Xxxxx
Raeger
I didn't expect to see much of Ibuki, but I saw him quite often. He ran around town, always up to something. I'd catch sight of his blonde head of hair through the window of the restaurant. He'd run back and forth by the storefront every couple of hours during the afternoon. At first, I raised a brow each time I spotted him.
"Hm. Isn't he a busy bee?"
The first week, everytime I spotted him it caught me off guard how busy he looked. He'd run by from the right, then a couple hours he dash by the left. He was always doing something. All of Spring I saw him running around, presumably completing tasks and then dashing away to complete another. He was clearly preoccupied, fixated with whatever he was doing.
With time, he began coming in for lunch and small talk, visibly worn from his errands. He didn't talk much the first few times, something I think had to do with intimidation. I was still distant, only speaking enough to get through interactions. I was still unimpressed with him, having no desire to really speak with him.
In my head all I could keep thinking about was how sad Eda would be when he gave up. He hadn't even abandoned the town yet, but I was already bitter. He definitely sensed something was off. His timid nature meant he never addressed me on it, though.
I was civil, not friendly.
"Hey, Raeger." He greeted me one afternoon. "Could I get an egg bowl?"
"Don't see why not."
When he came in every other day for lunch his orders bounced back and forth between an egg bowl or cold noodles, which he always had with water. I assumed it was because he didn't have much money to throw around for meals. Starting out, there was no way he had the means to collect or buy ingredients to cook for himself, either.
Guy was probably snacking on whatever he could get his hands on when he wasn't at my counter. I guess he liked having his more substantial portion in the afternoon and not dinner, which made perfect sense when I thought about it. If he was running around all morning and afternoon, of course he'd be starving. Whatever snacks he managed to make himself couldn't possibly hold him over. Which, of course, resulted with him showing up so often.
"Another egg bowl, cooked just right." I announced, setting it down in front of him. "Enjoy."
"This looks great, I will."
He always thanked me for the food when I served it to him, and he always left happy with what he'd eaten. No matter how blatantly distant I was with him, he still made the effort to show me his gratitude. Once he smiled brightly at me before leaving, and it really made me stop.
"I look forward to seeing you next time! Bye!"
The door shut behind him, and the bright white smile was stuck in my vision. He was so genuinely...nice. I almost felt bad for being so formal with him each time we spoke.
"...He's just a rookie." I reminded myself, collecting his dirty dishes. "He's temporary."
The next day, unusually enough, I spotted him in the window, his brown hat passing by slowly as he approached the front door. The bell chimed as he entered that Tuesday, a little earlier than I was used to seeing him pop up. When he came in he held the door, keeping it from slamming shut. He carefully shut it behind himself, a detail I noticed with appreciation. Very subtle appreciation.
The little shop my grandfather left me was not as sturdy as it once was, the doors and hinges worn. It was blessing that restaurant was still standing as well as it was. There wasn't much money for repairs. When customers did come in, far in between, they didn't pay the door much mind. Ibuki did though, had I not noticed before?
"Hey Raeger. How's the day treating you?" Ibuki greeted me.
He smiled, waving his hand back and forth timidly as he approached the counter.
"I'm not complaining." I answered him, mindful to the way his cheeks dimpled when he smiled. A passing observation.
"That's good, glad to hear."
When he reached the counter he slipped off his rucksack and rested it down upon a propped up knee. He rummaged through it, giving me an apologetic glance.
"Just a sec, I'm getting my wallet." He explained. "I don't want to put my dirty bag on your countertop."
"Good, because I just polished it this morning."
"It looks nice. Wouldn't want to ruin it."
His consideration to the door surprised me but his consideration to my pristinely polished counter impressed me. I didn't ever perceive the blonde farmer as a rude individual, he hadn't given me such an impression. Obviously. But, never had ANYONE come in and worried over something as seemingly trivial as my countertop.
Unironically enough, people hoisting their filthy bags and purses on to my clean counter secretly annoyed me to no end. Not that I'd ever say anything about such occurrences, devoted to Grandfather's polite policy. He'd roll over in his grave if I ever scolded a customer under his roof. I'd wipe the counter fifteen times before I ever scolded a customer.
"Could I ask you a question?" Ibuki inquired as he fished out his wallet. "Please?"
"Shoot."
He glanced at the counter menu and paused for a second before continuing.
