The next morning Nora arrived at the coffee shop at 7:41\u2014earlier than usual, though she told herself it was only because she\u2019d woken up ahead of the alarm. The bell gave its familiar dull chime as she stepped inside. The air smelled the same: fresh grounds, faint vanilla from the pastry case, the low murmur of the espresso machine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jade was already at the counter, wiping down the steam wand with the same steady motions she always used. She looked up, offered the small chin-lift greeting, and started pulling Nora\u2019s shot without being asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nora slid her card across. \u201cBlack, no room.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jade nodded, tapped the register, then slid the cup over. No sleeve note today. No folded paper tucked underneath. Just the plain white cup, still hot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nora glanced toward the corner table by the window out of habit. The chair was empty. No navy sweater, no open notebook, no pen resting against knuckles. Just a clean tabletop and the morning light slanting across it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She felt something tighten under her ribs\u2014small, unexpected, almost embarrassing. Disappointment. Not dramatic, not heartbreak-level, just the quiet letdown of expecting one thing and finding another. She hadn\u2019t realized she\u2019d been expecting anything at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jade caught the glance and the brief pause. She leaned one elbow on the counter, casual. \u201cHe\u2019s not in yet today.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nora met her eyes. \u201cDidn\u2019t ask.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDidn\u2019t have to,\u201d Jade said, voice low and even. \u201cYou looked.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nora exhaled through her nose, half a laugh. \u201cThat obvious?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOnly to people who watch mornings happen for a living.\u201d Jade straightened, wiped her hands on the towel slung over her shoulder. \u201cHe comes most days, but not every day. Sometimes he\u2019s early, sometimes late. Sometimes he skips.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nora nodded once. She didn\u2019t know why the information settled her a little, but it did. \u201cRight. Thanks.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jade gave the faintest shrug. \u201cCoffee\u2019s still on the house if you want. Leftover gesture from yesterday.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nora considered it, then shook her head. \u201cI\u2019ll pay. Habit.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jade rang it up without comment, handed back the card. Their fingers didn\u2019t brush; the exchange was as smooth and practiced as always.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nora took the cup, turned toward the door. She paused just long enough to look at the empty corner table one more time. It looked smaller without him in it. Ordinary. She felt faintly ridiculous for noticing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Outside, the March air was sharper than yesterday. She walked to the office with the cup warming her palm, surprised at herself. Surprised that the absence of a stranger she\u2019d never spoken to could register as anything at all. Surprised that she\u2019d checked the window first thing. Surprised that the disappointment lingered, quiet but stubborn, all the way to the office.
She told herself it was nothing. Just the brain doing its pattern-seeking thing\u2014same seat, same sweater, same small ritual interrupted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That was all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Still, when she reached her desk and set the cup down, she slipped her hand into her coat pocket. The folded note from yesterday was still there. She didn\u2019t pull it out. She just let her fingers rest against it for a second before starting the computer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To be continued tomorrow\u2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The next morning Nora arrived at the coffee shop at 7:41\u2014earlier than usual, though she told herself it was only because she\u2019d woken up ahead of the alarm. The bell gave its familiar dull chime as she stepped inside. The air smelled the same: fresh grounds, faint vanilla from the pastry case, the low murmur […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-coffee-shop-notes"],"yoast_head":"\n