Before us✔️

Chapter Eighteen

We finally arrive at the coffee shop. It's busy today and everyone is sitting down with there significant other talking over their steaming hot coffees.

A little brown haired boy, who looks about four or five is playing with his teddy bear on the ground while his parents talk causally. From where I am stood, the teddy looks old and very worn out, the fluffy fur has gone matted and the fabric around the bears ears has gone loose.

They look down at the little boy ever so often, as he looks up at them his warm hazel eyes twinkle in the light and a soft innocent smile spreads across his face making my heart melt.

"How cute is that boy over there." I tell Harriet and she looks over to were the boy is sat.

"He's so cute!" Harriet squeals clapping her hands together in excitement.

"I love children, the are so cute and innocent." I sigh drying down the worktops with a clean tea towel.

"Imagine what you and Aiden's babies would look like!" She laughs.

"Oh please. We haven't even been together for a month and your already talking about having babies!"

"All I'm saying is that it will be cute." She throws her hands up in surrender.

Me and Harriet walk out back and put on our new baby pink buttoned up dress shirt. And tie our black barista aprons behind our back while laughing and joking all the way through.

"This unform really suits you Madds." Harriet points out while I'm tying back my long hair.

"Aw. Thank you!" I smile back refilling the coffee beans into the machine.

As I'm making the order of a girl called Samatha. The little boy comes into view his tiny hands trying to reach up to the counter.

I slowly walk over to we're the little boy is standing and gently crouch down to his height and smile.

"Hello what's your name?" I ask the boy who is looking at me with such adoration.

"Riley." He replies.

"That's a very beautiful name." I answer back smiling.

"What's your name?" The boy looks up at me, the same twinkling eyes as before.

"Maddison." I say.

"Mad-i-son?" He questions slowly as if trying to remember my name.

"Yes." I reply back smiling at how cute he pronounces my name.

"Are you Maddison, the Princess in my storybook?" He asks with slight seriousness in his small voice.

"No. I'm no where near as a princess." I laugh handing the boy a lolly pop from the counter.

"Why? You look just like a princess!" He questions further making me giggle until my stomach hurts from laughing too much.

"Will you be my Prince Charming Riley?" I joke.

"Yes. And can I take you to the magical ball?" Riley asks.

Just as I was about to the reply to the sweet boy, a smartly dressed women rushes over taking the boy into her embrace. The women, who looked like the age of maybe 27 had golden blond hair and from what I can see, she is dressed in a long nude dress and black stilettos that give her a bit of height and definition.

"Riley, Me and your Dad have been looking everywhere for you!" The lady exclaims, a worried look plastered all over her face.

"I'm okay mum. I was talking to Mad-i-son, she works here and we were talking about the girl in my storybook!" He blurts out.

"Oh Riley, I've told you the people in your storybooks aren't Princes and Princesses in real life."  She smooths out Riley's glossy brown hair down and patting him on the shoulder.

"Hi, I'm Hannah sorry if he disturbed you. This little cheecky boy is in his own world sometimes and I never know where he runs off to." She laughs while raising up her hand for me to shake.

"And you are?" She asks shaking my hand.

"Maddison." I say plainly, smiling.

"Maddison." She says in thought.

"I don't think I've ever met someone who's name is Maddison. But I like it." Hannah replies.

"Thank you." I blush.

Why are people so nice? Riley is so cute and adorable that I wish I could just hug him all day and night.

"Riley!" Hannah calls over to Riley who has somewhat disappeared and is now playing with one of the spiny chairs round the corner.

"Yeah?" Riley answers in a most heart warming voice I have ever heard.

"Go and get your school bag from the table Because we are going to be late!"

He quickly runs over to the table were his parents were sat awhile ago and comes back running to us, his Red and blue backpack bobbing up and down behind his back.

"Good boy." Riley gives his hand to his mum then Hannah says goodbye to me.

"I forgot something!" He beckons ripping his grip from his Mum's hand and running back into the Coffee shop.

"Back so soon?" I giggle wiping the tables clean with some pine disinfectant.

"I forgot to give you a hug." I drop my cloth onto the table and lower myself onto the ground so I'm level to Riley's height.

He wraps his warm hands round my shoulders and he hugs me a little tighter. The Boy unravels his soft hands from my body and then leans into to my ear.

"No one is never too old for fairy tales." He whispers into my ear and a huge smile spreads onto my face. He quickly gets up and runs out to his Mum who was waiting by the door.

"Bye Riley, have a good day at school." I whisper softly and continuing with wiping the tables down.

"That boy really loves you doesn't he?" Harriet asks putting a light hand on my shoulder.

"He does." I smile to her.

I go over to were Riley and Hannah were sat and begin to put away the cups and plates till I see a handwritten note on the table.

I pick up the note and begin to read it, my eyes already turning glossy from the note. Today has been so lovely and I met the most nicest family ever! I make a mental note to thank them tomorrow if I see them and just thank them for their generosity and kindness.

"Look at this sweet note I got from Riley's parents. Aren't they cute?" I run behind the counter and show Harriet the kind note.

"How lovely of them!" Harriet claps her hands together bringing me into a tight hug.

"Kindness makes the world go round!" Harriet sings.

"Come on, lets go home." I pick up my jacket and place it round my shoulders and turn to grab my bag.

While we lock the Coffee Shop doors up I jog towards Harriet's car and turn up the heating to its highest. Goosebumps prickle my skin, and uncontrollable shivers run all the way down my back making me chatter my teeth. It was cold in England. Well, it always is. But tonight was even colder.

Aiden warmed my heart up in a way that a winter jacket couldn't.
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Do you like Riley Jones? (He's going to be present in the next upcoming chapters along with Hannah and John.)

Don't forget to comment, vote and add before Us to your reading list to never miss an update!

Where to find me?
Ｉｎｓｔａｇｒａｍ- @n_imaginator_ for updates and teases for upcoming chapters!

P.S: To all my readers thank you so much, and I wouldn't be here without you guys❤️

♠️See you very soon!