Kaleigh Fisher-"The Corner Cafe"

The Corner Cafe

One month. Four weeks. Thirty-one days.

I am going to die.

Those words from my doctor cut through me, they impaled me, they sickened me. I found it hard to breathe, the air thick, suffocating. He stared back at me with a blank expression, he must be used to this. I gave him a nod, as I looked down, avoiding his non-concerned eyes. The room spun around me, I floundered to remain standing. I pressed my body on the old hospital bed behind me. My ears buzzed.

 “I will do everything I can, Theodore,” he told me, carefully placing his hand on my shoulder to keep me steady. I looked up at him, his face contorted and blurry. “but as of now I want you to focus on spending time with loved ones and living the most out of the time you have. We will see each other again in two weeks. I’ll walk you out.”

 He opened the door for me, I followed. My thoughts swam, struggling to grasp reasoning. What loved ones? I asked myself, almost laughing out loud.

The gloom of Wednesday haunted me as I walked out to my car. The clouds have seemed to trail after me everywhere I went, grumbling overhead.

I took the long route home, trying not to think about what Doctor Sinclair had told me. Living the most out of the time you have. Those words beat into me, striking me with fear. I wasn’t ready to die. Once my head started spinning, I decided to find my way home.

 I walked up the porch steps, gripping onto my cane tightly. The pain was getting worse. I shook my head at myself, I was twenty-one years old with the body of an old, sick man. The cool November air bit at my cheeks as it blew around the colorless leaves in the yard. I was relieved to make it inside and plop down in that comfy recliner. I sighed as I closed my eyes, the sharp pains increased. The dark room comforted me and the quiet soothed my pounding head. The conversation with Doctor Sinclair kept resurfacing in my thoughts, disturbing me, and abandoning me with an uneasy, bilious sensation.

I want you to focus on spending time with loved ones. My stomach revolted at the ugly truth, I was alone and it was all my fault.

 I still see his face in my nightmares. His mangy scruff of a beard, his tattered work clothes reeking of alcohol. His wicked forced smile enclosed by his abusive, cracked lips. That look he would always give me, the look of disappointment in his pure black, glossy eyes. The face of the drunk, that I called my father.

 I never understood how my mother could have loved a man like him. She had a heart of pure gold, she didn’t deserve him. She didn’t deserve me.

“Theo,” she would tell me, her voice full of hope. “You are so smart, you’re going to go so far. I want you to get out of Edgemont and leave this worthless town, you are much better than what it has to offer. I want you to be successful.” And I listened.

My final day in Edgemont will be stamped in my memory forevermore. My mother assisted me in shoving all my belongings into the trunk of my old beat up car. When we were finished she smiled at me, beaming with pride. She pulled me into a tight hug.

“I love you, Theodore,” she said into my shoulder, her muffled voice quivering with her love. “You are the best thing that has ever happened to me.”

She released her death grip around me, and wiped away her tears.

“I love you too, mom,” I said. “I’ll call you.” I got into the car and looked at her one more time. She waved at me, I waved back, and put the car in reverse.

That was the last time I saw her.

The next day, I received a phone call with the most devastating news that my mother had been in a car wreck, and my drunken father was the driver. After three years, the pain of missing her has only increased, especially now with my brain tumor.

 I quickly fumble for the TV remote, in hopes that it will distract me from my gnawing memories that ate me alive. The bright light hits my eyes, I squint as they refocus. “The Corner Cafe in Edgemont, South Dakota is closing after twenty-two years of service . . .”

 I batted my eyes in disbelief. The Corner Cafe was my escape place before I left for school. It never failed to comfort me on days when I needed it. William, the owner, was the father figure that I never had, but needed. He always knew what to say. I couldn’t leave this world without hearing his wise words one last time. I decided to book the next bus to Edgemont the next morning.

I woke up in the darkness, the eeriness of early morning creeping in through my bedroom window. It’s not getting any easier, I thought to myself as I reached for the cane resting on my nightstand. I slowly got to my feet and dressed myself for the long ride ahead.

“Hello, sir,” the bus driver greeted as I pushed myself up the steps leading to the bus. He noticed I was struggling. “Would you like help?”

 “No,” I quickly assured him with a stern voice. “I’m fine, thank you.”

  He gave me a nod, the pity showing through his transparent eyes. “Have you been to Edgemont before?”

“Yeah . . .” I nodded. “I lived there.

 The bus driver sat down in his seat, as I did the same and watched the new travelers find theirs.

The bus hissed as it released it’s brakes and started with a jolt. I gripped onto my cane. I watched outside as we drove on those familiar roads, a feeling of uncertainty in my stomach. I took in a deep breath. Sometimes I wished that I had someone to talk to, just about life and what’s been going on for the past six months and how my tumor has gotten worse. No one knows how extreme it is except for my doctor and me. I didn’t want people to feel pity for me.

