Ch-4: Beginnings

She had thought about it all night and all morning.

What will she wear?

Staring into her closet, she couldn't find anything worthwhile.

Most of her clothes were for gardening or nightwear.

She had tossed and turned everything before finally finding an old dress of hers.

It was a white off shoulder maxi dress with red polka dots.

She couldn't remember the last time she wore it.

Would it still fit?

Looking at the time, 3:43 pm, she knew she didn't have the luxury to think anymore.

Quickly putting it on, she looked at herself in the mirror, feverishly fixing her hair, the flower seller could be outside her room at any moment.

She paused for a moment, the dress hugged her figure at the curves.

She was still wearing it with grace, but was it too bold for a first date?

What would the flower seller think?

Wait a minute.

Why was she thinking about all this in the first place?

It was just a casual outing.

A simple date.

They weren't lovers.

Why was she so fixated on looking graceful and perfect?

There was a knock on her door.

She hastily opened it only to see another maid of the manor, her friend standing outside.

"Going somewhere pretty girl?" she asked grinning.

She knew the gardener was going on a date with the handsome but loner flower seller.

It was some news, which had quickly spread amongst all the maids in the manor.

"I need to get ready, else I will be late." said the gardener as she continued to fix her hair.

"Calm down, it's not like he will leave without you." she replied as she sat down on her bed.

"The dress is nice. Your shoulders are quite thin. This suits you." she complimented.

"Is it too bold?" asked the gardener.

"No, it's beautiful. Besides, it's not like it's showing much of the skin which men actually want to see. He is a good guy, I am sure he will not ogle at you or anything. Remember the time he requested the big man to not fire me for accidentally tipping and ruining the bouquet? I was scared. I thought I would be fired for good. It was only after his assurances that I am still here. He had to make an entirely new one for him immediately though. I felt bad for him, but he never said anything." she said.

"Also, I have seen the way he always smiles at you. I could not find any malice behind it." she teased.

The gardener sighed, sure he was a gentleman.

But she wasn't looking for any relationship.

Not for now.

And maybe not with him.

Maybe.

Her friend handed her a cherry red lipstick.

A great choice, keeping in mind the red polka dots.

"How do I look?" asked the gardener.

"Ooh, looking to impress him?" she grinned.

"Shut up." she said.

She just wanted to know if it all suited in the end.

That was all.

Surely.

At 4:10, she approached the flower seller's shop which was right beside the manor.

She saw him standing there wearing black jeans and a t-shirt.

It suited him.

The shirt enhanced his physique.

She never knew that underneath his everyday usual formals, the flower seller had an impressive physique.

She bit her lip. Immediately becoming self-concious of her petite frame.

She worked in the garden all day. She had developed strong arms and legs.

While the flower seller stayed in his shop. Preparing bouquets.

Did he take out time for exercise seperately?

She was thinking all that until she noticed, a black custom-built two-seater bobber.

She was awed.

She never knew he was into motorcycles.

Especially these kinds of.

But it all suited him.

"So you like it?" he asked smiling gently as he patted his bike.

"I thought that since it's a beautiful summer evening, a bike would be more appropriate." he explained.

"Well, it's nice I guess." she said.

She didn't knew much about motorcycles.

She didn't need to.

After all, her job was being a gardener.

How was he able to take out time for so many things despite being so busy?

"Hang on, let me grab some stuff." he said as he went inside his shop.

Returning a few minutes later wearing a black flannel and a helmet in hand.

"Here." he said, handing her the helmet.

"What about you?" she asked noticing that he didn't carry any spare.

"I am good. Trust me." he replied as he helped her wear it, gently locking it in place.

He sat on his motorcycle and started it.

She sat behind him sideways.

What should she hold on to?

She sighed and held his shoulder.

"I haven't seen you driving. Like ever." she said.

"I will admit that. I haven't driven since a long time." he confirmed.

'Will he be able to drive?' she thought.

But all those worries evaporated when they started on the road.

The ride was smooth.

The cool summer air gently gushed by, almost as if kissing her.

She liked it.

She didn't expect it.

But she liked it.

The road was completely empty, with nothing but trees and open fields on either side.

She noticed his focused face through the side mirror.

How the hell does one look so handsome even at times like these?

She had an urge to ask him to go faster.

But she kept it to herself.

They were just colleagues after all.

Nothing more.

This request would be unreasonable.

After about half an hour, he stopped the bike near what looked like a small shack.

On the board it read 'Beginnings cafe'.

They got down and he helped her to remove her helmet.

"Ready?" he asked as she fixed her hair again.

She nodded.

The two went inside, the cafe's door bell rang.

It was a small cafe.

There were only four tables inside, each meant for two.

It was expected, given the fact that the cafe was in the middle of nowhere, it won't get much customers anyway.

The walls had a lot of windows, all closed shut.

The colored glass panes on the windows, gave the light entering through it a rainbowish hue.

The place was dimly lit.

But the colored light made up for that.

The two sat at a table farthest from the door.

Soon an old lady came from the kitchen.

She had a wide smile on her face.

"Welcome." she said warmly.

After handing the two a menu card she stood behind the counter, waiting.

The gardener looked around, there was no one else besides them.

"What do you want?" asked the flower seller bringing her attention back to the menu.

"Oh. Yes. A cappuccino and this cheese cake." she said pointing at the picture in the menu.

He nodded and turned to the old lady who in turn pointed to a sign which read, 'Please come to the counter to order. Self service. Thank you.".

He chuckled.

"I will come in a moment." he said as he stood up and walked to the counter to place the order.

"A cappuccino and a cheese cake. I would like an affogato." he said with a small smile.

