Seeing Through Aroma: Chapter 2
Chapter 2
Americano Coffee
As soon as I got out
from the house, I've decided to drop by the Café and grab some coffee before
heading to work. I need some buffer for a very long day to come. I always
assume to have a busy working environment right after my rest day because that
always happens.
Then right at the moment
when I am already in front of the Café , I saw Isaiah.
He is at the counter and
facing towards me. Although I don’t see his face but with my heightened senses
I can tell that he smiles at me.
I just looked straight
to him through the glass door.
Then the glass door
opened and the bell rang which brought me back to my senses.
I went inside together
with the lady who opened the door and I smiled at her, expressing my gratitude.
I ordered hot Americano
coffee on-the-go , the largest size. I went on my favourite spot while waiting
for my order to be ready.
Isaiah called my name
and handed me the coffee. Then he said, “Have a nice day with this coffee,” He
was holding my right hand while handing me the coffee I ordered.
To my surprise, I just
nod at him, turned my back and went straight outside the Café.
It was brief yet a
pleasant kind off suffocation. As if my vitals where all on their extreme
limits except from my respiration. His scent that I looked forward to did not
make an impression on me that day but rather the strongest smell of hot
Americano Coffee that goes along with the memory of our hands join together for
that short time overpowers the scent that I usually longed often.
I was walking but the
feeling was like gliding in the air, and again it was an outside world
experience. Then I heard something ringing.
I woke up from a
daydream and it was my phone! The alarm set on 7AM was ringing and I am late
for work!
The usual thing happened
at work and as expected, the surgical cases for today is overflowing. Then
again, even if I will bet my entire whole life salary, I will be having
overtime instead of working for only 8 hours. What keeps me going with this
busy hours at work is my passion towards it. Although sometimes I blame it why
until today, I am the only one in the work place who’s single or unmarried.
After my shift I just
remembered that the Americano Coffee I ordered was just halfway consumed so I
went to the pantry to check if it is still there and yes! The cup is still on
the table. Since one of my co nurses were also near the table, I asked a favor
to hand over the cup so that I can throw it out.
“Oh… are you sure you’ll
gonna throw out this cup? Ahhmmmmm… “ Joana showed me the backside where the
name is supposed to be written.
“What’s that? Is there
something written on it?”
“Come, read. I guess
it’s not only the coffee that you brought out from that Café .”
I approached Joana. Some
of my coworkers and resident doctors at that time got also curious with it as
well.
“Come back at 9PM. I
will wait here at the Café. –Aiah.”
They were teasing me!
They were asking me who that person is.
I grabbed the cup from
Joana and ran away from them but I can still hear them teasing me.
I shouted,”Bye!” and
they were all laughing.
I got curious with what
Isaiah wrote on the cup.
Why he wanted to see
me? Is it something serious? How will I
handle it? What if he noticed that I felt something towards him? Or he got
angry to towards my behavior of being obvious in liking him. What if… what if….
A scene inside the Café
caught me by surprised. It was Isaiah. He is sitting with a girl while holding
her hand. He was wiping off her cheeks and touched it. The girl then closed her
eyes while touching Isaiah’s hand on her cheeks . Then he stood up and
approached the girl. He brought her up from the chair and hugged her and
caressed her back.
I was in a state of
shock rather than being jealous or angry.
And again I asked
myself, why? Why would he call me out to his Café and see all those scene?
I did not get inside. I
dropped the cup and walked away rapidly.
I found myself in tears,
tears of confusion - confused to why I am acting like this.
I realized, I like him
so much that I put everything about him as a hypothesis-a 50% chance of looking
forward for him to like me back as well and hoping that I would hear a positive
statement out of my hypothesis.
I had an inner debate
with myself. Am I acting rationally?
No. I was just too
focused on myself not considering whether he likes me as well. I crossed beyond
the line by only thinking of my affection. I did not consider the fact that
what I’ve seen earlier could happen and it did.
