AN This is a little something that's been swimming in my head for a bit. There are no names, but I don't think you need them to figure out who the characters are. Hope you enjoy.
The Barkeep.
Every morning, the woman goes to a pub to write.
She sits at the bar and orders a pot of tea. As the world fades away, she writes on a leather-bound notebook, sipping tea and humming along with the tunes the barkeep plays.
Once a week, her friend stops by on his way to work. He's shy and sweet. He always orders a cup of black tea which he drinks while they talk about their week. They discuss the weather, the latest show or movie they've seen.
Sometimes, the friends make plans to meet over the weekend. When they do, it's with his girlfriend and her husband in tow.
The barkeep watches from his place behind the bar. He pours their teas and catches bits and pieces of their conversations. He hears them talk about their significant others and laugh about everything under the sun.
One day the woman announces she's moving away. The same job which brought her husband into the city -and the one that introduced them to her friend in the first place- is uprooting her again.
She's sad, but there's nothing she can do. She says goodbye. To the barkeep -who's kept filling her teapots- and to the friend she meets every week.
As he sees them embrace and hold back tears, the barkeep wonders how they'll fill the void they're leaving in each other's lives.
Life goes on. The barkeep has other customers, but the woman's stool by the bar remains empty in the mornings.
Once a week, her friend comes in for his cup of tea. He greets the barkeep with a wistful smile and keeps to himself. He reads the newspaper or looks at his phone.
It's been almost a year since the woman moved away when the friend walks into the bar one morning—his face aglow with joy as he drops a thick book on the bar. "For you," he says, pushing it in the barkeep's direction.
Intrigued, the barkeep inspects his present. The picture on the back cover makes him smile.
The woman seems happy. She's sitting on an oversized couch cradling a teacup in her delicate hands.
"Thank you," the barkeep says, touched by the unexpected gift. "Will you be seeing her soon?"
The man smiles. For the first time in months, his blue eyes light up. He points to the book. "You're gonna have to read it to find out."
The barkeep chuckles. "Will do!"
With one last look at the woman's empty barstool, the man points to the entrance. "I've got to go, but I'll see you around."
The barkeep watches as the man leaves. His fingers dig into the book's cover. Something tells him the man won't be coming alone anymore.