Chereads / The Little Café down by the Willow / Chapter 3 - A decision

Chapter 3 - A decision

It's been a day since the funeral and all that I've done is look at the Cafe and remember the past with both of my grandparents working by the counter. I have not gone into the place yet either, it's been hard for me to go in since they aren't here. Bradley my brother and our cousin Jared came by to see how I was doing. "I can open it for you if you want brother, I know this place is something special to you." Bradley was going for the Keys that were in my right hand, I pulled my hand away but I asked. "Can you two come in with me, I might need help in here while I look over the stuff." Both guys looked at each other and waited for me to open the door, I finally moved my hand and I unlocked the doors.

I opened the Cafe and it seemed to transport me back in time, where everything was simpler. I walked inside and turned on all the lights in the small dining area, I looked around some more looking at everything. "Wow they kept the old place the same as when I was a kid, even the wallpaper is the same as when I was ten," I said touching the wall for a moment, then when I thought I heard Grandpa's voice behind me. There were two people dressed in barista outfits, one was a woman and the other was a skinny dude.

They stared a hole through me and it was spooky, Bradley then said to them, "Hello James, hello Mary are you here to help Jacob open the shop?" They looked at me and the woman scoffed at me then she said, "Kind of weird that He's been given the Cafe without considering the other family members. What makes him so special is he made out of gold or something?" She was being very rude to me and I was getting angry with the way she was treating me. Then her Brother the dude next to her stopped her, "Sis, he's the one Granny and Pops used to talk about, you know the one who went to school to get his culinary degree."

James pointed to a picture of young me on the wall near the register, I walked over to it and it was when I first held a knife with Grandma. I started to cry but I was smiling at the same time, I turned to them and said, "I'm going to drop out of school and take on this new venture of running this Cafe, I would love to have you help me if you'd like to stay?" James looked over at his sister and held out his right hand to me, "I'll help you and I'll drag her with if you need her too, but I know she can be blunt please forgive her."

I shook his hand and told him, "I'd love to have both of you helping me out, my Grandparents trusted you so I will too." After that little conversation, I headed into the back and started turning on the equipment. I turned on the old Coffee make and I put in the first scoop of coffee, I let it brew for about ten minutes. As I brought the pot to the front I saw that James and Mary opened the Cafe partly, only a few people came into the building though. I poured the first cup myself and tasted it, at first it was fine then it had a horrible aftertaste. I spit it out and dumped the whole batch out, the few customers that were in looked at me like I was crazy. "Mr. Hall, why did you throw out the freshly made coffee?" The lady said to me and I had her test a bit of what I had in my cup.

She gave me the funniest look and I told her that the coffee beans might have been burnt or dirty. "I can get new beans later, do you want me to make a batch of tea, I can make really good stuff." She decided to take me up on that offer and then asked if I could make their food for lunch. I smiled and went to my bike and grabbed some food I brought with me and went to the kitchen. I then made a couple of sandwiches from scratch. Everyone in the dining room, well they watched me make the food closely and saw I was a pro.

I then came out and handed my customers the food and watched them enjoy every bit and when they drank the tea I made it look like they were in heaven. I sat in a chair near them and watched them eat the rest of their food and drink all the tea I made for them. James watched me smile and saw a bit of my Grandma in me, She used to smile when she gave her customers her food. "Well, I guess good cooks are commonplace in your family, am I right sir." He asked me and I turned to him and I smiled at him too. "No sir, Grandma, and my dad were the only ones good at cooking and Grandpa was the only one who could make a great cup of coffee. I kind of have the coffee thing down and as for the food, I have my schooling to thank for that."

I froze for a moment and then remembered that I had to return to school in a few days, or did I since received this Cafe from Grandma and Grandpa? Then right when I was thinking about the long-term thing with the school or the Cafe Amy walked into the Cafe. She was dressed like a normal girl with her white sundress with pink flowers a the bottom. You could actually see her green eyes and jet-black hair, she looked like a tanned-up Cali girl for a moment. She looked around and then brought in her Grandpa, who was her guardian when she lost her parents in a fire years before we met. "Mr. Bare it's been a long time sir how are you doing, and Miss Smithfield what brings the two of you here today?"

