"Hello, I'm Marcie. I'm not sure I've seen you around town before...? Yes, it's 6 a.m. and I just opened my shop. I can tell you're not a morning person... Would you like a cup of coffee? It's a $1.20. $3 for a unlimited cup. If you're going to be here a while, the $3 option is far more economical. It's good coffee, made fresh by me this morning. If you don't like it, well, I own the only restaurant in town, so you'd have to go home and make some yourself."
Ding, ding, ding!
"Two more customers? Well, I guess it's going to be a busy morning. Here's your coffee. I hope you like it. It'll be a $1.20."
"Good morning, Mr. and Mrs. Dorian! Mrs. Dorian, isn't that a lovely flower in your hair! I bet it's from The Golden Florist. Mr. Golden really does have the best blooms. What'll it be this morning?"
"A black coffee for me, and a cappuccino for the Mrs.," Mr. Dorian barked.
"I'll have it up in a jiffy!"
Ding, ding, ding!
"Mr. Finch," I purred, handing Mr. and Mrs. Dorian their drinks, "you never come in this early. What brings you to the coffee shop?"
"I'm here to see Clem get turned down," Mr. Finch said, hitting the bar. "I'd like a Chocolate Covered Cherry Frappuccino."
"Clem get turned down?" I asked, wondering how Mr. Finch knew Clem was probably asking out Caroline again today. "I spoke with Mr. Golden yesterday, and I really don't think Clem is going to..."
Ding, ding, ding! Ding, ding, ding! Ding, ding, ding!
"Marcie!" "Marcie!" "Marcie!" "Marcie!"
I got my step stool, climbed up onto the bar, and whistled as loudly as I could. The entire town had crammed itself into my coffee shop, excepting Mr. Golden, who apparently was busy opening his own business. "If everyone could please form an orderly line out the front door, I will serve each of you as quickly as I can. If you are just here to ogle what happens with Clem and Caroline, I ask that you leave, or neither of them will be able to have a coffee before they go to work without being very late."
Slowly, half of the potential customers shuffled out of the shop, and retreated just far enough to peer in the windows. I'm a gossip, but this really shows how little happens in this town. Nothing happens in Nowhere. Clem was in for an unpleasant surprise, because he usually liked his espressos in a very particular way: alone.
I saw Clem walking up the street. Caroline hadn't arrived yet for her cappuccino. He took one look at the crowd, chuckled, and walked inside unfazed. "Good morning, Marcie," he said. "I'd like the usual, please."
"Clem," I asked in a stage whisper, "are you going to ask out Caroline today?"
Clem looked at his watch. "Probably not," he said, loudly enough for everyone to hear. "She's not here."
There was an audible sigh all around. The fun they had hoped to watch was not happening. As quickly as they had arrived, everyone walked off to whatever they were usually doing on a Wednesday morning.
Clive Finch stood up with his Chocolate Covered Cherry Frappuccino, now to go, and barked at Clem, "Don't be late this morning," and walked out.
Clem chuckled again. He looked at me, straight in the eyes. His ice blue eyes, sparkling with his amusement of the whole situation. "Marcie," he asked, "are the people of this town really that bored?"
I thought for a moment, and responded, "Yes, Clem, they truly are."
Clem laughed. "This never would have happened in Chicago," he said. "A guy asking a girl out was so normal, that was boring. Plus, she already said no, Marcie. It would be in bad taste for me to ask her again."
"Then, why are you here, Clem?" I asked, putting his espressos in front of him.
He shot one back, then smiled. "Because I'm here every morning, Marcie."
It was true. Clem did come see me every morning for his 3 espressos. That had nothing to do with a girl.
Clem shot back the other two espressos, and turned to leave.
"Going so soon?" I asked, surprised he wasn't taking his time like usual and reading something on his phone.
"Yes," Clem said, looking at his watch, "Tell Caroline hello, if she stops by." He stood up to leave.
Just then, Caroline walked into the shop. She looked particularly beautiful. I think she was even wearing a new dress. She stopped right in front of Clem, and said, "Hello, Clem. Thank you for letting me finish my book yesterday. That was very nice." Then, before he could respond, she walked past him, gave me the exact change for a cappuccino, and sat in her usual spot by the window.
Clem froze. He looked at his watch three times, but still didn't move. I started chuckling. The most put together man in town had no idea what to do with Caroline. I found it: adorable. I finished making the cappuccino for Caroline, and whispered, "Clem!"
Clem looked up at me.
"Take this to Caroline," I said, trying to be helpful.
Clem thought for a moment, and then took the cappuccino from me. He set it down in front of Caroline, and then turned to go.
"Wait," Caroline said, putting a hand on his jacket sleeve. "You only want to talk to me on Tuesdays?"
Clem turned to look at Caroline. She looked up at him, taking the first sip of her cappuccino. "Not necessarily," Clem said, quietly. "I have heard so much gossip yesterday and today, I don't want to assume anything. I'm more than happy to leave you to your book, if that's what you want."
Caroline smiled up at him with a big grin. "What book?" she asked.
