And I failed.
After spending so many years priding myself in my work ethic, study skills, and passion for learning, I failed. Now, I’ll be frank: I failed one class in my third semester, but it was enough for me to reconsider my entire career path. Then, I kid you not, the same day I found out I failed the class, I got the call. My dad fell.
I drove home that night, roughly a four-hour commute from the city, meeting my mom at the hospital. In hysterics, she said, “Jasper, it’s bad. Really, really bad.”
I embraced her momentarily and then went to his room to evaluate the situation. In my undergraduate schooling, I was taught to wait to assess the damage until I saw concrete numbers or results. So, when I walked into his room and saw him sleeping, motionless, I started looking at the numbers.
I glanced at the heart monitor—eighty beats per minute, sitting at the average rate for a person his age. I looked at his casts at length and in full detail. He had a full leg cast on each leg and a neck and back brace.
“Damnit, Dad, did you fall off a building?” I whispered while staring at my old man.
“Not quite, but he did fall from about twenty feet up,” a deep voice said. I turned to see a man in a lab coat and scrubs,presumably the doctor. “I know your mom has been having a hard time coping, so I imagine she hasn’t given you details yet.”
“Your assumption is correct.” I nodded. “What happened?”
“He was on the second floor of his shop when he tripped over an extension cord and stumbled backward over the railing, landing on his back. Your dad’s injuries are severe, but he will live,” the doctor affirmed. “However, his life will be different moving forward. Due to the severity of his injuries, he will need to receive physical therapy and chiropractic treatments for the next several months, if not years.”
I gulped subtly and nodded.
“Additionally, he will be unable to use the stairs like he once did. He won’t be able to lift heavy items again. In order for him to live a long, healthy life, he will need to rest for the remainder of it.”
“Come again?” I asked, unable to hide my shock.
“Your dad’s busy days are over; he needs rest,” the doctor firmly stated. It was a fact, not an opinion. Then it hit me. Dad wouldn’t be able to run the shop like he had for the past thirty years. All of it started making sense.
“I see—thank you, doctor,” I said, sitting next to my dad, staring off into oblivion. Well, that settled it. I had to move back to the Cove. From that point on, our family business was my business.
All of that led to today. It’s a normal day in the Cove for everyone else. For me, it’s the first day of a new era. I’ve been drowning in self-pity in Chrysocolla for the last two months. I am not proud of it. Believe it or not, before pursuing a master’s degree, I was at leastsomewhattolerable. Now, I’m worse than an elderly neighborhood grouch. Am I a failure? Undoubtedly. But I once heard that making small choices to nurture yourself can lead to large rewards.
With that in mind, I’ve decided to try something new this morning. Rather than waking up at 10:30 a.m., barely before the shop opens, I wake up at 7:30 a.m. to try another coffee shop my mom won’t stop raving about. I gaze in the mirror and run my fingers through my dark hair, noting I really need to shave. I feel good to go after splashing some water on my face and brushing my teeth. After putting on a dark green sweatshirt and jeans, I head into my garage and start my 2020 Subaru Crosstrek, feeling ready for this place to wow me. With only a three-minute commute, I’m at Little Falls Cafe almost immediately. The scent of bananas fills my nose as I step inside. Fun. While waiting to order, I look at their assortment of breads and desserts and settle on a sourdough sandwich.
“What can I get you?” The employee asks.
“I’ll get a black coffee and egg sandwich,” I say. The employee—Davis, according to his badge—enters the order swiftly. I pay and sit in a chair next to the cafe’s front window. I can’t help but notice how noisy it is here. I slip in my AirPods and listen to music to drown out the commotion. Yep, I’m definitely not used to being up this early anymore.
When my order is ready, I thank Davis while grabbing the warm cup of coffee, then head back to my spot and begin to devour this sandwich. I’ll admit, I wasn't expecting it to tastethisgood. I guess I will have to visit this cafe more regularly than anticipated. As I take a swig of my coffee, I look around and see one too many smiling faces. I don’t mind that other people buzz with excitement at this time of day, but that is not my vibe. As of recently, I’m practically dead to the world before 9:00 a.m.
I have a good view of the front door from where I sit. While eating my sandwich, the bells chime, and I glance up to see them walk in; they’re hard to miss. She’s shorter than me and walks with confidence in each step, practically prancing. Her deepbrown hair drapes along the slope of her back. I can’t see her well from here, but I’m sure she has a wide grin stamped on her face.
How is she beaming this early in the morning? Ah, it must be the coffee. Wait—she probably hasn’t even had coffee yet. Color me impressed.
Davis seems to know her personally, showing her more teeth in one conversation than I’ve seen from him all morning. Must be a regular. With my AirPods in, I can’t make out the sound of her voice, but I imagine she’s orderinga pumpkin spice frappuccino with extra whipped creambased on her vibe alone. She has to be a pumpkin spice girl. You can always tell.
A towering man with honey-brown hair trails in behind her. After she orders, she sits at a table for two, facing me. I make out the details of her face better from this angle. She has light olive-toned skin, light eyes, and bold eyebrows. At this point, I realize I’ve been staring for who knows how long as her boyfriend is sitting right next to her on the sofa.
Coming on a little strong, Jasper. Slow down on the coffee.
I glance down at my phone and start scrolling through the endless void of social media for a change of pace. After a few minutes of scrolling, I finish my coffee but choose to hang out a bit longer to bask in the cafe’s ambiance. After all, it’s my first morning outing since moving back here. My eyes wander around the shop again, landing on her briefly, only to catch her boyfriend casually staring right atme. Feeling guilty for getting caught, my eyes dart away.
I glimpse at my phone again to avoid his intense smolder. My eyes flicker back to him to ensure he’s not looking anymore. And, much to my dismay, his eyes remain fixed on me.Fine.I take a different approach this time; I stare back. If this is a test of dominance, screw it. I’m in.
Then, within a matter of seconds, he breaks his intense stare, smirks, andwinks at me.
What. The. Actual. Hell.
I start scrolling again, ignoring the urge to see if he is still being weird as shit.
Deciding I’ve overstayed my welcome at Little Falls, I get up. After taking my AirPods out, I hear, “Iris, your order’s up!” I discreetly peer over to see her practically running to grab her order.