"By any chance do you have a tea kettle? I noticed you don't have tea on the menu but I thought I'd ask..."
"Yeah, I have a tea kettle." I answered him, immediately thinking of the many cups of tea I'd enjoyed with Grandfather. "Why?"
Grandfather's old kettle was kept in one of the pantries away from the frequently used supplies. It meant a lot to me.
"Well, I bought some tea leaves. Could you by any chance brew some for me? Please?" he asked sheepishly. "I have no problem paying extra for the service...I just really want some tea."
It wasn't the question I was expecting. Granted, I didn't know what to expect from him but something as simple as tea was not what I would have ever guessed at all.
"You don't have to pay me for it, they're your tea leaves." I assured him. "It's no sweat off my back."
"Oh! Thanks...You're welcome to have some too if you'd like"
"Don't mind if I do"
He took out a small mesh pouch with tea leaves and pulled out a decent palm full, handing them to me. I took them and set them aside as he ordered his food. He handed me payment and then situated himself at the counter, hanging his rucksack off the back of the chair. He didn't scrape the chair across the tiles, very carefully pulling the chair out to sit in.
As I set the tea to brew, I wondered just how well he was doing. If he was able to afford my food every other day or so, then he had to be okay. Even if it was only by beginners means. I casually pried in to the matter after serving him his food. With carefully conveyed curiosity, I asked him about his farm.
"So, it's been almost two weeks since you've moved in" I eased in to conversation, getting out two mugs for when the tea was ready. "Your farm, how's that going?"
Ibuki was perfectly willing to fill me on his progress, something I deemed was actually pretty encouraging. He picked up his fork and poked at the eggs, grinned at me. His face beamed and I couldn't deny just how endearing it was. It'd been a while since I'd seen such pure, raw contentment. Years since such a happy face popped up amongst the melancholy that had taken over town.
"The farm is not where I plan for it to be. I'm working really hard to get there." Ibuki explained. His eyes shined with enthusiasm. "I wish there were more seeds available to grow, I've been growing nothing but turnips."
"Turnips? Those are fairly easy to grow, aren't they?" I looked at him with mild curiosity. "They're root vegetables."
Ibuki nodded his head, mulling over my statement. His smile never left his face though.
"They're low maintenance in a general sense... but tilling the fields was a doozy, phew. And I plant so many of them that the watering takes hours."
"Any luck with the harvest?"
"I've had two harvests so far. Next one should be after the holiday, I planted a new round of seeds this morning. It left me super hungry, which is why I dropped in for lunch a little early. "
A couple turnip harvests were not anything impressive, but how genuinely proud he was of his progress was fairly admirable. He was visibly content with the work he'd done, nothing I'd seen in any of the previous farmers when starting out. They all got frustrated.
"More turnips after the holiday, huh?" I commented, watching as he forked some egg in his mouth. "White Day is Saturday, right? "
"Yeah, I'll be harvesting on Sunday. I can't wait."
Ibuki bypassed the topic of White Day entirely, focused his impending excitement for his next harvest. Perhaps, he'd be too busy to humor the women in town that day as well. The tea kettle suddenly whistled from the stove and I turned to fetch it.
"Sugar or milk?" I asked him.
"Hm?" He looked at me confused, not understanding.
"How do you like your tea? With sugar or milk?"
Ibuki's eyes blinked with understanding and he rested his fork on the edge of his bowl.
"Just sugar is fine. Two lumps, please."
I fixed his tea with two spoonfuls of sugar, stirring it until the sweet lump dissolved. I moved it over to him across the counter. Ibuki reached for it, flashing me a dazzling smile as he picked it up.
"Thank you, Raeger."
Xxxxxx
Klaus
The blonde lad I'd met spent a fair amount of time outdoors from what I could see. A couple days after meeting Ibuki I left my home for a walk, spotting him hurrying from the general store. He was running north towards the farmlands. Fingers curled around the straps of his rucksack, he held the bag closely and ran up the stairs that led out of the town plaza. His brown cap disappeared in the distance.
He consistently seemed to be busy. Restless and hurried, his blonde hair bouncing as he ran. From a distance he looked like a child hurrying up the road, almost. I wondered briefly what seemed to constantly have lit fire under his trousers. Perhaps, he simply took his profession seriously.
I soon discovered he possessed significant stamina one morning as I walked the road to the river.
