Author's note: ATBG was one of my most favorite and cherished cartoons from my youth. A few days ago on a nostalgia trip I rediscovered it. My fondness for the series grew, as I discovered themes that were too subtle for my kid brain to detect. I took to fanfiction only to find that none of the stories really did the show or characters justice. Before long a story was brewing inside me, that I had to get out so I could sleep again.
*stay tuned for ch. 2
Klingle klingle as they'd say in Germany, the blonde knew that at least. Considering French was more her forté. She smiled as the door retracted in a quick screech. The morning had to be special if the brewhouse was so quiet as to hear the bells ring.
Oh who was she kidding? Today would be nothing special as she approached the oak counter, slightly apprehensive as only Agnes possessed the magic touch when it came to making the best Kopi Luwak. For that reason she justified this place wasn't beyond her means or rustic, even though part of her despised herself for holding those perceptions. "Oh hey you", the woman finally snapped back into reality.
"It has been a month, now you know I can't start the morning off without coming to see you." She smiled at Agnes.
"Sorry hun, doc needed me to rest. Here you go sweetheart," Agnes set the cardboard cup on the aged oak finish of the counter.
"Doc?" The revelation roused the fair haired woman's attention from her phone screen. "What're you talking about sweet pea...?" That's when something else caught her attention. Drawn to the golden ray of sunlight reflecting off the glass jar the lady's eyes transfixed. Things all made sense now.
She found her self staring at a collection cup with a pride swallowing plea. Agnes had suffered a heart attack, that explained her absence. What's worse is the aging woman had to explain on the note in no dignifying terms that she did not have insurance.
The grown woman couldn't bring herself to speak. All she could do was look at the much older woman behind the counter. The woman, whom she treated like a friend even though everyone could tell it came off as superficial. She knew it, Agnes knew it. It bothered her, she'd fought an uphill battle over that personality flaw all her life, and now she felt bad. Silently she paid.
Yet her attention couldn't help but drift back to the glass. Barely thirty dollars she thought. The blonde looked over her shoulder, she became slightly annoyed. This wasn't an affluent neighborhood, but it wasn't a poor one either.
Pursing her lips, she flipped through her her Versace handbag or purse as others called it. Others, there was that elitist mentality creeping up again, the one she'd fought to shed in high school and college. Finally the woman retrieved an angora checkbook.
Putting the tip of the pen up against her teeth the young woman ruminated over a proper amount, before finally scribbling a figure on the paper.
"And Agnes...this is for you sweet pea", she beamed, almost unable to contain the surprise as she extended her arm.
"Well thank you, but you don't need to give it to me. Put it in the cup darlin." Agnes stated.
"It's probably best I didn't." The fair haired maiden chuckled.
Bewildered Agnes accepted the check from her customer. The much older barista's eyes widened, while her brain must've rebooted when she finally took in the amount.
Pay to the order of: Alice's Health Fund
Twenty six thousand and _ 00 dollars.
_. Courtney Gripling
Looking back at Courtney, then the jar, the older woman understood the younger girl's hesitation. She folded the check and promptly stuffed it in her pocket. The gesture really gave Agnes a greater respect for her frequent customer. She truly was different. The girl had a heart on her. But before she could find the words the young blonde cut her off.
"No need. Just promise me you'll take it easy. Can't have the only barista in town with half a sense leaving me anytime soon!"
Agnes nodded in affirmation.
With that Courtney Gripling smiled. Coffee in hand the twenty eight year old strutted out the door, still in tune with the freshly risen sun, strolling past the autumn leaves on her way to work.