I got too fond with the
comfort that he provides me, the comfort of his own scent that captured me and
brought me to a different kind of experience.
I got too familiar with
the comfort I’ve felt without thinking that I do not know much about him.
It was an unrequited
feeling.
Walking towards the Bus
stop, I was drenched and soaked wet by the heavy rain that poured without
noticing it. The sky empathized with my unsorted emotions by sending the dark
clouds and pouring the water down to me maybe because it doesn’t want to see me
crying out of things I cannot figure out myself.
I stayed for a while on
the bus stop while waiting for the rain to stop.
Trying to compose myself
rationally, I tried to justify my reaction towards what I have witnessed a
while ago.
I went home feeling a
bit relieved by looking forward for a happy drug – another sunrise, another
day, another chances for new beginnings.
I dried myself up and
went to bed.
The next morning came
and I still have a bit of hungover from the sight last night but I need to pull
myself up. I feel a bit sick maybe because I was soaking wet from last night’s
heavy rainfall.
For the first time, I
did not had coffee. The colds I have right now seems a blessing in disguise
because I am not craving for any scents or smell.
At moments like this,
unless the person talks to me first, those people I know are like a complete
strangers to me, I hardly recognize them.
To those who are not
aware of my condition, they most often tell me I am arrogant or snobbish.
Well, I learned to live
with it.
As soon as arrived the
Operating Room, I checked the OR Schedule Board.
I was assigned as the
scrub nurse to a major case that I guess would last the entire shift.
I prepared the operating
room for the procedure scheduled for 10 am.
Just as I was about to
receive the patient to be prepped prior the induction of anesthesia, I received
a call from the Emergency Room.
It is a stat OR case. A
vehicular accident case with multiple cranial and panfacial fracture schedule
for Emergency Craniectomy.
I informed the surgeon
and anesthesiologist. The Supervisor transferred me to this case and assigned
the 10 am case to other nurse.
I received the
endorsements from the ER and prepped the patient at the OR.
The patient had a severe
hemorrhage on the frontal lobe which would take long for the procedure to be finished
because the reconstruction surgical team will then take over after the
decompression of frontal hemorrhage. I was assigned on the Cardiac and
Reconstructive procedures so I guess I will be staying the entire day in the
OR.
I did not notice the
time passed so quickly. The procedure was successful and the patient was
endorsed directly to the Intensive Care Unit post surgery.
Then Joan called me,”
Hey! There is a message for you here at the station”
“Okay thank you Joan. I
will read it later.”
“Read it now, the coffee
might get cold”
“What coffee? I did not
order for some to go coffee?”
“Hhhmmmmm… Just come
here at the station.”
I got curious so I went
directly to the station and looked for the said coffee.
It was a vacuum thermos
tumbler about the size of the tallest cup to go.
There was a sticky note
on it saying, “9 PM at the coffee shop. I waited but you did not come last
night. – I J “
It was Isaiah. I was
reminded of my irrationality.
What is it that he make
me go there after what I had seen last night?
It’s not typical either
for an acquaintance to have such request unless it is urgent.
Yeah, I forgot! It might
be something urgent that he needs my presence despite my absence last night.
But what will I reason
out for not going?
A part of me says,” Go,
to put an end to everything and to clear things up. As this would let myself
hear and know where I should stand”
I am just a mere
acquaintance in his Café. That’s it!
There is no holding
back!
I arrived at his Café
and I stood still in front of the glass door.
There were only empty
chairs and table inside and him. It will only be him and I.
As soon as he opened the
glass door, the bell rung and his calming scent welcomed me inside. I was
captivated by it, like a magic spell taking its effect when casted on me and
charmed by his love potion. He led me to my favorite spot while going with my
pace.
“Have a sit first. I’ll
prepare something to eat.”
I nodded and smiled
back. I sat on the spot where I usually stay.
I was looking at the
direction where he prepared the food and drinks.
Then he went back to me
bringing the tray with the food on it.
