Jaya laughs, shifting the baby bag she’s holding on one shoulder. “That’s what I told him.”
“What’s her name?” I ask, completely enamored by the little bubble of spit on her lips.
“Annie,” Henry says, that one word so full of love. “Anjij in Mi’kmaq.”
Anjij wriggles her arm out of the blanket, and I hold a finger out for her to grab. My heart melts as her tiny hand wraps around my pinkie, some of my anxiety calming.
“Hi little Anjij, it’s nice to meet you. You gave your mom and dad a scare there for a while.”
Jaya’s hand rests on her heart. “She’s doing so well. The doctor’s thought she’d need to be in the NICU for longer but she’s a fighter.”
As if on cue Anjij starts crying and Jaya takes her so she can feed.
Henry crosses his arms and looks around. Two days ago, this place was trashed. Now, it’s everything I ever dreamed it would be. The wooden floorboards are a soft beech, not a trace of red paint in sight. Lights and lampshades from different countries shine down on the tables and the long coffee bars up against the shop windows. We’re a few tables short because not all of them could be repaired but I’ve got more coming next week.
The large wooden map of the world spreads across the whole of the left wall and I pinned little golden studs on all the places I’ve visited.
Henry smiles up at the wall of T-shirts opposite. I didn’t think it would be possible to save the T-shirts I collected but it turns out Cooper, of all people, can sew. And I mean really sew. So, I let him take the lead on the T-shirt wall, well, apart from one particular T-shirt that is. That one thankfully made it out unscathed. I blushed crimson when Roman pinned it back up, in the middle of the display, but I like that it’s there. A reminder of him and our first time together.
“This place is awesome, Lola,” Henry says. “You did a fantastic job.”
“Yeah?” My heart flips.
“Yeah.”
Skyler hops off the table. “She’s having a crisis of confidence.”
“Did the baby help?” Henry asks.
I chuckle. “A little, yeah. Congratulations, Henry.”
“Congratulations to you too. Remember day one, when I had to get you to move because you were meditating right here?”
“Uh huh.”
Henry’s gaze sweeps over the shop before settling on the counter behind me. He smiles. “You’ve got nothing to worry about Lola.”
I turn around to see what he’s smiling at and find myself reading the words burned into the wood on the front of the counter: “done that…”
Bean there… done that…A smile sneaks across my lips. That shop name has been in my head for four years. The words ‘got the T-shirt’ are painted in sloping letters above all the shirts to complete the slogan.
I go a little lightheaded, the surrealness of it all hitting me right in the solar plexus.
This isn’t just an image in my head anymore. There’s an actual coffee machine and a vintage cash till, and the sweet aroma of fried apples fills the shop from the test batch I just made.
Henry goes over to help Jaya with the baby and I head towards the counter.
I run my hand along the wooden surface. “Hey Skyler,” I say, the whisper of a smile on my lips as I turn to face her. “I own a coffee shop.”
Her grin grows to match mine. “Yeah, you do.” She spins the shop keys around her finger. “You ready?”
My chest flutters. “Ready.”
I panic the second I say it, so I dart behind the counter as Skyler goes to the door. I check the pastries are arranged properly and that I haven’t misspelled anything on the chalkboard drinks menu hung on the back wall.
I’m mid-way through tying my apron back around my waist when Skyler closes the door again and blinks back at me. “Uh, Lola, how many people did you invite for the dry opening this morning?”
“About twenty, why?”