"Come on...YES!"
Ibuki stood at the pier, casting his line in to the water. He reeled in a fish, one of small game. He dropped it in the bucket, the fish flopping back and forth as it landed it the metal container making the tin thump with the suffocating creature's writhing. I didn't greet him, just carried on searching for flowers and herbs along the grass in his vicinity.
As I searched, I heard him pull one fish after another, not resting. At the time I didn't realize he'd caught twelve fish. They were small, but he'd gone about getting them with such vigor.
"Hi Klaus!" he called out to me shyly, smiling a bit.
"Ibuki." I greeted back, nodding politely. "Hello"
"What are you doing in kneeling in the grass?"
I paused at the question, Ibuki conveying it as unceremoniously as a child with their nose in someone else's business. I held up a small wild flower, the stem pinched loosely between my thumb and forefinger.
"Collecting supplies," I explained, brusquely.
"That's a flower." Ibuki observed.
He tilted his head to one side. His large gray tinted irises blinking twice.
"Are you making a bouquet? You're always picking flowers... are you a florist?"
"I'm a perfumist."
The blonde lad smiled, nodding in understanding. Hands now rested in the grass behind him, he clicked his shoes together a few times idly then looked up at the sky, expanse blue and cloudless with the lovely Spring day.
"I'm sure you're good at it." he stated earnestly. "I wish I had some interesting hobby or talent like that."
"It's my profession."
I had to hold back a glower. Hobby? How insulting.
"It's an interesting one." Ibuki praised me, enviously.
I didn't expect such a simpleton to have an appreciation for perfumery. More than once in my life, I'd been subtly patronized for my choice of career. The art was horribly under appreciated by such uncultured swine. Ibuki continued to stare up at the sky and I watched him, my seldomly roused curiosity urging me to ask him a question.
"Do you like perfume?" I inquired, standing up from the grass and checking for more flowers along the ground.
"I love it." he answered me, his voice trailing off cautiously, " I don't wear it, of course..."
When he looked down from the sky he flinched in surprise, my form towering over him as he sat in the grass. I was a few feet away, but regardless, he hadn't anticipated the drastic shift in distance or perspective.
"Does something trouble you?"
"No, I'm sorry. You're just ...very big." He explained. "You startled me a little there...I'm being rude...I'm so sorry. "
"No need." I assured him.
Ibuki, having rested, stood up as well. He hoisted up his bucket of fish and placed his fishing rod over his shoulder.
"I need to go sell these." he stated, referring to the fish he carried. "While the market is still open. I need to buy seeds. "
"By all means. Have yourself a pleasant afternoon."
"You too, Klaus. "
He scampered off and I watched him disappear down the path. I plucked a flower from the bunch I'd gathered and wondered how the young lad acquired an interest in perfume. Years in the business had made the consumer market very clear. Those who took an interest with perfume either wore it, or they made it. Commonly it used for gifting, as well.
"Interesting..." I mused to myself.
Ibuki was without a doubt, not a preformist. It wasn't completely far fetched for a man to wear perfume, it was simply uncommon. He stated he didn't wear it, leaving me to wonder where his fascination did lie. At one point he may have purchased for a woman in his life? That would be a mystery for another day.
One Tuesday morning two weeks in to the season during my walk, I turned up a road and around the corner came the petite blonde. He carried a rather large basket, filled to the brim with turnips. He could hardly see over the pile of vegetables as he struggled to carry it properly. His shoulder hit the side of my torso as he passed and he jumped, startled.
"Woah! Sorry..."
On the dirt road his shoe skid out from under his loafers and he nearly tumbled forward.
"Ah!"
With one arm out to steady the basket, I hefted it up to save the farmer's harvest. Ibuki all but barreled in to my torso. His hands flew out in front of himself to keep from completely falling in to me, but his palms slipped and his face landed beneath my ribcage.
"Ow..." The petite blonde grimaced to himself, peeling him off of me.
My body didn't so much as lean with the impact and I held his crop basket with one hand, level with my shoulder.
"You're terribly clumsy, aren' t you?" I spoke down to him, quite literally as I peered down at his flustered face. "You surely would have tumbled down this slope had I not stopped you, Ibuki."
"Klaus, I am so sorry. I-"
"Don't be sorry, be more cautious"
The scolding came across cold but the lad needed it. Plain and simple. Ibuki nodded vigorously, still very flustered. I'm sure his heart hammered like the wings of a hummingbird underneath his delicate ribcage. Still holding the basket of turnips, I lazily gestured to it.
