Selfless Love [Completed]

A Glimpse

New York was buzzing with its typical atmosphere. People on the move, some getting their work done, some eating their lunch, some doing shopping and some just casually wasting time at a café with their coffee placed in front of them. Most of the New York was doing the former and Rudaba and Shahroze were doing the latter. Together, in this vintage coffee shop.

Cracking jokes at her, making her laugh out her lungs, and now he was just staring at her with complete admiration. She was either the most serious or the ever so craziest around him. There were only two extremes to her. So far in the three years of their relationship, he has mostly seen her crazy self. Maybe because he didn't give her the reason to ever go serious or concerned.

"Will you stop looking at me like this? You are the one dropping jokes not me."

"I am not guilty."

"Are you ever?"

"I was just thinking; this coffee place is pretty. But..."

"But?"

"Not more than you."

She chuckled and then stared at him.

"This is not our first time here. Also, Three years down and you are still trying to impress me with your one liners. You did that long ago. Maybe change?"

"Oh, now, now, don't be so ungrateful love."

"I am not complaining. I am just saying add some variety you know?"

She chuckled at her own comment and then he joined in.

"I think I should go now before my boss slaughters me for being late again. You take care, I will see you at home."

"Stay safe."

She smiled greeting him and he dropped a kiss on her forehead as he left.

Life had been good. To the two of them, it always has been.

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Three years ago, the 21-year old Rudaba Ahmed had come to New York for her postgraduate degree to study Business and Marketing. It was her first day at university and just before going to the campus, she came to this very same café to treat herself with coffee and that's when her life bumped with the 23-year old Shahroze Sheikh. A young, handsome man with black hair pushed back, carrying a warm smile on his face, dressed up in a black t-shirt and jeans.

She had ordered her coffee and she was waiting for it to be ready while he was about to order his when the café cashier called her out.

"Ma'am, your card didn't work, could you please try again."

Why do the cashiers need to be so loud? Can't they be subtle? An embarrassed self of hers walked back to the counter and he had taken a few steps backwards to give her the space. But a tiny smile was forming on his lips.

Payment not processed.

"It didn't take it again. Are you sure you have money on your card?"

Rudaba shot a deadly look at the cashier for judging her so wrong.

"Do you think I would come to buy coffee knowing I have no money? Maybe the card is at fault. Never mind, you can cancel my order."