Chapter 1 - Aunt Chaya

1:30 PM Tuesday, Coffee Express Brooke Avenue 17 

The day’s slow, one thirty in the afternoon and still no customers.

*Sigh*

I think I’ll take a break.

I thought as I removed my cap.

“Val! I’m taking a break!.” I called out to my best friend Valeria. Her curly brown hair bobbed behind her while she rushed around the counter, obviously, coming with some new drink. She gave me a thumbs up and I headed to the back.

I took off my apron and sat down on a chair while unwrapping a granola bar, within the next second, Val was standing beside me holding three clear glass mugs in her hands.

“Thanks.” I said as I downed the last bite of my granola and took the coffee from her. As soon as I sipped it I tasted a strong flavor of ginger and Redbull. chewing don the crunchy ice i noticed that there was gold glitter in it. 

I sighed, "Woman, any given day you make me this I'll give you 10 bucks and I won't regret it."

She sat next to me and smiled while having hers, “I knew you’d like it. I call it . And mine’s called Birthday Bash!”

I smiled and said, “Scientist Val, you have succeeded in making my day, a whole lot better.”

“Yo, what’s this? Are we having a coffee party?” A familiar voice said, we both looked up to see Roman.

“What a nice surprise, you rarely ever get to come here and hang out now.” I joked, he always came here to get free coffee, no matter whether his boss at the stables would scold him and deduct his salary or increase his work.

He smacked my right arm and laughed as he sat between me and Val and said, “Soo, what are we doing today?”

“Nothing.” Val chirped as she slurped her drink and handed him a drink.

“Thanks. Can I have it for free?” He gave her a sweet smile and she eyed him.

“Only if I get to ride Phoebe around the farm.” She crossed her arms across her chest and tapped her foot impatiently like an eight year old.

He laughed and sat between us as he said, “Alright.” And she practically glowed with excitement.

I shook my head disbelievingly, “What are you, fifth graders or my friends?”

“Friends.” They said in unison and I laughed loudly.

After a minute of silence and cooling down from the heat I heard a voice call out front in the coffee shop.

“Hello? Is anyone there?” I put on my employees apron and cap as I walked to the front and stood by the counter to see a woman probably in her thirties.

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Why does she look familiar…

I shook that thought out of my head and asked while smiling sweetly, “What can I get you?”

She smiled and looked at the menu as she said, “I’ll have 4 blueberry cupcakes as takeaway and an Autumn frappé please.”

“Alright, will you be paying by card or cash?”

“Card.” She said as she rummaged her purse, and handed it to me.

I swiped it and smiled, “Thank you, please wait at table one and I’ll bring your order.”

“Thank you.” She said sweetly and walked to her table.

I quickly went over to the barista counter and whispered to Val, “Hey, does she look familiar to you?”

Without looking up from the coffee she was brewing she asked, “Who?”

“That lady who just ordered the Autumn frappé.”

She finished making the drink and placed it on a tray and went to take a blueberry cupcake  from the case and placed it on a porcelain plate in the tray along with a few utensils, then handed it to me and said, “You wanna know who she reminds me of ?”

I nodded curiously.

“Your mom. She has the same color hair and her smile looks similar, just a younger version of her. She has the same name too.”

 I blinked for a second before I went to check the name on the cup.

‘Chaya Elkayam Desmond’ scribbled in Val’s handwriting.

I took the tray to Ms.Desmond and placed it before her and said, “Here’s your order, one Autumn frappé and a blueberry cupcake. Would you like anything else?”

“No, thank you.” She replied.

I paused for a minute, considering whether or not if I should ask her if-

“You’re wondering whether we know each other and are related.” Her crisp and heavily accented voice cut through my thoughts as she spoke.

I stared blankly at her as she chuckled and continued, “Yes. We are related. I am your aunt from your mother’s side, younger to her by ten years.” she took a slurp of her coffee and while smiling sweetly gestured for me to sit.

I did of course still staring dumbly at her. “You’re my aunt, from mom’s side…” Disbelief leaking through my voice, she nodded while taking another sip of her coffee.

I chuckled disbelievingly, “Why come to meet me after so many years?”

She set her cup down and put on a serious expression, “We know it may seem like we didn’t love you, or didn’t want to talk to you, but trust me Talia we do, we’re just not very social.”

I frowned, “Who’s we? And honestly, it’s hard to believe that you guys would want to contact me, and say that you’ve loved me all these years when you guys were so…standoffish.”

She sighed, “When I say we I mean me and your mother’s family. And we’re not all so stern and rigid, it’s majorly your grandfather.”

I realized that my temper wasn’t under control and tried calming down as I said, “Sorry, I’m just not good at controlling my temper.”

She smiled, “It’s alright, that’s the little bit of your mother you have in you.”

I smiled, “Mom’s always been slightly temperamental.”

She laughed, “Yes she is, taking after your grandmother in that aspect was something she loved. Anyways, I actually came here to tell you that your grandfather wants to talk to you. It’s about something important.”

I raised an eyebrow, “Really? Why? What is it?” My curiosity was peaked and I couldn’t help but ask so many questions.

She chuckled, “Well now that your curious is peaked I can’t tell you. Besides, you’re still working.” She jerked her head to the counter and I saw Val attending to a line of customers, talking to my aunt certainly made it seem as if time had stopped.

She rummaged her purse and slid a card across the table, “If you ever decide that you want to come and meet us, not just to talk about serious things but to get to know us too, you have my number.”

I took it and looked at it and read,

‘Flore pour vous’  

Thankfully I’d taken french classes back in college and I translated it to, “Flora for you.” I said aloud. Next to the name was a phone number, an email and a social media tag.

“You’re a florist. You also know french.” I pointed out.

She replied happily, “Oui, but very little. I’ve never been very good at learning languages. Your uncles and mother are much better than me. I’d better be going, you need to work as well, your friend has a flood on her hands. Don’t hesitate to call me if you decide you want to know more.”

I nodded and shoved the card into my pocket as we both stood at the same time, she walked over to me and gave me a hug. I hugged her back and said, “I’ll think about it.”

She gave a firm nod in response and said, “Take care Talia.”

“You too.” I replied as she walked to the exit. She waved quickly before picking up her phone and walking hurriedly to her car.

I quickly made my way over to the counter and stood beside Val, she looked at me with a raised eyebrow and I mouthed, “Tell you tomorrow.”

Immediately I addressed a customer and started taking orders, the curious thoughts of my aunt’s proposal still lurking in my mind.

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