Wayfaring Traveler

two

「 For Siana, the mastermind behind One More Time 」

t w o

The sound of rain pounding against the window panes awakened me, the smell of coffee lingering in the air filling up my nostrils. The setting of Seattle being reminded to me.

I opened my eyes just to stare at an industrial ceiling, vents, and pipes lining the ceiling. My body felt heavy and limp, the slight movement of my neck taking far longer than it should.

I had been out for quite a while, the darkness outside the windows indicating nighttime. Sirens and cars honking blaring in the distance.

I slowly got up from the couch and found my worn out shoes next to the couch. They had been neatly placed, my travel bag also neatly placed next to them. I put them on, double knotting them quickly.

I smiled, knowing who had placed my things so precisely and neatly.

Going downstairs by myself was a bit much, myself still feeling a bit dizzy and warm. A long nap had certainly helped my fever though. I placed the back of my hand on forehead in an attempt at reading my temperature, the warmness feeling lessened to me.

I opened the door that connected the loft to Traveler's and stepped into the backroom, nobody hanging out in the backroom. Everybody up front working for their wage.

I went to the front of the cafe and my eyes searched for a certain red-haired barista, her nowhere to be found. I stood next to the barista's bar quietly, debating on what I was to do, reading the analog clock that was above the entrance's doorway. It was eight now, fourteen hours passing upon arrival.

She must have left, I mean her shift couldn't possibly be fourteen hours long.

I sat myself down at the table I sat at in the morning, however, this time I was lacking a steaming hot cup of freshly brewed coffee. I stared at my watch, watching every second pass by. Perhaps she would return so I could give her a proper thank you.

Time seemed to move the slowest then, seconds felt like hours.

I closed my eyes, zoning out to the faint music that played in the cafe. My eyes still heavy and body still partially numb.

A loud thump startled me, the feeling of the warmth of another igniting me.

"Francesca?" I called out, my eyes still closed.

I felt as if I was in a dream, Francesca just a fragment of it all.

"In the flesh," she responded, my eyes opened to see her.

She was now without a coffee sooted apron, her hair significantly messier. Raindrops decorated her hair and clothes. She held a brown paper bag and a reusable tote, sitting down at the table.

"Francesca," I said out once more, still unsure if her presence was just part of a dream.

"Yes, Ezra. It's me, Francesca Scottsdale."

She gave me a warm smile and set down her bags, placing their contents on the wooden table. The first item was a plastic bowl of steaming soup, the second item a water bottle, the third item a room key.

I ignored the first two items and touched the room key she placed right in front of me, wanting an explanation for the unexpected item.

"I got you a room at the hotel down the block, you have a place to stay for three nights," she told me, pointing with her hand the direction of the hotel.

I gave a puzzled look, I was a complete stranger and yet she was helping me out blindly. It wasn't at all normal for someone to go through so much trouble for a delirious and perhaps even suspicious traveler.

I couldn't possibly accept her help, it would only anchor my stay.

"I can't possibly accept this, Francesca. Thank you for going through the trouble though," I said to her, sliding the room card over to her side of the table.

She shook her head, sliding the card back to me.

"It really was no trouble and I know the hotel's owner, it's only a three night's stay and a bowl of soup. If you're worried about the money, don't be. I talked to my dad and he said that you're more than welcome to work here, with the money you make here you can eventually pay me back," she explained, determined for me to accept her kind gesture.

"Francesca, thank you," I whispered, looking her straight in the eyes.

The tone of her voice let me know I could only accept her help, and so I did just that. I took the room key seconds later, placing it into my shirt's pocket. I opened the soup's contained and ate, Francesca silently sitting across from me with a satisfied look perched upon her rosy face.

I ate quickly, not wanting to take up any more of her time today. I got up from the chair I had been sat at and grabbed my stuff from up in the loft, eventually making my way towards the front shop door, Francesca waiting there for me.

"The first hotel you see on the right, the room number and floor number are on the keycard," she told me, holding out a piece of paper with a phone number scribbled on it, "if you need to get ahold of me."

I nodded and took the paper, shoving it into my shirt's pocket where the keycard already was.

"I'll see you tomorrow, have a good night and be safe."

I gave her a smile, opening the shop's front door. A chill hitting me instantly.

"Goodnight, Francesca."

She gave me yet another characteristic smile of hers and waved a goodbye. I walked out into the night, the wind immediately hit me. The warmth of the coffee shop gone and leaving me to face reality. I walked to the hotel and rode the elevator up to my room, running into just about no one, after all, most people didn't check into hotels in the middle of the week. I slid the keycard at my room's door and walked inside, the air conditioning unit blasting at me. My bag of necessities found their home on the room's desk and I unpacked my limited amount of things, taking off my watch and jacket once settled.

I laid on the plush hotel bed after I got all situated, placing the scribbled note with Francesca's number on the bedside table next to me. I let sleep overwhelm me, succumbing to my fever.

I fell asleep for the second time that day, this time in a tenth floor hotel room that stood amongst hundreds of buildings. I always seemed to have trouble falling asleep in new cities, insomnia always finding me. However, in this new city, sleep had a habit of finding me.

Rosy cheeks, muted red hair, and skin so fair being the reason I could fall asleep. A girl was all I could ever need; home is where your heart lies. For me, it was a place with limited blue skies.