Anna's next appointment was due in two days. The doctor had asked her to keep the blood pressure machine on her to get accurate information about her blood pressure. Due to her absence for two months, they had to make sure that her heart worked properly.
Anna had been conscious for the past two months. She didn't want her mom to worry about her. Isobel had enough on her plate at the moment. Her daughters' heart on the edge of giving up didn't make her life any easier.
Taking the left turn, Anna parked her car in front of the cafe. She killed the engine and opened up the car boot to get the decoration items out. After she visited the doctor, she was cleared to go and normally live for two days.
She picked up the boxes filled with fairy lights, a few dangling off the boxes. Then, adjusting it on one knee, she shut the boot and walked towards the entrance.
The bell rang as the door opened; she tumbled in holding the boxes and the door at the same time.
"A little help Madi?" She called, trying to balance the box at the top. Madison rushed to her side and took hold of the second box. They sat the boxes down. The people inside eyed them; the sign at the door stayed close. Their manager had asked them to keep the cafe close in the evening so they could decorate it. It was Ben & Larry's tradition that the decoration had to be started two days before the anniversary. For the past years, it had been just fairy lights and balloons, but this year, they were trying to do something new.
"So, what ideas do you have?" asked Anna. Jay was picking up the mugs and plates from the table. The customers that sat there scrambled out. The cafe stood empty with just the three of them there. Boxes of fairy lights laid on the tables, the packets of the black and golden balloons beside the boxes.
"How about helium balloons with ribbons hanging off them?" Jay suggested. He was the barista of Ben & Larry's. He had been working here for the past five months.
"Actually, yes, I have seen an online page where they sell transparent helium balloons with golden cuttings inside it," Madison said, taking her phone out from the pocket. She looked through her phone, eyebrows creased, lips pressed in a thin line. Anna took out the lights from the boxes as Jay cleared the tables.
Anna wasn't sure what new ideas they could try. Using coloured ribbons would only give a touch of a kid's birthday when it was the anniversary. Even if they did, it wouldn't look so enchanting with the brown and white interior.
"See." Madison showed photos of the black and golden balloons. "They don't charge much either," She said. The picture showed many transparent and light golden balloons stuck to the roof as the ribbons tied around its band hung in a loose curl. It looked beautiful. The fairy lights on the wall behind it had a few photographs clipped to them as well. Jay peeked from behind Anna.
"We should do both the things," He said a little too loudly in her ear. With a cringe face, her hands reached to his face and pushed him back.
"We can put up more photos. There are so many of these cafes. From the beginning to this day." Anna said, to which they both nodded their heads in response.
Once they had cleaned all the tables, swept the floors, and put everything away in the supply closet, they started with the decoration. Jay took out the air pump from the back door, and they began blowing air into them.
The sun was about to set; the clouds had shifted. The horizon glared as the sun started to put, claiming its place soothing the skyline. The fire flames covered the skyline as the quietness took over. The sound of vehicles dropped the birds that chirped melodiously rested silently on the branches. The hour that was to be feared hovered over their heads.
They had put up the fairy lights on the side walls a few pictures clipped to them. The pictures showed the story of Ben & Larry's, the late-night shifts, the struggle to save it from getting shut down, the anniversaries, and birthdays. The cafe held a special place in their hearts.
"Looks like we are done for today," Maddison said, eyeing the work they did. The place looked miraculously perfect with a hint of incompleteness to it.
"Oh yes, we are so done" With heavy breaths in between, Anna continued, "We will decorate the rest tomorrow" Everyone nodded their heads, exhaustion evident on their faces. They started packing their stuff when suddenly the door opened, and the bell rang. Their heads snapped towards the door as Jay said, "The cafe's closed, sir."
"I'm not here for the coffee," That husky voice murmured. Anna's eye remained glued to that face. A bubble of sadness rose inside her as the irritation in his eyes sparked loudly.
"What are you doing here?" Her voice was so squeaky, a little too breathless. She cursed the universe for this timing.
"I thought to see what kept you so busy today." He said with a straight face. Anna could see the anger boiling inside him; his eyes were always too easy to read.
"My volleyball match? You missed it again."
Anna's lips parted, and as the words formed in her mouth, he spoke, raising his hands to stop her from speaking.
"Just keep your explanation to yourself."
"Dylan" She finally managed to say his name, yet her breaths remained unhitched. Without hearing her out, he turned his back to her and walked out.
Her hands dropped on her side, eyes lingering on his back. She didn't try to call him back. She didn't chase after him. Her heart was too precious for her to lose for someone with a stone-cold heart.
"He knows about your heart, right?" Jay asked. He kept his tone light even though a sudden rage had ignited in him towards Dylan.
Maddison stayed there a little shook. She didn't know Dylan much, but she had expected him to be a bit considerate since he knew about Anna's heart disease.
"I will just walk home to clear my head," She said, turning towards them. Jay and Maddison shared a look. She knew they didn't want her to go alone, but maybe just maybe, she needed to learn to be alone.
"Will see you tomorrow" With that, being said she walked out without glancing back.