The Love That Broke Me

The bell above the café door chimed softly as another customer stepped inside, bringing with him the warmth of the late afternoon sun. Khadiejah Baddou barely looked up. She was balancing two mugs of coffee on a tray while trying to remember which table had ordered blueberry muffins and which one wanted croissants. The lunch rush had finally begun to die down, leaving only the comforting sounds of quiet conversations, clinking dishes, and soft reggae music playing through the speakers. She tucked a loose curl behind her ear and smiled at an elderly couple sitting by the window. "Here's your coffee," she said warmly. "Be careful, it's still hot." "Thank you, sweetheart," the woman replied. "You have such a beautiful smile." Khadiejah laughed softly. "My grandmother says the same thing." She returned to the counter, grabbing a damp cloth to wipe it down before glancing at the wall clock. 4:15 p.m. Only two more hours until her shift ended. Not that she minded working at Blue Orchid Café. She actually loved it. The regular customers knew her by name, her coworkers felt like family, and the tips were usually good enough to help pay for college. She dreamed of becoming an interior designer someday. Every paycheck brought her one step closer. "Earth to Khadi." Her best friend and coworker, Simone, nudged her shoulder. "You've been staring at that clock for five minutes." "I have homework." "You always have homework." Khadiejah grinned. "Exactly." Before Simone could tease her again, the bell above the entrance rang. Both women instinctively looked toward the door. A tall man stepped inside. He looked to be in his mid-twenties. Dark jeans. White T-shirt. Black leather jacket slung over one shoulder. Neatly trimmed beard. Confident without looking arrogant. He paused just inside the doorway, scanning the café before his eyes settled on Khadiejah. For a split second... Neither of them looked away. "Well..." Simone whispered. "I think someone forgot why he came in." Khadiejah rolled her eyes. "Stop." "I'm serious." She looked again. The stranger was still looking at her. Then he smiled. Not the cocky grin she'd learned to ignore from customers. It was genuine. Warm. Almost shy. She smiled back before quickly returning to work. "Good afternoon," she called as he approached the counter. "What can I get for you today?" He leaned against the glass display. "I was hoping you could help me." She raised an eyebrow. "Depends." "I can't decide between the coffee..." He looked at the menu. "...or asking the beautiful cashier her name." Simone immediately turned away to hide her laughter. Khadiejah couldn't help smiling. "That line probably works all the time." "It hasn't yet." "So why keep using it?" "I'm hoping today's my lucky day." She laughed. "I'm Khadiejah." He held out his hand. "Justin." She shook it. His grip was firm but gentle. "It's nice to meet you." "You too." "So..." she asked. "Coffee?" "Definitely." "And maybe one blueberry muffin." "You sure?" "If it's your recommendation." "It is now." As she prepared his order, Justin watched her work. She moved with effortless confidence. Greeting customers. Remembering names. Laughing with children. Helping an elderly man carry his tray. She wasn't pretending to be kind. She simply was. "You work here full-time?" he asked. "No." "I'm in college." "What are you studying?" "Interior design." His eyebrows lifted. "That's impressive." "I hope so." "What about you?" "I own a small auto detailing business." "Really?" "Been running it for about three years." "That must keep you busy." "It does." "But I like working for myself." She nodded approvingly. "I respect that." Their conversation flowed surprisingly easily. By the time she handed him his coffee, neither noticed the growing line behind him. Simone cleared her throat dramatically. "Khadi..." She blinked. "Oh!" "I'm sorry." She laughed nervously. "I should probably help the next customer." Justin chuckled. "I suppose that's my cue." He picked up his coffee. "Thanks." "My pleasure." As he walked toward an empty table near the window, Simone leaned over the counter. "You like him." "I met him thirty seconds ago." "So?" "So nothing." Simone smirked. "You smiled differently." "I did not." "You absolutely did." "I smile at everyone." "No." "You smiled at him." Khadiejah ignored her. Mostly because she knew her friend was right. Over the next hour, Justin barely touched his coffee. Instead, he occasionally glanced toward the counter. Each time Khadiejah looked up, she'd catch him watching. Instead of making her uncomfortable... It made her curious. Who sits in a café for over an hour with one cup of coffee? Finally, as the crowd thinned, he stood and walked back to the counter. "Everything okay?" she asked. "The coffee was great." "I'm glad." "I was wondering..." He hesitated. Then smiled. "Would it be completely inappropriate if I asked for your number?" She froze. It wasn't the question. It was the way he asked it. No pressure. No arrogance. No expectation. Just genuine interest. She studied him for a moment. "You know almost nothing about me." "I know enough to want to know more." Her cheeks warmed. "That's a good answer." "So..." He reached into his jacket pocket and produced his phone. "Can I?" She bit her lip thoughtfully. Simone appeared from nowhere. "So are you going to let the poor man stand there all day?" Khadiejah shot her a look. Justin laughed. Finally... She smiled. "Okay." His grin widened instantly. "Really?" "Really." He handed her his phone. She carefully typed in her number before handing it back. "There." He looked down at the screen. "Khadiejah." "I'll make sure I spell it correctly." "Most people don't." "I intend to." He slipped his phone into his pocket. "I'll call you." "You'd better." His eyebrows rose. "That's a challenge." "It might be." He smiled one last time before heading toward the door. Just before leaving, he turned around. "I'm glad I stopped in today." "So am I." The bell chimed again as he disappeared outside. Simone hurried back over. "Girl..." "What?" "You are smiling." Khadiejah touched her face. "I am not." "You absolutely are." She couldn't deny it. For the first time in months... Someone had made her feel seen. That evening, after dinner, Khadiejah curled up on her bed with a textbook open in front of her. She had read the same paragraph four times without remembering a single word. Her phone rested beside her. Silent. She shook her head. "Why am I even thinking about him?" Just then. Her cellphone rang... Her heart skipped. An unfamiliar number flashed across the screen. She answered. "Hello?" A familiar voice replied. "I was hoping this was still Khadiejah." She smiled before she even realized it. "Justin?" "I'm impressed." "You said you'd call." "I did." "And I keep my promises." She laughed softly. "So... was I interrupting anything?" "Just homework." "I promise I won't keep you long." "I don't mind." There was a comfortable silence. Then Justin spoke again. "I was wondering if you'd let me take you out this Saturday." "A real date?" "The realest one." She smiled. "I'd like that." "Perfect." "I'll pick you up at six." "Six it is." As they continued talking, neither of them noticed how quickly an hour slipped away. When Khadiejah finally hung up, she lay back against her pillow, smiling at the ceiling. She had no way of knowing that answering one phone call would change the course of her life forever.