Coffee, Love, and Other Stimulants

by Roselyn Jewell

  “So, he was born fifteen years before you were born. He’s got a little experience on his side. After Taylor, a mature man is what you need.”

  I groan. “That wasn’t what you said before. Besides, after Taylor, I really don’t see a future with any man, especially one with baggage. I need to just focus on my studies, graduate, and leave all of this behind.”

  Sam sighs. “You can’t let Taylor control your life You should date. It doesn’t have to be Todd. But you shouldn’t deny yourself happiness because Taylor was a fuck up.”

  I shake my head. “I don’t know.”

  She finishes her coffee. “Now that I’m full of caffeine, I am going to go destroy this test.” She squeezes my hand. “It’ll be okay, Kate. Life has a way of a giving you everything you need. Sometimes life’s a bitch though, and she makes you work for it.”

  Getting up, she throws out her cup and skips out of the café.

  I flip open my Health and Medication Administration Manual and study the drug classification tables. When I finish my coffee, I go up to the counter to order more. “Could I have a large half-caf coffee with a squirt of hazelnut syrup?” “No problem, Kate.” She pulls a new ceramic cup from under the counter. It’s a bit sad that all the baristas know me by name. She fills the cup and drizzles on the syrup. She hands it back to me and I pay. When I turn around, I nearly bump into Adam—the emerald-eyed man who enchanted me over a year ago.

  “Hey! I order the exact same drink! Must be fate!”

  “Must be” I agree and scurry back to my table. Adam. I stare at my manual, but thoughts of everything but medicine consume me. I have just told Sam that I don’t want to have another relationship, but is life giving me what I need? Is Adam my fate? But Adam only mentioned our similar tastes. I can’t think I am the type of girl he’ll be interested in anyway. Even if he is interested, when he learns about my issues and sees my emotional baggage, he’ll run for the hills. I know I would.

  He’s watching me as he waits for his coffee to be filled.

  I can’t deal with this right now. I’ll just study at the library. Graduate and move away is my new plan, and I need to stick with it. I grab my manual and shove it in my bag. I take another sip of my coffee and sling my bag over my shoulder.

  Adam appears in front of me. “I couldn’t let such a pretty girl walk away without talking to her, especially one that orders her coffee exactly the same as mine.”

  He has an easy smile, but I shift the shoulder strap of my bag. “I’m not that pretty.”

  “You’re right. You’re beautiful.” His smile widens to a grin. My face heats up. He waves at a table with two chairs. “Please. Just finish your coffee with me. If I don’t convince you that you’re beautiful, I’ll owe you twenty coffees.”

  I smile, sit down, and try to relax. He takes the chair across from me and holds out his hand. “I’m Adam.”

  I shake his hand. He has a firm grip and dry palms.“Kate,” I say.

  “Let me guess…pretty girl that’s always studying…you’re a law student?”

  “Pharmaceuticals.”

  He tilts his head. “Hmm. Didn’t see that one coming. So you’re a drug dealer.”

  I laugh. “Pretty much. What about you?”

  “Business. It’s my last year. So I’m a crook.”

  I smile. I haven’t felt this light hearted in a long time. “It’s my last year too.” I look at his emerald eyes and think about the year that has passed since I first glimpsed him. I have lost my virginity. I have slept with my boss. I have been attacked. My life is completely reconstructed, but here is Adam to remind me of when things were less complicated. It’s what I need.

  He glances at his phone and jumps up. “Shit. Pardon my French, but when I saw you I forgot that I was heading to class. I’m late now.”

  I stand. “Oh, I’m sorry.”

  “No, no.” He touches my arm and I feel warmth spread up all of the way to my face. “I’m the idiot that gets distracted by beauty. Did I convince you that you’re beautiful yet?”

  I scrunch up my nose and shake my head.

  “I guess I owe you more coffee then. I’m sorry if this is being really forward, but do you want to go out on a date next weekend? I have friends in pharmacy school, so I know you’re always busy, but I’m hoping maybe we could just go do something for a couple hours. I’ll buy you a bunch of coffee and hazelnut syrup.”

  I think about the promise I made myself to stop dating, but as Adam has said, it is fate. And Sam has said I can’t let Taylor control my life.

