“Hey, are you Richard?” I breathed, glancing over my shoulder.

“That’s me. You must be Rachel?” he replied, his voice low, eyes darting around.

“Yes, but we don’t have time for introductions. They’re almost here!” I said, feeling my hands tremble from the biting cold.

“Right. The Mafia is closing in fast. They’ll find me if they think I still have—” He revealed a shimmering gold watch, its light dancing in the dim glow of the lamp. “I need to disappear. You… you need to blend in!”

Without a second thought, I broke into a run, my hair whipping through the frigid air, my heart pounding like a drum in my chest. I had to escape.But suddenly as I ran the truth hit me like a freight train: it wasn’t the watch they wanted. It was me.

They weren’t after the watch at all—that much I should have realized sooner. Their attempt to break in held a deeper motive, one that had been hiding in plain sight all along. Why did they even need me? I’m just a spy, nothing more—a pawn in their game, without any real significance. I always thought they were after Dad's watch, the one that unlocks the door to the company. So what could they possibly want from me?

If you’re feeling a bit lost right now, let me fill you in. I’m Rachel, a 15-year-old spy—and yes, I know that sounds crazy for my age, but when your dad runs a crime network, learning self-defense is just part of the package. So here’s the deal: the mafia has their sights set on me. Just yesterday, they broke into my house! At first, I thought they were after my dad’s watch, which he accidentally left behind during his last visit. But things are definitely more complicated than that…

He was seated at an outside table near the entrance. I took the seat opposite him. A large glass of fresh squeezed orange juice and a plate of smoked salmon before him.

“Why did you choose the Schweizer? And how did you get them to open up for us?”

“Open up? They weren’t closed. Look around everything is perfectly fine here. “

He was right. The streets of Gamla Stan are as full as they usually are at 11 in the morning. Not like New York, or Paris, or Milan, or anywhere else in the western world.

“I counted on the fact you would be staying nearby. A few short steps from here no doubt.” He sat back in his chair, smiling. “How many miles did you trek before you decided it was safe to approach? No observers, I trust.”

“None. Unless they followed you.”

“You know better than that my dear.”

“From what I hear, Professor, retirement hasn’t slowed you one bit.”

“Retirement? My schedule the last six months paints a different picture. Still, no one here will listen.”

He looked up, slowly took a sip of the orange juice and looked at me.

“What’s on your mind, Lena? Why are you in Stockholm? It’s a long way from Froggy Bottom.”

“I should think it obvious. I need your help, Professor. Why else would I be here?”

There’s a little cafe down the block from my drab, one room apartment that I go to regularly just to sit, nurse a cup of coffee, and watch the people hurry by. They’re always so wrapped up in their own worlds they don’t notice the strangers around them. One day, I notice an older gentleman sit at the table across from me. I’ve seen him here before, but I never knew his name. Today, I decided to join him. I learned that his name is James, he has 3 kids, and 8 grandkids. I asked him about his wife, and He told me about they day they met: “I was 17, young and on top of the world. I was working at a local ice cream shoppe when the most beautiful girl, wearing bright red lipstick, came in and ordered a strawberry cone. Her name was Lily, and I couldn’t let her leave without asking her out. It took some convincing, and a lot of flirting, before she finally agreed. Let me tell ya, that was the best date of my life! We did it all, movies, starlit dinner, and dancing till the sun came up again. I even got a goodbye kiss. We dated for 3 months before I worked up the nerve to get her fathers permission to marry her. 2 months later, she was my wife. 8 months after that, our son Harry was born. Our life was full of laughter, fights, and love. We used to come to this cafe once a week for lunch. She would always order the catfish, with extra fries, and a sweet tea.” He then looked down at his hands, and stayed quiet for a bit. After a while, he looked up at me with a sad, tearful smile. He continued, “She died 3 years ago. She got really sick, and none of the doctors could figure out exactly what was wrong. I tried my damndest to make sure her last days were filled with love, light, and laughter. Some days were easier than others, but she was still that beautiful girl with the bright red lipstick, eating a strawberry ice cream. She died in my arms. It was months before I could bring myself to leave the house. Now, I come here for lunch every week and I order the Lily Special-catfish, with extra fries, and a sweet tea.”

