"IT'S okay," Nellie said, her voice light. "I'm fine."
The stranger nodded and turned to leave, but not before slipping a small piece of paper into Nellie's hand.
Nellie's eyes widened slightly as she felt the paper, but she didn't react. Instead, she smiled sweetly at the stranger and turned back to the counter.
"Hi," she said to the barista. "I'll have a cappuccino, please."
As she waited for her coffee, Nellie's eyes flicked to the piece of paper in her hand. She unfolded it, her eyes scanning the message scrawled on the page.
The words made her smile, a small, enigmatic smile that seemed to suggest she was privy to a secret.
As she took her coffee and turned to leave, Nellie's eyes met the stranger's across the room. He was watching her, a small smile playing on his lips.