  “Sure,” I say. He grins and raises his cup. I can’t help but smile too. After we’ve agreed to meet at the center of campus where there’s a fountain shaped like a stork and he leaves the café. I keep smiling. Life is giving me what I need.

  ●

  Adam drives me in his Mazda Capella without telling me where we’re going. It clunks along the road. It sounds like something on the car is scraping against the asphalt. We both have to raise our voices as we talk.

  “So, my friend decides that it would best if he grabbed a stereo and played ‘their’ song in front of her apartment just like John Cusack.” Adam waves one hand as he talks and drives. “He didn’t take into account the cranky old lady that lived in the building. She cracked him in the knees with her cane until he ran away. He still has knee issues.”

  I laugh. “That’s horrible. Your friend kind of reminds me of my brother. He’s in high school. He’s a soccer star and kind of a goofball. On April Fool’s Day, when he was freshman, he commandeered the school secretary’s office and played Barbie Girl by Aqua on the PA system for over an hour until the principal could break into the office and stop him.”

  “Ouch. That had to be a long suspension,” he says wincing.

  “Only for a couple days since there was a big game the soccer team was playing on Friday. What about you? Any siblings?”

  “Nope.” He shakes his head. “I’m an only child.”

  He parks and his car seems to sigh in relief as he turns it off. I notice a sign that says Pritchard’s Mini-Golf Course.

  “Mini-golf?” I ask my eyebrows crawling up my forehead.

  He shrugs and grins. “I like how you get to be outside without sweating too much. What can I say? I’m a bit lazy.”

  I laugh. We get out of the car. He pats his car’s hood. “Sorry that my car is crappy, but I’ve had her since I was sixteen.”

  “Her? Well, she has charm.” And his car is the exact opposite of Taylor’s Cadillac.

  We play ten holes. I win six of them, although I think Adam lets me win a few of those. I don’t mind if he is better than me because he helps me with my form by standing behind me and putting his hands over my hands. I enjoy the feeling of his toned chest against my back and his muscular arms against my arms. When we finish, he takes me to a hot dog cart.

  He buys two and hands me one of them. Mustard spills off the side and they smell of oil and warm bread. “I’m sorry that I can’t take you to a fancy restaurant. I don’t get paid until next week, but I can promise you that these dogs taste better than any steak.”

  I take a bite out of it and give him a thumbs-up. I swallow. “It tastes better than any five-star restaurant food.”

  He takes me home. I listen to his voice as he talks about how he’s a first generation college student. His father is a carpenter and his mother a secretary. I tell him both my parents are teachers. We both sing along to the Red Hot Chili Peppers. I’m disappointed when he stops in front of my apartment because I want to keep hanging out with him. I like this connection to a human being

  He walks me to the door. “Well, Miss Kate, I had an amazing time. You are too much fun. If I continue to see you, I may never do anything productive again.”

  I stop on the front step and face him. “Is that an invitation?”

  He takes my hand. “I guess subtlety isn’t my best skill. Would you like to go out somewhere again?”

  “I would love to.”<
br />
  He grins. Letting go, he walks down the stairs. He suddenly turns around and looks ups at me. “I forgot something,” he says. He runs back up the stairs and kisses my cheek. He steps back and we smile at each other. “See you again?”

  “Absolutely.” I smile and touch a finger to his cheek. He sprints back down the stairs. He glances up at me as he reaches his car. My heart races and my face warms. This is good. After he drives away, I touch my cheek. I gaze up at the sky and thank the world for giving me what I needed.

  And I vow I will not think of Taylor. I will not think of Todd and his turquoise eyes.

  ●

  My degree requires me to visit different pharmacies. Days pass by so quickly that I keep track of my schedule by the town I’m traveling to. Dayton, Franklin, Richmond, Bristol. As I pack my bags to return home, I realize that I haven’t heard from Adam at all. I try to not let it bother me as I drive home. When I pull into my apartment, my phone rings. It’s Adam. He apologizes for not calling sooner, but he the home improvement store where he works at and his studies have kept him busy. I understand because I’ve been occupied with work and classes too.