 I had one less day left to live, I thought to myself. My heart pounded in my ears like a drum, slowly losing it’s rhythm. My throat tightened, and my breath quickened. I tried calming myself, but the fear was still clenched, balled in knots in my gut. I closed my eyes and drifted into sleep.

“You have reached your destination,” the bus driver’s voice boomed through the high pitched intercom, startling me. “Edgemont, South Dakota.” I looked out, we were parked one block away from the cafe. As everyone filed down the aisle of the bus, I kept my head low and waited. I didn’t want to slow them down. As the last man hopped off the bus, I stood with a groan.

“Thanks,” I said, handing him a couple dollars out of generosity.

 He nodded with a smile, “Have a great time, sir.”

 I hobbled past him, gazing down at the ground, keeping my eyes low, in case people would notice me. My head battered.

 In a few more steps, I stood before The Corner Cafe. It hadn’t changed much, the old rusty sign stared back at me. I gripped onto the cool handle and pulled the door open.

 It was all familiar. The smell of warm, freshly brewed coffee, the faint mumble of classical music coming through the small corner speakers and the friendly smile of a man that felt like home. The neatly swept hardwood floor beneath me hadn’t changed, nor had the red painted walls. The tables were spread out like they always had been, the chairs tucked tidily underneath them. A neon red sign buzzed on the wall above the counter, spelling out THE CORNER CAFE. Hooks were placed beneath it, holding cream colored coffee mugs.

 “Hello, old friend,” the man’s eyes beamed. “What are you doing in ol Edgemont?”

  I swallowed and shook my throbbing head. “I heard about the cafe,” I muttered softly, walking toward him. “I thought I would stop by.”

 William smiled at me with a toothy grin, wrinkles spread across his face. “I’ve missed you, Theo,” he said, his eyes welled with tears. “How are you?”

  I clamped my hand around my cane to keep me steady. I looked down at the floor, I shook my pulsing head. I couldn’t make out words.

 He drew in a quick breath, he knew that something was wrong, he also knew that I wouldn’t tell him. “I’ll get your coffee ready,” he sighed. I sat down.

 That old booth hadn’t changed. I had sat in this very place for years, watching out the window as I sipped on the smooth coffee. The sun had finally rose into the morning sky, people were walking down the streets. They scattered the street like leaves this time of year. They walked to catch the bus or they walked just to enjoy the chilly morning. This town was always cheerful, something that I never was. Maybe that is why I never fit in.

 A careful, steady hand, placed a coffee cup in front of me. I looked up at William, he licked his lips, as a way of finding words to say to me. “Theo,” he spoke, his voice boomed into my ears, shaking me. “I know you’re hurting.”

I looked at the beautifully made coffee sitting in front of me. It swirled in circles, I stared at it, wishing it would give me words to say to William. “I’m fine,” I lied, I bypassed his eyes and darted mine out the window.

And that’s when I saw her.

She was beautiful, mesmerizing. The one that you look at and in one glance you want to know everything about them. I was interested. She was walking down that old cracked concrete, her heels clicking fast. I could hear them from a mile away. I watched her. She had beautiful brown hair that was swept back neatly into a low bun. She was determined, I could tell that about her, just by the way she maneuvered through the crowded streets.

“Theodore,” My head snapped back into reality I looked at William, his expression was stern. “What is going on?”

 I wiped my sweaty palms back and forth on my jeans. I shrugged my shoulders but I knew that he wasn’t going to believe me if I didn’t confess the truth. My attention was averted and it went back to that . . . woman. She was getting closer towards the cafe. Her expression was blank, which made her hard to read.

 “Theo. I’m being serious.” I looked back to him, his hands were reached out onto the cool table.

I nodded my pounding head. “I know, it’s just--”

 The door jingled. Heels clicked onto the hardwood floor. The woman walked inside. William got up from the seat and greeted her. Before he went back behind the counter, he turned to me. “We’re not finished.”

 She was even more alluring the closer she became. I couldn’t help but stare. She walked to the counter, her posture tall. She ordered a coffee, she moved her lips slow and soft. She was captivating.

William said something back to her as he handed her what she had ordered, she looked at me. My heart fluttered as her eyes met mine, I had never felt anything like it.

“Right, Theodore?” William asked, nodding his head.

 “Yeah . . .” I agreed, confused by what he said to her. The next thing I knew, she was sitting across from me.

Her eyes were a deep blue, the blue that you see in the ocean. I struggled for words.

 “Hi, it’s Theo . . . right?”

