shall I pick you up… or…? I haven’t dated much lately.”
“No worries!” Aliyah was rising and gathering her things. Casually she said, “I need to go early to help out with a few things. Shall we meet in the lobby? It’s in Case Hall on campus. Do you know it?”
Brad almost snorted. Did he know it? Yes, he was extremely familiar with Case Hall at the university. “That would be great. May I have your number, Aliyah?”
“I don’t give out my number, but here’s one of my email addresses, and I would be happy to take your number!” Her sidelong smile and lifted eyebrow took any insult out of her decision not to give out her phone number. They settled their plans and Aliyah hurried away to work.
Once there, she found Amber checking the file of one of the patients who was unresponsive. They both looked sadly at the young man and left the room before chatting with each other. Although he mostly likely couldn’t hear or understand their words, they were respectful when they were working in the room of these poor souls who were trapped in bodies that wouldn’t respond to the world.
Outside of the room, Aliyah took Amber’s arm and guided her into the break room. “I know we don’t have time to talk now, but you’ve got to come to the play tomorrow night. I invited this guy and he’s… Wow.”
Amber laughed. “He’s ‘wow’? What does that mean?”
Aliyah laughed softly so as not to disturb the patients down the hall. “Well, he is. I met him in the coffee shop and he looks like he jumped off of a movie screen. He’s gorgeous! And he was really funny… And cute… And smart… And…”
“Okay, okay!” Amber shooed Aliyah out of the break room. “I get it, I get it! I’ll try to get there so I can get a look at this super hero!” She gave Aliyah a goofy look. Inwardly she thrilled to see that Aliyah had lived to have this experience. Being so close to losing this close friend made her thankful for every day that Aliyah lived and she looked forward to watching her date, and eventually marry and have a family.
As Amber worked throughout the day, she began to worry. Aliyah had dated some but she had always chosen men who didn’t treat her well. Also, because of her health problems, Aliyah hadn’t been exposed too much partying or wild dating scenes. Amber had done a lot more dating than Aliyah and she began to wonder if Aliyah was a bit naïve and gullible. She didn’t want her friend to get hurt and the idea of this man simply approaching her out of nowhere in a coffee shop made Amber pause.
That night, Amber got Jenna settled into her crib after a battle. Amber was exhausted and didn’t really want to take on more drama after a hard day at work and an evening of single parenting. However, her conscience wouldn’t let her relax until she called Aliyah for a heart-to-heart conversation.
“Hey there. It’s me.” Amber wanted to be quick about this but she didn’t know how to begin. Amber was never one to hold her tongue, so she took the plunge. “Honey, I’m worried about this new guy. We don’t know who he is and you haven’t dated much. You don’t need another James in your life, and this guy could be even worse! We don’t know anything about him!”
Aliyah grinned to herself about this precious friend who was always on her side. “Don’t worry. I thought it all through. I didn’t even give him my number! I’m meeting him at a public place where my friends will be around. I do see what you mean, though. There’s something about him that doesn’t quite make sense. It’s like he knows something about me or has seen me before.” She laughed at her own analysis. “Maybe he recognized me from a past life.”
Amber paused. “Well, I still don’t know if I like it. You be careful and I’m going to get a sitter and come to that play so I can check this guy out for myself!”
Aliyah laughed outright now. “You do that, girl. I’ll see you tomorrow morning. Kiss the baby for me. Love you.” The girls hung up their phones and Aliyah went to sleep thinking of the handsome stranger.
*
Brad stayed for a few minutes at the table after Aliyah left the table after their initial meeting. He looked out of the window and thought about the woman he had just spoken with. He knew she was beautiful after watching her at the coffee shop for several days, but now he also knew that she was witty, nice and intelligent.
Finally, he began to leave the coffee shop. He went to the counter and covertly stuffed a large bill into Kevin’s tip jar. He knew that the man worked hard for his small pay and wanted to thank him for his excellent service, but he didn’t want it known that he was the generous tipper because he preferred anonymity.
He left the shop and decided to walk to the lot where he had parked his car. The streets were cool and breezy with the fall air, and he liked the way the leaves crunched under his feet when he passed the tree lined streets where the coffee shop and art stores brought both residents and tourists for everything from a good meal to original paintings.
The city wasn’t large and it wasn’t small. Brad had lived here all of his life and loved the fresh attitudes that pervaded the town because of the university that brought people from all over the world to contribute in areas from art to science to sports. He had parked his BMW in a lot down the street; not far from the dormitory where he had met friends from every walk of life. He had learned a lot about life from this experience and thanked his
parents for forcing him to leave the comfort of the family home to see more of the world.
He waved at Anita, the owner of the hamburger restaurant where he parked. She had fed enough hamburgers to him and his friends to keep them going when the dorm food wasn’t enough to keep young men satisfied. He drove out of the parking lot and left for home. As he drove past the sorority houses, middle class family homes, and small businesses to the more affluent part of town, his phone rang.
The blue tooth in his car engaged and he took the call from his friend, Art. “Hey, buddy. I’m on my way home. What’s up with you?”
Art was a good friend from the office. The two men had been friends in school and were glad to work together in the office that kept such a hectic pace. They provided each other with a great way to blow off steam, share their concerns, and simply to hang out. Art paused, wondering if he should bring it up. “Did you see her again?” he finally blurted out.
“Not only did I see her, but I talked to her.” Brad turned onto his own street as he spoke those words.
“Well? How did you feel about it? What was it like?” Art continued to probe.
“It was a good meeting and I’m going to see her again. She invited me to a play written by a friend of a friend or something. I said that I’d meet her there.” Brad tried to sound nonchalant about the entire thing.
He left his car in front of the house and handed the keys to the driver who was also charged with keeping the cars in proper working order. He cleaned the cars and parked them for Brad if he chose to drive himself. Brad was always polite and friendly with the driver, but today he gave him a friendly nod and a brief slap on the back so that he could finish his call with Art. The driver winked at him to show that he understood and strode to the car to put it away in one of the garages near the house.