Lollipop and promises
t
ed as an
king for anything specific. Just something to do-an excuse
dy aisle when I
al hum of grocery store chatter, standing out in a way I couldn't ignore. It wasn't loud or forced, just
ner and saw her, I unders
ister, smiling as she bagged someone's groceries. I didn't know
w it, I was grab
the first thing I saw, something small enough th
told myself it wa
n I wen
. And
dictability. A brief, harmless interaction in a life that didn't
't the
was
he Distraction I
t
pect to see
grab a drink and leave. I had things to do-emails to respon
i
g at m
e to this café. It had the best lighting, the least amount of foot traffic, and it
mehow, she
that way people do when they're trying really hard to focus. A nearly full coffee
there watching her, debating w
verthink it, the words wer
e in m
ed up, eyes lo
me to leave her alone. Maybe roll her e
head, raising a skepti
"I usuall
nd the café. "There are, l
s one's
be tell me to find another place,
aling like I was some kind of impossible
disappoint, but
ns. Then, without waiting for permission, I pul
me. "What ar
"Finding a
h-short, disbeliev
ke that, I
she was all polite smiles and quick comebacks, balancing cus
he
e was di
. More
her ear like she'd forgotten it was there. There was something so effortless about the way s
ted, I found myself wondering what her life looked
he have a favorite drink? What was s
ted t
I di
atching as she tried (and failed) t
d no real reason to
oss from her in some random cof
e habit of showing
bit of wanting
rk bench, twirling a lol
, this
bits,
the fresh air before heading home. My phone buzzes in my pocket-probably another wo
p but not too cold. A few people jog past, a coupl
cef
g the lollipop b
d proba
to a habit that isn't so random anymore. I don't even kn
ng flavor. The way she stood her ground at the café, refusing to give up her sea
I know I'm not sto