Chapter 3: BREWED COFFEE LATTE
VIOLET'S POV
A bombing answer exploding inside the handwritten letter ends the endless question into a full circle.
The piece of roughly cut notebook pad, with squiggly letters in it, I could tell it's my mother's writing, showing no force invested.
It removes half of my heart's load that I have carried since my younger years.
For 19 years, my head is flooded with many questions about my father.
If I look like him or with whom I got my genes since, not an inch of my physical features mirrored my known mother, Amanda.
I have red wavy hair while hers is jet black.
My skin is ivory while Amanda glows in her Spanish skin.
Her beautiful facial feature, and her perfect high nose, while mine in freckled cheeks and nose imperfectly upturned.
Not even a thing with character or behavior could match us together, we fight like dogs and cat in our differences.
My heart silently bleeds for a long time, burning down my "wants" inside me to please her.
I enjoyed spending time with my best friend but never had experience a night out with her.
We love music, we love painting together, we love the outdoor and freedom.
But Amanda hates those!
Then, I roam my eyes, everyone is gone.
The gloomy skies whisk its lightning express the bowling thunder as splatters of minimal rain kissing my skin.
Rolling the piece of paper in my fingers and inserted it inside the secret pocket of my leather jacket, saving it from soaking and for my future.
The rain pours its load and draining away the vessel full of uncertainties.
Then, it stopped pouring above my head.
I could feel the warmth of a person standing next to me.
I scanned my eyes from my feet, a wet wolf grey, leather, monogram pattern of the most expensive brand of high sneakers, besides my low-grade, low cut, mustard, old Chuck Taylor, hurts my eyes.
Then, I tilt my head up, saw a black umbrella over my head.
I wipe away my dripping hair from my eyes and saw our arrogant customer.
[What is he doing in here? Is he stalking me?]
I quickly collected myself in a fighting stance, ready to give a front kick to his groin.
"Hey, wait up! I mean no harm Miss Manager!" he yelled and raised his arms in surrender "S***!" cursing under his breath as the umbrella fall on his feet.
His two bodyguards appeared from a distance and started running towards our position.
They immediately stood beside their master in a guard position, in their guns off-side drop, "Oswald, Hunter, there's only a misunderstanding... she's not a threat!" He said calmly and signaled his hand for them to move away.
Then they tuck their guns away at their back.
"Please... Miss Manager, the rain is endlessly soaking us, we should be in a warm, dry place or else we will be both sick! Please..." He cried out to beat the loud rolling thunder.
I started walking without caring much about what he's talking about.
I started running myself towards the exit gate of the small cemetery.
I could see my shadow from the light flashing on my back, I know they are following me behind, there are no other cars inside except his luxury car.
[I should have never stayed. I should have accompanied Nicole or Margaret home. I should have listened to them. What does he need from me?]
"Hey, Miss Manager!" he called out on his backseat window "I just wanted to apologize. I just wanted to be a friend! Please come inside the car. Do not worry, I'm not a human trafficker! I'll explain to you once we will be in a dry place. Please..."
I halted. [Do I have a choice? Walking 5 kilometers away from home will surely bring me flu and nobody will take care of me, I'm alone now. If I will get inside the car and they planned to abduct me, I will give them a good fight.]
One of the bodyguards opened the door for me on the back seat, a seat next to the arrogant customer.
I have no choice but to help myself getting inside the car with clothes and hair dripping, feeling the warm heat inside it makes me stop from a shiver.
Then a plushy white towel with a gold embroidered letter initials "VN" handed in front of me, took it, and wiped myself dry as I could.
He cleared his throat "I'm so sorry if I have scared you earlier, that was unintentional. By the way, I forgot to introduce myself, it's Vaughn!" he extends his hand and I'm anxious to receive it. He took his hand and added "I just saw you alone in the graveyard. I just wanted to help" his deep baritone voice sends a message to my brain to be calm and vigilant.
