The Boy in the Gray Hoodie

Epilogue

Epilogue

Five years later

Portland, Oregon

Lisa and I entered café like we did every weekday morning before walking another two blocks down the street to the clinic where we worked. We usually came in for a snack or something to drink, but this time we had another purpose.

"This one." Lisa pointed to the booth at the very back of the café. I didn't like to be so far away from the door, but she liked to sit in the back when it was crowded like this. Nodding, I followed her and we both sat down on opposite sides of the table. We liked to see each other when we ate or talked. And one of us had to watch the door this time.

"So, what will it be this morning, kids?" the waitress asked. Her name was Megan and she always put extra butter on my toast. She was nice. I liked her.

Today she was wearing a long skirt and a red apron over a thin brown shirt. Normally I didn't notice what she wore but today she looked a bit different.

"The usual, I think." Lisa glanced at me and shrugged. "Unless Roy wants something different this morning." She added, raising her eyebrow.

"Well honey?" Megan raised her eyebrow as well, tossing her waist-length brown hair over her shoulder. She was Lisa's age, and pretty too. That should have made me more nervous, but it didn't. What was making me nervous was the looks on their faces. They were waiting.

I glanced between them, and swallowed. "I would like...I would like a...I mean I want-oh I can't do it!" I put my hands over my face and sighed. I heard Lisa giggling and peeked at her through my fingers.

"Well you got halfway there this morning." Megan noted, sticking her paper and pencil in her red apron pocket. "You almost said it." She gave a stiff nod and headed back to the kitchen.

Lisa let her head drift slowly in my direction. I closed my fingers and stopped peeking. "You were so close." I knew without looking that she was shaking her head.

"I can't say that to her. It sounds so bad." I mumbled.

"Megan likes it when guys say that stuff. She told me. That's why you're practicing on her." Lisa reminded me. I felt her gloved fingers prying at my hands until she pulled them away from my face. "Our fifth anniversary is coming."

"I know." I nodded.

"And I have only asked for one thing."

"I know," I put my head on the table.

"I want you to-"

"I know!" I wailed, throwing up my hands. I felt heat rise to my cheeks as several people looked over at our booth. Leaning across the table, I got closer to Lisa. "But I can't do it." I whispered.

She narrowed her eyes. "Everyone can do it."

I frowned. "I'm special."

"Yes you are," Lisa snickered, leaning back against the bench as she pulled off her gloves. I sat back as well and stuck my hands in the pockets of my white hoodie.

"But you love me though," I mumbled hopefully.

"More than life. Or Gerard Butler." She answered with a firm nod. "But would you please try one more time?"

"Can't I say something that sounds nice? I would never say that...that thing...to you." I glanced nervously at the counter, fearing the moment when Megan would come back and I would have to try again to flirt, for the hundredth, humiliating time.