Clem looked at Caroline carefully. She had not brought a book today. She had been wanting to talk, perhaps to him. He contemplated something for a moment, then asked, "May I sit?" pointing to the chair on the other side of the table.
"Sure," Caroline said, taking another sip from her cappuccino.
Clem sat down across from Caroline. His phone was in his pocket. He had nothing to drink. He just sat, looking like he owned the place, gazing at Caroline. Finally, he smiled, and asked, "Would you like to go out sometime?"
Caroline double blinked, then smiled. "Yes," she said, "but I don't know where we'd go. Nowhere really doesn't have anywhere to go out."
"I thought we'd come here, for dinner," Clem said.
Caroline thought for a moment, then began, "Mr. Golden, my boss, says you're a good man. He told me he had lunch with you yesterday. Mr. Golden doesn't say anyone is a good man. What makes you special?"
Clem looked down for a moment. A sad smile crossed his face, then he answered, "I don't take anything for granted."
Caroline stopped smiling. She looked Clem straight in the eyes. "I'm sorry," she said, looking away. "You must have loved her very much."
"I did," Clem said quietly, looking down into his lap.
"Where is she now?" Caroline asked.
"She's dead," Clem answered, coldly.
Caroline thought for a moment, was about to say something, then thought a bit longer. Finally, she began, "Clem, I will never be her. I already know that from the little living I have done. I'm too eccentric to replace anyone else, in any position, romantic or otherwise. So, if you want to go out with me, you will have to be ready for something new. Are you ready for something new?"
Clem looked up with a big smile. "Very ready," he said.
"Great!" Caroline exclaimed, also smiling widely. "So, I'll see you here tonight, then? 6-ish?"
Clem smiled back. "Okay," he said.
"Yay!" I exclaimed, then immediately covered my mouth. Both Caroline and Clem laughed.
"Are you willing to be open that late tonight, Marcie?" Clem asked, looking at me.
"Yes, of course," I answered, giddy with excitement.
"Great," Clem said, resuming his stony demeanor. "I will see both of you at 6." He turned and walked out the door towards the bank.
Caroline hopped up from her chair and jumped up and down. "I have a date!" she exclaimed. "Marcie, what do you wear on a date?" she asked me.
"Um..." I said. "I think Clem will probably wear a suit, because I have not seen him wear anything else, so a dress would be appropriate."
"I have a few of those!" Caroline exclaimed, clapping her hands. "I need to get to work now! Thanks, Marcie!"
Caroline rushed out the front door of the shop towards The Golden Florist.
I smiled. Young love was so cute.
"Do you need anything else? Just the two cups of coffee, then? That will be $2.40. Thank you. Have a nice day!"
A screenshot of a Marcie custom miniature from HeroForge.com
Ding, ding, ding!
"Two more customers? Well, I guess it's going to be a busy morning. Here's your coffee. I hope you like it. It'll be a $1.20."
"Good morning, Mr. and Mrs. Dorian! Mrs. Dorian, isn't that a lovely flower in your hair! I bet it's from The Golden Florist. Mr. Golden really does have the best blooms. What'll it be this morning?"
"A black coffee for me, and a cappuccino for the Mrs.," Mr. Dorian barked.
"I'll have it up in a jiffy!"
Ding, ding, ding!
"Mr. Finch," I purred, handing Mr. and Mrs. Dorian their drinks, "you never come in this early. What brings you to the coffee shop?"
"I'm here to see Clem get turned down," Mr. Finch said, hitting the bar. "I'd like a Chocolate Covered Cherry Frappuccino."
"Clem get turned down?" I asked, wondering how Mr. Finch knew Clem was probably asking out Caroline again today. "I spoke with Mr. Golden yesterday, and I really don't think Clem is going to..."
Ding, ding, ding! Ding, ding, ding! Ding, ding, ding!
"Marcie!" "Marcie!" "Marcie!" "Marcie!"
I got my step stool, climbed up onto the bar, and whistled as loudly as I could. The entire town had crammed itself into my coffee shop, excepting Mr. Golden, who apparently was busy opening his own business. "If everyone could please form an orderly line out the front door, I will serve each of you as quickly as I can. If you are just here to ogle what happens with Clem and Caroline, I ask that you leave, or neither of them will be able to have a coffee before they go to work without being very late."
Slowly, half of the potential customers shuffled out of the shop, and retreated just far enough to peer in the windows. I'm a gossip, but this really shows how little happens in this town. Nothing happens in Nowhere. Clem was in for an unpleasant surprise, because he usually liked his espressos in a very particular way: alone.
I saw Clem walking up the street. Caroline hadn't arrived yet for her cappuccino. He took one look at the crowd, chuckled, and walked inside unfazed. "Good morning, Marcie," he said. "I'd like the usual, please."
"Clem," I asked in a stage whisper, "are you going to ask out Caroline today?"
Clem looked at his watch. "Probably not," he said, loudly enough for everyone to hear. "She's not here."