 “Uh . . . yeah,” I stammered. “Theodore.”

 “I like Theo,” she said, with a smile that made my heart stop. “Can I call you that?”

 I nodded. “Sure,” I smiled back at her, my cheeks flushing bright pink. My mom and William were the only ones that called me Theo and now her.

We talked for an hour at least, I never wanted to stop. Her name was Violet, it sounded like a beautiful orchestra to my ears whenever I said it aloud. After that morning, I found myself thinking about her every second of the day. I went back home that night, in hopes that I would see her again someday. I decided to book a bus for tomorrow morning also, just in case I would get to talk to her one more time. I had one less day to live.

 That next morning I listened to the birds chirp outside my window. I got up, my back stiff, but my heart was happy and hopeful. The morning air was light, I breathed it in and smiled. It is a great day to live.

 The bus ride wasn’t as long as it was the day before, it went by quickly because I was dreaming of Violet. She was flawless. I walked joyfully through the crowded streets with my head high, smiling at people that were in front of me and greeting them with “good morning.”

 When I got into the cafe, William was shocked to see me.

 “Good morning, Theo,” he said, with a friendly smile.

  “Good morning, William,” I said back.

 “You seem pretty upbeat this morning, did something happen?”

 I shook my head and I couldn’t help but smile. “No . . .” I started. “Well, kinda.”

 He leaned in closer to me from behind the old counter, he was all ears. I told him everything. I told him why I was there, and what was going on with me the past six months and about Violet. I was relieved after I got it all out.

 Once I was finished, William opened his mouth to speak. I heard the jingle of the door.

I turned to meet eyes with Violet. “Hello, Theo,” she said to me, with a kind smile.

“Hello, Violet,” I said back, the words fell out of my mouth.

 “I’ll get you two your coffee,” said William, with a sly wink.

My cheeks flushed as we sat down at the booth. We drank our coffee and watched people out the window, we talked about everything except for my tumor, I didn’t want her to feel pity for me. My head didn’t seem to hurt when I was with her.

 I continued to meet up with Violet every morning for two weeks. William offered me to stay at his house so I didn’t have to be alone, I was so thankful.

 I thought it all over as I sat in that hospital room, waiting for my doctor. Those past few weeks were the greatest weeks of my life, I thought to myself. I recalled my previous visit with Doctor Sinclair, Living the most out of the time you have. I smiled to myself, knowing that I had done just that, and I was satisfied with whatever he would tell me.

 Just then, Doctor Sinclair walked into the room swiftly. “Good afternoon, Theodore,” he said with a cheerful grin. “I have some good news and some bad news. Which would you like to hear first?”
            “Bad news, please,” I replied, clenching onto my cane.

“We’re going to have to do surgery,” he said, solemnly. “But this is because the size of your tumor has miraculously decreased. We are very bewildered with your conditions. Although, your surgery must be as soon as possible, how do you feel about tomorrow?”

 Violet was the first thing to come to mind. I didn’t want to let her down. “It would be better if I could wait until the next day . . .”

 “Theodore,” he said. “It would be best if you did this as soon as possible.”

 “Tomorrow is fine,” I said back, my head pounded. I just hoped that Violet would understand. Maybe I would get to see her, I thought to myself, but I knew that would never happen. I helped myself off of that uncomfortable hospital bed and walked out of the room with my head low, throbbing.

 That next day, I sat in the cold white hospital room with sweaty palms. I couldn’t stop thinking about Violet, the clock ticked next to me, teasing me. I looked at it, it would be the same time that I would be at the coffee shop if I wasn’t here, I thought to myself. My head pulsed.

 The door handle turned, a nice lady peeked her head in. “Hello, Theodore,” she said.

 “Hi,” I said back, I wasn’t in the mood for a chit chat.

 “I just need you to lay back and relax for me . . .”

 And all the pain drifted off.

 I was at the coffee shop, and Violet stood before me with her usual coffee order. We talked, the pain throughout my body, hardly noticeable. There was something different about her though . . . she was wearing scrubs, blue scrubs that matched the color of her eyes. “Theo,” she said with happy, energetic eyes. “Theo,” she repeated, I looked at her confused, and then I heard it loud and clear.

 “Theo.”

My eyes slowly blinked open and focused to someone standing in front of me. It was a woman the first thing I noticed about her was her familiar blue eyes. I found myself swimming in them, in that breathtaking deep blue. They were beautiful, they captured me. She wore blue scrubs and a mask, once she realized I was awake she pulled it down.

I squinted my eyes to read the embroidered name on her shirt. Once I realized what it said, she handed me a coffee cup with THE CORNER CAFE logo printed on it. I looked at her again, my mind was blown.

“I missed you this morning Theo.”