It’s been 2 months since I met James, and I still join him every week at the little cafe down the block from my drab, one room apartment.

two people two generations different in many ways except in the way her eyes twinkle as she talks because his do the same every time he sees her the last of his family the seeds of the future he’s planted

she chatters on and on never failing to fill him in on all her escapades and as he listens all he hears is ‘I’m happy’ and he’s thankful that he did one thing right

As I stood across the street from the cafe, slowly summoning up the courage to cross, and introduce myself, I stared at the piled display of oranges in the window. It was strange, how even though we’d never met, he’d managed to choose a place, where my favourite food sat so prominently, as the backdrop to our first face to face encounter. I’d been stood there long enough, for him to assume I wouldn’t turn up. I watched him place his order, and push the food around his plate as if the disappointment, had stolen his appetite. The sadness in his wrinkle framed eyes, whenever he looked at the empty chair in front of him, had me choking on guilt. We’d only been in contact for two weeks, before he suggested seeing each other in person. At first the thought had me uneasy, but the more I fantasised, the more I realised, this might be my only chance to say my piece after all these years, to ask for his reasons, and throw them back as excuses. Standing there, staring at his elderly frame, with elbows off the table, knife and fork in hand, curiosity clouded all my better judgement, and I took my first step towards the table. Crossing the road, my legs carried me with surprising ease. I hung my bag neatly on the back of the chair, cleared my throat, and sat down. Facing my father, for the first time.

The character on the left is his new friend who stopped to sit and talk to him. The guy on the right is a complete stranger.

One day a girl stopped to talk to a lonely old man, she stopped and said “Is this seat taken?”

He says no no sit please. So she sits and she orders him and herself a coffee and they sit and chat for awhile endless conversation about bullying he tells her a story about his wife who passed. He says my wife was once a young beautiful women she was bullied all her life, until one day she said I’ve had enough I get home from work one day and I see her on the floor she’s crying I asked what happened and she said I took pills I don’t think I’m Going to make it. I called 911 and they rush her to the hospital she was in a coma for 3 days and never made it out.

The women replies I understand I lost my son due to bullying he was 13 and he hung himself in his room with a note saying “ Mom I love you I wish things could be different but I can handle it anymore.”

The old man replies I’m so sorry for your loss

And then the old man and young lady still to this day go and order coffee and talk.

Mary had said she didn’t want anything today. She’d had a full English with all the trimming for breakfast and was full to bursting. Tony sat opposite her and smiled. “You sure luv?” he asked as dug into his chicken and leek pie. “I’m fine darling. I’ll save myself for tea.” Tony knew she really wanted a sweet but ever since they’d both retired she had started saying she was watching her weight. Tony had never watched his weight. It was something Mary said often but they didn’t even own a set of scales. “It’s very tasty. Sure you won’t try some?” he asked holding out a fork with some chicken dangling precariously from the end. Mary shook her head and smiled. Tony muttered an ‘Oh well’ and stuffed the chicken into his mouth. “I once ate a whole pie to myself after I came back from the pub drunk. Meat and potato...Felt as sick as a dog afterwards....Didn’t eat pie for ages after that...Just the sight of it...this one’s lovely although I’d prefer it with puff pastry.” Tony carried on chatting in between mouthfuls. Mary looked on in silence. When he’d finished the waiter came out and asked if everything was okay. Tony nodded vigorously, “Lovely! I told Mary she should have had some!” The waiter looked at the empty chair in front of Tony and smiled knowingly, “She doesn’t know what she’s missing does she sir?”

Waiting for her warms me up 1 minuet I invited her to come 2 minutes She said she’ll try and I believed her 3 minutes It’s been two months I since I asked her 4 minutes I saw her and asked why she didn’t come 5 minutes She said she was busy and said to go on Friday 6 minutes I waited there for her every Friday 7 minutes It’s been sixty years since and I still wait 8 minutes I saw her for the last time 9 minutes We finally met she now has a husband and two kids 10 minutes I’m happy for her and I’ll always love her My sweet baby girl

I always did love Autumn. Cool chills and warmth in one. People busting by in normal speed and hustle but with changes that one can note. Change in their dress, color, even the skip in their step is new. But it only makes sense. Ah yes, the Halloween spirit is in the air. I sit by my favorite cafe, with drink, food and all, and I watch. People watching is a pass time, as creepy as it may sound, for every single person is fascinating in their own right. Each to their own, and each their own. Fascinating.