  When I walk into my apartment, Sam shoves two boxes into my face. I step back to see that she's holding cake mix. One is chocolate cake and the other is vanilla. “Choose!” she says and she sounds a little frantic.

  I step back. “For what?”

  She rolls her eyes. “For Queen Elizabeth’s coronation.” Sarcasm drips from her voice. “Did you forget what’s happening in a week?” I chew on my lip. She cocks one eyebrow high.“Like, oh, say, your twenty-fourth birthday?”

  Pushing a hand into my hair I shake my head. “Oh, damn. Am I that old already?”

  “Not yet.” She dances the two boxes in front of me.

  I point at the one in her right hand. “The chocolate, of course.”

  She grins. “Awesome. Who do you want to celebrate with?”

  “You, a bottle of wine, and a movie.”

  “Nooo…we are going out and having fun. Do you want your new boy to come along too? Adam?”

  “I don’t know.” I toss down my purse and sink onto a chair. “I’m not sure where the relationship is going.”

  “Well, tell me at least a couple of days before your birthday.”

  Kicking off my shoes, I ask, “I have to figure out our relationship in less than a week?”

  “No, you have to decide if you want him at the celebration of your birth. One step at a time, Kate. One step at a time.” She tosses me the chocolate cake mix.

  I flip the box over. I’ll be one year older soon, but I still don’t understand anything. All I know is that when I blow the candles out, I’ll wish to be happy.

  ●

  On Friday Adam takes me on a second date. This time we go to Madison Park and a small ice cream shop. He hints I should order the Big Bad Sundae, so I do. He doesn’t order anything, which confuses me until the cashier returns with a sundae that has a bowl bigger than a basketball. It’s covered with nuts, hot fudge, whipped cream, and a cherry on top. Adam requests hazelnut syrup be added and the cashier drizzles it on.

  We sit down at a picnic table and both scoop out large bites from the bowl. I watch a woman toss a Frisbee for her dog while Adam gazes at me.

  “So, tell me. How did you get into pharmaceuticals? Were you a little girl who dreamed of life-saving medicine?”

  “No. My brother has epilepsy. I had this dream I would find the cure for it, but no such luck so far. What about you? Did you dress up in a suit as a kid, wanting to become a CEO?”

  “I was actually a biology major for two years. I find the human body fascinating. But I realized I needed to be practical, so I changed majors.”

  Licking the ice cream off my spoon, I smile. “Ah, so you changed majors to work for ‘The Man.’” He smiles, but his body tenses. I touch his arm. “I’m kidding.”

  He turns his hand and runs his finger down the inside of my arm. “I know. It’s just been difficult for me to hold a job, so I’ll sell my soul to anybody at this point.”

  I nod. “Bad economy .”

  We finish the ice cream and he offers his hand to me. I take it and we walk around the park. A cool breeze tugs at my hair and brushes my face. I enjoy the feeling of his warm palm and how easy it is for me to talk to him. He pulls out a bag of stale bread from his backpack and we feed it to the ducks at the pond. I show him my cartwheel talents. By the time he’s driving me home, a happy fatigue washes over me. I lay my cheek against the headrest and watch Adam drive. He has the ease and precision of someone who began driving before he was legally allowed.

  “My birthday is next week,” I tell him.

  He glances over at me. “Really? Awesome! Happy almost birthday.”

  “Thanks.” I snuggle down into the worn seats of his car. “My roommate, Sam, is throwing a small party for me. Do you want to come?”

  “Next week?” He shakes his head. “Sorry, but I don’t think I’ll be able to. It’s going to be really busy at work. Which sucks. I wish I could be there to celebrate with you.”

  Only a small disappointment tugs at me, and so does relief. I manage a smile for Adam. “It’s fine. My roommate just wanted me to ask.”

  “You talk about me to your roommate?” he teases.

  I laugh. “Only a little bit. Where do you work?"

  "A home improvement store called The Garage. It's not as good as a pharmacy job but it allows me to take a pretty girl to the park and buy her an enormous ice cream."

  I laugh. "I may not be pretty after eating all of that ice cream. I think I gained ten pounds. And I saw you eating a lot of that bowl."