"Your harvest?"
"Yes!" he brightened." This is my second harvest"
"I see. Were you going to the market?"
He nodded and held his arms out for the basket, ready to take it back. Taking a good look at him, he was exhausted. It was so early on in the day, leading me to believe he was not done with his chores. If he lugged the harvest to the market, he'd surely deplete all his stamina.
"Would you care for some help? I could carry this for you."
"I couldn't let you do such a heavy task..."
"What you perceive as heavy, it weighs nothing on my part. "
Ibuki insisted he could fare on his own, feeling obliged to decline my offer. The last thing the small man needed was to collapse in the backroads, which he would most certainly do if I allowed him to run off foolishly.
"I'll handle this." I persisted, looking to keep the farmer out of the clinic. "Off we go. Come along, Ibuki."
The rather large heavy basket was lifted higher and I rested it on my shoulder, balancing it there as I escorted Ibuki out of the wooded area. He chattered idly along the way. At the market, I returned his crops to him. His rather large eyes shone at me appreciatively. He wandered off to the only stall we had around as of late. While the merchant sifted through his crops, Ibuki offered me another expression of gratitude as parting.
"Thank you, Klaus!"
Xxxxxx
Raeger
Being kinder to Ibuki came naturally the days that followed. I didn't flat out shift personas with him, but I wasn't as distant with him, or as quick to brush off his small talk. He came in with tea leaves again and it became routine for a few days. I brewed it, then he'd have a cup with his lunch as I sipped from my own mug. He ate happily, complimenting me on the texture of the eggs I'd cooked him.
According to him, he hadn't ever had eggs cooked quite as well as mine.
"The only eggs I've ever had were rubbery." he informed me with a pout. "Before yours, of course. This is so good."
The egg bowl wasn't the most exquisite culinary dish I offered at the restaurant, that went without saying. Ibuki didn't seem to care. He enjoyed it for what it was and had no problem telling me. My lips threatened to curl and I hid it behind the steaming mug of tea.
"Whoever made your eggs before must have overcooked them."
"It was all slop, really..."
"That's a shame."
Changing topics, Ibuki filled me in on his new farm addition. Eda had gifted him a well-mannered cow. The way he spoke of her was closer to a pet owner than a business man, which was charming.
Apparently, the cow liked to be pet, very much. Ibuki launched in to a tale of the silly animal following him around the barn for attention after he'd already brushed and tended to her for the day. It wasn't hard to envision the petite blonde man having such an aloof animal following him around like some sort of house pet, and it wasn't hard to envision him affectionately treating the animal as such.
As I cleaned the skillet used to cook Ibuki's food, the blonde finished his tea. Bowl emptied he pushed it away and carefully placed the fork inside. I wiped my hands on my apron and took the dirty dishes, offered to fill his mug with more tea.
"Mm, not today." He shook his head, explaining he had to get back to work.
"Alright, you go on ahead."
He smiled his bright, white grin at me, thanking me again for the food. Ibuki pushed in his stool neatly. The front door was shut gently as he left, and the bell above jingled with his exit. I dropped his dishes in the sink and poured myself another mug of tea. Shaking the kettle, it's contents sloshed. There was just enough for one more mug. If only I had a cake prepared. Grandfather always that said tea was best served with dessert.
Xxxxx
Klaus
"That flower is pretty. Does it smell nice?"
When Ibuki located me in the grass the days that followed. He had no qualms approaching, bending over curiously to inspect what I was doing. He took interest in the flower I held, tilting his head to the side to look at it curiously. He observed the wild flower's coloring, remarking that the white petals were beautiful.
"Smells like Spring." Lightheartedly, Ibuki chirped.
He encouraged me, claiming the flower would surely create a lovely perfume. Getting up from the grass he moved along to return to his work. He left me to my foraging, offering me a pleasant goodbye as departure. Then he ran up the path back towards his land. Busy as ever, he was.
Stem of the spring blossom still between my fingers I twirled it, taking a whiff of it's aroma myself. The scent I knew very well, having used it many creations I'd become quite accustomed to it. Taking in its scent, I took a relaxing breath of air, the afternoon beautiful. How lovely it would be to create a perfume with such qualities.
