Whispers of Hope

Chapter One: A New Beginning

For a Friday evening, Coffee & Book was pleasantly filled. The warm aroma of freshly brewed coffee wafted through the air, creating an inviting atmosphere. All the tables, except for two near the door, held approximately three to six customers, engaged in lively conversations that carried on well into the night. Soft music played in the background, setting the perfect mood for a relaxing evening. The six employees—two waiters, two waitresses, and two bakers—were bustling with orders from both upstairs and downstairs.

Downstairs buzzed with excited chatter, as it was intended to. The cozy, soft lighting from pendant lamps hung over the tables cast a warm yellow glow that gave the shop a welcoming and homely feel. Upstairs, however, was a quieter haven, with rows of shelves eagerly awaiting books. The shelves were bathed in soft, ambient light, ready to be filled with stories yet to be discovered. Comfortable seats, with plush cushions, anticipated avid readers, promising hours of escape into different worlds. Boxes of books, both new and others old, donated by friends, remained scattered on the floor, awaiting unpacking. However, I had allowed a few friends of mine to take a sneak peek and enjoy the view from above for the night. It was opening night, and for some inexplicable reason, I had chosen this day to launch my new business. I marvelled at and felt grateful for the turnout.

"Aunt Viv?" My nephew's voice interrupted my thoughts as he slid into the chair across from me, his smile radiating happiness. "You're always lost in your thoughts Auntie, aren't you?" he teased, tapping his head. "Well, it's time to relax now. It's a full house! That's great for a first day. Congratulations!"

"Just thinking," I replied, then sipped my hot chocolate, the rich, velvety liquid warming me from the inside. "And thank you. Did you bring your whole class?" I wondered.

Jabari had played a significant role in targeting potential customers. I had my eye especially on college students, and the fact that he was a student himself was an added advantage. To compensate for his hard work, I had hired him as a waiter, although he was versatile and also enjoyed working in the kitchen with me, baking from time to time.

"Well, most of them owed me a favour. It was time to collect," Jabari chuckled. "But they love the place—the decor, the seats. They especially love today's special. Good choice that we made plenty of those scrumptious classic chocolate cakes." He stole a bite from my plate. "They melt in your mouth, that's what I'm hearing from everyone."

"That, we love too," I fondly caressed my belly. With just about three weeks to go, I'd be holding my babies for the first time. I was a bit tired, but there was no way I was going to leave Jabari to manage everything. This had always been my dream, and I was determined to see it unfold every step of the way. Jabari had tried to convince me to go home once it reached 9:00 pm, but his pleas fell on deaf ears. Furthermore, I was taking breaks every now and then. My main job for the night was to interact with the customers and ensure they were content with everything. First impressions mattered to me; I wanted them to feel welcomed and eager to return.

"Thank you for the surprise too. I wasn't expecting that," I warmly recalled the opening party. Jabari had purposely made us late, only for us to find a group of our friends waiting at the entrance. Tied to the door was a large lilac ribbon bow. He then handed me scissors so that I could cut it and let us through. It was really lovely. He had also installed the pendant lamps; they hung over the tables, casting a warm yellow glow that gave the shop a cozy feel. He claimed it was my opening gift from him, and it was a thoughtful gesture, especially since I had wanted to install them but my budget wouldn't allow it.

Along the windows and in some sections on the floor were indoor plants that complemented the vintage wallpapered walls. I had left some blank sections without wallpaper and filled them with different types of art and paintings. Behind the pastry case, there was a blackboard on the wall where our daily specials would be written for the grab-and-go customers. There was also a neon sign reading Coffee & Book- proudly, Viv's  which shone in tune with the lights. Every time I cast a glance at it, I felt warm butterflies in my stomach. It was as if it was whispering hope to me. I loved it. The clear pastry case was filled with different colourful types of delicacies with accompanying names and prices for the customers to choose from.

"You're welcome. You deserve it, Viv." Just then, some of his friends called from one of the back tables. "Duty calls!"

I really did deserve it. I had worked exceptionally hard and saved up to open this cafe. I still couldn't believe that I had achieved it. It hadn't fully sunk in that I had done it, but now that it was coming to life, everything would be set before the twins arrived. Everything was finally falling into place. My hope was blossoming like a flower in full bloom.

"Thank you for coming. I hope you enjoyed yourselves!" I bid farewell to the last group of my customers as I handed them a thank you gift. A coffee mason jar with a straw with my cafés logo on it. "I'm definitely coming back, Viv. I love the shop. Maybe the books will be up next time!" One of the girls replied. Once they were gone, I took a seat and rubbed the left side of my belly. One of the twins had been gently kicking for a while. My feet had also started to ache, and as much as I had enjoyed the night, I was eager to go home and get some rest. Yet, as I helped clean up the shop and prepared for the next day, a newfound courage began to well up within me. Despite my lingering fears as a newcomer in the business world, the success of our first day had filled me with hope that everything would turn out well for both me and the babies. It was 3:00 am when I arrived back at the apartment that Jabari and I shared.

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I hope you enjoyed the first chapter. See you in chapter 2.

Love, Kiki.