I held out my hand to shake Mr.Bare's hand, he looked at me with sad eyes but smiled as we shook hands. "Well young man, I came here to have a drink of that coffee and a bite to eat." I stopped smiling and told him that the beans were bad and the only thing I had was tea and plenty of food. "Well if teas are all you got for now I will have that then, what kind of meals would you make us?" He asked me and I told him "for now quick meals till I can get some regular product in my fridges and dry storage." I went into the back and made some of the sandwiches I made for the other customers. Those two were still drinking a new batch of tea I made right before Amy and Hank, (Mr. Bare) arrived.

Mr. Bare looked up at me when took a sip of the tea and told me that it was the best tea he had ever drank since his grandma's sweet tea. I thanked him and I gave him his meal, I also gave a plate to Amy. "Eat up to Amy, you work on that field so long it's a good idea to eat at least a sandwich." She smiled at me and then ate her food, I watched her eye light up and she asked me, "how can you make something this simple taste so good?" I head to the counter to refill the tea from the other table and I said, "With love and teachings from grandpa." That response made Amy almost cry and blush when I said that.

I sat down next to Amy and her Grandfather while James and his sister left for the day. "Son," Mr. Bare said getting my attention, "do you need some help running this place, or do you need help with other areas?" He asked me and without thinking I said, "I need help with a lot more than that, I need to decide if I'm going to close this place for good or if I should leave school and come home for good?" Mr. Bare looked at his hands and understood my dilemma then he as got up from his seat and said to me. "Son, all you need to do is one thing," I turned to him to hear his advice when he poked my chest. "Listen to your heart and it will guide you, and also what makes you feel happy, sitting at school listening to things you know already or doing what puts that smile on your face."

Mr. Bare left and Amy gave me her number right before they left, on the back of the card with her number it said. "For store goods and great produce call this number and Ask for Amy S." I smiled and put it in my shirt breast pocket. After the only two customers, I had left gave me a tip for the food I closed the place up and went home. I realized that my brother and cousin had left after James and his sister showed up. I got on my bike and I headed to the Ranch for the night where I saw everyone even Amy and her grandpa sitting by the fire pit.

It was a surprise party for me being home for the first time in two years, Amy was supposed to bring me home but forgot when I made her the food. That night we sat around the fire talking about the fun times with everyone and the times spent with my Grandparents. Then as the fire died down dad handed me a cigar he held till I got married. "Son, Mr. Bare told me that you're trying to figure out if to stay or if to close that little Cafe up for good?" I shook my head yes and he gave me the cigar, then he lit it for me. "Well, he's right to do what you feel is right and what makes you feel the happiest. Hell that's all I've done and look what I got" He pointed to everything on the property he even pointed at me. "I am the proudest father on this side of the river with everything you've been doing." He paused for a moment then he got patted my head then he headed to the house as everyone was leaving, Well everyone but Amy.

She got up and sat next to me and watched the fire with me till I got the nerve to tell her what I was thinking. "Amy, I think I'm going to stay here in Easton, with everyone here." I said and she looked happy but concerned, "Are you doing this for them or for you?" She asked me and I smiled at her, "For both, I'm happiest here with you and with most of my family, plus seeing everyone smile while they people ate my food, that is just a bonus for coming back." I got from my seat and told her that I was going to bed.

She left right when I walked into the house as I said, "I hope I can find some good Coffee beans tomorrow or we are kind of screwed." That night when I hit the pillow I had a dream about my future of owning the Cafe on my own and having kids of my own running around. Their mother though didn't have a face for what I could see, though she did feel familiar like that I've met her once before. As morning came around I made my choice known to my family and everyone was happy to hear, except for my Aunt Lacy.