Relaxing. What a treat that would be.
Xxxxx
Raeger
The cake I'd prepared the Friday following his visits came out perfectly and I let it cool out on the counter. The golden, decadent pastry smelled wonderful as it cooled. A small sauce pan with glaze for the cake was left on the stove top for once the cake was finished cooling. When done, I'd drizzle the citrusy concoction on, a melted mixture of icing and lemon zest.
The recipe was a new one and I had no knowledge as to how the new item would carry over with the customers. It was simple golden cake, something I'd had plenty of. But this recipe called for extra lemon, a slightly tangier topping than I usually mixed together.
I was fairly confident in my creation but if only someone were to come in and do me the favor of tasting it. It seemed Ibuki had perfect timing because he walked in as I prepared to set the glass covering over the baked treat. Against my usual nature, I perked up immediately.
"Ah! Ibuki, You've dropped by at the perfect time" I greeted him, my lips turning up at the corners faintly." Ibuki looked surprised, unsure of what I was referring to. "I just baked a cake from a new recipe. Would you care to give it a taste?"
It didn't pass my mind to assume that maybe Ibuki didn't care for sweets, I outright presumed he'd be delighted to enjoy a sweet snack. I was right, to my own delight, because the blonde smiled at the offer I'd given him. I gestured for him to take a seat at one of the tables and he happily obliged.
Returning behind the counter, I took a small plate and sliced him up a fair portion. Granted all he needed for taste was a sliver, but I did not see the point in offering him such a miniscule serving. He was hungry, surely he'd been working hard.
"I'm sure this should be a nice pick me up from work. This is your lunch hour, correct?"
"Mhm."
"Here you are, then."
Without thinking, I reached over his shoulder to set the plate down for him. My tall frame briefly casted a shadow over him and he quickly glanced back, noticeably surprised. He flinched almost unnoticeably, but I felt the slight start of his shoulder along the underside of my forearm. Once the plate was set before him, I retracted my arm and placed my hand on his shoulder in apology.
"Sorry about that, Grandfather always said I should be more careful than to sneak up on people." I apologized to him, recalling the many occasions I'd startled my elderly grandfather in the same manner.
The frail old man had always cautioned me against such mannerisms, especially at my brooding height and build.
"Here, dig in. Okay?"
As Ibuki cut in to the slice with the edge of his fork he smiled. He brought a taste to his mouth and closed his lips around the metal prongs.
"Well...?" I queried as he retracted the fork from his mouth.
He chewed carefully, nodded a bit in approval but then pointed his fork down at the cake. He swallowed the bite he'd taken and gave me a friendly smile.
"Needs lemon..." He advised me after a moment of pondering.
"Hmm? Lemon...?" I murmured, surprised at the criticism. Then I remembered the saucepan of glaze I had waiting on the stovetop. " AH! I can't believe I forgot to add the lemon glaze! I'm so sorry."
I felt completely soft headed for forgetting to garnish his cake with the needed glaze. How distracted did I have to be so serve an incomplete cake? Grandfather would not approve. Ibuki began assuring me it was fine as he tried piercing the cake with his fork for another bite but I already picked up his plate and ushered it back to the kitchen.
"I'll go get it right now." I called back to him. "Hang on, just a sec!"
I drizzled a few tablespoons worth of lemon glaze over his slice, careful to ensure I did not oversaturate it. I brought Ibuki back the plate as quickly as I could muster. He tasted it again and smiled at me, his gray eyes twinkling at me appraisingly.
"This is really good, Raeger."
"It's good? That's fantastic." I breathed in relief, happy the recipe was a success. " I'm really glad to hear it. Golden cakes such as this are usually quite good on their own without a glaze but the tang of the lemon truly does bring out the rich flavor...you've got a good sense of taste of you caught on to that Ibuki."
Ibuki cleared his throat bashfully. I had to admit, I was quite impressed with him. Any other person would have been content with the cake simply because it was cake, I doubted anyone else would have noticed my error.
"Maybe you've got a budding chef in you just waiting to come out." I smiled at him sincerely. "Talking to someone with a finer understanding of taste is invigorating. Thank you so much, Ibuki."
"No problem...heh."
The small man rubbed the back of his neck embarrassedly, happy with the praise I'd given him. He continued eating his cake, asking me how much the cake was.
