The Rhoswen Tales

Better than any Diamond

Characters: Cove Odin (Waitress), Bryce Alcott (Diamond Dealer) and Alice Odin (Café Owner/Cove's Mum)

Cove: (sighs) Another busy day at the café. Mom, do we have enough coffee beans?

Alice: Yes, Cove, we're fully stocked. You're doing a great job, sweetheart.

Cove: Thanks, Mom. I just hope today goes smoothly.

Bryce: (entering the café) Excuse me, waitress! I need a table.

Cove: (rushing over) Of course, sir. Right this way.

Bryce: (accidentally bumps into Cove, spilling coffee on himself) Watch where you're going, girl!

Cove: Oh, I'm so sorry! Let me get you a towel.

Bryce: (ignoring her) Just do your job properly next time.

Cove: (humbly) Yes, sir. I apologize again.

Bryce: (visiting the café every day) This café has the best coffee in town, but that waitress needs to learn some manners.

Cove: (to herself) Just ignore him, Cove. He's not worth your time.

Bryce: (confronting Cove one day) Why do you keep working here if you're so terrible at your job?

Cove: (standing up to him) I won't quit my job just because you don't like me. I'm not afraid of you, Bryce Alcott.

Bryce: (getting angry) You dare talk back to me? I should teach you a lesson!

Alice: (rushing over) Leave my daughter alone! How dare you threaten her?

Cove: (teary-eyed) Mom, it's okay. Let's just go.

Bryce: (storming off) This isn't over, Cove.

Cove: (avoiding Bryce at all costs) I can't believe he had the audacity to threaten me.

Alice: Sweetheart, don't let him get to you. He's just a rude man.

Cove: I know, Mom. But it's hard to forget.

(A month later, a storm destroys the town and damages the café.)

Alice: What are we going to do, Cove? We can't afford to rebuild.

Bryce: (entering the café) I heard about the storm. I'm sorry, Alice. Let me help you rebuild.

Alice: (surprised) Bryce, you don't have to do that.

Bryce: I want to. Consider it my way of apologizing for my behavior.

Cove: (reluctantly) Thank you, Bryce. We appreciate your help.

(After the café is repaired, the Odins invite Bryce for dinner to express their gratitude.)

Alice: Thank you for everything, Bryce. We couldn't have done it without you.

Bryce: It was the least I could do. Your café means a lot to this town.

Cove: (avoiding eye contact) Thank you, Bryce.

Bryce: (smiling) You're welcome, Cove. I hope we can move past our previous encounters.

Cove: (softly) Maybe we can.

(After dinner, Bryce returns to the city to continue his diamond business.)

Bryce: (thinking to himself) The Odins, and especially Cove, have left a mark on me. They're more precious than any diamond.

Cove: (thinking about Bryce) Maybe he's not as bad as I thought. Maybe there's more to him than meets the eye.

(As time passes, Bryce realizes his feelings for Cove and decides to return to the town.)

Bryce: (finding Cove at the café) Cove, I've missed you.

Cove: (surprised) Bryce? What are you doing here?

Bryce: I couldn't stop thinking about you. You're better than any diamond I've ever owned.

Cove: (blushing) Bryce, I never thought I'd hear you say that.

Bryce: Will you give me a chance, Cove? Let me show you that I've changed.

Cove: (smiling) Okay, Bryce. Let's see where this takes us.

(And so, their unexpected romance began, proving that sometimes, love can soften even the hardest of hearts.)