"Do you want to have a cup of coffee or tea at Jerry's Junction?" he said like he knew that Jerry's freshly brewed coffee in latte always makes my heart melt.
I conceded to avoid him from knowing my place.
I agreed for me to breathe a little bit, away from the nothingness of our house.
And I have some spare dry clothes inside my locker that I always kept for rainy days like this.
The car stopped in front of the junction and the bodyguards quickly rushed out with umbrellas in their hands, ushered both of us to disembark and walk towards the entrance.
Eleanor's eyes widen looking at us as we entered the restaurant, pouting her lips, pointing at my companion.
For two years that I have been here, no secrets and stories will be saved to a safety box with Ellie's blabbermouth.
Of which I always tried to avoid, though, my life is an open book in this small village.
I glared at her and turned to face Vaughn "I'm sorry but I need to go to the restroom" he nodded in approval and walk towards their favorite spot.
I swiftly walk towards the locker room beside the restroom for girls.
Suddenly, I bumped with someone as I entered the room, "Ms. Stern?!? what are you doing in here? Aren't you supposed to be home?" Mr. Smithson's fatherly voice expressed much concern.
"I'm sorry Mr. Smithson, I just drop by to take my dry clothes in my locker and... have some brewed latte." I flash my sweetest smirk with sad eyes.
"Uhm... I knew how you felt right now Ms. Stern, my condolences. I'm sorry, if I was not there earlier, today is quite a busy day, with too many visitors. Just take your leave if you like, I could cover it for you."
"Do not worry about me, Sir... I'm fine. I could go back to work tomorrow, I will need it than staying at home." I sighed.
"Alright then, always know that I'm here, willing to listen." He tapped my shoulder and walked his way back to the kitchen.
Mr. Smithson is a hands-on owner, manager of Jerry's Junction.
He is part of the kitchen team and does managerial tasks when not many customers coming in.
His wife died last year from uterine cancer, he was devastated and depressed that he almost lost the restaurant but all of the employees helped him to recover.
I stopped in front of the black and gray metal locker with my name on it and glad that I brought my key with me.
As soon as I opened the locker doors, I took the purple drawstring bag and rushed to the restroom.
After 8 minutes of drying up myself with the white plushy towel, changing clothes from my white shirt to floral, black jeans to blue jeans, put on dry socks and undergarments then back with my black leather jacket.
I went out of the restroom with the wet clothes, undergarments, and socks inside the bag.
"Violet! Your brewed latte is on the way!" Ellie called out when I passed the cashier, winks her eye with delight like she knows everything.
Then Vaughn approached me, escorted me to the table, towards the seat across him while his bodyguards on the next table.
A tea set in front of him with a honey container on the side.
"Do you like some tea?" I shook my head as he filled his teacup.
"Guess, your coffee will be on the way" then "James", one of our waiters in the restaurant brings in the tray with my cup of brewed coffee latte to our rectangular, glossy, wooden table.
After James served my coffee, Vaughn speaks again, "As I was saying, we started at the wrong foot and I wanted to make it right" he extends his hand for a shake again "it's Vaughn... Vaughn Nikolai" he smiled showing his perfect white teeth and his nose caught my attention, it is perfect like the Roman Gods.
I extend my hand and receive his, "Violet!" in a quick, abrupt manner, touching like I'm afraid to catch on fire.
"Uhm... I'm here in Smithson Village for a reason. I'm not on a vacation but I'm here to visit the cemetery, where my aunt's grave is situated. That's when I saw you, soaking in the rain!"
"Oh, I'm so sorry about what happened earlier. I never knew!" Holding my cup towards a sip, lower my eyes to shy away from his stare.
"No, don't be sorry... I just want to say my condolences to you."
My tears brimmed upon hearing his downhearted tone of voice.
I keep blinking to keep it suppressed.
I guess, Ellie already uncovers everything to him.
Then suddenly, "Lady Violet Rose?!?" That's Nicole's high-pitched voice echoes from the entrance.
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