Judging on its smell,
the food is delicious. But as far as I could remember, it doesn’t smell
familiar.
He put the tray on the
table and he sat with me.
The food he prepared is
not on the food shelves and by looking at I suspect it is off the menu.
Then he said”, This is
off the menu. I had only prepared this food to two persons.”
Wait, did he read what
my mind says? Or my looks were making obvious on what my mind says.
“Oh really? I am
flattered. Thanks.”
He was looking on the
table when he said, ”I was expecting for you to come last night. Something
urgent must have come up along the way.”
Is he numb? Dumb? Isn’t
he aware of what he did last night? I forgot, he did not know I saw everything
last night.
And so I replied with a
sarcastic tone,” Isn’t it weird for a guy like you calling out to see a guy
like me? We’ve barely know each other?”
He looked towards me. I
cannot see his facial expression but with my heightened senses, I can feel that
he is smiling at me and he said
“Isn’t it too obvious?”
“Obvious what? Come on
dude were both men!”
“Then if you are so
concerned with that matter, Why did you come here tonight?”
And I was caught off
guard. I do not want to stutter. I want myself to believe that what I have seen
last night in this very place is the most rational thing.
“I was thinking you
might need something urgent… like someone you know is sick and you might need
some opinion about it?”
“If that’s the case I
could have made a suggestion of having a check up with a specialist, am I
right, Sebastian?”
He even knew my name! Is
he a stalker? Or does he really liked me that much that he knows a lot about
me!
I am trying to stand
firm with my statement on both men having a date.
“I have to go”
“I understand Sebastian.
You might be shocked with my confessions right now. But I hope you would
consider me. I liked you so much that it pushed me to my limits of holding unto
my feelings.”
I stood up from where I
seated and stared at him for a while. I do not quite understand how it goes
with what other people were saying about proving ones sincerity by looking
through his eyes.
I cannot decipher his
face and it is still too soon to judge whether it is just a scam, prank or if
it is really a sincere confession.
“Isaiah, I’m glad you
understand me right now. I am confused and shocked with what I’ve heard right
now. At least give me some time on how to sort out my feeling so that I could
respond to what you’ve said to me”
He held both my
shoulders and tapped twice.
“I understand. Just
don’t run away. I will prove to you that I am sincere.”
“They say that by looking
through someone’s eyes proves his sincerity with his words and acts. But for me
that is not the case.”
“I kinda knew about it.
You don’t have to worry.”
“Well that’s quite
impressive of you! You did your research about me, huh?”
“Hmmmm… not that much.
Just enough to feed my curiosity about you.”
“I’ll go ahead. It’s
quite late already.”
“Okay. If you have time
tomorrow let’s have some breakfast here.”
“Sure, if nothing urgent
will come up. I will try.”
“I’ll be expecting. Take
care on your way home.”
“Thanks”
I went out the Café
ahead of him.
I tried to rationalize
and justify my thoughts about what I have seen and what he said a while ago.
He seemed serious, but
what was that about the scene last night?
Is he just comforting a
lady friend?
And whether I admit it
to myself or not, I got jealous and hurt yesterday with the sight of it.
However, I feel a little
good tonight than yesterday. Everything was unexpected although confusing.
I do not want to make
any assumptions despite the fact – or I guess the act of telling me on “what-he-felt-towards-me”
thing.
The Americano Coffee
flashed back – the note on the cup. Its scent give me a 50-50 impression which
is the impression of telling me that he likes me and the impression of seeing
him with a girl. But these impressions fall under one general truth and that is
confrontation. I was confronted with both situation that still needs to be
verified if they are both right or just one of these is the right one.
I kept on asking myself
if I should answer with his invitation to have a breakfast at the Café or not.
Either way, I cannot
escape from this situation. He seems persuasive and I cannot even say no.
As if I am unknowingly
captivated by the wholeness of how unique his own scent combined perfectly with
Citrusy Lemon Grass scent.
I almost passed through my
drop off point. I was drifting away every time I remember his scent.