There was an audible sigh all around. The fun they had hoped to watch was not happening. As quickly as they had arrived, everyone walked off to whatever they were usually doing on a Wednesday morning.
Clive Finch stood up with his Chocolate Covered Cherry Frappuccino, now to go, and barked at Clem, "Don't be late this morning," and walked out.
Clem chuckled again. He looked at me, straight in the eyes. His ice blue eyes, sparkling with his amusement of the whole situation. "Marcie," he asked, "are the people of this town really that bored?"
I thought for a moment, and responded, "Yes, Clem, they truly are."
Clem laughed. "This never would have happened in Chicago," he said. "A guy asking a girl out was so normal, that was boring. Plus, she already said no, Marcie. It would be in bad taste for me to ask her again."
"Then, why are you here, Clem?" I asked, putting his espressos in front of him.
He shot one back, then smiled. "Because I'm here every morning, Marcie."
It was true. Clem did come see me every morning for his 3 espressos. That had nothing to do with a girl.
Clem shot back the other two espressos, and turned to leave.
"Going so soon?" I asked, surprised he wasn't taking his time like usual and reading something on his phone.
"Yes," Clem said, looking at his watch, "Tell Caroline hello, if she stops by." He stood up to leave.
Just then, Caroline walked into the shop. She looked particularly beautiful. I think she was even wearing a new dress. She stopped right in front of Clem, and said, "Hello, Clem. Thank you for letting me finish my book yesterday. That was very nice." Then, before he could respond, she walked past him, gave me the exact change for a cappuccino, and sat in her usual spot by the window.
Clem froze. He looked at his watch three times, but still didn't move. I started chuckling. The most put together man in town had no idea what to do with Caroline. I found it: adorable. I finished making the cappuccino for Caroline, and whispered, "Clem!"
Clem looked up at me.
"Take this to Caroline," I said, trying to be helpful.
Clem thought for a moment, and then took the cappuccino from me. He set it down in front of Caroline, and then turned to go.
"Wait," Caroline said, putting a hand on his jacket sleeve. "You only want to talk to me on Tuesdays?"
Clem turned to look at Caroline. She looked up at him, taking the first sip of her cappuccino. "Not necessarily," Clem said, quietly. "I have heard so much gossip yesterday and today, I don't want to assume anything. I'm more than happy to leave you to your book, if that's what you want."
Caroline smiled up at him with a big grin. "What book?" she asked.
Clem looked at Caroline carefully. She had not brought a book today. She had been wanting to talk, perhaps to him. He contemplated something for a moment, then asked, "May I sit?" pointing to the chair on the other side of the table.
"Sure," Caroline said, taking another sip from her cappuccino.
Clem sat down across from Caroline. His phone was in his pocket. He had nothing to drink. He just sat, looking like he owned the place, gazing at Caroline. Finally, he smiled, and asked, "Would you like to go out sometime?"
Caroline double blinked, then smiled. "Yes," she said, "but I don't know where we'd go. Nowhere really doesn't have anywhere to go out."
"I thought we'd come here, for dinner," Clem said.
Caroline thought for a moment, then began, "Mr. Golden, my boss, says you're a good man. He told me he had lunch with you yesterday. Mr. Golden doesn't say anyone is a good man. What makes you special?"
Clem looked down for a moment. A sad smile crossed his face, then he answered, "I don't take anything for granted."
Caroline stopped smiling. She looked Clem straight in the eyes. "I'm sorry," she said, looking away. "You must have loved her very much."
"I did," Clem said quietly, looking down into his lap.
"Where is she now?" Caroline asked.
"She's dead," Clem answered, coldly.
Caroline thought for a moment, was about to say something, then thought a bit longer. Finally, she began, "Clem, I will never be her. I already know that from the little living I have done. I'm too eccentric to replace anyone else, in any position, romantic or otherwise. So, if you want to go out with me, you will have to be ready for something new. Are you ready for something new?"
Clem looked up with a big smile. "Very ready," he said.
"Great!" Caroline exclaimed, also smiling widely. "So, I'll see you here tonight, then? 6-ish?"
Clem smiled back. "Okay," he said.
"Yay!" I exclaimed, then immediately covered my mouth. Both Caroline and Clem laughed.
"Are you willing to be open that late tonight, Marcie?" Clem asked, looking at me.
"Yes, of course," I answered, giddy with excitement.
"Great," Clem said, resuming his stony demeanor. "I will see both of you at 6." He turned and walked out the door towards the bank.
Caroline hopped up from her chair and jumped up and down. "I have a date!" she exclaimed. "Marcie, what do you wear on a date?" she asked me.
"Um..." I said. "I think Clem will probably wear a suit, because I have not seen him wear anything else, so a dress would be appropriate."
"I have a few of those!" Caroline exclaimed, clapping her hands. "I need to get to work now! Thanks, Marcie!"
Caroline rushed out the front door of the shop towards The Golden Florist.
I smiled. Young love was so cute.
"Do you need anything else? Just the two cups of coffee, then? That will be $2.40. Thank you. Have a nice day!"
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