“What would you like, sir?”

“Ummmmm hmmmmm….let’s do a frappe with whip and decaf.”

*writes down*

“Alright sir, that’ll be $5.72”

*smiles*

“Thank you maam”

“Yes sir..I’ll call you up when your coffee is ready.”

She slowly, dreamily walks up to her coffee machine, slowly grinding the beans, thinking, “oh … how handsome he is…I want to sit with him and talk!!!” She starts to pour the cream, and then calls his name.

“Brad!”

“Thank you! (With smile)”

“Hold on Mr Brad.”

“It’s just Brad- what’s your name?”

“Beth Josi”

“Very nice…would you like to sit with me?”

Suddenly her soul filled with joy! She was going to sit with the man she fell in love with…. Her everything…

“Of course!” She said shakily.

They walked up to the table, and sat down.

“What a beautiful day.”

“Yes….it took me a while to decorate this morning in this shop… it’s getting bigger by the year:)”

“Oh really? Are you adding more room?”

“Yes indeed I am Brad…and the workers are taking an awful long time…I would just hate to wait that long…I’m not making any money because of how shabby and old this place looks.”

At that moment Brad got a knowing look…

“Beth…i have a business… I’m fast with work, and I need help too! Maybe I could help redo this place! What do you say?”

“Oh Brad- that would be wonderful… would you?”

“Yes!! How about I come next Friday evening?”

“That’s perfect!”

They talked a little while longer, then he left. Beth was in love… she knew that someday she would marry this man … someday… even if it was 3 years from now..she would.

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Friday evening Brad came over with his supplies….

“Good evening Brad!” Beth said with a big smile on her pink face.

“Good evening to you Beth!”

“You ready? Or would you like a coffee first?”

“Would that be okay? A coffee? The same as last time?”

“Of course!”

She made the coffee, and then they started. He started with the add ons, the paint, and eventually he was done…the next week he finally finished, and by then- they fell in love, they spent most of their time together, and they knew they loved each other more than anything, in fact, they were married… but one day…

“Do you have to go to war Brad?!! PLEASE DONT GO!”

“My sweet Beth… God will take care of me.”

“Dearest, please stay, I need your love.”

“It’s going to be okay. I love you.”

“I love you” she said with tears in her green eyes.

They gave each other a meaningful kiss, then he left.

For months and months they wrote letters, but the last letter he wrote said,

“My sweet Beth,

Words can’t express how much I love you. From the day in the cafe, I knew we’d be one. It’s been 10 years since then, and now we’re both 34 and 38, not a day has passed by that I don’t stop thinking about you.

The soldiers want me to go to Europe to fight… I might not make it Beth..but God will take care of me, I promise, he always has, especially you my lovely Beth. I love you with all my heart and soul. I hope I will…………….”

That was the end of the letter…it cut off!”He must’ve had to stop and didn’t have the time to complete it!!” She thought.

A month later she received a telegram, it said,

“Mrs Beth Hilldy,

I’m very sorry for your loss, Brad Hilldy died while in war, before he died he told me to ship this necklace to you. We are so sorry.

-military force hospital”

Beths eyes were full of tears, she took out the necklace with her hand shaking violently. It had his picture in it, and a note that said he loved her. Beth leaned on the door and slowly sat against it. She couldn’t stop crying. Everything was gone. Brad was everything in her life.

She attended the funeral a week later. After all the people had left, she walked along the casket, and with tears in her eyes she said, “It was love at first sight, wasn’t it, Brad?”

THE END