Disclaimer: I do not own any recognizable features of the following story. Characters are used for entertainment purposes only and not for monetary gain.
Prologue
There is a place called Helen's in the center of Toronto where the coffee flows like water and people from all walks of life convene for their morning fix of caffeine. Set in the middle of a middle class neighborhood, it is a place that the poor and the wealthy blend together without prejudice or preconceptions. It is a place where everybody knows your name and a helping hand is free of charge.
There is a man who is more of a cynic than an optimist. A man with hair the color of espresso beans and muddy green eyes who finds it overly troubling to just wake up in the mornings, who has seen more and been through more than most men twice his age. There is a man who finds solace in the place called Helen's for the camaraderie the patrons provide and finds comfort in knowing that he never has to question if he belongs.
Because at Helen's, everybody belongs.
There is a woman with eyes bluer than the ocean and hair that is the shade of ground cinnamon. Although life has done its best to knock her down on more than one occasion, she is a woman who has managed to keep her cheery disposition and optimistic nature. There is a woman whose simple manner of acceptance and joy of being around others makes her the successful proprietress that she is.
Because at Helen's, that is what is needed in an owner.
There is a man who lost the one he loved more than life itself. He watches from a corner and mumbles about how the younger generation will never understand what it means to truly love, shaking his head at how easily they find it to fall in and out of love like it's some disease that only needs medication to solve. There is a man who can only sigh at times due to the fact that the sadness is overwhelming but finds comfort in knowing there are others like him.
Because at Helen's, the brokenhearted are always welcome.
At Helen's, the dessert of the day is served alongside a good piece of gossip. The coffee seems to have a little extra kick as does the conversation shared by those who consume it. The old-timers sit in the corner reliving their glory days while the young people rush in and out trying to gain moments that will one day become great tales to share. At Helen's, a community has formed and it's all led by a woman who some remember knowing as a child.
So step inside Toronto's hidden jewel and take a seat at the counter. Take a bite of the latest creation that Clare Edwards has concocted in her kitchen as she pours you a steaming cup of java. Read the latest play that Eli Goldsworthy has penned that will be performed on stage next month. Listen to old man Withers as he tells you about a woman so beautiful you could have sworn she was made of stardust.
And watch as a love story that will be talked about through the ages enfolds before your very eyes.
To be continued…
