Fiction
The Coffee Shop
By Caroline Horton
Patrons and the smell of freshly-ground coffee beans drift in and out of the local coffee shop. Well, one of the local coffee shops. In this town, there must be a relentless demand for caffeine. Downtown, where all the shops and local hangouts reside, there are three coffee shops within a block of each other. Cold brews, pour overs, and lattes aplenty. The cup often does runneth over in this town. But this place, this coffee shop, has the best coffee. At least, that’s what the customers inside believe. Not only does the coffee taste like liquid gold compared to the motor oil of the two other shops on the block, but people cannot seem to get enough of the ambiance. Mid-afternoon sunlight pours in through the storefront windows. The potted plants sitting on shelves mounted on the wall are thankful for the warmth of the sun. The tables are mismatched – small circles of a light birch wood and long rectangles of deep mahogany. Two worn sofas the color of creamer face each other while a vase of wildflowers sits on the glass coffee table in between the two. Towards the back is arguably the best part of the little shop—the counter where one orders coffees and baked goods. Muffins, croissants, bagels, and other treats patiently wait behind glass to be devoured. Coffee beans are freshly ground each morning, and the result is a cup of steaming or iced heaven on earth that sits atop that glass counter. Behind the counter, on this particular day and this particular afternoon, is Nina. Her name tag says so. Nina is a barista that works from noon to closing most weekdays and every Saturday. Her hair flows in long black coils when it is not piled on top of her head. With dark, warm skin, entrancing eyes the color of chocolate, and a smile brighter than the sun, Nina is used to the comments calling her beautiful. She truly is. Nina is gorgeous and she knows it, but she wants more. She wants people to praise her for more than just her looks. To be recognized for all of the hard work she has done in the last ten years of her life. She wants to hear her mother’s voice on the phone telling stories of bumping into people and all they want to do is talk about Nina’s accomplishments rather than her beauty. Yes, Nina is absolutely stunning, but she is so much more than that. After closing the coffee shop, she 34