I arrived home and
called it a day.
I woke up early today
and I trying to have a fresh morning.
My body was looking for
something to warm it up, Hot Americano coffee!
So I’ve decided to have
some breakfast at the Café before I go to work.
I grabbed my phone and
it vibrated, so I checked on it.
I received a text
message from ISAIAH!
It says “Hi there! You’re
breakfast is ready. Just drop by the Café. See yah later.”
Woah, he is persuasive
indeed. I just hope he will be consistent to prove his worth. I appreciate the
acts more than any other factor. Who knows, I might give in.
So I prepared to start
my day and I went to the Café after.
The sight of the girl
still bothers me until today. I should ask him about it.
I arrived at the Café and
there I saw him through the glass door. Everything seems in slow motion, from
the time I opened the door, and every stride I take until the very moment he
held my hand and I’ve heard him saying “Wait for me at your favorite spot, I
will bring the breakfast”
I went to my spot and I
noticed something. A small golden metal plate nailed at the corner of the table
and something is written on it.
To my surprise, I almost
went out of breath.
It was very sweet and
thoughtful act. He reserved this spot just for me!
The plate says,
“Kindly look for another
seat. This spot is reserved for Sebastian
intended just for him in any instance he wants to be here”
He brought the food and
I can feel he smiles at me.
I am surprisingly happy
right now. I did not expect this to happen. So asked him while pointing on the
golden plate “Isaiah, when and why?”
He answered with in a
very calming and romantic tone “The day before I called you to drop by here, I
decided to put that on this very spot. Ever since I opened this Café, I noticed
you already. I do not know but every time I look at you there is a weird sense
of calmness that I can cee on your face. It enlightens this entire place. I
dedicated this whole place for my passion in delivering a sense of
belongingness through food. And so by the time you walked in here, it sums up
my purpose of having this Café.”
“Why reserved a place
for me?”
“Because you deserve it.
The girl who went here that night, she said that she’s so grateful that I have
this Café because she has a place to run to or stop by every the world seems so
cruel and unaccepting.
She was my best friend
in our hometown. When I went into high school, my family had to move out and
settle here. Although I was separated with here, we continued our communication
so she knew every little detail of my life. When she had a work already, she
decided to move here since her parents passed away when she was in college. She
had so much in her hands at that time and just recently, her husband died due
to a car accident. They were supposed to celebrate their anniversary here and
so I decided to call you to introduce you to her.”
My heart broke and
shattered when I’ve heard what Isaiah said.
I was being too
hysterical at that time and I neglected the other factors like this when I saw
him with her. Jealousy took over me and I was being irrational.
I almost cried but so I
held back my tears.
“I am sorry to hear that
Isaiah, I hope she’ll be better in time. I totally understand how she feels
that moment.”
“It’s okay. I felt the
need to tell you this because I want you to know and believe in me. I want you
to believe that I sincerely like you.
I want to know more of
you and share myself as well. I know for myself that I will regret if I will
let go of this moment telling you how I really feel.”
Isaiah, I want to take
thing slowly. Let’s see each other more often and see how things will work
between us. I appreciate so much all these stuff that you did for me. And for
the record, the last I checked, you are the first guy who did these stuff to me
and you cause little heart attacks on me”, I responded with a smile and I felt
my face was a little warm.
I was staring at him
while he holds my hand. I was thinking about the night when I saw him with the
girl until this very moment that he confessed everything.
I therefore conclude
that I was wrong and irrational. Jealousy is a dangerous storm that would cover
up the rational things and when you ended up drowning on it, it will be a
disaster.
Emotions should not be
on top but rather at par with your mind. They should come hand in hand and
share common decisions inorder for you to come up with the best and rational
decision. Take things one step at a time because a rush decision can mostly end
up in a domino effect of failures.
He serves me a hot
Americano Coffee when I summed up all these thoughts and so it gave a more
meaningful to me now that the hypothesis in my mind where all segregated well
as to which one is the truth and not.
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