Across The Counter

The only word for all this was chaos. Not that Faith couldn't handle a little mayhem—she'd been working at this shop since high school. But she'd never seen it like this before. People filed out the door. Sure, it was the start of PSL season, but it had never been THIS bad before.

Faith blamed the chain coffee shop that opened last summer down the street for the reason everyone wanted her little coffee shop’s take on the classic. Finally, the rush of high school girls and middle-aged moms died down an older woman with salt and pepper hair slowly made her way to the front of the shop.

“My, that was a rush, I waited in my car for 20 minutes rather than waiting in that ridiculous line.” she chuckles.

“Yes, it's the first day of pumpkin spice latte season. And everyone wants a taste." Faith shrugs.

“Well, if it makes people wait in a line that long, I will happily pass on such things." She smiles, “Can I please just have simple black coffee? With cream and sugar are the side, I find that with the different blends, I never know if I need more cream or sugar.”

Faith let out a sigh of relief, a simple coffee order. "Absolutely, are you staying in?” The lady nods, "Find a seat and I'll bring you your coffee.” Faith puts together a coffee tray and finds the lady sitting warm in the sun. “You picked a perfect spot to enjoy the last few days of summer."

“Thank you, my dear, I hope you get a break soon, you look like that rush knocked the wind out of you."

Faith looks down at her watch, " Oh my, I missed my break." She pondered how close to the end of her shift it was, if a break was even worth it at this point.

“I know that face, take your break, even if it's just a short one. No job is worth wasting away at." The woman smiles.

“I could use an Iced Caramel Latte… I'll make one for myself and go soak in the sun for a few minutes." Faith nods and heads back to the bar.

“Sounds like a sugar bomb of a drink,” the woman chuckles, “But everyone deserves a treat."

Stepping outside with her cool drink in hand, she soaked in the warmth of the sun, knowing the cool breeze of fall was on its way. “That lady was right, I did need this.”

When Faith returned inside, the woman was bringing her tray to the front, "Oh! Someone could have picked that up for you.” Faith rushed over.

“Oh, don't worry about me, dear, I don't mind.” She smiles and hands her a ten-dollar bill.

"Oh, I couldn't.” Faith tries to refuse. The woman shrugs and drops it in the top jar. And walks away. "I know she comes in all the time, but for the life of me, I can't remember her name.”

“Oh! That's Mrs. J. She used to teach me piano." Hallie, one of the high school students, called from the back. “She comes in once a week, I usually try to serve her. So you've probably never interacted with her.”

Faith nodded thoughtfully, “Well, with you in school soon, I'll make sure she gets great service."

When school started, Faith wondered if Mrs. J would charge her schedule to see Hallie. But she kept coming in the middle of the afternoon. She got to be so predictable that Faith often had her coffee ready and waiting. "You're too kind to me." Mrs. J would shake her head and smile when Faith met her at her favourite spot.

“Just giving wonderful service to one of our regulars." Faith winks. “Say, Hallie mentioned you used to teach piano, so you still take students?"

"Not as often as I used to buy, but I don't mind helping a student now and then.” Mrs. J leans forward, “Have you played before?”

Faith looks down, "I used to, all the time. My mom taught me, but we had a fight, and I refused to play piano after that, and I tried to play the other day, and it's like my brain forgot.”

Mrs. J reached out and took her hand, "I bet a piano player is still inside of you.” Her eyes were soft. "Did you and your mother recover from your fight?”

Faith crosses her arms, "For the most part, yeah, we aren't like friends, but I talk to her once a week. But I found playing piano harder than I imagined it to be.”

Mrs. J smiles, “I think I can make space in my oh so busy retirement schedule to teach you.”

"Thank you, Mrs. J I miss playing." Faith turns to go back to the counter.

"I'm always willing to help a student find her muse again. And I doubt it will take that long.”

Mrs. H had been correct once the two of them started playing piano; Faith's muscle memory kicked in, and she found the love of music again.

But one day, while they’d been practicing a song that Faith's mother had wanted her to learn, and Faith had never been able to get it as a child, and now as a young woman, she was having the same issue. She banged in the keys. "I'm never gonna learn this dumb song!”

“Hey," Mrs. J's voice was gentle, “take a breath, it's just a song. No one here is gonna be upset with you."

Faith lets out a long, slow sigh. "My mom wanted me to play this song for my grandmother's birthday one year, and she was so upset when I couldn't learn the song.”

“Did you stop playing then?” Mrs. J turned and gave her all of her attention.

“No, I played for a few years after that, but this song hung over my head.” She fiddled with her hands.

“So why learn it now? You've learned other songs that you play beautifully. Why does this song matter now?” Mrs. H left the piano bench and brought two cups of tea..

“Grandma's birthday is this month, and every year I think about trying to learn it.” I thought maybe this year would be the year. Faith drinks the tea and feels the warmth calm her.

“Well, not every song is meant for everyone to play. Maybe this song isn't for you to play. And that doesn't make you a failure.” Mrs. H keeps a steady, calm voice.

"Are you sure? It always felt like this song was going to haunt me." Faith blinks back tears.

“I'm more than sure, why don't you pick a song you'd like to play for your grandma, and we'll learn that one instead? Rewrite the memory.” Mr. H points to the stack of music books she owns.

So Faith picked out a new song, and they worked until Faith could play it from memory.

Mrs. H had been old enough to be Faith's mother, but between a coffee shop counter and a piano bench, they're very good friends.