“Welcome to The Grand Grind.”
He stepped out of the way when the nine people who came out to support him walked in. I locked the door behind them. We might’ve been ready for more, but this was a celebration as much as anything.
It was hard to believe this was the same place I’d peeked inside to see Ethan falling apart only a few months ago. The building wasn’t the only thing that had changed since then. Ethan had too. Maybe not changed, so much as remembered who he was before the grief took over. Ethan was amazing.
Our friends ordered their coffees and pastries, being sure to give us over-the-top combinations as well as the regular orders you might see. It was great for troubleshooting where things might get hung up. Aside from swapping where we put the oat milk with the soy milk in the fridge, we didn’t have to make many changes. After he opened for real, that would probably change, but for now, he was in a great position.
When everyone had all they needed, we all sat together, staff and friends. We drank our coffees, ate our pastries, and celebrated this new chapter of his life, the one that wouldn’t be here if he hadn’t taken a chance that day and decided to follow his dream instead of selling.
We were done earlier than we thought we would be, the cleanup much faster thanks to all the help. There were many hugs and promises to be better about staying in touch as everyone left. It was great to see Ethan building his circle again.
“Want to grab some dinner with Daddy?” I asked.
“I think I want to be Little for a while.”
“That works too.” I took his hand, and we ran up the back stairs.
I helped him take a bath and get changed into a new romper I found. It said, “This is why Daddy needs coffee.” It didn’t fit his personality because Ethan was a very well-behaved Little. But it had a coffee cup on it, so I had to get it.
I colored with him before making his favorite “Little” food. We watched a movie together on the couch, and I held him as he fell asleep getting his milkies.
It was the perfect little ending to a perfect big day.
EPILOGUE
ETHAN
It had been three months since we opened the shop. We, not me. It hadn’t been a solo venture. Even that first day, when I’d made the decision to turn down the offer to purchase, I hadn’t been alone. There were traces of Rand everywhere, giving me the strength to move forward even when he was gone.
But it wasn’t only Rand. Kyle had been with me through the brunt of it, and now there was Jaymes and Morgan, too. It was definitely a group effort, and it had been paying off. We had regulars, and business was so good I’d had to hire a few new part-timers.
I recently saw a report on the local news that coffee shops were the most likely new businesses to fail. I wasn’t sure how true that was, but they said the reason was that once people had their favorites, they didn’t branch out. I was so glad I hadn’t seen that before I opened and was doubly glad that it hadn’t been the case for us.
I rolled over, forgetting for a moment that this wasn’t one of the nights Kyle stayed, and looked at his empty pillow. We spent probably half the week together. It wasn’t ideal, but for now, itwas working. I planned to ask for more, I just wanted the perfect time to do so, and I hadn’t figured out what that was yet.
Despite seeing him every day and sleeping with him multiple nights a week, I still missed him on mornings like these. On days he stayed, by now I’d be smelling the pot of coffee he put on and listening to the quiet whir of his chest pump. There was a comfort in that sound.
After hitting snooze once, I got ready and went downstairs.
The sun wasn’t up yet, We opened before most people went to work. I never understood the coffee shops that didn’t unlock their doors till 10 in the morning. I had a feeling that had more to do with the shops around here not making it than anything else.
The majority of our original regulars were teachers, thanks to Daddy. Kyle, my biggest fan, carried a shop-themed coffee travel mug with him everywhere he went and made sure to tell people how wonderful the coffee was. It was sweet.
Most recently, we’d been featured in a viral video about our lavender latte. The latte wasn’t that special. At least I didn’t think it was. It was, however, special to me because it reminded me of my grandmother, who put lavender in her coffee. Somehow now, it was the next big thing, and it kept us busy.
I double-checked the counter to make sure it had been stocked up correctly the night before. My eyes looked up to see the framed note above the espresso machine, the one that read:The dream is becoming a reality. We’ve got this, baby.
I did, not by myself, but with the help of others. I read the note every morning and any time we had a customer that was a tad extra.
When people asked the story, I gave the brief version. At first, I wanted to tuck it away so most customers wouldn’t see it, but then Morgan asked about it, and Kyle told him, “This note is a reminder that even when our loved ones are no longer with us, they’re never truly gone. They’ve still got our backs.” And if he was okay with everyone seeing it, I’d be damned if I’d hide it.
I started up the machine and went out back to let Jaymes in and wait for the pastries. It was routine, and there was comfort in that. But my favorite part of all was when Kyle showed up. He always spent the first half-hour we were open here, whether he was coming from upstairs or from his place.
Right on time, he came in with his empty travel mug and a little cooler that I didn’t even need to look inside to know was carrying my breakfast and lunch. Daddy didn’t trust me to remember to make my own. Which was honestly, pretty fair. If it weren’t for him, I’d be living on the pastries we had delivered here and losing money hand over fist because of it.
“Is this for me?”
“Mm-hmm,” he held out the cooler, “of course.” He turned his cheek, waiting for my morning payment. I kissed him and whispered close to his ear, “Thank you, Daddy.”
