"Hey, shortstack" I heard Lucas say. I looked up, not even having noticed him standing there. I'd been in my own little world for the last hour working on some sketches for a client that I'd been working with.
"Hey," I said, shifting my stuff off of my lap and onto the coffee table in front of me. I'd been working in the little cafe we met at on Wednesday mornings; I was freelance so I could work virtually anywhere depending on the day. Lucas, on the other hand, worked in a vet clinic so he was only able to stop by on his lunch break- if he got one.
It was quiet this morning, it was raining out and the gloominess of April had taken over the city. I'd ordered a large mug of tea when I came in but I realized that I'd completely abandoned it.
"Maya?" I refocused. Lucas' hand waved in front of me and I realized that I'd spaced out again.
"Are you okay?" Lucas asked, a layer of concern in his voice. I looked up at him and forced a smile.
"Just fine. I've been working on sketches all morning." Lucas tilted his head, glancing down at the sketchbook on the table.
"Maya, there are like three or four lines drawn on that page"
I looked down. There indeed were only a few lines drawn. I knew I'd spent more time thinking than actually drawing but I didn't realize that I'd drawn so little.
"Yeah- I didn't get as much work done as I wanted to, I guess"
He furrowed his eyebrows and leaned forward, putting his hands on his knees.
"Talk."
I held his gaze.
"Things are fine" I said.
"Clearly not" He gestured to the sketches.
"Work is good?"
"What's on your mind?"
"How's the clinic?" I asked again, trying to avoid the inevitable.
"Maya," He sat back into the chair, "Something's bothering you, I can tell."
I reached forward and folded my sketchbook closed before taking a sip of my tea which had gone cold.
"I'm fine."
Lucas drew his mouth into a straight line. One I only saw every once in awhile; one that appeared when he didn't know what to do next.
"Lucas," I reached across the table for his hand. There was a pit in my stomach. "I'm fine."