[Sigh] I didn't even want to write this... but it's been floating about in my head for weeks now, so even though I've two other fics on the go I'm apparently starting a third.
-.-.-.-
These few months were what Delphine liked to call her make or break months. The month she'd spend in America in order to make up her mind once and for all on whether or not she'd come here to pursue her PhD. She'd been so sure when she'd applied to Minnesota a year ago that this was what she'd wanted – she'd lived in France her entire life, and other than holidays with her parents or with friends she'd never left before now. She'd probably end up spending the rest of her life there as well, and the way she saw it she may as well get a glimpse of the brave new world before she settled down back at home.
It was scary though; packing your bags and relocating half ways across the world by yourself, even if it was only a three month trial period. She'd gotten herself an apartment for the few weeks she'd be here, considering it a lot more desirable than living out of a hotel room for weeks on end. It wasn't exactly luxurious, but it was as close as she could get to the University of Minnesota campus and it was right across the street from the best coffee she'd had in her entire life.
The place seemed to be a family business of some sort; with a dainty plaque beside the door letting people know it'd been opened in 1974 by Ethan and Susan Duncan, and a hanging sign above it with "Duncan's Cafe" in whimsical looped lettering.
The owners didn't seem to run the place anymore – or at least on Delphine's visits to the café she'd not seen an elderly couple working there.
Instead it seemed they'd hired waitresses rather than keep it strictly in the family. There were three that worked there regularly; Alison was prim and proper, and the only one that wore her nametag, therefore making her the only one Delphine actually knew by name. Then there was a second girl, the same height and build as Alison though a lot rougher around the edges, with a bad attitude to match – not that Delphine would ever call her out on her less than friendly waitressing for fear she'd get a scalding hot cup of coffee thrown in her face.
Finally there was the girl that Delphine kept coming back for day in day out. She managed to mesmerise Delphine at every turn, with long dreadlocks wound up in a bun at the back of her head, and rings bouncing of the ceramic coffee cup she delivered with a warm smile that Delphine knew was genuine because of the fangs that poked out from between her lips.
She was all grace with her body seeming to glide from table to table checking on customers, and her hands flowing free when she leaned back against the counter, chatting and giggling with Alison and the other server when there was a lull in their day.
Delphine was enchanted and she wasn't quite sure why; yet each day she pushed open the wooden framed door and took her seat on one of the plush leather chairs in the corner next to the window, waiting diligently until this girl skipped towards her with a menu – because it was always her; over the past few days Alison and the other girl always seemed suddenly busy when she arrived.
"Hey," the girl greeted, her smile all teeth when she halted in front of the table and extended the menu. "Wanna take a look or do you want me to get you the usual?"
Her usual was a latte with an extra shot though she realised as the menu waved inches from her nose that she'd actually managed to go her entire morning without eating – instead immersing herself in all that Minneapolis had to offer a fresh faced tourist.
"I think I'll take a look at the menu today," Delphine nodded politely, her fingers curling around the faux-leather bound booklet. "Merci." She liked speaking French to this girl, she could see the way it lit up her face just that tiny bit more.
"Awesome, well our specials are on the board over there as well," Cosima nodded enthusiastically, pointing to a chalkboard behind her head. "And I'll be back over to get your order soonish." Then she backed away with the same genuine smile on her face, not turning until the back of her knee collided with one of the low tables in her way.
-.-.-.-
"Smooth," Sarah sniggered once Cosima slid herself back behind the counter.
"What?"
"You fuckin' colliding with a table, that's what," her friend needlessly reminded her, having observed the entire incident (all the while ignoring the two tables that had tried to grab her attention).
"Shut up," Cosima huffed, a blush clouding her cheeks. "At least I'm serving customers instead of standing back here on facebook," she added, noticing the app open on the phone Sarah wasn't even trying to hide.
-.-.-.-
Delphine had decided on a warm chicken salad; in fact she'd decided on it the second her eyes landed on it on in the middle of the second page, yet she still flicked through the menu, reading and re-reading their meals, sandwiches and desserts, even flicking through the kids menu more than once.
Truth be told asking for the food wasn't the only think she wanted to do – she wanted to know the girls name. It had been bugging her more and more as they days ticked by that she was still just nameless and pretty with cute glasses and an even cuter personality, and now that she was actually going to be staying here longer than it took to make and drink a latte she wanted a name to put to the face.
Of course it was never that simple though, and each time she needlessly glanced through the menu she mentally prepared herself for just how odd she was sure her question would sound. She didn't get all the time she would have liked though – on her third read through the kids menu she looked up to find herself greeted by the same bubbling smile she'd grown attached to over the past week.
"Ready to order?" The girl questioned, docket booklet and pen in hand and poised ready to go.
"I'll have the warm chicken salad," Delphine nodded, turning the page discreetly in case the girl looked down at the menu. "And a latte," she added once she'd finished writing.
"Nice choice, nice choice," the dreadlocked girl hummed and for a second Delphine actually felt like she had made a really great decision before realising that no, that was silly, it was just food. "Do you want fries with the salad?"
"Oui… uh yes," Delphine nodded. "A small plate."
"Cool, sounds good," the girl finished scribbling down the order and looked back at Delphine. "Anything else I can do for ya?" She enquired pleasantly, her hands starting back into motion now that she wasn't restricted by the need to write.
Delphine considered saying no, though somewhere in the back of her mind a voice reminded her "it's now or never Cormier" and with one final fleeting thought on just how silly it would sound, she spoke up. "You don't wear a name tag…" she mentioned as casually as she could while painfully aware of how awkward she was being.
"Oh uh… no," the girl agreed while confusion clouded her features. "I guess I don't. Is uh… is it a problem?" Her brows knitted together and Delphine suddenly felt very stupid for someone with an iQ as high as hers.
"No, no! I just don't know your name…" Delphine explained quickly, feeling embarrassment begin to colour her cheeks.
"Oh," the girl seemed relieved now that she knew it wasn't something she'd done wrong, and her smile quickly returned. "Cosima," she added after a beat, shuffling her pen into the same hand as her dockets book and extending her arm. "I'm Cosima."
"Delphine," she returned, accepting the surprisingly warm and firm handshake that may or may not have been held for a moment longer than necessary. "Enchantee."
"Enchantee," Cosima agreed, her smile softening into something Delphine suspected was usually reserved for people she wasn't serving food to.