  "You would still be pretty if you gained a hundred pounds."

  I grin. I haven't been this happy in so long that it feels like I'm living someone else's life. Like Cinderella without the upkeep of a castle.

  He parks in front of my apartment and walks me up to the doorstep. He stops there again and takes my hand. “I had another amazing day with you. I hope to have a repeat performance sometime soon. It’s too bad it can’t be on your birthday.”

  “I hope we’ll have plenty of days together after next week.”

  “We will. I promise.” He lets go of my hand and touches his fingertips to my hips. Leaning forward he kisses me. I close my eyes. At first the kiss is soft. Our lips just brush against each others. He adds the smallest bit of pressure. I kiss him back, complementing his intensity.

  He takes a step back with a dazed look in his eyes. “Wow,” he says and touches his lips. “You’re amazing.” My cheeks warm and I look down. Adam caresses the side of my face. “Have a good night, Kate.” He bounds down the stairs. I watch him until his car disappears down the road. I can feel the heat of his kiss and his touch slowly evaporate from my skin. I miss him already.

  ●

  Sam tells me she and Ahanna are taking me to a bar for my birthday. I’m partially dreading it because all my men issues seem to start there. I’ve seen Adam two more times since our last date, but I haven’t heard from him at all this week. It’s a bit lonely at times but I understand his work ethic.

  I drag my feet into work, hoping Todd needs me to work a double shift so I don’t have to go to the bar. I walk into the back room to get my uniform and clock in. I’m opening the pharmacy this morning. I flick on the lights to find my locker. A loud yell sets my heart pounding and startles me.

  “Surprise!” Sam jumps out from around the corner like a cannonball. Ahanna peeks around her. Cindy, Linda, and Todd appear from behind the corner too. Cindy and Linda both seem amused by Sam.

  Todd’s eyes are on me. “Happy birthday,” he murmurs, touching my elbow as he moves past. I can barely conceal a shiver. Everyone crowds close to congratulate me for surviving another year. Cindy is the last one in line and gives me a big hug.

  “What about customers?” I ask still shaking from shock.

  “We sent out notices that told them we’re opening late today,”
Cindy says. “Don’t worry. Todd’s working two extra hours tonight to make up for it.”

  I glance at Todd. He shrugs.

  Giving him a smile, I say, “You didn’t have to do that.”

  “You deserve this. You’re a great employee. You should know how much I…how we appreciate your friendship and your hard work.”

  “Thank you.” A lump chokes my words. I turn to everybody else. “Thanks to all of you.”

  “You haven’t even opened your presents yet!” Sam pushes a brightly wrapped box at me.

  Sam's gift is a journal. Ahanna gives me a crimson scarf she knitted. All of my co-workers at Davidson Pharmacy pitch in on a gift card for Ambrosia Café and a bottle of hazelnut syrup. Cindy brings out the birthday cake and we all enjoy it together. My friends trade stories about me until we’re all laughing. The doorbell rings to end the fun. Todd stands up and goes to the front of the store to answer it. He returns with a bouquet of white and red roses.

  “It’s addressed to you.” Todd’s jaw tightens. He puts the flowers down in front of me. I take the small card shaped like a coffee cup off from the front and read it aloud.

  “Dear Kate. I’m sorry I couldn’t be there to celebrate your birthday with you and your friends. I hope we can get together and have our own celebration soon. You are an amazing, wonderful woman and I can’t believe I ever lived my life without you.”

  Lips pressed tight, I can’t finish reading. Sam peeks over my shoulder.

  “Yours, Adam,” she finishes.

  “Adam?” Cindy asks. “Who’s Adam?”

  “He’s my boyfriend.” I barely get the words out.

  “Oh, my God, how have you not told me about this little charmer?” she asks. She pushes her nose into the roses. “Heaven’s scent.”

  I nudge my roses away from her. “I haven’t told anybody.”

  “Well, you have to tell me everything. How did you meet? How long have you been together? Have you done the dirty deed yet?”

  I tell them the story of Adam. Cindy, Linda, Sam, and even Ahanna sigh and smile at all of the right parts. At the end, I realize Todd is no longer in the room. I turn to Cindy. “Where did Todd go?”