"It's on the house Ibuki, consider it thank you for the tea you've shared with me." I assured him when he insisted to pay. "Once I finally add this to my menu, I hope you'll come back and try it again. I'll be looking forward to it."
Xxxxx
Klaus
Pacing along my workbench I dwelled deep in thought, surprised to hear my front door open. I checked to see who walked in, mildly intrigued to my guest being Ibuki. He waved to me nervously, never having been to my home before. I wondered what I owed the unsuspecting visit but asked no questions.
"Ah, Ibuki." I stated, meeting his eyes to greet him. "Hello."
"Hi Klaus. Sorry for dropping in, I was walking by and wanted to see your work." he explained to me, approaching. "What are you up to now?"
"Hm? What am I doing? I'm mixing a fragrance."
Ibuki nodded his head and shifted his weight fromone side to the other, he glanced at my work bench.
"Is it for you work? I hope I'm not bothering you..."
"No, this one is not for my work. It's also a hobby of mine. Don't worry, you aren't disturbing me in the least."
The little farmer fretted still, concerned he'd interrupted my work. I didn't care for people showing up uninvited but his presence was hardly a concern. If anything my day had grown rather lonesome being I had yet to go for a walk yet. I'd seen nothing but the walls of my home all day.
"I'll go so you can focus." Excusing himself to leave me to my work, Ibuki tried making his leave.
"There is no need for such hasty leave, Ibuki." I scolded him lightly. "Ah, I know. Since you were kind enough to pay me a visit today...what if I mixed you a special fragrance just for you, the busy farmer who spends all day, everyday bustling about the farm?"
"Oh, I couldn't accept that."
"I insist. It will only take a few minutes. Wait right here"
Ibuki waited obediently. I turned back to my workbench and contemplated which flower to use as the base for the perfume. Amongst the flowers I had collected, the white blossom Ibuki was so fond off was still available. Without hesitation I chose that one, gathering other ingredients to be used.
True to my word, it took me hardly any time at all to prepare. As I prepared his fragrance I bore in mind just how busy Ibuki was as of late. Taking it in to consideration, I opted to include extra chamomile for his sake. If he were a true patron to perfumery, he would detect the soothing qualities of the fragrance.
Done with the perfume, I capped it and brought it over to him. Ibuki brightened at the sight of the bottle and I removed the cap, holding out the bottle to waft it under his nose. He sniffed with interest, making a sound of approval.
"Well?" I urged "I added an extra an extra dash of chamomile."
"Mm. It's very soothing."
"You think so?" I commented in both surprise and approval. "That's good to hear. It is important to take time to relax and refresh yourself, especially someone who works as hard as you do."
I capped the bottle and handed it to him carefully, the petite man holding it close to his chest.
"This is lovely, thank you. This is some of the nicest perfume I've smelled by far. "
The flattery struck me deeply and I smiled gently at his remark. Ibuki looked at me with rather wide eyes at the change in expression, I nearly faltered. Ibuki was unsure of what to do and I presumed he was going to seek refuge in a polite exit but I intervened before he tried. I didn't mind his company, I didn't mind it at all.
"I've just been gifted a few snack" I informed him, recalling the box of assorted cookies aclient from out of town had gifted me upon my latest trip. "How would you like to rest for a bit and share them with me?"
"You've already been so kind...I couldn't."
"Again, I insist. I don't eat those kinds of sweets often, so if you'd like you may have as many as you wish. I would hate to see such treats go to waste"
I didn't want to see him leave, and to my relief Ibuki took interest in my offer. He was clearly happy to stay and partake in sweets, which didn't surprise me. I'd pegged him as one whom had a sweet tooth, something I'd been blessed without. Sweets were childish, but what he preferred was his concern. The trait rather suited him, actually.
"It looks like the thought of sweets does more to refresh you than the fragrance does." I teased him, earning a nervous response.
"I-I love the perfume!" He insisted, clutching it tighter. "I'm sorry if I-"
"No, I thought your honest reaction was endearing." I explained to Ibuki, displeased with his abrupt distress. I had not meant to fluster the lad. "That aside, would you like some coffee to drink with your sweets? It'd be no trouble."
Hesitantly Ibuki nodded, his cheeks flushing with his previous anxiety. I smiled at him.
"Excellent. Allow me to brew up a special cup of coffee to go with your sweets. Have a seat, I won't take but a moment."
xxxxx