"She is pretty. Is she you girlfriend?" asked the old lady.

"Oh no, she is....." he paused.

A friend? A colleague?

He thought for a moment before replying.

"An acquaintance." he said.

"Funny." said the old lady.

He chuckled to himself. Did she think of it as a joke?

He just said it because he didn't want to make the gardener uncomfortable.

Perhaps, he was being too cautious.

He had not expected her to accept his date proposal after all.

He didn't want to outstep his boundary by assuming.

Assumptions kill after all.

The old lady quickly got to work.

As she brewed the coffee, he couldn't help but ask.

"Why name it beginnings?"

"Sorry?" asked the old lady.

"Why name this place Beginnings cafe?" he repeated.

"Oh well, it's quite a story." said the old lady.

"I have time to listen." he said looking at his wristwatch.

"Mind if I keep it short?"

"No. It's ok." he replied.

"My husband and son died years ago. They were out for some business, they got in an accident." she said.

"I am so sorry." he said.

Did he make things awkward?

"It's alright." said the old lady nodding as she finished with the cappuccino and started to make his affogato.

"Well, relatives asked me to stay with them, for the rest of my life. But I just couldn't. I couldn't come to terms with the fact that my life had nothing anymore. I just couldn't stomach the fact that this was going to be my ending. Call it the stubbornness of an old lady. I decided for a new beginning. So I decided to start this cafe. People told me that this wouldn't work. But I didn't care. I just want a different ending for myself. One which I create." she finished.

"I wouldn't call it stubbornness. I would call it hope. You still have enough hope to restart. Make your own life even at this point. That's very brave." he said smiling sadly.

"You are quite a charmer. I bet she would say yes if you confess." said the old lady looking at the gardener who was waiting at the table.

"I need to be brave too." he laughed lightly.

He took their order and went back to his table.

"Here you go." he said smiling brightly as he handed the gardener her drink and cake.

"What were you two talking about?" she asked.

"Nothing much. I will tell you later." he said simply.

"Affogato?" she asked looking at his drink.

"Is it childish?" he asked smiling.

"No, no. I just took you as a person who wouldn't like sweet things." she said hurriedly.

"I love sweet things." he confessed.

'That was new information.' she thought.

Maybe this date was a good idea after all.

She then saw him put some more sugar cubes in his drink. He had a pretty strong sweet tooth after all.

The colorful light on his face was mesmerizing her.

She couldn't just point her finger at one feature of his that she liked.

Maybe his hair?

He usually kept it in a well maintained slick-back whenever he was in the manor.

But for now, he had let his hair down.

It suited him. He was looking even more handsome.

"Careful." he said as he fixed a lock of her hair and tucked it behind her ear, preventing it from going in her drink.

She was so lost in her thoughts that she hadn't noticed.

"Oh thank, thank you." she stuttered.

She felt her face going slightly pink. But thankfully it would go unnoticed, due to the colorful light around.

He on the other hand was in a slightly different turmoil.

Why did he touch her without permission?

'I should be more careful next time.' he thought.

"Well, what do you like to do in your free time?" he asked trying to start a conversation.

"I love gardening only. It doesn't feel like a job to me at all." she said.

Really?

He didn't know that.

Surely taking care of such a huge garden would be tiresome.

But she loved it?

"What about you?" she asked.

"Well I hate my job." he blurted absent mindedly.

"What?" she asked surprised.

"Well. Yea. I hate it. The big man is impossible to please. He asks for something better all the time. Besides, I do not like cutting those roses and turning them into a bouquet." he said.

If they are talking. He might as well come clean and tell her everything.

'He hates it?' she thought.

So he doesn't like taking her roses after all.

She had misjudged him.

He wasn't as bad as she had thought all those years.

They should have had this conversation way earlier.

At least they could have been more closer by now.

"Why do you not like cutting those roses?" she asked.

"Because they are a product of your hardwork. I don't like to ruin it." he replied.

This made her heart flutter.

He cared about her hardwork?

"Well, thank you." she muttered.

"Should we go then? It's 6 already." he said noticing that she had finished her drink and cake.

Already?

She wanted to talk some more.

They had just cleared up the misunderstandings.

She wanted know more about him.

But she knew he was right.

It was her request after all, to return to the manor quickly.

He went to the counter and paid the bill and walked back to her, only for him to find that she was staring at some couple jewellery on display at the corner of the cafe.

'Does she want one?' he thought.

"Let's go." she said as she noticed him standing.

The air had cooled down even more.

'Is the dress going to be a problem now?' she thought.

"Would you like this?" he asked calmly, offering her his flannel.

Wait a minute.

Did he notice?

Oh why is he so perceptive?

"Thank you." she muttered as he helped her put it on.

He carefully buttoned it up.

'Was this the reason why he had went inside his shop before they left?' she thought.

Yes, that truly was the reason why he had brought the flannel along.

But she didn't ask the reason, he didn't tell.

Words.

They cause frustration.

The ride back to the manor was the same.

Their date was over.

Now they would go back to their old schedules.

But something had changed between them.

Was it understanding?

Or something else?

Maybe time has the answer.

"Thank you. For today." she muttered as she got down.

"It's alright. I enjoyed it." he replied smiling as he parked his motorcycle behind his shop, covering it with a piece of cloth.

He looked at his wristwatch.

6:49 pm.

He still had an hour of his break time.

But would she agree to hang out some more?

He paused.

He didn't want to assume.

It might make her uncomfortable.

Assumptions kill after all.

Besides, he was satisfied with today.

He smiled.

"See you then." he said as she gave him back his flannel.

'He could have asked for a walk.' thought the gardener as she left.