Just Cream
The first time Hector came in, Justine was very confused. Nursing a bit of a hangover from girl’s night out with her sisters and best friend, she was pretty sure she misheard the order. “I’m sorry, what was that you wanted to order?”
“Just cream.”
“Um...I’m not sure how to...one moment please.” Justine nudged her manager and explained the man at the counter just wanted to order cream. The manager shrugged and told her to put it in as a latte and then just pour cream in a cup for him. Justine did as she was told.
“Thanks.”
She watched him walk out. Tall and skinny with that euro-skinhead look minus the racist malice. Cute despite every visible inch of his skin covered in tattoos. She wondered about the non-visible inches of his skin. Not normally her type yet still she found him very attractive. But the order was baffling her.
***
“I mean, who orders just cream? Come on!?”
“Why is it even bothering you so much? Usually the people who bring their work home with them are not baristsas in a coffee shop.” Cindy could see her assessment of the situation was frustrating her little sister even more, but honestly she could care less about a random stranger ordering cream at work. Usually Justine came home from work happy, donned her latest yoga outfit and newest mat, braided her long black hair and hogged the living room for two hours “practicing”. But today she just couldn’t shut about this guy named Hector. “Seriously, Justine. I can’t believe I am even saying this, but why don’t you just practice your yoga.”
“Yeah! That’s a brilliant idea! Thanks Sis!” Cindy rolled her eyes.
***
Justine found herself watching the door for him the next morning. He did not disappoint. Actually, she melted inside a little when he smiled at her and said in his gravelly voice which seemed too old for him, “Hey, just cream.”
“Coming right up!” Turning around she cursed herself for sounding so freaking cheery - and dorky. Then, without even being conscious of it, when she wrote his name on the cup she turned the “o” into a heart. She wouldn’t even have realized except he held the cup up to her, tapped where she had written his name and raised an eyebrow. Before she could react (probably a good thing), he turned around and went out the door. Mortification entered behind him.
***
“But you don’t understand! I drew a freaking heart on his cup.”
“Juss, it’s frickin not even a big deal. He’ll probably think it’s cute. Hell, he probably thinks you’re cute.”
“But Maddy, he’s going to think I’m an immature schoolgirl! He’s so tall and...I don’t know, jagged?”
“Jagged?” Her youngest sister almost spit out her wine with her burst of laughter. “What is he a mountain? You need to calm down. I seriously doubt he thought twice about it.”
“Nooooo. I am calling out sick tomorrow.”
“Yeah right, you want to go a day without seeing if Just Cream comes in for his order?”
“Maybe I can wear a disguise.”
“That’s a great idea! Go as normal human.” With that, Maddy walked out of the kitchen, still laughing.
***
Thankfully, the next morning was so busy that Justine didn’t have time to think, too much anyway, about Hector. Suddenly she looked up from the register and there he was.
“Hey.”
“Um, hi. Just cream today?”
“Yup.” Trying to take deep breaths, without breathing too loudly (a difficult feat indeed), Justine tried to keep the crimson from rising to her cheeks as she fumbled with the register and then turned to pour the cream. Her hand was trembling a little as she set the cup down on the counter, and then she nearly fainted when Hector put his hand over hers and said, “Hey, do you have a break soon? I want to introduce you to someone.”
***
“And then what?” Willa asked, almost as excited as Justine was.
“And then he took me around the back of the coffee shop and pulled out a little saucer he had apparently stashed on the emergency stairwell. He poured the cream into the saucer and set it down and the cutest calico kitten appeared out of nowhere! I about died!”
“Oooooooh! The cream was for a kitten! Did you tell him they shouldn’t really drink that? It’s hard for them to digest you know.”
“I actually did. He said he didn’t know anything about cats but he lives behind the coffee shop and saw the abandoned kitten. He’s allergic and can’t take it in but was wondering if I could look after it for a while because he’s going out of town. He’s in a band. They’re going on tour.”
“Aw! That’s so sweet! What did you say?”
“Well of course I said I would look after it. I told him I live with my three sisters but I would ask them if we could take it in to the house. So, what do you think?”
“I think we should name it Hector and love it forever. When he gets back from tour he can come visit it whenever he wants, you would love that, wouldn’t you?” For the first time in three days, Justine had nothing to say on the matter.