Some though, I find more fascinating than others. Let’s take for example the young miss who’s sat across from me now. I know not what possessed her to do such a thing but before I asked she were to say, “It always breaks my heart when I see the elderly alone. I hope you don’t mind?” Curious. A complete stranger, yet... Elderly?” I asked incredulously. “Oh I’m sorry, I—“ I cut her off resigned. “No, no, it’s fine my dear, I’m used to it.” She exhaled a sigh of relief, tension practically melting off her shoulders. The woman seemed to be in her early 20s, bouncing brown hair tied up and loose. Her clothes were neat but slightly askew as if she were fiddling with it repeatedly. “Say, is you don’t mind my asking, what’s your name, Miss?” She laughed at that. “Sorry sir. You can call me Emily.” “You seem troubled, my dear.” “Yeah, I just...” A sigh. “I just got back from a job interview and it’s just been a mess today, I’m actually heading to another soon but I found I’d rather spend some time to get to know you instead.” I chucked. “It seems so, Miss Emily.”

Pondering on her issue I drank a sip of my drink and hummed. “You deserve much more than this, Emilia.” “What? And how do you know my full name?” She startled. “I know much, Emilia. Enough to know fate brought you here. And more than enough to know you deserve more. Your heart is pure, you know?” She flushed at the praise saying, “And how on earth would you know that?”

I hummed and placed a hand on hers. She stiffened before shoving her seat back and promptly tripping in a rush, and landing on the ground. “What?” She said breathlessly. “What are you? What was that? How did you do that?”

Oh, humans.. ever so curious. I chucked. “My name is Uriel, little one. I merely showed you a possible path to take for your success.” I softened and got down to her level. His children really do feel like merely that— children. “You will do great things on this earth, and I believe you are smart enough I figure out what I am on your own.” “What? No! Wait! Uriel!”

But by then it was too late. I was gone in but a flash.

And only a feather remained.

I sit down at my favorite seat. The gorgeous letters appear before me. I wait patiently as my dear Susan is coming to meet me. I know she will be here any minute, she’s always running late. Ten minutes pass. She seems to be extra late today so I will order for us. I know her favorite, oh yes the sugar cookie, plain but her favorite. “I will take three smiley face sugar cookies please and oh two chocolate cupcakes ma’am.” “Yes sir. Mr. Noman, would you like to sit in here today or...” “Oh no thank you. You are such a sweet young lady. What is your name again? But I’m going to stay outside I’m waiting for my wife Susan. She won’t like it if I’m inside when I should be waiting for her. I told her I would stay out there and she’s always getting on me about not keeping my promises so I’m gonna keep this one, easy enough?” “Oh ok, it’s charollette by the way.” I spill out seven seventy five out of my wallet and proceed to go out the front door. I see a woman pass by the bakery and I begin to call out her name, it’s Susan it looks just like her. But she continues to walk. “Susan! Susan! Where are you going?” I chase after her but my bad hip keeps me from going too far. “Susan! Susan! Stop! I’m sorry I didn’t wait for you to get her before I ordered but I got what you like. Your favorite thing. Those smiley sugar cookies you are always asking for.” She continues to walk even though she’s close enough to hear me. I know she can get angry about these things but she doesn’t have to ignore me. Sometimes her silence scares me more than when she’s yelling at me. I’m almost caught up to her because she’s got a bad foot but as soon as I reach her I pull her arm. “Ahhhh. What are you doing? I’m not your damn Susan please leave me alone.” “Oh I’m so sorry ma’am I didn’t realize.” I was sure it was her. Well I guess she’s taking longer than expected. I wabble back to the seats right outside the bakery as I peek around me. Everyone was starin at me and that woman that I grabbed, on accident I don’t go around grabbing ladies I really thought she was my wife. I finally settle in my seat when a beautiful young lady walks up to me with a concerned face. “Dad, what did I tell you about leaving the house?” “I’m a grown adult I can leave the house whenever I want.” “Dad, but I told you. Ok come on we need to go home.” She pulls around my arm and we start walking but I pull back. “No I have to wait for Susan. She will be mad if I leave her here.” “Oh Dad. Mom died three years ago.”